RSW – Update 8

RSW9

Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, Elodie Nowodazkij, and myself.

1.  How I did on last week’s goals.

1a.  Draft at least 30K words in my new WiP by summer’s end. –> Success!
1b. Revise The Road So Far. –> Success! (It’s with beta readers now.)

2. Read 12 books by summer’s end. –> In progress. I finished Adam Silvera’s More Happy Than Not, one of the grittiest, most intense YAs I’ve read. Think Courtney Summers, but with a gay male protagonist, set in the Bronx. Loved it. Eight books down, four to go! (In case you missed it, last week I posted my July Reading Wrap-Up. Find it HERE.) 

3. Get stronger. –> In progress. I hit our elliptical up once and practiced yoga four times.

4. Explore a new place each week. –> Yesterday we visited the American Girl store in celebration of my daughter’s 8th birthday (which is today!). We had lunch and cake, and got our shop on, which was tons of fun.

5. Cross at least two items off my Thirty Before 35 list. –> In progress. I’m working on #17 as I draft my WiP, and last week we finally got around to planting our herb garden — yay! We have rosemary, parsley, tri-colored sage, two types of oregano, and apple mint. Hopefully I don’t kill it all. 😉

2.  My goal(s) for this week.

Go back to my non-contemp WiP (even though I met the RSW goal I set for it, I’m nowhere near done drafting) and add more words — at least 2,o00 this week, to be specific. Read Lisa Schroeder’s All We Have Is Now. Celebrate my daughter’s birthday BiG tImE. 🙂

3.  A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised.

We sat in the sand and she freaking wept, these gasping, body-shuddering sobs that sucked the spirit out of me even as I held her close. After, she apologized, face flushed, eyes red, voice raw, and I had a very clear, very singular thought: I will never be the reason she cries.

4.  The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write).

Nit-picking The Road So Far. It was “done” days before I sent it to my (amazing) betas, but I couldn’t stop going over it, obsessing about the tiniest things. Finally my (incredibly wise) husband said, “You’re just changing happy to glad. Send the thing off already!” So I did.

5.  Something I love about my WiP.

The romance. Always the romance. ❤

Are you participating in RSW? 
Don’t forget to link to your update below.

In other news… this week we’re offering our third giveaway — a fantastic writer’s care package assembled by Erin. 

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Erin’s package includes: “Embrace the Journey” journal with cork cover, “Enjoy the Little Things” notepad, Ink Joy mini pens, 2 pack of “Write On!” mini notebooks, Scrabble pencils that say: jot, note, write, create, compose, and inscribe, “Do One Thing Every Day That Makes You Happy” pencil case, 2 packs of paperclips shaped like rabbits and crocodiles, manicure kit, Eos Fresh Flowers hand lotion, Revlon Fashionista nail polish (teal), David’s PomTango tea  (makes 34 oz.), Strawberry Fusion Tic Tacs, Cadbury Jelly Popping Candy chocolate bar, and Trident Very Berry gum.

Giveaway open internationally, to RSW participants only.
To enter, click the link below!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway!

44 thoughts on “RSW – Update 8”

  1. Eve says:

    Yay on last weeks goals! And the herb garden is super cute. Happy Birthday to your daughter and good luck this week!

  2. Pax Asteriae says:

    Happy birthday to your little one! And your herb garden looks great. 🙂 I think those things can be quite hard to kill, they usually prefer seeding themselves all around your garden!

    Your excerpt turned me to mush. So sweet! Good luck with your goals this week. 🙂

    • Katy Upperman says:

      Thanks so much, Pax! I sure hope my herbs are hardy. My husband stood up and applauded when I remembered to water them yesterday. My thumb is not exactly green. 🙂 Hope you have a great week!

  4. Elodie says:

    Happy birthday C!!!! 🙂 Hope she’s having a wonderful time 🙂
    I’m starting to read your book today and I can’t wait! And yay on that herb garden! It looks great! Can’t wait for Thursday 🙂

  5. leandrajwallace says:

    I’ve always wanted herbs on a windowsill in cute tin cans w/chalkboard tags. =) Yours is lovely! And so is your excerpt, you always have a killer voice. Happy birthday to your girl!

    • Katy Upperman says:

      Okay, now I want to move my herbs to tins — love that idea! And thanks so much for your kind words about my excerpt. I’m still always so nervous to share! Have an awesome week, Leandra. 🙂

  7. kaitlinbartlett says:

    Congrats on finishing your revision and sending it to betas, Katy. You’ve gotten SO MUCH writing done this summer! And that excerpt, I LOVE!

    And the happiest of birthdays to your girl…looks like you all had a fun celebration yesterday! ❤

  9. Courtney Leigh says:

    Niiiiiiiice work on hitting those goals. Letting go of a MS, even if it’s just to beta readers, can be so dang hard. Keep yourself distracted while it’s out! Congrats on getting the herb garden planted as well and happy b-day to your little girl!!

    Good luck this week! ❤

    • Katy Upperman says:

      Thanks so much, Courtney! We had a fun day full of celebrating, which turned out to be a perfect distraction for waiting on my WiP. 🙂 Hope you have an awesome week, lady!

  11. Kimberly G. Giarratano says:

    I’ve always wanted to go to the American Girl store, but I have to wait until my daughter is much older (she’s 1). You’re a machine — getting work done.

    • Katy Upperman says:

      The American Girl Store is… irresistible. I get just as sucked in as my daughter when we go. It’s a dangerous, dangerous place. 🙂 Hope you and your little one have fun when you eventually get to go, Kimberly. Have a wonderful week!

  12. Carrie-Anne says:

    Congratulations on reaching your goals!

    That’s a nice herb garden. My family has had gardens for years, and I’d love to have a large garden of my own someday. Since I’ve kept my spider plant Kalanit alive for 15 years so far, I hope I’d be able to apply the same success to any garden of herbs and vegetables.

    • Katy Upperman says:

      Carrie-Anne, I would be proud to keep a plant alive for 15 DAYS — I can’t believe you’ve had the same one for 15 YEARS. *applauds* Hope you have an awesome week of writing, lady!

  13. Erin Funk says:

    So much to love in this post! Your herb garden looks lovely! I really wanted to plant one this summer, but painting and the never-ending unpacking is sucking up all my home improvement time. Can’t wait to see how you use your herbs!

    Your excerpt this week is, not surprisingly, awesome. It really packs an emotional punch, and I love the resolve in that last line. So, so good.

    Happy birthday to your kiddo, and happy writing this week!

    • Katy Upperman says:

      Thanks so much, Erin! We’re having fun trying to keep the herbs alive. 🙂 I can tell you, I’ve already used the oregano in spaghetti sauce, and I’m planning to make a loaf of rosemary bread very soon. Yum! Hope you get tons done in the coming week!

  14. crystalschubert says:

    Happy birthday to your daughter!! 🙂 And I love what your husband said. I totally get stuck in revision mode sometimes, too, and have to have my MS practically ripped from my fingers to send off to betas. I also love your herb garden! I can’t wait until we move somewhere that I can plant a whole herb/veggie garden and share that with my son. So fun!

  15. Tonja Drecker says:

    Happy birthday to your little girl! Sounds like a great way to party. And love your husbands comment. We do tend to get stuck on silly things and don’t notice it ourselves. Oh, and the herb garden is amazing! Makes me want to go out and weed right now…well, when it cools down this evening 😉 Have a great week!

  18. Jennifer Pickrell says:

    “I will never be the reason she cries.” LOVE the whole snippet, but especially this line.

    Happy birthday to your girl!!! And yay on the herb garden – I’ve never heard of apple mint, but if it’s anything like the chocolate mint my mom planted one year, it probably smells fantastic.

    Have a great week!

    • Katy Upperman says:

      Thanks so much, Jennifer! Yes, the apple mint smells awesome. I’m going to put some of the leaves in a pitch of ice water for afternoon refreshers. I’ll let you know how it tastes. 🙂

  19. literallyalice says:

    Great job on this week’s goals, and happy birthday to C! Loved seeing your pictures. It seemed like a great time. 🙂

    Good luck with your goals this week!

  21. dari says:

    Can you please do a reader’s giveaway package too later, Katy?

    But if not, better it was done for writers. 🙂

  22. Tanya says:

    Katy – Just realized I typo’d in my earlier comment. Added an “h” thereby calling you Kathy. Color me embarrassed! Sorry about that! :/

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