Type 1, 2, 1-2 awesomeness.

I haven't done a writing post in a while. Which is sad considering this started as a writing blog. I've been so wrapped up in book prep, but I love getting back to basics.

Writer's are all different. Obviously. We each have our own voice, descriptions, style, everything. One thing that has stood out to me lately is the way we write our first drafts. 

Let's start with what I'll refer to as Type 1 writers. These awesome intellectuals pour over pages, giving every detail, expressing every emotion, adding every single word they can possibly think of. 

And then there are people like me, Type 2 writers. These superb beings get to the point. They don't add fluff, don't add detail, and oftentimes don't add enough. 

During revisions, Type 1 will probably spend the majority of their time cutting back, trimming those words, taking their manuscript from 100,000 words to 75,000. 

On the other hand, Type 2 will spend hours filling in information, adding emotion, fleshing out those flat characters, doing all they can to take their manuscript from 50,000 words to 75,000. 

Is either one of them better? No way. Sure, there are people in the middle who get their first draft near perfect (Type 1-2 awesomeness). That's something to admire. But I don't think it means those people are any better than the others. They might spend months planning their book just to get it right. And that works for them.

No matter which type of writer you are, the most important thing you can do for your book is find a critique partner. I'm a Type 2 writer. And if it weren't for my Type 1 CP's, my books would be flat, boring, and super short. Constructive criticism can be hard to take, but it can make or break your book. 

So, which type of writer are you? Do you have CP's that are the opposite?

1st Glance!!!

Since most of you don't know about my book, Changing Fate, I've decided to give you a glance.

The main character, Kate, is a teen with cystic fibrosis. In the book you'll learn about the disease and also the struggles Kate goes through as the new girl, the sick girl, the girl who resists friends, and the girl who wants love.

I hope that it will ignite others into learning about the disease and spreading the word! To learn the details of cystic fibrosis, please visit The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and educate yourself.

I'd also like to introduce you to Ali and Christina. 

Anyone who's a fan of America's Got Talent and perhaps watched the show in 2010, might know about the two sisters. They've fought CF their whole lives and have used music to share their story and inspire those around them. Here are some links to a few of my favorite songs!

Something About Me.
The Same Way.
Love is Gonna Find You. 

To learn more about them, you can visit their website and also read this article about their journey.

Christina is now teamed up with Davin Nebeker, singing hit songs and original melodies. Here are a couple of my favorites of theirs!

Wintertime.
We (Fell in Love).

Thanks for your support! I can't wait for my book release in May! 

An ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

No, I didn't get an agent. But sometimes that's not in the plans. See, here's how it happened.

Mother's Day 2013, I found out a new friend of ours has cystic fibrosis. Cute little girl, six years old, full of energy and life. I wondered what the disease entailed so I looked it up and researched it for many days. 

And then the idea for a book dropped in my brain. That's really the only logical way of explaining it. I never before in my whole life would've written a book like this. See...I hate sad stories and I don't like talking about medical stuff. I'm a little bit (okay a lot) of a hypochondriac. I shy away from anything medical because I suddenly think me or someone near me has it. In fact, while writing this book, I worried for months that my youngest had cystic fibrosis even though I knew she didn't. 

Then why did I write it? Because I was supposed to. I talked at length with the mother of the girl and she introduced me to someone else who has lived with the disease for many years...and the story was put together. 

From the very beginning I had a thought that I should self publish because of the type of book it was. Yes, it's also a Young Adult Contemporary Romance, but it was more of the reasoning behind why I wrote it--which was to spread the word about CF and help others get involved. I wanted to do something for the cause and since I didn't have money, I wrote a book instead. 

When I finished, I realized it was some of my best work. I also knew that if it could get me an agent, it would start a lifelong career and not just a one book sale. So I queried 7 agents, one of which was my dream agent. 5 rejections came back, along with 1 full and 1 partial request. A couple months later, another rejection...but my dream agent still had my MS. 

And the voice in my head kept saying, "Self publish." I fought it over and over again. Each time the feeling grew stronger. See, I'm a religious person. And when I prayed about this, I knew what I was supposed to do. But how could I possibly explain that to dream agent? How could I possibly tell her I had to withdraw my book?

I just did it. And I learned something really important. Sometimes the right decision is the hardest one. I was supposed to write this book. I knew that. It just took me a little bit longer to realize that I was also supposed to publish it. Not only do I want to get the word out, but there is some medical material that could be time sensitive. With continuous research in cystic fibrosis, my book could've been outdated by the time it would sale and get published through a traditional publisher.

And that's why I'm publishing this book. I'm not sure I'll do it with any other book, but for this one, it's right. No doubt about it. I may get 1 sale, I may get 1,000. What matters to me is that no matter the number, if someone reads my book, they will be aware of the disease and they might decide to help.

With that, I'd like to announce that my book will be available in the beginning of May through Amazon and Kindle. 

I'm working hard on getting everything ready, but I have to tell you that great things are happening! When you do what you're supposed to do, everything falls into place. I'll keep you all posted but hopefully soon I'll be able to share my cover, head shot, and maybe a book trailer!!! 

I'm so excited. Not just to share my book, but to be a part of something awesome :) 

And if you're still reading this...thank you. 

Have a great week everyone! 

3 Awesome Things!!!

I'm not sure you're ready for this awesomeness...but I'll tell you anyway.

#1. My great friend and awesome CP has a book deal!!! You should feel super lucky right now because her story is fantastic. Yes, you have to wait until Fall 2014 but time flies, right? Want the awesomesauce from Shallee McArthur? Go to her blog right now to get details!

#2. Next piece of info? I get to go to my FIRST real, live, in-person conference!!! I'll be attending LDStorymakers in April and I'm so excited to expand my knowledge, finally meet some awesome friends, and make new writing acquaintances. 

#3. Well...Christmas is in one week!!! Maybe you don't all celebrate, but we do. What better way to acknowledge the birth of our Savior and feel the spirit of his giving? In light of the season I want to wish you all a very safe and a very Merry Christmas!

~Michelle

Winner, winner, turkey dinner!

I did it!!! I'm a NaNo winner. I reached 50,000 words on November 19th and then finished my book yesterday, November 25th! Final chapter count: 32. Final word count: 66,579. Final brain status: Fried!

But we love fried brains, right? 

I absolutely love my story and my characters. Yes, it was a bit of a whirlwind, but it was a fun journey. 

How has your month of writing been? Did you do NaNo or skip out this year?

Also, for those celebrating, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving! There is so much to be thankful for, but for now I'll limit it to just a few things: God, my husband, my kids, my family, friends, talents, and the ability to stay positive in a negative situation. I'm not the best at that last one, but I'm thankful that even when I'm not, others still are. And of course, I'm thankful that even though I started writing later than most people, I'm happy I found my passion. 

Happy writing!   

Now to eat some turkey...nom, nom, nom. 

And then there was silence...

Anyone else doing NaNo? This is, technically, my first time participating in NaNoWriMo. I've written books in a month before...just not in November. I mean, who has time? 

Well, turns out. I do. Kind of. If I push everyone else away and decide I like crampy fingers, it works. By day 9 (last Saturday) I was at 30,000. I definitely think I've got the 50,000 in the bag...as long as nothing catastrophic happens. But my book won't be finished at 50,000. So the question now is, can I write the whole thing this month?

Considering the fact that I'm going on a week vacation for Thanksgiving, it might not happen. But if my family decides they're not up for nighttime fun and games, I might have a lot of time on my hands.

This might actually happen!

*Cue crampy fingers*

I'd better go. But happy NaNo! And if you aren't participating, I encourage you to try it sometime! It's a great challenge and a fun way to make a deadline. 

Check out my post...

My good friend, Kelley, asked me to write a post for her blog, Scribbleweed. To read about why I would or would not do NaNoWriMo...please visit her site and feel free to make a comment :) 

Thanks! 

Have a great week and happy writing.