I was just thinking about the millions of writing books I have. I love books to the extreme, and I always gather books on subjects I love. And I love writing so I have probably around a hundred of them. Whether they be ones on grammar or structuring a story or author's memoir/help books. Wide range of books on the subject of writing.
Not too long ago I was reading one such book (for the life of me I can't think which one it was, but it popped into my head a little bit ago) and what I am remembering right now was a topic the author was talking about. Goal setting.
He (I believe it was a he) was talking about setting goals for yourself with your writing. He said to write at least three double spaced pages a day. About anything. He said that this was how he stopped himself from getting sucked into writer's block. He said to not focus on anything if you couldn't, but to just write. Kind of like the free-writing exercises my creative-writing teachers always put us through.
I like this idea better then a certain word-count type goal. Three pages isn't usually hard to write out. Especially double-spaced. I need to force myself to a routine again. I think a three-page goal is a good one for me.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
My ongoing project
Since I was about 11 or 12 I've been writing a novel. The same novel. Some people think thats drastically a long time to be working on one project. I've also heard that I should put it aside. I never will. And here are my reasons:
I am constantly thinking about my story in the back of my head. So why can't I finish it? Well, because my idea keeps evolving, becoming better in my mind. So I pre-write, and then change it all, well maybe not all. I love my characters, and that could be a problem. But I don't let it.
It started as a single book with a single female MC. It stayed that way for a few years. But then that character didn't have the flaws and strengths and abilities that I wanted in a character. But instead of getting rid of her, I gave her a daughter. My new MC. The previous MC was still in the story, and her own story ended half way through the story.
Then about two or three years ago, I decided that there was too many things happening for one plot line. So I decided that my single book would be come two, or three, or even more. A series is what I found myself holding onto. But it had been just a thought for a long time. I never took real action in trying to separate the two stories that I had combined in one.
Then about three months ago, I finally took it into my hands to separate the stories. This initiative came from the idea for a perfect beginning to one of their stories. (I've always been an out-of-order writer, one who never was good at beginnings.). Yes it may need some tweaking, but at the moment I love the direction it is going.
I am on a roll.
CMA
- I started this project as a release of emotions I have always bottled up.
- It has become my baby. A child that I want to grow and prosper.
- I WANT TO FINISH IT
I am constantly thinking about my story in the back of my head. So why can't I finish it? Well, because my idea keeps evolving, becoming better in my mind. So I pre-write, and then change it all, well maybe not all. I love my characters, and that could be a problem. But I don't let it.
It started as a single book with a single female MC. It stayed that way for a few years. But then that character didn't have the flaws and strengths and abilities that I wanted in a character. But instead of getting rid of her, I gave her a daughter. My new MC. The previous MC was still in the story, and her own story ended half way through the story.
Then about two or three years ago, I decided that there was too many things happening for one plot line. So I decided that my single book would be come two, or three, or even more. A series is what I found myself holding onto. But it had been just a thought for a long time. I never took real action in trying to separate the two stories that I had combined in one.
Then about three months ago, I finally took it into my hands to separate the stories. This initiative came from the idea for a perfect beginning to one of their stories. (I've always been an out-of-order writer, one who never was good at beginnings.). Yes it may need some tweaking, but at the moment I love the direction it is going.
I am on a roll.
CMA
Trip out of the house
I left my crowded one bedroom apartment this morning so I could have some time to myself so I could write without interruption. I drove across the street to Starbucks (would have walked if I had the nerve to face the recent snow and/or had the boots to do it) and have been sitting here for at least two hours, pondering what I want to write. I'm just not in the mood I guess. So I've been surfing the web and doing one of my other favorite things: people watching.
My boyfriend says that I have an unnerving ability to pick apart situations and bring out unusual things. Meaning, I can see things in people, ideas, etc. that most others don't pick out. I think thats what so interested me about people watching.
Object one: A young, probably 20-ish, girl, dressed in an white Aeropostle track suit, blue Broncos baseball-hat, a couch bag and big (annoyingly fashionable) sunglasses), came into the cafe about an hour after I got here. She is apparently a recently ex-employee and knows everyone here. She has an annoying habit of adding Miss, Mrs, Mr to everyones names in the fashion of "Miss Stacy, can I have a tea?", The only one who seems to avoid this affectionate name-tagging is the boy she is with. Tallish-blonde Adonis type. With sunglasses he doesn't seem to ever take off despite the dim atmosphere of the cafe. She has a slightly annoying voice, high but not too high, that she likes to speak loudly in. So of course I heard all of their conversations, though you can't really call it a conversation when only one person is talking. She talked about her babysitting job, how she just LOVES the family she does it for. Glorified nanny? Probably. Probably gets paid quite a bit, that or she has plenty of money (or has someone who has plenty of money), because that coach bag that she was carrying around was a large one and probably ran around $1,500. They talked about relationships, sex, about the coffee, pretty much everything. I don't think the guy enjoyed himself, because as they left he gave her a reluctant hug and left quickly while she stayed behind to primp in the bathroom and chat a bit more with her former employees.
She was the most interesting of people that I saw at Starbucks today. Maybe I'll find someone else later.
CMA
My boyfriend says that I have an unnerving ability to pick apart situations and bring out unusual things. Meaning, I can see things in people, ideas, etc. that most others don't pick out. I think thats what so interested me about people watching.
Object one: A young, probably 20-ish, girl, dressed in an white Aeropostle track suit, blue Broncos baseball-hat, a couch bag and big (annoyingly fashionable) sunglasses), came into the cafe about an hour after I got here. She is apparently a recently ex-employee and knows everyone here. She has an annoying habit of adding Miss, Mrs, Mr to everyones names in the fashion of "Miss Stacy, can I have a tea?", The only one who seems to avoid this affectionate name-tagging is the boy she is with. Tallish-blonde Adonis type. With sunglasses he doesn't seem to ever take off despite the dim atmosphere of the cafe. She has a slightly annoying voice, high but not too high, that she likes to speak loudly in. So of course I heard all of their conversations, though you can't really call it a conversation when only one person is talking. She talked about her babysitting job, how she just LOVES the family she does it for. Glorified nanny? Probably. Probably gets paid quite a bit, that or she has plenty of money (or has someone who has plenty of money), because that coach bag that she was carrying around was a large one and probably ran around $1,500. They talked about relationships, sex, about the coffee, pretty much everything. I don't think the guy enjoyed himself, because as they left he gave her a reluctant hug and left quickly while she stayed behind to primp in the bathroom and chat a bit more with her former employees.
She was the most interesting of people that I saw at Starbucks today. Maybe I'll find someone else later.
CMA
Monday, January 5, 2009
This is me and what I'm all about
This journal is something that I always wanted to keep and never really set myself down to doing it. When I became unemployed I decided I wanted to focus on my writing more. Yes, I will be continuing to look for employment elsewhere as well, but I want to write again, because I haven't give myself enough time to do so lately.
So this is me:
My name is Cara. I've been writing for... well years... but I've never really given myself over to the possibility to being published. The only thing I can really claim to have been published is a touching poem I wrote for my mom and was published in my school's literary magazine. I got a sudden burst of excitement from that and wanted to feel it again. But I haven't had much of a chance to finish anything since then, now I want to try. I'm an early 20-ish recent resident of Colorado. A beautiful state like this should be able to inspire me. So now I will focus on my writing.
That's what this journal is going to be for. My struggles, my accomplishments, my rants. Enjoy.
CMA
So this is me:
My name is Cara. I've been writing for... well years... but I've never really given myself over to the possibility to being published. The only thing I can really claim to have been published is a touching poem I wrote for my mom and was published in my school's literary magazine. I got a sudden burst of excitement from that and wanted to feel it again. But I haven't had much of a chance to finish anything since then, now I want to try. I'm an early 20-ish recent resident of Colorado. A beautiful state like this should be able to inspire me. So now I will focus on my writing.
That's what this journal is going to be for. My struggles, my accomplishments, my rants. Enjoy.
CMA
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