On Cheating, Cupcakes and Chick Lit
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This week I was disappointed in my word count, with only 3,700 words out of my 5,000-word goal right after I had so much gusto last weekend to write two chapters a week to finish this massive WIP. Ok so I wrote 1.5 chapters, but I felt like “cheating” or being tricky (like Jenny Hansen said this week) and counting my blogs towards my word count, which would put me well over 5,000. However, I plan on writing today even though I normally take Sundays for blogging only. I have two to three blogs to write so hopefully there will be enough time to write on the WIP later. Might be interesting to write in the daylight since I’m used to writing in the dark after work. If anyone’s up for a sprint later, send me a tweet. I got lots of words planned for today #row80.
The Genres Blogging Series is going great. Thanks to Barbara McDowell who posted about Horror on Wednesday, which generated a rather lively discussion in the comments section. Did you know Horror has “disappeared” as a section in bookstores? Its funny how labels, even genre labels, immediately make associations in our minds and that we can be so stubborn not to give something a chance because it carries a specific label. I can’t imagine what Romance and “Click Lit” writers go through.
Yesterday, I went to a great café in Brussels, Merrily’s Atelier Sucré. It was the cutest shop with walls painted pink and purple, a glass case with any array of deliciously colorful cupcakes on display. I had a hazelnut flavored cupcake and a cappuccino. I met some lady bloggers in Brussels, most of them native English speakers, which in itself was a big treat. It was great meeting these bloggers because they have so many useful tips and it makes a big difference to be able to talk in-person, rather than over social media, to a group who has the same interests as you. I’ll be setting up a blogroll in the sidebar this week with these lovely ladies’ interesting and useful blogs. Since I have writing on the agenda today, I will resist doing it now.
I finished a fiction book yesterday – review coming on a Friday near you (if I write it today, then this Friday). It’s a “Chick Lit” novel, but it had such a dark ending that it still has left me a little disturbed. Of course there was a glimmer of hope at the end, but it has me all out of sorts. I think I need another cupcake.
Have you ever read a book in your preferred genre that surprised you? Or pushed the boundaries of that genre?
Hope everyone has a great week and eats lots of chocolate/sweets on Tuesday.
Oh my goodness! You are evil posting all those frosted goodies up there! LOL
You may not have made your plan this week, but you still moved forward and that is still progress which is good. You did A LOT better than me this week. 😀 So you have that going for you. Sorry the book left you disturbed. You’ll have to tell us about it. I hadn’t noticed horror had disappeared. I’ll be looking the next time I walk into the bookstore now. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you that your counts come out better next week.
Hope to see you for some sprinting on the row80 twitter hashtag and maybe a cupcake as a reward after we make our word goals. 🙂
Okay, now I totally have a craving for chocolate, right before my treadmill time. Evil I tell you *smile* Fun week there, Nicole, very cool that you were able to spend some time with other bloggers and recharge the inner writer. Nicely done on the word count, perhaps not entirely what you wanted, but, progress is the key, and you did well there.
Keep up the great work and have a fantastic week. Now off to walk before I hunt something chocolate 🙂
At least your doing the treadmill to compensate for any chocolate consumption!
My husband is on the US right now so I won’t eat lots of sweets on Tuesday lol
And I’m with Debra. You still made a lot of progress, even if it was less than you wanted at first.
Have a great week!
There’s not harm in buying yourself something sweet tomorrow. 🙂
I read your post and my mind can’t naviagate away from the cupcakes. I have had books in my genre throw me. That’s the books that make me yell because they didn’t do what I wanted them to do. Those also tend to be the books that I love and remember. Though I did read a beauty and the beastesque novel that threw in a twist that I hated! I won’t touch that book again because it varied too greatly from what I expect from a book with that topic. Some people can do it and I like it, but others can’t (especially when it’s beauty and the beast, which I love and adore).
Knowing the author I should have expected something coming, but not this one. It just goes to show she was on to something and can write great twists, even if they are disturbing.
You did well, this week, Nicole! It must have been fun getting together with other bloggers-glad you had the opportunity! YUM! the cupcakes look fabulous! Like Gene, now I have a chocolate craving right before getting on the treadmill!
I should make a little goal for myself, get 2,000 words before consuming and v-day treats.
It’s not cheating if you’re still writing!! And thanks for the visual…now I must have me some cupcakes 🙂
That’s true. Then if I count my blog writing I made my word counts this weekend. 🙂
I don’t recall a specific book that disappointed me the ending. I’m sure there have been some, but they are not stored on my brain’s C drive.
I have had authors disappoint me when they suddenly switch their voice. I won’t name names (bad Karma), but several have gone the path of authoring “with” and the voice I originally fell in love with falls off the pages.
LOVED the reference book on Chick Lit, Nicole. Thanks for the heads up.
I laughed so hard I snorted when I read Sophie Kinsella’s first in her Shopoholic series. And, that was before I purchased the book. Yup. Right there. In the middle of B/N.
ROW ON, Nicole. You take advantage of such wonderful opportunities. I would lament not being able to find a local crit and writer’s group for face-to-face, but you seem to find them everywhere. Perhaps I need to put more effort into my search.
Lol. That’s so funny about snorting in the bookstore. I can picture it. I like the saying you wrote ROW ON. That I will. Thanks for the comment Gloria.
I’d love to hear some international blogging tips from your group of friends. AND–me, too. I take a full day for my blogging, usually Saturdays. Sunday is for everything else.
Hmmm. Not sure any international blogging advice has come up yet, but I will keep you posted. 🙂
Oh Nicole – those treats look divine. You’re certainly living where there’s no shortage of them! Great news about you meeting some local bloggers. There’s nothing like a good support group and when you can actually meet with them “live and in person”, it’s such a bonus! Happy Valentine’s Day and have one of those Belgian chocolate hearts for me … maybe even two!
It’s true it is dangerous here in terms of treats. I will have to resist having more than 2 hearts. Happy v-day!
Ugh. Can I have a cupcake, PLEASE? They look so good, even if they are virtual. Maybe that’s a good thing (the virtual part), as I’m supposed to be “eating healthy” or something stupid like that.
Rather than answering the questions at the end of your blog (I’m a rebel like that, I guess), I sort of flip-flopped it. I remember reading something that wasn’t in my preferred-genre and being totally and completely enthralled by it. I’d like to say I’m well read, but I generally stick with fantasy books. Hey, I know what I like! But I read this other book and I was totally impressed. It made me step back and realize that I might just be missing out on some great books if I don’t broaden my horizons a little bit.
And, hey! Good luck with all of your writing. I’m sending awesome writerly vibes to you right now. Go get ’em!
Sending you a virtual cupcake. Yeah, I think I’ll have to venture out in trying to read other genres as well but there are so many in the genre I like the most that it’s hard sometimes. Someday. 🙂
With a title like ‘Cheating-Cupcakes- And-Chick-Lit’, I had to stop by! Great week, Nicole, even if you feel a bit tricky. I love it. Have a productive week.
I was lucky that ci found a title. I was merely going to call it ROW80 check in, but I always try to add at least a little story from my week. So I was lucky with alliteration this week. 🙂 thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Just wanted to say well done on the writing. It may not have been the word count you hoped to achieve, but you still achieved something. I am sure you will make up for those lost words further on down the line.
Yes, I hope to make up for them this week. Thanks Ellie. 🙂
OMG those cupcakes are to DIE for!! Girl…on a diet here (ok, just trying to eat clean) and you are killing me!! LOL!! I think you had a great week and are still moving forward…and I can’t WAIT to read Friday’s review…eekeeee!!!
I guess I’m the only one who’s not on a diet persay. Maybe I should jump on the #hotwriterbods train sometime soon…. So happy u like reading book reviews!!! Thanks Natalie.
3,700 words sounds really good to this girl who got 0 words down this week! Ugh. Still, I know what it is to fall short of your plans. All of your other ROW80 goals look fabulous!! Best wishes knocking out more words this week.
As to the question, I get surprised by some YA novels that are REALLY DARK. Sometimes I think teenagers are so prone to being morose that we need to be careful not to push them over the edge. Then again, some of these novels might also make them feel that they are not alone. Just interesting to me.
I’m with you, Julie! It was a dismal week on the WIP for me. I made up for it by reading, reading, reading!
Well ladies we gotta sattle up this week to get writing. 🙂 interesting to know about the spectrum of YA. Looking forward to your guest post on the genre.
Must. Have. Cupcakes. A couple of my friends and I are thinking about heading to the movies on Tuesday and grabbing desserts afterwards, and this has totally put me in the mood.
3700 words is still awesome, my friend, and I’m sure that you’ll bounce back in the weeks to come.
Have a wonderful week! *scurries off to find chocolate*
I soooo want to watch a chick flick and then have dessert after! Have a great time and hope you find some cupcakes or chocolate.
Good thing Valentine’s Day only comes once a year because those cupcakes are dangerous to the hips. LOL! Great job on your accomplishments this week, Nicole. Here’s to another great ROW80 week coming up.
Dangerous for the hips is right. Good thing I only had one. Have a great week.
Since we have no cupcakes in the house, I just got a glass of chocolate milk. It’s 1%, so I can rationalize. A little.
I have had a few books where the ending wasn’t what I’d envisioned. A good whack at them with Holly Lisle’s “How to Revise Your Novel” workshop whipped them into shape. Not an easy or fun process, but my books were much better for it! The Time Traveler’s Wife is one that took a hard turn to the dark the last quarter of the book, and I loved the book until that point – but I mostly remember the end and I hated it.
Love the healthier choice. Smart thinking. Hmm. Time Traveler’s Wife is on my TBR list, thanks for the warning.
Thanks for the shout-out. I’m so excited about your genre series! I absolutely cannot believe they’ve taken horror out of bookstores – no wonder they’re flailing around in their sales.
Trying to keep from the chocolate stash now…
I’m excited too. I’m already learning in the inside scoop on the genres. 🙂 see you at the chocolate.
3700 words is great and blog writing takes a lot of time so I think it is prefectly fine to include it in your word count! Those cupcakes look delicious and meeting bloggers in real life, how fun!
I can’t think of a book of hand although I know I have picked several chick lit books that have been darker then expected. Have a great week and I hope to make atleast one sprint 🙂
Blogs do take a lot of time. Especially when there are lots of photos to resize and upload. Good thing I put blogging in my goals this round. hope to sprint with you this week.
Totally jealous of your word count this week. I’ve been failing miserably on that. And yum on the cupcakes! I’m back on the healthy eating wagon so I’ve got to be good and resist those babies. Good luck this week!
I’m sure your Thriller Thursday posts take a lot of time to research and write so you definitely didn’t fail on the word counts. Have a great week.
Yum! Those cupcakes look awesome. I think chick lit is a BROAD category. Lots of room to explore in that genre!
I’m so glad that you met up with some bloggers–I love to meet with people in real life!
Also glad that writing is on the agenda–looks like you are looking forward to a fantastic week!
Thanks Heather. I tend to read the complete works of one author and then find another to read. So I should try to mix it up more to see the diversity better. Thanks for the comment.