Hello!
I've been writing my (assigned) query letter and this fine lady recommended that I use this fine website to help me out (because writing a one-page letter is harder than writing a 400-page manuscript. True story!). Specifically, there is a section in the sidebar that is dedicated to everything you wanted to know about queries. I've only read a few articles and already it's been hugely helpful, specifically this article. So here's a little plug for KidLit. (because that's what I've been talking about this whole time. For those of you who have been too lazy to click on the link above. Shame on you.)
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Lama Glamas
HEY GUESS WHAT. Remember the plot for my original IP?
Turns out it wasn't working. At all. Maybe I'll go back to it later. I still really like my characters, but they just... didn't do anything. And that's no good for novel-writing. So we'll just put them on the backburner for a while (sorry, Virginia).
My new IP has...
(drumroll)
llamas.
It was really late at night and I just needed a chapter and my other story wasn't working so I just found an online prompt generator and it told me to put llamas in my story so I did and that's just how it happened OKAY.
We had a good discussion about it in class, though. They gave me a lot of good ideas about where I can go with it. So now it doesn't sound quite so stupid anymore.
Well, no. It's still about llamas. So it's still pretty stupid. But hopefully in a good way. Can that happen?
Also, Becca recommended that I read this book, which is Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs. She said it had the same feel as the beginning of my story. So that's what I'm going to be reading next week! And maybe that will inspire me as I write my IP.
Hey, I just realized that this is my last (required) blog post of the semester. Weird! This semester has gone by so quickly, which is sort of a cliche thing to say, but it feels especially true in this case. Part of me feels like I should be going back to the same classes after Christmas. But I won't.
Oh dang, now I'm getting all sentimental/emotional. (What exactly is the difference between those two words? I guess I should look it up.)
Anyway, for the people in my class that read my blog: I'll probably keep posting updates semi-regularly. Even though I think only two people in my class read this, one of those being my sister. But I digress. Writing about writing makes you want to keep writing, you know? It's like I'm accountable to my audience (even though there are only two people out there) and I can't let my "fans" down, so I have to have at least a little writing to share with the world.
Does that make sense?
But in any case. It's been a blast, Fall Semester. Thanks for the good times.
And the llamas.
P.S. "Emotional" refers to feelings of joy, sadness, love, hate, etc. While "sentimental" can also refer to these same feelings, it usually has a connotation of remembering the past, or nostalgia.
Turns out it wasn't working. At all. Maybe I'll go back to it later. I still really like my characters, but they just... didn't do anything. And that's no good for novel-writing. So we'll just put them on the backburner for a while (sorry, Virginia).
My new IP has...
(drumroll)
llamas.
It was really late at night and I just needed a chapter and my other story wasn't working so I just found an online prompt generator and it told me to put llamas in my story so I did and that's just how it happened OKAY.
We had a good discussion about it in class, though. They gave me a lot of good ideas about where I can go with it. So now it doesn't sound quite so stupid anymore.
Well, no. It's still about llamas. So it's still pretty stupid. But hopefully in a good way. Can that happen?
Also, Becca recommended that I read this book, which is Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs. She said it had the same feel as the beginning of my story. So that's what I'm going to be reading next week! And maybe that will inspire me as I write my IP.
Hey, I just realized that this is my last (required) blog post of the semester. Weird! This semester has gone by so quickly, which is sort of a cliche thing to say, but it feels especially true in this case. Part of me feels like I should be going back to the same classes after Christmas. But I won't.
Oh dang, now I'm getting all sentimental/emotional. (What exactly is the difference between those two words? I guess I should look it up.)
Anyway, for the people in my class that read my blog: I'll probably keep posting updates semi-regularly. Even though I think only two people in my class read this, one of those being my sister. But I digress. Writing about writing makes you want to keep writing, you know? It's like I'm accountable to my audience (even though there are only two people out there) and I can't let my "fans" down, so I have to have at least a little writing to share with the world.
Does that make sense?
But in any case. It's been a blast, Fall Semester. Thanks for the good times.
And the llamas.
P.S. "Emotional" refers to feelings of joy, sadness, love, hate, etc. While "sentimental" can also refer to these same feelings, it usually has a connotation of remembering the past, or nostalgia.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Curtain Call
For some reason, this blog post has been really difficult to write. I don't know why though! It's just not coming very easily today.
I started my IP this week! I'm really excited for it, because my main character is a bit of a snot. Gotta love those. But also because it's about theatre. And that, dear readers, is my secret love.
I love the painted sets, and obviously-not-real props, the garish costumes. I love memorizing lines, and going to six-hour-long rehearsals, and even sitting doing nothing because all you got was a tiny supporting role. I love opening night, with the bright lights and the where's-my-prop-I'm-in-the-next-scene panic and the (hopefully) deafening roar of applause as we all make our bows.
I love it and it's ridiculous.
Ergo, my IP.
Virginia Claremont (still not certain about that last name-- it might need to be a little more flashy) has a passion for acting-- and she's good at it, too. That's how she lands the lead female role in the school musical. It just so happens that Bob*, the most gorgeous thing to ever walk on a pair of legs, is cast as the lead male, and, as I mentioned in a previous post, shenanigans ensue!
*Note: Bob is not his name. Sooooo not his name. But he's such an obvious nod to a real-live person that I'm slightly embarrassed to call him by his name. Because it's the same name as the real-live person is what I'm getting at. I'll probably change his name. Later.
Anyhow. There's my IP, a tiny bit more fleshed out!
Also, I always forget to put in a little segment of my writing. So! Here's some writing. It's a tiny interaction between Virginia and the love of her life (as she likes to think of him). It's not really a hugely fleshed-out scene yet, so. It might seem... odd. But I love these two.
“‘ey, Virginia!”
I jumped. I knew that voice. I plastered a confident smile onto my face before I turned. “Hey, *Bob*!”
There he was, standing there like a Greek god. The most wonderful man on the face of the planet. The answer to all my prayers. And the lead male role in the upcoming school musical.
“Heard you got the lead in the musical.” His smile was so adorable, sitting on his face, crooked and relaxed, like it could stay there all day.
“Heard you did too,” I said, grinning back.
*Bob* shrugged and rubbed the back of his head, tousling his dark curls. My heart fluttered.
Sweet heaven above that kid was beautiful.
I know that putting the name "Bob" in there kind of ruins the effect a little bit, but oh well. That just shows the importance of good names, I guess!
OK that's all I have for you tonight. Gotta get back to writing.**
**I so wish this were the case. I actually have to study for a chem exam. Which is ridiculous. Seriously, scheduling an exam when the final is only two weeks away, I ask you, grumble grumble...
I started my IP this week! I'm really excited for it, because my main character is a bit of a snot. Gotta love those. But also because it's about theatre. And that, dear readers, is my secret love.
I love the painted sets, and obviously-not-real props, the garish costumes. I love memorizing lines, and going to six-hour-long rehearsals, and even sitting doing nothing because all you got was a tiny supporting role. I love opening night, with the bright lights and the where's-my-prop-I'm-in-the-next-scene panic and the (hopefully) deafening roar of applause as we all make our bows.
I love it and it's ridiculous.
Ergo, my IP.
Virginia Claremont (still not certain about that last name-- it might need to be a little more flashy) has a passion for acting-- and she's good at it, too. That's how she lands the lead female role in the school musical. It just so happens that Bob*, the most gorgeous thing to ever walk on a pair of legs, is cast as the lead male, and, as I mentioned in a previous post, shenanigans ensue!
*Note: Bob is not his name. Sooooo not his name. But he's such an obvious nod to a real-live person that I'm slightly embarrassed to call him by his name. Because it's the same name as the real-live person is what I'm getting at. I'll probably change his name. Later.
Anyhow. There's my IP, a tiny bit more fleshed out!
Also, I always forget to put in a little segment of my writing. So! Here's some writing. It's a tiny interaction between Virginia and the love of her life (as she likes to think of him). It's not really a hugely fleshed-out scene yet, so. It might seem... odd. But I love these two.
“‘ey, Virginia!”
I jumped. I knew that voice. I plastered a confident smile onto my face before I turned. “Hey, *Bob*!”
There he was, standing there like a Greek god. The most wonderful man on the face of the planet. The answer to all my prayers. And the lead male role in the upcoming school musical.
“Heard you got the lead in the musical.” His smile was so adorable, sitting on his face, crooked and relaxed, like it could stay there all day.
“Heard you did too,” I said, grinning back.
*Bob* shrugged and rubbed the back of his head, tousling his dark curls. My heart fluttered.
Sweet heaven above that kid was beautiful.
I know that putting the name "Bob" in there kind of ruins the effect a little bit, but oh well. That just shows the importance of good names, I guess!
OK that's all I have for you tonight. Gotta get back to writing.**
**I so wish this were the case. I actually have to study for a chem exam. Which is ridiculous. Seriously, scheduling an exam when the final is only two weeks away, I ask you, grumble grumble...
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thankful
I don't think anyone is surprised that I forgot to blog today.
doh.
Anyway. First things first: my individual project.
Still stressing out about this. But I have an idea, and I think it might be a good one. So here's the pitch:
I want to write (two chapters or so) about this person (still trying to decide girl or boy-- girl is easier, and might make more sense, but I've never written a boy for this class) who is in theatre. Shenanigans ensue! I like this because maybe I can play with form with this one! And that's fun.
So: who's excited for Thanksgiving? I am. Here is why:
food
that's all.
No, it's not. But it is a lot of why I'm excited. But also I'm excited for time. What with all the work my chemistry class piles on me I rarely have time for anything other than homework. So! It is lovely to have time for things that are a little more fun and exciting.
Like reading or playing my guitar or drinking hot cocoa without abandon.
...this sounds so lovely that I am going to do all of these things right now.
ok probably not right now but definitely when I wake up
doh.
Anyway. First things first: my individual project.
Still stressing out about this. But I have an idea, and I think it might be a good one. So here's the pitch:
I want to write (two chapters or so) about this person (still trying to decide girl or boy-- girl is easier, and might make more sense, but I've never written a boy for this class) who is in theatre. Shenanigans ensue! I like this because maybe I can play with form with this one! And that's fun.
So: who's excited for Thanksgiving? I am. Here is why:
food
that's all.
No, it's not. But it is a lot of why I'm excited. But also I'm excited for time. What with all the work my chemistry class piles on me I rarely have time for anything other than homework. So! It is lovely to have time for things that are a little more fun and exciting.
Like reading or playing my guitar or drinking hot cocoa without abandon.
...this sounds so lovely that I am going to do all of these things right now.
ok probably not right now but definitely when I wake up
Thursday, November 17, 2011
In Which I Berate Myself In The Third Person
Guess who forgot to blog!
Yeah, Heidi, how is this any different than normal
So we won’t dwell on that.
Finished my short story! Well, “finished”. There are still things I want to change about it, but I’m pretty sure that even published authors feel that way about their work. But it’s a good, solid draft that I don’t feel absolutely terrified to turn in. So that’s what I’ve been writing this week.
I’ve been thinking about what to do for my Individual Project and I have
no
idea
at all.
This is frightening, because I am a slow writer. I can’t word-sprint to save my life. Not even if a giant word-bear was chasing me through a thick word-forest. Deadlines are my writing downfall.
Wow, Heidi, that’s surprising and no one could have guessed this
Let’s move on to what I’ve read this week.
I bought and finished Crossed, by Ally Condie. I also got to meet her (again!) and she is
so
nice.
How can a person be so nice? It’s ridiculous.
Anyway, I would recommend Crossed, especially to people who liked the first book, Matched. It is a sequel that does not disappoint.
I haven’t started M is for Magic yet (sorry Becca) but I definitely will this weekend.
Oh are you, Heidi, or are you going to watch cat videos on youtube instead of doing anything productive
...I really shouldn’t let you guys see me talk to myself. It’s embarrassing.
Yeah, Heidi, how is this any different than normal
So we won’t dwell on that.
Finished my short story! Well, “finished”. There are still things I want to change about it, but I’m pretty sure that even published authors feel that way about their work. But it’s a good, solid draft that I don’t feel absolutely terrified to turn in. So that’s what I’ve been writing this week.
I’ve been thinking about what to do for my Individual Project and I have
no
idea
at all.
This is frightening, because I am a slow writer. I can’t word-sprint to save my life. Not even if a giant word-bear was chasing me through a thick word-forest. Deadlines are my writing downfall.
Wow, Heidi, that’s surprising and no one could have guessed this
Let’s move on to what I’ve read this week.
I bought and finished Crossed, by Ally Condie. I also got to meet her (again!) and she is
so
nice.
How can a person be so nice? It’s ridiculous.
Anyway, I would recommend Crossed, especially to people who liked the first book, Matched. It is a sequel that does not disappoint.
I haven’t started M is for Magic yet (sorry Becca) but I definitely will this weekend.
Oh are you, Heidi, or are you going to watch cat videos on youtube instead of doing anything productive
...I really shouldn’t let you guys see me talk to myself. It’s embarrassing.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Get Lost or Get Back
This week I finished my ghosts story
and I hated it so much that I wrote "and it was all a dream" at the end. Because it was that stupid.
Well, maybe not, though. Three people in class today came up and told me they really liked it. So maybe it's not hopeless. I guess I'll keep working on it.
Though if I still absolutely hate it after reworking it, then I am dropping it faster thana hot potato after it's been sitting in the core of the Earth for 3,000 years a baby giraffe a suspicious pebble on the ground that actually turns out to be a bug something fast.
...just kidding. I just wanted an excuse to make up a ridiculous comparison.
(kind of a weak comparison though. Check back sometime over the course of this next week. I'm sure I'll have changed it at least three times)
Anyway. I've been thinking about what to write for my final project in this class of mine. I'm still trying to decide if I should whip up something new or reuse one of my old projects.
(by the way now I'm thinking of those pineapple dole whips from Disneyland)
(yum)
(anyway)
We'll see where that takes me.
Well, I suppose that was a little update about my writing life this week. Here's been my reading life:
my chemistry book
yaaaay
I went to the library yesterday, though, and got a collection of short stories called M Is for Magic by Neil Gaiman. I've heard some good things about Mr Gaiman, so I'm excited to read this. That'll probably happen on Friday after my chemistry test. In that after-test stage where you want to do nothing so you sit in your room and eventually you get up and wonder what you've been doing with your life for the past four hours because you can't really remember but you think that maybe you watched some cat videos on youtube
or is that just me
that's probably just me isn't it
and I hated it so much that I wrote "and it was all a dream" at the end. Because it was that stupid.
Well, maybe not, though. Three people in class today came up and told me they really liked it. So maybe it's not hopeless. I guess I'll keep working on it.
Though if I still absolutely hate it after reworking it, then I am dropping it faster than
...just kidding. I just wanted an excuse to make up a ridiculous comparison.
(kind of a weak comparison though. Check back sometime over the course of this next week. I'm sure I'll have changed it at least three times)
Anyway. I've been thinking about what to write for my final project in this class of mine. I'm still trying to decide if I should whip up something new or reuse one of my old projects.
(by the way now I'm thinking of those pineapple dole whips from Disneyland)
(yum)
(anyway)
We'll see where that takes me.
Well, I suppose that was a little update about my writing life this week. Here's been my reading life:
my chemistry book
yaaaay
I went to the library yesterday, though, and got a collection of short stories called M Is for Magic by Neil Gaiman. I've heard some good things about Mr Gaiman, so I'm excited to read this. That'll probably happen on Friday after my chemistry test. In that after-test stage where you want to do nothing so you sit in your room and eventually you get up and wonder what you've been doing with your life for the past four hours because you can't really remember but you think that maybe you watched some cat videos on youtube
or is that just me
that's probably just me isn't it
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Saved
"I woke up and the air tasted like snow. The frost was white on the grass, but the places where sun shone through the breaks in the tree leaves left patches of green on the lawn. The air was bright, as if it were summer, but the winter chill nipped at any exposed skin, reminding you that the days of August were far behind you, and the cold seeped through your skin and into your bones no matter how many layers you had on.
This was how I knew our house had a ghost."
A short anecdote:
Last Tuesday, I was up pretty late trying to churn out a rough draft for my ghosts story. It was being stubborn, but I yanked and tugged until it was in a jumbled mess all over my page. Throwing my hands in the air in exasperation (metaphorically, of course-- not sure anyone actually throws their hands up in exasperation), I decided to just go to bed.
When I dragged myself out of bed the next morning and got out my computer, I saw that it wouldn't turn on.
What.
After repeatedly pressing the power button, my computer finally turned on.
First thought: "Aw no, all my firefox tabs closed, dang iiiiiiit"
Second thought: "Oh no oh no oh no oh no I forgot to save my YA story oh no oh no oh no" etc etc.
Moral of the story: Save often, because your computer might randomly stop working for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
I left for school on my rusty old bike (at least I assume it's rust-- the seat won't move at all) thinking about how I had to rewrite that whole thing. It was particularly cold outside, and I was so grumpy. What was I going to write?
My first YA story (the one I lost) was not coming together at all. Not even the beginning paragraph, which is the part of the story that comes easiest to me. I felt like I was literally wrestling with my brain (yeah, literally) for this story. And now I had to write it again?
So, I ditched it.
And I'm much more excited about this new story. So much more that I started this post out with the first few lines of said new story.
Moral of the story: Don't save that often?
This was how I knew our house had a ghost."
A short anecdote:
Last Tuesday, I was up pretty late trying to churn out a rough draft for my ghosts story. It was being stubborn, but I yanked and tugged until it was in a jumbled mess all over my page. Throwing my hands in the air in exasperation (metaphorically, of course-- not sure anyone actually throws their hands up in exasperation), I decided to just go to bed.
When I dragged myself out of bed the next morning and got out my computer, I saw that it wouldn't turn on.
What.
After repeatedly pressing the power button, my computer finally turned on.
First thought: "Aw no, all my firefox tabs closed, dang iiiiiiit"
Second thought: "Oh no oh no oh no oh no I forgot to save my YA story oh no oh no oh no" etc etc.
Moral of the story: Save often, because your computer might randomly stop working for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
I left for school on my rusty old bike (at least I assume it's rust-- the seat won't move at all) thinking about how I had to rewrite that whole thing. It was particularly cold outside, and I was so grumpy. What was I going to write?
My first YA story (the one I lost) was not coming together at all. Not even the beginning paragraph, which is the part of the story that comes easiest to me. I felt like I was literally wrestling with my brain (yeah, literally) for this story. And now I had to write it again?
So, I ditched it.
And I'm much more excited about this new story. So much more that I started this post out with the first few lines of said new story.
Moral of the story: Don't save that often?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Cuss.
I feel like I have to make an additional post regarding my YA story that I mentioned in the previous post.
Something bad happened.
Of all the worst things that could happen, this is
THE
WORST
POSSIBLE
THING.
my computer crashed and I lost my whole YA story
Something bad happened.
Of all the worst things that could happen, this is
THE
WORST
POSSIBLE
THING.
my computer crashed and I lost my whole YA story
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Ghosts
Guess what guys! Halloween is in less than a week! Who's excited? I'm excited. Are you excited?
Halloween is the best holiday because it revolves solely on candy and dressing up, which are two of the most awesome things in the world.
So speaking of Halloween, I didn't get to finish my teenage-ghosts book because it was due back at the library, but I was sort of OK with it because I'm 83% sure it didn't have real ghosts in it. So I think I will go to the library tomorrow and check out some books because now I don't have any!
And speaking of ghosts, in class today, we talked about spooky things like vampires and ghosts because Halloween is upon us. We also worked on our young adult novels.
OK, here's the thing about YA novels. I don't really like writing them (or reading them sometimes). I always feel pressured to make it a little more "edgy" or "serious" because YA is all about internal conflict (yeah, not entirely, I know, but still. More than a middle grade novel).
And the problem with this is that is sounds so BORING to me. Some people can do it, and do it really well. I am not one of those people. So to get around this feeling of I-have-to-write-about-how-hard-high-school-is or something (because there seem to be a lot of books like that), I like to throw something a little supernatural or other-worldly into my novels aimed toward YA. Just to lighten the mood a bit.
Example: Once I wrote about a girl who found a genie in the high school bathroom. That was fun.
So this time, I'm thinking a ghost. Because I've never written about ghosts before! And ghosts are great.
And that's how the two statements I wrote five paragraphs ago relate to each other.
I'm having a lot of trouble with this story, so all I have for you today is one line I managed to squeeze out of my brain:
"I like going to the zoo when I’m upset because animals aren’t stupid like people are. So that’s where I was the day that Nick dumped me."
P.S. I don't want this to sound like I hate books that are edgy or really traumatic or something like that. I'm just saying I hate writing them. And sometimes there are books that write something edgy solely because it's "in", and that's what I'm trying to avoid. It's just not my style.
ok how many people have I offended with this post
Halloween is the best holiday because it revolves solely on candy and dressing up, which are two of the most awesome things in the world.
So speaking of Halloween, I didn't get to finish my teenage-ghosts book because it was due back at the library, but I was sort of OK with it because I'm 83% sure it didn't have real ghosts in it. So I think I will go to the library tomorrow and check out some books because now I don't have any!
And speaking of ghosts, in class today, we talked about spooky things like vampires and ghosts because Halloween is upon us. We also worked on our young adult novels.
OK, here's the thing about YA novels. I don't really like writing them (or reading them sometimes). I always feel pressured to make it a little more "edgy" or "serious" because YA is all about internal conflict (yeah, not entirely, I know, but still. More than a middle grade novel).
And the problem with this is that is sounds so BORING to me. Some people can do it, and do it really well. I am not one of those people. So to get around this feeling of I-have-to-write-about-how-hard-high-school-is or something (because there seem to be a lot of books like that), I like to throw something a little supernatural or other-worldly into my novels aimed toward YA. Just to lighten the mood a bit.
Example: Once I wrote about a girl who found a genie in the high school bathroom. That was fun.
So this time, I'm thinking a ghost. Because I've never written about ghosts before! And ghosts are great.
And that's how the two statements I wrote five paragraphs ago relate to each other.
I'm having a lot of trouble with this story, so all I have for you today is one line I managed to squeeze out of my brain:
"I like going to the zoo when I’m upset because animals aren’t stupid like people are. So that’s where I was the day that Nick dumped me."
P.S. I don't want this to sound like I hate books that are edgy or really traumatic or something like that. I'm just saying I hate writing them. And sometimes there are books that write something edgy solely because it's "in", and that's what I'm trying to avoid. It's just not my style.
ok how many people have I offended with this post
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Hyphens and Italics
Holy what-happened-to-updating-on-Tuesdays, Batman!
I really don't know what happened. I just woke up today and realized I hadn't updated my blog. D'oh!
Anyhow, on to the good stuff.
I'm about 2/3 of the way through my high-school-ghosts book. I like it it a lot better than I did before. But I'm a bit saddened by the mysterious lack of ghosts so far. I'm beginning to think that the "ghosts" might be... *gulp* metaphorical. Don't know how I feel about this yet.
Though to be fair, there have been mentions of ghosts and talk of ghosts, and part of a really good ghost story is that you don't know if there's a ghost until the end. But I just really don't want the "Ghosts of Ashbury High" to be all metaphorical.
So if this ghost book turns out to be a bust, someone had better recommend me a new ghost book because I have a hankering for some creepy-ghouly-shrieking-ghosty ghosts.
Side note: What is everybody gonna be for Halloween? I'm thinking Harry Potter because I have the perfect sweater for it. Plus the short hair, too.
Writing this week has been interesting! I woke up early Tuesday morning to put the finishing touches on my short story and got so into it that I completely missed my first class (oops) and almost forgot to go to my writing class (double oops). It was fun though! I'm thinking that maybe I should do that more often (wake up early and write, not skip one and a half classes).
Yeah. It's fun. Might expand this from a short story into a small novel. Who knows!
I really don't know what happened. I just woke up today and realized I hadn't updated my blog. D'oh!
Anyhow, on to the good stuff.
I'm about 2/3 of the way through my high-school-ghosts book. I like it it a lot better than I did before. But I'm a bit saddened by the mysterious lack of ghosts so far. I'm beginning to think that the "ghosts" might be... *gulp* metaphorical. Don't know how I feel about this yet.
Though to be fair, there have been mentions of ghosts and talk of ghosts, and part of a really good ghost story is that you don't know if there's a ghost until the end. But I just really don't want the "Ghosts of Ashbury High" to be all metaphorical.
So if this ghost book turns out to be a bust, someone had better recommend me a new ghost book because I have a hankering for some creepy-ghouly-shrieking-ghosty ghosts.
Side note: What is everybody gonna be for Halloween? I'm thinking Harry Potter because I have the perfect sweater for it. Plus the short hair, too.
Writing this week has been interesting! I woke up early Tuesday morning to put the finishing touches on my short story and got so into it that I completely missed my first class (oops) and almost forgot to go to my writing class (double oops). It was fun though! I'm thinking that maybe I should do that more often (wake up early and write, not skip one and a half classes).
And so, this week, I'm going to post a bit of that short story (a character description, to be precise) because I got so excited about the story and the characters and it was so awesome that I almost didn't go to school. So here, meet Anthony:
"I practically dragged Anthony to my house so he could help me get my presidential act in order. I decided that if I wanted to be president, I’d better get serious about it. And if anyone could help me, it was Anthony.
See, Anthony is this guy who wears about a million hats, which is something my mom says about my dad because he’s really good at a lot of things. I’m not sure what hats has to do with it, but I guess it’s just an expression.
Anyway, Anthony knows about a lot of things. He knows about video games, and math, and how to make a perfect s’more, and how to talk to someone you have a crush on.
He also knew about people and how to make them like you. I knew that because everyone at school liked him."
See, Anthony is this guy who wears about a million hats, which is something my mom says about my dad because he’s really good at a lot of things. I’m not sure what hats has to do with it, but I guess it’s just an expression.
Anyway, Anthony knows about a lot of things. He knows about video games, and math, and how to make a perfect s’more, and how to talk to someone you have a crush on.
He also knew about people and how to make them like you. I knew that because everyone at school liked him."
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Take Two
Well, as promised, here I am making a post when I am a bit more lucid. Who's excited? Come on, raise your hands.
Anyway. I realized that I made a few mistakes in the last post, the first one being that apparently my roommate got Forest Born, the second book of the Books of Bayern series. Everything about this is a lie. Firstly, Forest Born is the third book in the series and secondly, she got River Secrets.
Way to go, Self.
Anyway. Another mistake I made: I neglected to say that I picked up The Ghosts of Ashbury High, by Jaclyn Moriarty (which I think is a brilliant last name, by the way). In class on Tuesday, we started talking about ghosts and Halloween, and I remembered how much I love ghost stories. And then I remembered that we got this ghost book from the library a while ago. So I started to read it.
It's all right so far. The characters are a little too quirky for me, but I'm still interested in where this plot is going. So I'll press on.
In my writing this week, I have learned that no matter how many times I try to write this story, something always happens to make me forget to save and then I lose my writing.
...
I'm not going to say much more about that. Because we don't want cuss words to slip out.
But I will say that in a weird, cruel way, it's kind of nice to have your writing deleted for you. I get way too attached to my writing, even if it's not very good and I know it. And cutting things out sometimes feels like throwing out a beloved stuffed animal or something of the sort. But when it just gets deleted, it helps me remember that these are just words. It's OK to delete, scrap, cross out as many words as I want to. Because they're just words!
Well, right now, at least. Maybe one day they'll grow up to be something more.
Dang, did I just ruin my metaphor there? (the answer is yes)
And on that note, I hope this post was a little more palatable than the previous one.
Goodnight, internet.
Anyway. I realized that I made a few mistakes in the last post, the first one being that apparently my roommate got Forest Born, the second book of the Books of Bayern series. Everything about this is a lie. Firstly, Forest Born is the third book in the series and secondly, she got River Secrets.
Way to go, Self.
Anyway. Another mistake I made: I neglected to say that I picked up The Ghosts of Ashbury High, by Jaclyn Moriarty (which I think is a brilliant last name, by the way). In class on Tuesday, we started talking about ghosts and Halloween, and I remembered how much I love ghost stories. And then I remembered that we got this ghost book from the library a while ago. So I started to read it.
It's all right so far. The characters are a little too quirky for me, but I'm still interested in where this plot is going. So I'll press on.
In my writing this week, I have learned that no matter how many times I try to write this story, something always happens to make me forget to save and then I lose my writing.
...
I'm not going to say much more about that. Because we don't want cuss words to slip out.
But I will say that in a weird, cruel way, it's kind of nice to have your writing deleted for you. I get way too attached to my writing, even if it's not very good and I know it. And cutting things out sometimes feels like throwing out a beloved stuffed animal or something of the sort. But when it just gets deleted, it helps me remember that these are just words. It's OK to delete, scrap, cross out as many words as I want to. Because they're just words!
Well, right now, at least. Maybe one day they'll grow up to be something more.
Dang, did I just ruin my metaphor there? (the answer is yes)
And on that note, I hope this post was a little more palatable than the previous one.
Goodnight, internet.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Most Boring Post Ever
I hate to be that kind of person on the internet who always says things like "I'm so tired".
So I'm not gonna say that.
I am going to say that I started reading a book called Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. I'm not exactly sure what it's about yet, because I only just started reading it, but it seems pretty interesting.
Also, my roommate got Forest Born by Shannon Hale, which is the sequel to Goose Girl, and so I am very excited to read that in the upcoming week or so. Because I happen to love Shannon Hale.
And, as I am now running out of steam as far as this blog post goes, I'm just going to sign off and hopefully write something a little more coherent tomorrow. Because I am realizing that this is the most boring post on the internet.
See you in the morning.
So I'm not gonna say that.
I am going to say that I started reading a book called Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. I'm not exactly sure what it's about yet, because I only just started reading it, but it seems pretty interesting.
Also, my roommate got Forest Born by Shannon Hale, which is the sequel to Goose Girl, and so I am very excited to read that in the upcoming week or so. Because I happen to love Shannon Hale.
And, as I am now running out of steam as far as this blog post goes, I'm just going to sign off and hopefully write something a little more coherent tomorrow. Because I am realizing that this is the most boring post on the internet.
See you in the morning.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Pinky Promise
Before I get to the meat of this post, let me say this one thing:
I
am
so
tired.
A few days ago I told myself that I was going to get up at 6 am so I would be awake and ready for class on time. Plus it gives me some time before school to finish any homework I may have put off.
However.
The moment I set my alarm for 6 am was the same moment my body decided "You know what? I don't think I'll go to sleep until 4 am. Is that all right with you?"
No, it's not all right.
But I digress. I merely state this in case this post comes across as uncharacteristically grumpy (and by this I mean "more grumpy than usual"). Plus it's a good excuse for the fact that...
I haven't read many books this week. Or written all that much.
*shame*
That is your one job in this class. Your one job.
(thought maybe that's two jobs)
Chastisement aside, I did manage to write the bones of a short story, of which I am proud. The last time I had to write a short story was for my creative writing class in my senior year of high school, and I actually didn't even finish that one. I realized it was becoming too long, so I cut it off at a "good" place and turned it in like that. Because my teacher was not a harsh grader at all. ("Not harsh" as in "I got 100% on it". Yep.)
But this time I actually finished something! Which is a thing that I struggle with. I can't tell you how many beginnings to stories I have saved on my computer. So go me!
On that note, I remember that I have not yet finished studying for a chemistry test that I have to take tomorrow, so I must leave this post at that.
And I'll read/write more next week so I have more to share with the world. Pinky promise.
P.S. If anyone has extra Oreos laying around, please send them my way at once, as they are my favorite study-food and I am currently Oreo-less. Plus I'm pretty sure they make me do better on tests.
I
am
so
tired.
A few days ago I told myself that I was going to get up at 6 am so I would be awake and ready for class on time. Plus it gives me some time before school to finish any homework I may have put off.
However.
The moment I set my alarm for 6 am was the same moment my body decided "You know what? I don't think I'll go to sleep until 4 am. Is that all right with you?"
No, it's not all right.
But I digress. I merely state this in case this post comes across as uncharacteristically grumpy (and by this I mean "more grumpy than usual"). Plus it's a good excuse for the fact that...
I haven't read many books this week. Or written all that much.
*shame*
That is your one job in this class. Your one job.
(thought maybe that's two jobs)
Chastisement aside, I did manage to write the bones of a short story, of which I am proud. The last time I had to write a short story was for my creative writing class in my senior year of high school, and I actually didn't even finish that one. I realized it was becoming too long, so I cut it off at a "good" place and turned it in like that. Because my teacher was not a harsh grader at all. ("Not harsh" as in "I got 100% on it". Yep.)
But this time I actually finished something! Which is a thing that I struggle with. I can't tell you how many beginnings to stories I have saved on my computer. So go me!
On that note, I remember that I have not yet finished studying for a chemistry test that I have to take tomorrow, so I must leave this post at that.
And I'll read/write more next week so I have more to share with the world. Pinky promise.
P.S. If anyone has extra Oreos laying around, please send them my way at once, as they are my favorite study-food and I am currently Oreo-less. Plus I'm pretty sure they make me do better on tests.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
I Have A Problem With 12:00 Deadlines
Multiple times today, I was asked what I did this weekend, and I tried and tried to remember what I spent all that time doing.
I couldn't remember.
So, this entry will be short and sweet due to my memory lapse.
I do remember, however, that I read This Is What I Did by our own Ann Dee Ellis (and by "our own" I mean the professor who told me to make this blog. But I digress.). I liked it. I really liked it. And I'm not just saying that because I'm being graded by the author. I liked Logan and totally related to how he deals with problems.
But most of all I loved his mom.
Oh, Mom.
She was so believable. She wants so badly to be a good mom, especially after the whole "Zyler" incident, but it just... doesn't always work for her.
Poor Mom.
Moving on, this past week we started writing for middle graders.
Side note: I was talking with a friend and she referred to a particular movie as being for "medium kids". I said, "You mean middle graders?" And she had no idea what I was talking about. I was shocked that she had never heard them referred to as "middle graders".
Anyway. We started to write for medium kids, and from those writings I have chosen my favorite piece for the week (I know it's not technically from my writing journal, but the journal just seemed so lackluster this week. So sue me.). It's about school lunch:
"At lunch you have to hurry in so you can sit with the girls instead of the boys because each table has only a certain amount of seats so you want to get there early so you don’t have to sit with the boys. Nikki usually gets there last and has to sit at the boys table and everyone thinks she’s weird. We’re not allowed to share our lunches, which is OK because Jessica might want to trade sandwiches with me but hers looks gross because her parents don’t know that when you put tomatoes on a sandwich you have to put it between the lettuce or else the bread gets soggy and gross. Mary Grace has a lunchables and a soda and I’m always jealous of that because I want a lunchables too. But I have a peanut butter sandwich instead. I have doritos and a capri sun too, but today it’s the strawberry kind and I hate the strawberry kind. Kierra has the fruit punch kind and that’s my favorite, but it’s her least favorite and she likes the strawberry kind best. We talk about how it’s weird that we both have a capri sun that the other one likes but we drink our own juice because we’re not allowed to share."
That first sentence is a bit of a run-on sentence, and to be honest, I actually cut out a bit of it and it's still ridiculously long, but there you go. I like this piece because it is 100% true and 100% fiction.
And, with that little nugget of wisdom, I bid you all goodbye for now, because I have a chemistry test to study for.
(also: looks like this entry is not nearly as short and sweet as I thought it would be. Huh.)
Edit: Forgot to write which middle grade novel I was going to bring to class. Well, here is what I would bring: I would bring a book called The Wright 3, which is a mystery book about three middle grade kids and I absolutely loved it. I wanted to be those three mystery-solving kids. And I was 16 at the time I read the book.
That is all for tonight, folks.
I couldn't remember.
So, this entry will be short and sweet due to my memory lapse.
I do remember, however, that I read This Is What I Did by our own Ann Dee Ellis (and by "our own" I mean the professor who told me to make this blog. But I digress.). I liked it. I really liked it. And I'm not just saying that because I'm being graded by the author. I liked Logan and totally related to how he deals with problems.
But most of all I loved his mom.
Oh, Mom.
She was so believable. She wants so badly to be a good mom, especially after the whole "Zyler" incident, but it just... doesn't always work for her.
Poor Mom.
Moving on, this past week we started writing for middle graders.
Side note: I was talking with a friend and she referred to a particular movie as being for "medium kids". I said, "You mean middle graders?" And she had no idea what I was talking about. I was shocked that she had never heard them referred to as "middle graders".
Anyway. We started to write for medium kids, and from those writings I have chosen my favorite piece for the week (I know it's not technically from my writing journal, but the journal just seemed so lackluster this week. So sue me.). It's about school lunch:
"At lunch you have to hurry in so you can sit with the girls instead of the boys because each table has only a certain amount of seats so you want to get there early so you don’t have to sit with the boys. Nikki usually gets there last and has to sit at the boys table and everyone thinks she’s weird. We’re not allowed to share our lunches, which is OK because Jessica might want to trade sandwiches with me but hers looks gross because her parents don’t know that when you put tomatoes on a sandwich you have to put it between the lettuce or else the bread gets soggy and gross. Mary Grace has a lunchables and a soda and I’m always jealous of that because I want a lunchables too. But I have a peanut butter sandwich instead. I have doritos and a capri sun too, but today it’s the strawberry kind and I hate the strawberry kind. Kierra has the fruit punch kind and that’s my favorite, but it’s her least favorite and she likes the strawberry kind best. We talk about how it’s weird that we both have a capri sun that the other one likes but we drink our own juice because we’re not allowed to share."
That first sentence is a bit of a run-on sentence, and to be honest, I actually cut out a bit of it and it's still ridiculously long, but there you go. I like this piece because it is 100% true and 100% fiction.
And, with that little nugget of wisdom, I bid you all goodbye for now, because I have a chemistry test to study for.
(also: looks like this entry is not nearly as short and sweet as I thought it would be. Huh.)
Edit: Forgot to write which middle grade novel I was going to bring to class. Well, here is what I would bring: I would bring a book called The Wright 3, which is a mystery book about three middle grade kids and I absolutely loved it. I wanted to be those three mystery-solving kids. And I was 16 at the time I read the book.
That is all for tonight, folks.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Parentheses
Today was the worst day for finishing anything.
So hopefully this actually gets done.
(it will)
This week, I haven't been reading much, unless you count my chemistry textbook (I don't). However, I did stumble upon something very interesting today. I found a number of old unfinished stories that I have started over the past two years, and that was a delight/horror to read through. It made me think about the little things about writing that make something fantastic instead of just OK.
For example.
"I don't think that will work," he said thoughtfully.
vs.
He scratched his chin. "I don't think that will work."
Neither of these sentences are wrong. They're both just fine, actually. But I have always had a problem with my "tags", as I have learned they are called (learning is magic). One solution I have stumbled upon is called "Just Get Rid Of Them (Or Just Some Of Them)". It's the whole idea of "showing, not telling" and it has made writing a whole lot less stressful. Mostly because I don't have to look at a whole line of he said she saids.
Anyway. This week, my favorite piece of writing was this little scene I did and I like it mostly because it's silly and makes me laugh. And that is a goal of mine.
Here it is.
'POW!
The young man in black fell heavily to the ground. He rubbed his newly-punched face, but got up immediately, stumbling backwards.
Jane advanced. "You're making a mistake, you know."
The man sneered unconvincingly. "Well you're--" he tripped over something large and toppled unceremoniously to the ground in a tangled heap of limbs.
"Haha, YES! He totally fell for it!" Joe shouted triumphantly, getting up off his hands and knees. "No pun intended," he added.
"No..." Jane said, crossing over to the fallen man and dragging him to his feet. She relieved him of the bright purple purse he had tried to make off with. "Good work, Joe. I guess."
The man in black shook himself. "What the heck just happened?" he asked, outraged.
"You just fell for the oldest trick in the book!" Joe replied with a triumphant grin on his face. "Literally!"
"Would you stop that?" Jane said. "That joke wasn't even funny the first time." She turned her face to the man, still in her vice-like grip. "You tripped over Sloppy here. He was on his hands and knees, waiting for you to run down this way."
The man looked disbelieving. "What? THAT'S how you guys got me? That's so lame!"
"Watch it, buster!" said Joe warningly. "I got you fair and square!"
"Whatever," said the criminal grumpily. "Only old people say things like 'fair and square'."'
So hopefully this actually gets done.
(it will)
This week, I haven't been reading much, unless you count my chemistry textbook (I don't). However, I did stumble upon something very interesting today. I found a number of old unfinished stories that I have started over the past two years, and that was a delight/horror to read through. It made me think about the little things about writing that make something fantastic instead of just OK.
For example.
"I don't think that will work," he said thoughtfully.
vs.
He scratched his chin. "I don't think that will work."
Neither of these sentences are wrong. They're both just fine, actually. But I have always had a problem with my "tags", as I have learned they are called (learning is magic). One solution I have stumbled upon is called "Just Get Rid Of Them (Or Just Some Of Them)". It's the whole idea of "showing, not telling" and it has made writing a whole lot less stressful. Mostly because I don't have to look at a whole line of he said she saids.
Anyway. This week, my favorite piece of writing was this little scene I did and I like it mostly because it's silly and makes me laugh. And that is a goal of mine.
Here it is.
'POW!
The young man in black fell heavily to the ground. He rubbed his newly-punched face, but got up immediately, stumbling backwards.
Jane advanced. "You're making a mistake, you know."
The man sneered unconvincingly. "Well you're--" he tripped over something large and toppled unceremoniously to the ground in a tangled heap of limbs.
"Haha, YES! He totally fell for it!" Joe shouted triumphantly, getting up off his hands and knees. "No pun intended," he added.
"No..." Jane said, crossing over to the fallen man and dragging him to his feet. She relieved him of the bright purple purse he had tried to make off with. "Good work, Joe. I guess."
The man in black shook himself. "What the heck just happened?" he asked, outraged.
"You just fell for the oldest trick in the book!" Joe replied with a triumphant grin on his face. "Literally!"
"Would you stop that?" Jane said. "That joke wasn't even funny the first time." She turned her face to the man, still in her vice-like grip. "You tripped over Sloppy here. He was on his hands and knees, waiting for you to run down this way."
The man looked disbelieving. "What? THAT'S how you guys got me? That's so lame!"
"Watch it, buster!" said Joe warningly. "I got you fair and square!"
"Whatever," said the criminal grumpily. "Only old people say things like 'fair and square'."'
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
In Which I Abuse The Italics Feature
Today, it was very hard to concentrate on anything.
In fact, I think this is the only homework that I've completed today.
...hmm.
Anyway, this week I started reading Hate List by Jennifer Brown. (Readers of this blog won't know this, but I just wasted about ten minutes looking up the author's name. Yeah, I've been distracted today.) This book is terrifying. It's about this girl who fills up a notebook with people and things she hates, and one day, her boyfriend opens fire in the school cafeteria, picking targets from the people mentioned in the notebook.
Told you it was terrifying.
It's a really awful idea to think about, especially since her boyfriend isn't a clear-cut "bad guy". You almost want to root for him. It's well written though. The author takes a horrifying concept that we don't like to think about and makes us think about it. It's an emotional roller coaster, so be forewarned.
I have also been reading Harry Potter. But that's not that surprising, because I'm always reading Harry Potter. Now, don't look at me like that. I'm not one of those types. It's familiar, and I can get absorbed in the Potter universe easily, which is nice after a long day.
And so, here is my selection of writing from the week, because I feel like this just about sums up what I've been going through today:
"Today I don't feel like writing my superhero story.
Because I'm watching Harry Potter.
With Alison.
This is exciting.
But I need to write at least one page.
Every day.
So here I go.
Writing every day.
One page.
It's hard to write when there's Harry Potter going on.
And it's hard to do homework when you could be reading Harry Potter."
So, what I've learned from reading and writing this week:
Don't be afraid to be bold and make your readers uncomfortable.
But don't forget to let them be comfortable every once in a while.
In fact, I think this is the only homework that I've completed today.
...hmm.
Anyway, this week I started reading Hate List by Jennifer Brown. (Readers of this blog won't know this, but I just wasted about ten minutes looking up the author's name. Yeah, I've been distracted today.) This book is terrifying. It's about this girl who fills up a notebook with people and things she hates, and one day, her boyfriend opens fire in the school cafeteria, picking targets from the people mentioned in the notebook.
Told you it was terrifying.
It's a really awful idea to think about, especially since her boyfriend isn't a clear-cut "bad guy". You almost want to root for him. It's well written though. The author takes a horrifying concept that we don't like to think about and makes us think about it. It's an emotional roller coaster, so be forewarned.
I have also been reading Harry Potter. But that's not that surprising, because I'm always reading Harry Potter. Now, don't look at me like that. I'm not one of those types. It's familiar, and I can get absorbed in the Potter universe easily, which is nice after a long day.
And so, here is my selection of writing from the week, because I feel like this just about sums up what I've been going through today:
"Today I don't feel like writing my superhero story.
Because I'm watching Harry Potter.
With Alison.
This is exciting.
But I need to write at least one page.
Every day.
So here I go.
Writing every day.
One page.
It's hard to write when there's Harry Potter going on.
And it's hard to do homework when you could be reading Harry Potter."
So, what I've learned from reading and writing this week:
Don't be afraid to be bold and make your readers uncomfortable.
But don't forget to let them be comfortable every once in a while.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tantrums
This week, despite being ridiculously busy, I read two books.
Two whole books!
The first book I read was called The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams. It was heartbreaking. It was one of those books that you hate, get mad at, and potentially throw across the room. But then you tell all your friends to go read that same book because it was "soooo good, oh my GOODNESS". Maybe because we want to see someone else throw a tantrum over a book.
Happyface, by Stephan Emond, was the second book. This book also made me want to throw it across the room, but at the same time it was so funny and real that I had to cling on to it. I even read it in the car. (This gives me a horrible headache that I can't get rid of for at least 20 minutes.)
I didn't feel like I created very good quality writing this week, but I think that was primarily because of all the other things I have been trying to do at the same time. So, lesson number one: Find a time and a place to write and don't do anything else during said "writing time". Seems fairly obvious, but it's an idea that's lodging even deeper in my brain now.
So on that note, here's a piece from my writing journal that I wrote after I realized I needed to get away from every distraction:
"Now, Sloppy Joe and Jealous Jane (as they were known to the general public) would not recommend jumping from a 25 foot building for anyone, but seeing as they could fly, it did not trouble them in the slightest.
You see, Sloppy Joe and Jealous Jane were superheroes.
Not very good ones, mind you (something always happened to bungle the whole operation and someone else would get all the credit for saving the day), but they did have super powers that they used for good. Ergo, superheroes."
I mostly like it because I was able to weasel in the word "ergo".
Two whole books!
The first book I read was called The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams. It was heartbreaking. It was one of those books that you hate, get mad at, and potentially throw across the room. But then you tell all your friends to go read that same book because it was "soooo good, oh my GOODNESS". Maybe because we want to see someone else throw a tantrum over a book.
Happyface, by Stephan Emond, was the second book. This book also made me want to throw it across the room, but at the same time it was so funny and real that I had to cling on to it. I even read it in the car. (This gives me a horrible headache that I can't get rid of for at least 20 minutes.)
I didn't feel like I created very good quality writing this week, but I think that was primarily because of all the other things I have been trying to do at the same time. So, lesson number one: Find a time and a place to write and don't do anything else during said "writing time". Seems fairly obvious, but it's an idea that's lodging even deeper in my brain now.
So on that note, here's a piece from my writing journal that I wrote after I realized I needed to get away from every distraction:
"Now, Sloppy Joe and Jealous Jane (as they were known to the general public) would not recommend jumping from a 25 foot building for anyone, but seeing as they could fly, it did not trouble them in the slightest.
You see, Sloppy Joe and Jealous Jane were superheroes.
Not very good ones, mind you (something always happened to bungle the whole operation and someone else would get all the credit for saving the day), but they did have super powers that they used for good. Ergo, superheroes."
I mostly like it because I was able to weasel in the word "ergo".
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