Revision Pains Etc

I have been revising Dark Falcon for the past week or so. I'm overwhelmed now. I really, really want to finish this revision by the end of the month. That was going pretty well, but the past couple days have been gunk. Maybe it's allergies... but my head just won't work. Not the best time to edit, you know?

I'm optimistic about Dark Falcon, but I need a beta reader. Trouble is, I'm not actually sure how to get my manuscript off my internet-less Windows 98 and onto this one (a Vista).

I've also been writing a short story I've tentatively entitled "The Goblin Queen". It's my own take on goblins, Faye, and Otherworld, so that's always fun.

My interest in Twitter has been revived as I now have more opportunities to sneak on.

I'm not really big on writing scripts, but I may collab with my brother again for ScriptFrenzy. He gets to mess with the formatting that way.

My 18th birthday is coming up (yay!) This may sound weird, but I want to head out to the zoo and practice my photography for the occasion.

:D SD

P.S. I have discovered I am a geek: This summer's superhero movie lineup has me freaking out. ...And Cowboys & Aliens.

Researching for Nanowrimo

How tall would a wall have to be to break Humpty-Dumpty?

It's not easy. You've got to sit down an think about all the vague exploits and hijinks that will happen, character details that you often forget to pay attention to, and all the while, you're sure that there's something that you haven't remembered.

Wikipedia's always a good place to start, but it's not a story-solver. After that, there's the Reference Desk on the Nano forums. People are more than willing to share their wisdom. Only problem is pretty much every other person on Nanowrimo is asking questions too. At that point, you might try wading through the different forum posts, which very often does turn up useful information.

Of course, if you've some VERY specific inquiries to make, you have to take on the Google beast or the labyrinth of your library. This is not for the faint of heart. In 2008, I was writing about a woman who had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury. I wanted to know what her chances of recovery were from different specific scenarios. It wasn't easy. A lot of the information I needed was locked away on websites that required $800+ dollars a year for access to their articles. So I spent the first half of October piecing together the information for myself using diagrams of brains and TBI patient resource sites.

You can make an inquiry with a specialist, or perhaps someone on Nano, but usually you're in a hurry. Come November, you realize what it was you really needed to research back in October. You're falling behind on word count, and no one's answering your Reference Desk post. None of scientific/medical lingo really makes any sense to your literary mind anyway.

In the end, you might even find you wind up leaving this information out all together. Your story might no longer make sense, but that's what revision's for, right?

Of course, when you do get the information you need, it can put your story together or break it to pieces. But even then, it's hard to be completely sure your story is believable.

It must have been a writer deluged in this sort of exhaustive research who first said: "Write what you know."

Not that, I think, anyone ever takes this advice for more than five minutes together.

Nano!

So Nanowrimo's around the corner again. I've been doing quite a bit of planning. I now have my own (albeit Jurassic) computer to work on. Yay! There's a tiny snare this year. That's that we're moving. I'm keeping myself convinced that it's no big deal (Denial is a powerful thing). My sister's even signed up to do it with me this year. That's kind of cool. She's writing a mystery-suspense, think.

I'm writing urban fantasy-- but it's superheroes! I've decided to call it Dark Falcon.

I've a synopsis posted here http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/209666

And here's a better view of my book cover

(kind of an awesome winged ninja) :D

So for the next few weeks I'll be haunting my Twitter and Nano forums.

How's everyone else doing this pre-Nano season?

Busted

I did in fact manage to finish Nanowrimo just over 50K (yay me!). Since then however I have been experiencing several issues with my right wrist, namely it's more or less strained/busted. Therefore, I have strict (and, unfortunately, well-founded) instructions from my mother to write or draw, at least with that hand. I'm slightly ambidextrous, but I write so much more slowly with my left hand that it's never more than a page or two a day. Sigh. I did make a photo-manipulation for my other blog inspired by a story I can't really work on right now. And I have such great new ideas! I'm writing those down though. Hopefully, my wrist won't be strained like this come Christmas. I was hoping for some fancy pens and ink. Maybe a journal too :D.

Almost finished with Nanowrimo. I had originally intended to write 75K, and it looked like I would for awhile, but I started to get a little behind, but figured I would be able to make it up later. Then I got sick and couldn't write very much at all for a little while. When I finally did get started again, I knew I wouldn't be able to get the 75K and so started working with the 50K goal. My word padding I built up there went into holidays, and a few days ago, I started having issues with my wrists so that I don't write as fast as I was. Right now, I'm just under 47.5K. I was tempted to just quit, but by then I was over 40K, and that wasn't acceptable. So... given that I don't hit 49,999 words at midnight tomorrow, it's looking like I'm still going to win even though I didn't think I would make it for a couple days there.

It has been different, but I'm glad that I tried and that it's paid off. I'll see you at the finish line? S.D.

Get a Grip

Currently Listening: Crystal Clear by Jaci Velasquez

Since ScriptFrenzy is over and was a success at 101 pages. I'm wanting my Nano but know I have to get The Restored done. At 18,000 words currently and summer ahead, I think I'll be able to do it.
Today I was informed via tweet if I wanted to generate more blog traffic, I must post more. It was one of those Duh! moments, but I really don't have much of interest to talk about.

The one topic I can thinking of (that's not smart quotes vs plain quotes) is character development. I made a lot of progress in that way yesterday. Might as well share some of my revelations.

I was really trying to get a handle on my character Lindsai. Lindsai, I'm thinking, is relying far too much on herself. She thinks she has to be a support for everyone else to the point of neglecting her own feelings and emotions.


My character Brenneth is a cynic. This was quite a shock to me. I hadn't a clue. In fact, he was on the the brink of insubordinance yesterday. Also, not expected. I love it when my characters surprise me though because now he's a much stronger character.


Oh, and I got to introduce my character Emerelda too. Goodness, that girl reminds me of my sister, except her threats aren't empty--they got a pitchfork behind 'em. I was half-afraid she was going to shishkebab Will before the the story was a third way through. I know, however, that it's just a front. Em is half-human, half-woyd. That means the humans are actively seeking to kill her and the Macians shun her. She's not going to be friendly to anyone she suspects might turn her in. Once she trusts Will, she'll improve.


That's about it for me. I must get to the actual writing now,
S.D.

Across the Stars

So I wrote Across the Stars for Nano in 2007. Finished lacking contractions and generally with every kind of word I thought I could separate, separated, but I got 50K and I proved to myself I could do it. It is worth mentioning I finished several days early. But anyway, I haven't really looked at it since then.

Now I am editing it, largely on the motivation of a free proof copy which it has to be ready for in only a couple of months.

I've made good progress, I think. I opened a file for revision and have worked two days on it, this being my third.

I am, however, having issues with the storyline, or rather the fact that I started out without one. And they one that follows is rather unclear... Just a look into my fourteen year old pysche explaining/excusing a character who turned into an intergalactic assassin as a sort of public avenger. I'm not sure why I felt the need to.

I have art posted along the sides. The first is the working cover, which I plan to modify, the next is of Midia Dezsenee, whose spirit and soul are tragically crushed so that she is 'heartbroken.'
I also have one of Hannah, who is the driving protagonist in all of this (I could have written it form her POV and it still be good; Midia, not so much). I need to redraw Hannah, so I won't post the picture. I did get a deviantArt as QueenAravis, so you can come look at that if you want.

I Finished My Novel... Now What?

I painfully typed those last words. It all came so suddenly. Much more so than I ever anticipated. But my novel is now weighing in as a completed manuscript. Huge gaps in the shoddily constructed plot, but it's over.
*Looking Around* Now What?
The only answer in my mind is "Write a sequel."
Not "Go back and Edit"
No, "Write a Sequel"
Granted this sequel has been nagging ever since Ria became a main character, but still- So Soon?
"You know you want to write it."
And I do.
Okay!
So I guess I better put together a mock title like "Title Page Two."

P.S. I have decided to put my ending here.

Annelie breezed down the road south. She’d stopped at the hotel, got her stuff, checked out, and got on the road she was now. The dawn was coming, illuminating the wide road that was ahead of her, and the city was quickly falling behind her.
She would see where it took her. That was all anyone could do. The title page of her life turned, and the story began.

Magic (of Writing) clashes with Reality (of Writing)

Note the clarification in title.
So I hit 50K yesterday. I was all like "Whoop, Whoop!" But then I remembered with a good amount of zeal I still had 10K+ to go before my story was actually over. No problem there, right? Still got 5 days left for NaNoWriMo. Heck, I wrote an extra 1,000 words yesterday even.
Then I woke up this morning. I tell you, that was hard. I used to ignore every excuse in the book, but this morning I had new leverage to get more sleep.
So I told myself, "No, you're not really at 50K. You might as well be at 40K." That seemed to help, but my sister's intrusion was the ultimate motivation. Told her to make me a coffee and she... That's another story.
So I put up the winner's icon and all, but I'll see you the 30th at 60K. And ordering my free proof copy (teehee)

48K (plus rant)

That's my count: 48K. Only 2,000 little words from winning. I still have 12,000 to go overall, but still. It's euphoria being so close to winning. And that brings to mind the age-old question: What do you win? (!!!!!) That is a dumbfounding question to me. What we win is a sense of superiority over everyone who asks. Plus a manuscript. We win that too. Plus the certificate. But that;s the best thing. Freaking people out. Awe-inspiring them with the sheer creative ability you possess. And they are faced with their own inferiority in a way that they feel unqualified to question any of your strange tendencies. Of course, there's always the chance they'll be like "Oh, I could do that if I wanted."
Which is why I am looking forward to my free proof copy.

And that brings to mind another age-old quote when you say you are a writer: "Have you published anything?"
*HEAD TO DESK*
I hate that question. It's like you can't really be a writer if you aren't in print and on the shelf of Barnes & Nobles. Which is why Nanowrimo is also great. Because they don't question your status as an author.

I'm not sure this rant was coherent. But I hope you understood it.

New Cover

This is my new cover for my nanowrimo novel I'll include the banner too. What do you think?

Yesterday & Today

Yesterday. I wrote even though I had no clue what to write. Eventually, I just let it sit and came to it later. Actually, more accurately, I took a hot shower and kicked my character's butt into gear. She just wanted to sit around the house and sulk. I'm not going to put up with much. Especially from a manically depressed protagonist who doesn't have her medication at the moment.

Anywho, I'm shooting for 28K today. Wish me Luck. I'm gonna need it.

Week Two

This is the crucial hour of NaNoWriMo;. Not for the faint of heart. And here I am procrastinating. Don't worry, I'll get my word count in today. But I have decided that my SC is pregnant with twins, which her mother (who is VERY controlling) has offered to adopt. My MC no longer had to die. We've worked that out. Still looking to see where this thing will take me.
Anyway, if I don't come out alive, I hope they burn my stuff and permanently delete my writing. Don't want to be like Emily Dickinson, Especially since most of my stuff isn't finished

The Grand Hijack

So my characters have done it again: Insisted on their own way. Ria wasn't suppose to be an important character, then next thing I know she's a playing character, and HINTING AT A SEQUEL ABOUT HER! Not only that, but there is strong evidence suggesting that my beloved MC, Annelie, will not come out of this story alive. She's been insisting on this, but I have dismissed this depression previously. Not to mention that yesterday Ellen revealed herself as an antagonist. Perhaps not the Main one, but still it is a brutal betrayal. I don't know what to do. I have a reputation in my family for my dead characters, butI have defended myself by never killing my protagonist. Now it looks like I may have to. The Voices are demanding it.

Research or Not to Research

Researching is one of those things that I personally love. I find it addictive. I can never stare at a Wiki entry long enough.
But it can be annoying.
I know this.
So I use it sparingly.
But just how sparingly?
I dunno. I use intuition in my stories. I'm actually pretty good at writing stuff which I later find to be pretty darn similar to the facts.
This use to scare me, but now I know it is just my characters telling me.
Of course, they don't usually put it in a way that I can write authoritatively.
Just my thoughts. Got to get back to Nanoing!

4K= 2K til 6K

Behind on Word Count if I want to write 60,000 words. Must keep going or I'll never catch up! More tomorrow...

About to Embark on Day Two- Completely Random

I am about start writing for Day Two of Nanowrimo.

And last night, I at least begun to find my plot! Still not sure who my antagonist is, but I am beginning to think it has something to do w/ her father. Whether he's alive or dead and an active part remains in the question. But the book on poisons I picked up proved gold. Now I have a hairdresser in on it, hopefully.
Now I need to research the FDA. And MAO antidepressants.

Oh and I love Twitter. I have TwitterFox. It's great. I can stalk everyone with actually needing to open up the webpage. Just the browser.

Today's going to be a Coffee Day. Going on like 5 1/2 hours of sleep from tonight. More like 4 from the night before. just enough to make me slouch and sigh.

Got new wrist braces that are actually good for typing. My other ones were too stiff and my sister made one smell like bad-scented lotion.

Not going to Nano Forums unless I have to. *Yeah, yeah, sure. Only if the site's broken*

Think I can make 5K? I hope so.

My grandparents are coming over though, so I may not getting as much writing time

Also got a mysterious message presumably from my mother that read "NO IM & who is
[EDITED 4 PRIVACY]?"
What?! From the mother that sat there while I first met her. And then said I could IM with Nanoers...????? Maybe it was my dad. But I am sorely disappointed. I found my Word War yesterday most productive *sighs deeply*

And I use the word "sigh" too much. I'm censoring from my writing lest I wind up with a novel where "sigh" is found every three spaces.

Getting upset about contradicting statements now. And this spellcheck on FireFox is bwroke (Misspelling intended). What, do we have it set to recognize German or something?

2K

I reacked 2,003 wordso NaNoWriMo Suddeenly I'm asking myself, Where do I go from here? I've practiced so hard for the past year only to write sketally in form my story is suddenly reaching the middle of the beginning when I have the impression I could make I longer.

Cramps in my Stomach

Nanowrimo is in less than 16 hours... And I'm panicking, I'm panicking. There's like a total lack of plot here.
Anyway, I had thought about introspecting about my character's clothing here today, but now I can't. I'm so nervous I'm practically maniacal.
Catchya later! Maybe even December later..... That is if I'm alive.

Annelie the Protagonist

Finding the Protagonist:
I first met Annelie.... Well I can't remember when and where. I may have been washing dishes. But that doesn't really matter because suddenly I was sitting in a apartment. I was her. Sort of. Rather, she had pulled me in. I knew the apartment was in Paris. It was light and airy. The TV was playing, but nothing more than a white noise to her.

I immediately knew I connected with her. She was so sad, broken, alone, and lifeless. Something had happened.

Her daughter had been murdered. She nearly was. And she woke up from coma.

This story was mine to tell. It had to be.

She deserved it.

And her name was Annelie.

Naming the Protagonist:
Annelie. Yeah that's the name of my protagonist. At least what she goes by. Her full name is Nadine Annelie Rivers. The last name is subject to change, but I've yet to come up with.... Hey what about DeMarco? I like it. All right her name is Nadine Annelie DeMarco. And Nadine may now change to Sabine. We'll see. You know what? Sabine works now. Nadine Marcus can be an assumed name. Or maybe Sabine Marcus is her assumed name and Nadine is her real name. Hey wait... myabe DeMarco is the assumed name and Marcus is the real one. Sabine Marcus. Annelie Marcus. Sabine Annelie Marcus- It lacks pizazz. I like it. It's a name that works. One you might find in the telephone. Inflicted by an imaginative mother or grandmother and a mundanely surnamed father. It also has reference to the fact that Annelie was supposed to be first. Mother always loved that name from childhood. father insisted that that be her middle name so she didn't have to carry around something so unusual. But the daughter preferred Annelie to Sabine. Figures.

Oh and how does N.D. Rivers sounds as a pen name? I think it will work for now.

Let's just work with "Annelie" for now. And you pronounce it an-nuh-lee, so yeah.

Giving the Protagonist a Face:
Even with no actual illustrations or overly descriptive passages, Annelie had a face. She had a style (or lack thereof) She was so high and weighed so much. She had habits and speaking patterns. I didn't invent theses things. They were already there. They came with her. It was up to me to get that face down on paper and fill in the rest.

Giving the Protagonist a Life:
This was the hard part. The part she was reluctant to reveal. The part she wanted to forget. As she tells her brother: "My life died without me."
I knew this from the start. And I accepted the challenge.
I know now that Annelie is a best-selling writer and an investigative reporter. She adopted a toddler from Ukraine. A little girl called Niki. Who was dead.
But why?
A shadow of a stranger passed over the window. A loud noise came followed immediately by a shattering sensation in her head...
Obviously a GSW. To the brain.
Yet still, why?
The only clue either of us has is the title page. Only she's not giving me a clear answer on what it says. It's a love-hate relationship. As far as communications go.

Giving the Protagonist a Purpose:
Obviously she has to do something in the novel. What? Well, she's an investigative journalist. The murder case is cold. So what does she do? She investigates.
But that can't be it. She's a TBI patient. Her life and her brain is shattered.
So putting together the pieces and moving on is the Idea. Grounding her again is The Thing.