Jan Plan Update...

How is your JAN PLAN going?

Mine is hanging in there... but a couple of bouts of family illness over the holidays have made it tough to keep up. 

If you will recall my JAN PLAN goals were:

1. "To work through my current MS, MINA TAKES THE SKY to make a few changes that I've been thinking about for months. I just want to take it up a notch, which will require at least two intense read-throughs with editing." 

Check! I have finished it (for now) and am pretty satisfied with the result. 
AND

2. "I want to re-work my first book, STUNG, the MG about a girl who collects bugs and solves mysteries, to include a graphic element. I think knowing how the insects look adds something important to the story. To me, when I describe them, I see them in my head... but not everyone knows these species the way I do." 

Of the eleven images from STUNG that I wanted to complete I have currently made five...
I know. Not stellar. The dragonfly wings took FOREVER. 

But I am still working on them. Here are the five I completed, with a quote from my manuscript. 

 Velvet ant

Stag beetle
"If Mr. Anderson were an insect, he’d be a stag beetle. Big and showy, the male stag beetle likes to compare the size of its horn with other males..."

 Bee
"If Momma were an insect she’d be a honeybee, working behind the scenes to pollinate the world’s crops, and raise a hive, and make all the honey."

 Dragonfly
"If Mila were an insect, she’d be a dragonfly. Strong, beautiful, sure of herself, and distinct. She is the things I’m not."

Ladybug
"If Miss Teensy were an insect she’d be a ladybug: bright, round, and sweet." 

I've made sketches for the remaining six and they should roll out pretty quickly. 

Overall, the Jan Plan was great for me. I feel like I accomplished what I needed to! 

Are you participating in the Jan Plan? How is it going for you?

There's one week left-- what will you accomplish?




All sketches made from photographs available for use (commercial and derivative) under a creative commons license. Here are the sources:
Velvet ant: by Hunter Desportes on Flickr
Stag beetle: by PublicDomainPhotos on Flickr 
Bee, Dragonfly, and  Ladybug: from pdphoto.org