Juliana Haygert

You are here: Home / Archives for Me
Categories: Blogging, Me, RTW

RTW: It’s secret …

 

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

 

This week’s topic:

If you couldn’t use your own name, what would your pseudonym or penname be?

My real name is Juliana Grutzmacher Haygert Molina (here in Brazil we use two last names, then three when you’re married—it’s the law, what can I do?), but, for styling purpose, I decided to drop Grutzmacher and Molina and go with only Juliana Haygert.

Since Grutzmacher is too complicated, I dropped it at once. Actually, I rarely use it nowadays, only when I have to fill government forms and such lol

I could have gone with Juliana Molina, but I think Haygert is fancier than Molina, at least here in Brazil (my husband, from whom I got Molina, doesn’t think so lol). 

However, if I had to chose a real pseudonym, I would try to pick some really, really catchy, like Dark, Night, Knight, Star, Black, Silver …

Oh, I know, TWILIGHT SPARKLE from My Little Pony! (Come on, I have a 4yo daughter. Of course, I know the names of the ponies … Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna).

Hehehe, I’m kidding. About Twilight Sparkle.

But I would choose something cheesy like Julie Dark, or Julie Night. More important than cheesy, it’s easy to remember, it’s catchy ;)

 

What do you think?

And you? What pseudonym would you chose if you couldn’t use your own name?

Cheers,

Categories: Blogging, Challenges, Me, My writing

My 2012 plan

I thought a lot about writing a 2012 resolutions post, and ended up deciding against it.

What was I going to say? That I wish to get an agent and be published? I’m a writer. That’s a given. Besides, it doesn’t depend only of me. Unfortunately, I can try my best, but if luck isn’t by my side, I won’t go nowhere.

Then I saw a post from my friend Jani at Life Debatable that inspired to write about what I WANT for 2012.

 

Like Jani, I’ll focus on the word WANT. Also, I’ll cite personal goals along with writing goals.

I want to:

  • Read as many books as last year (60). I wish I could read 60 books per month since there are so many amazing books out there, but that’s impossible. Browsing the web, I saw a challenge to read 100 books in 2012. I wish I could participate on that, but, if I try, I’ll be using my writing time and writing time is precious to me.
  • Be more active on my critique circle. I love my girls and want them to know I’m here for them no matter what ;)
  • Be more active on my blog. You know, I struggle with what to post. I could write about writing, but I don’t feel confident enough to give advice to others about writing. So, what to blog about? Good question. I’ll have to think about that.
  • Be more active on friends’ blog. Read, comment and support more.
  • Write more. Last year, I wrote 2 novels and 2 novellas. I started a bunch (some had up to 40k words before I gave up). Total, I wrote roughly 300k words during 2011. But you see, I write full time (or almost full time since my daughter spends the mornings with me), so I could write more novels. I should write more novels.
  • Organize my thoughts and create a plan of action with my writing. I mean, I have too many ideas and, until I start something, I keep changing my mind on what to work on. So I need to lay out what to write, when and in which order. And stick to it!
  • Learn to love revising and editing. I do revise and edit. A lot. I also have CPs and I’m not ashamed to confess I hired a freelancer editor once to help me figure out how my writing was (btw, I loved working with an editor! I plan to it again). But I don’t like editing. I get frustrated and tend to almost throw my manuscript away lol So I need to be more calm and patient about revising and editing, and just do it!
  • Get at least 2 novels completely ready for submission by July. And submit them.
  • Be less active on twitter. LOL. No, seriously. I love twitter and it’s a problem. I guess many writers went through this. I have to shut it down and just write ;)
  • Exercise more. In 2010, I ruptured two ligaments on my foot, and last year I had another foot/knee problem. So I just started exercising again and I hope I can keep it up this year. Right now, I have pilates classes twice a week. But I plan to go for three classes each week around March.
  • Lose 5 pounds and keep them away! (Hey, I said the list would be personal too.)
  • Go back to US. Yeah, I said it. Actually, my family and I should have gone back to US last year. As we were told, my husband’s transfer should happen before May (I doubt it, but hey, we have to keep hope!).

 

For now, that’s what I came up with.

I’ll do my best to accomplish all my WANTS ;)

 

And you? Any resolutions, goals or wishes for 2012?

Cheers,

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, Me, My writing

It has begun!

 

#ROW80 round 01 of 2012 starts today! (I’m on the road back home at the moment. To me, the round will start tomorrow).

Are you ready?

This is the second round I’m participating. Last round was a success and I hope to repeat the same outcome ;)

 

My goals for round 01 of 2012:

  1. Participate of the EditPalooza workshop offered by Savvy Authors from Jan/2 to Feb/4. (I’ve been warned this is super hard work and consumes many hours of the day. Let’s see if I can keep up!)
  2. Write a novelette (10-15,000 words), revise it and sub it (due Feb 1st).
  3. Write a novella (20-40,000 words), revise it and sub it (due April 1st).
  4. Write a novel (or get as far as I can with it). Actually I’m thinking about re-writing some of my old novels, the ones I wrote when I just started down this path. The stories are good, but the writing isn’t lol I keep saying I need to re-write them, so this might be the time to choose one and get it over with.
  5. Read 1 book per week.
  6. Social network: tweet, read and comment on blogs, and blog at least once a week (not counting #ROW80 checkins).

Not necessarily in this order.

Check-in posts are due Wednesday and Sundays, but I’ll probably only check-in on Sundays for the whole week.

My check-ins will be posted on my blog, under the #ROW80 category, which makes it easy to find them.

 

Did you like it? Want to sign up too? Click here to do so!

To see all participants of Round 01 of 2012, click here.

Good luck to us! Let’s have fun!

 

Note: this post will be the #ROW80 page, so my goals are easily found.

Categories: Blogging, Me, Special Dates

Happy 2012!

I wish you all love, health, peace, and loads of cash!

To my writer friends, I wish superb book deals. Lots of superb book deals!

To my reader friends, I wish that the world of books and reading keeps enchanting you, hopefully even more this new year!

Happy, happy, HAPPY New Year!

 

Categories: Blogging, Me, Special Dates

During the holidays …

 

Hey guys =)

I’m leaving today for my parents’ house for the holidays and I know there will be parties every single day (too many birthdays in the family in between Christmas and New Year. Five to be exact. Not kidding!), so I may get a little busy and distracted over there, resulting in no blog posts over here.

I’ll bring my laptop and, even though the net is not great at my parents’, I’ll try to participate on the next RTW from YAHighway, but I’m not promising anything.

I have blog posts scheduled for Christmas and New Year, so I won’t wish you anything right now hehe.

See you later!

Cheers,

Categories: #ROW80, Me, My writing, Reading

#ROW80 Checkin 12-18

A #ROW80 check-in on my birthday? Bah! LOL

Ye, it’s my birthday, but let’s do this seriously, shall we?

 

Hello friends =)

Only four more days for the end of round 4 … omg,  I can’t believe it … it went by so fast!

 

Here are my goals (complete list here):

  1. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.)
  2. Read 1 book per week
  3. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-ins)
  4. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

Blogging

All done.

 

Reading

I’ve been slow this week, since I put emphasizes on writing and Christmas shopping lol

Read The Last Awakening by Rachel Firasek.

Started Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

 

Writing

On Monday I worked on a scene that was bothering me and officially finished the first-round of revisions for G.H. It’s already with one of my beta-readers. This coming week, I should hand it to another beta-reader. I’ll also talk to my CPs and see when they can take a look at it ;)

On Tuesday, I started a novella. Just because. Of course, it’s New Adult. As many of you advised, I have to follow my gut, and my gut tells me this is my niche. Wrote 3,669 words.

On Wednesday, I wrote 2,604 words. Not as much as I wanted, but good enough.

On Thursday, I wrote 1,000 words in the morning. Then more 1,300 at night. Got distract by many things (a few very important though) during the afternoon.

On Friday, I wrote 4034 words. And I went Christmas shopping (finally), though I didn’t buy everything yet.

On Saturday, 1539 words. Note that I usually don’t write on Saturdays.

UPDATE: Wrote another 1000 words on Sunday and I also usually don’t write on Sundays ;)

So this novella is something new, that is not on my original goals, but, if all goes well, I should be done with it before the end of round 04.

 

How are you guys doing? We are getting to the end … are you guys ready?

Who will come back for next round? *raises hand*

To check on the other members’ progress, go here.

Cheers,

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, Me, My writing, NaNoWriMo

ROW80 Check-in Sun 11/06

 

My first check-in since NaNoWriMo started. (Note: I’m writing this check-in on Friday afternoon, scheduling it go live on Sunday morning).

The problem was I had a cold during the first part of the week. My head hurt so much, I couldn’t stare at the screen. So, no writing for me then.

Oh, and about my leg. After I write this (Friday afternoon), I’m going to the hospital for a MRI of my knee … so next Friday I’ll see the knee specialist. I’m taking some medicine to increase the electrical current on my nerves, so it doesn’t hurt that much anymore. And that’s it for now. I’ll keep you all updated.

On with the topic of this post:

 

My goals (I cut the part already accomplished):

  1. Participate on NaNoWriMo
  2. Revise my NaNo novel (Energy)
  3. Read 1 book per week
  4. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-ins)
  5. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

Blogging

I’m good on that.

And commenting and tweeting too ;)

 

Reading

I’ve read The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Now, I’m reading Storm Born by Richelle Mead.

I try to read cross genre and even other genres. I think it enriches the writer in me ;)

 

Writing

At the beginning of the week, it was hard to get any word count done, since I was out with a cold.

But then I caught up.

Total first week of NaNo: a little over 16k words. Not bad, but not what I wanted …

 

And how is everyone?

Who is on NaNoWriMo and is not on my writing buddies list? You can find me here.

Have a good one, guys!

 

Cheers,