Will summer ever Come?

I know I've probably said this a bunch already but I can not freaking wait til summer. This entire week I've wanted to work on my manuscript but then I remember I've got an English project, or math homework that I absoultly can not blow off. My parents aren't really mad at me for my grades but we both know I could do better. I've had this entire conversation with my mom about how I choose not to make stright A's. My grades right now are like all B's and one C. And let me tell you I could make stright A's if I wanted to easily but that would require more of my time that I'm currently inventing into writing.

I will be so relieved when I don't have to worry about homework, or scheduealing, or any of that crap. My mom laughed at me because I once told her "If I thought making good grades was important I would" obviously I think having a BA manuscript is more important than a 100 in Speech or some other dumb class. A lot of times I tell her I'm investing into my future by writing more than I could with getting three extra points on a project.

Who knows, It's probably just the lazy in me but something you want to do isn't considered work.

Writing Websites

Ok so I just want to put down a list of really good websites I use piratically every day.
1) Advanced Fiction Writing is an awesome site. While you have to pay for some things I'm finding you can get enough information just reading the small stuff


2) Dictionary.com is my homepage. I like this because it keeps me off what so and so was wearing last night and other useless things can keep me from focusing. Plus it's a great tool.

3)Almost all colleges have a writing website with guides and links. If you search "College Name Here writing resources" you'll find just what your looking for. My favorite one to use is Colorado State University's which has tons of guides on lots of different things.

4)I'm really lucky that my Library system pays for a Program called Mango Languages. While it's not a writing website I find this very helpful, I plan on learning Spanish, French and Russian a little this summer and it could help if you're doing a cultural thing.

5) I've just gotten onto Inkpop which is a wonderful website for young writers like myself. The HarperCollins publishers run the site and the top five manuscripts every month are sent off to a board of people from HarperCollins and they look at your work. I'm really loving the community on there because everyone just seems to be there because they love writing, not because they want to be the next big thing.

I hope these have helped and if you want she share anymore websites with good advice I would be so grateful. Pleas add me on inkpop, goodreads, or e-mail me, I'd love to share writing tips.

You're Gonna Laugh

So I've figured out a way to keep me writing when I don't feel like it. Me being a teenager I love the game The Sims 3. Recently I've been getting really bored with it so I haven't been playing much. So today decided to play, and one of my characters is a writer (Big shock there huh?) anyway. I made all his needs static so I don't have to worry about him leaving and sat him down at the computer to "work on Novel". So make that in a window, pull up Pandora, and start writing. Now every time I don't feel like writing I think Hey I'll just play Sims. Then I seen my sim is writing and I should be too. I know I know it's super lame but I'm willing to do what ever it takes to motivate myself.

The Set Up

This is the current 'Stack' as I call it. It's everything I need-except for the computer and a cup of coffee- to sit down and write. This one does have a few extra things like my kindle and planner which I don't Really need to write but it's nice to have them close at hand.


First up is a Fiction book I'm reading on the Right. Called Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Let me just say I did NOT pick this up because it was on Oprah's book club. I didn't even know it was on there until I looked it up on Amazon literally three seconds ago. I'm not very far but it seems good so far. Second is a Non-fiction book I'm reading called Outliers by Malcom Gladwell which has some pretty interesting stuff. This was recommended to me by a good friend who said it was really interesting. I'm not really a non-fiction reader but this has a lot about work ethic, goal setting, and over all being good at things that could easily be applied to writing.

Third we have a few books on Writing. In the middle is Living Write by Kelly L. Stone. I'm only through the first chapter because I'd like to get into a serious writing habit before I move onto my "Writer's self-image" This came with a CD which I instantly played and completely laughed at. It's like deep breathing and self mantras and weird stuff so I don't think I'll be using that. On the left is Reader's Digest of Short StoryWriting Volume II. I'm mad at this book because I got it at Half-Price Books for about five dollars, and I was thinking Wow what a deal but then I go look it up on Amazon for a whooping $1.75 so I haven't even opened it yet. So far from skimming it I'm noticing its more about story writing in general rather short story writing. The third is Louise Doughty's Novel in a Year. This is more of weekly pep talks rather than"it's the 52 week where's your freaking Manuscript" it's more of finding yourself and finding time to write. Which is good in some degree but I was really looking for

a check list kinda thing.

Here is a combo of my flash drive with all my writing things and a stack of note card with scenes for my novel on them. Of course my kindle, my planner, my journal, and the blue is part of an exercise I'm doing for Living Write from chapter one where I write down all these negative thoughts about my writing and I turn them into good thoughts. It's super Dr.Phil and dumb but I just really wanted another excuse to but another Moleskine.

Well that's about it. If you have any questions or suggestions or if you'd like to share tips leave a comment or shoot me and e-mail. Thanks!

The Three jobs the Come with Writing

I think There's about three separate jobs when it comes to writing. One, is in two pats a) coming up with ideas. Now you can do this anywhere and it can happen anytime...like a boner. As long as you're there to write them down you don't have to worry about it much before you have a nice little list you can refer to and modify to suite your needs. b) is plotting those Ideas. Turning this little idea into a story line, then into a three act structure, then throwing in characters and motivation into it. This is when things can change very quickly. In the blink of an eye you can decide your Mary sue heroine would be better as a evil tempest. I Think this is my favorite part about writing. It's like playing god.
The second job when it comes to being a writer is actually sitting your butt down and writing it. This takes the most time because this is when you start questioning your timing, and your characters, and this scene, and bla bla bla. I enjoy this part but I will say it's not the best.
The third job to being a writer is Editing. I like this part because I get these random ideas of "oh what would happen if I did this instead" kinda thing. It gives a great sense of power. This job can be pretty long but it doesn't seem so bad. A lot of changes can happen her and often times it's a big pain in the butt changing things. The best tool for editing on Microsoft Word is Find and Replace. For example, in my book I decided to change Evan's name to Ethan to better suit his character and actions. Get to this by hitting 'Ctrl' and 'F'. This is also helpful in school but that's a different post.
An important thing about being a Writer is separating these three jobs and doing them in order. While you don't always have to have a Plot before you start writing it makes it a whole lot easier. One of my big problems I'm realizing is I'm mixing up my Writing and Editing Jobs. I'll go back to what I wrote yesterday and start editing the crap out of it then I have strong parts of my Manuscript with weak parts and that just makes for a crappy novel. I've taken a vow not to edit anything I write for the next month until it becomes a habit. I'm hoping this will keep a steady flow of words and I'll get the writing Job over with and I can get to the Editing part. Oh how I love writing.
Any tips, questions, advice or anything shoot me an e-mail at follow.the.journey.now@gmail.com

15 down 45 to Go

I'm officially at 15,000 words. That's 1/4 of my 60,000 words. I feel like my timing on things is off but I suppose I'll worry about that when I'm editing.
I'm reading this book called "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. There's a chapter in there entitled 'The 10,000 Hour Rule' It basically says once you invest 10,000 hours into something, sports, instruments, or writing, you become super awesome at it and are basically a professional. Guess what my new goal is!!
I really can't wait til I get my own computer and I can stop having to worry about where my flash drive is. There've been many days when I really really really want to write but just can't because my entire manuscript is on my MIA flashdrive. I'm getting really pumped for my 16th birthday coming up this July. I know I know you're not suppose to tell people how old you are on the Internet and junk but I'm just to excited about this to not write about it.
Awesome things Happening on my Birthday:
1) I get my license- assuming I can pass the stupid test
2) I get an official key to my car
3) I get my kick butt Mac Book pro that I've been saving up for
So that's basically all the super cool things but there's more like awesome birthday dinner and that one Vara bradley purse thing my mom said she's going to get me. I've always wanted to be one of those people who set up an entire writing station in a Starbucks or something. I think that's really every writer's dream. Showing off how cool and anti-social we are by sitting in coffee shops all day talking with other writers about our projects and such. I'm interested, What made you want to become a writer? Coffee Shop camp? Being able to tell other's the Heroine in your book is based off them and they fall in love with you? or what ever else? Shoot me a comment or E-mail and let me know. Also if you have ANY advice for a new writer I'd love it! Thanks!

GOAL!!

I'm really tired of not getting a steady stream of output as far as my writing, so I've developed my goals for the month of April: 1) Read Great Expectations 2) Write 4 Short Stories (1 per week) 3)Read to week 17 of "Novel in a Year" by Louise Doughty 4)Get to 23,000 words on my novel 5) Read three shorter books -She walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell -Gulliver's Travels by Johnathan Swift -Little Duke by Charlotte Mary Young You wouldn't believe how much I cut each of these down to size, I literally have spaced out how much of each of these I need to do per day into bite sized daily to do lists. For example today I'm plotting a Short story, doing a blog post, reading 20% of She walks in Beauty, and read 5% of Great expectations. Now these big goals aren't looking so tough. I am going to have to pull some don't be lazy pep talks because I've just been so tired working on the weekends but I'll be so happy when I finally get my own computer. If you want exactly how set up my goals then please e-mail me at follow.the.journey.now@gmail.com