So I'm sitting here, writing up a report (Gasp, not the story? And during the summer none-the-less?) for my summer class (Oh, there's the sense) when suddenly and violently my copy of Microsoft Word goes dead. I know, right? That's a dream killer.
Except I guess I use Microsoft Word and computers so much that I've just gotten into a habit of saving every time I stop writing. Not that any of that matters (cause I have auto-save set to like 5 minutes... I hate losing work), but the difference was definitely nice this time since the repair build wasn't a good copy but my 2 minute old copy was excellent. So go me, save some time, dance break!
Now back to what we all really care about, my other Word projects. Broken Falls, as my friend probably has been killing me to write more and more of, will be put on hold until after tomorrow. Why? Because I have a test tomorrow and so I don't think time spent writing a novel will be the best way of studying. So until then, bye bye writing and hello random notes!
With that said, Broken Falls has entered the final story stages. As I told my friend last night (and I know she still wants to kill me for this), I'm at the part where I feel there are lots of mysteries but not enough explanations. Its time to start pulling those mysteries together, showing how they are all solved, and giving the readers what they really want, a conclusion. I know, from me that's a freaking insane idea considering the last whole story I finished got me sent to the vice principals office. I'm not sure why, I thought my story was very nicely depressing... so why would they think I'm suicidal all of a sudden? Which reminds me, don't let copies of your suicidal novels fall into the hands of teachers, principals, loved ones, or generally anyone that you know. Seriously, they all take it as if you wrote a diary about it when in truth some stuff had to be made up to make a better story and they don't know the difference between reality and writing.
By the way, while on that subject, the teacher that got the copy and turned me in for it was totally stupid. She failed to realize that all normal high school students are depressed (Where the abnormal ones end up never achieving anything greater in life) and that writing was a way to let out the steam for them. When did she finally come to realizing this? When she taught the creative writing class and on one paper there were 28 sad, good, emotional stories, 1 terribly written and uninteresting happy story, and then my story which fell right into the omg poetically amazing but no one there cares cause it's a bunch of high school bastards. (I wonder if I still have that short story...). At any rate, moral of the story is all high school students are depressed as they should be.
By the way, I just checked all of my secret story hiding locations and I can't find that story. I found the story that got me in trouble but the other one seems to have disappeared. I'll send that story to my friend, she can read it I guess. (And on another 'nother note, I just found a creepy one that had an ending... I'll send that as well). I've been writing since high school, so the possibility that I have short stories completed is there (and a lot of them I remember but not as well as when I wrote them. My style has changed, my pen name is... well I don't have one yet... and its just kind of weird to look back and think I completed something (Even if it was short).
For reference, my longest completed story is 3,821 words and 5 pages long (42 KB of space) and my current story is 101, 110 words (I didn't make that up, its just weird on its own) and 133 pages long (376 KB of space). So a little bit bigger.
Alright, back to my report... then bed... then class... or something...
Words since last post: 599
Total Words: 101,110
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
To Answer my Friends Question
My friend asked me a simple question when I secretly sent her the last chapter, which was of course, "Are you being sexy and writing more again?" (Words may have been added or removed to dramatize that last sentence) My simple answer to those that read this blog is yes. Yes I have continued writing my story again and yes I am finding it very much enjoyable. Maybe its just something about the month of July that gets me all writing happy, maybe I'm just kind of in the mood for something kind of horror-struck (Actual horror content of this novel to be decided/determined/decimated). I think its a combination.
I've moved onto chapter ten, which has the most original title ever, though I'm not ready to post it yet so tough luck to all those kids caring (That's like what, three and a half of a stump. Man I have an awesome fan base). Unlike previous chapters, chapter ten is a little bit of everything. Things move forward, plot moves forwards, things are introduced, plot moves forward, things get closer to chapter eleven, plot gets faster, things get faster, people get faster, faster gets faster, and so forth. I know that's not telling much, but I literally just got off of a chapter that was like full-pace run (wait, that sounds wrong) and had to actually slow it down to capture the moment. I know, that goes against everything I said I was going to do, but now we pick it up again since the next chapters are more about the ending. That's right, the past chapters were really all a nice set-up and now comes the action-packed, thrilling ending where suddenly thoughts I had come to closure and thoughts I want to leave open... well obviously stay fairly wide open.
And that's where Book 2 comes in... which will of course be titled (that's the actual title... screw the public I want something weird and eye catching). In continuing this blog to continue with my writing, I will now change scope to be different. First of all, the count at the bottom of the blog will be of what I've written since the last blog followed by the current total. Why am I changing this? Because I don't really want to go through the math of figuring out how awesome I've been doing each month and I'm still very much busy and unable to spend time on such things. Instead I'd rather rant (that's what blogs are for). So I'll try to post updates on a regular basis (which for me is what... once every three months maybe except for when I first started) and I'll try to keep the word-counts up to at least 1,000 words, which is about a page and a half of microsoft word single space writing. To my friend, this is good considered its about 10,000 words to a chapter (roughly) and 40,000 words until the end of the book (un-roughly).
So lets get that pace-maker back on and roll through some pages!
Tonight's Count: 1,536
Total Words: 100,511
I've moved onto chapter ten, which has the most original title ever, though I'm not ready to post it yet so tough luck to all those kids caring (That's like what, three and a half of a stump. Man I have an awesome fan base). Unlike previous chapters, chapter ten is a little bit of everything. Things move forward, plot moves forwards, things are introduced, plot moves forward, things get closer to chapter eleven, plot gets faster, things get faster, people get faster, faster gets faster, and so forth. I know that's not telling much, but I literally just got off of a chapter that was like full-pace run (wait, that sounds wrong) and had to actually slow it down to capture the moment. I know, that goes against everything I said I was going to do, but now we pick it up again since the next chapters are more about the ending. That's right, the past chapters were really all a nice set-up and now comes the action-packed, thrilling ending where suddenly thoughts I had come to closure and thoughts I want to leave open... well obviously stay fairly wide open.
And that's where Book 2 comes in... which will of course be titled
So lets get that pace-maker back on and roll through some pages!
Tonight's Count: 1,536
Total Words: 100,511
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Post 61 or Chapter 9 Finished
I think its interesting, for the past chapters of the book I've been writing at least 10,000 words. Now I'm actually pulling that back because what I'm really heading for is for something that will resemble what I meant for it to be from the get go. With chapter 8 I really was able to change the pace and the direction, but with that same change in pace/direction I also need to move onto the faster style.
Things happen, they happen much faster, and they probably will continue to happen at that speed for most of the rest of the story. The characters are down, the plot is set up, and its time for things to just unfold naturally. As such, I feel a shorter chapter to get the characters from point A to point B is what's needed.
Now with that said, I don't think that chapter 9 is in anyway less important than previous chapters. It just had a small point to make and a few things to collect, then its time to move on. That's how these things work sometimes. And I honestly thought about continuing it into the next area, but I felt it might be better as its own little thing. In my re-read of the story, I might do the same with previous chapters to make them go faster.
Anyway, onwards to chapter 10...
Words since last word thing: 1512
Total Words: 98,975
Things happen, they happen much faster, and they probably will continue to happen at that speed for most of the rest of the story. The characters are down, the plot is set up, and its time for things to just unfold naturally. As such, I feel a shorter chapter to get the characters from point A to point B is what's needed.
Now with that said, I don't think that chapter 9 is in anyway less important than previous chapters. It just had a small point to make and a few things to collect, then its time to move on. That's how these things work sometimes. And I honestly thought about continuing it into the next area, but I felt it might be better as its own little thing. In my re-read of the story, I might do the same with previous chapters to make them go faster.
Anyway, onwards to chapter 10...
Words since last word thing: 1512
Total Words: 98,975
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Happy Birthday Omega Pen!
Today is a big day for this blog! Its the day that this blog officially turns 1 year old. That's right, one year ago I started this blog with a simple intent (which still hasn't been finished) and I'm still typing on it. And its a little bit too bad that I'm so busy with everything, so this is a short update.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Ouch!
So I somehow ended up with extreme pain in my neck. Just in case it wasn't clear with that last statement, I have no idea how it happened. I just woke-up and pow, pain! It's okay though, I just sat around all day wishing that I could do something more than be bored and watch the television show The Whitest Kids U'Know. I love that show and all of its randomness, but that's just me.
So anyway, hoping this pain goes away. Oh, and did a little bit of writing on the next chapter, but then got bored and changed the channel in my mind. Weird, because I know everything I need to type, its just not boring me that's hard.
So anyway, hoping this pain goes away. Oh, and did a little bit of writing on the next chapter, but then got bored and changed the channel in my mind. Weird, because I know everything I need to type, its just not boring me that's hard.
Friday, March 18, 2011
3 Months in 1 Blog
So let me just start by saying that I am currently waiting for both Coffee and my computer to restart. With that out of the way, let me also just add that I haven't really written anything in the story since then. Is it out of my mind. Not really. I've just been either stressed, busy, or just not in the mood to write. Worse yet is that I kind of feel like putting down that book and going back to my previous one, RED, and restarting it. Why? Because I have all these ideas on how to do it better and more correctly than before that will allow me to not get stuck and actually finish it.
On that note let me describe how RED current was working out to be. There was a main character who had an interesting (no, really!) past and for some reason decided to spend his life as a detective. He gets a call out from the middle of nowhere and they ask him to find their daughter. Blah blah blah blah, more characters, and next thing you know I was in a hole.
Another important part to RED was that all the characters were based around two scenarios. The first one was that they would all be considered a "color" and as such that would turn into both their name and a bit of their personality. T he second personality was based around a dance of some sort (very subtle in the story, but one could notice it if they were looking). Although I liked the characters that this created, it did not create any seen friction that could continue into a full blown story of amazing proportions. That is a skill that I can only think I have currently been able to develop. And yes, Plots are hard to make and even more complicated to make great.
So what do I want to do to RED that changes it completely and makes it possible to complete? Well, for starters, I want to base characters and the scenes they are in off of colors. In this way I can get a much more dramatic scene (as will be seen in the re-write) as well as a possible self style to the story. I'm even considering taking it to the next level and using it in the text a bit (though most likely I wont on the first version) just to really have some fun with it. The second thing I want to do is add a little bit of LA Noir. Okay, enough of RED, that's actually not even started and I just wanted to give my friends who had read what was written an idea of why I might want to restart. Trust me, its better.
Now back to the update of my life. Lets see, went back to school for my Masters of Science in Civil Engineering and a focus in Structural Engineering. I couldn't get a job without a masters because of the economy, so I went back as I promised my parents. Had my birthday back in January, it wasn't very good. Did not do much but study and work for more of February. Had a lousy Valentines Day (expected). March came around and things finally started to get better. I got out and got to hike, which caused sore legs for a few days but I think was more than worth it. I finally got a "haircut." I put that in quotes because I donated every last inch of it. 10 inches went to Locks of Love and then what remained was shaved off for St Baldrick's Day. If you'd like to see a few of the pictures or donate towards my cause, you can find them here on the St Baldrick's Day website. I'll be adding more soon. Also, the total length was 10.5 inches and I'm glad to be rid of it. It was too long.
And finally on my update, yesterday I got stood up by all of my friends to go drinking (except Wyatt, who I accidentally stood up because I was so tired I passed out, sorry!). Today I got stood up to go hiking. Sad end of the first half of the school year, but it happens. Now on to Spring Break and then to finish up my first semester as a grad student. Never thought I'd go through so much school (cause I hate it...).
On that note let me describe how RED current was working out to be. There was a main character who had an interesting (no, really!) past and for some reason decided to spend his life as a detective. He gets a call out from the middle of nowhere and they ask him to find their daughter. Blah blah blah blah, more characters, and next thing you know I was in a hole.
Another important part to RED was that all the characters were based around two scenarios. The first one was that they would all be considered a "color" and as such that would turn into both their name and a bit of their personality. T he second personality was based around a dance of some sort (very subtle in the story, but one could notice it if they were looking). Although I liked the characters that this created, it did not create any seen friction that could continue into a full blown story of amazing proportions. That is a skill that I can only think I have currently been able to develop. And yes, Plots are hard to make and even more complicated to make great.
So what do I want to do to RED that changes it completely and makes it possible to complete? Well, for starters, I want to base characters and the scenes they are in off of colors. In this way I can get a much more dramatic scene (as will be seen in the re-write) as well as a possible self style to the story. I'm even considering taking it to the next level and using it in the text a bit (though most likely I wont on the first version) just to really have some fun with it. The second thing I want to do is add a little bit of LA Noir. Okay, enough of RED, that's actually not even started and I just wanted to give my friends who had read what was written an idea of why I might want to restart. Trust me, its better.
Now back to the update of my life. Lets see, went back to school for my Masters of Science in Civil Engineering and a focus in Structural Engineering. I couldn't get a job without a masters because of the economy, so I went back as I promised my parents. Had my birthday back in January, it wasn't very good. Did not do much but study and work for more of February. Had a lousy Valentines Day (expected). March came around and things finally started to get better. I got out and got to hike, which caused sore legs for a few days but I think was more than worth it. I finally got a "haircut." I put that in quotes because I donated every last inch of it. 10 inches went to Locks of Love and then what remained was shaved off for St Baldrick's Day. If you'd like to see a few of the pictures or donate towards my cause, you can find them here on the St Baldrick's Day website. I'll be adding more soon. Also, the total length was 10.5 inches and I'm glad to be rid of it. It was too long.
And finally on my update, yesterday I got stood up by all of my friends to go drinking (except Wyatt, who I accidentally stood up because I was so tired I passed out, sorry!). Today I got stood up to go hiking. Sad end of the first half of the school year, but it happens. Now on to Spring Break and then to finish up my first semester as a grad student. Never thought I'd go through so much school (cause I hate it...).
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Interesting!
An entire month of writer’s block and in two days time I’m able to break past that. If I had to guess, I would say that in reading other novels I was able to find the words to write what I wanted without compromising the details. So I’ve started to move on to the next chapter.
Chapter nine is very interesting, because I gave the story this sort of momentum in the previous chapter and that’s not exactly something I wanted to lose in this one. Because of that, things are going much faster than previously described and I think my readers will find themselves glued to the book as they are forced through a tumbling feeling.
But don’t take this the wrong way, at the same time I don’t plan to skimp on the details. I feel that although in the previous chapters details were used to really pass pages, they were also used to really set the mood of the novel. Now that the mood is really there, I can move on with what I was really trying to do. So from chapter eight onwards the readers should feel like they are being pulled along a quick line of thought and a rush of feelings as the main character tries to solve the things happening around him. In other words, stuff starts happening and it doesn’t really let up from that point onward (Though my readers may disagree as to where the stuff starts to happen and the momentum begins to build).
I also feel as though one of my worries form the previous journals is being answered in this chapter. I know that to fully fulfill this worry of stopping my character from having a robotic appearance I might have to go back and change him. On the other hand, I give him a real relatable sense from this point onward that may help my friends who are reading bond with him and understand him even more. He has fears, he has hopes, and he has a goal... so to that extent he has a real human feel about him.
As for plot and story updates, there really is nothing new since I know exactly where I am taking him. This next chapter, which I actually named off of a title I thought of using for another book, will lead the main character right up and into the final place he visits for this installment. It also will lead him into what I hope will be the pace for the rest of the story.
Words this Month: 1,402
Total Words: 97,463
Chapter nine is very interesting, because I gave the story this sort of momentum in the previous chapter and that’s not exactly something I wanted to lose in this one. Because of that, things are going much faster than previously described and I think my readers will find themselves glued to the book as they are forced through a tumbling feeling.
But don’t take this the wrong way, at the same time I don’t plan to skimp on the details. I feel that although in the previous chapters details were used to really pass pages, they were also used to really set the mood of the novel. Now that the mood is really there, I can move on with what I was really trying to do. So from chapter eight onwards the readers should feel like they are being pulled along a quick line of thought and a rush of feelings as the main character tries to solve the things happening around him. In other words, stuff starts happening and it doesn’t really let up from that point onward (Though my readers may disagree as to where the stuff starts to happen and the momentum begins to build).
I also feel as though one of my worries form the previous journals is being answered in this chapter. I know that to fully fulfill this worry of stopping my character from having a robotic appearance I might have to go back and change him. On the other hand, I give him a real relatable sense from this point onward that may help my friends who are reading bond with him and understand him even more. He has fears, he has hopes, and he has a goal... so to that extent he has a real human feel about him.
As for plot and story updates, there really is nothing new since I know exactly where I am taking him. This next chapter, which I actually named off of a title I thought of using for another book, will lead the main character right up and into the final place he visits for this installment. It also will lead him into what I hope will be the pace for the rest of the story.
Words this Month: 1,402
Total Words: 97,463
Friday, December 3, 2010
Coming Up Next
So starting tomorrow (as it is still not really tomorrow for me, I haven’t slept yet to say the least) I will be starting back up the whole words per month and total words. There isn’t exactly a goal this month except to finish the book. If I don’t do so now, then I feel like all will have been lost.
A few fears I’ve been having is that the main character maybe feels a little robotic. Like, I try to make him human with fears and goals, but to a certain extent I can’t really be sure. I do know I try and at least make him act intelligently, but that only makes me wonder if he sounds more robotic. I mean, how many people actually think things through before proceeding.
It’s fears like these that make me want to just stop and move on, but I figure if I can plow through it, at least I’ll have accomplished something. I mean, of all the fears I’ve had so far putting down this book and starting another one is just a bigger fear. I want a feeling of accomplishment, that I actually did something and that someone out there thought it to be interesting. Sure, this book probably won’t be published now or any time in the near future, but it is a nice goal to set and leave open.
At any rate, normal blog will resume tomorrow and I’m going to try and shoot the number of blogs back up to 20 or more a month again. It may be a rough road ahead, just as a fair warning, and next month may be even weirder and harder. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
A few fears I’ve been having is that the main character maybe feels a little robotic. Like, I try to make him human with fears and goals, but to a certain extent I can’t really be sure. I do know I try and at least make him act intelligently, but that only makes me wonder if he sounds more robotic. I mean, how many people actually think things through before proceeding.
It’s fears like these that make me want to just stop and move on, but I figure if I can plow through it, at least I’ll have accomplished something. I mean, of all the fears I’ve had so far putting down this book and starting another one is just a bigger fear. I want a feeling of accomplishment, that I actually did something and that someone out there thought it to be interesting. Sure, this book probably won’t be published now or any time in the near future, but it is a nice goal to set and leave open.
At any rate, normal blog will resume tomorrow and I’m going to try and shoot the number of blogs back up to 20 or more a month again. It may be a rough road ahead, just as a fair warning, and next month may be even weirder and harder. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
December...
The final month of the year and I have several important announcements to start it.
First, I finally bought Microsoft Word 2010 and will now be able to actually write something more. I tried using 2003 and the Mac version of 2008 and 2011, but those versions all altered the text and got me off task. So really I needed to get 2010 just to keep writing and not get stuck on details like all the text being screwed up after I specifically worked on it a certain way. So there’s a plus towards me finishing it.
Second, I feel the need to write! I have ideas flowing through me again and I get up right before I’m asleep to jot down little things I’m afraid I might forget. This is a wonderful piece of news, which basically means I’m once again thinking and ready to make more ideas. So there is another plus...
...except I’ve been quickly jotting down ideas not on the story I’ve been working on, but another one from the past. I suddenly had this brainstorm about the other book my friend said she would kill me if I didn’t finish it and so now I really want to start rewriting it. That’s right happy campers (who aren’t actually that happy), I’ve been thinking about R.E.D. again and I’ve been coming up with a plot-line for the entire thing to include what I want. Amazingly, the plot is really twisted and good and the descriptions I would be heading for would be easy to do because of how well I can envision each scene. So this is kind of a plus and a minus.
Now I just need to refocus all my energy into writing again and then write. I think if I can pull myself out of this rut, finish the book, and move on to redoing R.E.D., well then most of my readers who follow this will actually be very much pleased. To them, sorry I didn’t actually get anywhere with R.E.D. or continue it for something of like 5 years now...
Off to think of working!
On another note, before I go that is, My granddad fell down again and I’ve been having serious insomnia. Woohoo!
First, I finally bought Microsoft Word 2010 and will now be able to actually write something more. I tried using 2003 and the Mac version of 2008 and 2011, but those versions all altered the text and got me off task. So really I needed to get 2010 just to keep writing and not get stuck on details like all the text being screwed up after I specifically worked on it a certain way. So there’s a plus towards me finishing it.
Second, I feel the need to write! I have ideas flowing through me again and I get up right before I’m asleep to jot down little things I’m afraid I might forget. This is a wonderful piece of news, which basically means I’m once again thinking and ready to make more ideas. So there is another plus...
...except I’ve been quickly jotting down ideas not on the story I’ve been working on, but another one from the past. I suddenly had this brainstorm about the other book my friend said she would kill me if I didn’t finish it and so now I really want to start rewriting it. That’s right happy campers (who aren’t actually that happy), I’ve been thinking about R.E.D. again and I’ve been coming up with a plot-line for the entire thing to include what I want. Amazingly, the plot is really twisted and good and the descriptions I would be heading for would be easy to do because of how well I can envision each scene. So this is kind of a plus and a minus.
Now I just need to refocus all my energy into writing again and then write. I think if I can pull myself out of this rut, finish the book, and move on to redoing R.E.D., well then most of my readers who follow this will actually be very much pleased. To them, sorry I didn’t actually get anywhere with R.E.D. or continue it for something of like 5 years now...
Off to think of working!
On another note, before I go that is, My granddad fell down again and I’ve been having serious insomnia. Woohoo!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
As if There wasn't Enough Distractions Already
Thanksgiving has come and gone, Black Friday has passed, and yet there is still hope as we approach the final of the triplet holidays. The final one is known as Cyber Monday and, in the only way that can make sense, happens on this upcoming Monday. So what does this mean for everyone else out there? It means that I am once again uber-distracted by all of the awesome deals coming in.
Thanks to Facebook, I’ve become an addict to the online game Millionaire City. It’s like all the other games out there on these social networking sites. You start off small with the hopes of becoming something big and you have to watching it at least once a day to really get the full benefit of the game. Thank you Farmville for starting all of this...
BUT WAIT, there is way more than just that. As if I don’t already have enough video games to distract me, the large internet based game-center (for lack of a better term) called Steam has decided to also run a huge sale. Basically each day they will be giving out games at a huge discount (50% or more, sometimes close to 99% off) and so I’ve been watching it and collecting a large library of video games now. This has also taken both time and money from me. So, I’m having the greatest of trouble trying to get back into the whole “write stuff” thing. I have ideas, a lot of them, and they are all over the place. I’m ready to write them down too... but then I see the games and go back to that.
As far as my Holiday goes, this was definitely one of the more interesting ones. I’m not going to say it was good or bad, but it was somewhere in between for sure. Anyway, how was your holiday?
Thanks to Facebook, I’ve become an addict to the online game Millionaire City. It’s like all the other games out there on these social networking sites. You start off small with the hopes of becoming something big and you have to watching it at least once a day to really get the full benefit of the game. Thank you Farmville for starting all of this...
BUT WAIT, there is way more than just that. As if I don’t already have enough video games to distract me, the large internet based game-center (for lack of a better term) called Steam has decided to also run a huge sale. Basically each day they will be giving out games at a huge discount (50% or more, sometimes close to 99% off) and so I’ve been watching it and collecting a large library of video games now. This has also taken both time and money from me. So, I’m having the greatest of trouble trying to get back into the whole “write stuff” thing. I have ideas, a lot of them, and they are all over the place. I’m ready to write them down too... but then I see the games and go back to that.
As far as my Holiday goes, this was definitely one of the more interesting ones. I’m not going to say it was good or bad, but it was somewhere in between for sure. Anyway, how was your holiday?
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