I hope this is a rare occasion, but today I'm going to blog on what I'm going to blog on soon. I really don't want this to become a common occurrence, I would rather be doing something opposed to talking/typing about it.
Here is the thing, a week has gone by since my last blog post and I don't want that to happen. Ever. Again. So at least I'm writing something. But, fear not, there is something in it for you. You don't have to take that Valium or sleeping pill of choice tonight to get to sleep. This is not really that exciting, luckily I have nice, patient, understanding, and fantastic blog followers.
So this week expect at least two posts. The first will be on my good friend, the semi-colon. I LOVE the semi-colon but only when it is used properly and sparingly. I recently read something, a work of fiction, that was riddled with it. I just couldn't take it anymore!! So I thought I'd make that my weekly lesson. To be fair, the same proper and sparing rule should apply to exclamation points but I just can't hold myself back. Everything I say is exciting and exacerbating, isn't it?!?!!!!?!
But this weekend I've given a lot of thought to conflict in a story, so I'm going to mindlessly go off on it. Hopefully I can (unintentionally I'm sure) add something that you can benefit from reading.
I might even sneak in a mystery post just to keep things interesting. *evil grin*
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Weekly Lessons
I'll be brief.
I would like to do a weekly "lesson." Topics will include grammar, writing technique, or anything on writing in general.
Why, do you ask? Well, I would be the first person to admit that I have a LOT to learn. And there is no better way to learn than to teach. Some topics I think I'll have a good grasp on, but I think most will be uncharted -- or unfamiliar -- territory for me. I'll let you try and figure out which is which. *evil grin*
So, I'm taking requests. What bothers you? What confuses you? Professor Duckett is open to suggestions.
I would like to do a weekly "lesson." Topics will include grammar, writing technique, or anything on writing in general.
Why, do you ask? Well, I would be the first person to admit that I have a LOT to learn. And there is no better way to learn than to teach. Some topics I think I'll have a good grasp on, but I think most will be uncharted -- or unfamiliar -- territory for me. I'll let you try and figure out which is which. *evil grin*
So, I'm taking requests. What bothers you? What confuses you? Professor Duckett is open to suggestions.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
You Better Watch Your Back!
I really don't want this blog to turn into the chronicles of my stupid mistakes, so I hesitate sharing this but I guess I'll do it to put things into a little perspective.
A couple of years ago I was dead-lifting a 200 pound generator. Long story short, that turned out to be a not-brilliant ideas that landed me in the emergency room and left me unable to stand for two days. I thought for sure I was crippled for life! But with a few weeks of rest and numerous trips to a physical therapist it was something I thought I could put behind me (har har, see what I did there?).
Until Monday. My parents were coming into town and we were going to go golfing. While doing my morning stretches I must have pushed myself too hard while reaching for my toes when, pop!, my back went out again. I hit the ground, (literally) crawled into bed, and stayed there for two days.
It still hurts but I think I'll be back into the swing of things again sometime next week. I'm kicking myself for not spending all that time in bed writing. Or at least doing a lot more plotting or even reading books on writing better. I did spend a little time trying to think some things through but I really wanted to spend a major part of my day getting more of my thoughts on paper and it was just something I couldn't do while laying on my back and crying out in pain any time I shifted in bed.
So I'm still getting my plot onto paper and there are still a lot of loose ends I need to clear up before I start. Which is killing me because I really, REALLY want to start writing this story. But I've always been taught that you are making a promise to the reader on those first few pages and I want to make sure I am making the right promises when I do.
Oh, who am I kidding? The first chapter will be the one revised a hundred times more than any other chapter. I just know it.
I'm up to 28 followers! I see others having contests and I think I'd like to hold one sometime. Maybe when I get to 100 followers.
Some more inspirational finds in my blog reading adventures:
1) Joshua J. Perkey attended CONduit and did a nice blog on character. It is funny because I've been contemplating this the last week, in fact it was one of the things I had figured out while feeling sorry for myself from the excitement above. In ALL of the stories that I love, it is the characters that I love and remember and rarely the plot. I **HAVE TO** remember that when I write. I need to write characters that I can fall in love with in hopes that my readers will do the same. If I don't care for them, if I don't feel sorry for pushing them in front of the bus, if I don't shed a tear when I kill one of them off then why should you? If that is the case, I have not done my job as an author.
2) Shelly Brown is a real treat and I suggest you follow her blog if you want to laugh every time she types something. She posted something recently on original ideas. I'd link the story but for some reason I can't seem to find it again. Blogger failure again? Anyways, she reminds me that there are no truly original ideas and that it is okay. You can "breath life into it" and still make them fresh without creating a carbon-copy of the idea. And she is absolutely right. I dare you to find a story that is nothing like what is written before. It just reminds me that I shouldn't sweat things too much because it sounded a little bit like something I saw on TV a while ago. Just as long as it is a little like it but I've disguised the idea with enough clothing, a "Weird Al" mustache, and a great toupee! Plus, refer to number 1. It is the character that people fall in love with the most, not so much the plot of the story. This has been extremely helpful in that I keep thinking of the beginning of my story sounds too much like something else. In retrospect, I think it only sounds a little like that something else. Hopefully, a little enough.
Also, Shelly shares these hilarious video clips. Ever been Rich Rolled? (Not Rick Rolled) If not, visit her blog. Your life will never be the same again. I apologize in advanced.
3) Canda Mortensen wrote an excellent blog on setting up a perfect action scene. Basically, start with a scene of wonder and then hammer them over the head with the action. She shared a brilliant example from the movie Avatar that I had never considered before. Since I do intend to have a lot of action in my book, this is a tip I will need to remember.
Okay, until next time. Sorry I almost went a week without blogging; I think that is too long. Again, I blame my spine.
A couple of years ago I was dead-lifting a 200 pound generator. Long story short, that turned out to be a not-brilliant ideas that landed me in the emergency room and left me unable to stand for two days. I thought for sure I was crippled for life! But with a few weeks of rest and numerous trips to a physical therapist it was something I thought I could put behind me (har har, see what I did there?).
Until Monday. My parents were coming into town and we were going to go golfing. While doing my morning stretches I must have pushed myself too hard while reaching for my toes when, pop!, my back went out again. I hit the ground, (literally) crawled into bed, and stayed there for two days.
It still hurts but I think I'll be back into the swing of things again sometime next week. I'm kicking myself for not spending all that time in bed writing. Or at least doing a lot more plotting or even reading books on writing better. I did spend a little time trying to think some things through but I really wanted to spend a major part of my day getting more of my thoughts on paper and it was just something I couldn't do while laying on my back and crying out in pain any time I shifted in bed.
So I'm still getting my plot onto paper and there are still a lot of loose ends I need to clear up before I start. Which is killing me because I really, REALLY want to start writing this story. But I've always been taught that you are making a promise to the reader on those first few pages and I want to make sure I am making the right promises when I do.
Oh, who am I kidding? The first chapter will be the one revised a hundred times more than any other chapter. I just know it.
I'm up to 28 followers! I see others having contests and I think I'd like to hold one sometime. Maybe when I get to 100 followers.
Some more inspirational finds in my blog reading adventures:
1) Joshua J. Perkey attended CONduit and did a nice blog on character. It is funny because I've been contemplating this the last week, in fact it was one of the things I had figured out while feeling sorry for myself from the excitement above. In ALL of the stories that I love, it is the characters that I love and remember and rarely the plot. I **HAVE TO** remember that when I write. I need to write characters that I can fall in love with in hopes that my readers will do the same. If I don't care for them, if I don't feel sorry for pushing them in front of the bus, if I don't shed a tear when I kill one of them off then why should you? If that is the case, I have not done my job as an author.
2) Shelly Brown is a real treat and I suggest you follow her blog if you want to laugh every time she types something. She posted something recently on original ideas. I'd link the story but for some reason I can't seem to find it again. Blogger failure again? Anyways, she reminds me that there are no truly original ideas and that it is okay. You can "breath life into it" and still make them fresh without creating a carbon-copy of the idea. And she is absolutely right. I dare you to find a story that is nothing like what is written before. It just reminds me that I shouldn't sweat things too much because it sounded a little bit like something I saw on TV a while ago. Just as long as it is a little like it but I've disguised the idea with enough clothing, a "Weird Al" mustache, and a great toupee! Plus, refer to number 1. It is the character that people fall in love with the most, not so much the plot of the story. This has been extremely helpful in that I keep thinking of the beginning of my story sounds too much like something else. In retrospect, I think it only sounds a little like that something else. Hopefully, a little enough.
Also, Shelly shares these hilarious video clips. Ever been Rich Rolled? (Not Rick Rolled) If not, visit her blog. Your life will never be the same again. I apologize in advanced.
3) Canda Mortensen wrote an excellent blog on setting up a perfect action scene. Basically, start with a scene of wonder and then hammer them over the head with the action. She shared a brilliant example from the movie Avatar that I had never considered before. Since I do intend to have a lot of action in my book, this is a tip I will need to remember.
Okay, until next time. Sorry I almost went a week without blogging; I think that is too long. Again, I blame my spine.
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