Coming in August!

A few things. One you don't have to wait for until August because there's a subject up this month.

1. A return to writing the WriYe Blog posts. I've got a back log of prompts to write for, but I'm really just going to write the one for this month. I might go back and grab another month or two, but if I don't jump in now, I'll never start them up again. So look for that before the month is out and then around the 15th every month.

2. The first big thing is that I'm going to be handwriting a novel starting August 1. I'm going to use the blog to show how it's going, probably with pictures of my handwriting and all. You might be getting rants about how hard it is to handwriting most days, but that's what'll be happening. That will be a Monday and Wednesday post with a Friday post showing off some writing - either part of a chapter or a picture.

3. The second big thing is that I'm going to get seriously cracking on the editing / rewrite of Mystery of the Dark. The trials and tribulations of that will be Tuesday or Thursday, depending on how it's going and if I want to rant about it. That will make Saturdays being the showing off what's been done during the week.

4. The third (and possibly last unless I think of something) big thing is that I am going to be generating new content as well. I've got a YA-ish fantasy novel to write called Hidden Scions. I've got an epic fantasy novel to overhaul in terms of editing and just basically writing it all over again. There's NaNo coming up as well. So, whatever day I don't post about Mystery of the Dark, I will be posting about new content. Or it might be the same day and then more on another day.

So, that's about it. I'll probably post random interesting articles I find or book reviews of new things that I'm reading. I read Wild by Cheryl Strayed which was really good, considering I devoured the entire book, and how it's making me want to make my own walking the wild plans.  Other than that, look forward to things in the future.

April, the Fail Month

Heh, April.  I had such great plans for April and then... nothing.  I got some writing done, like about ten thousand words, but that's about it.  So, let's talk about it.  Or, I'll ramble about it and you guys will just scroll down past it if you want.  This is also going to be on the <a href="http://wordsnbooks.blogspot.com/">wordsnbooks blog</a>.  Plus with the March and April WriYe blog circle thingies.  Maybe.  We'll see.  :)

First off, what is a fail month?  A fail month is where you set up a list of goals and then don't really get any of them done.  This can happen with any sort of path you take in life.  Us writers associate it with writing, because of ya know being writers, but it could also be that you wanted to take five different hikes and you didn't get any of them done.  You could call that a fail month if you wanted to if you were an avid hiker and that's what you did for your hobby / job / whatever you want to call it.  Basically, you set a list of things to be done over a month and none of them get done.  That's a fail month.

With April, I got some things done.  I was proud of myself.  And then about a week into April, I gave up on what I was trying to do.  There was no good reason to do that, other than self diagnosing myself with many things, and just needing time off.  Sometimes it just happens that a writer needs to just throw everything away and take time off.  Pushing through will only harm yourself, even though a lot of people say to write everyday, but I'm not of that thought.  I'm of the thought that if you stress yourself too much, then you will only associate stress with what you want to do.  Therefore, I just left and gave myself time.

It could have also been because I was fighting with a project that didn't want to work and it went over to everything else.  Like, I was trying to figure out a plot and character creation during the challenge instead of being done before the month started like I should have been.  So, um, yeah, I kind of set myself up to fail as well.  But I also think that I could have worked through it and done something if I wasn't wrapped up in myself and my issues.  But, you know, sometimes issues are a good thing to make you take a step back and realize that something is missing.  Or something is pushing against a wall and nothing is working that sometimes it is better to give up, take a breath, and find another route.

That route, for me, is to take May and June to finish up everything I've started already in 2014 / carried over from 2013.  I've got a great project I'm still working on from February called Prelude to a Heart that I'd like to get done and maybe published as a novella.  I've got fanfic that I'd like to get off my plate and I'd like to finish up the planning that I have for the rest of the year stuff.  I might pick up a new project in June or maybe in May as a secret goal, but I'm thinking nothing new until July.  That's the plan and that's my new route.  Will it be successful?  Only time will tell.  Until next time, readers.

Blogging Circle: Character Relationships (February)

Alright, so I kind of forgot February.  Oops.  So we're going to go back and do the post for that today.  And also probably get in March today as well, even though I have other writing things to do.  Other writing things that I don't really want to do because I'm here writing blog posts.  Also, spring needs to decide if it's here or not already.

So, character relationships.  Due to it being February and the month of luv (sometimes twue luv bwings us together to-day), we're going to focus on relationships.  Bonus points to anyone who gets the reference in the parenthesis above.  So the questions are as follows:

• How hard is it for you to create character relationships?
• Do you pre-plan them or do you end up letting them develop as the novel goes on?
• Have your characters betrayed you and paired up with someone you didn't expect?
• Give us the story of how your favorite written characters got together and what makes their relationship strongest.

It is not hard for me to create character relationships.  I like having characters interact with each other, even on a platonic or romantic level, because it just makes the plot go easier.  I think there is nothing that I've written where there wasn't a romantic undertone, which is kind of scary, but I think that goes hand in hand with how much romance is wanted in stories.  It is extremely hard to pick up a novel where there isn't some sort of romantic subplot and I should know because I've searched for such a thing.  And then I'm a hypocrite because I don't write what I would read.  Oops.  :)  But it's also fun in the end because, sometimes, as I'll explain with the favorite written characters, the plot builds up around the relationship.  

I pre-plan my relationships because I like to plan everything.  I need to know what is going to happen with all the characters or nothing really makes sense.  Well, it will make sense, but it's too chaotic in the end.  Like the time that I wrote Power without too big of a plan and romance snuck in between the female main character and the rogue of the story.  That wasn't supposed to happen, as I was trying to write fantasy without any romance, but eh.  It happened and I'll probably keep the relationship whenever I get around to the second draft of that story.  Don't ask me when because I really don't know, honestly.  That's on a back burner so far away it's in the next zip code.  I think that also covers the third question as well, so woot woot.  Didn't think I would do that.

So, story time.  My favorite written characters, at the moment, are Justinian and Kate.  They're from Mystery of the Dark and seem to bring out the snark in each other.  It's fun to write them when they first get together because they're not sure how to work - he just wants to be together and she's all "but you're the enemy" - but they get together in the end.  She gets used against him and he gets used against her and it's a lot of fun.  What makes their relationship strong is that, no matter what, they accept that they might never be on the same side but still love each other.  And he's very much of the mind set that she will kill him one day.  But there's nobody else who he would let kill him, so it's all good in the end.  Yes, he's insane, don't mind him.  They're still my favorites of the moment, until I get into Watchers, but I haven't started that yet.  

Bam, February done.  Now onto March and that post.  I'll try to actually write April in April too.  :)

Blogging Circle: The Hows and Whys of Planning

And we're back.  Kind of.  It's time for the 2014 Blogging Circle, which will go until it doesn't go anymore.  I'm thinking around October / November unless I get bored sooner.  I did talk last post about distractions.  :)

This month, we're talking about planning.  I'm also doing the One A Day WriYe video blogging, so this goes hand in hand with this about plotting.  The questions are as follows:

• What's your favorite planning method?
• Do you prefer to plot by hand or use the computer?
• What part of planning do you hate the absolute most?
• Or do you hate all planning and pants your novel?
• And the most important - why?

I'm going with the question that is the easiest and simpler to answer first - the plotting by hand or computer.  I like to plot by computer because I either misplace the notes if I write them by hand - I have a million and one journals - and I can better organize myself by knowing where things are.  Plus, all of my planning stuff is up on Google Docs, which means that I can be on any computer and work on my novels.  Or, you know, have Google Docs up on my phone due to the internet being down and use Word to write.  It's a win-win, honestly.

My favorite planning method... well, it's outlined in the WriYe Basic Stats document.  You put in the title, how many words you want to write, a summary, and then follow the links in the other sections to create a novel.  Before there was this amazing document, I tried to outline first and then create the rest with the outline.  Or have the characters down and then try to outline.  The linked document just makes things a lot easier for everyone, including me.

If you noticed, I didn't include world building in that paragraph.  That's because I loathe world building.  I really like using the Earth and cities that we have - it's probably why I took like a duck to water with all the urban stuffs.  It just makes it easier with writing to have a city already set up and you just put what you want to happen in there.  It's a lot like roleplaying in a way, which I also do, so yeah.  I do not world build all that much.  Or, if I do, I pants the world building.  In the novel I'm going to be working on in February - Prelude to a Heart - I have a very basic world build going on there.  It has to do more with the characters than any sort of shape the world has.  I figure that I can work up how the place looks as I go because I really don't care how it looks right now.  I might change when it is the 31st and I'm freaking out about it, but for right now, I'm okay with not having a good map in my head.

As for the why - I'm not sure I can answer that.  I'm comfortable with the way that I create my novels before I dive right into them.  It's taken some trial and error - like failing NaNo a few times - but this is good.  

Blogging Circle: Distract - ooo shiny! - ions

It's that wonderful time of the month (as opposed to the awful time of the month) where we gather around to do the blogging circle prompt.  If you cannot tell by the title of the post, this month is about distractions.  Distractions are the nasty things that pull you from what you're doing.  They can be anything, from a daydream to a nap to... well, a very cute and furry puppy.  Yes, Cookie, I mean you.  I would say stop being adorable but I do believe you will be a Nermal puppy (go look up Garfield if you don't get the reference).

Also, blogger thingie, I did spell it right.  On the first time.  Geek points for me, fail points for you.  Ha!

But back to the point at hand.  Let's copy/paste a bit here.
We all have them , whether they are living, mandatory, optional or fun. How do you work around your distractions? Do you separate time out or do you let the distractions come as they may? Are you one of the lucky ones that can shut it all out and write for as long as you'd like?

Before we get into the questions and answering and all, let me explain how I view distractions.  I view a distraction as something that happens when I'm actively working on getting something else done.  So, I'm writing a blog post and a police cruiser comes along, the police cruiser is a distraction because my eyes follow it to see what's happening.  This is different from just being a lazy butt and playing Freecell all day.  Mostly because that's procrastinating.  :)

Alright, first question - how do you work around your distractions?
I try to schedule work around them.  I know that, as soon as mom comes home until she goes up to bed (so, 5ish to 9ish), I will be distracted by whatever we're doing.  Usually dinner making and then watching television and whatnot.  Playing with the puppy as well.  So I try to make it so that I write before she gets home and then write a bit after she goes to bed.  Usually this works out well.  Sometimes it doesn't because I get distracted / not want to do my writing.  I also know, around 11 pm / midnight, I want to get on World of Warcraft and kick some Horde butt.  So, my writing day, on a day where I don't give into the want of not writing, is usually writing from about a hour after I get up (sometimes two, depending on the mood) until 5ish.  Then a break until 9 and some more writing until the WoW want kicks in.  That's how it's supposed to go.  It rarely goes that way, but I'm trying to be better.

Second question - Do you separate time out or do you let the distractions come as they may?
Well, the ones that I know are coming (see above question), I schedule around.  The ones that happen chaotically - meaning the puppy is involved - have to come as they may.  Same with the puppy needing me to play with her.  I just get up, spend some time with her, and go back to writing.  She seems to understand my writing time and is happy to curl up between me and the laptop.  Sweet thing.

Third question - Are you one of the lucky ones that can shut it all out and write as long as you like?
I can!  But only if the planets are aligned.  Meaning that it needs to be November, I need to have the noise canceling headphones on (with a fresh battery for the noise canceling part), and be at a Starbucks.  Then I am a rock star.  Same goes for when I write in a group / word war.  Unless the puppy needs something, I am good unless needed for an emergency.  :D

So yeah, that's distractions for the ... day.  I so want that person's convertable.  And ooo a puppy (not mine)!  *goes back to looking out the window*

Blogging Circle: Short Stories aka Tightening Prose

So, full disclosure here.  I am a novel writer.  I love writing 50,000 words and beyond, taking people on an epic journey, and all that jazz.  However, for one month out of the year, the amazing August, I become a short story writer.  For August, in the WriYe world, is the time of Augno and the AugNoWriMo Anthology.

I explained what I was writing in the last post and how it was breaking barriers and all.  This isn't another post talking about the story itself.  This post is more talking about the word maximums in short stories and how they're so darn short.  For example, the Anthology word maximum is usually 10,000 words with this year being a special 15,000 words because it's the fifth annivesary.  For someone who usually writes a lot more than that, it seems insane to try and pack an entire story into that little of space.

Fear not!  It can be done.  It can also be done the same way that one works on a novel.  You plan and outline.  It's ten thousand words, so if you wanted to do chapters, do a K a chapter.  Or 2K a chapter.  Yeah, it's tight, but it's doable.  But the easiest way that you're going to get it all out is if you go with an outline.  I recommend not to pants it because you might have story explosion.  So - plot it out - character sketch, outline, world build - the entire thing.  That is the first step to greatness.

The second step is realizing that you might have a story that is not appropriate for a short story.  Short stories are supposed to do beginning, middle, and end in a very quick arc.  If you think about it like running, short stories are the dashes while novels are the marathons.  While plotting, if you feel yourself going on and on with the summary or the outline, you might have a novella or a novel on your hands.  Best thing to do is to put it aside for September or NaNoWriMo and come up with a new idea.  That is not to say to not try to make the awesome idea into a short story, but there's a good chance you'd frustrate yourself.  It is best to never go down the road of frustration.  It leads to a lot of things we don't have time to deal with right now.

As for the third step, it's really just making sure you run a tight edit ship.  If you're over the maximum, go back and take out dialogue tags.  Make sure that you don't have something silly like "nodding a yes".  Get rid of things that don't fit, like the odd subplot that you just pushed in because it seemed like a good idea at the time.  This is your last step in the short story process, so really go at it.


I will say, to end this post, that if you use these three tricks in your novel writing, it'll be amazing as well.  So that's it for the topic of the month - the short story and how to tackle it.  We'll see you next month for the blogging circle of insanity.  :)

Blogging Circle: Breaking Out of Your Box

So, on WriYe, there's this amazing challenge known as "Breaking Out of Your Box".  Basically, and to someone quote the amazing Keri, we all have our one genre that we like to write in.  However, we really shouldn't make it our one genre, so the challenge makes us brave the unknown and take a genre that you might know nothing about to write in.  It is really fun and this is the first year I am actually going to finish it and publish the short story in Milestone.  

Milestone, for those who do not know, is the short story collection that is written by the participants of AugNoWriMo.  The link for Milestone goes to the first volume, which I wrote Matthew's Side of the Story.  It's back story for one of the million of ideas that are in my head.  :)

However, back to the subject at hand.  This was originally July's topic because a lot of us write zombies during the month.  Now, zombies is outside of the box for me, because that's more horror and I wrote supernatural stuffs.  But it is fun to try and that's how the Blogging Circle topic is on the Breaking Out of Your Box challenge.  Understand?  Good.  Even if you don't, follow along for the questions.  

Did you manage to break the box?
Yes, I actually am breaking the box.  My genre for this challenge is a space opera.  To quote wikipedia, "space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that often emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, usually involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities".  The best known space opera, at least to me, is the movie Star Wars.  One of the lesser known but insanely awesome ones is Firefly - which, if you have not seen, stop reading and go do so.  You will not be disappointed, especially if you're a fan of Joss Whedon.

Anyways, that's the genre I'm working in.  I've got romance (captain and her second are having a long term relationship), I've got adventure, and, most importantly, it is set in space.  They go to different planets and are currently running from the government due to a slight misunderstanding (murder and kidnapping).  I love it. I've got over 7K of it written and it might easily be 15K by the end.  It is just one of the most fun things I've ever written and I might have to do something more with the characters when I'm done with it.

Did it help you in anyway?
I think it did.  It showed me that I don't have to always write fantasy or supernaturals.  I can write something that is interesting to me and I'm not really having a lot of problems with it.  That might be because I started the story insanely early (August 1st) to allow for slow writing time.  However, part of knowing that it is going to get done and go into a publication that I love is driving me to enjoy it as I'm writing.  If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't be writing it and still be tearing my hair out for an idea of what to do.

What did you learn?
That I can be awesome, even in a genre that is completely outside of my norms.  Then again, I already knew that.  ;)  I just needed confirmation - thanks Keri!  


So, that's it for now.  Stay tuned - I've got another blog circle post to do (August) and that'll be up before the end of the month.