Ok. So it's the end of another month. I had no goals for May, but, with the recent inclusion of this here blog of mine, I have decided to give myself monthly AND weekly goals. So, monthly goals for June?
Pass ALL my exams (they're this week),
Submit Toy Terror, finished,
Write a minimum or 2,000 words towards Resurrection (a nice goal to have considering I used to make daily goals of 1,000 words),
Read a minimum of 3 books (including the current one I am reading now, Shatter by Michael Robothom),
Critique over 5 pieces on CC,
Ok, I think that's it.
Anyway, today I have written nothing towards Resurrection, but, currently I am editing the first draft of Toy Terror, even though I have already submitted it into CC. The word count for Toy Terror has to be between 900 and 1,000 words but the first draft has clocked up 1,318. I need to do a little bit of editing, obviously, and that's what I'm doing.
Well...
I'm off now.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Once Finished, What Do You Do?
So, you've just finished a piece that you've been working on for some time. Whether it be a novel or a short story or anything, you've just finished it after all the planning you have done and now the first draft is complete. Well, what do you do know?
At the moment you have a beginning and an end, with some characters thrown in and a plot for some strange reason. Now you turn those 100,000 or so words into a novel.
Some parts of the first draft will appeal to you, others won't. So make sure you know which parts of your story you like and if you need to edit one of those partsm then so be it. If it will make your story become better, then by all means do it. But a writer should always be happy with their work. You won't publish a novel if you think it's a load if sh*t.
Ok. So a first draft is a first draft. First drafts are written to be either thrown out, or revised and created to be wonderful. The second or third drafts won't be perfect either, or complete, but that is why writers edit, that is why writers revise.
So, first draft is done. Where to now?
Ok. Honestly, I haven't finished a novel of my own yet so I can't answer that with a personal anecdote, but, I have done research and now I know that there are many things to do once a first draft is finished. Check grammer, check spelling, make sure the plots flows, make sure the timeline doesn't skip days or miss days, there are many things you could do.
This is a list composed John Hewitt at http://www.poewar.com/.
At the moment you have a beginning and an end, with some characters thrown in and a plot for some strange reason. Now you turn those 100,000 or so words into a novel.
Some parts of the first draft will appeal to you, others won't. So make sure you know which parts of your story you like and if you need to edit one of those partsm then so be it. If it will make your story become better, then by all means do it. But a writer should always be happy with their work. You won't publish a novel if you think it's a load if sh*t.
Ok. So a first draft is a first draft. First drafts are written to be either thrown out, or revised and created to be wonderful. The second or third drafts won't be perfect either, or complete, but that is why writers edit, that is why writers revise.
So, first draft is done. Where to now?
Ok. Honestly, I haven't finished a novel of my own yet so I can't answer that with a personal anecdote, but, I have done research and now I know that there are many things to do once a first draft is finished. Check grammer, check spelling, make sure the plots flows, make sure the timeline doesn't skip days or miss days, there are many things you could do.
This is a list composed John Hewitt at http://www.poewar.com/.
Read the novel as it sits from start to finish while taking notes but not editing
Perform a “light edit” (spelling and grammar) on the novel
Reorder the novel so that it follows a chronology
Read the novel again while taking notes AND editing
Assemble a Style / Information Guide
Re-evaluate the novel and determine goals
Create a revised plot outline
Write new scenes
Revise old scenes
Edit with an eye toward continuity
Have someone I trust read and evaluate the novel
Go through the whole process again
Ok. So now you may have some idea of what to do. Some agents tell you to place your novel down and just read and broadly or as widely as you can. Read as much as you can. This is because while writing your novel you will have read you're own writing a lot and to read someone else's work is very good for your mind and how you write. You discover new techniques or new phrases as you read and these may be picked up by yourself as you write.
Don't read for too long though. If you put your novel off for too long you may forget about it or lose the love of writing that drove you to complete the first draft. Don't just let it sit at the bottom of a draw, collecting dust or being used as a weight.
Once a first draft is finished, whether it be on computer or written by hand, it should always be stored in a safe place. If typed on a computer, save a copy to the computer, perhaps many copies, and save a few on seperate CD's, as backups. If you wrote your novel on paper, store all your writing in a folder and place the folder on top of your desk or in a safe if you are really protective about it. Just place it somewhere where you'll remember it and is safe from anyone that may break into your house or any unwanted intruders reading your novel.
That said, I think I may go read a bit myself. I plan on writing more towards Resurrection on Friday night and the weekend, whenever I have time, but I am mad with books and once I begin a book I must get passed the first few hundred pages before the feeling of curiosity wears off. That feeling is the driving force for the first few chapters of reading a book but yes, it does wear off, no matter how good the book is, unless the reader is intrigued by the story for a long period of time, it is likely that he/she may put it down and forget about it or just become too lazy to pick it up again and continue reading.
Well...I guess this is bye.
Monday, May 26, 2008
No Not Those Goals!
Ok. So, it's the beginning of a new week, so I thought I'd write up a few goals for me to try and achieve by the end, Sunday. So, what goals should I have?
Complete the first draft of Toy Terror (I'm kinda stuck, and I can't turn to CC for help on this either),
Write atleast 1 paragraph towards Resurrection, or, re-write the last paragraph I wrote,
Remember to study for my first exam, Electronics,
Read over half of the book I'm about to start (Shatter by Michael Robothom),
And...
Just be nice!
Well, I like those goals, how 'bout you? I'll write again on Sunday whether I've completed those goals or not, and obviously I'll have a few rants or share some of my ideas throughout the week. And I need to link a few more people don't I. More CC's. Shall do...sometime...and I have to crit atleast 1 story this week on CC!!!
Ok. Now I'm done.
Complete the first draft of Toy Terror (I'm kinda stuck, and I can't turn to CC for help on this either),
Write atleast 1 paragraph towards Resurrection, or, re-write the last paragraph I wrote,
Remember to study for my first exam, Electronics,
Read over half of the book I'm about to start (Shatter by Michael Robothom),
And...
Just be nice!
Well, I like those goals, how 'bout you? I'll write again on Sunday whether I've completed those goals or not, and obviously I'll have a few rants or share some of my ideas throughout the week. And I need to link a few more people don't I. More CC's. Shall do...sometime...and I have to crit atleast 1 story this week on CC!!!
Ok. Now I'm done.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Toy Terror
Toy Terror
A sadistic Elmo plush toy, kills a dog, Brett's pet, but, unfortunately for Brett, it's 4 o'clock in the morning, and he's trapped inside his house...
Meh. Little blurb about my current short story, Toy Terror. I'm submitting it into an American contest in a few weeks and I hope to win. Why would I enter if I didn't want to win?
Stupid question.
Anyway, that story, Toy Terror, is, obviously meant to be a horror story and finished by the end of July. I should have it finished by the end of this month actually, then I shall submit it on CC and let my fellow Critters rip and tear at it till they think it's as perfect as it's gonna get. Then, after another draft, submit.
Two months later I hope to be told that I have won and that the story will be in the Sep/Oct issue or whenever it will be in. I can't wait until I've finished the final draft, I'm going to be so happy!
I still have not written anything this month towards Resurrection, partly because my focus has been on Toy Terror, and partly because I'm a lazy bastard.
But unfortunately I have exams in a few weeks time, my first exams ever, and I want to make a very good start with them, so a lot of my time will be taken up for homework and studying time. I am very annoyed though because on the Tuesday, the second day of exams, I have twenty minutes between my English exam, and my P.E/Sport exam. Not a lot of time!
Oh well, I'll get over it. Oh crap! I have to get ready for work in a minute!
Monday, May 19, 2008
-18p² - 8p² = ???
Someone please explain to me how this simple math question can turn into a rant. Because that's what it is going to become!
Okay, so today in fourth period, Mathematics, we are given the question...um...ok so I forgot the whole question. BUT! I remember the important part, oh how could I forget the important part! It's so important!
The important part: -18p² -8p² = +26p²
How does that work?!?!
It doesn't! Okay, so the Math teacher was wrong. Not the first time. She's not a great Math teacher and is very hard to understand, but, my point is, that answer is wrong! Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think that is wrong!
-18, okay, now, take away another 8. So, -18, -19, -20, -21, -22, -23, -24, -25 and -26. There we go! It should be -26! Not +26!
Okay, so I went through many stages of thinking in class because I was sure I was right, but every tiny, little change made me think differently. At one stage I thought the question was: -18p² - -8p². So the answer to that would be -10p². So at that time, I was writing down -10p² everwhere! Then I looked properly and I discovered that I read the question wrong so there goes that theory.
I ended up at the beginning of my search, at -26p² or +26p²? So, call to my fellow classmates for help? Sure why not? All that came out of my mouth was undecipherable blab. I couldn't understand what I was saying and neither could they.
So, once again, back to square one, except now I have a bunch of friends wondering why I can't talk properly.
Ok. So finally I go to ask the teacher what has happened - hey I got a email...oops, off topic there. Anyway, I ask the teacher and I get halfway through my question when she walks off and explains that apparently I have been misbehaving and have been disrupting the class. All because of this one sum!
So, once again, back to square one.
I wait till class is over, and, in the most unlikely way possible, I pick up a marker, and I write: -26p², erasing the + and writing instead a -. Problem solved!
Well, that's what I thought. I still have the 'disrupting class' problem to attend...
Okay, so today in fourth period, Mathematics, we are given the question...um...ok so I forgot the whole question. BUT! I remember the important part, oh how could I forget the important part! It's so important!
The important part: -18p² -8p² = +26p²
How does that work?!?!
It doesn't! Okay, so the Math teacher was wrong. Not the first time. She's not a great Math teacher and is very hard to understand, but, my point is, that answer is wrong! Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think that is wrong!
-18, okay, now, take away another 8. So, -18, -19, -20, -21, -22, -23, -24, -25 and -26. There we go! It should be -26! Not +26!
Okay, so I went through many stages of thinking in class because I was sure I was right, but every tiny, little change made me think differently. At one stage I thought the question was: -18p² - -8p². So the answer to that would be -10p². So at that time, I was writing down -10p² everwhere! Then I looked properly and I discovered that I read the question wrong so there goes that theory.
I ended up at the beginning of my search, at -26p² or +26p²? So, call to my fellow classmates for help? Sure why not? All that came out of my mouth was undecipherable blab. I couldn't understand what I was saying and neither could they.
So, once again, back to square one, except now I have a bunch of friends wondering why I can't talk properly.
Ok. So finally I go to ask the teacher what has happened - hey I got a email...oops, off topic there. Anyway, I ask the teacher and I get halfway through my question when she walks off and explains that apparently I have been misbehaving and have been disrupting the class. All because of this one sum!
So, once again, back to square one.
I wait till class is over, and, in the most unlikely way possible, I pick up a marker, and I write: -26p², erasing the + and writing instead a -. Problem solved!
Well, that's what I thought. I still have the 'disrupting class' problem to attend...
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Release The Pain From Me
Ok. There is no way in the world that I would be able to start a blog and not post a poem in the first post so here it is.
Whatever happened to that fairytale?
Lost in our entwined tongues?
Never to be found again,
Now a twisted tale beyond belief.
A toast to the horror?
Drink to the betrayal?
No,
A mistake never to be made again.
The thought never to be thought again.
The life of one lost,
The lives of two ruined,
Path of disloyalty left where my footsteps last touched the Earth.
I couldn’t control myself,
What did I become?
A savage? A beast?
No mirror is ever the same.
Why did I continue?
I already felt like I would die.
What made me keep on going?
The lust? The desire?
No,
It wasn’t me,
I wasn’t thinking,
I just wish it never happened.
My heart stopped beating,
Shattered from the inside out.
And if you make it to Heaven,
Don’t expect to meet me there.
I should be a ghost,
So I can’t hurt you anymore,
But Hell is where I belong,
And now is when I’ll disappear...
That particular poem is about cheating on the one you love, the guilt and remorse felt afterwards, and the feeling that the only way to escape the pain is to die.
Hope you like it.
Anyway, currently I'm writing a novel called Resurrection and this month I have written absolutely nothing towards it. How bad is that? 18 days into a month and nothing written towards it at all! Terrible.
Well, complaining about it on here won't help.
Whatever happened to that fairytale?
Lost in our entwined tongues?
Never to be found again,
Now a twisted tale beyond belief.
A toast to the horror?
Drink to the betrayal?
No,
A mistake never to be made again.
The thought never to be thought again.
The life of one lost,
The lives of two ruined,
Path of disloyalty left where my footsteps last touched the Earth.
I couldn’t control myself,
What did I become?
A savage? A beast?
No mirror is ever the same.
Why did I continue?
I already felt like I would die.
What made me keep on going?
The lust? The desire?
No,
It wasn’t me,
I wasn’t thinking,
I just wish it never happened.
My heart stopped beating,
Shattered from the inside out.
And if you make it to Heaven,
Don’t expect to meet me there.
I should be a ghost,
So I can’t hurt you anymore,
But Hell is where I belong,
And now is when I’ll disappear...
That particular poem is about cheating on the one you love, the guilt and remorse felt afterwards, and the feeling that the only way to escape the pain is to die.
Hope you like it.
Anyway, currently I'm writing a novel called Resurrection and this month I have written absolutely nothing towards it. How bad is that? 18 days into a month and nothing written towards it at all! Terrible.
Well, complaining about it on here won't help.
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