Meeting Notes 11

It’s been a long while since I went to a meeting (thankfully) but sometimes they must happen, and here was the product of that time. I think some of it needs explanation.

Let’s start with the obvious. I got the first season of Adventure Time on DVD, so Jake and Finn were certainly on the brain a lot all last week. Jake was tough, because I was doing this all from memory, but Finn is easy peasy.

At the top, you may have noticed the Fairy Especially. This was inspired by Kate’s Engrish post. I was still giggling after reading it and tried to draw something that she and her husband summoned after reading the back of a crazy Engrish doll’s package. (Seriously, if that’s not enough enticement to get over to her blog, there’s something wrong with you).

And of course the rock guitar represents all the rock n’ roll that happened over the weekend as I finally found time to pick up my least good brand Fender guitar (Squier). Hey, it was cheap and it sounds great. Works for me.

Thank goodness I have something to keep me sane in long boring meetings. I have brainstormed for stories before, but I find doodling both distracts you and oddly enough, keeps you paying attention.

What do you think? Did I get Finn and Jake spot on? Did the Fairy Especially visit you after you read the incantation? What do you do during boring meetings or even boring conversation?

Meeting Notes 10

It’s been a couple of months since my last Meeting Notes post. And to be honest, there haven’t been a ton of meetings lately, which for me is a good thing. Now, without further ado…

Sometimes I really have no idea what’s going to come out when I start doodling. I tend to like shading things and giving them a bit more of a 3D perspective, but I’ve always had an obsession with drawing eyes. I usually don’t doodle them, but this time I said what the poodoo, why not?

COMING SOON

Thanks to inspiration and a sort of reminder from Mayra, I’m going to work on presenting an editing series to go along with the How to Write a Novel Series and the How to Design a Book Cover series I’ve already featured here on the blog. I’m hoping all of you will add your own editing tips in the process.

I recently finished up another major edit session on SHADE and am going to tackle the query letter next. I have a decent one, but my mentor from Pitch Wars made some new suggestions, so I’m at it again. I think once I’ve got a copy we’re both happy with I might send it over to Janet Reid’s Query Shark blog and see what she has to say. It’s both frightening and thrilling at the same time.

I’m going to commit to writing the editing series for next week. You heard it here first. Look for the editing series next week. This will include advice on how to do it yourself, beta readers, writing groups, and when to seek a professional editor (yep, that’s a when). There’s a lot more resources available than you’d think, many of them free of charge—and they’ll improve your writing.

Anything you’re hoping to see coming out of the editing series? Anything you wish I would doodle while I was making my meeting notes? I’m up for requests or suggestions. Have you ever dared to submit to the Query Shark? Would you? Let me know below.

Meeting Notes 09

I know, today probably should have been a things i love post, and I promise one is coming, but I needed a little extra time to prepare a fabulous Friday Flix post for you all. I’m reviewing Skyfall. It should prove interesting and I’m sure some of you will disagree with me, but at least you’ll understand why I came to the conclusions I did.

Onto the meeting notes.

I couldn’t think of what I wanted to draw. Often the first thing that comes to mind is flowers, but I was bored with that, so I glanced out the window and decided to draw one of the buildings in the distance. Then because we have fabulous mountains around here, I scribbled on those next. And then for some odd reason, this weird turtle popped into my head. It was a longish meeting, but it’s strange how well I can pay attention when I’m doodling and it satisfies the ADD kid rampaging around in my brain.

I’m curious though, do some of you ever go off to story creating land when you’re bored with something that’s happening? If I’m stuck in really boring conversation I can’t escape from physically, I do it mentally, creating new scenes or rewriting old ones in my head. Sometimes when I’m on the train not reading I spend a lot of time working through my story mentally.

What do you do when you’re bored? Do you ever daydream about your story and when does it usually occur if you do? If you have to be in meetings for work, how do you survive them?

Tomorrow, the sky falls. 😉