In June, everyone asks teachers, "So what are you doing this summer?" My friends know me well enough to be more specific. They usually ask, "So where are you traveling this summer?" and "What projects are you doing this summer?" and "What are you writing this summer?"
I knew I'd be traveling to Wisconsin, Leech Lake, Winona, Montana, and NYC. I also knew that my house was getting reshingled. Done, done, done, done, done, and done.
But my writing plan was this:
1. Write every day.
2. Finish the first draft.
3. Read the draft end to end to find gaps.
4. Fill gaps.
5. Read the draft end to end while revising, checking specifically for POV focus and style consistency.
6. Send query letters to agents.
Yeah, the writing plan was a fail. Not an epic fail, as I wrote a lot and know where I'm going with the story. But I didn't write every day or finish the draft.
And so, a change of plan.
It turns out that this novel wants to be part of a larger story. That story starts about six months before my characters show up at Castle Aco. It also might continue after the events of Castle Aco, about five months later. It wants to be a trilogy.
The good news: Publishers (and readers) seem to like series.
The bad news: Most series are told chronologically. That means I have to finish this story and write the previous one before I share or pitch it. Unless readers would be willing to read out-of-order. I kind of like that idea. But it's unconventional.
More bad news: Readers prefer series that are told. They no longer seem to have the patience to wait for the final installment. Consider the Game of Thrones and Kingkiller Chronicles series. Comments toward Martin and Rothfuss can get nasty.
Let's call the summer of 2016 successful, as I did make progress. But I need to make new goals.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Friday, August 26, 2016
Professor Sorkin, Part 2
I loved Aaron Sorkin's Master Class.
But Ann, that's a class for screenwriters.
Yes, it is.
Let me tell you a story.
In movies, there seems to be a cliche of the English teacher who really wanted to be a novelist and decided to teach as a day job or a back up plan. That isn't me. I've never been a person who wanted to write "The Great American Novel." I became a teacher for more intentional reasons, reasons that this blogpost need not delve into, but none of them were remotely "back-up plan" related. Teaching was, and continues to be, "the plan."
I chose specifically to teach ENGLISH for one main reason. To be a good teacher (who doesn't get bored after the first year), I needed to teach something I was passionate about, and I love stories. I love to consume them, in any form.*
It turns out that teaching Language Arts means teaching the creation of stories as well as their consumption, and so I've been teaching writing since day one of my career. Over the years I modeled good writing techniques for students, which means I wrote sentences, paragraphs, scenes...
When I decided to try writing more than that, just for fun, I couldn't. Not a single sentence I wrote rang true. I was daunted by great literature from amazing writers and didn't know how to write like them. The worst part was writing description. Prose narration was torture. All my words seemed dumb.
And so I turned to screenplay.
I read a few books on how to set up a film plot and format a screenplay. It was perfect. No description. Just set up the scene with a log line (as succinct as possible), figure out the main thing that had to happen in the next few minutes, and let the characters talk to each other. Or force them to.
I wrote a silly romantic comedy. It was a modern version of "The Snow Queen" that would fit right in during Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas. It was a fun challenge, and although the script is embarrassingly hokey, I'm glad I wrote it. Being forced to limit description, focus on characters' immediate goals, and structure an overarching plot is great training for an aspiring novelist. Because I wrote a screenplay, I got past my prose roadblock.
So now, in the throes of novel number four, I am circling back to screenplay. Listening to Sorkin describe the essentials of a scene has been inspiring. I made great progress a few weeks ago. But then I hit another roadblock. Okay, I admit, I took a trip to NYC and reveled in Lin Manuel Miranda's Hamilton.
I lost a week to the trip and can't seem to get back into writing now that I'm home. Doesn't help that I have snatches of songs from all the musicals we saw running through my head all day long...
Back to the Masterclass.
Before the NYC trip, I had paused at Lesson 11: Writing Habits. I expected Sorkin to say he woke up at the exact same time every day, worked out, and wrote for 3-4 hours. I've heard many writers with this logical and steady schedule. Instead, he talked about taking months and months to think about his ideas. Then, when he starts writing, the words flow. If the words don't flow, if progress is slow and painful, he's not ready to write yet. He thinks more. Sometimes while driving around.
THAT'S ME!
He perfectly described how I started L&L a year and a half ago, how I traveled to England last summer to see castles first hand, how I read dozens of books on medieval culture for ideas, and how I have and continue to come up with so many lightbulb ideas while driving. Most important, he affirmed that if the words aren't coming, the ideas aren't ready.
Okay, so I'm rationalizing. But mostly, I feel relieved.
* Except Twitter. It's too Memento for me.
But Ann, that's a class for screenwriters.
Yes, it is.
Let me tell you a story.
In movies, there seems to be a cliche of the English teacher who really wanted to be a novelist and decided to teach as a day job or a back up plan. That isn't me. I've never been a person who wanted to write "The Great American Novel." I became a teacher for more intentional reasons, reasons that this blogpost need not delve into, but none of them were remotely "back-up plan" related. Teaching was, and continues to be, "the plan."
I chose specifically to teach ENGLISH for one main reason. To be a good teacher (who doesn't get bored after the first year), I needed to teach something I was passionate about, and I love stories. I love to consume them, in any form.*
It turns out that teaching Language Arts means teaching the creation of stories as well as their consumption, and so I've been teaching writing since day one of my career. Over the years I modeled good writing techniques for students, which means I wrote sentences, paragraphs, scenes...
When I decided to try writing more than that, just for fun, I couldn't. Not a single sentence I wrote rang true. I was daunted by great literature from amazing writers and didn't know how to write like them. The worst part was writing description. Prose narration was torture. All my words seemed dumb.
And so I turned to screenplay.
I read a few books on how to set up a film plot and format a screenplay. It was perfect. No description. Just set up the scene with a log line (as succinct as possible), figure out the main thing that had to happen in the next few minutes, and let the characters talk to each other. Or force them to.
I wrote a silly romantic comedy. It was a modern version of "The Snow Queen" that would fit right in during Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas. It was a fun challenge, and although the script is embarrassingly hokey, I'm glad I wrote it. Being forced to limit description, focus on characters' immediate goals, and structure an overarching plot is great training for an aspiring novelist. Because I wrote a screenplay, I got past my prose roadblock.
So now, in the throes of novel number four, I am circling back to screenplay. Listening to Sorkin describe the essentials of a scene has been inspiring. I made great progress a few weeks ago. But then I hit another roadblock. Okay, I admit, I took a trip to NYC and reveled in Lin Manuel Miranda's Hamilton.
I lost a week to the trip and can't seem to get back into writing now that I'm home. Doesn't help that I have snatches of songs from all the musicals we saw running through my head all day long...
Back to the Masterclass.
Before the NYC trip, I had paused at Lesson 11: Writing Habits. I expected Sorkin to say he woke up at the exact same time every day, worked out, and wrote for 3-4 hours. I've heard many writers with this logical and steady schedule. Instead, he talked about taking months and months to think about his ideas. Then, when he starts writing, the words flow. If the words don't flow, if progress is slow and painful, he's not ready to write yet. He thinks more. Sometimes while driving around.
THAT'S ME!
He perfectly described how I started L&L a year and a half ago, how I traveled to England last summer to see castles first hand, how I read dozens of books on medieval culture for ideas, and how I have and continue to come up with so many lightbulb ideas while driving. Most important, he affirmed that if the words aren't coming, the ideas aren't ready.
Okay, so I'm rationalizing. But mostly, I feel relieved.
* Except Twitter. It's too Memento for me.
Monday, August 22, 2016
Professor Sorkin, Part 1
So this showed up on Facebook a few weeks ago...
I had literally just typed the words "Sorkin is a writing genius" in this blog.
And I was struggling with motivation as I transitioned to Act 3 of Lio and Lamb.
The ad seemed fortuitous.
After consulting the board (i.e. running the idea of taking Sorkin's class past my mother), I decided to sign up.
I'm so glad that I did. It's like a light turned on in my head as I listened to the first few lessons. Was he sharing anything that I didn't know? Not really. Did I need to hear it? Yes.
So the foundation of Sorkin's approach is to focus each scene on intention and obstacle. What does the character want? What stands in his or her way? Duh. Aha!
It's like someone has pointed out that the sky is blue. Duh. And then you start to really look at the sky, and you see all the vibrant and varied shades of blue. Aha!
Now those two questions are forefront in my mind. I've been watching television and movies differently. I've been reading novels differently. And I've approached the composition of each new scene/chapter in Lio and Lamb differently.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Chapter Titles Overview
Because I'm using shifting third person limited POV in my new novel, I've just been titling each chapter with the name of the respective chapter's central character.
My intention was to alternate chapters between the perspectives of the main characters (Lio or Lamb) and various minor characters who have some sort of direct contact with one or both of the twins. I work better with restrictions, so this has been a useful challenge. As a bonus, it has forced me to bring the "bad guys" into contact with the "heroes" more often, leading to more conflict and danger.
Meanwhile...
I realized a short while ago that a few key plot points needed to be more clear early on. I also needed to introduce a location that would be important later and dramatize a moment that would be referenced later. Rather than adding to previously written chapters, which have decent pace, I decided to insert a few new chapters.
The question was where to fit them in.
To find my answer, I made a list of the chapters so far.
It's an interesting list. I'm not quite sure what to make of it.
Here are a few thoughts:
* I have 76 chapters. Wow. I mean, they are short (on purpose), but that seems like a lot. And I'm only 2/3 done with the draft.
* I initially wrote only Lio's part of the story. Let's call it Act 1. Then I created Lamb's story for the same time period and wove them together with respect to the plot's timeline. Because of this, I often have two minor character chapters in a row or Lio and Lamb chapters back to back. I had no idea this was happening. I don't dislike it, and I don't intend to change any of it until I've had the chance to read the full draft. Overall, this is the biggest surprise of the overview.
* The back and forth evens out a bit when Lio and Lamb are physically together in Act 2, probably because I wrote those chapters in order.
* I've been stuck for a few weeks as I try to work out the plot of Act 3. Looking at the chapters from a distance helped me realize that because I'm separating the characters, I should write an entire plot line (i.e. all of Lio's scenes first, all of Lamb's scenes second) and weave them together afterwards. It worked before. It can work again. Writer's block demolished. Well, lessened.
* There are three distinct series of chapters where either Lio or Lamb "disappears." Two of them are intentional. The other may present an opportunity. We'll see.
My intention was to alternate chapters between the perspectives of the main characters (Lio or Lamb) and various minor characters who have some sort of direct contact with one or both of the twins. I work better with restrictions, so this has been a useful challenge. As a bonus, it has forced me to bring the "bad guys" into contact with the "heroes" more often, leading to more conflict and danger.
Meanwhile...
I realized a short while ago that a few key plot points needed to be more clear early on. I also needed to introduce a location that would be important later and dramatize a moment that would be referenced later. Rather than adding to previously written chapters, which have decent pace, I decided to insert a few new chapters.
The question was where to fit them in.
To find my answer, I made a list of the chapters so far.
It's an interesting list. I'm not quite sure what to make of it.
Here are a few thoughts:
* I have 76 chapters. Wow. I mean, they are short (on purpose), but that seems like a lot. And I'm only 2/3 done with the draft.
* I initially wrote only Lio's part of the story. Let's call it Act 1. Then I created Lamb's story for the same time period and wove them together with respect to the plot's timeline. Because of this, I often have two minor character chapters in a row or Lio and Lamb chapters back to back. I had no idea this was happening. I don't dislike it, and I don't intend to change any of it until I've had the chance to read the full draft. Overall, this is the biggest surprise of the overview.
* The back and forth evens out a bit when Lio and Lamb are physically together in Act 2, probably because I wrote those chapters in order.
* I've been stuck for a few weeks as I try to work out the plot of Act 3. Looking at the chapters from a distance helped me realize that because I'm separating the characters, I should write an entire plot line (i.e. all of Lio's scenes first, all of Lamb's scenes second) and weave them together afterwards. It worked before. It can work again. Writer's block demolished. Well, lessened.
* There are three distinct series of chapters where either Lio or Lamb "disappears." Two of them are intentional. The other may present an opportunity. We'll see.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Names
When I was writing Super Power of the Day, I was worried that I had too many characters for a middle grade novel. But one truth I wanted to express in the story was that a child's world is populated. So I tried to limit the number of characters without compromising that premise.
At first, the number of characters in this new novel worried me. But while reading the definition of high fantasy, I realized my concern is unfounded. Created-world fiction is often epic in scope, which by definition requires a great number of characters.
To find all my names, I have researched medieval censuses, translated words into modern foreign languages and pillaged word parts from them, and fiddled with spellings of common names.
For place names, I've often plundered this book:
Of particular delight and frustration to me is rereading Rothfuss' epic and discovering how often he invented superfluous names for an object or idea and has kept/incorporated them all rather than picking his favorite to use. In other words, he is such a talented namer he has over-named almost everything. And I love it. It reflects a truth of language and naming. And to do that in a book where the very act of naming is central to plot and philosophy is brilliant.
I have been pleased to see that none of my names are in the Kingkiller Chronicles, though one of my favorites unintentionally combines pieces of two of his character names. Hard to avoid, really. I'm sure we are drawing from similar sources.
As Mark Twain said (so you know it's true):
― Mark Twain, Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review
At first, the number of characters in this new novel worried me. But while reading the definition of high fantasy, I realized my concern is unfounded. Created-world fiction is often epic in scope, which by definition requires a great number of characters.
To find all my names, I have researched medieval censuses, translated words into modern foreign languages and pillaged word parts from them, and fiddled with spellings of common names.
For place names, I've often plundered this book:
Of particular delight and frustration to me is rereading Rothfuss' epic and discovering how often he invented superfluous names for an object or idea and has kept/incorporated them all rather than picking his favorite to use. In other words, he is such a talented namer he has over-named almost everything. And I love it. It reflects a truth of language and naming. And to do that in a book where the very act of naming is central to plot and philosophy is brilliant.
I have been pleased to see that none of my names are in the Kingkiller Chronicles, though one of my favorites unintentionally combines pieces of two of his character names. Hard to avoid, really. I'm sure we are drawing from similar sources.
As Mark Twain said (so you know it's true):
“There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”
― Mark Twain, Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review
Saturday, July 16, 2016
My Question for Authors
Thanks to Nerdcon: Stories last fall, I have been part of an audience watching and listening to various authors answer questions about their work and craft. I listened as my fellow seat-mates participated, lamenting my own reluctance to join in. I just didn't have a good question to ask.
I do now.
My question for an author would be: How do you find or create your names?
One of the challenges of the fantasy genre, and high fantasy in particular, is naming. Not only does the author have to create a new world filled with realms and cities, mountain ranges and seas, languages and cultures, but she must fill that created world with newly-christened objects and a world's worth of people.
I've created governments, from macro (for realm and region) to micro (for village, military rank, and a castle).
I've named my main currency and its various lesser denominations.
I'm especially pleased with my names for days of the week and the discovery that those names could be used in other ways. For example, my name for the first day of the week is also my word for dawn and for east and my name for the last day of the week also denotes judgment.
My system of education is simple, but singular.
I've created a few curses and blessings and at least one major spiritual ritual, though the full shape of the religious and spiritual practice of the world is still cloudy in my mind.
I know I need to add more culture-specific figurative language.
But I have found a lot of names.
So now I'm curious how the literary names I've come to love were born.
I do now.
My question for an author would be: How do you find or create your names?
One of the challenges of the fantasy genre, and high fantasy in particular, is naming. Not only does the author have to create a new world filled with realms and cities, mountain ranges and seas, languages and cultures, but she must fill that created world with newly-christened objects and a world's worth of people.
I've created governments, from macro (for realm and region) to micro (for village, military rank, and a castle).
I've named my main currency and its various lesser denominations.
I'm especially pleased with my names for days of the week and the discovery that those names could be used in other ways. For example, my name for the first day of the week is also my word for dawn and for east and my name for the last day of the week also denotes judgment.
My system of education is simple, but singular.
I've created a few curses and blessings and at least one major spiritual ritual, though the full shape of the religious and spiritual practice of the world is still cloudy in my mind.
I know I need to add more culture-specific figurative language.
But I have found a lot of names.
So now I'm curious how the literary names I've come to love were born.
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
More Than Just a Story
My favorite things to do in the summer:
* Read books
* Sit in the sun
* Read books while sitting in the sun
* Travel
* Read books while traveling
* Do projects
* Finish a project and go back to reading books in the sun
So last week I finished an ebook romance novel I had put on my Kindle. Being a self-published, non-edited ebook, the writing was less than brilliant. Grammatically it was better proofed than a lot of ebooks; there was, on average, just one poorly constructed sentence or misused pronoun or problem with verb tense per page. I've seen worse. My English teacher's mind quickly fixed the problems, and I continued reading. The story was engaging enough to keep me interested despite the surface errors.
And the writing, overall, wasn't terrible. Sentences were varied nicely, dialogue was decent, and from time to time I found particularly well chosen words that made me pause in admiration. I finished the story, closed my Kindle, and cleaned my oven.
Today I started rereading The Name of the Wind, and the stark difference between merely telling a story (the romance novel) and writing one beautifully (the Rothfuss) knocked my plans to tidy a particular junk drawer straight out of my mind.
Initially, I decided to reread Rothfuss' saga because I wanted to make sure I hadn't inadvertently borrowed ideas. That can happen. For example, I thought the name of my created land would be Calla. I had been looking at names of flowers for inspiration, and "the Realm of Calla" just sounded right. Then one day I was looking for a book in my library and my eyes caught on Stephen King's Dark Tower series book V, Wolves of the Calla. Whoops. It had sounded so nice because it rang a subconscious bell. I found a new name.
Now I'm reading in mere astonishment. Every. Blasted. Word. Is. Perfect.
That's what I want. Not to merely tell a story, but to find all the best words to tell the story beautifully.
* Read books
* Sit in the sun
* Read books while sitting in the sun
* Travel
* Read books while traveling
* Do projects
* Finish a project and go back to reading books in the sun
So last week I finished an ebook romance novel I had put on my Kindle. Being a self-published, non-edited ebook, the writing was less than brilliant. Grammatically it was better proofed than a lot of ebooks; there was, on average, just one poorly constructed sentence or misused pronoun or problem with verb tense per page. I've seen worse. My English teacher's mind quickly fixed the problems, and I continued reading. The story was engaging enough to keep me interested despite the surface errors.
And the writing, overall, wasn't terrible. Sentences were varied nicely, dialogue was decent, and from time to time I found particularly well chosen words that made me pause in admiration. I finished the story, closed my Kindle, and cleaned my oven.
Today I started rereading The Name of the Wind, and the stark difference between merely telling a story (the romance novel) and writing one beautifully (the Rothfuss) knocked my plans to tidy a particular junk drawer straight out of my mind.
Initially, I decided to reread Rothfuss' saga because I wanted to make sure I hadn't inadvertently borrowed ideas. That can happen. For example, I thought the name of my created land would be Calla. I had been looking at names of flowers for inspiration, and "the Realm of Calla" just sounded right. Then one day I was looking for a book in my library and my eyes caught on Stephen King's Dark Tower series book V, Wolves of the Calla. Whoops. It had sounded so nice because it rang a subconscious bell. I found a new name.
 |
| The section of my library shelves in consideration. |
Now I'm reading in mere astonishment. Every. Blasted. Word. Is. Perfect.
That's what I want. Not to merely tell a story, but to find all the best words to tell the story beautifully.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
EW Questions
I always enjoy the author Q&A in Entertainment Weekly's book section, but the various authors' answers barely register. I'm too preoccupied with answering the questions for myself.
So...
My favorite book as a child:
I remember saving up my money to buy my own books from our local independent bookseller, Boreen Books. My favorites were from the Three Investigators Series. One book cost $1.95, or about six hours of babysitting. I also liked the outdoor adventures It Started with Old Man Bean by David Kherdian and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, and my copy of The Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley is literally disintegrating because I reread it so often. I realize now that all these stories centered exclusively on boy characters. I guess I just imagined myself in the stories, as one of them. It never occurred to me that I couldn't be as adventurous as they were.
The book that cemented me as a writer:
The book that cemented me as a storyteller was Stephen King's short story collection Night Shift. I couldn't believe he kept "going there." As for style, anything by Kate DiCamillo. I admire the way she crafts and ends her chapters.
The movie I've watched over and over again:
If I happen across The American President on television, I'm done for. Sorkin is a writing genius. Same for Working Girl, actually. I didn't see either of them in real theaters. But if I had, I'm pretty sure I would have given them standing ovations. Note: They aren't my favorite movies of all time, actually, just eminently rewatchable. Some of the best movies aren't.
The last book that made me cry:
...is also the last book that made me laugh out loud: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. I've been recommending it to everyone.
The first album that I ever bought:
In about 1980 I saved up (more babysitting) to buy two: Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits (great tunes) and Andy Gibb's Shadow Dancing (great hair). I loved holding and looking at the album covers.
My literary hero:
Almost every character in To Kill a Mockingbird. I admire Scout's curiosity, Jem's empathy, Dill's bravery, Atticus' integrity, and Miss Maudie's hopefulness. Basically, I want to be them.
My last TV binge:
It's summer, and I'm writing every day. No time for television binges!
The song that always makes me feel better:
Jackson 5, "I Want You Back." It fills my head with good vibes from my childhood in the 1970s and dancing baby Groot.
The group of fictional pals I dream of joining:
Probably those mad scientists. They were smart. And they had a lot of goofy fun.
My favorite movie:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is perfect, yes? My high school friends and I had it pretty much memorized. I must admit that I'm not quite sure what happens after the rabbit in the cave bit because I'm usually asleep by then.
The book people might be surprised to learn I love:
Well, they might be surprised to know how many times I've read Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief and its sequels The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. I read them through twice a year.
An illicit book I had to read in secret as a child:
When I was just learning to read, my dad's youngest brother lived in our basement. One day I snuck into his bedroom and stole a book of his. It was the only one I found with with pictures (a map of Dallas). It turned out to be about the JFK assassination. I didn't understand any of it. But I thought if I just kept trying, it would eventually make sense. At seven years old, I'm not sure I knew what the JFK assassination was, let alone a conspiracy theory.
The TV show that doesn't get its due:
Jeopardy? The first five seasons of Supernatural? The Middle? Anything that's campy sci-fi, like Killjoys?
The fictional place I've dreamed of moving to:
I'd visit Shakespeare's London. But I wouldn't move there. Because toiletries and antibiotics.
What I'm reading now:
I just organized my summer reading for 2016. I think I'll start with a rereading of Pat Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind. But first I have to finish Kiera Cass' The Selection series. Just one book to go.
So...
My favorite book as a child:
I remember saving up my money to buy my own books from our local independent bookseller, Boreen Books. My favorites were from the Three Investigators Series. One book cost $1.95, or about six hours of babysitting. I also liked the outdoor adventures It Started with Old Man Bean by David Kherdian and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, and my copy of The Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley is literally disintegrating because I reread it so often. I realize now that all these stories centered exclusively on boy characters. I guess I just imagined myself in the stories, as one of them. It never occurred to me that I couldn't be as adventurous as they were.
The book that cemented me as a writer:
The book that cemented me as a storyteller was Stephen King's short story collection Night Shift. I couldn't believe he kept "going there." As for style, anything by Kate DiCamillo. I admire the way she crafts and ends her chapters.
The movie I've watched over and over again:
If I happen across The American President on television, I'm done for. Sorkin is a writing genius. Same for Working Girl, actually. I didn't see either of them in real theaters. But if I had, I'm pretty sure I would have given them standing ovations. Note: They aren't my favorite movies of all time, actually, just eminently rewatchable. Some of the best movies aren't.
The last book that made me cry:
...is also the last book that made me laugh out loud: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. I've been recommending it to everyone.
The first album that I ever bought:
In about 1980 I saved up (more babysitting) to buy two: Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits (great tunes) and Andy Gibb's Shadow Dancing (great hair). I loved holding and looking at the album covers.
My literary hero:
Almost every character in To Kill a Mockingbird. I admire Scout's curiosity, Jem's empathy, Dill's bravery, Atticus' integrity, and Miss Maudie's hopefulness. Basically, I want to be them.
My last TV binge:
It's summer, and I'm writing every day. No time for television binges!
The song that always makes me feel better:
Jackson 5, "I Want You Back." It fills my head with good vibes from my childhood in the 1970s and dancing baby Groot.
The group of fictional pals I dream of joining:
Probably those mad scientists. They were smart. And they had a lot of goofy fun.
My favorite movie:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is perfect, yes? My high school friends and I had it pretty much memorized. I must admit that I'm not quite sure what happens after the rabbit in the cave bit because I'm usually asleep by then.
The book people might be surprised to learn I love:
Well, they might be surprised to know how many times I've read Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief and its sequels The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. I read them through twice a year.
An illicit book I had to read in secret as a child:
When I was just learning to read, my dad's youngest brother lived in our basement. One day I snuck into his bedroom and stole a book of his. It was the only one I found with with pictures (a map of Dallas). It turned out to be about the JFK assassination. I didn't understand any of it. But I thought if I just kept trying, it would eventually make sense. At seven years old, I'm not sure I knew what the JFK assassination was, let alone a conspiracy theory.
The TV show that doesn't get its due:
Jeopardy? The first five seasons of Supernatural? The Middle? Anything that's campy sci-fi, like Killjoys?
The fictional place I've dreamed of moving to:
I'd visit Shakespeare's London. But I wouldn't move there. Because toiletries and antibiotics.
What I'm reading now:
I just organized my summer reading for 2016. I think I'll start with a rereading of Pat Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind. But first I have to finish Kiera Cass' The Selection series. Just one book to go.
Friday, June 17, 2016
Old Eyes, New Glasses
My eyes are getting older.
This is troublesome when it comes to writing, because the correct prescription for my contacts and glasses works best on objects a full arm's length away or further. So in order to write on my desktop computer, I have to push my chair back just a bit. Writing on my laptop is trickier, because it sits closer than an arm's length away. Of course I can use readers. But mostly I just make the font size larger and sit by a bright light.
I tried monovision lenses -- one eye's contact just a little reduced in power so reading is easier with that eye. But I grew tired of everything, whether close or far away, being just a little blurry ALL THE TIME. So I'm back to my true prescription in both eyes, and reading/writing is difficult.
Regular me:
I recently bought my first pair of bifocals. Wow, were they expensive. And I have no idea where they are. Somehow I've never lost a single pair of cheap readers, but the spendy bifocals have taken a runner. Still, I'm not missing them much.
A new plan hatched a few weeks ago.
I ordered glasses specifically for mid-distance (e.g. a computer screen), complete with a filter that blocks blue screen light.
So far, I like them.
Computer-ready me:
This is troublesome when it comes to writing, because the correct prescription for my contacts and glasses works best on objects a full arm's length away or further. So in order to write on my desktop computer, I have to push my chair back just a bit. Writing on my laptop is trickier, because it sits closer than an arm's length away. Of course I can use readers. But mostly I just make the font size larger and sit by a bright light.
I tried monovision lenses -- one eye's contact just a little reduced in power so reading is easier with that eye. But I grew tired of everything, whether close or far away, being just a little blurry ALL THE TIME. So I'm back to my true prescription in both eyes, and reading/writing is difficult.
Regular me:
I recently bought my first pair of bifocals. Wow, were they expensive. And I have no idea where they are. Somehow I've never lost a single pair of cheap readers, but the spendy bifocals have taken a runner. Still, I'm not missing them much.
A new plan hatched a few weeks ago.
I ordered glasses specifically for mid-distance (e.g. a computer screen), complete with a filter that blocks blue screen light.
So far, I like them.
Computer-ready me:
Monday, May 2, 2016
Camp Nanowrimo 2016
The nice folks over at Nanowrimo set up a less challenging month in April called "Camp Nanowrimo." The biggest differences between regular Nanowrimo and the spring version are a) you define your own word count goal and b) each writer is part of a cabin (writing group). Three writers in my group made it to the end.
I kept my a goal modest 10,000 words because I helped direct the spring musical. On the chart you can see when it ended (day 11) and how long it took me to mentally recover (about a week).
Once I started cranking out story, story happened.
Which means I won this:
I kept my a goal modest 10,000 words because I helped direct the spring musical. On the chart you can see when it ended (day 11) and how long it took me to mentally recover (about a week).
Once I started cranking out story, story happened.
Which means I won this:
The Problem of Evil
One of the biggest challenges for me while writing SPOTD was finding a villain. And you don't have much of a superhero without a decent villain to act as a foil.
In fact, the villains tend to steal the show.
I struggled finding SPOTD's villain because I didn't want him (or her) to be cliched. And a bully is a big cliche. Even more than that, I didn't want Chase to fill the cliche of a bullied kid. Eventually I realized that Chase's sister Addy could be the target of the bullying, and the unfortunate Billy Bully was born.
Even though Billy is present from chapter one, Chase doesn't see him as dangerous. He is blind to his sister's situation. He must first overcome the villainous part of his own personality -- how he mistreats his sister Addy. Then he can see her problems and step into the role of protector.
Once again, I am faced with the challenge of finding villains. This time, they need to be plentiful. And to my surprise, this time they have been easier to write.
All I had to do was let them start killing people.
In fact, the villains tend to steal the show.
I struggled finding SPOTD's villain because I didn't want him (or her) to be cliched. And a bully is a big cliche. Even more than that, I didn't want Chase to fill the cliche of a bullied kid. Eventually I realized that Chase's sister Addy could be the target of the bullying, and the unfortunate Billy Bully was born.
Even though Billy is present from chapter one, Chase doesn't see him as dangerous. He is blind to his sister's situation. He must first overcome the villainous part of his own personality -- how he mistreats his sister Addy. Then he can see her problems and step into the role of protector.
Once again, I am faced with the challenge of finding villains. This time, they need to be plentiful. And to my surprise, this time they have been easier to write.
All I had to do was let them start killing people.
What I Learned in November
It is true, what successful writers say about the writing process.
To write a novel, one must have enough discipline to sacrifice other pleasures.
Stephanie Perkins puts it this way:
You write. That’s the hard bit that nobody sees. You write on the good days and you write on the lousy days. Like a shark, you have to keep moving forward or you die. Writing may or may not be your salvation; it might or might not be your destiny. But that does not matter. What matters right now are the words, one after another. Find the next word. Write it down. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
And as Pat Rothfuss puts it:
So last November, I wrote.
And I learned that Ms. Perkins, Mr. Gaiman, and Pat were soooo right.
Here's my 2015 chart:
You'll notice my wordcount flatline on day 10. Even though I hadn't finished the Kostova, I went to book club. That loss of time plus post-wine lethargy led to a few late evening hours of organizing my thoughts, but no new words in the story. Skipping the actual writing taught me that even if I had to stay up past midnight to put in my time, skipping a day of writing is not worth the extra sleep.
My mother called what happened for me this past November "momentum," and she was right. Writing a novel is like jumping onto a moving train. You can't reach your destination without the courage to make the leap, every day. I have to thank Nanowrimo for pointing me in the direction of a slow but steady train. I didn't "win" the month, at only 40,000 words. But I love the story I am writing. And I love the writing of it.
Next up: An update.
To write a novel, one must have enough discipline to sacrifice other pleasures.
Stephanie Perkins puts it this way:
Novels aren’t written by muses who come down through the ceiling and shoot magic through your fingers and out onto your laptop’s keyboard. Before NaNoWriMo, some teensy part of me still believed that because writing is a creative act, it should feel easy. But fairies don’t write novels. They’re written with one simple equation: Time + Work = Novel
Neil Gaiman puts it this way:You write. That’s the hard bit that nobody sees. You write on the good days and you write on the lousy days. Like a shark, you have to keep moving forward or you die. Writing may or may not be your salvation; it might or might not be your destiny. But that does not matter. What matters right now are the words, one after another. Find the next word. Write it down. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
And as Pat Rothfuss puts it:
1. Yay, Verily. You Must Sit Down and Write.
1a. Thou shalt not go see a movie instead. Or watch reality TV. Thou shalt write. No. Stop. You don’t need to clean out the fridge right now. Neither dost thou need to sort the recycling. I’m not even kidding. Go and write.
1b. Thou shalt not just think about writing. Seriously. That is not writing. The worst unpublished novel of all-time is better than the brilliant idea you have in your head. Why? Because the worst novel ever is written down. That means it’s a book, while your idea is just an idle fancy. My dog used to dream about chasing rabbits; she didn’t write a novel about chasing rabbits. There is a difference.
1c. Thou shalt not read, either. I know it’s book-related, but it’s not actually writing. Yes, even if it’s a book about how to write. Yes, even if you’re doing research. You can research later. Sit. Down. Write. PSo last November, I wrote.
And I learned that Ms. Perkins, Mr. Gaiman, and Pat were soooo right.
Here's my 2015 chart:
You'll notice my wordcount flatline on day 10. Even though I hadn't finished the Kostova, I went to book club. That loss of time plus post-wine lethargy led to a few late evening hours of organizing my thoughts, but no new words in the story. Skipping the actual writing taught me that even if I had to stay up past midnight to put in my time, skipping a day of writing is not worth the extra sleep.
My mother called what happened for me this past November "momentum," and she was right. Writing a novel is like jumping onto a moving train. You can't reach your destination without the courage to make the leap, every day. I have to thank Nanowrimo for pointing me in the direction of a slow but steady train. I didn't "win" the month, at only 40,000 words. But I love the story I am writing. And I love the writing of it.
Next up: An update.
Progress and Inspiration (with too many ellipses)
So last summer I...
... spent a lot of time in my head, world building
... rationalized time spend reading as time preparing to write (lots of Flanagan)
... hashed out quite a bit of my new story's plot, mostly while driving
... revised the 6000 or so words I had written in February/March
... researched castles by visiting British castles and
... did not write a word of actual story.
Then this happened...
Which looked like this...
And this...
And this...
Which looked like this...
And I realized I would rather be on the stage than in the crowd.
... spent a lot of time in my head, world building
... rationalized time spend reading as time preparing to write (lots of Flanagan)
... hashed out quite a bit of my new story's plot, mostly while driving
... revised the 6000 or so words I had written in February/March
... researched castles by visiting British castles and
... did not write a word of actual story.
Then this happened...
Which looked like this...
And this...
And this...
Which looked like this...
And I realized I would rather be on the stage than in the crowd.
So This Happened (November)
Last November, this did not happen:
This did happen:
This also happened:
Followed by this:
A pile of this happened:
(the reading did not)
And a pile of this happened:
(the watching did not)
And a pile of this happened:
This happened a day before November:
And this happened throughout the month:
 |
| Book club fail. |
 |
| Wachtler vs. Wild Turkey in the school van. Win. |
 |
| Thanksgiving Feast (not the same turkey) |
 |
| Star Wars mini-marathon (episodes IV and V) |
(the reading did not)
And a pile of this happened:
 |
| DVR went from 11% to 66% full. |
(the watching did not)
And a pile of this happened:
 |
| I deleted hundreds of emails without a glance. |
 |
| No more whining about the Lenovo Yoga. |
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