Hats, bags, coffee mugs… Who doesn’t like some good merch? I’m currently going door-to-door (or profile-to-profile as the case may be), to get some ideas for what you guys want to see on Untold merchandise. Right now I’m planning on keeping it pretty simple. I’m looking for your favorite quotes from the books so you can wear/carry/drink out of them as you please. My current top three are:
1) “My chocolate is so smooth that it stole your chocolate’s trophy wife!”
2) “Tonight is a night for fairy tales.”
3) “I thought you didn’t paint.”
If you have a favorite of these quotes or a different one that you absolutely love, comment below and tell me what it is. I’m trying to get some real interest going here, so I’d love to hear all of your thoughts. Other ideas I have for a later date include a mug with Beatrice’s logo, and making a design that reflects all the things painted under the bridge.
It’s funny how creativity doesn’t always flow evenly. While I’m having a blast sitting down and thinking of ways to market Untold my other writing feels like I’m walking through concrete. I’ve been good and managing to get at least some writing in every day, but I’m at a point where it’s feeling staggeringly difficult. I’ve been following a lot of writers on Twitter, and it’s been super helpful to read their inspirational words and own struggles with productivity. Of course, being on Twitter doesn’t really help me get anything written, but it does make me feel included.
I think the main problem that I’m running into is that I’m in the third quarter of this draft, and that’s put me in a bit of an awkward situation. I’m solidly done with setup and with getting the plot rolling, and I know where everyone is going to end up, but I haven’t yet figured out how to get them there. I’m very against filler, especially in a first draft, so my higher brain is telling me to just push forward with the story, and to stop worrying about pacing right now. First, because I’ve found pacing tends to largely sort itself out and second, because whatever isn’t self-sorted can be dealt with during the inevitable plethora of re-writes coming my way. I have to admit, I’m a little excited for that. Unfortunately, my lower brain is still squeaking, “but they’re not ready!” How can I plunge my characters into these climactic situations without the proper build up? They’ll be traumatized!
Still, I guess the only thing to do is keep pushing forward. There will be another book, I promise. It’s just being difficult right now. But I have a deadline, so even if it means I start putting in 20-hour work days during the last week of October to meet it, then that’s what I’ll do. Then, once this draft is done, I’ll be clear for NaNoWriMo! Nothing like a little vacation from writing with more writing.
— Amy
