Well, since I last posted, a lot has happened. Still haven't heard back from Glimmer Train. Still haven't snagged an agent. Those are both fine. I wasn't expecting those.
I wrote two stories. One was a story I started writing four years ago called 'Our Gang'. I think it's pretty entertaining, but I also think I was at a darker place in my life at that time.
The other was a first person perspective of basically someone looking out of a window and wondering what he's doing with his life. I don't know where I got the inspiration for it, honestly. I never look out the window, and I know exactly what I'm doing with my life. heheheh.
Oh well.
Oh, I'm now really in the thick of writing 'Faeriemerica' again. I've developed the style, I've got the action, I've got the little pieces in place that make my characters pop with life. It's going to be awesome. I'm going to be working on chapter five tonight, and I'm not going to lie, I'm actually excited about doing it.
The other thing I've been thinking about is all the stories I have. I have eighteen short stories, fifteen of which are more than flash fiction- and probably thirteen of which I'm really, really happy with. That doesn't mean they don't need improvement. They do. But it means I have confidence in them. The whole collection comes out to about 151 pages, in 12 pt. Arial 1.5 spacing (what I type in). It's about 9,000 words short of novel length, and I figure four or five more stories should do it.
One of those stories is a real beast. It's called 'Muse', and I've been working on it since January. It might kill me. It might be amazing. I'm not sure. I worked on that today at the cafe I walk to to work in.
One of those stories will be another African story. I need to write it before it's gone from my memory, and it was a genuinely terrifying experience which I think needs to be written about.
And yet, with all of the work I've been doing, I still felt at most points in the last few days that I wasn't getting enough done. I don't know why I'm beating myself up over it, but I am. I finished two stories on Tuesday, and that was the day I felt the most unproductive. It's a weird feeling, but I'm in control of it for now.
23.7.09
19.7.09
Motivation
I've been thinking about why I'm not exactly inspired to work on my new WIP. It's concept is awesome, as I've stated before. I think it's accessible and ready to be consumed by the masses. I just haven't found the motivation to actually work on it lately.
I know exactly what's going to happen. I know all about the characters. I know what motivates them. I just don't know what motivates me. Why am I holding back?
The thought occurred to me today that I might have been approaching this thing the wrong way. I have my main character jumping into a world that is completely unrealistic. Sure, it's a fantasy, but even fantasy needs to be plausible. The reality of it is, if a child is going from a modern day world, and the world he is going to is populated by a mix of modern day people and fairies, the people aren't going to be running around with swords.
In short, I need rules.
What goes into the new world? What stays out?
Austin's (my main character) method of entering the world is through a small pool, and it stands to reason that other entrances to the world are through the same method. So anything bigger can't come. Cars won't be there. Motorbikes won't be there. Packs can come. Guns can come. Ideas can come. If someone's a big enough genius, they can manufacture what they remember from their old world.
The other thing I need rules for is that there's going to be a certain style to this world. It's a mix of fairy style and dispossessed, disgruntled, disgusted people style. After all, the dispossessed are the ones that want to leave our world, are they not? So there's definitely going to be a style, but it's going to be weird. It's going to be very natural and very artistic. It's going to be funky and fresh, and unlike anything fantasy has ever seen.
I think these rules are going to help me motivate myself. I hope. Keep on trucking, right?
I know exactly what's going to happen. I know all about the characters. I know what motivates them. I just don't know what motivates me. Why am I holding back?
The thought occurred to me today that I might have been approaching this thing the wrong way. I have my main character jumping into a world that is completely unrealistic. Sure, it's a fantasy, but even fantasy needs to be plausible. The reality of it is, if a child is going from a modern day world, and the world he is going to is populated by a mix of modern day people and fairies, the people aren't going to be running around with swords.
In short, I need rules.
What goes into the new world? What stays out?
Austin's (my main character) method of entering the world is through a small pool, and it stands to reason that other entrances to the world are through the same method. So anything bigger can't come. Cars won't be there. Motorbikes won't be there. Packs can come. Guns can come. Ideas can come. If someone's a big enough genius, they can manufacture what they remember from their old world.
The other thing I need rules for is that there's going to be a certain style to this world. It's a mix of fairy style and dispossessed, disgruntled, disgusted people style. After all, the dispossessed are the ones that want to leave our world, are they not? So there's definitely going to be a style, but it's going to be weird. It's going to be very natural and very artistic. It's going to be funky and fresh, and unlike anything fantasy has ever seen.
I think these rules are going to help me motivate myself. I hope. Keep on trucking, right?
14.7.09
Take That, Writer's Block
So I beat it. I smacked it around and talked trash to it a little, first. Talkin' about my writer's block, here.
I got the answer in a dream. After trying to work on the new novel yesterday and only getting three paragraphs done (two dialogue ones, so very short), I went to bed. I woke up, and knew what I had to do. I'd take the writing I'd done on the computer, write it down in a notebook, and go to the cafe where I write sometimes. It worked. I didn't have all the thoughts about having to integrate different parts of the previous second chapter. I just wrote.
Six pages later, the chapter is almost done. I'm going to finish it up here at the Inn, and then type it up, and that should be most of the tough stuff involved in revamping 'Faeriemerica'.
Oh well. Should be fun.
I got the answer in a dream. After trying to work on the new novel yesterday and only getting three paragraphs done (two dialogue ones, so very short), I went to bed. I woke up, and knew what I had to do. I'd take the writing I'd done on the computer, write it down in a notebook, and go to the cafe where I write sometimes. It worked. I didn't have all the thoughts about having to integrate different parts of the previous second chapter. I just wrote.
Six pages later, the chapter is almost done. I'm going to finish it up here at the Inn, and then type it up, and that should be most of the tough stuff involved in revamping 'Faeriemerica'.
Oh well. Should be fun.
13.7.09
Weekend Battles
Yeah, well, I guess I'm not that disciplined. For some reason I had a hard time getting into working on the new WIP. I finished updating the first chapter, and nothing else. I think I'm having a hard time getting into the book because I don't quite know how to start. My normal method is to work long hand first, but I don't think that's going to work this time because most of the elements of the second chapter are there already. It makes a lot more sense to just write out the parts of the second chapter that I need to write on my computer, because I can integrate both of them that way. Which I guess is what I'm dreading. I'll figure something out.
Meanwhile, I wrote a new poem, and started a new story, so those are both pluses. The poem can be found at www.writerscafe.org and I like it. It's a bit of a departure from my usual style, more conversational and less overtly poetic. I also started thinking about my different philosophies of poetry and fiction, and I'll be talking about them soon.
Meanwhile, I wrote a new poem, and started a new story, so those are both pluses. The poem can be found at www.writerscafe.org and I like it. It's a bit of a departure from my usual style, more conversational and less overtly poetic. I also started thinking about my different philosophies of poetry and fiction, and I'll be talking about them soon.
9.7.09
Fourth Draft Complete (now on to other pastimes)
On Tuesday I did what I said I would do. I finished the fourth draft of Vanheim. I'm finding that that is how I'm disciplined. When I tell myself to do something, I do it. I may not be able to keep to a schedule (at least on a regular basis), but when it comes to setting a goal for a day, I'm able to accomplish it usually.
Now my latest story is finished, and I'm still waiting on word for 'Purple Heart', and the check is in the mail for Vanheim to get some pro eyes looking at it. Now what?
Now it's back to one of my secondary projects, a childrens' novel about fairies, that I'm actually quite far along in. Since Tuesday I've been working on a new outline, because to me the story was too boring. The concept wasn't boring. The concept was awesome- it still is. I've had this thing in my head since 2004, and this will be the third outline for it. I destroyed the first outline in one of my fits, along with the sketches and ideas for the characters. When I remade the outline this spring, I had to remember everything, and it's going to be different in some respects. The third outline is packed with action, while still being true to all the events of the second outline. It has to have the action to keep interest. Kids can't handle a ton of explanation at the beginning, and I'm writing this for them, not me. That's the difference between this novel and Vanheim. I started Vanheim on a lark, and this one has so much thought and preparation behind it. The potential is there for this novel to be the most beautiful thing I've written to date.
When I say I'm far along in the novel, I mean I've already written six full chapters, out of twenty (in the early version.) The new outline makes it come out to twenty-two chapters, but most of the chapters only need to be modified slightly to accomodate the newer scenes.
I'm setting a goal of one chapter a day for the brand new chapters I have to write. That should give me a full first draft in about two weeks. Sounds fun. Let's do it!
Now my latest story is finished, and I'm still waiting on word for 'Purple Heart', and the check is in the mail for Vanheim to get some pro eyes looking at it. Now what?
Now it's back to one of my secondary projects, a childrens' novel about fairies, that I'm actually quite far along in. Since Tuesday I've been working on a new outline, because to me the story was too boring. The concept wasn't boring. The concept was awesome- it still is. I've had this thing in my head since 2004, and this will be the third outline for it. I destroyed the first outline in one of my fits, along with the sketches and ideas for the characters. When I remade the outline this spring, I had to remember everything, and it's going to be different in some respects. The third outline is packed with action, while still being true to all the events of the second outline. It has to have the action to keep interest. Kids can't handle a ton of explanation at the beginning, and I'm writing this for them, not me. That's the difference between this novel and Vanheim. I started Vanheim on a lark, and this one has so much thought and preparation behind it. The potential is there for this novel to be the most beautiful thing I've written to date.
When I say I'm far along in the novel, I mean I've already written six full chapters, out of twenty (in the early version.) The new outline makes it come out to twenty-two chapters, but most of the chapters only need to be modified slightly to accomodate the newer scenes.
I'm setting a goal of one chapter a day for the brand new chapters I have to write. That should give me a full first draft in about two weeks. Sounds fun. Let's do it!
6.7.09
First vs. Third
This weekend I've been working on two writing projects. The first is, of course, the fourth draft of my WIP (all the writing in it will be finished Tuesday, then I just have to give it the old once over to make sure its drawers aren't hanging out), and the second is typing up a new short story I wrote. I'm really excited about the short story, which will be available to read on www.writerscafe.org within the next couple of days, and I'm really excited about the novel, but who knows when that monkey will be ready to read?
The main difference between these two projects is, the short story is in First Person Present tense, and the novel has a majority of its scenes in the Third Person Past tense.
I like all styles of writing, and I do try to switch up tenses for different projects so I don't get bored. It is very hard to use the Second Person viewpoint in a novel without making it gimmicky, so I haven't used that one, yet. My point is, there are different strengths and weaknesses inherent to each viewpoint.
I've found that First Person viewpoint works really well in short stories, because it allows me to quickly get inside the character's head. In a short story, there's not that much time to work with, and I can't focus on too many characters, so it levels the playing field a bit. In contrast, the Third Person viewpoint works well in longer works- works that by their nature tend to want to focus on more characters, and different aspects of the story.
In the Third Person, you can be omniscient, which is an amazing tool. In a short story, I guess you could be omniscient, too, but believability is key when it comes to length. You have at most 15,000 words to get your point across, and you're going to waste that by spreading yourself so thin on characterization? In my view, be omniscient in a book whose concept is worthy of that omniscience, not a small story.
In the FP, you can tell, and you can rejoice in the telling. This is my absolute favorite part of writing in the FP. Not only can you tell, but you should tell. Telling is different in the First Person. It's not about just giving the reader an easy out and not making them think- it's about perspective. A person, by their nature, is going to tell you what they think. People are opinionated, that's what they do. Why would a story narrated from a first person perspective be any different? But here's the great great thing about telling from a FPV- who's to say that it's the truth? Opinion can be truth, or it can just be opinion. It's the reader's job to sort out the fact from the fraud, so the reader still has to think. A First Person narrator cannot help but tell the reader what's going on in his mind, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's true. That is what I love most about the FPV.
Now, try get away with telling in the 3PV. I still have problems with this because I love to tell people something- bash them over the head with the information, if you will. You can still tell in the 3P, but it won't be good writing. It will be a cop-out. It will be giving the reader license to not have to think about what they're reading. Arguably, there's a place for this kind of writing. People on vacation might just want to relax and have something to do with their time. That's the whole reason Danielle Steel exists, to give bored people something to do.
Here's the crazy thing about telling in the 3PV. It can be done, and it can be done well. Look at Hemingway. He brought home point after point by just putting it out there- telling it to the reader. Remember when he called the bull fighter a coward in "The Capital of the World"? That was used to great effect.
I guess in a Third Person narration, you can tell if you have a point to make, and if you only use it rarely so as not to dilute its meaning. If possible, it should not be as it appears. It could be deeper- essentially an ironic twist on what you're presenting on the face of it. (Think the Cowardly Lion in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz- his very name said what he was, and yet he was anything but. Also, the Scarecrow was the smartest one, and the Tin Man was the most caring. Do you think this happened on accident? No. It was there to be ironic.)
Tell if it means something. If it's just lazy, don't tell. You as the writer have to make that determination, and you have to trust what you write even if some stupid critic says 'Show don't tell' without even thinking of what it means.
That's all I have for now. Peace.
The main difference between these two projects is, the short story is in First Person Present tense, and the novel has a majority of its scenes in the Third Person Past tense.
I like all styles of writing, and I do try to switch up tenses for different projects so I don't get bored. It is very hard to use the Second Person viewpoint in a novel without making it gimmicky, so I haven't used that one, yet. My point is, there are different strengths and weaknesses inherent to each viewpoint.
I've found that First Person viewpoint works really well in short stories, because it allows me to quickly get inside the character's head. In a short story, there's not that much time to work with, and I can't focus on too many characters, so it levels the playing field a bit. In contrast, the Third Person viewpoint works well in longer works- works that by their nature tend to want to focus on more characters, and different aspects of the story.
In the Third Person, you can be omniscient, which is an amazing tool. In a short story, I guess you could be omniscient, too, but believability is key when it comes to length. You have at most 15,000 words to get your point across, and you're going to waste that by spreading yourself so thin on characterization? In my view, be omniscient in a book whose concept is worthy of that omniscience, not a small story.
In the FP, you can tell, and you can rejoice in the telling. This is my absolute favorite part of writing in the FP. Not only can you tell, but you should tell. Telling is different in the First Person. It's not about just giving the reader an easy out and not making them think- it's about perspective. A person, by their nature, is going to tell you what they think. People are opinionated, that's what they do. Why would a story narrated from a first person perspective be any different? But here's the great great thing about telling from a FPV- who's to say that it's the truth? Opinion can be truth, or it can just be opinion. It's the reader's job to sort out the fact from the fraud, so the reader still has to think. A First Person narrator cannot help but tell the reader what's going on in his mind, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's true. That is what I love most about the FPV.
Now, try get away with telling in the 3PV. I still have problems with this because I love to tell people something- bash them over the head with the information, if you will. You can still tell in the 3P, but it won't be good writing. It will be a cop-out. It will be giving the reader license to not have to think about what they're reading. Arguably, there's a place for this kind of writing. People on vacation might just want to relax and have something to do with their time. That's the whole reason Danielle Steel exists, to give bored people something to do.
Here's the crazy thing about telling in the 3PV. It can be done, and it can be done well. Look at Hemingway. He brought home point after point by just putting it out there- telling it to the reader. Remember when he called the bull fighter a coward in "The Capital of the World"? That was used to great effect.
I guess in a Third Person narration, you can tell if you have a point to make, and if you only use it rarely so as not to dilute its meaning. If possible, it should not be as it appears. It could be deeper- essentially an ironic twist on what you're presenting on the face of it. (Think the Cowardly Lion in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz- his very name said what he was, and yet he was anything but. Also, the Scarecrow was the smartest one, and the Tin Man was the most caring. Do you think this happened on accident? No. It was there to be ironic.)
Tell if it means something. If it's just lazy, don't tell. You as the writer have to make that determination, and you have to trust what you write even if some stupid critic says 'Show don't tell' without even thinking of what it means.
That's all I have for now. Peace.
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