A Short Post of Updates and One Big Congratulations

For once, I actually have a clear idea of what posts I need to write for this blog in the coming weeks. I also have a slew of things I need to do before I leave for Taiwan on the 4th of June (eeep!), which is sort of annoying because I want to write those posts!

To give you a heads up, here's what's coming: 

• I'm changing the blog name and the blog URL for reasons that I will mention in a post. This will most likely happen after the Writer's Voice contest. I know this will cause some confusion at first, especially if you're subscribed to me by email (I've read that you might have to subscribe again, but to the new URL) but bear with me and hopefully I won't lose any of you. 
• I am currently querying Hesperia, and you know what that means: new novel time! Drafting! I have a series of posts planned on my drafting process because I definitely feel like this blog needs one. 
• Expect *maybe* a post detailing my attempts at writing on the 15+ hour plane ride and my traveling essentials for writing stuffs. The *maybe* is there because I haven't traveled overseas for...four years? and there is a very real possibility I will lose all my baggage board the wrong flight set off the metal detector screw up somewhere and be unable to deliver the post. Sacrifice some offering to the cat gods for me please.

And now to the part of the post I've been itching to write*...

My biggest congratulations goes to Carissa (you should totally check out her blog because it has some really cool features and helpful tools for writers, but mostly because she's just awesome all around) FOR SIGNING WITH AN AGENT. Yes, signing with an agent is only one milestone in the long road to publication, but still, I am seriously SO EXCITED for her. About two years ago I read some of her first novel, and the writing absolutely hooked me. Everyone should watch out for her as the next big thing. 

*If you've followed me for some time, you'll see that I've done some similar posts of this sort (e.g. cover reveals and pub day posts). While there aren't that many, writing one always makes me sort of sentimental. I've been on the road of seriously pursuing publication for over three years now, which is not that long of time comparatively. Yet I've experienced the highs and lows, and I feel a lot of empathy with everyone on the same path as I. To see other writers whom I respect and admire attain what they deserve is so rewarding. I'm very lucky to be able to celebrate with them.  

SPAZZ: Editing

I just had a major spazz moment....

And it wasn't even to a request from a query (haven't send those out). I don't know what might happen if one of those ends up in my inbox. I might not be capable of typing a post, then. Heck, I was hardly capable of typing this post a minute ago because I do some really strange things when I'm really really really happy.

...Like the time I whole up the whole house at 3 AM when SAT scores  came out...

...oooor the time I found out I won a National Gold Medal for the Scholastic Art and Writing Award for a drawing of my good friend. I ran into the girls bathroom because I was laughing so hard that I had to pee and I ended up laughing in the stall, too, but that's okay because nobody was in the bathroom. At least I hope nobody was.

Now, I've just run 3 laps up and down the steps, done a bunch of jumping jacks, thrown myself on the couch, and laughed creepily. I really need to do something about the laughing. I don't think it's quite the right reaction of good news.

THE GIRL WITH THE GREEN PEN has agreed to help me crit my work! I had to send the dear dear Taryn samples of my writing because while I'm kind of in the situation of the POOR STUDENT, I knew the moment that I found her website that I would not hesitate to pay because I NEEDED HER WISDOM:

Because even though I'm the editor of the literary and art magazine at my school, I can't seem to do half as well a job on my own work.

Because I am a creature of momentum and editing kills my momentum and then I become majorly infected with a case of this is so bad! This needs surgery! I can't do surgery *shoves story into drawer*. 

That's what happened to MS #1.  Except I have a much better feeling about MS #2. Still, I don't quite trust myself to cut it open and not panic at the same time.

OK, so I really need to finish up my first pass now :D Tell me how you like to edit or if you prefer drafting to revising!