Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.
We’d love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link — or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.
This Week’s Topic:
What has your writing road trip looked like so far? Excitement? Traffic Jams and detours? Where are you going next?
So, I feel like the name of the last two years in particular has been: HEAVY TRAFFIC.
Starting grad school in the middle of a first draft, then trying to finish that draft and start on revisions, while working on a completely different first draft for school, has been, like this sentence, convoluted at times. I am so grateful for the opportunity to pursue my MFA, so I’m not complaining! I probably could’ve handled it better, though (but no sense in harboring regrets!).
While sometimes I’ve felt like I’m crashing and burning …
(particularly when I realize a book needs an entire overhaul), I have to stop and revel in the times when things work out just right …
(great feedback from a prof or writing group, things click in my ms., etc.).
Overall, I’d say my journey has been pretty smooth …
Though perhaps ridiculous at times).
What’s next? Well, as already stated, my goal is to start querying next year. Will it be Red Sky, Sparks, or some future work first? I don’t know! And that’s the fun part.
And of course, as of January, I’ll have my Masters! w00t!
I can sum up my hopes for next year as: ONWARD AND UPWARD, BABY!
Kristina Atkins 
…If I could park as skillfully as that, I’d drive for a living.
Good luck on querying in 2012! Hopefully, I’ll be joining you ^_^
We’ll have a querying party! Via Skype. We’ll either be smiling or crying. But it will be together. ^_^
I think we share a love of gifs. (But really, who doesn’t love gifs?)
Good luck with your querying! You should keep us updated. I love hearing about other people’s querying process, especially when it all works out in the end. ^_^
People who don’t love gifs are Fascists. It’s true–I studied Italian history in my many Italian classes, and that was a tenet of Fascism.
And I will FO SHO keep y’all updated!
Great images. And good luck with the road ahead.
Gracias. You too!
Thanks for the update and the gifs, Kris!
I’m a little leery posting about my querying at the moment. I’m anxious that an agent might read my query, go to my blog, and read a post about my query having been rejected by 500 agents (I’m just using hyperbole to make a point–I haven’t queried 500 agents… yet). Sure, some agent might like the idea of being the first in 501 agents to see my creative genius (!). But I can’t help thinking it’s more likely s/he’ll not want to question the judgment of 500 other agents and form reject. Perhaps I’m being overly pessimistic, and I must admit, I like reading about how others are doing. So, my posts on the topic will tend to be a little… guarded. I guarantee you, though, when an agent bites, the whole internet will know. :-)
I totally understand–that’s a valid concern. I’ll be excited when we do get news, because then it’s guaranteed to be good!
Forgive my unsolicited advice, but I just wouldn’t post about my rejections on a blog. Save it for private Facebook posts, or better, IRL conversations, and don’t put out anything that could make others think less of you to the public. Once you succeed, then you can make the posts about how many rejection letters you got and how you overcame adversity and all that!
Love the visuals! All so true!
Thanks! It was fun to putting the post together because of the images.
“Starting grad school in the middle of a first draft, then trying to finish that draft and start on revisions, while working on a completely different first draft for school, has been, like this sentence, convoluted at times.” Haha!
Good luck querying next year :) I’ll be right there with you.
Thanks! And thanks for visiting!
Querying is definitely a journey in and of itself–my query draft is up on AW’s Query Letter Hell right now and although it’s short, that just means it gets torn apart word by word instead of paragraph by paragraph. They’re a great resource though. You might dip a toe in QLH (if you haven’t already) as part of your querying. Good luck!
Ooo, thanks for the tip! I’m going to be diving full-on into query-mode and agent-stalking-mode come January.
You will totally be published before me, Kris, and I don’t know what you’re talking about when you say otherwise. I won’t be done until May, so you will totally have a five-month head start on being awesome.
We’ll just tie for awesome. How ’bout that?
Argh, that was supposed to link to a cute gif!
It would have been better if it had embedded. ;_;
It’s still cute. Lurve it!
Love the pics! And best wishes on your publsihing journey!
Thanks–and you too!
Possibly your best blog blending text and graphics yet! Where do you find all these great graphics? On and Up Ward Baby!!
SenorGif.com
Thanks! :)
Great pictures, and good luck on the road ahead! Working on two projects at once sounds hard, but it’ll pay off in the end when you have two finished manuscripts.