It seems like all the advice I can get for finishing my first draft is to just sit down and do it. Writing is Rewriting. I know my first draft doesn't have to be perfect but that's one of my major challenges. I'll write a scene or something, then edit it and edit it and edit it and getting no where. I'm currently at 11,000 and probably have 6,000 more words of scenes I haven't gotten into my manuscript yet. Then I start to think about my 60,000 word goal I cry a little inside because it seems like I've put so much work into just this and the thought of all that work makes me want to roll over and go back to sleep. I need some small goals. I'm thinking I'll shoot for 1,000 words perhour and work for at least one hour every day but idealy three.f I love when I'm writing I get into that "zone" where I'm so enthrawled in my writing that I have no sence of time and I end up working for five hours before I need to pee or something.
I'm also needing a major Half-price Book run. I've got a huge list of books on writing. I'm loving my kindle right now because of all the free books:)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Back in it
After not writing for almost two weeks it's really refreshing to spend a solid four hours of my afternoon working. It really reminds me why I love writing. I get to create things and characters. I get to play god and step out of my shoes while I read and write. My dad's step mom says people always want what they don't have, and people read so they can experience what it's like to have something they want. A book store is like an experience kit store. You can buy a book and slip into the skin of a character and their world and try out these different experiences, and thoughts, and situations, and trials, and problems, and disasters all without leaving the oh so sweet comfort of your living room or what ever.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thanks bud
So I spent the night last night at my friends house. This is a really rare occurence. I had fun but we were talking and she was amazed with how I never need to talk about personal things with people. Things like my first kiss, and boys, and my family problems. I told her I just keep a journal because Journals don't go blabbing to people. She said I should keep doing it becaus it's good. I suggested she start one then she said she thinks it's totally lame and it's very shallow. Then she compared my journal to her third grade journal with a lock and key. I'm ok with saying I love my journal...I just doubt I'll be going to many more sleep overs for a while.
Drain
Working sucks. Sure I have fun but goodness gracious what a time drain. I think it'll all be worth it when I get my paycheck. Almost all my money is going to my new mac book pro.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Good book Blues
Every time I finish a book, especially a really good one, I always get a little discouraged because I think I'll never be able to write something as good as that. I just finished The Book Thief for the fifth time and I still cried. I'm pretty sure you guys are going to get tired of me talking about this book but I think I'll sacrifice a few readers for my love of this book. I don't really know where I was going with this post but I figure I'd mention my current state of "I never want to write another word in my life" mood but have no fear, I'm pretty sure this'll fade off after I finish a terrable book. At that point I'll get my "I could write a better book that that" additude and get right to writing with the same vigor as before.
Books that have made me a Better Writer
Writers Read. Here are a few fiction books that I've read for pleasure that've made me try new things with my writing.
1) The book Thief. I love this book. Markus Zusak uses the rare Omniscient POV with his narriator, death. On thing that really caught me is that nearly to the end there's a chapter called "The End of the World (Part 1)" Markus Zusak tells what happens in the end and I still cried when I finally got there. I love the point of view, the simple plot, the characters, and the childhood love between Liesle and Rudy.
2) Dracula by Bram Stoker. Ok I've only just recently read this one. Again though, I like the diary format. I get that a lot of people wrote like that a long time ago but when I read something like this It challenges me to try it out. I've started a small series on Quizilla just for the fun of it. I'm treating it as if my main character is real and is simply keeping an online journal. I'm sure it would ruin the whole story I've got planned for my readers but It's part of the fun of being a writer, Getting to step out of your own shoes for a moment or two and pretend to be someone else.
3) ok This one may sound dumb but it's The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. It's big around on websites like ThinkGeek as a joke gift but it really has some valuable information to it. It's presented like a real guide book giving how to's, tips and other advice. I'm looking at character actions in this one. So zombies don't have to be attacking your characters for you to benefit from this book. Let's say your character is running away from the government for being a spy. This book gives a list of all the supplise and weapons someone would need to survive in the wilderness or something. It also gives good hiding and fighting advice that your character could use in an action packed situation. Plus it's just a fun read.
4) Eli the good by Silas House. This book has such rich characters. Mabey I only liked it because Eli is so close to myself but the book is incredable all the same. My dad, who only likes war books about acts of glory, loved the story of this small town boy. I remember when my dad got to one of the best parts he stoped reading for a minut and sighed like i've never seen him do before and say "This is a Powerful Book"
There you have it. Any more you think should be added to this list shoot me an e-mail at follow.the.journey.now@gmail.com
1) The book Thief. I love this book. Markus Zusak uses the rare Omniscient POV with his narriator, death. On thing that really caught me is that nearly to the end there's a chapter called "The End of the World (Part 1)" Markus Zusak tells what happens in the end and I still cried when I finally got there. I love the point of view, the simple plot, the characters, and the childhood love between Liesle and Rudy.
2) Dracula by Bram Stoker. Ok I've only just recently read this one. Again though, I like the diary format. I get that a lot of people wrote like that a long time ago but when I read something like this It challenges me to try it out. I've started a small series on Quizilla just for the fun of it. I'm treating it as if my main character is real and is simply keeping an online journal. I'm sure it would ruin the whole story I've got planned for my readers but It's part of the fun of being a writer, Getting to step out of your own shoes for a moment or two and pretend to be someone else.
3) ok This one may sound dumb but it's The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. It's big around on websites like ThinkGeek as a joke gift but it really has some valuable information to it. It's presented like a real guide book giving how to's, tips and other advice. I'm looking at character actions in this one. So zombies don't have to be attacking your characters for you to benefit from this book. Let's say your character is running away from the government for being a spy. This book gives a list of all the supplise and weapons someone would need to survive in the wilderness or something. It also gives good hiding and fighting advice that your character could use in an action packed situation. Plus it's just a fun read.
4) Eli the good by Silas House. This book has such rich characters. Mabey I only liked it because Eli is so close to myself but the book is incredable all the same. My dad, who only likes war books about acts of glory, loved the story of this small town boy. I remember when my dad got to one of the best parts he stoped reading for a minut and sighed like i've never seen him do before and say "This is a Powerful Book"
There you have it. Any more you think should be added to this list shoot me an e-mail at follow.the.journey.now@gmail.com
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Love the entheuisam
My parents have some one over EVERY Sunday. It's not that I don't like the people, it's just when they're over here I'm not allowed to sneak off to my room and write because It's considered rude.
Any way, I listen to Pandora while I write, and for the last four months in a row I've used up my allotted 40 hours of listening time per month. I'm actually thinking of switching to Pandora one just so I don't have to get that dumb message telling me I'm at 38 hours I always get around the 20th of every month.
My friend invited me to go to Oklahoma with her and her family on Tuesday and Wednesday but my parents won't let me go because my work could call me and ask me to come in. While OK would be fun I think I'd rather keep saving up for my computer. I need to think of some sort of budget. I'm thinking 10% tithe then 50% stright to computer fund. I think I'm going to get a mac Book Pro, the 11 inch one. I've read apple's word processor is way better than word but I've never used it before.
If you've got any advice for me, feed back, or just wanna chat shoot me an e-mail at follow.the.journey.now@gmail.com
Any way, I listen to Pandora while I write, and for the last four months in a row I've used up my allotted 40 hours of listening time per month. I'm actually thinking of switching to Pandora one just so I don't have to get that dumb message telling me I'm at 38 hours I always get around the 20th of every month.
My friend invited me to go to Oklahoma with her and her family on Tuesday and Wednesday but my parents won't let me go because my work could call me and ask me to come in. While OK would be fun I think I'd rather keep saving up for my computer. I need to think of some sort of budget. I'm thinking 10% tithe then 50% stright to computer fund. I think I'm going to get a mac Book Pro, the 11 inch one. I've read apple's word processor is way better than word but I've never used it before.
If you've got any advice for me, feed back, or just wanna chat shoot me an e-mail at follow.the.journey.now@gmail.com
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Palm to Face
The amount of unprouctivity that's been happening this month has been astonishing to me. Two bummers. One, I didn't make the Alliance for young artist and writer deadline, and two, coming back to my plots I realize how much I want to change them. Thank god for a spring break to force myself back into the habit. I've gotten a job(first job baby!) and I'm saving up for a new computer of my own. If anyone has some good suggestions I'd love em at follow.the.journey.now@gmail.com I'm obviously going to be using it for writing and school work but mainly to keep my files on.
Honestly after a bunch of weekends NOT writing I've gotten kinda lonely. Sure I've got a few friends but I never do things with them. This may sound strange but when I'm writing It's like I'm having a conversation with myself. That's why I love keeping a Diary. A quote out there says "If you keep a diary one day it will keep you" and I think that's so true. I'm writing my diary for my kids, for historians if they care, and for myself.
I've been reading a little. Right now I'm on Stoker's Dracula and It's amazing how much I'm enjoying a classic. In school we're studying A Tale of two Cities and everyone in my grade is complaining about it but I'm almost positive if I didn't have to read it and answer packets worth of questions on it I Would LOVE the book. Things you have to do are work. Things you want to do are not. (By the way I'm getting a lot better at selling. Spell checker says I only had one word wrong on this one. High Five for Progress)
Honestly after a bunch of weekends NOT writing I've gotten kinda lonely. Sure I've got a few friends but I never do things with them. This may sound strange but when I'm writing It's like I'm having a conversation with myself. That's why I love keeping a Diary. A quote out there says "If you keep a diary one day it will keep you" and I think that's so true. I'm writing my diary for my kids, for historians if they care, and for myself.
I've been reading a little. Right now I'm on Stoker's Dracula and It's amazing how much I'm enjoying a classic. In school we're studying A Tale of two Cities and everyone in my grade is complaining about it but I'm almost positive if I didn't have to read it and answer packets worth of questions on it I Would LOVE the book. Things you have to do are work. Things you want to do are not. (By the way I'm getting a lot better at selling. Spell checker says I only had one word wrong on this one. High Five for Progress)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)