Sometimes I'm wrong. Rarely do I feel the need to trashcan a book or movie. With The Abyss, immediately after I finished watching the director's cut, I tossed it. The language was horrid! Bring on the mystery, blood and guts, and even some mild suspense, but boy 'o boy, if you can't find better words than swear words, you need to think harder!!! And, by the way, this was a James Cameron movie, both written and directed by him. I haven't seen Avatar. Hope he's learned to keep the language clean. I don't remember this problem with Titanic. Guess I'll need to re-watch that one, too. (Now it's research!).
Stepping off my tree-stump now... :-)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
I finished the first draft!!!!
After a marathon four hours of writing, the first draft is finally complete! Whoop!!! At almost 20,000 words, it's far short of novel-length, so I shall treat it as a detailed outline with 50% of my writing complete.
After my key editors take first read through, the summer will be for rewriting before my more professional editors receive a copy. Of course, before I send out any query letters, I have to get legal approval from my company. One of the great responsibilities of working for a large coporation is complaince with the code of business conduct, which colors many aspects of my life.
So, what can a sleepy, overworked author do to celebrate? Snuggle with my hubby and watch a movie or two, of course! one of my favorites was hollering to me from the bin at the grocery store--'The Abyss' in an extended version that I've never seen. Should be cool!!!
One other item to note: Thank you to my first blog follower! One of my greatest and best friends of all time.
So little to do and so much time... Reverse that!
After my key editors take first read through, the summer will be for rewriting before my more professional editors receive a copy. Of course, before I send out any query letters, I have to get legal approval from my company. One of the great responsibilities of working for a large coporation is complaince with the code of business conduct, which colors many aspects of my life.
So, what can a sleepy, overworked author do to celebrate? Snuggle with my hubby and watch a movie or two, of course! one of my favorites was hollering to me from the bin at the grocery store--'The Abyss' in an extended version that I've never seen. Should be cool!!!
One other item to note: Thank you to my first blog follower! One of my greatest and best friends of all time.
So little to do and so much time... Reverse that!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Time passes quickly
Time, it passes quickly when we have much to do that is fun. It passes even more quickly when there are chores undone...
My excuse this week for not writing is that I had a cake pan and a skillet that I just could not get washed. So, the way I'm going to finish the last 2.5 chapters of this book is to keep up with the dishes! Sounds simple enough, eh?
In my story, the key decision-maker has entered the scene and a gift of the heroine's choosing has been offered. What will she choose and how will the gift will be granted? Some surprises await this writer who will try harder to get the dishes washed!
My excuse this week for not writing is that I had a cake pan and a skillet that I just could not get washed. So, the way I'm going to finish the last 2.5 chapters of this book is to keep up with the dishes! Sounds simple enough, eh?
In my story, the key decision-maker has entered the scene and a gift of the heroine's choosing has been offered. What will she choose and how will the gift will be granted? Some surprises await this writer who will try harder to get the dishes washed!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Getting to the exciting parts of the story
Hey, it's been a long road over the past year. The story is almost to the point where I remember in my dream. January 2009, I dreamed of the middle and end of a fantastic story. The skill lies in finding a character upon which to base the story, because I dreamed my dream in first-person, and my life is certainly not interesting enough!
Maybe that will change, when I become a published author?
Anyway, chapter 22 is now drafted, and there are only about 4 more chapters to write. I'm getting excited about finishing this first draft. Can't wait to read it end-to-end!
These last 4 chapters will be great. Fashion, travel, excitement, and a nice conclusion to my tale.
It's been so fun writing a book that I would want to read. It's fun, it's clean, and it makes me appreciate my values.
Maybe that will change, when I become a published author?
Anyway, chapter 22 is now drafted, and there are only about 4 more chapters to write. I'm getting excited about finishing this first draft. Can't wait to read it end-to-end!
These last 4 chapters will be great. Fashion, travel, excitement, and a nice conclusion to my tale.
It's been so fun writing a book that I would want to read. It's fun, it's clean, and it makes me appreciate my values.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Two-thirds through the book
Hey, another day to celebrate! Just finished writing chapter 17 and I only have eight more chapters planned. So, doing some quick math, my almost-12,000 words mean that the first draft is two-thirds complete.
Sad, that I'm only at 12,000 words and a I need at least 50,000 words to call it a novel? I'm not. There's still a lot of dialog, flashbacks, and backstory missing. As I re-write, this will be added.
Have you ever noticed how your writing style changes depending on what other books you've read recently? I'm currently reading "Jane Eyre" for about the 4th or 5th time in my life. It's an amazing piece of literature because the descriptions are so vivid and, in places, the narrative actually addresses the reader directly, which is just soo cool!
My batteries are charged, and I'm ready to be in the home-stretch with this book. Still to be written are some discoveries, some sci-fi action-adventure, and of course, a nice resolution or end to my tale. I can't wait to read the rest of my book, and so I hope that when it's finished, many more people feel that way, too!
Sad, that I'm only at 12,000 words and a I need at least 50,000 words to call it a novel? I'm not. There's still a lot of dialog, flashbacks, and backstory missing. As I re-write, this will be added.
Have you ever noticed how your writing style changes depending on what other books you've read recently? I'm currently reading "Jane Eyre" for about the 4th or 5th time in my life. It's an amazing piece of literature because the descriptions are so vivid and, in places, the narrative actually addresses the reader directly, which is just soo cool!
My batteries are charged, and I'm ready to be in the home-stretch with this book. Still to be written are some discoveries, some sci-fi action-adventure, and of course, a nice resolution or end to my tale. I can't wait to read the rest of my book, and so I hope that when it's finished, many more people feel that way, too!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Chapter 15 - Celebrating 10,000 Words
Changing verb tenses must have been the key that unlocked the door to my brain, because I just passed the 10,000-word mark!
OK, teachers and professors, I'm sorry that I complained every time I had to write a 500-word essay or a 10-page paper. Truly, I am.
Thinking back on history, my papers were written on notebook paper, then laboriously typed onto a computer that looked like it was stored in a sewing-machine case, with a 5-1/4-inch floppy drive.
In college, either the papers were typed on this same old PC, or coded in TeX on a mainframe, or formatted on the early MAC PCs.
In my professional career, most e-mails run as short as possible, and white-papers are only occasionally drafted.
This books is something new and special to me. It will take a rewrite or two to get to the level needed to send it out for queries. Still a mystery to me where I will send this book, or if I should even try to send short stories to magazines to get published first? The good news is that I know a published author or two and maybe can get some advice, when I'm ready.
In the meantime, I'll be writing away. Only about 9 chapters left to write in the fist draft. Counting down!
OK, teachers and professors, I'm sorry that I complained every time I had to write a 500-word essay or a 10-page paper. Truly, I am.
Thinking back on history, my papers were written on notebook paper, then laboriously typed onto a computer that looked like it was stored in a sewing-machine case, with a 5-1/4-inch floppy drive.
In college, either the papers were typed on this same old PC, or coded in TeX on a mainframe, or formatted on the early MAC PCs.
In my professional career, most e-mails run as short as possible, and white-papers are only occasionally drafted.
This books is something new and special to me. It will take a rewrite or two to get to the level needed to send it out for queries. Still a mystery to me where I will send this book, or if I should even try to send short stories to magazines to get published first? The good news is that I know a published author or two and maybe can get some advice, when I'm ready.
In the meantime, I'll be writing away. Only about 9 chapters left to write in the fist draft. Counting down!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Verb 'tensory' experiences
OK, so I'm writing my book in the first-person, as instructed in the guidebook. Suddenly, I come to the realization that maybe the verb-tense that I've chosen doesn't flow quite right. And I'm on CHAPTER 11!!!
I've been writing in first-person, present-tense, which goes something like this:
"I walk into the room and pick up the book. Opening the book, I quickly turn to page 10 and begin to read."
When all along, I probably should have been writing like this:
"I walked into the room and picked up the book. Opening the book, I quickly turned to page 10 and began to read."
Which version feels better to you, I ask? Well, I checked two of my favorite books, "My Side of the Mountain" and the "Twilight" series, and discovered these authors work with the second method.
So, in the middle of Chapter 11, I'll be making the switch on verb tenses, and will see how it feels to me.
I've been writing in first-person, present-tense, which goes something like this:
"I walk into the room and pick up the book. Opening the book, I quickly turn to page 10 and begin to read."
When all along, I probably should have been writing like this:
"I walked into the room and picked up the book. Opening the book, I quickly turned to page 10 and began to read."
Which version feels better to you, I ask? Well, I checked two of my favorite books, "My Side of the Mountain" and the "Twilight" series, and discovered these authors work with the second method.
So, in the middle of Chapter 11, I'll be making the switch on verb tenses, and will see how it feels to me.
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