Stephanie writes young adult contemporary novels and is the creator of GoTeenWriters.com. Her novels include The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series (Revell) and The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet (Playlist). You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and check out samples of her work on her author website.
Good morning! How I wish we could all gather at one big table and have breakfast together to kick off our retreat!
For those of you who may not know, this weekend is the Go Teen Writers Virtual Writing Retreat. Since we're currently unable to get together in real life, the next best thing, Jill and I decided, would be to hang out together online. We'll be posting questions and giveaways here on the blog all weekend, but for extra conversation we encourage you to join the Go Teen Writers email loop:
This morning's discussion topic is what is your goal for the writing retreat? Do you want to hit a certain word count on your manuscript? Find critique partners? Get re-energized about writing? Find people who will help you brainstorm a fresh plot idea? There's no wrong answer!
Our first giveaway!
A paperback copy of Go Teen Writers: How To Turn Your First Draft Into a Published Book
(The paperback is available for U.S. residents only due to the realities of expensive international shipping, but we would happily provide a digital copy of the book for an international winner.)
Our first giveaway!
A paperback copy of Go Teen Writers: How To Turn Your First Draft Into a Published Book
(The paperback is available for U.S. residents only due to the realities of expensive international shipping, but we would happily provide a digital copy of the book for an international winner.)
My main goal is to glean whatever information or tricks other writers have to offer, as well as edit one manuscript and possibly find a critique partner for it. Other than that, it's just to have fun. Thanks for doing this.
ReplyDeleteI mostly just want to chat and get to know other teen writers. Hearing and talking about people's different projects and goals is really inspiring and throwing ideas around is great to get the creative juices flowing.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind finding a couple people who could read my stuff as I write it, and I'm always up for making new friends!
My goal is to find some crit partners, to really help me go over my work. My bestfriend loves me too much to speak her mind :/
ReplyDeleteI'm just trying to soak up whatever information I can and enjoy connecting with other writers. If I could find some critique parters, that'd be great.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to finish a chapter of my new story because I am yet to finish a chapter of any story. I have a bit of distraction issue. Anyone have any tips?
ReplyDeleteJust sit down and do it. It doesn't matter if it is truly horrible 'cause you can edit it. (Don't worry the Horrible-Writing police won't bang down your door ;D)
DeleteThanks :D
DeleteMy goal is to do some worldbuilding, and/or find some CPs.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to finish the final scenes of my WIP and maybe find a critique partner.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to write a lot in my current WIP. I'd like to get to the end of my current notebook, if possible.
ReplyDeleteLast night I finished my WIP. (I'm still pinching myself to make sure it's true :D) So my goal is to get some serious brainstorming done on an adventure story I promised my sister, and to get a decent amount done with it. I also want a serious critique partner who is willing to stick together for years. :D
ReplyDeleteThank-you all so much for hosting this special event. We really appreciate how much time you put into this little community of young writers!
ReplyDeleteI, unfortunately, will be quite busy this weekend so my goal is not so much a goal, per say, as a vague battle plan: Squeeze in time. Write some words. Learn something new. Have fun. (This isn't a grimace; it's a smile. ;P)
My goal for this retreat is to finish my WIP's "outline." I'm already past the first climax! :)
ReplyDeleteTop of the morning to you Stephanie.
ReplyDeleteI guess my goal for this retreat is to get re-energized about writing since I'm
a procrastinator. So far I feel like writing which is good! I might want to
find a critique partner, but I'm not so good with people, but maybe that could
change? Anyway with this retreat I want to figure out if I'm really suit to be a
writer.
I have no idea what I'm gonna do or write.
ReplyDeleteThat's me too
DeleteMy goal is to outline and start outlining on my short story.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I don't know how much time I will be spending here..:(
ReplyDeleteI would like to find a critique partner, just get some writing done and learn new things!;)
Thank you for doing this!:D
My goal is to outline my next 4 WIPs. Hopefully I'll be able to start one of them as well.
ReplyDeleteMy goal this weekend is to do either one or both of these things: Choose my next novel idea, and/or finish/get a bunch done of a fanfiction story I'm writing for a friend. :)
ReplyDelete~hannah!♥
My main goal is to edit two or three chapters of my WIP. I would also like to find some critique partners for fantasy.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'll be busy for most of Saturday, so I'll try to catch a few snippets today and on Sunday on Yahoo.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the festivites to begin!
My goal for the weekend is to come up with a different "umph" for my WIP. After attending WriteOnCon this week I realize I need something fresher... and more cutting edge.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying the retreat! My goal is to get 6400 words done on my WIP Queen mother
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to prep for the novel I was going to write in November, but since I realize that it's not realistic to try to accomplish that and kick butt at school, I'm just going to write it over the school year.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to write for at least a solid thirty minutes today, an hour+ tomorrow, and thirty more at least on Sunday. Oh, and finish my first draft!
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm not participating in the retreat, I do have a goal I'd like to accomplish before school starts. My hope is to have a good, solid outline for my novel I've been brainstorming :)
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to get progress done on my manuscript, finish editing a short story I wrote a few weeks ago, and work on plotting my NaNoWriMo novel. I also want to get to know some of the other writers and maybe even find someone who could be a future critique partner.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to write A LOT of words! I'm currently working on book three in the Safe Lands/Captives series. It's due October 15th. And I'm behind! So I've got a lot of words to catch up on.
ReplyDeleteYay! So excited for the rest of that trilogy, Jill! I loved Shaylinn in Captives, and can't wait to find out what happens to her :) I really liked that she wasn't perfectly thin like so many other books' heroines are--it made her so much more relatable! (Which is not a word, but I'm using it anyway. . . .)
DeleteI may not have a lot of time to participate unfortunately, but I would like to work on plotting out a new project I've been thinking about today, and then hopefully write for at least an hour Saturday and Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Plantser. :D My goal is to work on editing my current WIP, work on planning my next novel, and hopefully find a critique partner. :)
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to finish up some skits for a children's assembly thing, and (hopefully) work on either my Cinderella novella, or my almost complete Suspense manuscript. :)
ReplyDeleteI want to get through Chapter 2 of my MS this week. I also want to find a good balance between pantsing and plotting.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm just going to be involved a little bit. My laptop is gone at repair, so my writing and critiquing is kinda on hold right now. :/
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to edit up to Chapter 20 in my WIP, Seaspear. I'm currently at the beginning of Chapter 15.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited I get to participate, as I didn't think I'd be able to! :)
My goal is to actually write some. I lost all motivation and enthusiasm when school started. I'm trying to get up the courage to actually take steps toward a HF novel.
ReplyDeleteMy goal for the weekend is to send in "The Dreamers" to my eBook formatter!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what my goal is. :) I just want to write and have fun with it!
ReplyDeleteMy goal is I guess to get some more motivation for writing. I've been doing a lot of cutting with has been hard in editing. :P
ReplyDeleteMy goal is just to get part of the way through my first draft for the novel I'm writing. :)
ReplyDeleteMy goal for the weekend is to finish up all my FINAL final revisions for Ashway. I'm down to one chapter left - but between working and going to classes, I might have to put sleeping to the side to accomplish that. Worth it? WORTH IT.
ReplyDeletebabysit my cousins and editing chapter ten of my story "Outlaw"
ReplyDeleteI want to of course write, but one main thing is to put together a rough timeline of my story so I can fill in the parts I have not yet written. I have been putting this off for... a while. :/ I need to get to it!
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to finish my second revision of last years NaNo novel. I also have a new WIP and I'm really hoping to flesh the story out during the retreat.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to write a childrens picture and illustrate it.
ReplyDeleteI'd say my goal for the weekend is to finish a few more chapters. Mainly because I haven't been writing a lot this summer and I just got back into routine so I'd like it to stay like that!
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to finish Chapter 17 of my manuscript and get pretty well into Chapter 18--that or wherever 10,000 words takes me. I haven't started writing yet (gulp...) but hope to by 1:00. I'm going to check in at dinnertime's post/giveaway (if that's what you're doing) and tell y'all how far I've gotten, if that's all right :)
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to finish a first draft. Somewhere between 5-10k words stand between right now and when I go back to school Monday. The timing of this retreat is PERFECT!
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to really start going on my WIP.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try and improve my writing of descriptions.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to get back into the writing swing. I really need that kickstart to help me feel motivated again! Also, I'm looking for someone to read what I have so far in my primary WIP and tell me what I need to change and what's awesome so that I can continue my story with a stronger base
ReplyDeleteThis is move-in/orientation weekend for me, so I'm probably going to be somewhat spotty on keeping up with the retreat. But I think it's a wizard thing, and I'm excited for the idea of it. It's also a great way to start college off on a good foot for me, so I can keep my writing motivation up during this adjustment period, when otherwise I might get overwhelmed with other stuff. My goal is just to make sure I get in a habit of writing for a certain amount of time every day, and making sure I work on actively writing other things while I'm in the micro-editing stage for my main WIP. This should be a big help.
ReplyDeleteI'm not able to participate, but in general, I'd like to finally go back to working on my WIP.
ReplyDeleteTry to plan out my book! :P And hey Jessica :)
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I work all weekend. :'( Long hours. Right now my weekend goals are to survive without dying.
ReplyDeleteMy main goal this weekend. To at least finish a couple of chapters in any book I'm currently working on. That would be some amazing progress.
ReplyDeleteMy goal for the weekend is to do some more of my novel I'm writing in my notebook. I usually write on the computer, so it'll be a bit of a challenge. :)
ReplyDeleteMy goal for the weekend is to get some writing done in my handwritten novel. I don't work on that one nearly as often as I should :)
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to either plan my NaNo novel or my memoir, both are totally different from anything I've done before. This should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to write write write and respect my writing dream!
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to write every day and get as much done as I can, and hopefully get some editing done on my previous WIP. I'm also beta-reading for someone, and doing character sketches, and... haha Yeah, I'll be busy... But I got over 1,700 words in today! :D
ReplyDeleteI want to type to 40,000 words!
ReplyDeleteWow! That's a lot! Good luck :)
Delete