Writing Prompts

Today I purchased the book 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More for my Kindle and plan to use it to help me with my 31 day challenge.  Each day starting May 1st I will I choose one prompt a day and write for at least 15 minutes.  Today was a challenging writing day, I was listening to David Whyte's What to do Upon Awakening in the car today and while it has some very good insights I found that I started writing like he spoke.  Sometimes this is helpful, but to my ear my writing was too stilted, unnatural for me. Tomorrow we start a new Teaching Company set so will see how my writing is affected by that! Until tomorrow. 

Start Again

And here I am again, trying to write in my blog.  What I want this blog to be about, is about writing, creating and living while holding down a full time job.  It isn't easy, mostly it sucks to spend all of your energy on a job that you didn't necessarily choose except by failure to choose. 

I want to talk about the weird and wonderful world of writing, I want to talk about poems I've read, books I'm reading, ideas I've had, movies that moved me, and the joy of living a creative life. And about the balancing act that must accompany any creative endeavor when your time is not at your leisure.

So once again I will begin my daily foray into the blogging world.  Starting tomorrow Monday April 25th, my daughters 30th birthday, my theme for the week will be about renewal, and the ability to begin again. 

Second thoughts

So I might have been to hard on Writers Digest last time, I think I was feeling frustrated at the slow and leisurely pace, the lack of communication, but truthfully I wasn't engaging that much with the class either. I'm not sure what I was expecting from the class, but I am gaining knowledge and growing as a writer. Isn't that the point of taking any class? to gain knowledge, to grow? If it is and I think that's what I was looking for then I am getting what I paid for.

As for my book - it is coming along nicely. I can't say enough good things about Donald Maass or his book Writing the Breakout Novel. If you listen and try to do the exercises your writing seems to fall logically into place, if you have the talent and the desire to write and what you want to write is novels that people read, then this is the book.

Writers Digest University Sucks

So I'm in week three of my class, the first week seemed to be going well, except I thought it was odd that the teacher only had 5 students and didn't really have anything to say to any of us, she doesn't respond to questions posed to her and does not seem open to interaction at all. As for the lessons, well they are very good, but only because of the textbook which I already owned so why did I pay $300 dollars for them to post lessons that I already have and then ignore my responses. It is now Wednesday night of the third week and no response on my last assignment, wouldn't I want to have that fairly quickly so I can incorporate her great teachings into the next session? The work is good though at least I am making progress on my own. I guess I will just have to work harder for myself and leave the classwork for those with more money than ideas.

stretching my wings

Into the second week of class now, things are going well. I have found that my class work pales in comparison to my writing, but nothing I can do about that you are given one week to do the work and I do the best I can. I do feel my story is taking shape now and I am confident in not only telling its story but telling a compelling sotry. I am happy.

Starting a New Class

Ok so I promised myself I wouldn't use my credit card this year, yes it was a new years resolution, and only 19 days into the year and I've broken it, but for a very good reason. My other resolution was to get an agent in 2011, and to get an agent I'll need a book to sell and to get a book to sell I'll need some HELP, so I signed up for an 8 week class "How to Write the Breakout Novel" I already have the book and now that the I've stopped sneezing from blowing the dust off I've begun reading it, I want to be ready when the class starts. Its make or break time, I've already blown one resolution... this one I want to keep!

Day 3

Day three and the word count right now is 6113, I'm still having some missteps along the way, but I feel confident that I am accomplishing my main goal with my rough draft which is to get the story told, the next draft will be about telling it better.

Some technical difficulties with doing a draft this way, hard to do chapter breaks, hard to make notes to yourself, though I will start using color so I can make sure I am remembering all the places where research will be needed, and where consistency is key.

Listening to the Sentence CD to help me remember some style points, and also reading from my literary bible, Barbara Kingslover, not to copy but to remind me of how beautiful and simple literature can be.

Day 1

I was up this morning at 5 am to start my Novel. I've been thinking about, planning, researching, making notes for about a year off and on and for the last 6 months very seriously. I was ready - or so I thought. It went well enough, but I'm already fighting the urge to go back and start over - that will never do! I've decided that the best thing to do is to act as if the beginning is already as perfect as I envision it to be. In other words write up to my potential. I can always fix any of that in the rewrite.

Overall it was a pretty good writing experience, 2017 words so far, I plan to write a bit tonight as well. I will try to get up at 5 am tomorrow too, trying to keep the momentum going as long as possible.

NANOWRIMO

With just 16 hours to go before the start of a new NANOWRIMO, I am both excited and prepared. Last year I just winged it, just started writing, this year I am focused prepared and ready to go.

I hope to keep up on the blog throughout to give myself a place to record my experiences. I am looking forward to discovering the story, learning about myself, and living the adventure of me.

NANOWRIMO

I DID IT. Today I am giving thanks for the wonderful people at the National Novel Writing Month website. I took the challenge this year and completed a novel. Ok so the novel sucks right now, but that is hardly the point. I have a finished 50,000+ novel.

baby racoons

Today the third day of a nasty flu that has kept me sick in bed, I am finally feeling well enough to move around, by noon I was tired and ready for yet another nap. Seems like sleep is all I've done for the past 72 hours, but I was willing to do it until I got it right.

Out my kitchen window I spy two small racoons ambling along on tiny legs with backends impossibly large and faces only a mother could love, speaking of mothers I wondered where was theirs. I watched them for several minutes and then let Max my faithful animal control cat keep an eye on them. It didn't take long for me to see that the racoons were making there way around the house, as Max ran from room to room looking out.

Soon the racoons came to rest in front of my garage. Two little exhausted bundles about the size of large grapefruits. I've contacted animal control, been transferred to fish and wildlife and simply put nobody cares. Racoons are expendable. They are like squirrels or worms or LBB's (little brown birds). Dime a dozen. And so here we are, the greasy neighborhood teens standing outside of their house smoking and drinking and two little racoons sleeping at my garage door, me sick with the flu and my cats not sure what to make of any of this.

as the time flies

Haven't had much time for writing here lately. I still stop each morning at the park and write for at least five minutes and I finished and mailed my second writing assignment. It actually turned out to be a pretty good story I think. What I don't seem to feel like doing is write in this blog. Maybe because my life has been anything but serene and while that might make for a good gossipy kind of diary entry, it just makes me tired to think about it. Then there is all the changes in my life. I thought I would making my list of 15 things to cook before you die, but now I've got to go on this elimination diet, so most of the things on the list of 15 are out the window. Starting Monday, no gluten, dairy or sugar for at least 6 weeks. 6 weeks. how am I going to do this? I can't even seem to go 2 days right now. All I can do is keep trying.

Lost, was very good last night, although I'm a little confused about the whole Eloise Hawking angle. I mean a couple weeks ago she was all we need all of them or all of this is for nothing and now she's like oh if this is the best you can do, when Ben shows up with 2 of the 6.

So are poor time traveling group, I felt so bad for them, I was starting to get physically ill every time the sky would start to light up. I hope that Locke was able to stop the island from spinning off it's axis. I also hope we find Bernard, Rose and Vincent soon.

Charlotte died last night, I was just beginning to like her. I felt so bad for Daniel, but also I know Daniel is keeping somethings secret. How is it that he is the crazy man that tells her never to come to the island when she was a little girl. Can he travel at will? it is all very strange.

Anyway that's all I have for tonight. I'm hoping my creativity comes back soon.

Poetry

It is a very quiet evening here in our quiet home, on our quiet street, with our lovely cats. I've been reading poetry and feel a little lyrical and a little dense. I love poetry, the way an idea forms almost from nothing, from a wisp of smoke. But I do confess a little bit of weariness to some of the 'greats'. I guess I am not that brilliant of a scholar to be able to catch the subtle nuances of language and feel. There is a mystery to a poem and directness and a sly sideways glance, almost like catching the site of a fairy out of the corner of your eye an when you turn to it, its gone. One of my favorite poets is Billy Collins and I like him for precisely the reason that he seems to be derided by critics. He is accessible. I do not have to be in the know to know his poetry. His language is simple and spare and bare bones and lovely. He is lyrical without being pretentious. I guess that would explain his critics but still I enjoy his work.

This is not to say I do not love other poetry. That I do not get say "Praise Song for the Day" from the inauguration recently. Or Emily Dickinson who is a lovely poet, so sharp and clear. I always wanted to get poetry, to be in the know, and possible to speak in that language, but I do not, I am a simple person with simple language and spare parts left over from reading too much Jane Austen.

Today has been a long day and I am tired.

5.4

Tonight some things start to come together on LOST. Daniel makes the statement that the people who start to have bloody noses, seems to be in direct relation to how long they have been on the island. Charlotte was first, then Miles and then Juliet. It seems that Miles too was on the Island before. So the theory that Jin is the baby, is probably incorrect and is most likely Miles, however, that doesn't explain the Mom/woman that goes to blackmail Sun later. I would suspect that they were twins.

Claires mom shows up to pick up a settelment check from Oceanic, but Kate and Jack believe that she knows about Aaron. As it turns out Ben is the one behind it all. Trying to manipulate Kate into going back. I still don't know for sure who keeps trying to drug Syiad but I suspect Ben again.

Hurley is in Jail, but should be out soon, thanks to Ben.

Our time travelers are jumping too and fro on the island, Sawyer sees Kate helping Claire deliver her baby in the jungle. This was a great scene. He loves Kate, and he felt like a big brother to Claire and he lost them both, the raw pain in his face was very real. Then we jump backward 16 years to when a pregnant Rousseau and her crew land on the island in a storm, there is a body floating on the water guess what - it is Jin!

Also note I labled last weeks show incorrectly it should have been 5.3

Mondays

I'm still sitting in a creative slump, fueled by my obsession with health at the moment. This is one of the main reasons I hate diets of any kind for any reason, my whole life seems to swirl around the diet and nothing else gets accomplished. I am struggling right now to get back on track and put this all to rest, without losing my commitment to myself.

In work news, nobody really showed up today, which all in all turned out to be a good thing, I managed to get a lot of work done. Who knows what tomorrow brings.

Tomorrow morning my goal is to leave the house early enough to get to the park. I seem to write better at the park, something about the location and the proximity to work and the knowledge that I have a finite amount of time.

Karl's brother will be here next week. I am not happy about this, Karl for all his protestations to the contrary seems happy about it. I know why too. We'd love to have someone from our family care enough to come and see us, but lets face it, they only ever just tolerated either of us so coming out of there way is only out of guilt not out of a wanting to see us. Who wants to be seen out of guilt? I prefer my way, no family at all, they don't like me, and I don't pretend that this hurts my feelings.

I've been a might busy these last couple of days. I guess I'm gearing up for this lifestyle change and it is making me a little nutty. I have done pretty good with it today. However, I did have wheat and sugar. The wheat was in some organic pot stickers that I had and the sugar was in salad dressing. Obviously should have made my own vinaigrette. Officially I am not starting until Feb 16, mostly because I planned events that preclude the wheat/gluten/dairy thing and I just don't need the hassle of explaining on top of everything else.

I watched the first half of the Superbowl today, its amazing what you will do when you are a Bruce Springsteen fan. I am not at all excited about going to work tomorrow. I have so much to do I can't even begin to figure out how to get it all done.

I did not work on my writing at all this weekend and I feel the dullness of this post is a reflection of my not working on my writing. I seem to be in a bit of a slump. Not a block, just over stretched and not able to focus clearly. I have to keep remembering that part of my reasoning for the lifestyle change is to help me gain some clarity and mental focus, and I do believe that will come, it is only 6 weeks you can do anything for six weeks if you know it will only last that long. At least that's what I keep telling myself. So for the next few days, I maybe a bit dull. Since nobody is reading anyway that doesn't seem to be such a bad thing.

Not enough time....

to analyze all the LOST theories. I just spent an hour at WA Post blog on Lost and I'm more confused then ever. All this time travel. I think some interesting theories are, that gun totting brit that has a gun Daniel is in fact his mother. Also it has been suggested that she is also Penny's mother, and of course that makes Widmore his father. Also Penny's father is Charles Widmore, I find it hard to believe that they named their boy Charlie.

Too tired to write more and too much time travel to digest.

LOST 5.2

Ok, so we start tonight with Desmond in an Asian village where he is running to find a doctor. Turns out Penny is having a baby, whom they name Charlie.

Two years in the future we follow Desmond to Oxford trying to find Daniel Faradays mother, what they find is an old girl friend locked in a coma, kept alive thru the generous Widmore. We are left to believe Faraday did a mind experiment gone wrong on Widmores dole. Desmond confronts Widmore and is giving Faradays mothers address in LA. He goes back to Penny and says that he doesn't have to do any more, but she knows Desmond will never rest unless he helps those on the island.

On the Island, Locke. Sawyer and Juliet have two hostages, we find out that they are others because one of them speaks Latin to the other and Juliet knows how to communicate with them. She convinces one that they need to speak to Richard Alpert. But the other one kills the other that agreed and escapes in the Jungle. Locke doesn't kill him and tells Sawyer it is because it is one of his people.

Daniel, Charlotte and the Asian man who's name I can't come up with, are captured by some others, who tell them that the trip wire that blew up the survivors they were with, was put there by there people. They take them to and army encampment, where Richard Alpert is, and he believes Daniel when he tells them that they are scientist with the army and they are there to pick up their hydrogen bomb.

Meanwhile Locke, Sawyer and Juliet arrive at the encampment. Sawyer and Juliet follow Daniel and a blond other to the bomb to diffuse it. Locke goes in search of Richard to give him the compass and find out how to get off the island to get the 6 back who are the Islands constant.

Richard takes the compass doesn't remember any of it. Locke tells him that he will be born in two years and he needs to go and see him when he is born. They time travel before Richard can tell him how to get off the island.

Charlotte has a seizure as the show ends.

I had to come back and edit my post because as I was logging off I realized I left out the most important piece to the puzzle. The guy who is captured by Sawyer, Locke and Juliet and then later escapes turns out to be Charles Widmore..... - I guess the theory that he was leader of the others before Ben holds true.

Nothing much to write about tonight. I'm feeling tired and my leg hurts. The news is filled with no end of people that want change and refuse to make it happen and I am tired of it all. I feel my interest waning in most things today. I hope this melancholy mood passes quickly.

Tomorrow is a new episode of LOST and so at least I have that to get thru, that and 8 hours of people who tell me how much they like while they assume I have failed and am doing things wrong or badly. I'm just a little tired of my friends at Harmony Hill these days. Perhaps my initial glow of happiness was ill timed. but tomorrow is another day.

Correspondence

I received my story back from my instructor today and while I knew it was not my best work, chiefly I knew the ending was lame, and I felt there were a couple of characters that didn't get the full treatment they deserved. My instructor felt the same way and also said I had several run on sentences. Well that is certainly true and definitely need to be schooled in this area and that is why I took the class. But the good news is she liked my story. Liked my characters. She seems to believe I can become the writer that I want to be. This is very exciting to me. I am working hard to make this happen, it is difficult to do everything. I know that taking on the 6 week UltraMind program is not convenient, but my health is out of whack and without doing my best to get this under control I will not be able to write or work or live. I have a lot to say and I can't say it if my brain is fogged up with my addiction to sugar. It is time I took my health seriously and I need to be focused to do this.

So, this week I must rewrite my first story, using my instructors changes. Next I must finish my second story, which is done, but needs to be reworked and I need to incorporate what I learn from rewriting the first story with my new story. Karl is being very understanding. I even read to him my new story, I did not let him read it as then he is too critical, but he seemed to like it. Anyway this is what I will be doing this week.

Also will try to make bread again this weekend. Soon I will have to give up bread for a time and I want to try baking it one last time.