Flashbacks

I just couldn't force the writing of the battle scene on the short, so I decided to take a break for a couple days and work on the novel. I still have 5 days until the short is due for a contest, and even if I don't finish, I have another I can submit. I just didn't want to write a scene that my heart wasn't into at the time. I think I will watch the Two Towers (epic battle part anyways) to get into the mood, gain some groove.

At the moment, I'm having flashbacks on my time in high school. Kind of bitter sweet. I hated high school while I was there, and now I miss some times there. Notice I said SOME times, not all. There were definitely things I am happy I don't have to relive. As I'm sure is the case with most.

While I'm thinking on high school, I'm also thinking of the crushes we have while we're there, the awkwardness of it all. Where the main character is now. A jittery, confused mess of emotions and hormones.
YAY!

Funny, now that on the subject, I can't help but be jealous of the time I had to write. I finished three novels and a lot of shorts while I was in high school. None I would ever share with anyone else. On the planet! I'm still trying to figure out a way to remove them from the websites that already have them posted. Oy! Thank goodness I used a pseudonym.

It's been over three years since I started writing the story I'm working on now, I'm calling it The Hunt, until I find something better. And I'm kind of glad sometimes as I retype it, that I took that break. There were a lot of things I found needed changing and for the better! I'm liking it much more now than I did then. Especially the writing style. Even though I have brain farts in my personal Thesaurus and have to keep using the one online.

And here I go. Almost caught up and ready for Chapter Three. Finally. It's been stuck at Chapter Two for three years now. And any other pages I've written have been in spiral notebooks.

Yay!

Theme Song

Know those movies and shows where the main character has this little song or ditty playing in the background when they've stood up for something, made a life changing decision or revelation, a theme song? Well, this is mine. I had to share. I know it changes frequently, along with my life and the current goals that fluctuate over time, but currently, this is it. Enjoy and share what yours is. Double dare.

Shorts and Naps

I find myself torn in the evenings after the baby goes down. I really want to write. And, after about an hour or doing just that, I start thinking about the grown up shows I have DVR'd to watch. Since the baby is asleep, it's hard not to turn he television on and watch at least one show. But even one takes out a lot of that time that I could be writing. It's just down time. I go to my "nothing box," and enjoy someone else telling me a story for forty-five minutes. In the past, I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning to write, but that's just not realistic anymore. I try to tell myself that it's ok, I write better, and more, during nap(s) anyway. But the last couple days haven't been very good nap times, so I've been missing out solid writing times, only bits and pieces here and there. It looks like I got a whopping three pages done in the last two days. Major bummer. Of course, I'm also making it all up as I go along. The main points are constant, but the details and fill are all as I type, so that's ONE reason it's taking so long. But mainly, it's lack of time.

And here I am, watching Arrow as I type this. Which, could be considered progressive in a way. Since I use this as a thinking place. When I write in this blog, a lot of ideas come to me for the stories I'm working on. :-)

It sucks, but I'm looking forward to getting this short done so I can focus on the novel again. Though, it has done me a lot of good for inspiration and practice for the novel's story. So, I guess I should shut up, suck it up and finish it. Preferably, ASAP.

New Mission: Finish Short Story (without going crazy)

Accepted....

Playlist Blues

I find it very interesting how important the music I'm listening to while I'm writing needs to coincide with the events that I'm currently working on. For instance, easy thoughts, describing something of beauty, I like to listen to Norah Jones, Nickle Creek, some Enya, or the Two Towers Soundtrack if I ever find it. And right now, I really wish I had my old music, also on the same missing USB flash drive as my writing, to listen to. There was a great playlist created for the battle scene I'm working on now....well, first the sex and then the war. :) Teehee.

Having a girl waiting for you at home makes going to war worth it, right?

So tell me, fellow writers, what does your playlist include for a good battle/fight scene?

I'm currently in search of an online writers workshop or class. Not sure which one I'm going to go with, or which community I'll sign up through though. I know I need to really work on my detailing, and I was to find a class or workshop that will help me with that. It's all about finding the right one. These types of things usually cost a pretty penny, so I want to be sure that I'm going to benefit from it before I throw my money away.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears!

Well, best get started, I really hope I can get more than just the one paragraph I finished last night. It appears I write best during nap breaks. Heh.

TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING POWERFUL, EXCITING, REALISTIC BATTLE SCENES

I came across this article by accident. It was meant to be. It's very short and to the point with great information and things to think on when writing the battle scene. Check it out, writers. Let me know what you think. And feel free to share any others you may find.

TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING POWERFUL, EXCITING, REALISTIC BATTLE SCENES

Osmosis - Brain-To-Computer

Eh, I hate writing war. It seems WAY too slow a process than it does when played out in my mind or from what I see on a movie. Once again, the writing part of me who struggles to just GET IT OVER WITH! in the sense, why can't the battle scene just appear, and then I can close it and viola, done!

As if. This battle is supposed to be a twist between Two Towers and Deathly Hallows, but without any animals or wands. My characters wont be using horses or any other Middle Earth creatures. So, here I am, looking at the page where I'm supposed to type in the prep and training and then the battle. I know what's supposed to happen in the battle and the outcome, and I'm waiting for my brain and computer start some sort of osmosis link and be done with it? So far, no such luck.

I really want to take a break on this piece, hoping the drive will come to me and it will all turn out AWESOME. But I really can't. The contest deadline is in 4 days. And I need to give myself time for editing....Yeah, I believe I'm going to have to suck it up and get it over with.

Get'er done.

Off I go!

Half way there.

Grumble Grumble.

Three Cheers!

I'm really proud of myself. I have been getting a lot done on my short story about the Tuatha de. Of course, it's just the first draft. Hope to have it done by tomorrow night and start working on editing. I know I will want to work on some detailing in a couple parts too. Once that's officially done, I can worry about getting my 40,000 words done for the fellowship.

I'm really buttoning down on making sure I make time when I have it available to me, to write. This last week, every moment I've been awake and not running around with children, i.e., naps and bedtimes, I've been writing. It may sound like I'm slacking on my homemaker chores, but really, I've been able to work it to where while the baby is awake, I'm cleaning or what have you, which allows me to write when she sleeps. With the washing machine on the fritz this week, it's also kept me from obsessing over the disaray in my kitchen which has caught the overflow of miscellaneous items that usually go into the laundry room while I wait for repairs to be finished.

Dear Powers That Be, please let it be fixed by tomorrow. If not, I will be inviting myself over to my fiend Kelly's house for coffee Saturday morning. :)

Hearing about my sister publishing another book, recently, has helped me to stay focused. If she can do it, with her crazy schedule, I do believe I can. I guess it's just about me, not the obstacles I come across daily.

Cheers!

Poof!

The second short is going well. I've got it all figured out in my little head. Never was one for outlining. Only time I make those is when I'm writing and want to make note of happenings for use later on in the story. :)  Forever I thought I HAD to outline everything, which sucked when all I wanted to do was get the ideas down. If they just hung out in short lined, abbreviated words in a A, B, C format, I'd die. And so would the story. Drive, gone. Poof!

This short will have a battle in it eventually, and since I've never written anything more than the quick street scuffle, I believe I might have to promise Michael more of the royalties to help me with those scenes. Teehee.  I can tell he's getting a small kick out it when we talk about the stories though. I know I'm twisting story a little though by making some old legends space aliens...don't worry, they aren't bug eyed or green and no, it's not Star Wars. I wonder if by doing this though, I risk losing half the audience I was originally going for. I'll just have to risk it and see how it goes.

Baby is waking up, gotta jet! Happy writing, Writers!

Mission - Teething?

Mission: To mail short story fiction to contest before 3PM today.

Obstacles: Aurora + Teething

Yeah....I was the classic haggard mother at her wits end with a whinny toddler in a stroller refusing anything I gave her, until finally, YES!, she's entertained by my wallet. About two minutes or gnawing on a corner of it, I notice she's actually chewing on the corner of my brand new health insurance card. Saved, with just a soggy torn edge, I'm left with a screaming child once again. 

It's crazy that only one person was working and it was packed, with a line through the door. But then that's Fort Irwin for you. Finally, what was supposed to be a 10 minute, tops, stop, after 30 minutes Aurora and I were on our merry way.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Now for the next project. Working on adding to the second short story, involving the Tuatha De Dannan. I think I can make it to just under 8,000 words, which is perfect because there are about three other contests that have this word requirement. And, while doing this, I'm refining the characters and outline of the YA novel. I've found two fellowship awards for unpublished manuscripts. For those who don't know what this is outside of Middle Earth, it is when your manuscript or beginning pages or manuscript is accepted with the promise of you completing it for a monetary award. This way, while you're working on it, you aren't worrying about your bills. Usually, you are also agreeing to a contract for rights to publish said story. Typically, a writer would submit their completed work to a publisher in hopes of being published. Only AFTER this happens or even after the book hits the market, does the writer receive royalties or money percentage. Either way works for me. :-)

So, big goal to have at least 40,000 pages by March for first fellowship and work from t here. 

For the other writers reading this, what are your writing goals this year? 

SMILE!

Tomorrow is the day I submit at least one of my short stories for a contest. I'm thinking I'm not quite ready with the other, so much more in the head to add to it. I can submit that one for a couple more contests the end of January and through February. At least while I wait on pins and needles for my failure notices, I will be busy writing more on the novel. It's nice to talk with Michael sometimes about the plot and character background. He's got some good ideas and adds interesting twists that I wouldn't have thought up alone. Though I do have to reel him in at times when he gets a little too carried away.

I'm still a little weary though on just how much I can actually get done, whether I willing or not. With Michael's work schedule, my writing time is restricted to naps and a couple hours after bedtime. Doing it this way, I'm afraid I'll lose the drive and rhythm. Especially if I start working. Not that it will keep me from looking for a job, it's just weighing on my mind. My sister, Julia, amazes me with all that she's accomplished over the years with two young boys and a husband in the military. Granted, they go to school now, but it hadn't always been that way. Plus the times when the husband, Eric, goes on deployment for the better part of a year.

I just hope I can learn from her and kick my own ass when that time comes. SMILE!!!

Annnnd....GO!

Yawn. Stretch. Eye rub. Where's the coffee....

I'm back!

It's been quite a while, just about 3 years exactly, since I've really sat down and written anything more than a resume or Facebook status, but I think I'm up to the challenge. I remember using this blog back in 2009 as a way to keep me on track. Now I think I will use it not just for that, but also to speak out some theories. Feel free, to any who even read this blog, to share ideas if you will or knowledge on a mentioned subject.


Currently, after much searching and tearing through boxes, I am forced to type everything up by hand. All that I had printed hard copies of anyways. For the work that never made it to paper, will probably forever more remain in the mystery of my sick computer and missing flash drive. :(

Well, I can't dwell on it. Will only make me insane. One short story is in the final stages of it's editing process and will be sent to two contests in a few days, with monetary prices. Fingers crossed. Another short in the telling process, nearly there, and should have a final draft ready for another couple contests in February. Bring me some money. The husband and I are trying to cut back as much as we can on things, like many others out there. Consolidate our bills and expenses where we can. Also, I am looking for a job, nothing big, just enough to add to the bank account and help with bills. My previous job had me driving 76 miles there and back each day after we moved onto Military post housing. So, now that we are settled, a small job a little closer would be perfect. Until that happens, I'm kicking my butt into gear with some story telling! I'm excited, but still have my reservations. I am a classic procrastinating writer. Odd though, because in High School I could write Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan fiction like it was no body's business. Aside from the dozens of short stories I did, I believe I wrote two novel length stories that could have been sent for publishing, all before I was 17. Now that I've graduated, from school and taste in television, it's hard for me to get past a couple chapters. Fall of 2009 I made it to chapter 2 of my latest ambition, and it sort of dropped off the face of the planet. It may have had something to do with the crazy psycho coworker who started at the office around that same time, though. Yeah, the procrastinator in me wants to lay the blame at his feet. Ha ha!

So, I guess this is me saying NO! to procrastination. Patty Humble.....think we should start a support group?

Annnnnd, GO!