You Ever?

Come up with a story idea and have no idea how to write it?

Come up with a Title and no story?

Start a writing group?

Want to write but couldn't jump off that cliff?

Just pondering...

VACATION!!!

Soooooooo, I finally managed to update Vacation. I am now up to Chapter 4! Take a look if you'd like!

I'm Back!!

Miss me? Yeah I know the answer to that. Well, I have been busy. Some good, some bad. Part of the good part, is I have been trying my hand at poetry. I don't understand it. It baffles me. But I try. So, if you don't mind, take a look and tell me what you think and how I can improve and what the hell I am doing! Thanks for the help!



Poetry Attempts

Bad Luck...

So I had a notebook with my notes for my story I wanted to enter into The Gentleman's contest and I managed to lose it. So now I have to remember what I wrote. I have a very bad memory. I'm bummed. Oh well...Off I go to try to remember.

Back to School

I'm out of the house. Visiting friends. She home schools her kids so it is my plan when the kids are working, I will be working. Today it is just getting some blogging done. After that, I will work on my entry to The Gent's contest. I am hoping my friend will help me with editing. I haven't asked her yet...

So, with that in mind. I am off!

I Formally Challenge Thee...

The Gentleman has issued a challenge...

"I would like you writers to pick your favorite love song and then build a story around it where one lover has to sing it to the other. Some examples, they are at a karaoke bar, a singing contest or just in their bedroom."

I am going to enter. I started a story for it, written with pen and paper and am having a little trouble with the ending...I have to believe it will come to me with like the song did.

I feel pretty good about this. I am not sure it is a good story, but I am pretty happy that I took control of my muse to write it. Yay me!

Frankenstein, I Presume.

My best friend is right. I love writing. She said she has never seen me as happy and excited about anything, as I am about writing. What do I do? I go find some writing websites, join the community and get help with my writing, because, although I love it, I am not very good. They are wonderful people! They help me...a lot!

But it seems this is an obsession best shared. So I encouraged someone to join the site and write some stories. They keep telling me about a novel that they want to write. I am encouraging. I say why not start off with some short pieces, just to get in the groove, post them on the site and get some feed back. I watch carefully...the wheels are turning. Then, like gold has been struck, EUREKA!! They have a short story idea. Why don't you write down some notes on it, ideas, feelings things like that, I suggest. Type 'em up before you forget. Evidently that is a great idea. Off they run! Next thing I hear is giggling and fingers on a laptop. *shakes head* I've created a monster. The rest of the night, they had that same glazed over look that I get when I am working out an idea. *sigh*

I grumble, but deep down I am welling with pride. Did you used to watch The X-Files? At the end of the credits, a little boy's voice says, "I MADE THIS!" I love that! Might be my favourite part of the show. Anyway that is how I feel about said friend. I just may be lonely for a while...

And you know what? That's alright by me! *beaming with pride*





On a different topic, I had a nightmare that made me wake up yelling. That hardly ever happens. People wonder why I don't watch or read horror, well, this is why. I have TERRIBLE nightmares. I actually suffer from a few reoccurring ones, but I won't go into it. I was thinking, this dream would make a good story. The dream was about a haunted house and possessed furniture. The only thing that would have made it worse is if there were creepy kids in the house. The problem is, just like I don't read romance, I write it. I don't read or watch horror but now I want to tell that story. I am just not sure how to go about it. I may ask for some help from my writing buddy Descent (nathan carter) he does twisted really well. And yes, that is a complement.

And thank you to Descent for providing me with the pictures for this post. How talented is he? Bastard. Some people get all the luck. I hate with love... *snicker*

Today

I told you I knew I'd find my treasure. Well almost. An idea came to me while I was lying in bed waiting for a storm to roll through. I haven't written it yet, it is not done perculating but when it's ready, I will. If I force it, I am afraid it will turn out like Strangers, which sucked. Let's see...I think that's all I have to say.

Tell Tale Heart

I'm in a strange place. I want to write, but I don't know what to write. I know what some of you want me to work on. My heart isn't in it today, for any of them. It's odd. I can feel my heart beating, even hear it, but I can't find it. I'm maneuvering through darkened corridors and port holes listening carefully to it's steady mummer. I'm not afraid or panicked, this isn't a monster movie moment. More of a searching moment. I think there is more, like it will be a treasure my heart has gathered for me when I find it, but it's not ready to be found yet.

...And We Have a Winner..."Meeting"

Thanks to:

The B Word Poet
and
TALENT DRIPS EROTIC PUBLISHINGS

Read Meeting Ch. 1 Here
and Meeting Ch. 2 Here

Meeting

I uploaded new short story. It needs work. I didn't expect to post it. I hadn't even intend to do more work on it. I didn't expect I would spend much time on it. It was just a little piece of candy, a gift for a friend. But alas, it wanted to say more, so there is a second chapter. I am not sure if it will go beyond that.

So, if you want to read it, go ahead. If you don't like it, well, too bad, I wrote it for a friend, and they loved it...so there!

In any case, you can find it here.

Image Source

The Writer's Cafe Awards

Wow! I have to say, I am surprised. Honestly. Also, humbled. We all know I think of my self as notthewriter. So I think this is weird. People must really connect with the tragic. I'm glad I was able to convey those emotions and people felt it. I feel so ill equipped to tell stories. I alway feel I don't know enough words. Some one once pointed out to me, that I did, in fact know enough words, being that I was able to understand what other people had written. So corrected, I say don't feel I have a fine enough grasp of the language to manipulate it, to make it do my bidding. That is the true gift, art.

But I thought I would share my victory with you. Thanks for reading. You can find my profile here, and Forget is here.

I've Been Tagged

UPDATE

The Gentleman was kind enough to answer the questions that Bel had posed to some of us. Here are his answers.

(I also find it hilarious all you writers claim to be notthewriters. Carry on...)


First off, I don’t consider myself a writer. A teller of erotic tales would be
the more apt description of me, *Smiles* But to those of you who believe I am, I thank you very much!



1. Do you outline?

Nope… Suppose I should, but…

2. Do you write straight through a book, or do you sometimes tackle the scenes out of order?

I have yet to do a book, but as far as stories go, one scene at a time.

3. Do you prefer writing with a pen or using a computer?

I start a story with pen/pencil and paper. Once I have the general idea down, will switch to PC.


4. Do you prefer writing in first person or third?

First person, though I suffer from the ‘switching back and forth’ problem…
*Grins*

5. Do you listen to music while you write?

No.

6. How do you come up with the perfect names for your characters?

I try to be creative in my names, so the “Baby Name Book” comes in handy.

7. When you're writing, do you ever imagine your book as a television show or movie?

Sometimes. It helps me if I visualize the story as a movie to make sure the scenes are believable.

9. Do you know how a book is going to end when you start it?

I usually know who the story starts and ends, it’s the middle I have problems with, *laughs*

10. Where do you write?

A futon chair and a laptop at home, mainly. Sometimes will make adds at work.

11. What do you do when you get writer's block?

Read someone else’s work, usually gets the my muse back on track.

12. What size increments do you write in (either in terms of word count, or as a percentage of the book as a whole)?

Three or four paragraphs at a time.

13. How many different drafts did you write for your last project?

One, with MANY corrections.

14. Have you ever changed a character's name midway through a draft?

Not yet, but you never know.

15. Do you let anyone read your book while you're working on it, or do you wait until you've completed a draft before letting someone else see it?

It helps if I let some one read what I have already done to point out mistakes,
typos and such.

16. What do you do to celebrate when you finish a draft?

Place it on Writing.com and see what the reaction is.

17. One project at a time, or multiple projects at once?

Multiple, may be why it takes me so long to finish one story.

18. Do your books grow or shrink in revision?

My stories usually shrink in some places, grow in others.

19. Do you have any writing or critique partners?

Many of the writers on Writing do a fine job of critiquing what I write… so I guess that’s a, yes.

20. Do you prefer drafting or revising?

Revising, that way I don’t have to start all over again, *grins*. Not that I am lazy or anything…

*********************************************************




Tagged writer?

Thanks to Bel, I got tagged as a writer. Must say I love the compliment, but I don't merit the title. I hope one day I will, but it's fair to say that I don't deserve the title yet. Anyway, here I go.

1. Do you outline?

Not really. I have a sort of calendar where events I want to happen are, for lack of a better word, scheduled.

2. Do you write straight through a book, or do you sometimes tackle the scenes out of order?

Book! That’s a laugh, although I guess Worthy is turning into one. With Worthy, I do have scenes I have written that haven’t occurred yet. But, I keep those in my “idea” journal. The computerized version is in order.

3. Do you prefer writing with a pen or using a computer?

I like both. I am more efficient on a computer, but I LOVE the feel of pen to paper. I have another story I am working on that is completely hand written. I like that it slows me down. In fact, people have asked to read that one, for me to type it up, but I don’t want to. It is sort of my escape.

4. Do you prefer writing in first person or third?

Well, I want to be God, but I evidently have Point of View issues. Give my readers whiplash. I am working on it.

5. Do you listen to music while you write?

Sometimes.

6. How do you come up with the perfect names for your characters?

Names are the bane of my existence. I am inherently unimaginative and lacking in creativity. I used to name all my characters the same names. I also use names of people I know. So now everyone thinks I am writing about these people, which I am not. But, whatever. I am just so bad with names. I have a hard time remembering people’s names when I meet them. Bad. Bad. Bad. People were up in arms. Now I go online and find names, to appease people.

7. When you're writing, do you ever imagine your book as a television show or movie?

I see my stories as a movie in my mind, but fantasize about my stories becoming films? No.

9. Do you know how a book is going to end when you start it?

On the shorter ones, I usually do. I didn’t with Worthy but now I do. I don’t with the one in my hand written journal. I wait for inspiration to strike.

10. Where do you write?

I usually write in bed. I have now set up a desk area. I have also found, when I get stuck, if I go somewhere, coffee shop, pub, restaurant, I can get going again.

11. What do you do when you get writer's block?

I go somewhere, coffee shop, pub, restraint, I can get going again.

12. What size increments do you write in (either in terms of word count, or as a percentage of the book as a whole)?

Usually three to five pages.

13. How many different drafts did you write for your last project?

They are all drafts.

14. Have you ever changed a character's name midway through a draft?

No. I will change all the names in Worthy, though.

15. Do you let anyone read your book while you're working on it, or do you wait until you've completed a draft before letting someone else see it?

I have people who like to read scenes as I finish them. It helps me.

16. What do you do to celebrate when you finish a draft?

Put it online and wait for feedback impatiently.

17. One project at a time, or multiple projects at once?

Multiple

18. Do your books grow or shrink in revision?

My stories usually shrink in some places, grow in others.

19. Do you have any writing or critique partners?

Yes. I have a friend who I will go see for her to edit. I also publish on writers' cafe and the writers guild and one other site, hoping for feedback.

20. Do you prefer drafting or revising?

I do both simultaneously. I hate it when sentences do not flow right. Before a draft is finished, I've read the damn thing a gazillion times.


OK. Now, Bel has tagged all the writers I know except one, I will tag Kat and email the survey to The Gentleman. Hopefully he will not hate me and answer the questions. If he is kind enough to answer, I will post them here. It would be nice to get the perspective of someone who is about to be published. Maybe I can convince him it is his first interview. No? Well, I will try anyway.