One fifth of the way done!
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Interesting Web Based Plagiarism Event
Thursday, November 04, 2010
NaNo Day #4 - The Naysayers
There is a buzz today about a nasty little article that was written denigrating NaNo participants. You can read that here. As you might imagine it has people's dander up. One response was immediately posted here.
For my part I have only two statements:
1) The first draft of any writing is generally 'crap' in my opinion whether that is poety, prose or even music. These creative arts are not improv arts, but crafts. A true artist will 'sketch' his ideas and then craft them into something good. What NaNo teaches writers is the 'art' of sketching a novel. Whether that sketch ever becomes a true work of quality writing or not is up to the individual. I AM sure however that publishers and agents get 100s of poorly crafted manuscripts each year, whether the writer started with NaNo or not!
2) Ms Miller suggests you challenge yourself to Read More. REALLY?!?!? I already read an average of 6 books a month. Even while I am writing NaNo I continue reading - at least a chapter or 2 each night to switch gears before bed. How condescending of her to assume that I don't. What I do not do is seperate the act of writing from the act of reading - to me they are intertwined. The more I read, the more I wish to write. the more I write, the more I NEED to read.
And without further ado, today's video:
For my part I have only two statements:
1) The first draft of any writing is generally 'crap' in my opinion whether that is poety, prose or even music. These creative arts are not improv arts, but crafts. A true artist will 'sketch' his ideas and then craft them into something good. What NaNo teaches writers is the 'art' of sketching a novel. Whether that sketch ever becomes a true work of quality writing or not is up to the individual. I AM sure however that publishers and agents get 100s of poorly crafted manuscripts each year, whether the writer started with NaNo or not!
2) Ms Miller suggests you challenge yourself to Read More. REALLY?!?!? I already read an average of 6 books a month. Even while I am writing NaNo I continue reading - at least a chapter or 2 each night to switch gears before bed. How condescending of her to assume that I don't. What I do not do is seperate the act of writing from the act of reading - to me they are intertwined. The more I read, the more I wish to write. the more I write, the more I NEED to read.
And without further ado, today's video:
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
I had a Bad Bad Mood - I got over it!
Here is today's video - no music so that Stacia can hear. Actually - my task this weekend in the time I am not writing - learn to use my REAL movie editing software rather than the cheap seat version that came with the camera.
Reality vs Perception a Reminder for Writers
Last night there was a brief conversation in my house that reminded me of how often reality and perception do not coincide.
Chip came home from a long day at Uni and when he went to the bedroom to change into comfy clothes, he noticed the tripod set up where I had left it after recording the Facebook video. His first thought was not that I had been recording an innocuous 'talking-head' video, but rather a more steamy version of a bedroom video. His shocked "What have you been up too?" reaction caught me by surprise.
It shouldn't have.
People are always jumping to the wrong conclusion, making wrong assumptions and generally mis-reading reality. It is a hallmark of our species. All you have to do to verify this is to watch politics for awhile. There is an old saw about a husband who always buys his wife flowers when he messes up and then one day he spontaneously decides to buy her flowers just because he loves her. Of course, things don't go as he planned. Her first words are 'What did you do this time?"
For writers this can make for a rich and evocative plot point - mis-understandings are a great way to raise tension. We just need to remember to make them real so that we match with our reader's perceptions!
Chip came home from a long day at Uni and when he went to the bedroom to change into comfy clothes, he noticed the tripod set up where I had left it after recording the Facebook video. His first thought was not that I had been recording an innocuous 'talking-head' video, but rather a more steamy version of a bedroom video. His shocked "What have you been up too?" reaction caught me by surprise.
It shouldn't have.
People are always jumping to the wrong conclusion, making wrong assumptions and generally mis-reading reality. It is a hallmark of our species. All you have to do to verify this is to watch politics for awhile. There is an old saw about a husband who always buys his wife flowers when he messes up and then one day he spontaneously decides to buy her flowers just because he loves her. Of course, things don't go as he planned. Her first words are 'What did you do this time?"
For writers this can make for a rich and evocative plot point - mis-understandings are a great way to raise tension. We just need to remember to make them real so that we match with our reader's perceptions!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Monday, November 01, 2010
NaNo Has Officially Started
As previously stated, I am trying something new this year - Vlog posts of my daily progress. I will record each of them when I finish the day's writing.
Here is the first one - recorded at 2:30 am (writing officially began at midnight!). i think I look like a spaz and I am WAY too camera conscious - but part of the point of this exercise is to get more comfortable in front of a camera so - share my pain!
One down 30 more to go!
PS: I will get a word count widget uploaded later so that you can track my progress and deliver the swift kick when needed!
Here is the first one - recorded at 2:30 am (writing officially began at midnight!). i think I look like a spaz and I am WAY too camera conscious - but part of the point of this exercise is to get more comfortable in front of a camera so - share my pain!
One down 30 more to go!
PS: I will get a word count widget uploaded later so that you can track my progress and deliver the swift kick when needed!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
One Week to NaNo - Cue Frantic Build Up
Hello All!
Yep I am trying NaNo again this year. I failed last year because I was working a job that often required 12 to 14 hours a day and I never got into any of the local write-ins.
This year I am only working 16 hours a week, and the homesickness has eased enough I can face making new friends so I am anticipating success!
I have my novel idea pretty well flushed out, although it will not be (quite) my original Idea.
Turns out there is already a Time Riders series that is about time-travelling kids. When it was pointed out to me in the comments here, I panicked!!! Full scale white-face, spots in the vision panic. I had spent the entire summer planning a series based on the original idea. I had a complete character map, a series arc and the full outline for the first novel all set. OMG! I thought, my entire idea is just a sub-conscious rip off. BUT - it is the best idea I've ever had. I can't tell you how much that sucks! Luckily, I was at Aric and Stacia's and my son and husband talked me off the ledge! I do have my own personal knights in shining armor!
A little triage was needed and a deep examination of EXACTLY what the thrust of my story is. Turns out that if I do away with the time travel everything else about my idea is unique and not derivative of the other book at all. (or at least what I can find out without actually reading it. That is good enough to NaNo and then I will read The Time Riders before editing to be sure I eliminate any concepts that are too closely related.)
The book I am now writing is now called The Arc Riders. The title is based on a quote by MLK: "The arc of the Universe bends towards justice." My main characters are teens and horses. Hence the 'Riders'. In all the descriptions of the other series I have seen no mention of horses so I believe that element will be ok. If anyone has read these books and can confirm the absence of horses, I would appreciate it! Anyway, I don't want to give away too much of the plot so that is enough for now.
One last note - Chip is ULTRA busy all through November so this year we are trying something different for daily posting - VLOGs. I have a new Flip camera (courtesy of Avon) and so I will make a short Vlog to record events and writing adventures each day so that you can all keep pace with my efforts.
As always - Thanks for the support and encouragement!
Yep I am trying NaNo again this year. I failed last year because I was working a job that often required 12 to 14 hours a day and I never got into any of the local write-ins.
This year I am only working 16 hours a week, and the homesickness has eased enough I can face making new friends so I am anticipating success!I have my novel idea pretty well flushed out, although it will not be (quite) my original Idea.
Turns out there is already a Time Riders series that is about time-travelling kids. When it was pointed out to me in the comments here, I panicked!!! Full scale white-face, spots in the vision panic. I had spent the entire summer planning a series based on the original idea. I had a complete character map, a series arc and the full outline for the first novel all set. OMG! I thought, my entire idea is just a sub-conscious rip off. BUT - it is the best idea I've ever had. I can't tell you how much that sucks! Luckily, I was at Aric and Stacia's and my son and husband talked me off the ledge! I do have my own personal knights in shining armor!
A little triage was needed and a deep examination of EXACTLY what the thrust of my story is. Turns out that if I do away with the time travel everything else about my idea is unique and not derivative of the other book at all. (or at least what I can find out without actually reading it. That is good enough to NaNo and then I will read The Time Riders before editing to be sure I eliminate any concepts that are too closely related.)
The book I am now writing is now called The Arc Riders. The title is based on a quote by MLK: "The arc of the Universe bends towards justice." My main characters are teens and horses. Hence the 'Riders'. In all the descriptions of the other series I have seen no mention of horses so I believe that element will be ok. If anyone has read these books and can confirm the absence of horses, I would appreciate it! Anyway, I don't want to give away too much of the plot so that is enough for now.
One last note - Chip is ULTRA busy all through November so this year we are trying something different for daily posting - VLOGs. I have a new Flip camera (courtesy of Avon) and so I will make a short Vlog to record events and writing adventures each day so that you can all keep pace with my efforts.
As always - Thanks for the support and encouragement!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Where I have Been and What I have Been Doing
Re-writing
In Bed
Re-Writing
At my Desk
Re-writing
Standing at the kitchen table
Re-Writing
At the local coffee shop
Holiday - for 1 week
Re-Writing....
Almost done with the massive edits and re-writing process - then WHAMMY! I get the advice (from a VERY trusted professional source) that maybe this should be a YA novel. No really, as a career consideration (I have about 50 ideas for YA novels after this one and only 3 or 4 ideas for general fiction and even 2 of those 'work' as YA) maybe this book should be aimed at YA so my Agent/Publisher/Support Team can be the same group of people from first book onwards.
Not Surprisingly Devil in My Dreams is one of my general fiction ideas that could be YA as well.
So I am currently writing a Scene-By-Scene analysis of what I would need to change to make it work YA. I don't think it would take a lot more work and it just might be the best move overall.
I'll keep you updated on my decision.
Meantime - there is light at the end of the jobless tunnel. Unofficial word that a job is in the offing. Should know more tomorrow!
Kisses!
In Bed
Re-Writing
At my Desk
Re-writing
Standing at the kitchen table
Re-Writing
At the local coffee shop
Holiday - for 1 week
Re-Writing....
Almost done with the massive edits and re-writing process - then WHAMMY! I get the advice (from a VERY trusted professional source) that maybe this should be a YA novel. No really, as a career consideration (I have about 50 ideas for YA novels after this one and only 3 or 4 ideas for general fiction and even 2 of those 'work' as YA) maybe this book should be aimed at YA so my Agent/Publisher/Support Team can be the same group of people from first book onwards.
Not Surprisingly Devil in My Dreams is one of my general fiction ideas that could be YA as well.
So I am currently writing a Scene-By-Scene analysis of what I would need to change to make it work YA. I don't think it would take a lot more work and it just might be the best move overall.
I'll keep you updated on my decision.
Meantime - there is light at the end of the jobless tunnel. Unofficial word that a job is in the offing. Should know more tomorrow!
Kisses!
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