So gearing up for the novel writing month ahead!!!

[hina88]

It's been a... disheartening week for me, for many, stupid reasons-but I usually bounce back no problem so I'll give it until the end of this week.

There are some cool things though?

I now have a Twitter account lol which is addicting beyond belief O_O, I never really took to Facebook and only update when I have pictures to post up lol, so I was under the impression that Twitter would be the same.

Yeah, it's not and I already added the app to my phone just so I can access it when not at home lol. This is actually under my actual name so that's why I haven't mentioned anything on LJ which is my fanfic/fandom journal. So this is my Twitter. Have also posted up my first ever blog O_O; it was kind of very nerve wracking but once I actually started writing something that I felt enthusiastic about it came naturally and I enjoyed myself!


Now NaNoWriMo is coming up! I'm actually getting more excited the closer we get to it and have continued to do more background work on my novel, my main aim though is to have a proper chapter by chapter plan before by the start of the writing fest because otherwise I'll have a hard time doing what needs to be done, which is just to write without care... ^^;

So! My chosen tools LOL - to get me through this time I have gone back to my shelf reserved specifically for practitioners and pulled out the following:

-The Weekend Novelist by Robert J. Ray
-The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them) by Jack M. Bickham

They've both helped me out a lot in the past so I'm relying on them for help this time too.

Up until recently I'd had a major problem with my dialogue, well, not the writing of it but the technicalities of it. questofdreams took me to task over it and helped me fix it, hopefully there will be a marked improvement from here on out. I think I still have a lot of grammatical issues to overcome, it's a bit of a downer for me but hey, this is what editing is for and I have to just keep learning as I go I guess.

So, apart from the two books mentioned above other tools will include:

-My pens *_*
-Tons of paper

And I'm so happy to say this but also:

-My laptop *_* which is still alive because it's like a cat with 9 lives


Well that's pretty much it, got a few books to read as well.

-Indigo Springs by A.M. Dellamonica (recced to me by sutlers )
-The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez (also recced by sutlers )
-The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (been avoiding these series for years but gave in now...)
-City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (got ahead of myself and bought the entire trilogy, fingers crossed... I've been told the world building in it is good)

Also, if you're looking for a refreshing, or just good take on the vampire genre, I'd suggest reading Sunshine by Robin McKinley. It was good-completely loved it. Have no fear guys, you'll find no sparkling vampires here-or heroines who hyperventilate every time the lead man gets close.

Hope you guys have a great weekend!!!

Comments

[theserubyshoes]

Hello <3

I'm sorry you've been having a hard time, and hope things start improving for you. I really give you credit for writing a journal entry focusing on positives.

I've been considering giving Nano a try again this year. This is often a touchy/irritating subject since people seem to either love or hate Nano and are astonished when other people think differently- but I seriously do understand the appeal, while also understanding that the WRITE WRITE WRITE approach wreaks havoc on my brain chemistry and mood. But! Cup half empty/half full- my position was eliminated this year (meaning 200+ people in town with my qualifications all looking for work that doesn't exist), so my unemployed self might actually get it done this year. And feel a bit less useless in the process.

I love the 38 mistakes book so much, and did quite a bit of preliminary work out of the Weekend Novelist Writes a Mystery book last year, so what I'd have left is doing an outline. I tried doing the notecard method from the Weekend book, failed, tried writing with NO outline, failed at that, and then just let the project stagnate and have gotten more and more depressed about it. On the bright side, during that time the characters have continued to play around in my head (occasionally doing things interesting enough to write down), and some awkward background wrinkles have ironed themselves out.

Oh- and I have a writing book rec to make. You'll probably resist it because of the title, but I swear it's 99% general writing and 1% mystery. I think some editor came through and crammed a bunch of mystery chapter titles and main title on it in the hopes of making it sell better. Check it out of the library if you have doubts, because it's truly amazing: Don't Murder Your Mystery by Chris Roerden.

This reply has been full of ME ME ME stuff. Sorry! I really do hope things look up for you (and you continue to love Twitter!). Have a wonderful, productive, relaxing-as-possible weekend.

[hina88]

Oh god not at all! And I sympathize with unemployment as I'm currently in the same position, have been for over a month now, first month was okay but now it's just starting to fray on my nerves - I had an interview last week which didn't go so well -_-; hence me being down this entire week lol, I tend to brood I guess? It just sucks when it affects my writing because then it gets to me even more!

Ah the 38 Mistakes book lol, is the one that always kicks my ass into gear, I love it too XD But actually now that you mention it! The Mystery Edition of the Weekend Novelist, I actually put it an order for that since I'm working on--well, not so much a Mystery as more of an Urban Fantasy/Detective, but since it's going to have mystery involved I thought I might as well! So I'll definitely be trying out the rec you have me!!! The more help the better really.

Yeah NaNoWriMo - I did consider giving it a miss this year, more because I actually felt impatient about the story and just wanted to start it but, I think what always appeals to me about it is that even if 95% of what I have at the end of NaNo is bad (and it always is... >.>;) it gives me a starting base :s which I badly need *sigh*

Keep pushing!!! I think what people say about writers is often wrong, lol what we need most is stamina and old fashioned stubbornness even when we want to pull our hair out :D we'll definitely get our novel out eventually <3