Why hello again, my charming bloggians.
As you all know, November is creeping up ever faster that I thought possible. I am without a full-formed plot, without main characters, and without an outline. In addition to this, I will be teaching three days a week in November (and spending countless hours doing prepwork for the classes), attempting to keep sane, not fall behind on my BOW'11 project, and furthermore, the show that I'm in is opening the first weekend of November. It's all I can do to keep my head above water now, let alone attempt to write a book.
So now it's time for me to step back and look at my November in a realistic way. Will I be able to handle all this without going utterly bonkers? Can I take even three minutes to squeeze in another handful of words? No.
Is it madness to think that I could take on a project of this magnitude? Yes.
Will I be doing it anyway, despite my better judgement? You bet.
Am I taking on 50,000 words of a genre that I am not wildly familiar with? Indeed.
How excited am I? There are no words.
~Whimsy
P.S.
Thank you to all those who have commented. I love you all and send tons of hugs your way. I wish I had time to properly write back, but maybe in December? Thanks for sticking with me!
P.P.S. Are you NaNoing this year? What's your book about?
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Week Fourty: Everything Is Happening.
Do you ever have one of those weeks where everything is happening at once? Yeah, me too.
So that's why this is just bordering on late. I've been splitting my time between teaching and prepping for 10 different classes on three different days, rehearsing for the show I'm in, trying to get ready for NaNo, still keeping up on my weekly ASL lessons, learning to roller skate for the aforementioned play, read at least a little, keep the laundry going and the house at least marginally clean.
Clearly, it's been a bit nuts over here.
Just today, I spent 2 hours at the local skating rink just practicing going around and not falling over while holing on to a stack of books. Not as easy as one would think, especially since the last time I roller skated was at my cousin's birthday party, when he turned 5 or something. (This would have made me 6 years old.) Two weeks ago, the role I was play in the show swapped from the smallest part to one of the lead roles. For this new part, I have to learn to skate. Yes, I'm trying not to kill myself.
In addition, as I mentioned before, I'm thinking about NaNo. It's looking like my novel this year will be a huge sci-fi crazy-thing, and I couldn't be happier.
Anywho, I'm getting tired (it is 1:15am, after all), so I'll let you all go.
Hoping for a better post next week,
Whimsy
So that's why this is just bordering on late. I've been splitting my time between teaching and prepping for 10 different classes on three different days, rehearsing for the show I'm in, trying to get ready for NaNo, still keeping up on my weekly ASL lessons, learning to roller skate for the aforementioned play, read at least a little, keep the laundry going and the house at least marginally clean.
Clearly, it's been a bit nuts over here.
Just today, I spent 2 hours at the local skating rink just practicing going around and not falling over while holing on to a stack of books. Not as easy as one would think, especially since the last time I roller skated was at my cousin's birthday party, when he turned 5 or something. (This would have made me 6 years old.) Two weeks ago, the role I was play in the show swapped from the smallest part to one of the lead roles. For this new part, I have to learn to skate. Yes, I'm trying not to kill myself.
In addition, as I mentioned before, I'm thinking about NaNo. It's looking like my novel this year will be a huge sci-fi crazy-thing, and I couldn't be happier.
Anywho, I'm getting tired (it is 1:15am, after all), so I'll let you all go.
Hoping for a better post next week,
Whimsy
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Horcruxes and "writing what you know".
I've talked before about how much I love stories, so it should come as no surprise that (since NaNoWriMo is coming up), I'm thinking about stories again.
"They" always say to write what you know. Now, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's just a little bit rubbish.
If we only wrote what we know, we'd be cut of from whole genres of stories. There simply wouldn't be any fantasy or sci-fi. It wouldn't exist. Harry Potter never would have been written* if Jo just wrote "what she knew".
Jumping off from that, what about all the people who write characters who's gender differs from the author? They aren't writing "what they know". How about authors who differ from their characters in political belief, personal history, location, personality, sexual orientation, age, culture, family history, or interests? Just a guess, but I'd have to say that most authors differ from their characters in one of those ways or more.
And you know what? I'm profoundly glad that people don't write "what they know". What a boring selection of literature we would have, if they did.
Drawing on your own personal experiences while writing, however, is wonderful tool. Jo may not have been a a wizard herself, but there are traits she shares with Harry, and that brings a realisim to him. I think you can put some of yourself into whoever you're writing without making the character a Mary Sue.
In a way, writing is like making a Horcrux. Every time you do it, you tuck a little piece of your soul into what you've created. But instead of it making you weaker and less human, it does the opposite.
If I had to write just what I knew, I could only write one story. The story of my life. I want to tell other stories, stories that I may not have lived, but are still important.
So go on. Get a pen, a pencil, a blank white sheet of paper, a keyboard, a word document and join me.
Let's write what we don't know, so we can understand ourselves and the world better.
After all, NaNoWriMo starts in just 74 days!
~Whimsy
* This does discount the theory that Jo is actually a member of the wizarding world, something that I would not be totally surprised about, to be honest.
"They" always say to write what you know. Now, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's just a little bit rubbish.
If we only wrote what we know, we'd be cut of from whole genres of stories. There simply wouldn't be any fantasy or sci-fi. It wouldn't exist. Harry Potter never would have been written* if Jo just wrote "what she knew".
Jumping off from that, what about all the people who write characters who's gender differs from the author? They aren't writing "what they know". How about authors who differ from their characters in political belief, personal history, location, personality, sexual orientation, age, culture, family history, or interests? Just a guess, but I'd have to say that most authors differ from their characters in one of those ways or more.
And you know what? I'm profoundly glad that people don't write "what they know". What a boring selection of literature we would have, if they did.
Drawing on your own personal experiences while writing, however, is wonderful tool. Jo may not have been a a wizard herself, but there are traits she shares with Harry, and that brings a realisim to him. I think you can put some of yourself into whoever you're writing without making the character a Mary Sue.
In a way, writing is like making a Horcrux. Every time you do it, you tuck a little piece of your soul into what you've created. But instead of it making you weaker and less human, it does the opposite.
If I had to write just what I knew, I could only write one story. The story of my life. I want to tell other stories, stories that I may not have lived, but are still important.
So go on. Get a pen, a pencil, a blank white sheet of paper, a keyboard, a word document and join me.
Let's write what we don't know, so we can understand ourselves and the world better.
After all, NaNoWriMo starts in just 74 days!
~Whimsy
* This does discount the theory that Jo is actually a member of the wizarding world, something that I would not be totally surprised about, to be honest.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
NaNoWriMo Is Coming!
Hello bloggians!
You know what's exciting? Getting books in the mail. A few days ago, I got online and ordered myself some items off of amazon. As you would expect, they were very Whimsy-like items. Two books and a jar of brilliantly green hair dye.
The books are the first and third in Mercedes Lackey's "Last Herald-Mage of Valdemar" series. I bought the second book in that series at a brick-and-mortar store, but they didn't have the other two, for some incredibly weird reason. The hair dye is for re-dying my hair...obviously.
Even though my hair is slowing fading from electric celery to that weird highlighter yellow-green and you can see a halo of dark brown hair close to my scalp, I still haven't gone and re-dyed.
And now, to divert suddenly from what we were talking about, and to neatly segueway into the fact that NaNoWriMo is coming. Dear lord, is it coming.
This time last year, I had come up with a few plot options, settled on one, created two great MC's, a HUGE supporting cast, pages on pages of plot outline, a fully fleshed out backstory, maps, character outlines, hand-drawn pictures of my MC's at ages 10 and 17, ten pages of timeline, everything was shoved into my Big Leather Folder Of Noveling Stuff and everything was looking fantastic.
This year, I have a nearly empty BLFONT, save for a few sheets of lined paper, some chords for a handful of songs, three different pens with three different uses, a temporary tatoo and a scrap of paper with a couple drawings on it (a good luck token from a friend).
I have no clue what I'm going to write about. The problem isn't not having any ideas, the problem is that there are TOO MANY options. How can you pick between genres (Historical fiction? Sci-Fi? Literary Fiction?) let alone sub-genres? (Sword and sorcery? Urban Fantasy? Steampunk?) And once you've figured that out, what about plot? There's too many ideas, and I can't pick between them.
There's also the question of whether or not I want to write in the same genre that I've written in before (YA realistic in 2009 and Fantasy in 2010). There are advantages to both options, so that's another problem.
With NaNoWriMo, as is with life, there can just be too many options to choose from.
Well, I'm off to create things, eat lunch, and do something spectacular with my day. What that spectacular thing is, I don't know.
See you tomorrow!
~Whimsy
You know what's exciting? Getting books in the mail. A few days ago, I got online and ordered myself some items off of amazon. As you would expect, they were very Whimsy-like items. Two books and a jar of brilliantly green hair dye.
The books are the first and third in Mercedes Lackey's "Last Herald-Mage of Valdemar" series. I bought the second book in that series at a brick-and-mortar store, but they didn't have the other two, for some incredibly weird reason. The hair dye is for re-dying my hair...obviously.
Even though my hair is slowing fading from electric celery to that weird highlighter yellow-green and you can see a halo of dark brown hair close to my scalp, I still haven't gone and re-dyed.
And now, to divert suddenly from what we were talking about, and to neatly segueway into the fact that NaNoWriMo is coming. Dear lord, is it coming.
This time last year, I had come up with a few plot options, settled on one, created two great MC's, a HUGE supporting cast, pages on pages of plot outline, a fully fleshed out backstory, maps, character outlines, hand-drawn pictures of my MC's at ages 10 and 17, ten pages of timeline, everything was shoved into my Big Leather Folder Of Noveling Stuff and everything was looking fantastic.
This year, I have a nearly empty BLFONT, save for a few sheets of lined paper, some chords for a handful of songs, three different pens with three different uses, a temporary tatoo and a scrap of paper with a couple drawings on it (a good luck token from a friend).
I have no clue what I'm going to write about. The problem isn't not having any ideas, the problem is that there are TOO MANY options. How can you pick between genres (Historical fiction? Sci-Fi? Literary Fiction?) let alone sub-genres? (Sword and sorcery? Urban Fantasy? Steampunk?) And once you've figured that out, what about plot? There's too many ideas, and I can't pick between them.
There's also the question of whether or not I want to write in the same genre that I've written in before (YA realistic in 2009 and Fantasy in 2010). There are advantages to both options, so that's another problem.
With NaNoWriMo, as is with life, there can just be too many options to choose from.
Well, I'm off to create things, eat lunch, and do something spectacular with my day. What that spectacular thing is, I don't know.
See you tomorrow!
~Whimsy
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Week Three: A CHALLENGE!
I just finished reading Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise and Magic's Price, all by Mercedes Lackey. So. Freaking. Good. O___O
This doesn't happen much, but I knew pretty much as soon as I started reading the first book that I HAD. TO. HAVE. THEM.
I have griped (vocally, and often) about the lack of LGBT characters in fantasy novels. The Last Herald-Mage (LHM) books are indeed fantasy with a gay protagonist. YES! Oh, thank whatever-you-want-to-thank. Anyway, it's just nice to have a main character who's not your normal "hero(or anti-hero) goes on journey, finds self worth, destiny and opposite gendered lover along the way" type.
Seriously, if you haven't read the LHM books, then do so NOW. It was to the point where I was walking around with my nose in the book so far that I nearly walked into a wall. Maybe more than one.
Anyway, in other news my life is going well. Reading a lot lately, which is good. I had gotten away from reading tons, mostly due to watching un-godly amounts of Doctor Who and Torchwood (I REGRET NOTHING. SUCH PHENOMENAL TELEVISION.) and am back on my usual book-crazed path, and with a vengeance at that.
Because of that, I've been thinking about fictional characters lately, and not just in the "hey, I really love Remus Lupin, 'cuz he's a cool guy" kind of way. No, more in the "these characters are fictional people who I grew up with. Who I admire, in some cases."
So, I invite all of you to make a list of your top 5/10/20/30/you pick the number of favorite fictional characters, what books/movies/tv shows/plays/whatever that they're from, and why they're so cool. Why they stuck with you.
Here's mine, in no particular order.
1: Arthur Dent.
He's the last human from earth. He belongs to Douglas Adams, the creator of the fantastic Hitchhiker's Guide books. Arthur (by the way, having a hell of a time trying to spell his name properly) is just an ordinary guy, living his ordinary life and then all of a sudden, WHAM. He's off on a multi-dimensional space adventure, trying desperately to keep his mind, his towel and Ford Prefect by his side. What I like about his is that he's very HUMAN, he rolls with the punches (something that I don't do that well, for the record) and he tends to do what any normal person would do after being thrown into some very abnormal situations.
2: Holly Short.
She's from the Artemis Fowl books, written by Eoin Colfer. Holly is one of the toughest female characters that I know, and she's not even a HUMAN. She doesn't do the typical I-Am-A-Woman-So-I-Need-Saving-All-The-Time schtick, and I love her for that. She's incredibly smart, creative, compassionate, and she doesn't take any nonsense. That being said, she's also not perfect, like some authors can tend to do when creating a main character. She doesn't do well with authority (a trait we share) and tends to do things her own way, even if they stray a bit over the line of lawful. She tries to do her best, no matter the circumstance.
3: Paul. (Just googled it, and he hasn't got a last name. O__O)
Paul is the main character in Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, a book which I absolutely ADORE (and if you know me, I've probably talked your ear off about it, and tried to make you read it). There could be a whole blog post on why I like the book, but this is focused on the character. He's very whimsical, sweet, open minded, and yes, he is gay. I think the best thing about Paul is that he's so supportive of his friends, whoever they are. He's also quite the romantic, creative, and he marches to the beat of his own drum, no matter who is judging him.
4: Jacky Faber.
Opinionated, liberal-minded, gutsy, and overall one of the strongest (and still very much HUMAN) female characters I have had the pleasure of reading. Jacky is from L.A. Meyer's Bloody Jack books. I mean, the girl is a PIRATE...amongst other things. For living in the 1800's, she is about as rebel-tastic as it gets. She's impulsive, but clever, and the way she will always stick up for her friends, and for the anyone who's weaker and smaller than she is. She starts out as the lowest of the low (as a street rat) and works her way up the ladder through her own guile and wit. Did I mention that she's British? Yeah.
5: Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren is THE quintessential book about an unschooler EVER. (In my very biased opinion, that is.) She may be about 10, but that girl is a genius. The best bit about her, is she will give it back to whoever dishes it out, be it police, a schoolteacher, or whoever. She knows who she is, what she wants, and isn't afraid to go and get it. She's self-sufficient, creative and more than a bit crazy. She does things her own way, and 9 times out of ten, it ends up turning out okay. Despite the fact that these books are clearly written for young kids, (and translated from the original Swedish, which makes for interesting grammar sometimes) Pippi is fantastic.
Honestly, I can't pick who I want to do next*, so I'll leave it at five, for now.
Maybe I'll do this again, sometime. There are just SO MANY I'd like to discuss, and I don't want to give you a wall of text. ^___^
SO, If you made it through to the bottom of this, I challenge you to do your own. I stuck to books for mine, but that's just ME.
So with that, I leave you. I have to go dig out my copies of Hitchhiker's Guide, Artemis Fowl, Boy Meets Boy, Bloody Jack and Pippi Longstocking. I have reading to do.
Yours in books,
Whimsy
P.S.
If you have a book that I MUST READ, tell me. I'm always looking for new books.\
P.P.S. If you've read any of these books, let me know in a comment what you thought. I love comments. (I mean, you don't know how excited I get when I read that I have a new one. It's hilarious.)
*The list includes,
Jim Tanner (Treasure Island), Puck (Midsummer Night's Dream), Roger Davis (RENT), Joon (Benny and Joon), Severus Snape (Harry Potter), Alanna (Song Of The Lioness), Daine (The Immortals), Lani Garver (What Happened To Lani Garver), Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), Jazz (Define 'Normal'), Jo March (Little Women) among others...
Also, I tried to keep it to ONE character from each book series. That's why there's not a TON of HP characters on there.
This doesn't happen much, but I knew pretty much as soon as I started reading the first book that I HAD. TO. HAVE. THEM.
I have griped (vocally, and often) about the lack of LGBT characters in fantasy novels. The Last Herald-Mage (LHM) books are indeed fantasy with a gay protagonist. YES! Oh, thank whatever-you-want-to-thank. Anyway, it's just nice to have a main character who's not your normal "hero(or anti-hero) goes on journey, finds self worth, destiny and opposite gendered lover along the way" type.
Seriously, if you haven't read the LHM books, then do so NOW. It was to the point where I was walking around with my nose in the book so far that I nearly walked into a wall. Maybe more than one.
Anyway, in other news my life is going well. Reading a lot lately, which is good. I had gotten away from reading tons, mostly due to watching un-godly amounts of Doctor Who and Torchwood (I REGRET NOTHING. SUCH PHENOMENAL TELEVISION.) and am back on my usual book-crazed path, and with a vengeance at that.
Because of that, I've been thinking about fictional characters lately, and not just in the "hey, I really love Remus Lupin, 'cuz he's a cool guy" kind of way. No, more in the "these characters are fictional people who I grew up with. Who I admire, in some cases."
So, I invite all of you to make a list of your top 5/10/20/30/you pick the number of favorite fictional characters, what books/movies/tv shows/plays/whatever that they're from, and why they're so cool. Why they stuck with you.
Here's mine, in no particular order.
1: Arthur Dent.
He's the last human from earth. He belongs to Douglas Adams, the creator of the fantastic Hitchhiker's Guide books. Arthur (by the way, having a hell of a time trying to spell his name properly) is just an ordinary guy, living his ordinary life and then all of a sudden, WHAM. He's off on a multi-dimensional space adventure, trying desperately to keep his mind, his towel and Ford Prefect by his side. What I like about his is that he's very HUMAN, he rolls with the punches (something that I don't do that well, for the record) and he tends to do what any normal person would do after being thrown into some very abnormal situations.
2: Holly Short.
She's from the Artemis Fowl books, written by Eoin Colfer. Holly is one of the toughest female characters that I know, and she's not even a HUMAN. She doesn't do the typical I-Am-A-Woman-So-I-Need-Saving-All-The-Time schtick, and I love her for that. She's incredibly smart, creative, compassionate, and she doesn't take any nonsense. That being said, she's also not perfect, like some authors can tend to do when creating a main character. She doesn't do well with authority (a trait we share) and tends to do things her own way, even if they stray a bit over the line of lawful. She tries to do her best, no matter the circumstance.
3: Paul. (Just googled it, and he hasn't got a last name. O__O)
Paul is the main character in Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, a book which I absolutely ADORE (and if you know me, I've probably talked your ear off about it, and tried to make you read it). There could be a whole blog post on why I like the book, but this is focused on the character. He's very whimsical, sweet, open minded, and yes, he is gay. I think the best thing about Paul is that he's so supportive of his friends, whoever they are. He's also quite the romantic, creative, and he marches to the beat of his own drum, no matter who is judging him.
4: Jacky Faber.
Opinionated, liberal-minded, gutsy, and overall one of the strongest (and still very much HUMAN) female characters I have had the pleasure of reading. Jacky is from L.A. Meyer's Bloody Jack books. I mean, the girl is a PIRATE...amongst other things. For living in the 1800's, she is about as rebel-tastic as it gets. She's impulsive, but clever, and the way she will always stick up for her friends, and for the anyone who's weaker and smaller than she is. She starts out as the lowest of the low (as a street rat) and works her way up the ladder through her own guile and wit. Did I mention that she's British? Yeah.
5: Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren is THE quintessential book about an unschooler EVER. (In my very biased opinion, that is.) She may be about 10, but that girl is a genius. The best bit about her, is she will give it back to whoever dishes it out, be it police, a schoolteacher, or whoever. She knows who she is, what she wants, and isn't afraid to go and get it. She's self-sufficient, creative and more than a bit crazy. She does things her own way, and 9 times out of ten, it ends up turning out okay. Despite the fact that these books are clearly written for young kids, (and translated from the original Swedish, which makes for interesting grammar sometimes) Pippi is fantastic.
Honestly, I can't pick who I want to do next*, so I'll leave it at five, for now.
Maybe I'll do this again, sometime. There are just SO MANY I'd like to discuss, and I don't want to give you a wall of text. ^___^
SO, If you made it through to the bottom of this, I challenge you to do your own. I stuck to books for mine, but that's just ME.
So with that, I leave you. I have to go dig out my copies of Hitchhiker's Guide, Artemis Fowl, Boy Meets Boy, Bloody Jack and Pippi Longstocking. I have reading to do.
Yours in books,
Whimsy
P.S.
If you have a book that I MUST READ, tell me. I'm always looking for new books.\
P.P.S. If you've read any of these books, let me know in a comment what you thought. I love comments. (I mean, you don't know how excited I get when I read that I have a new one. It's hilarious.)
*The list includes,
Jim Tanner (Treasure Island), Puck (Midsummer Night's Dream), Roger Davis (RENT), Joon (Benny and Joon), Severus Snape (Harry Potter), Alanna (Song Of The Lioness), Daine (The Immortals), Lani Garver (What Happened To Lani Garver), Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), Jazz (Define 'Normal'), Jo March (Little Women) among others...
Also, I tried to keep it to ONE character from each book series. That's why there's not a TON of HP characters on there.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Exerpt from last NaNoWriMo. (bonus post!)
So, NaNoWriMo has come and gone, and I am left with a 50,000+ word manuscript that is in desperate need of editing.
What am I to do? Start editing, of course.
So, that's been taking up a good deal of my time lately, what with fixing all my poor grammar and screwy word choices. Not to mention the stilted dialogue.
Oh, stilted dialogue, why must you plague me so... >.<
That being said, I do have some interesting words in there that for the life of me, I can't recall typing during November. I re-found my choice of "soliloquizing" at one point, and I am pretty dang pleased with that. Overall, I like how it turned out, I really do. The plot arcs in a pleasing way, and my characters (overall) are original and non-Mary-Sue like.
Now, you all, as the readers of my blog, get the dubious honor of reading the first fixed-up bits of my book.
The following is a letter, written from my main character's mother to her lover. It's one of the first bits of the book, and I'm really proud of it.
March 20, 1461
My beloved Carys.
Here I am, living with Tavis now. I miss having you next door, or the next room, or the next chair. If you could only know how often I think of you...
I am so lucky to have a husband who understands me. Tavis is wonderful, he truly is. Never pressures me for anything...as well he shouldn’t! He knows I’m already promised to you, if not in law, in heart. Oh, my beloved, if you and I could only live and marry like I can with Tavis. I long for that day.
How are your parents? How is your sister, Serilde? Is the village missing us? To be frank, I don’t miss them at all. Too many voices saying “No, no, don’t do that. Do it this way, the proper way, our way”. It’s wearing. You aren’t, of course. I miss you so deeply, and I wish...
Oh, if you could see the sunset from our house. All these fiery reds and oranges mixed with the cool purples and blues. I think of you as I watch it every night.
When do you think you’ll have enough money to join us? Another six months? A year? Two years? I’m so impatient, but I can’t help but say hurry, Carys. We’ve been building a small home next door, and then all will be as it used to be. I can’t say “how it should be” since “how it should be” would have us living together in the large house, and Tavis living in the small one next door!
You are still wearing the ring I gave you, am I right? Has Colin asked why you’re wearing another man’s ring yet? I don’t see why you can’t just tell him you aren’t interested. He’ll stop asking when you tell him once and for all that he hasn’t got a chance, but until then, he’ll keep plodding along like the ox that he is.
The air is so crisp and cool up here. Some mornings, it’s like breathing ice. Really wakes you up.
Tavis knows I miss you, and sends his love as well. We talk about you often, and we both miss you terribly. I hope you’ll recognize me when we meet again. Tavis says that I’ve grown paler, if that’s possible! It has to be the mountain air.
I must go now, my love. Thanks be to the gods that we have these letters to exchange. I don’t know what I would do if we didn’t have this.
Wishing you here with me,
Ziska Riedwyn Bronwy
If you liked it, let me know! If not, tell me why, if you would. If you're interested in hearing/reading more, let me know that as well, because I'll have other bits as I go along editing.
Cheers and all that wonderful stuff,
Whimsy
P.S.
If you did NaNo, how'd it turn out? Are you doing it this coming November?
P.P.S. Putting this out here for anyone to read on the internet is really quite nervous-making.
What am I to do? Start editing, of course.
So, that's been taking up a good deal of my time lately, what with fixing all my poor grammar and screwy word choices. Not to mention the stilted dialogue.
Oh, stilted dialogue, why must you plague me so... >.<
That being said, I do have some interesting words in there that for the life of me, I can't recall typing during November. I re-found my choice of "soliloquizing" at one point, and I am pretty dang pleased with that. Overall, I like how it turned out, I really do. The plot arcs in a pleasing way, and my characters (overall) are original and non-Mary-Sue like.
Now, you all, as the readers of my blog, get the dubious honor of reading the first fixed-up bits of my book.
The following is a letter, written from my main character's mother to her lover. It's one of the first bits of the book, and I'm really proud of it.
March 20, 1461
My beloved Carys.
Here I am, living with Tavis now. I miss having you next door, or the next room, or the next chair. If you could only know how often I think of you...
I am so lucky to have a husband who understands me. Tavis is wonderful, he truly is. Never pressures me for anything...as well he shouldn’t! He knows I’m already promised to you, if not in law, in heart. Oh, my beloved, if you and I could only live and marry like I can with Tavis. I long for that day.
How are your parents? How is your sister, Serilde? Is the village missing us? To be frank, I don’t miss them at all. Too many voices saying “No, no, don’t do that. Do it this way, the proper way, our way”. It’s wearing. You aren’t, of course. I miss you so deeply, and I wish...
Oh, if you could see the sunset from our house. All these fiery reds and oranges mixed with the cool purples and blues. I think of you as I watch it every night.
When do you think you’ll have enough money to join us? Another six months? A year? Two years? I’m so impatient, but I can’t help but say hurry, Carys. We’ve been building a small home next door, and then all will be as it used to be. I can’t say “how it should be” since “how it should be” would have us living together in the large house, and Tavis living in the small one next door!
You are still wearing the ring I gave you, am I right? Has Colin asked why you’re wearing another man’s ring yet? I don’t see why you can’t just tell him you aren’t interested. He’ll stop asking when you tell him once and for all that he hasn’t got a chance, but until then, he’ll keep plodding along like the ox that he is.
The air is so crisp and cool up here. Some mornings, it’s like breathing ice. Really wakes you up.
Tavis knows I miss you, and sends his love as well. We talk about you often, and we both miss you terribly. I hope you’ll recognize me when we meet again. Tavis says that I’ve grown paler, if that’s possible! It has to be the mountain air.
I must go now, my love. Thanks be to the gods that we have these letters to exchange. I don’t know what I would do if we didn’t have this.
Wishing you here with me,
Ziska Riedwyn Bronwy
If you liked it, let me know! If not, tell me why, if you would. If you're interested in hearing/reading more, let me know that as well, because I'll have other bits as I go along editing.
Cheers and all that wonderful stuff,
Whimsy
P.S.
If you did NaNo, how'd it turn out? Are you doing it this coming November?
P.P.S. Putting this out here for anyone to read on the internet is really quite nervous-making.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
A Really Epic Idea...or so I think...
So, I have an IDEA.
How cool would it be to keep track of your year, and join other people on thier year long journeys?
I want to be able to look back, this time next year and be able to read the story of my life in 2011. Interesting things will happen this year, and I want to remember every step of the way.
This brilliant idea came to me in the shower one morning, (as good ideas are wont to do) and I quickly decided that it shouldn't be JUST ME, that I should see how many other people want to do it.
The idea was spawned from doing @MaureenJohnson's BEDA - Blog Every Day August, (which, if you have read pretty much ANY of my previous posts, you can tell was TOTALLY EPIC).
Blog Once Weekly in 2011, or BOW'11 (or hashtag'd on twitter as #BOW11) will be a project where the goal is to blog at least once a week for an entire year. That's it. Simple as that.
SO, without further ado, I would like to ask you this. Do you want to do BOW'11 with me?
(Thinking about this now, it means that I shall have to write blog posts ON TOP OF NANOWRIMO. What am I thinking?)
Because of all of this whatnot, I've been thinking quite a lot about BOW'11, and I've come to make up some rules (for me at least, if you'd like to follow along, that's fine by me).
Here they are:
One: One post per week AT LEAST.
Two: A week shall be defined as Monday through Sunday.
Three: A post shall be defined as some bit of writing...just a bit.
Four: Anyone who wants to join in is MORE THAN WELCOME.
That's it!
Happy boxing day!
Until next time,
Whimsy
How cool would it be to keep track of your year, and join other people on thier year long journeys?
I want to be able to look back, this time next year and be able to read the story of my life in 2011. Interesting things will happen this year, and I want to remember every step of the way.
This brilliant idea came to me in the shower one morning, (as good ideas are wont to do) and I quickly decided that it shouldn't be JUST ME, that I should see how many other people want to do it.
The idea was spawned from doing @MaureenJohnson's BEDA - Blog Every Day August, (which, if you have read pretty much ANY of my previous posts, you can tell was TOTALLY EPIC).
Blog Once Weekly in 2011, or BOW'11 (or hashtag'd on twitter as #BOW11) will be a project where the goal is to blog at least once a week for an entire year. That's it. Simple as that.
SO, without further ado, I would like to ask you this. Do you want to do BOW'11 with me?
(Thinking about this now, it means that I shall have to write blog posts ON TOP OF NANOWRIMO. What am I thinking?)
Because of all of this whatnot, I've been thinking quite a lot about BOW'11, and I've come to make up some rules (for me at least, if you'd like to follow along, that's fine by me).
Here they are:
One: One post per week AT LEAST.
Two: A week shall be defined as Monday through Sunday.
Three: A post shall be defined as some bit of writing...just a bit.
Four: Anyone who wants to join in is MORE THAN WELCOME.
That's it!
Happy boxing day!
Until next time,
Whimsy
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
I drew you a picture. Actually, two pictures.
I don't know if you know this about me, probably not, since I haven't spoken about it here, but I get obsessed with things.
You know, THINGS.
Dog breeds, ships/sailing/pirates, horses, guitar, theater/shakespere, Harry Potter, dragons, pottery, clothing-making, reading, ATC's...all past (or present) obsessions of mine.
Right now, however, it's my NaNoWriMo.
I will be continuing to yammer on about my novel-in-progress until I lose steam.
ONWARD!
So, I decided that I needed visuals of my characters, so I started drawing them.
Keep in mind that when I put pencil/pen to paper, most often than not, I end up writing, not drawing.
So.
I have representations of Talaith and Aniera at ages 10 and 18.
Here they are at age 10. Talaith is on the left in a tree, Aniera's on the right looking out a window.
And age 18, when I actually start writing about them. These images are right before the story starts, sort of both of them in their natural habitats, as it were.
Talaith is still on the left, but now she's lying on the ground. Aniera's looking out a window still, but it's a different window. She's moved in the eight years that's passed since drawing one. >.<
This is the first time that I have showed my artistic endeavors with the internet (unless you count the photos where I have painted my sister blue, but that's another story).
I'm planning on doing young adult pictures of Talaith and Aniera's parents as well, and those might just end up on here as well.
Or maybe a picture of both Talaith and Aniera in the same scene?
Or another character(s)?
Here's a bit about Aniera Llewellyn:
She's the only child of the king (Liam Newlin) and queen (Cairene Llewellyn). Her mother is the bastard child of the previous king, and she rose to the throne after killing the mages responsible for murdering her family and many other of her father's subjects.
Her father is a son of a blacksmith in a poor town, now king of the land.
Aniera is fiercely protected by her family, who is determined that she won't have to fight or suffer hardship like they did when they were her age.
She wants desperately to be out DOING something, but is met with opposition from her overprotective parents.
She's spunky, but subdued. Living in a castle hasn't been the best for her. She's always felt more trapped than regal.
She can be somewhat of a hopeless romantic, prone to long fits of staring out windows watching the clouds or daydreaming.
When Aniera gets set in her mind to do something, she's like a pitbull. She Will. Not. Let. Go.
She's emotional, and starts out not as self-confidant as she could be.
The views of her family are deeply ingrained in her, but she is now looking at the world in a more objective way.
Aniera has always been closer with the servants (a pastime that her parents are fine with) than with any of the higher-born royals.
And now, Talaith Bronwy.
Talaith is the daughter of a homesteader (Tavis Bronwy) and his long-dead wife (Ziska Riedwyn).
Talaith has always been somewhat of a loner, prefering to spend her days in the woods without company.
She doesn't live in a town, instead, she lives alone with her father in the mountains.
Talaith doesn't trust anyone or anything, but has always been told about her mother in glowing tones, and her mother's 'goodness' is the one thing that she trusts.
She's always been one who needs to DO SOMETHING, not just sit there.
Not having grown up in a town with others, she's a bit shy.
She has a "fighting spirit", and even when the odds are insurmountable, she will hang on and not give up.
Talaith is impulsive, quick to anger and suspicious.
She's also resorceful, loyal, and emotionally strong.
She's jaded, headstrong, and has always been rather closed to the world.
She is just now starting to open up, letting others in.
Talaith is a young mage, just beginning to use her powers in a land where using magic is a crime punishable in some cases by death.
So, continuing on, I realized that you can shorten Talaith and Aniera to Tally and Ani. I'm not sure if I like it or not.
Any thoughts/questions any of you have on Talaith or Aniera or the rest of this glorious mess of a work in progress, feel free to put 'em in the comments!
Writer-tastic-ly yours,
~Whimsy
You know, THINGS.
Dog breeds, ships/sailing/pirates, horses, guitar, theater/shakespere, Harry Potter, dragons, pottery, clothing-making, reading, ATC's...all past (or present) obsessions of mine.
Right now, however, it's my NaNoWriMo.
I will be continuing to yammer on about my novel-in-progress until I lose steam.
ONWARD!
So, I decided that I needed visuals of my characters, so I started drawing them.
Keep in mind that when I put pencil/pen to paper, most often than not, I end up writing, not drawing.
So.
I have representations of Talaith and Aniera at ages 10 and 18.
Here they are at age 10. Talaith is on the left in a tree, Aniera's on the right looking out a window.
And age 18, when I actually start writing about them. These images are right before the story starts, sort of both of them in their natural habitats, as it were.
Talaith is still on the left, but now she's lying on the ground. Aniera's looking out a window still, but it's a different window. She's moved in the eight years that's passed since drawing one. >.<
This is the first time that I have showed my artistic endeavors with the internet (unless you count the photos where I have painted my sister blue, but that's another story).
I'm planning on doing young adult pictures of Talaith and Aniera's parents as well, and those might just end up on here as well.
Or maybe a picture of both Talaith and Aniera in the same scene?
Or another character(s)?
Here's a bit about Aniera Llewellyn:
She's the only child of the king (Liam Newlin) and queen (Cairene Llewellyn). Her mother is the bastard child of the previous king, and she rose to the throne after killing the mages responsible for murdering her family and many other of her father's subjects.
Her father is a son of a blacksmith in a poor town, now king of the land.
Aniera is fiercely protected by her family, who is determined that she won't have to fight or suffer hardship like they did when they were her age.
She wants desperately to be out DOING something, but is met with opposition from her overprotective parents.
She's spunky, but subdued. Living in a castle hasn't been the best for her. She's always felt more trapped than regal.
She can be somewhat of a hopeless romantic, prone to long fits of staring out windows watching the clouds or daydreaming.
When Aniera gets set in her mind to do something, she's like a pitbull. She Will. Not. Let. Go.
She's emotional, and starts out not as self-confidant as she could be.
The views of her family are deeply ingrained in her, but she is now looking at the world in a more objective way.
Aniera has always been closer with the servants (a pastime that her parents are fine with) than with any of the higher-born royals.
And now, Talaith Bronwy.
Talaith is the daughter of a homesteader (Tavis Bronwy) and his long-dead wife (Ziska Riedwyn).
Talaith has always been somewhat of a loner, prefering to spend her days in the woods without company.
She doesn't live in a town, instead, she lives alone with her father in the mountains.
Talaith doesn't trust anyone or anything, but has always been told about her mother in glowing tones, and her mother's 'goodness' is the one thing that she trusts.
She's always been one who needs to DO SOMETHING, not just sit there.
Not having grown up in a town with others, she's a bit shy.
She has a "fighting spirit", and even when the odds are insurmountable, she will hang on and not give up.
Talaith is impulsive, quick to anger and suspicious.
She's also resorceful, loyal, and emotionally strong.
She's jaded, headstrong, and has always been rather closed to the world.
She is just now starting to open up, letting others in.
Talaith is a young mage, just beginning to use her powers in a land where using magic is a crime punishable in some cases by death.
So, continuing on, I realized that you can shorten Talaith and Aniera to Tally and Ani. I'm not sure if I like it or not.
Any thoughts/questions any of you have on Talaith or Aniera or the rest of this glorious mess of a work in progress, feel free to put 'em in the comments!
Writer-tastic-ly yours,
~Whimsy
Saturday, August 21, 2010
BEDA, Day 21: Talkin' bout the internet.
I have a problem, readers.
It's not a BIG problem.
My problem is with the "Blogosphere" and the "Twitterverse" and the "YouTubes" and all those other weird words that describe various internet-y things.
Nobody calls MySpace "MySpaceLandia", and Facebook isn't "Facetown" and Dailybooth isn't "BoothDayz".
Why does this happen? It's not needed, and it makes something that's already got a strange name into something with a cutsey-poo nickname.
What's even worse is that all of these things can be found on "Teh Interwebz". Spelling "the" t-e-h is beyond annoying, and why do you have to add a Z on the end of the word? It's not edgier/better/cooler to have "skillz" than to have "skills".
If a sentence is typed "i have mad skillz wit postin tweetz nd blogz. wut up internetz?" then I am going to assume that I will not appreciate the "mad skillz" that you supposedly have "with postin tweetz nd blogz" and will most likely not go and check you out on the "internetz".
Also, what is UP with saying "FAIL"? Somebody gets a fact wrong, and all of a sudden, the Fail Ninjas attack. It's all "lolz, u fail" "FAIL" "that was a fail", until you want to just scream.
"lol" "LOL" "XD LOL" "LOL JK" "LOL WTF"
O_O Oh my dear lord. CAN WE NOT, PLEASE? When I'm typing to you, and all you say back is "lol" what do I say? I NEVER use "lol", and some people I know use it in REAL LIFE! Instead of actually LAUGHING at what they find funny, they spit out an internet platitude. Nobody's actually laughing out loud when they write LOL. It's simply become a placeholder, something to say in place of real conversation.
It's enough to make me go "OMG".
One more thing. Is saying "ur gay" really the best you can do to insult someone? I'd be way more offended if someone typed "you're a close minded bigot" than simply going along with the "ur gay" "u look gay" "ur such a f*g" "GAY" insult.
Rule number one: I'm not going to get offended by anyone who won't take the time to type out "you're", and instead puts two letters.
It just irritates me.
*sigh*
So, blogosphereians, I'm off to check my e-mailz, facetown and the youtubes, but first, I have to see what's going on in the twitterverse.
LOL.
It's not a BIG problem.
My problem is with the "Blogosphere" and the "Twitterverse" and the "YouTubes" and all those other weird words that describe various internet-y things.
Nobody calls MySpace "MySpaceLandia", and Facebook isn't "Facetown" and Dailybooth isn't "BoothDayz".
Why does this happen? It's not needed, and it makes something that's already got a strange name into something with a cutsey-poo nickname.
What's even worse is that all of these things can be found on "Teh Interwebz". Spelling "the" t-e-h is beyond annoying, and why do you have to add a Z on the end of the word? It's not edgier/better/cooler to have "skillz" than to have "skills".
If a sentence is typed "i have mad skillz wit postin tweetz nd blogz. wut up internetz?" then I am going to assume that I will not appreciate the "mad skillz" that you supposedly have "with postin tweetz nd blogz" and will most likely not go and check you out on the "internetz".
Also, what is UP with saying "FAIL"? Somebody gets a fact wrong, and all of a sudden, the Fail Ninjas attack. It's all "lolz, u fail" "FAIL" "that was a fail", until you want to just scream.
"lol" "LOL" "XD LOL" "LOL JK" "LOL WTF"
O_O Oh my dear lord. CAN WE NOT, PLEASE? When I'm typing to you, and all you say back is "lol" what do I say? I NEVER use "lol", and some people I know use it in REAL LIFE! Instead of actually LAUGHING at what they find funny, they spit out an internet platitude. Nobody's actually laughing out loud when they write LOL. It's simply become a placeholder, something to say in place of real conversation.
It's enough to make me go "OMG".
One more thing. Is saying "ur gay" really the best you can do to insult someone? I'd be way more offended if someone typed "you're a close minded bigot" than simply going along with the "ur gay" "u look gay" "ur such a f*g" "GAY" insult.
Rule number one: I'm not going to get offended by anyone who won't take the time to type out "you're", and instead puts two letters.
It just irritates me.
*sigh*
So, blogosphereians, I'm off to check my e-mailz, facetown and the youtubes, but first, I have to see what's going on in the twitterverse.
LOL.
Friday, August 20, 2010
BEDA, Day 20: Names, backstories and plotlines, oh my!
So, my friends. I have bits about my novel to share with you.
I've been thinking about my NaNovel, and I have come up with (what I think are) some good ideas.
I have two stories that I'm working off of this year, a plotline and a (stupidly extensive) backstory. The backstory follows the lives of the FIRST five people on my list, and the main plotline follows the daughters of the first five.
The idea behind the story is that the BACKSTORY is your everyday fantasy plot with good triumphing over evil, etc, etc. However, the perceptions of "good" and "evil" have been skewed by the people who are telling the history/public perception/combined with the fact that scared people will believe just about anything, even though both parties are equally in the wrong.
Anywho...
I'm VERY picky about names, so picking what I'm going to call my characters is a BIG deal.
I'm including a bit of a bio about each of them, and be warned...NEARLY EVERYONE DIES. But it needed to happen. I am sad about killing them, honest. :(
So far, I have these:
Cairene Llewellyn - Princess who was born by the King and another woman, shunned since birth, only member of royal line left; becomes Queen by end of the Backstory.
Liam Newlin - Commoner boy, family dies in combo flood/famine, teams up with Cairene, eventually marries her, becomes King by end of Backstory
Tavis Bronwy - Loner-type young adult, marries Ziske for appearance's sake, has child with her by end of Backstory.
Ziska (Ziske) Arwydd - Young woman from the mountains, powerful mage, married to Tavis, but her heartmate is Shivaun/Carys/Malia. Dead by end of Backstory by Liam and Cairene; has infant.
Shivaun/Carys/Malia Riedwyn - Young woman, mage from small village in upper country, loves and is together with Ziske. Tavis and she get along fine, no battle for Ziske's heart. Dead by end of Backstory.
---
Talaith Bronwy (Arwydd) - Daughter of Tavis, Ziske and Shivaun.
Aneira/Ariene/Elain Llewellyn - Daughter of Cairene and Liam.
--------
So, waddya think?
Also, I will be away until Monday. Expect regular posts, but comments shall be replied to when I get back.
Have a wonderous weekend, all!
~Whimsy
P.S. I shall miss keeping up on my other BEDA friends's blogs. :( However, I am off to do AWESOME THINGS, so it's all great. ^_^
I've been thinking about my NaNovel, and I have come up with (what I think are) some good ideas.
I have two stories that I'm working off of this year, a plotline and a (stupidly extensive) backstory. The backstory follows the lives of the FIRST five people on my list, and the main plotline follows the daughters of the first five.
The idea behind the story is that the BACKSTORY is your everyday fantasy plot with good triumphing over evil, etc, etc. However, the perceptions of "good" and "evil" have been skewed by the people who are telling the history/public perception/combined with the fact that scared people will believe just about anything, even though both parties are equally in the wrong.
Anywho...
I'm VERY picky about names, so picking what I'm going to call my characters is a BIG deal.
I'm including a bit of a bio about each of them, and be warned...NEARLY EVERYONE DIES. But it needed to happen. I am sad about killing them, honest. :(
So far, I have these:
Cairene Llewellyn - Princess who was born by the King and another woman, shunned since birth, only member of royal line left; becomes Queen by end of the Backstory.
Liam Newlin - Commoner boy, family dies in combo flood/famine, teams up with Cairene, eventually marries her, becomes King by end of Backstory
Tavis Bronwy - Loner-type young adult, marries Ziske for appearance's sake, has child with her by end of Backstory.
Ziska (Ziske) Arwydd - Young woman from the mountains, powerful mage, married to Tavis, but her heartmate is Shivaun/Carys/Malia. Dead by end of Backstory by Liam and Cairene; has infant.
Shivaun/Carys/Malia Riedwyn - Young woman, mage from small village in upper country, loves and is together with Ziske. Tavis and she get along fine, no battle for Ziske's heart. Dead by end of Backstory.
---
Talaith Bronwy (Arwydd) - Daughter of Tavis, Ziske and Shivaun.
Aneira/Ariene/Elain Llewellyn - Daughter of Cairene and Liam.
--------
So, waddya think?
Also, I will be away until Monday. Expect regular posts, but comments shall be replied to when I get back.
Have a wonderous weekend, all!
~Whimsy
P.S. I shall miss keeping up on my other BEDA friends's blogs. :( However, I am off to do AWESOME THINGS, so it's all great. ^_^
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
BEDA, Day 17: A pledge, and tales from life.
After reading back through my blog entries, I have realized something.
I have never once stretched, modified, or in any other way changed the truth. Because of this, I have decided that I shall continue in this vein.
This blog will continue to be an honest-to-goodness recollection of my life (and whatever else I decide to put in here).
So you, dear reader (Oh. My. LORD, I need a new name for you all.) can know that everything that you read honestly did happen.
I think that's important to know. It's too easy to lie on the internet, or even to mislead a person. So, now you know that I am, have and will be completely honest with you.
In other news from Whimsyville, I have finished my plot outline! Huzzah, cheers and all that jazz.
Currently, my plot outline checks in at nine pages long, with the backstory outline at seven pages. I am officially un-stuck!
I went to the library today to work on my novelness (it's a real word right now, so there), and instead, ended up talking to a ten year old boy about Harry Potter, King Arthur, Merlin, wizards in general, Nicholas Flamel, the philosopher's stone, name origins, NaNoWriMo, where my (very tiny) town is located, hair dye, and yoga.
Here are a few sample conversations:
Library Chappie: (LC) "Is your hair really black?"
(My hair was dyed pink, but the color is fading, and I'm a sorta-bleached blonde with dark roots.)
Me (laughing a bit): "Nope, I've got brown hair. It was pink, but the color grew out. I'll be going green in about a week or so."
LC: "Let me ask you...why green?"
(He give me this look that can only be described as a look that is related to the "O RLY?" owl look.)
Me: "Well, green is my favorite color. It's kind of a blue-green, more green than blue though."
LC: (Looks at me for a moment, then says) "I like light blue."
The best part about this conversation is the fact that it wasn't weird to ask me if my hair REALLY looks like that. Younger kids are so much easier to deal with. Teenagers can be so blasted complicated.
-----
(Talking about NaNoWriMo, my BLFONT spread out in front of me, taking up the entire table, as per usual)
LC: "Can I see your draft?"
Me: "Oh, man, sorry, you can't. My handwriting is awful (true), and it's NOWHERE near done (also true)."
LC: "I thought girls had pretty handwriting?"
Me: (stifles grin) "Maybe some girls, but not this one."
LC: "Oh."
-----
(Finished chatting about Greek vs Roman mythology, the fact that Nicholas Flamel's body was never found in his grave, what the philosopher's stone was supposed to have done, the fact that Voldemort translates to "flight from death" in french, Fluffy the three headed dog is actually Cerberus, the dog that protects the underworld, what yoga actually is, etc)
LC: "How do you know so much?"
Me: (Feeling bashful and flattered) "I read a lot."
------
This kid has probably never met anyone like me before. I'm 8 years older than he is, but I don't treat him as a kid. Being treaded as a "kid" drove me NUTS when I was younger. It still does now, but it happens less often.
So, that's my day.
How was/is yours?
Signing off for now,
~Whimsy
I have never once stretched, modified, or in any other way changed the truth. Because of this, I have decided that I shall continue in this vein.
This blog will continue to be an honest-to-goodness recollection of my life (and whatever else I decide to put in here).
So you, dear reader (Oh. My. LORD, I need a new name for you all.) can know that everything that you read honestly did happen.
I think that's important to know. It's too easy to lie on the internet, or even to mislead a person. So, now you know that I am, have and will be completely honest with you.
In other news from Whimsyville, I have finished my plot outline! Huzzah, cheers and all that jazz.
Currently, my plot outline checks in at nine pages long, with the backstory outline at seven pages. I am officially un-stuck!
I went to the library today to work on my novelness (it's a real word right now, so there), and instead, ended up talking to a ten year old boy about Harry Potter, King Arthur, Merlin, wizards in general, Nicholas Flamel, the philosopher's stone, name origins, NaNoWriMo, where my (very tiny) town is located, hair dye, and yoga.
Here are a few sample conversations:
Library Chappie: (LC) "Is your hair really black?"
(My hair was dyed pink, but the color is fading, and I'm a sorta-bleached blonde with dark roots.)
Me (laughing a bit): "Nope, I've got brown hair. It was pink, but the color grew out. I'll be going green in about a week or so."
LC: "Let me ask you...why green?"
(He give me this look that can only be described as a look that is related to the "O RLY?" owl look.)
Me: "Well, green is my favorite color. It's kind of a blue-green, more green than blue though."
LC: (Looks at me for a moment, then says) "I like light blue."
The best part about this conversation is the fact that it wasn't weird to ask me if my hair REALLY looks like that. Younger kids are so much easier to deal with. Teenagers can be so blasted complicated.
-----
(Talking about NaNoWriMo, my BLFONT spread out in front of me, taking up the entire table, as per usual)
LC: "Can I see your draft?"
Me: "Oh, man, sorry, you can't. My handwriting is awful (true), and it's NOWHERE near done (also true)."
LC: "I thought girls had pretty handwriting?"
Me: (stifles grin) "Maybe some girls, but not this one."
LC: "Oh."
-----
(Finished chatting about Greek vs Roman mythology, the fact that Nicholas Flamel's body was never found in his grave, what the philosopher's stone was supposed to have done, the fact that Voldemort translates to "flight from death" in french, Fluffy the three headed dog is actually Cerberus, the dog that protects the underworld, what yoga actually is, etc)
LC: "How do you know so much?"
Me: (Feeling bashful and flattered) "I read a lot."
------
This kid has probably never met anyone like me before. I'm 8 years older than he is, but I don't treat him as a kid. Being treaded as a "kid" drove me NUTS when I was younger. It still does now, but it happens less often.
So, that's my day.
How was/is yours?
Signing off for now,
~Whimsy
Friday, August 13, 2010
BEDA, Day 13: Plotting.
As you (I have no doubt) know, I am currently at work plotting for my NaNoWriMo novel this November.
I have been plotting my buns off (not that that can ACTUALLY happen), and I came up with something that I like.
So, I was thinking that I would write a story, in a fantasy setting, about gray morals. You know when you're reading a fantasy story and there are two distinct sides? The Good Side and The Bad Side?
Well, I'm trying to create a story where there IS no good and bad sides, and both of the sides have made mistakes, and each of them think that they are The Good Side.
So that's the premise.
The Actual Story takes place AFTER the "good" guys, vanquish the "bad" guys, the place where most fantasy stories end
One daughter from each side of the old conflict meet and start working together.
My plan was for them to take down the corrupt government and free the people, blah blah blah.
The problem is, well...
I have hit a brick wall of the evil WRITER'S BLOCK. Dun dun dunnnnnnn.
I wrote a nicely angst-ridden backstory for the parents of said children, but alas the daughters are giving me issues.
Now, I am wondering if I should just scrap the tales of the daughters and go with the parents instead.
I really like the backstory, but I don't know if I can handle immersing myself in that story for a month.
The reason why is this: To get to the point that I needed for the daughters, I had to create a lot of angst. They needed to really hate the other side with a passion, so most of the characters needed to die.
Also, I would have a very hard time not sympathizing with the "bad" side, because I find them far more interesting and I think I really kinda love them. So sad that I had to kill them.
I haven't been able to move beyond the place where I'm stuck for days. Ahhhhrgh.
So that's my story.
My QE is thus:
What are you writing?
and
How do you un-block your writer's block?
I have been plotting my buns off (not that that can ACTUALLY happen), and I came up with something that I like.
So, I was thinking that I would write a story, in a fantasy setting, about gray morals. You know when you're reading a fantasy story and there are two distinct sides? The Good Side and The Bad Side?
Well, I'm trying to create a story where there IS no good and bad sides, and both of the sides have made mistakes, and each of them think that they are The Good Side.
So that's the premise.
The Actual Story takes place AFTER the "good" guys, vanquish the "bad" guys, the place where most fantasy stories end
One daughter from each side of the old conflict meet and start working together.
My plan was for them to take down the corrupt government and free the people, blah blah blah.
The problem is, well...
I have hit a brick wall of the evil WRITER'S BLOCK. Dun dun dunnnnnnn.
I wrote a nicely angst-ridden backstory for the parents of said children, but alas the daughters are giving me issues.
Now, I am wondering if I should just scrap the tales of the daughters and go with the parents instead.
I really like the backstory, but I don't know if I can handle immersing myself in that story for a month.
The reason why is this: To get to the point that I needed for the daughters, I had to create a lot of angst. They needed to really hate the other side with a passion, so most of the characters needed to die.
Also, I would have a very hard time not sympathizing with the "bad" side, because I find them far more interesting and I think I really kinda love them. So sad that I had to kill them.
I haven't been able to move beyond the place where I'm stuck for days. Ahhhhrgh.
So that's my story.
My QE is thus:
What are you writing?
and
How do you un-block your writer's block?
Monday, August 9, 2010
BEDA Blog nine: BLFONT and writerly badass-ness.
I love libraries. There's just something almost magical about all those books, shelves upon shelves of them.
I can walk between the shelves for hours, just looking at the titles, cover pages...*swoon*
I know, I'm strange.* We knew that already.
Anyhow, so I was at a library today, and I had brought my Big Leather Folder Of NaNoWriMo Things (BLFONT) with me.
The BLFONT** is roughly the size of a very large laptop computer when shut, and twice that size when open. That's not even touching on the stack of (absolutely not) carefully arranged papers INSIDE the BLFONT.
Those papers cover notes about writing projects that are both current and no-quite-so-current. All the papers are thrown together higglety-pigglety***. The plots wind up near fragments of dialogue for tales I have no plans to write, all jumbled in with sketches, rantings, and a good dollop of song lyrics for good measure.
I get to the library and make a beeline for my table. Granted, this table is not mine. I have no claim to it whatsoever. However, given the choice, I will go for this table compleatly out of force of habit. That, and the chair I like is positioned so that I can see the rest of the library without having to turn too much.
I go over to the table, carrying my BLFONT and my messenger bag and claim the table.
My messenger bag (today at least) is filled with five books on writing, and my iPod.
As I unload all my books, my iPod, my BLFONT, I realize two things:
One: I am taking up a table for FOUR on my own.
Two: I look like a writer.
The first realization made me feel guilty, until I realized that nobody else wanted the table.
The second one made me feel like a badass. An epic writerly badass.
So here's my question for you:
Part one: Do you have a writer-ly case, like my BLFONT, and is it organized?
Part two: What do you do that makes you feel like a badass?
~Whimsy
* See any other blog post previous to this one.
** I pronounce this "Bella-font". Sorta like elephant, only not really at all.
*** A phrase to be used WAY more often than it actually is.
I can walk between the shelves for hours, just looking at the titles, cover pages...*swoon*
I know, I'm strange.* We knew that already.
Anyhow, so I was at a library today, and I had brought my Big Leather Folder Of NaNoWriMo Things (BLFONT) with me.
The BLFONT** is roughly the size of a very large laptop computer when shut, and twice that size when open. That's not even touching on the stack of (absolutely not) carefully arranged papers INSIDE the BLFONT.
Those papers cover notes about writing projects that are both current and no-quite-so-current. All the papers are thrown together higglety-pigglety***. The plots wind up near fragments of dialogue for tales I have no plans to write, all jumbled in with sketches, rantings, and a good dollop of song lyrics for good measure.
I get to the library and make a beeline for my table. Granted, this table is not mine. I have no claim to it whatsoever. However, given the choice, I will go for this table compleatly out of force of habit. That, and the chair I like is positioned so that I can see the rest of the library without having to turn too much.
I go over to the table, carrying my BLFONT and my messenger bag and claim the table.
My messenger bag (today at least) is filled with five books on writing, and my iPod.
As I unload all my books, my iPod, my BLFONT, I realize two things:
One: I am taking up a table for FOUR on my own.
Two: I look like a writer.
The first realization made me feel guilty, until I realized that nobody else wanted the table.
The second one made me feel like a badass. An epic writerly badass.
So here's my question for you:
Part one: Do you have a writer-ly case, like my BLFONT, and is it organized?
Part two: What do you do that makes you feel like a badass?
~Whimsy
* See any other blog post previous to this one.
** I pronounce this "Bella-font". Sorta like elephant, only not really at all.
*** A phrase to be used WAY more often than it actually is.
Friday, August 6, 2010
BEDA, Day 5: Join me in NaNoWriMo this year?
Since this is a blog that is about writing (and other things as well) it seems only fair to talk about last year's NaNoWriMo.
Last year late in October, somewhere about the 20th of the month, my sister decided that it would be a good idea for the pair of us to write our own novels in November.
I think that you should join me this year for NaNoWriMo. It'll be a crazy ride, but someone has to take it!
Having written a detailed-to-the-max 50 page outline for a story a year or two (or three) ago, and rembering what madness that was, and the fact that I had about 10 days to prepare, I said no, as a sane person would.
Since my sister is SO not sane, she kept poking at me until I caved and made my NaNo account. I spent about three days working out a plot on lined paper, and came up with something that was drastically different than my usual attempted fare of fantasy-epic-adventures; a novel about teens putting on a production of Romeo and Juliet.
I love the idea, since in April of that year I had played Mercutio in my theater's show of the same, and therefore was bound and determined to give my main character, Alan, the same role.
I am so sick of not having lgbt characters show up in YA fiction, that I made Alan, Stephan, Melanie, Emily, Tanya and Oliver (all characters from that year's NaNo) either gay, lesbian or bi.
There were plenty of straight characters as well, but I found the need to include the lgbt ones irrisistable.
Mt book went off in a direction that I had no plan for it to go, and I am so glad for that. The creative flow of NaNoWriMo is unstoppable.
I noveled whilst getting ready for opening night for a show, and at the cast party, where I should have been socializing with my castmates.
I gave myself permission to make a glorious muddle of things, to add the man who says "dorf", the traveling shovel of death, and Katherine Bloodsaw.
I wrote late at night in a film noir setting, clacking away at my typewriter as the hours grew longer and I included dreams involving God, a gay man, and a missing pair of glittery jeans.
I word warred with random strangers, flipped out every time I wrote another thousand words, and I had a mentor who kept me on track to the 50k finish.
The long and short of it is this: Everyone should do NaNoWriMo.
Everyone should have a chance to douse their inner critic and do what makes them feel good.
Hell, douse the outer critics as well! They aren't you, and you need to nurture your own creative spirit. Nobody else can, will, or even should do that for you.
I guess that this stands as my open invitation to you all, then.
Come, join me, make mistakes, make art. Throw yourself into the joy of creating something that wasn't there before you started to make it. Live your life to the fullest everyday, and don't let the nay-sayers ruin your dreams. Dream big, dream on, and never, ever, ever stop.
Who's with me?
~Whimsy
Last year late in October, somewhere about the 20th of the month, my sister decided that it would be a good idea for the pair of us to write our own novels in November.
I think that you should join me this year for NaNoWriMo. It'll be a crazy ride, but someone has to take it!
Having written a detailed-to-the-max 50 page outline for a story a year or two (or three) ago, and rembering what madness that was, and the fact that I had about 10 days to prepare, I said no, as a sane person would.
Since my sister is SO not sane, she kept poking at me until I caved and made my NaNo account. I spent about three days working out a plot on lined paper, and came up with something that was drastically different than my usual attempted fare of fantasy-epic-adventures; a novel about teens putting on a production of Romeo and Juliet.
I love the idea, since in April of that year I had played Mercutio in my theater's show of the same, and therefore was bound and determined to give my main character, Alan, the same role.
I am so sick of not having lgbt characters show up in YA fiction, that I made Alan, Stephan, Melanie, Emily, Tanya and Oliver (all characters from that year's NaNo) either gay, lesbian or bi.
There were plenty of straight characters as well, but I found the need to include the lgbt ones irrisistable.
Mt book went off in a direction that I had no plan for it to go, and I am so glad for that. The creative flow of NaNoWriMo is unstoppable.
I noveled whilst getting ready for opening night for a show, and at the cast party, where I should have been socializing with my castmates.
I gave myself permission to make a glorious muddle of things, to add the man who says "dorf", the traveling shovel of death, and Katherine Bloodsaw.
I wrote late at night in a film noir setting, clacking away at my typewriter as the hours grew longer and I included dreams involving God, a gay man, and a missing pair of glittery jeans.
I word warred with random strangers, flipped out every time I wrote another thousand words, and I had a mentor who kept me on track to the 50k finish.
The long and short of it is this: Everyone should do NaNoWriMo.
Everyone should have a chance to douse their inner critic and do what makes them feel good.
Hell, douse the outer critics as well! They aren't you, and you need to nurture your own creative spirit. Nobody else can, will, or even should do that for you.
I guess that this stands as my open invitation to you all, then.
Come, join me, make mistakes, make art. Throw yourself into the joy of creating something that wasn't there before you started to make it. Live your life to the fullest everyday, and don't let the nay-sayers ruin your dreams. Dream big, dream on, and never, ever, ever stop.
Who's with me?
~Whimsy
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
BEDA Four: Gushers for Breakfast
I think that BEDA is (for me) Blog-Once-Every-Day-Before-You-Go-To-Bed-That-Night, because I am so not getting one up in every 24 hour day.
I am a night owl. This can cause problems with everyday life, because everyone else runs on, you know, daytime-time. I would be MORE than happy to wake up a 1pm, 2pm and go to sleep at...4am? That's more my kind of timetable.
However, The Rest Of The World does NOT follow by the 2pm-4am waking hours, so I have to get up early...ish, and go to bed early...ish-not-really. We're talking, say 9am to 1am? I know, REALLY early, huh? Not at all. I hate getting up early, I really do.
This summer, I went to Infinitus, a Harry Potter conference, and on the first day, I STUPIDLY gave in and told my friend to wake me up at 6:30 am so I could meet her at 7am.
I was so tired, I nearly fell asleep in my breakfast. (Breakfast was ginger ale, potato chips, cotton candy and gushers, for the interested. I have never eaten more crap in a meal in my ENTIRE life, but hey, what's vacation for?) Needless to say, I was WIRED all day long, until the night (read 2:30 am), where I crashed upon my bed and went out like a light.
Where was I going with all this? I do not know. Whatever.
Anywhozer, I took a writing test today, and learned that I write like Douglas Adams. This made me VERY happy, until I re-took the test twice more, and got two other authors. The lesson with that is: don't trust internet tests and analyzing whatnot, more often than not, it is crap.
If you are interested in who you write like (and who wouldn't, after my GLOWING review), please CLICK HERE and find out. If you do, tell me in the comments. A friend of mine got J.K. Rowling, and I admit, I was a bit envious.
Signing off before this gets far too long,
~Whimsy
I am a night owl. This can cause problems with everyday life, because everyone else runs on, you know, daytime-time. I would be MORE than happy to wake up a 1pm, 2pm and go to sleep at...4am? That's more my kind of timetable.
However, The Rest Of The World does NOT follow by the 2pm-4am waking hours, so I have to get up early...ish, and go to bed early...ish-not-really. We're talking, say 9am to 1am? I know, REALLY early, huh? Not at all. I hate getting up early, I really do.
This summer, I went to Infinitus, a Harry Potter conference, and on the first day, I STUPIDLY gave in and told my friend to wake me up at 6:30 am so I could meet her at 7am.
I was so tired, I nearly fell asleep in my breakfast. (Breakfast was ginger ale, potato chips, cotton candy and gushers, for the interested. I have never eaten more crap in a meal in my ENTIRE life, but hey, what's vacation for?) Needless to say, I was WIRED all day long, until the night (read 2:30 am), where I crashed upon my bed and went out like a light.
Where was I going with all this? I do not know. Whatever.
Anywhozer, I took a writing test today, and learned that I write like Douglas Adams. This made me VERY happy, until I re-took the test twice more, and got two other authors. The lesson with that is: don't trust internet tests and analyzing whatnot, more often than not, it is crap.
If you are interested in who you write like (and who wouldn't, after my GLOWING review), please CLICK HERE and find out. If you do, tell me in the comments. A friend of mine got J.K. Rowling, and I admit, I was a bit envious.
Signing off before this gets far too long,
~Whimsy
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
On writing.
When do you go from being a person who likes to write, to a writer?
From there, when do you go to being an author? Do you have to be published? Is that the rule, authors are published, writers are not?
Do you have to have written a full book? Does an anthology of poetry count as a book? What if you've written just a few lines of verse, yet those have been published in a magazine? Does that count as being an author?
Does your plan have anything to do with what you can call yourself? If you plan to get published, but you haven't written word one as of yet, are you an author?
If you have finished an entire novel, yet you have no desire to do anything with that manuscript barring having it sit on your shelf, are you an author?
Just something I was musing about.
I have written a full length novel, BUT have no plans to get it published...right now. Does that make me an author, a writer or someone who likes to write?
I'm interested in hearing what you have to say.
~Whimsy
P.S. It's either feast or famine with me. You get no posts for nearly five months, and all of a sudden two a few hours apart.
From there, when do you go to being an author? Do you have to be published? Is that the rule, authors are published, writers are not?
Do you have to have written a full book? Does an anthology of poetry count as a book? What if you've written just a few lines of verse, yet those have been published in a magazine? Does that count as being an author?
Does your plan have anything to do with what you can call yourself? If you plan to get published, but you haven't written word one as of yet, are you an author?
If you have finished an entire novel, yet you have no desire to do anything with that manuscript barring having it sit on your shelf, are you an author?
Just something I was musing about.
I have written a full length novel, BUT have no plans to get it published...right now. Does that make me an author, a writer or someone who likes to write?
I'm interested in hearing what you have to say.
~Whimsy
P.S. It's either feast or famine with me. You get no posts for nearly five months, and all of a sudden two a few hours apart.
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