dragonjournal: (Orion)
So, last night, while I was trying to pass out asleep, and failing horribly, my brain started rewriting Knights of Orion. Meaning, there's another rewrite in the works. My brain is working on it as I sit here and try to write this journal entry.

I cannot believe this, but there's another rewrite, because I cannot let it go. Then, maybe a sub.
dragonjournal: (Orion)
So, I've done two scenes on KoO today so far. They were two scenes I had to reverse the order of, so the story flowed better. I think it actually worked, because it builds tension into the story at that point - which is just introducing characters mostly. However, it does that, plus introduces relationships, AND adds tension.

... Sometimes, I feel like an awesome writer.

Okay, since the roomie isn't here for RP, I'm going to do laundry, and begin again.

Count for now:




- Keep in mind, it won't let me change 'words' to 'pages' so this is actually a page count.

Edit: Did manage one more scene:

The Return

Aug. 27th, 2010 09:03 am
dragonjournal: (Orion)
I have begun the next draft of KoO. I have something to go back and remove that just didn't work. I thought it would, but on further reflection, it just doesn't. Meaning that it has to go.

So, this blog is about to become all about drafting this damned thing.

Then, hopefully, come November, it'll become all about the NaNo. For now, I'm going to go start on KoO again:

dragonjournal: (Rules)
Eventually, I'm going to have something intelligent to put here.

Eventually, there will be more posts here about writing and what I am/am not doing.

Eventually, I will get off my butt and get things done about this blog.

Eventually, I might show everyone a brain process.

Eventually, it will be NaNo and the counters will begin again.

Eventually, I'm going to rewrite KoO (September) and then all my frustration will vomit onto the screen again.

Eventually... I'll actually be the writer I keep claiming to be.

O_O

May. 14th, 2010 08:59 pm
dragonjournal: (Orion)
Ever have those moments, while writing, where just go "FUCK ME WHAT?"

This is one of those moments.



The edit of Knights of Orion with my editing notes added to it is completely done.

Completely. Done.

The rewrite is in August. But for now, I'm going to go open a beer. I think I've earned it.
dragonjournal: (Orion)


The page count increased because of the editing. But, I did manage two scenes today. I need to go clean the downstairs and help the room mate out.

Luckily, I am ahead of where I wanted to be at the end of the month.

I wanted to finish this by then, and it truly looks like I'm going to get there!

For now. To cleaning.
dragonjournal: (Default)
I didn't post last night, but I did edit yesterday. Once I have handled responsibilities for the morning, I will head up to my spot and edit again. But, to keep everyone up to date, I'm posting a graphic this morning.



I was going to hope to have it done next week. Unfortunately, I don't think that'll happen. Especially since I have to take at least tomorrow off and possibly Sunday as well. Today, however, seeing as I am taking the weekend off, I will work extra hard. Probably no Dragon Age at all, until tonight. The day will be spent with the editing.
dragonjournal: (Orion)


LOOKIT! LOOKIT! Only thirty-three pages left!

That's right folks. This monstrosity that's been hanging over my head since February when the awesome K sent it back to me is almost done with this round of edits!

Then, it'll be rewriting (in August) and then... we'll see where I end up after that. I might shove it away and send it out for a round of edits (J? If I print and snail mail, you'd be willing?) that I won't need back before XMas....

ARGH decisions are hard. But for now? Dragon Age. Because I've earned some mage killing.
dragonjournal: (Default)
Yesterday, I had plans with a friend. We went out to this awesome little coffee shop/bistro thing. There was geekery and talking and all that stuff.

Unfortunately, that meant no editing yesterday. (And no Dragon Age as a consequence)

However! That really set me in gear for today. Today, I jumped right back into the computer chair and began editing again.

I've done three scenes so far today, and will probably do a fourth before bed tonight. So, things are chugging along rather nicely.

The break - which used to just kill my drive - has done wonders for me.

So, to keep an update:



43 pages left. Tonight, that'll change. For now, I've earned a couple hours of Dragon Age.

Edit: 4:01pm

dragonjournal: (Orion)


Excuse me for a moment but...

HAWT DAMN!

That's THIRTY-TWO pages in... three days. Yes, people, I am that awesome.

If I get this done before the end of the month - and I might not get much done tomorrow, since I'm meeting a pal for lunch - I'm spakking out with Dragon Age and to HELL with writing for the rest of the month.

Now? The video game beckons.
dragonjournal: (Orion)
So, I'm still on a roll. I got three more scenes done today. Three on a Sunday.

Tonight is all about the Dragon Age.

To keep everyone up to date:



Almost 60%! Another scene and life might be golden. Tonight, though, I'm just playing my game. Now, to fix dinner.

\o/

May. 8th, 2010 08:29 pm
dragonjournal: (Orion)
Awww yeah. another two scenes done! See, this whole denying myself Dragon Age: Origins so that I can edit is working. Tonight, I'll probably finish a quest on it, and then edit for an hour, and then read until sleep. Because that seems to work the best, since I'm done editing early and can go straight into Dragon Age tonight.



That's thirteen pages done over the last two days. Not bad at all!

I'm rather excited, especially with my new schedule. It's really kinda fast and loose, but it might just be what I need.

Especially with July being dedicated to outlining and research.

So. Tonight is Dragon Age and then more editing. w00t!

Edit: Went ahead and did another scene, just because - it was a short one anyway!

dragonjournal: (Orion)
Lately, I've been very bad about editing. Not only have I barley been home - seriously, last weekend was a wash, as was Monday, Tuesday and yesterday - but when I've been home, I've been exhausted and wanting nothing more than sleep and relaxation.

However, with a small rearrangement of my bedroom - hence giving me an actual computer desk - I managed to sit down and do some editing today. Not a lot, but it did finish off one scene, and that's progress. Which is the important thing.

So, right now, I'm on page 69 of 153. That - for those playing along at home - means 84 pages left. I'm hoping to get a bit more done today as well.

Also, I've begun reading again. I gave up on a book because sometimes you just can't get into it. I'm sure it's a lovely book, but it's just not what I want to read right now.

I'm going back to editing. Maybe, I'll get a few more pages done. I'm hoping anyway.



... I need a new graph where I can substitute "words" for "pages".

Edit: I did end up going back to the editing. Real life, of course, intruded in the middle, but I did get it done. And now I'm going to play Dragon Age: Origins, because I deserve it!

dragonjournal: (Rules)
Hello fair flisters! It is May, and the flowers are springing, and school is winding to a close, and life is beginning to reappear in my part of the world.

This is, of course, the perfect time to begin banging out the edits on my one work of d00m, and start working on things to finish a damned WIP.

I need to finish the last 90 pages of editing and finish several works in progress.

But, I also have books to read. Normally, I don't talk - unless I review - about what books I'm reading but having just bought several, I'm going to actually be a bit excited about them.

The one I'm most excited about is The Atlas of Sacred and Spiritual Sites. It's beautifully illustrated, and has a lot of information about sacred sites all over the world. I love it not only for that, but because it sparked ideas about things yet again.

That, however, is not what this post is about.

For the month of May, I have some creative goals, and as this is my creative journal, I'm posting them here.

- Finish editing Changes (the work of d00m) I'm at page 63/153. So, 90 left.
- Read! A lot! Reading is good! I like reading. (I miss reading)
- Maybe work on a WIP. This isn't a definite, because I don't know what's going to happen.

So, those are the goals. Let's see how badly I fail.

[For those on the personal journal f-list, I swear my mood didn't change that fast. Just I like this one to be a bit more upbeat than the other.]
dragonjournal: (Orion)
Perhaps one of the most memorable parts of writing a story is the names. It's certainly what's usually the most memorable thing to the reader. Say the name Draco and what pops to mind? What about the name Edward? How about Anita? Or even the name Logan?

They are memorable names. Plain in the real world, throwing them into fiction has given them a new layer and made them into something more.

Choosing these names is often an agonising process. A name that fits the personality of the character but also fits into the world that you're attempting to create among the pages that you're writing. Obviously, if you use the real world, you have some leeway with what names you use. We've all heard unusual names. Some of us may even have them. Depending on the country you use as your setting, you can even have a little girl named Faith living next to a little boy named Achmed-Akeem.

If you use a world of your creation, however, you need to be slightly more careful. Why? Because unless you establish a diversity among your populace, then, you cannot have Thom the blacksmith in one house and Frenkilinskowich the butcher. It just doesn't work, and takes the suspension of belief just a little too far.

As a writer, unless a name sits up and says "HERE I AM" to me, oftentimes I use something we call 'placeholder names'. Meaning names that can be used for the character, until a "real" name sits up and smacks us in the nose with a rolled up newspaper. (Hey, sometimes writers can be a little dense when it comes to our stories. Especially our characters. And any writer who tells you any different - with a straight face - should be read immediately, because obviously they have storytelling skills.)

These names can be anything from a number, to something that describes them. It's rather amusing to reread the names and try to figure out what to really call them. Sometimes, the characters even grow into the "temporary name" that was given them.

Right now, I'm editing a work that I've been working on for far too long. And one of the things that has come up is that a lot - if not all - of the names need to be changed. As I'm slowly going through it (and it's so damned SLOW trust me) little pieces of names keep popping up here and there. I'm not sure if I'll use any of them, but perhaps, when I take a break later, I'll work on changing the names, just so I can have something ever so different, and it'll be one more thing crossed off the to do list for this story.

Now, back to editing.
dragonjournal: (Orion)
Friday, I finally finished the monstrosity that's been with me for the past several years. KoO's third draft is completely done. I'm working on the theory of leaving it be for a couple months and then I'll see about having it professionally edited.

It couldn't have been done at a better time. The next 3 weeks is massively busy with moving, packing, cleaning, and setting things up on the other end.

This time I've got is also going to be devoted to decide where to go from here.

According to this post there are two other stories I could touch, but right now, I'm not sure I want to touch either. I think I'm going to concentrate on Real Life for a while and get that straight.

Then, I'll decide. I have a lot of research and world building to do on another project lurking around the edges, and maybe I can work on that as something that's Not Writing, when I feel the urge.

So, the next few weeks look to be amazingly busy, and nerve racking. I'm not worried though. Not right now. That'll come next Sunday.
dragonjournal: (Orion)
I read a lot of author's blogs. GRRM, Gaiman, KVTaylor, and Jim Hines to name a few.

The one thing I've noticed is that always seemed to have a lot to say about their writing. Me? I don't. If you're looking for some in depth talking about process, or something that acts like a "Guide to Writing" it isn't going to be found here.

I was conditioned at a very early age to not talk about my writing and although I am over thirty, I still retain that. Word counts are safer as are websites, and the little tricks I find out to get me writing/submitting.

So that's a lot of what you will find here, and why my posts will, on average be rather short. I don't want to bore you, or tell you that X is happening in my life unless it pertains to my writing, and that, only if I feel comfortable enough to relate it.

My posts may be short, but never deny that I struggle every day with pouring out what is going on with my writing.

(Though, lately, with the vertigo, I have to admit that the writing is getting curtailed in favour of lying around like a lump. Heh.)

Today, however, my writing did pick up again. Sometimes, lying around and reading random books can be a good thing.

Yesterday, I attempted to rejoin the word wars, and regain my momentum with getting KoO done.

It just wasn't happening. So, instead of forcing it, I backed off. Last night and this morning I pulled out an old book of mine, and began reading. It's a collection of short, erotic, stories.

This morning, while lying down, I was suddenly struck by inspiration. I suddenly knew what had to be done and how to do it.

And in 90 minutes I wrote 3k+ words, finally. They just flowed, and finally appeared on the screen where they were supposed to be. I never would have thought of erotica to be an inspiration for dragon sci-fi/fantasy.

However, I will not argue. The words getting down is the most important part.

Right now, the vertigo's gotten bad again, but I know I did those words and for the most part, they are good.

I'm very happy with them. So, I will give you a small sample:

Grey wetness cloaked him in cold. He stood still, golden scales dulled by the lack of light. Looking off to the southeast, he didn't move. A part of his mind and heart moved down there, exploring a supply depot that they'd found.

Two days ago, men and women stood in his spot, soldiers doing their duty, and prepared to fight if necessary. They'd probably never thought it would be necessary.

The wind swirled through the greyness, and rustled his wings. Sapphire blue eyes remained trained on the southeast. He didn't want to divert his attention, for fear that he'd miss something. Behind him a rock shifted and he turned his head, snake-fast and silent. Nothing stirred the winter chill above the cavern he'd collapsed, after killing the soldiers.

Cold rain and sleet drifted down from the sky, creating an ice-layer over his scales. Still, he didn't move.


This is what inspiration does. I am not going to argue with it.

I need to get lunch and maybe poke it again, see what happens.

Update

May. 12th, 2009 12:44 pm
dragonjournal: (Orion)
I've been rather ill lately. I'm much better today, but it still knocked me down for a while.

So here's your update.

KoO continues to move. Today, I went to word wars (unlike the last few days. I know. Bad Cat!) and I did some good work, when not distracted by Donald Trump and the Miss California thing.

So, word wars:
#1 990
#2 1087
#3 796 (Donald Trump)
#4 913

This morning alone that's:

3786

Not as much as I need (which is around 3800 per day, every day, for the rest of the month) but I have plans for a couple of wars tonight, so that'll bring my total up.

So, for now, have a graphic, and I will be back tonight:

Not tonight

May. 6th, 2009 08:34 pm
dragonjournal: (Orion)
Not tonight for the word wars again. I think I'm coming down with something.

But, I did get over 2k done this morning in the word wars when I participated. They seem to really be helping in the area of actually getting the work done.

However, I ended up cutting out a scene that, previously, I had thought to keep. Unfortunately, I looked at it today and just couldn't see the reason for keeping it any longer.

So, it got cut, and the plot is now moving along a little bit better pace than it had been before. I'm kinda glad I cut it, actually.

So, tonight's update is a bit sparse, but I'm really not feeling well. I'm not even going to add a counter.

Time for bed, and anime.
dragonjournal: (Orion)
I only participated in three today.

But, I did get some decent word counts in.

Let's see:
30 minutes: 1023
30 minutes: 967
30 minutes: 970

In 90 minutes of writing that's 2960. Not bad. (even if it's only 33-ish words per minute)

Tonight, there will be more word wars, since I finished the scene I had been working on. Next, I get to really move a bit more plot along, and that'll help things pick up again.

I might war tonight, but I don't think so. My brain is pretty much done for the day. I can always work on it tomorrow, and deal with things then. Tonight, I think I'd much rather watch anime.

One thing I'd like to note, though. The classes I'm taking have one, small, hitch to them. They're very geared toward romance writing. And while I'm not adverse to writing romance, and have done in the past, my current works just aren't geared toward it. They have romance "elements" but are not, really, romance stories at all.

Which, honestly, is fine. Now that I know that, I'll be taking that into consideration.

It might, actually, deter me from taking the other courses that seemed so interesting. I'm keeping an open mind though, and trying to take away what I can from the course.

Tonight, I might actually dust off my old romance writing and see about fitting it to the course.

Knights of Orion:

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