Okay, it's FRIDAY!! Woo-Hoo!
Okay, I don't have a major earthshattering post today. Sorry, meant to, but the week kinda got away from me and . . . NOTHING!
So, I'll give you a little bit a this, a bit of that, and then that's about it!
Progress - still doing a lot of thinking and note taking on my urban fantasy. I wrote the opening paragraph and section one of Chapter One. I've sent it off to Lady Glamis for a quick read because I knew she was excited about the concept. Other than that, not much done on that.
Reading - currently reading The Help. Love it. Very good book, not too far into it yet, but this weekend is going to be filled with rain so I have a feeling I'll be spending time on the couch with The Help. Ha!
Movies - just signed up for Netflix and can download movies through the Wii, so plan on catching up on a movie or two at some point this weekend.
Social Activities - margaritas tonight, it is Friday after all, plus another social obligation as well. Dinner Club tomorrow night. Nothing Sunday. Life goes on no matter how much time I want to spend at home writing. I do have to make occasional social appearances just to let people know I'm still alive. It's my duty, after all. Ha.
Garden - well, it's raining this weekend, so I won't get to work in my garden, but it is flourishing. All six tomato plants are growing and have blossoms on them. Yummy tomatoes in my future. The basil has doubled in size and the zucchini and squash plants are bursting out everywhere. I've also planted nasturium which is an edible plant - both flowers and leaves - that keeps away the squash bugs. It's called companion planting. Marigolds have also been planted in the garden since they keep away these little pesky things that like to feed on tomato roots, and the basil keeps away flies and mosquitoes. See, dropping by my blog today wasn't totally useless. I passed on some interesting tidbits of knowledge that might help you win a trivia contest one day.
Writing - I hope to complete Chapter One of the urban fantasy this weekend and get back to the word elimination of the other project, which I also need to depersonalize a bit. What do I mean about depersonalization? Well, I'm glad you asked. Okay, you didn't ask, but . . . There are certain scenes that are too specific to a certain period of time. Those scenes need to go MIA or at least become neutral enough that they could occur in any time period, and not the year I wrote the rough draft for the project. Yeah, I could leave those passages in and have some editor tell me to remove them at some later date. But, I have this fear that some agent, after requesting a full, of course, might pass on the project because of the time period specific scenes. So, while I'm eliminating words, I might as well tone up a few other things in the project.
How about you? What are your weekend plans? Anything exciting? Comment away.
Have a great weekend!
S
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
My Terms
The other day I was responding to a comment left by Lady Glamis and wrote the following:
Lady Glamis – maybe you and I are more in tune with our writing than we were before. I know I’ve grown with my writing over the last few years since I started writing about things (i.e., themes, I guess) that mattered to me. It’s when I quit caring about an audience, a hot genre, and just began to write for myself that my writing took off. Yeah, I know, I’m considering urban fantasy. Go figure!! Still, I’m writing the urban fantasy on my terms . . . and I think, for me at least, that’s the most important thing of all.
Now, as is often the case, my responses to someone's blog post or comment often inspires me to write a blog post . . . or two, or three, or whatever. This time it wasn't any different.
I know I've grown with my writing over the last few years since I started writing about things (i.e., themes, I guess) that mattered to me.
Margarita Nights began as writing about something that was important to me and that I wanted to read. I wanted something I could relate to on both a personal and intellectual level that hadn't been written before. Okay, it's probably been written before, but I haven't read it . . . so there!! So, I set fingers to keyboard and typed away. I wrote the rough draft of the first half in 2 weeks, and the rough of the second half in about 4 weeks.
It’s when I quit caring about an audience, a hot genre, and just began to write for myself that my writing took off.
You see, I wasn't thinking about a major audience, I was only thinking about me when I began the project. I kept thinking about me, me, me, and me some more through the entire writing process. There wasn't an imaginary audience - i.e., people this book would specifically apply to - in the back of my mind, or the forefront for that matter, as I wrote this book. Then again, there was, because I was writing for others like myself, others in my community. The point is: the others in my community weren't the specific audience I had in mind. I was the specific audience.
It was freeing to write just for me. It was freeing to write solely for my own enjoyment without giving a flying hoot about anybody else but me, me, me and more me!
Yeah, I know, I’m considering urban fantasy. Go figure!! Still, I’m writing the urban fantasy on my terms . . . and I think, for me at least, that’s the most important thing of all.
Yes, an audience is important. Yes, paying attention to audience is important. But what do we, as writers, sacrifice to write for a specific audience versus writing for ourselves first, and an audience second?
What's hot today, might not be hot by the time we get ready to search for an agent. What then? Do we give up that project, spend a few years on writing what's hot and then . . . find out it's no longer hot? Hmmmm . . .
I think we all need to write on our terms . . . every single time. Genres come and go. Audiences come and go. In the end, I think we need to be true to ourselves first and foremost. We need to write what we are passionate about, and not what a fickle audience - thought they might well pay our bills one day - wants to read today, because we ain't getting published today. We're getting published sometime in the - hopefully near - future.
Lady Glamis – maybe you and I are more in tune with our writing than we were before. I know I’ve grown with my writing over the last few years since I started writing about things (i.e., themes, I guess) that mattered to me. It’s when I quit caring about an audience, a hot genre, and just began to write for myself that my writing took off. Yeah, I know, I’m considering urban fantasy. Go figure!! Still, I’m writing the urban fantasy on my terms . . . and I think, for me at least, that’s the most important thing of all.
Now, as is often the case, my responses to someone's blog post or comment often inspires me to write a blog post . . . or two, or three, or whatever. This time it wasn't any different.
I know I've grown with my writing over the last few years since I started writing about things (i.e., themes, I guess) that mattered to me.
Margarita Nights began as writing about something that was important to me and that I wanted to read. I wanted something I could relate to on both a personal and intellectual level that hadn't been written before. Okay, it's probably been written before, but I haven't read it . . . so there!! So, I set fingers to keyboard and typed away. I wrote the rough draft of the first half in 2 weeks, and the rough of the second half in about 4 weeks.
It’s when I quit caring about an audience, a hot genre, and just began to write for myself that my writing took off.
You see, I wasn't thinking about a major audience, I was only thinking about me when I began the project. I kept thinking about me, me, me, and me some more through the entire writing process. There wasn't an imaginary audience - i.e., people this book would specifically apply to - in the back of my mind, or the forefront for that matter, as I wrote this book. Then again, there was, because I was writing for others like myself, others in my community. The point is: the others in my community weren't the specific audience I had in mind. I was the specific audience.
It was freeing to write just for me. It was freeing to write solely for my own enjoyment without giving a flying hoot about anybody else but me, me, me and more me!
Yeah, I know, I’m considering urban fantasy. Go figure!! Still, I’m writing the urban fantasy on my terms . . . and I think, for me at least, that’s the most important thing of all.
Yes, an audience is important. Yes, paying attention to audience is important. But what do we, as writers, sacrifice to write for a specific audience versus writing for ourselves first, and an audience second?
What's hot today, might not be hot by the time we get ready to search for an agent. What then? Do we give up that project, spend a few years on writing what's hot and then . . . find out it's no longer hot? Hmmmm . . .
I think we all need to write on our terms . . . every single time. Genres come and go. Audiences come and go. In the end, I think we need to be true to ourselves first and foremost. We need to write what we are passionate about, and not what a fickle audience - thought they might well pay our bills one day - wants to read today, because we ain't getting published today. We're getting published sometime in the - hopefully near - future.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Process
So, I’ve been – somewhat – working on this urban fantasy idea. Okay, it didn’t start out as an urban fantasy idea, but somehow morphed into an urban fantasy idea, and so I’m now working on an urban fantasy idea. Whew! Anyhow, the process with this project – first few chapters written, a very bare and basic outline composed – has been a bit different than normal.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this project. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking some more, and some more, and some more, and some more.
First – there was the whole magical object idea. What was the object? What did it do? How did it do it? And all that jazz. I thought I had it all figured out . . . well, at least what it was, and then the other day I changed my whole game plan. Go figure. I’m crazy like that sometimes. I finally came up with the perfect magical object. Woo-hoo.
Then, there were other issues to deal with before immersing myself in the actual writing project.
One of those issues somehow became the protagonist’s last name. I don’t know why this became an issue. In many instances, I don’t give my characters last names. Last names are just trifling details that – in a lot of cases – are unnecessary. Sometimes, they’re needed. Sometimes, they’re not. In this instance, this project, I needed a last name. I finally figured one out. It was very clever or me. Yeah, I’m patting myself on the back. The name ties into the mythology behind this story, or rather the fairy tale basis for the inspiration of this story. Woo-hoo.
Another one of those issues was the antagonist. I mean, why in the heck was he the only one capable of committing this one act that would break a spell centuries old? Why couldn’t some of his family members and/or other members of his community do the same thing? Wouldn’t the effect be the same? Why him?
So, I had to work through those questions. I’ve pretty much done so. Pretty much. Yeah, there’s a few questions still to answer, but I’ve figured out the big answers . . . all without writing something down. Nothing. Nada. Okay, I wrote stuff down, but it wasn’t until I worked out all the issues in my mind first. I’m a rebel like that sometimes. Ha!
So, I’m gearing up to begin writing on this project. I’ve already written the first few chapters, and I’ve written an important chapter close to the end of the story as well. So, I know where I need to go with my writing from what I’ve written – beginning and almost the end. Now I just have to write all the in between stuff. Crap!
Now for the requisite question(s): how much writing do you do in your head in prepping for a new project? Is your process in any way similar to what I’ve gone through? So abstractly different to be mind boggling? C’mon, spill your secrets.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this project. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking some more, and some more, and some more, and some more.
First – there was the whole magical object idea. What was the object? What did it do? How did it do it? And all that jazz. I thought I had it all figured out . . . well, at least what it was, and then the other day I changed my whole game plan. Go figure. I’m crazy like that sometimes. I finally came up with the perfect magical object. Woo-hoo.
Then, there were other issues to deal with before immersing myself in the actual writing project.
One of those issues somehow became the protagonist’s last name. I don’t know why this became an issue. In many instances, I don’t give my characters last names. Last names are just trifling details that – in a lot of cases – are unnecessary. Sometimes, they’re needed. Sometimes, they’re not. In this instance, this project, I needed a last name. I finally figured one out. It was very clever or me. Yeah, I’m patting myself on the back. The name ties into the mythology behind this story, or rather the fairy tale basis for the inspiration of this story. Woo-hoo.
Another one of those issues was the antagonist. I mean, why in the heck was he the only one capable of committing this one act that would break a spell centuries old? Why couldn’t some of his family members and/or other members of his community do the same thing? Wouldn’t the effect be the same? Why him?
So, I had to work through those questions. I’ve pretty much done so. Pretty much. Yeah, there’s a few questions still to answer, but I’ve figured out the big answers . . . all without writing something down. Nothing. Nada. Okay, I wrote stuff down, but it wasn’t until I worked out all the issues in my mind first. I’m a rebel like that sometimes. Ha!
So, I’m gearing up to begin writing on this project. I’ve already written the first few chapters, and I’ve written an important chapter close to the end of the story as well. So, I know where I need to go with my writing from what I’ve written – beginning and almost the end. Now I just have to write all the in between stuff. Crap!
Now for the requisite question(s): how much writing do you do in your head in prepping for a new project? Is your process in any way similar to what I’ve gone through? So abstractly different to be mind boggling? C’mon, spill your secrets.
Friday, April 23, 2010
A Quiet Little Theme
There is an underlying theme to all my writing lately . . . well, for the past few years ever since I sat down to write Margarita Nights. I didn't set out to have this underlying theme. There wasn't intent - at least not consciously - on my part. There was only the desire to write a story that I wanted to tell. Beginning. Middle. End.
Now, a few years later, me a bit older and maybe a bit wiser, I realize that everything I've written since that point contains the same, underlying theme.
It is not a loud, boisterous theme that beats the reader over the head and shouts yoo-hoo, look at me, I'm the theme. Rather, it is quiet and a bit meek, and probably not that noticeable at all. Heck, it took me until just recently to realize the underlying theme was there at all.
Now, some might say - once I'm published and famous beyond words - that the theme should have been louder, more boisterous, and should have shouted yoo-hoo, look at me, I'm the the theme. I mean, the underlying theme is important to me and to my community. The theme is one of inequality, oppression, and discrimination. The theme probably should be shouted from the rooftops.
It's not shouted from the rooftops. It is not shouted out by the characters I create or the compelling stories I have chosen to write about.
The theme is understated, maybe a bit - though not intentionally - undervalued, and just there, lurking in the background, a constant presence that becomes obvious to me (and to potential readers, I hope) with each scene and chapter from beginning, middle to end.
You see, I'm not one to beat people over the head - okay, I do with my other blog - with my anger and fire about injustice, inequality, oppression, and discrimination. I don't want what I write to be diatribes against those things. Rather, I want the importance of those things to shine through by the thoughts and actions of the characters I create. I want their outrage and disappointment to be evident without the theme having to shout y00-hoo, look at me, I'm the theme.
How about you? Do you insert the same theme into your writing time after time? Is it evident? Does it lurk more in the shadows? Do different themes appear in your writing? Is there a theme at all? Did the Glee cast do justice to Madonna?
S
p.s. And, yes, this same theme has worked its way into the urban fantasy that I've begun to write. Go figure!
Now, a few years later, me a bit older and maybe a bit wiser, I realize that everything I've written since that point contains the same, underlying theme.
It is not a loud, boisterous theme that beats the reader over the head and shouts yoo-hoo, look at me, I'm the theme. Rather, it is quiet and a bit meek, and probably not that noticeable at all. Heck, it took me until just recently to realize the underlying theme was there at all.
Now, some might say - once I'm published and famous beyond words - that the theme should have been louder, more boisterous, and should have shouted yoo-hoo, look at me, I'm the the theme. I mean, the underlying theme is important to me and to my community. The theme is one of inequality, oppression, and discrimination. The theme probably should be shouted from the rooftops.
It's not shouted from the rooftops. It is not shouted out by the characters I create or the compelling stories I have chosen to write about.
The theme is understated, maybe a bit - though not intentionally - undervalued, and just there, lurking in the background, a constant presence that becomes obvious to me (and to potential readers, I hope) with each scene and chapter from beginning, middle to end.
You see, I'm not one to beat people over the head - okay, I do with my other blog - with my anger and fire about injustice, inequality, oppression, and discrimination. I don't want what I write to be diatribes against those things. Rather, I want the importance of those things to shine through by the thoughts and actions of the characters I create. I want their outrage and disappointment to be evident without the theme having to shout y00-hoo, look at me, I'm the theme.
How about you? Do you insert the same theme into your writing time after time? Is it evident? Does it lurk more in the shadows? Do different themes appear in your writing? Is there a theme at all? Did the Glee cast do justice to Madonna?
S
p.s. And, yes, this same theme has worked its way into the urban fantasy that I've begun to write. Go figure!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
My Blog is Carbon Neutral
"my blog is carbon neutral” is an initiative, originally started in Germany by the “Make it Green” programme, that has the goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We plant a tree for your blog and thereby neutralise your blog’s carbon footprint for the next 50 years! Everyone can make a small contribution to the environment. Every tree counts!
To offset the CO2 impact, German Make it Green (Mach Grün) has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to help reforest Northern California's devastated Plumas National Forest. Beginning in spring 2010, the Arbor Day Foundation will aid in replanting 5,500 acres of the 88,000 acres of the forest that burned 2007. And you can help.
For each participating blog (participating means spreading the word as I'm doing here), the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree. How will a tree make a difference to your blog's carbon footprint? Glad you asked. A single tree can absorb the CO2 emissions of one blog for fifty years!
Every tree counts. To participate, and please participate, visit Make it Green's Carbon Neutral Program site.
S
note: click here and check out V R Barkowski's blog since that's where I found out about this, and where I got the wording from below the picture! Sorry, V R but copy/paste was the easiest thing this morning!
Ten Words You Need to Stop Misspelling!!!!
I wasn't going to post today, but . . . had to share this! It is very appropriate for us writerly people, and for the not so writerly who don't want to appear as completely ignorant! So, check it out, have a good laugh and share, share, share. Oh, and check this one out about apostrophes!!Have a great day.
UPDATE:
So I shared the link with our VP of Operations at work. She's a stickler about misspelled words. Her response to my email:
I like this alot! Its informative. Weather or not it has any effect on you or not, its definately a good tool, win or loose. Some people are wierd or there slow to learn. Your not one of them. But than, your smarter than the average panda (bear).
HA :-)
UPDATE:
So I shared the link with our VP of Operations at work. She's a stickler about misspelled words. Her response to my email:
I like this alot! Its informative. Weather or not it has any effect on you or not, its definately a good tool, win or loose. Some people are wierd or there slow to learn. Your not one of them. But than, your smarter than the average panda (bear).
HA :-)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Writerly Ghosts
So, last night, lying in bed after watching Glee (fabulous Madonna episode, btw) and I can't sleep. I'm tossing and turning, and turning and tossing, and tossing and turning . . . and Squeaky (my cat) is not happy at all about this tossing and turning, and turning and tossing, and . . . I just can't seem to settle down for the night.
My mind kept wandering to my writing - what I've done, what I need to do, and what I want to do. I guess the Writing Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future were whispering in my ear and preventing me from settling down for a long winter's nap. Ooops, how'd that happen? Anyhow, after much thought, conversations with myself (yes, I have conversations with myself - no, not nuts, just helps me work things out), I realized there are certain things I need to do with my writing - Past, Present, and Future.
Past - the project I want to query. It's Past because it's been pretty much finished for a while, I just haven't bothered to query the dang thing. This is the project where words must go, must go, must go. It's too dang long. It's probably in auto reject category for most agents. So, eliminate, eliminate, eliminate. This project is now - should have been there sooner - moving up on my list so that . . .
Present - finish the word elimination of the project I want to query. See how easy that was. Yeah, try being in my head last night while I was working all of this out. Not pretty, not pretty at all!
Future - revision of next project to query, and next project to query, and write urban fantasy. So, that's on my to-do list, along with a few other story ideas I've been mulling over for the last six months or so.
Present - yes, diving back in time from the Future to the Present because that urban fantasy is calling out for me to work on it. I can hear the howl of the wolves . . . or maybe its the neighborhood coyotes just trying to trick me . . . and know the project needs to be worked on in the Present rather than some undetermined date in the future.
So, what the heck does all this mean and why in the heck am I rambling on and on about it in this blog post? It means, in the chaos of my mind, I prioritized quite a few things - I believe Madonna was singing in the background Express Yourself - last night before sleep finally claimed me. I have a set order of things to do - eliminate words and write that urban fantasy (yes, Lady Glamis, I'm moving the project to the forefront).
Now, for the normally questions that appear in writerly blogs. What are your current priorities? Do the Writerly Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future ever visit you? Do you heed their eerie presence or just roll over and go to sleep? If the later, how in the heck do you do it?? What are your current projects? What do you think of the current state of publishing? E-Books? Was Wiley Coyote unfairly maligned in every Looney Toons cartoon?
S
My mind kept wandering to my writing - what I've done, what I need to do, and what I want to do. I guess the Writing Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future were whispering in my ear and preventing me from settling down for a long winter's nap. Ooops, how'd that happen? Anyhow, after much thought, conversations with myself (yes, I have conversations with myself - no, not nuts, just helps me work things out), I realized there are certain things I need to do with my writing - Past, Present, and Future.
Past - the project I want to query. It's Past because it's been pretty much finished for a while, I just haven't bothered to query the dang thing. This is the project where words must go, must go, must go. It's too dang long. It's probably in auto reject category for most agents. So, eliminate, eliminate, eliminate. This project is now - should have been there sooner - moving up on my list so that . . .
Present - finish the word elimination of the project I want to query. See how easy that was. Yeah, try being in my head last night while I was working all of this out. Not pretty, not pretty at all!
Future - revision of next project to query, and next project to query, and write urban fantasy. So, that's on my to-do list, along with a few other story ideas I've been mulling over for the last six months or so.
Present - yes, diving back in time from the Future to the Present because that urban fantasy is calling out for me to work on it. I can hear the howl of the wolves . . . or maybe its the neighborhood coyotes just trying to trick me . . . and know the project needs to be worked on in the Present rather than some undetermined date in the future.
So, what the heck does all this mean and why in the heck am I rambling on and on about it in this blog post? It means, in the chaos of my mind, I prioritized quite a few things - I believe Madonna was singing in the background Express Yourself - last night before sleep finally claimed me. I have a set order of things to do - eliminate words and write that urban fantasy (yes, Lady Glamis, I'm moving the project to the forefront).
Now, for the normally questions that appear in writerly blogs. What are your current priorities? Do the Writerly Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future ever visit you? Do you heed their eerie presence or just roll over and go to sleep? If the later, how in the heck do you do it?? What are your current projects? What do you think of the current state of publishing? E-Books? Was Wiley Coyote unfairly maligned in every Looney Toons cartoon?
S
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