As I get ready to revise TYW and work on one of the scene additions I'm staring down the blank page trying to remember how to start. But how isn't really the problem. The answer to how just involves tapping some keys and I've started. The problem I'm experience is where. Sure I know there are scenes I've had tinkering for awhile but the where is what causes my wheels to spin. Because in some ways there's a lot invested in that start and if it's not right, for me at least, I might be stuck. Meaning I'll likely keep going but at some point I might question that start but at that point it won't matter because I'll be past it.
And yet with that knowledge I still hesitate. I hesitate not only on the where but on the project. Now that it's 7/1 (Happy July 1st!) I find myself looking at other projects I started last year like The Last Stop, Winter Lily, The Fortune Cookie/Porch Story, etc and other projects that I've sit on like Forever Young, Justice for First Wives and I'm tempted by them all. Some are stronger than others yet I know at some point I know I'll have to admit part of me is stalling and another part of me wants to write it all and another part of me is just fearful of diving into the wrong one.
Working on the wrong project. Starting on the wrong chapter. Starting the wrong way. The fear of not being right and possibly wasting time only to find it wasn't right. But really, honestly, I don't think I've ever thought I've wasted my time when I later found I was wrong in some way or not wrong but later discovered that feeling of something amiss and that does happen.
So I write tonight just to fill the void. To get my fingers warmed up because I'm about to start... something ^_^
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Effective vs. Successful Ads
Writing that reminds me that I need to try to watch Mad Men someday, now that it's over before I have the ending ruined for me (like Lost).
At any rate the other day I was watching tv and was reminded of this ad that I find highly funny -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DghtxDqvPeI
After seeing the commercial yesterday I kept thinking about what made it so funny/appealing to me and not so much the product itself. Then I saw it again today while at the laundry mat and had another LOL moment. Afterwards I figured I'd write about it since I thought it was an effective ad but then I couldn't remember who was behind the ad which led me to think what really makes an ad successful.
It's one thing to laugh and relate to the commercial but at the end if I'm not thinking about your car product during my next car shopping trip was it savvy venture for the car company if I'm searching for Mazda but it's really Subaru??? I'm thinking both of those are Japanese made so at least I was on the correct road.
And then from that it made me think about writing. Not so much the marketing but how much bang for the buck each line can encompass and how might the difference be for it? What would I as a writer deem as effective vs. successful? Is there a difference? I believe so but maybe not everyone. As a reader what might I consider to be effective and what I would want out of the book to be 'effective' for me. Was the marketing effective enough to cause me to check it out at the library or pick it up from a shelf? Would reading it be considered a success? Or is it at the point in which I purchase the product that it's become 'successful' because it made that conversion from a potential sale to an actual?
Again, as a writer, am I viewing my success on that conversion or something in the feedback to gage it's success? Does the work become effective if it's inspired a movement, conversation, a huge following, etc... Or am I just spinning my wheels 11:30pm at night and need to get to bed for all the work related stuff I need to do.
I think it's the latter ^_^
Check out the commercial though. It appears to be the extended version but it's still quite funny because at the end it's sort of this message of "I think I'll stick to being a kid a little while longer."
Smart kid.
At any rate the other day I was watching tv and was reminded of this ad that I find highly funny -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DghtxDqvPeI
After seeing the commercial yesterday I kept thinking about what made it so funny/appealing to me and not so much the product itself. Then I saw it again today while at the laundry mat and had another LOL moment. Afterwards I figured I'd write about it since I thought it was an effective ad but then I couldn't remember who was behind the ad which led me to think what really makes an ad successful.
It's one thing to laugh and relate to the commercial but at the end if I'm not thinking about your car product during my next car shopping trip was it savvy venture for the car company if I'm searching for Mazda but it's really Subaru??? I'm thinking both of those are Japanese made so at least I was on the correct road.
And then from that it made me think about writing. Not so much the marketing but how much bang for the buck each line can encompass and how might the difference be for it? What would I as a writer deem as effective vs. successful? Is there a difference? I believe so but maybe not everyone. As a reader what might I consider to be effective and what I would want out of the book to be 'effective' for me. Was the marketing effective enough to cause me to check it out at the library or pick it up from a shelf? Would reading it be considered a success? Or is it at the point in which I purchase the product that it's become 'successful' because it made that conversion from a potential sale to an actual?
Again, as a writer, am I viewing my success on that conversion or something in the feedback to gage it's success? Does the work become effective if it's inspired a movement, conversation, a huge following, etc... Or am I just spinning my wheels 11:30pm at night and need to get to bed for all the work related stuff I need to do.
I think it's the latter ^_^
Check out the commercial though. It appears to be the extended version but it's still quite funny because at the end it's sort of this message of "I think I'll stick to being a kid a little while longer."
Smart kid.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Cinder, Interstellar, Jurassic World, Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden... My recent trips to other worlds
Apologies for the lack of updates. Life is just as stressful but I've been centered in what appears to be my new normal for a few months now and it's sort of in a routine but I have to start going into work physically so... ... ... More to come.
At any rate with having to be focused in reality it occurred to me that I haven't lost myself in anything as of late mostly because my extra time isn't really extra and being responsible for so much doesn't really allow for things I like to do such as finding a good book. And finding a good book is difficult, mostly because I've been a bit more picky about what I read.
So I started reading Cinder, I'm still reading it and there are definitely some things I like about it but there's something about it that's not driving me to tear right though it. Maybe I haven't just gotten far enough in it and part of me might be sort of really trying to look at what the author did with her world building. And this is what I think my mind might be doing, since I'm getting ready to work on the TYW and one of my qualms with it is I don't dig deeper in the world to let the reader in.
I also watched Interstellar last weekend and while there were a couple things that I don't think I liked there was a lot that I did. And the world within it, I mean, I think I might've just been grateful for the escape the movie gave me because, again, I've been steeped in reality due to so many personal/family issues.
Then last Friday I went to see the new Jurassic World and the first movie is one of my favorite movies so no surprise I was going to make sure I went out to see it. Again I allowed myself to completely become submerged in the film. The kids seemed to like it too but my cousin's wife wasn't too fond of it. I actually noticed her flipping through her phone a couple times through the movie.
Also within this last week I picked up FY: Genbu Kaiden because I was a fan the original Fushigi Yugi and had picked this one up years ago but then I fell off the anime/manga addiction I'd had due to life but while in the library I saw volumes 1-11 and picked them up on a whim. I binge read the last few days of them and again got submerged in another world.
So what's the point of this post you might ask? Or maybe you won't but I'll state it anyway.
No matter what it is - art, music, film, tv, books... feed your brain. Feed your creative brain. And I believe my recent traipses through these worlds have proven to be beneficial because as I do my novel read through things have been sparking. Sparking is good. Sparking is the type of thing, for me, that'll find me in a corner whimpering about not knowing where to go next and suddenly be hit by a stored 'spark' from one of these many trips.
I'm building my arsenal. I'm getting ready for battle with this revision of the Three Year War. I'm feeling ready but in the meantime I think I'm going to continue feeding the brain. Going to try checking out some short stories and hopefully catching myself up on writing my own. Might also be taking the niece to see "Inside Out".
At any rate with having to be focused in reality it occurred to me that I haven't lost myself in anything as of late mostly because my extra time isn't really extra and being responsible for so much doesn't really allow for things I like to do such as finding a good book. And finding a good book is difficult, mostly because I've been a bit more picky about what I read.
So I started reading Cinder, I'm still reading it and there are definitely some things I like about it but there's something about it that's not driving me to tear right though it. Maybe I haven't just gotten far enough in it and part of me might be sort of really trying to look at what the author did with her world building. And this is what I think my mind might be doing, since I'm getting ready to work on the TYW and one of my qualms with it is I don't dig deeper in the world to let the reader in.
I also watched Interstellar last weekend and while there were a couple things that I don't think I liked there was a lot that I did. And the world within it, I mean, I think I might've just been grateful for the escape the movie gave me because, again, I've been steeped in reality due to so many personal/family issues.
Then last Friday I went to see the new Jurassic World and the first movie is one of my favorite movies so no surprise I was going to make sure I went out to see it. Again I allowed myself to completely become submerged in the film. The kids seemed to like it too but my cousin's wife wasn't too fond of it. I actually noticed her flipping through her phone a couple times through the movie.
Also within this last week I picked up FY: Genbu Kaiden because I was a fan the original Fushigi Yugi and had picked this one up years ago but then I fell off the anime/manga addiction I'd had due to life but while in the library I saw volumes 1-11 and picked them up on a whim. I binge read the last few days of them and again got submerged in another world.
So what's the point of this post you might ask? Or maybe you won't but I'll state it anyway.
No matter what it is - art, music, film, tv, books... feed your brain. Feed your creative brain. And I believe my recent traipses through these worlds have proven to be beneficial because as I do my novel read through things have been sparking. Sparking is good. Sparking is the type of thing, for me, that'll find me in a corner whimpering about not knowing where to go next and suddenly be hit by a stored 'spark' from one of these many trips.
I'm building my arsenal. I'm getting ready for battle with this revision of the Three Year War. I'm feeling ready but in the meantime I think I'm going to continue feeding the brain. Going to try checking out some short stories and hopefully catching myself up on writing my own. Might also be taking the niece to see "Inside Out".
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Revision Goals
Earlier this week I had thought to make a goal of reading 3 chapters a day and realized I wouldn't be able to handle that, then I thought maybe 3 chapters a week but I didn't like the 10 week timeline, oh wait, no the 10 week timeline seemed feasible. I think I didn't like the idea of trying to do 1 chapter per week and revise it too because that meant at least 30 weeks if I stuck to it.
I think I still want to read 3 chapters a day, it's just the problem with that is that I end up wanting to fix things and maybe it's not a bad thing but I think I should probably get through reading it from front to back to get a good sense of the big picture. Which I think I do. I know in my revision I'd like to incorporate more of NoAw's POV since he was originally the fourth POV until Bee came in and took over. I also think I'm going to split out TYW. One section will be surrounding the 4 years before, During, and maybe the 4 years after. I'm still trying to workout the timeline.
Btw, reading Cinder right now. I'm sort of moving back and forth with my feelings about it but I like reading about the world and how nuggets are introduced which is helping me shape my own thoughts of how I should work the world in the TYW for the reader. Cinder is also making my mind tinker with my space story as well as the revenge deity story, as I read it, I find myself randomly thinking about scenes I've written down for the two novels.
At any rate... that is my update. I figured I should post something here since I've fallen off.
I think I still want to read 3 chapters a day, it's just the problem with that is that I end up wanting to fix things and maybe it's not a bad thing but I think I should probably get through reading it from front to back to get a good sense of the big picture. Which I think I do. I know in my revision I'd like to incorporate more of NoAw's POV since he was originally the fourth POV until Bee came in and took over. I also think I'm going to split out TYW. One section will be surrounding the 4 years before, During, and maybe the 4 years after. I'm still trying to workout the timeline.
Btw, reading Cinder right now. I'm sort of moving back and forth with my feelings about it but I like reading about the world and how nuggets are introduced which is helping me shape my own thoughts of how I should work the world in the TYW for the reader. Cinder is also making my mind tinker with my space story as well as the revenge deity story, as I read it, I find myself randomly thinking about scenes I've written down for the two novels.
At any rate... that is my update. I figured I should post something here since I've fallen off.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
When you think you have extra time...
Oh this week... this week... this week...
Well my writer brain has been very ON this week. As in seeing things and making connections for stories, mostly ideas as they relate to TYW and one big item was realizing that a scene I dreamt earlier this week, and the mysterious character was a potential tie in for one of the big picture ideas for TYW. A big picture idea that I hadn't realized until I thought more about who this new character was and how they might fit into the story. I'm still putting the pieces together but I think if I ever expanded TYW into a series or figured out a way to rework the first draft (making it turn into a larger book) I'd include this character AND probably include one of the final scenes I had thought to write but scrapped at the end. It's a scene my mind keeps coming back to time and time again but it seemed so random to add at the time but with this new scene in mind, it doesn't seem so random anymore.
I think the reason this is all making sense now because of the dream but also because I always remember this advice I've seen others writers suggest and that's combining ideas. I had the idea for the TYW years ago. Around the same time I believe I also had another idea, which seemed random and I never got very far with it, just some scenes, but now when I think about those scenes I can see them happening with Folly as the backdrop. Folly is the world within TYW. So hopefully tonight I'm going to try to free write/expand a bit on these two and write more about who I suspect this new character is and their significance to the story overall.
Besides TYW ideas sparking from just observing the world around me, I also heard this character voice this morning while getting dressed and it was bugging me on the morning commute then it hit me. And I started working out who it was and why it was they were saying what they'd been saying, jotted this one down as something related to L&P, the revenge deity story. So I'm very excited how my mind has been going this week and it's definitely coming at a time where I can use the distraction/getting lost in my own stories.
Given my work week with the various fires after the release with my projects I sought to shoot out of work early since we worked the release last Friday until 3am! Then I worked a bit on the weekend AND I took Monday off but I still had to sign on for issues with one of my project teams. So today not realizing it was going to be as quiet as it was I got the okay from my manager to leave early, went to the library with the intention of reading/writing and thought I was stealing some time for myself only for that to go down the drain :(
Tomorrow I'm going to be prepared. I plan on packing either my MD or TYW binder and heading to the library or a coffee shop for a solid hour of quiet time at least before I pick up my niece from school.
At any rate off to work on one of these ideas. Or maybe I might read. Or nap. Still a wee bit tired.
Well my writer brain has been very ON this week. As in seeing things and making connections for stories, mostly ideas as they relate to TYW and one big item was realizing that a scene I dreamt earlier this week, and the mysterious character was a potential tie in for one of the big picture ideas for TYW. A big picture idea that I hadn't realized until I thought more about who this new character was and how they might fit into the story. I'm still putting the pieces together but I think if I ever expanded TYW into a series or figured out a way to rework the first draft (making it turn into a larger book) I'd include this character AND probably include one of the final scenes I had thought to write but scrapped at the end. It's a scene my mind keeps coming back to time and time again but it seemed so random to add at the time but with this new scene in mind, it doesn't seem so random anymore.
I think the reason this is all making sense now because of the dream but also because I always remember this advice I've seen others writers suggest and that's combining ideas. I had the idea for the TYW years ago. Around the same time I believe I also had another idea, which seemed random and I never got very far with it, just some scenes, but now when I think about those scenes I can see them happening with Folly as the backdrop. Folly is the world within TYW. So hopefully tonight I'm going to try to free write/expand a bit on these two and write more about who I suspect this new character is and their significance to the story overall.
Besides TYW ideas sparking from just observing the world around me, I also heard this character voice this morning while getting dressed and it was bugging me on the morning commute then it hit me. And I started working out who it was and why it was they were saying what they'd been saying, jotted this one down as something related to L&P, the revenge deity story. So I'm very excited how my mind has been going this week and it's definitely coming at a time where I can use the distraction/getting lost in my own stories.
Given my work week with the various fires after the release with my projects I sought to shoot out of work early since we worked the release last Friday until 3am! Then I worked a bit on the weekend AND I took Monday off but I still had to sign on for issues with one of my project teams. So today not realizing it was going to be as quiet as it was I got the okay from my manager to leave early, went to the library with the intention of reading/writing and thought I was stealing some time for myself only for that to go down the drain :(
Tomorrow I'm going to be prepared. I plan on packing either my MD or TYW binder and heading to the library or a coffee shop for a solid hour of quiet time at least before I pick up my niece from school.
At any rate off to work on one of these ideas. Or maybe I might read. Or nap. Still a wee bit tired.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Finding where to start...
Today was an emotional and physically draining day. Not planning to get into it much more than that, I keep thinking I might post more what my life has become and in essence what my 'normal' is.
But instead I will note that I did go see another house today. My grandfather saw this one with me. It's one I checked out last month during an open house I also had intended to have my grandma see it today but after dropping her this morning I figured I'd rather not bother her about checking it out. I also mentally decided to do something but I'm not sure how far I'll get with actually seeing that through.
However after all is said and done last night I collected my MD material. I also took a glance at my TYW material and though I'd given up on trying to revise MD, I'm a glutton for punishment and can't just let it go. So my bed is currently covered in notes, both drafts of MD, multiple notebooks that I've captured stuff in at one point of time, beat sheets, beat sheet examples, scene outlines, novel outlines, pep talks, journal entries and some random things (such as an application and my niece's fieldtrip form for the zoo).
It's almost 10 here and I'm not sure how far I'll get but I feel good being surrounded in this mess. I was anxious to get lost in my mind today and now that everything is out, semi-organized I find myself wondering if I should just write the scene that's been tinkering in my mind though it's not fully fleshed out. Keep rereading and making notes for the placement of items and the overall timeline. Do some activities to get my mind going and brainstorm more or ... ... ...
I have my tunes playing. I think that's a good place to start :)
And in unrelated news I decided to deactivate my fb acct tonight. I think it'd been a long time coming since I hadn't really been using it and got a bit annoyed with all the messages. I'm also thinking of finally investing in a new phone/new line. I've had the same number since I was 15. At the very least I need to put it in my name.
Anywho, I'm off.
But instead I will note that I did go see another house today. My grandfather saw this one with me. It's one I checked out last month during an open house I also had intended to have my grandma see it today but after dropping her this morning I figured I'd rather not bother her about checking it out. I also mentally decided to do something but I'm not sure how far I'll get with actually seeing that through.
However after all is said and done last night I collected my MD material. I also took a glance at my TYW material and though I'd given up on trying to revise MD, I'm a glutton for punishment and can't just let it go. So my bed is currently covered in notes, both drafts of MD, multiple notebooks that I've captured stuff in at one point of time, beat sheets, beat sheet examples, scene outlines, novel outlines, pep talks, journal entries and some random things (such as an application and my niece's fieldtrip form for the zoo).
It's almost 10 here and I'm not sure how far I'll get but I feel good being surrounded in this mess. I was anxious to get lost in my mind today and now that everything is out, semi-organized I find myself wondering if I should just write the scene that's been tinkering in my mind though it's not fully fleshed out. Keep rereading and making notes for the placement of items and the overall timeline. Do some activities to get my mind going and brainstorm more or ... ... ...
I have my tunes playing. I think that's a good place to start :)
And in unrelated news I decided to deactivate my fb acct tonight. I think it'd been a long time coming since I hadn't really been using it and got a bit annoyed with all the messages. I'm also thinking of finally investing in a new phone/new line. I've had the same number since I was 15. At the very least I need to put it in my name.
Anywho, I'm off.
Friday, May 8, 2015
The Weekend... Yay!
I really wanted to write more but I'm super tired and it's been quite the week. A lot of just frustration and ache just sort of culminated yesterday but good came out of it, i.e. my grandma has been standing on her own over by the sink. Not the best way but at least she's getting up and trying to find the right balance so there's that.
I don't have much planned this weekend besides trying to read/finish a book and maybe work on MD since it's been on my brain. I really want to reread Part 1. I don't know how far I'll get given there's always something for me to do but given the forecast this weekend I'm thinking I won't be doing too much ripping/running. I may try to look at one house this weekend that has a pool ***excited*** Though looking at a house on a rainy day doesn't excite me. Reading on a rainy day on the other hand...
So I haven't had a weekend to do list in a while. Mostly because I don't have the time to get online as much. Between trying to stay atop of everything at work plus help/work with my grandma in her recovery, work with the niece, and my mom it is quite the juggling act and there's always a lot to remember. Like I forgot yesterday was the parent's night to see The Lion King and my niece was quite upset when she noticed I wasn't there. And I wanted to be there but I completely forgot that that was occurring yesterday. I did have her try to reenact it once we got home but I know for her seeing me there was the biggie and a couple staff told me she cried when she saw I wasn't there :(
But you know, I felt bad about it and should've put a reminder on my calendar or something but at the end of the day I'm prone to make mistakes just because of the nature of all I've taken on. Striving for perfection is my problem and trying to do it all but one thing I was able to walk away with this week is the direction. For the longest time I've felt as though I were being pulled but between yesterday and today I've arrived to a realization. Took a lot of mental fighting but it's one of those things where I've had the answer all along and basically a 'can't fight who you are'.
Anywho, none of that might make sense so in short what I basically said is "Tis swift" ^_^
Weekend To Do (before I jet off):
- Read 2-3 chapters of TROMD
- Revise SpaceShortStory
- Post said SpaceStory
- Watch "The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies"
- Work on one of my project for at least 30 minutes
I don't have much planned this weekend besides trying to read/finish a book and maybe work on MD since it's been on my brain. I really want to reread Part 1. I don't know how far I'll get given there's always something for me to do but given the forecast this weekend I'm thinking I won't be doing too much ripping/running. I may try to look at one house this weekend that has a pool ***excited*** Though looking at a house on a rainy day doesn't excite me. Reading on a rainy day on the other hand...
So I haven't had a weekend to do list in a while. Mostly because I don't have the time to get online as much. Between trying to stay atop of everything at work plus help/work with my grandma in her recovery, work with the niece, and my mom it is quite the juggling act and there's always a lot to remember. Like I forgot yesterday was the parent's night to see The Lion King and my niece was quite upset when she noticed I wasn't there. And I wanted to be there but I completely forgot that that was occurring yesterday. I did have her try to reenact it once we got home but I know for her seeing me there was the biggie and a couple staff told me she cried when she saw I wasn't there :(
But you know, I felt bad about it and should've put a reminder on my calendar or something but at the end of the day I'm prone to make mistakes just because of the nature of all I've taken on. Striving for perfection is my problem and trying to do it all but one thing I was able to walk away with this week is the direction. For the longest time I've felt as though I were being pulled but between yesterday and today I've arrived to a realization. Took a lot of mental fighting but it's one of those things where I've had the answer all along and basically a 'can't fight who you are'.
Anywho, none of that might make sense so in short what I basically said is "Tis swift" ^_^
Weekend To Do (before I jet off):
- Read 2-3 chapters of TROMD
- Revise SpaceShortStory
- Post said SpaceStory
- Watch "The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies"
- Work on one of my project for at least 30 minutes
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