Haven't Been Feeling Good

Just a quick little update. I didn't complete last month because I was upset for the entire last week. Short explanation, my Grandma has added stress to my life. Had that same stress all of the first week of this month and it has kind of carried over and just lasted the past few days.

On the other side of the stress that never ends (mainly because there are more stressful people than just my Grandma in my life), I start to get into art. So my output has been to the facebook App Graffiti. I'll post a few of them below so everyone has an idea of what I spend maybe two or three hours on in any given day.

Twilight Woods

Tree in the Blue

Radiance

As You can see, I've had a bit of time to make things like these. I like how these three have come out and all of them were started with the colors I chose in mind, but with the scene out of hand. What I mean to say is that I didn't know what I was going to draw, just that I wanted to draw something. One thing led to another and I had vibrant reds coming down from the clouds and blues lighting up the background. It's stress relieving to just start using Graffiti on facebook.

As far as writing goes, I do plan to finish the book I started (since I am SO freakin close to finishing it). I am, however, in no current rush at this point because I don't have the creativity in me to write. Some would call this writers block, but it's not really a block since I know what I want to write. I just am missing that passion I had when I started writing. I will make this promise though, I'll have that book done before the end of this year. If I don't, it'll become lost in the void of my thoughts for a very long time, and feeling so close to finishing it, I really don't want that to happen.

If I make any more graffiti artwork, I'll try to remember to do a large post here with a lot of it. Until next time (and there will be a next time :D)

One Day Off then Back to Action

I started yesterday off perfectly as far as writing for me goes, got up and was ready to write a thousand words easily. I had my coffee in hand and my computer on the table and was typing away, until I realized I had put myself into a strange hole.

I don't think I meant to bury my own thoughts in the catastrophe that had happened, but I did. I ended up writing myself into either 1 more chapter that explained too much about something I really do mean to start talking about in the second book (it's going to be a trilogy or something, remember?). So I was left with an option, continue writing and send out the eighth chapter as it was OR go back and try rethinking the whole scenario so that I didn't have to do another chapter in there. I chose to take the second option and spend all of yesterday coming up with the revision. I like what I thought of but it wasn't the easiest thing to write, so we'll just have to see what my friends think of it.

Anyway, back on the novel today and continuing as planned towards the final finish. I am only a few thousand words or so away from the end of chapter eight, I can tell from just what is happening, and then I'll send it out to be interpreted by my friends. This chapters has been fun to write and I think it really shows where I want to go with this series, too bad it is far from the end of this book. No, I think I have at least 3 or 4 chapters left before I can end this book (two of which will be devoted to a single place... or at least I think so). That means I have 30k-40k more words to write after this... which is not a good thing for a new author.

The average book length is 60k to 100k words, the reason why being that at 100k words the average paperback book hits 400 pages. If I got over 400 pages, the chances of getting the story published go WAY down. So I'm left with a few options, write a shorter novel and hope to gain popularity off of it (current plan for the month of November... along with the NaNoWriMo). So we'll see what happens.

Last, just wanted to say that I started watching a British television show called Psychoville. Oh my God, that show is amazing. It is weird enough to keep me enthusiastically watching it and crazy enough to meet my standards of interest. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. And just so I say this, it is a dark comedy that you can't find in America.... sad day...

Words for the Month: 14,995 / 40,000
Total Words: 95,054

I'm gonna go write another 5 words to make it a perfect 15k

The Time is Now Midnight!

I did it today, I accomplished writing more than ten thousand words in two days flat. That's really impressive once you consider I normally spend a week writing that many words for my story. Then again, I've felt really involved with this chapter and I've been really proud of the artwork it has become. That's right, I said artwork.

This chapter has changed so much from my original idea that if I read it to myself from ten days back, I'd have hardly known it was the same thing. The basic principle I had so many days ago is still very much present in the chapter, but what happens has become something much more grand than I could have imagined. And maybe this is all because of the process of writing, I really can't be sure, but I am pleased to say that this is by far one of the best chapters I have ever written.

The best part, the scenery is actually really simple and easy for anyone to imagine. It was what I did with the surrounding atmosphere that makes it so sophisticated. I could have written this chapter a thousand different ways, but I'm not sure I would have been as proud as I am. Not only that, but to my readers (to which has now become three people...) I hope they see all the symbolism and symbols I gone to lengths to throw into each place. I think this one might also send a few shivers up their spines.

So am I done now that ten thousand words have passed, the normal average length of my chapters. I think not and I might actually be far from it. I'm not certain that I will need another ten K to do the job, but for sure I will need a few thousand more just to finish the explanations I have ended up in. And yes, I thought about breaking this part up into two separate chapters, but the problem is that the whole thing lies in such perfect unity with itself that I thought breaking the pieces apart would only ruin and not strengthen the value anyone will find by reading it.

To tomorrow I will write more, the ideas are still flowing vibrantly through my head and I have probably enough to keep writing peacefully onward for some time. I wish I would have known how much joy I'm getting out of writing this a few days ago, but then again I probably would not have developed the ideas I have. It's that strange state where I wish I had done so sooner while at the same time it would not have been as great had it been performed before the best time. There has to be a word to describe that, someone out there probably knows it.

And for now, have a wonderful night!

Words for the Month: 12,445 / 40,000
Total Words: 92,504

Day Two of the No Video Games Program

And so I failed to make 5,000 words in my wake of what was yesterday (I don't honestly count it to be the next day until I sleep, the only exception of which being that I need the number of words completed before everyone else considers it to be the next day at midnight) and I haven't played video games yet. This of course makes me sad, because I love video games.

SO I started the program again today, 5,000 words to start playing video games. I figured that it helped me get 4,700 or something words yesterday so it wasn't a complete failure and already today I've made headway towards the final goal. Also, I might have to work a little faster if my friend calls me and wants to play and five... Anyway, it seems to be working really well so I think I'll keep this program in action. Next month I might keep it but I will lower the amount required each day so that I don't finish in the first eight days and then wait to play all month long. I'm not saying 5,000 words isn't a bit too much, just that I've gone into crisis mode and need to fix the problem that video games has caused this month

On a different note, the evolution of chapter 8 goes well. I've had a lot of interesting things to write about and kept the pace fairly forward for someone who is basically alone in the world I am describing. That's about as much as I can say, really. Actually I'm really looking forward to what happens after this chapter, there are some funny thing I want to say and some interesting points to make before the next stop on the list.

Well, gonna take a small break and then hop back on it.

Words for the Month: 9,206 / 40,000
Total Words: 89,265

Quick Update (sorta)

Just a quick update, but I wrote a little bit more before I decided to turn in for the night. Also, I noticed I haven't done many posts this month. That made me feel bad, like I was disappointing a crowd that does not exist. So now I'm trying to make at least one a day to make up for the lack of posting I've done for the previous parts of the month.

On another strange note, this month sucks compared to the last two. Yes, I've gotten lazier and lazier as I try to force myself to continue writing. And yes, I am trying to complete this month so desperately because I know that if I do I win a huge prize and get to laugh a whole lot as my ex-girlfriend wonders how I mysteriously was able to get not 1 or 2, but 3 months of meeting a strange goal I've never tried to before. That's right, I'm trying to complete this month for the fun of amazing her and seeing her reaction. Sometimes life gives you lemons, and then you laugh cause you just saw a car explode. Sure, it might have been your fault the exhaust was clogged with lemons but who would know that.

Anyway, quick update, things got done, stuff happened, more commas where used, a person talked to me, interesting things, reviews, fans, worlds of worlds, and end quick update.

Words for the Month: 7,152 / 40,000
Total Words: 87,211

Also, note that for today I never made over 5,000 words and I never got to play my games... stupid me not working harder to get video games... Also again also, I've strangely already used lemon in my labels... how did that happen?

Hmm.... it seems to get worse...

Well, this month is far from what I had planned it to be. I guess it could be worse, I could just be starting today. Oh wait, two thousand words in is close enough to starting today that I might as well as feel as if I've really made no improvements at all. Darn.

At any rate, I'm trying to pick up the pieces of the story and get back on the horse, then build a puzzle because I have the pieces. I don't recommend this, it is hard to make a puzzle while on a horse's back. If I've done my calculations right, I need to write approximately 3,500 words every damn day for the rest of the month starting tomorrow if I don't write anymore tonight. That's no good. That's no good at all...

Procrastination, something I'm known for and something I tend to do when I find myself stuck. Well, I've decided to procrastinate on my procrastination (wait, is that possible) and so I've started writing all over again. On the good side, I have about a million ideas to write about for this chapter and the next one and the one after that. Actually, some of those ideas are funny and I can't wait to get to them... to bad I still need to finish off this idea for what Chapter 8 is really about. Curse you chapter 8, with your character changing things and so romantic writing. Yea, I personally think this is about the greatest writing ever and I haven't written that much. I wonder if that means it'll really draw attention from my friends.

Anyway, I've started a new goal system where I can't play video games until I write 5,000 words that day. Does this mean I won't procrastinate? Hell no. What it does mean is that I will actually start writing some God damn words each day just for the chance of playing video games. And I'm going super strict on this rule so to my friends who play Starcraft 2 with with (and yes, I did just mention it again, hello South Koreans) sorry.

Also, just so I feel like the South Koreans get some meat with what I'm saying, I feel Starcraft 2 has been a disappointing game so far. The story was lacking and the only movie I liked in the game (which was real CGI) was the one that shows part of the plot from the last game. Sad day. On the other hand, I love playing the multiplayer even though it has nothing new to offer me. Seriously, I wish they would have spent more time evolving the multiplayer instead of just giving it a face lift and a required basic AI update. Oh well.

Now for the impressive part, look at all the work I've so far done just today...

Words for the Month: 5,541 / 40,000
Total Words: 85,600

Been Sick

I've had some sort of stomach bug or something the past few days. As such, I haven't gotten much writing done even though I know exactly what I want to write about. I'm trying push myself through all the haze and come up with the words I need, but in all honesty that's not going very well. So I haven't done as much as I would have liked by now (by now being the 16th of the month) and I fear the worst for meeting this month's goal. Then again, maybe like last month I'll find strength and make chapter after chapter without problem.

Chapter eight is an interesting one to write about, the final part of the green pool side of the story. I knew I wanted to stay in the realm I had created just long enough to explain a few of the many rules, but short enough that I could get back to him being with other people. That's one of the problems I'm encountering too, there is less to write about when everyone who I've created isn't in the same world as the main character. Oh well, one more chapter and they will start seeing one another again I guess.

I think the importance of this chapter is it drives a real difference between this story and some of the other ones out there, more importantly the series that originally inspired me to make something of this caliber. It is a simple idea, but it completely changes how everything else works in the world, the mechanics all different. I'd like to note that now.

Anyway, going to try writing more later and catching up some more, but for right now I just want to take a nap.

Words for the Month: 2,319 / 40,000
Total Words: 82,378

Chapter 7 is complete!

So I'm getting back on the fun bus and writing again (after a week long break from writing). I hope to hit this month running, but that seems to be not happening yet. Oh well, at least I'm getting back into and today is far from over yet as well!

I'm surprised that I didn't need as much as I thought I would for this chapter, but the next one is even more confusing and strange and, if I left the chapter off just right I should have yet again succeeded in pissing off my friend who hates drop endings. More things are just ahead of the main character and I've been ever so kind as to hint at what is about to happen, though we'll see if the clues are easy to pick up on.

I think the name of chapter eight can be revealed as well, since it offers no more help to my poor friends reading this. It's called The Home She Grew Up In and although I'm telling the name right now, like I said it really doesn't offer a whole lot more to them. I can easily say this will be an interesting and confusing chapter to write and the ending will, of course, leave my friend hating me (I've got this one pretty much planned out as well). Actually, I've been thinking about this story for a while now and I know exactly where I am going with it (though there are still some details I need to work on when I get there). The way the first book will end is pretty much set in stone, it answers a few of the mysteries I've opened and leaves my friend hating me for ending it that way, which is perfect.

I'm going to write more later, but at least I got started on this chapter! Also, my friend Wyatt should stop distracting me...

Words for the Month: 1,005 / 40,000
Total Words: 81,064

That Makes Two Months!

For the second month in a row (out of two total so far) I have met and surpassed my goal! That's right, I procrastinated all day long, but before the clock struck midnight based on my local area's time I was able to finish off the total words for the month. To my friends that are reading the story, I bet you all are happy that I started writing a blog about this since it has now gotten me over a hundred pages of words and double the length of my previous longest story.

On a slightly less related note, there are so many things in the next chapter that I like that I can't wait to give it to my readers. I think they will find all of the different things maybe moving a bit slower than expected, but there are really a lot of rich details in there as well. Also, I've got the next chapter planned out.

Edit: The new poll for the month is now available. It would be nice if people voted, but whatever. Last month's poll ended with a tie between let jack read it and no... which means I'm just gonna be lazy and not send it to more friends...

Words for the Month: 40,016 / 40,000
Total Words: 80,059
Months Successful: 2 / 2

An Important Achievement

So I know that this should be where I post something about how wonderfully I've achieved 80,000 words in a single story right here, I mean it is the very last day of the month and that is where I should be. However, this blog post is to actually celebrate the achievement of making 100 pages of story.

Why do I find this to be so damn important? Because I write single-spaced and with one inch margins (where words normally keeps the margins at one and a quarter on each side, so I gain half an inch). I also don't go onto the next page unless I'm at the next chapter. Well, I've filled 100 pages with words that somehow come together to make a tale of about a man's journey. That's amazing.

Let me put this into perspective. A ten page paper written for school would have been double spaced and with a title page. Now, on a double-spaced page you can normally fit about 350-450 words with a 400 word average if you don't space the top margins too much. This means for a single-spaced page my average number of words per page is 700-900 words with an average of about 800 (though I found I'm about 820). That means I've written about 200 pages worth of paper space in comparison to any of my academic friends currently writing thesis papers. And that doesn't include a title page. Make sense why I see it as an achievement now?

To my friends that are reading the book, this means that I've actually given them a somewhat decent in length read. I mean, let me be fair when I say it sucks when you book ends at about page 20 and then the damn author doesn't continue. Also, it means if they were putting all of this together in a word document (which if they were smart they could just ask me to send them the full document, though that is turning out to be a much large file with each time I'd have to send it), they would have something that causes my computer to keep saying "OVERHEAT" and then explode. Thank God the save button works so damn well... and it auto saves like every minute. (Note to readers: actual computer has never overheated and then exploded... except when playing the video game Starcraft 2).

Just one last thing, it will be at least another 2 months of dedicated writing like I have been doing for these past 2 months just to get another 100 page achievement marker. If I was doing this by pages, I'd be done for the night because I would probably go every 50 pages. My friends should be thanking me I'm doing it by words and not by pages (and also, that makes me fell more inclined to make the paragraphs longer... where as if done by pages I would chop them up to make more pages faster).

Now back to working for my other achievement, which is just over 3,000 words away. For those that don't remember me posting this a few days ago, that is somewhere between 2 hours and 4 hours of work based on how many words per minute I can write. I'm going to write just a bit more for tonight (because yes, 1 in the morning is still just getting to sleep time for me) and then I'll finish it up in the morning.

Words for the Month: 36,834 / 40,000
Total Words: 76,877