Nano Word Count for today: 1721
Total Word Count: around 5300 (I'm actually cheating and adding to a novel I already started at about 6700 words.
I remember this being easier last time. Course my brain was younger and time dulls the memory of profound pain. That's it. I'm out of words for today.
Sleep well Nanoers. We'll do it all again tomorrow.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
NanoWriMo Continues and Harlequin Looks for New Writers
Word Count today: 1409. I'm working my way up. Let's hope I can catch up some this weekend.
Sioux? Sanders? Mary? How's it going?
Has anyone managed to check out Harlequins "So You Think You Can Write?" They are looking for new voices and this week-long workshop is free to anyone who wants to learn about the genre. It ends tomorrow, but it's still an awsome opportunity for aspiring romance novelists. Many of this week's discussions are archived if you're interested.
Sioux? Sanders? Mary? How's it going?
Has anyone managed to check out Harlequins "So You Think You Can Write?" They are looking for new voices and this week-long workshop is free to anyone who wants to learn about the genre. It ends tomorrow, but it's still an awsome opportunity for aspiring romance novelists. Many of this week's discussions are archived if you're interested.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
NanoWriMo Oh No!
This has been the worst week ever to start NanoWrimo. But I'm doing it. Alas, tonight I will only have 200 words done for today, but it is more than I had yesterday. I did plan out some future scenes while my students were doing research in the library.
Fie and a curse upon two classes in one week, a car with a naughty check engine light, a backed up bathroom floor drain and sundry madness.
Nano Total so Far: 3300
Send some good vibrations my way people; I'm going to need it.
Fie and a curse upon two classes in one week, a car with a naughty check engine light, a backed up bathroom floor drain and sundry madness.
Nano Total so Far: 3300
Send some good vibrations my way people; I'm going to need it.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Writing Real Characters: Pretend Your Character Has Been Taken Hostage
Some of the stories I like best have vivid, memorable characters:
Sookie Stackhouse - a small town southern barmaid who happens to read people's minds and date vampires
Elizabeth Bennet - a woman in a man's world who refuses to marry for money, likes long rambles in the woods and sarcastic skewering of self-important people, and has embarrassing parents and immature siblings
Harry Potter - an orphaned wizard boy who defeated The Dark Lord Voldemort before he could even walk
Mary Shannon - a federal marshal who's gambling-addicted father abandoned the family when she was a child
Sheldon Cooper - a theoretical physicist with OCD tendencies that border on the psychotic, a rabid love of comic books and a mother who believes Jesus saves
And I want to write characters people will care about. So I'm going to pretend they've been taken hostage. They have two minutes to make themselves human to the kidnapper so he won't blow their brains out.
So what would you tell someone to save your life, to make you a person to him or her? Not your job or level of education.
Maybe that you grew up in a small town and every summer went to the Tasty Freeze for frozen chocolate-covered bananas. You bite your nails when you're nervous. You have divorced parents who scarred you for life and you weigh 30 pounds too much. You are addicted to roller derby or European rugby. You are still afraid of the monsters in your closet and mainline sweet tea for breakfast.
Your dreams, hopes, fears and quirks are what make you an individual - a character. So once I figure those out, I might have a shot at writing a character worth reading about.
Sookie Stackhouse - a small town southern barmaid who happens to read people's minds and date vampires
Elizabeth Bennet - a woman in a man's world who refuses to marry for money, likes long rambles in the woods and sarcastic skewering of self-important people, and has embarrassing parents and immature siblings
Harry Potter - an orphaned wizard boy who defeated The Dark Lord Voldemort before he could even walk
Mary Shannon - a federal marshal who's gambling-addicted father abandoned the family when she was a child
Sheldon Cooper - a theoretical physicist with OCD tendencies that border on the psychotic, a rabid love of comic books and a mother who believes Jesus saves
And I want to write characters people will care about. So I'm going to pretend they've been taken hostage. They have two minutes to make themselves human to the kidnapper so he won't blow their brains out.
So what would you tell someone to save your life, to make you a person to him or her? Not your job or level of education.
Maybe that you grew up in a small town and every summer went to the Tasty Freeze for frozen chocolate-covered bananas. You bite your nails when you're nervous. You have divorced parents who scarred you for life and you weigh 30 pounds too much. You are addicted to roller derby or European rugby. You are still afraid of the monsters in your closet and mainline sweet tea for breakfast.
Your dreams, hopes, fears and quirks are what make you an individual - a character. So once I figure those out, I might have a shot at writing a character worth reading about.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Missouri Writers' Guild Flash Fiction Contest
MISSOURI WRITERS’ GUILD – FLASH FICTION CONTEST
- Flash Fiction – Get to the point in 500 words or less. Subject is open, but no gore or pornography.
- Deadline for entry—submissions must be postmarked no later than September 30, 2010.
3. Entry fee: $10 for non-members, $8 for members (make sure your dues are current.) Maximum of three entries per person.
4. Checks payable to: Missouri Writers’ Guild.
5. Prizes: 1st place - $100, 2nd place - $50, 3rd place - $25. Three honorable mentions will receive certificates.
6. Short stories must be in English, unpublished at the time of submission, and original work of the contestant.
7. Contestants retain all rights to their stories. Standard manuscript format: 8 1/2 x 11 paper, typed and double-spaced on one side of the paper, pages numbered, title of entry on every page, 12 point Times New Roman. Paper clip pages together. Contestants name or other identifying information should not appear anywhere on manuscript.
8. Attach a separate cover sheet and include: story title, contestant’s name, address, e-mail, phone number, and MWG chapter name (if applicable). Do NOT send by certified mail!
9. Mail entry fee and two copies of each entry, flat, not folded, by September 30 (postmark) to:
Tricia L. Sanders
Missouri Writers’ Guild – Flash Fiction Contest
90 Westwood Trails
Foristell, MO 63348
10. Stories exceeding word limit, not having adequate postage, or not adhering to contest guidelines will be disqualified and entry fee will not be returned. Decision of judge is final. Not responsible for lost or misdirected entries. Stories will not be returned. For a list of winners, visit our website in late October 2010: www.missouriwritersguild.org Certificates and prizes will be mailed by the end of October.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
You Can't Make These People Up
So. My car grunted and expired battery-wise on Sunday. Which was really nice of it cause it wasn't after work some dark scary night. I thought I lucked out as far as you can when you're car won't go.
Until I met tow truck man. Kudos to me for having AAA. No cookie for them because they let this guy out to associate with people.
He arrives right before the tornado from OZ is about to strike a glancing blow on my hometown. The whole day has been a moisty hot mess, and it decides to storm in the 10 minutes I'm having my car towed.
Tow truck man is not happy. He has apparently been rained on several times in other municipalities and is not chipper to participate once again in said drenching. He tells me so.
Did I mention Wal Mart's Auto Shop closes in a mere 45 minutes? We are only 5 minutes away, so this does not seem insurmountable. I hope. Tow truck man tells me to get in the truck and loads my car up. He is able to run to the vehicle just as the heavens open, avoiding the rain. I, on the other hand, would not have minded being rained on because I'd been trying to jump my car in 90 degree Missouri humidity. Little Orphan Annie has nothing on the frizz developing in my hair.
It is 1.3 miles to Wal Mart. I know because the internet told me when I searched for the auto body hours. It is a long 1.3 miles. Tow truck man is complaining about everything from his boss to the stupid people on the road who don't turn their lights on when it's raining. In fact, he is so incensed by the latter that he rolls down his window to yell at the people who are lightless. Several times. It seems they can't hear him through the window that is up to block out the rain storm. Finally he gets their attention. "Turn on your lights! It's the law!"
"Morons," he says in a companionable aside to me. I make no sudden movements and make sure my seatbelt is fastened. It's the law.
We arrive at Wal Mart scant minutes later where tow truck man insists he will not be unhooking my car until the deluge has stopped. Since I was not jumping up and down and insisting he suffer the hurricane, I am puzzled by his firmness on the matter. He continues to discuss with himself how abused he's been.
Now we are sitting just feet from the bay doors of salvation inside the auto shop as I cower against the truck door. Tow truck man calls in to report on this little debacle. A lengthy description of how hard it's storming is relayed to his unlucky dispatcher. I do a reverse rain chant mentally and 5 minutes later the rain stops and the sun comes out. I'm free!
I make a break for the auto shop office, tow truck man off-loads my car and drives away without looking back. I am unsurprised and grateful at this turn of events. That. Was awesome.
Tow truck man is so in my next book.
Until I met tow truck man. Kudos to me for having AAA. No cookie for them because they let this guy out to associate with people.
He arrives right before the tornado from OZ is about to strike a glancing blow on my hometown. The whole day has been a moisty hot mess, and it decides to storm in the 10 minutes I'm having my car towed.
Tow truck man is not happy. He has apparently been rained on several times in other municipalities and is not chipper to participate once again in said drenching. He tells me so.
Did I mention Wal Mart's Auto Shop closes in a mere 45 minutes? We are only 5 minutes away, so this does not seem insurmountable. I hope. Tow truck man tells me to get in the truck and loads my car up. He is able to run to the vehicle just as the heavens open, avoiding the rain. I, on the other hand, would not have minded being rained on because I'd been trying to jump my car in 90 degree Missouri humidity. Little Orphan Annie has nothing on the frizz developing in my hair.
It is 1.3 miles to Wal Mart. I know because the internet told me when I searched for the auto body hours. It is a long 1.3 miles. Tow truck man is complaining about everything from his boss to the stupid people on the road who don't turn their lights on when it's raining. In fact, he is so incensed by the latter that he rolls down his window to yell at the people who are lightless. Several times. It seems they can't hear him through the window that is up to block out the rain storm. Finally he gets their attention. "Turn on your lights! It's the law!"
"Morons," he says in a companionable aside to me. I make no sudden movements and make sure my seatbelt is fastened. It's the law.
We arrive at Wal Mart scant minutes later where tow truck man insists he will not be unhooking my car until the deluge has stopped. Since I was not jumping up and down and insisting he suffer the hurricane, I am puzzled by his firmness on the matter. He continues to discuss with himself how abused he's been.
Now we are sitting just feet from the bay doors of salvation inside the auto shop as I cower against the truck door. Tow truck man calls in to report on this little debacle. A lengthy description of how hard it's storming is relayed to his unlucky dispatcher. I do a reverse rain chant mentally and 5 minutes later the rain stops and the sun comes out. I'm free!
I make a break for the auto shop office, tow truck man off-loads my car and drives away without looking back. I am unsurprised and grateful at this turn of events. That. Was awesome.
Tow truck man is so in my next book.
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