I have captured the bunnies!

Specifically speaking, I have captured my plot bunnies for this years NaNoWriMo (which starts in 57 days!!).

I was originally planning to write the sequel to my 2010 NaNoNovel but after careful discussion my my brother I have thus decided to completely write my NaNoNovel 2011 using a compilation of four random generators:

One for genre

One for setting, plot, characterization device, hero, villain

One for first words

One for title

As an example:

Genre: Renaissance Mutant Action/Adventure

Setting:Ocean Punk

Plot:Rags To Royalty

Narrative Device:Overly Long Gag

Hero:Plucky Girl

Villain:Lesbian Vampire

Character As Device:Stoic Woobie

Characterization Device:Living Forever Is Awesome

First words: There be dragons here. . .

Title: Swiftly Smiling


This isn't what I'm going to use for my NaNoWriMo but you get the idea.


Thankfully, now that I have decided to write NaNo this year I can spend the next 57 days NOT outlining for NaNo and instead do that homework that is due.

Speaking of NaNo have you seen the badge I got for completing last year?

It's pretty. And look! the monkeys!

I was in this workshop today. . .

I was required to be at school for a journalism workshop yesterday and today. (On a Saturday and Sunday. For 12 hours and then another 7. I know. Take up all your angst with Howe.) I did not like being required to spend my gas money for the next three months to SIT AT SCHOOL but I actually enjoyed myself believe it or not.

Our keynote speaker and breakout instructor was Bobby Hawthorne (whose blog can be found here) who not only was a Texas native complete with accent, but hilarious too. I learned a lot of writing in general, not just for journalism.

The most important of which: be smart. don't be pretentious.

He showed us some passages from essay submissions that he had judges. They were the most pretentious passages of writing that I've ever seen. There was one that took three paragraphs to say GREED SUCKS. Literally.

All of what he said made me really think about how I write. I pride myself on my writing, that's no secret. I want to be acknowledged for it too. I'm not a bigot (most of the time) but I want praise. I don't want to end up on some PowerPoint for being bad writing. And, after this workshop, that's something I fear.

I think my writing is not as obviously bad as most of the stuff that we were shown but I go to a different place, a different mindset, when I write so my writing could suck and I wouldn't know. Which brought me to the conclusion that even though I have major fears of rejection I need to have a lot more people read and critique my writing.

In fact, I wrote a column during the workshop kind of about that which I plan on posting after I get revision notes from Bobby.

Until then dear readers,

S-A-M-I

_

I'm starting a new habit. At the end of every blog that I write I am going to include either a short story or an excerpt of one of my short stories.

Today's excerpt comes from a story I wrote a few years ago and have hence rewritten at least twice. I plan on beginning a third rewrite (because I'm still unhappy with it) after this year's NaNoWriMo.

So, without further of my rambling. A short bit from Demon Awakening.

She was getting weaker. The demons truly were feeding from the pain. They wanted her weak. Pain can cloud thoughts. Thinking was crucial at a time like this. Especially for Lilli. Agreeing blindly could lead to death, or worse. She tried to forget the pain, work through it.

“You are strong halfling. But you won’t be for long.” The servants of evil descended upon Lilli. Cutting her open with claws and teeth. Bleeding here humanity away.

She screams.  So. Much. Pain.

What are these things? The ones who attack her in dreams. Tell her lies and cause her pain. The evil beings who are trying to take her away from all she loves and all she knows.

“Off!” The one who seems to be in charge of the others calls. The monsters come off her, but leave her torn and bleeding. “Child,” he says to her. “Whether you wish to accept who you are is beyond my control. But whether you like it or not you belong to us. Part human you may be but you are equally as much demedhe, demon. Your humanity cannot live on.”

She summoned the energy to speak. “I don’t need humanity. I just need to be human.”

“Impertinent child!” She cringes at his tone. “There is no such thing.”

Then let me die, she thinks. I would rather be dead then one of evil.

“We will have you. Death is not an option. You will be changed, the method however shall be your choice. Either painfully,” He tightened his mental grip of her pain, which made it much worse, “or by choice.”

“I ask you again. Will you give in to us? Become demedhe and live painlessly forever?”

A Quote

I just found this quote and wanted to share it with you. It states my standing opinions of my high school Literature teachers in a much clearer way than I ever could.

Thank you Ray Bradbury.

*~*

You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you do—and they don’t. They have prejudices. They may like Henry James, but what if you don’t want to write like Henry James? They may like John Irving, for instance, who’s the bore of all time. A lot of the people whose work they’ve taught in the schools for the last thirty years, I can’t understand why people read them and why they are taught.

RAY BRADBURY

In which I say a whole lot about nothing...

Today, I spent a lot of time dealing with relationships. And, to be honest, it's a little overwhelming.

Don't get too excited, I have friends who read my blog, so I'm not going to name drop or anything. But I was blocked trying to write on my new(ish) story, and couldn't seem to get any editing done on the other precious that has been claiming my attention.

I don't believe in writers' block, but I had all of this information swimming around in my head and couldn't get anything substantially helpful written. Right, enough with my circular explanations, on to the point.

I dealt with three types of relationships today: happy, wishful, and fictional.

Relationship type #1: Happy and Stable

I spent over an hour listening to a friend of mine talk about how happy she is with her new boyfriend and how she thinks she is falling in love with him. It was all very touching. Really, it was. I mean, I love her and I did (technically) say that I didn't mind hearing her gush, but come on. I am truly glad that you are happy with your bf. I can see that you are on the point of giddiness. And I except that. (Which is a hard thing for me to do.) But you told me the exact same thing last Thursday sans a few details.

Congrats on you happy, now I think that I am going to go back to stressing over minor things and dealing with others that aren't quite as stable as you. Pardon me...

Which brings us to Relationship type #2: Wishful

I have a lot of friends. And they are mostly high school girls. Which means that they are destined to have a new crush every three months. I can't blame them for that, it's all those hormones and genetic probability. Unfortunately, as I am seen as the most emotionally stable (but also detached), I get the wonderful pleasure of listening to every. single. one.

And lately, there seems to be an excess number of times that I have deal with you wishing that X-guy notices you. In general, I can handle most of this. But the thing that really got me today was when I almost made one of clichéd bored, best friend comments about, I didn't. I was nice and held my tongue. This seemed to bother [name redacted]. She kept insisting that I tell her what I was thinking. I did not though because in the long run I knew that if I did, bad things would have happened. (Look Mum I'm learning to filter what I say.)

Moral of the story is that during this entire time (and many other times when I have to listen to friends moon after guys) I kept wanting to scream "RAWR! I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A CRUSH, BUT IS IT AT ALL POSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT IT WITHOUT GETTING STARRY EYED AND SOUNDING DESPERATE?"

Then again, some might argue that I'm insensitive and a horrible person. I would argue back that they need to ¡cállate!


Relationship #3: Fictional


I like this relationships the most because the characters end up with who I want them to end up with and generally do what I tell them to.

When they don't we get into heated arguments that they usually win.

But at least they will listen when I tell them to shut up and go take a nap.

When the characters don't want to do that I threaten to kill them off later on, terribly breaking their romantic interests heart, but I don't care because I'm just their cold, detached author who makes them up in my head.

Most of my characters with do what I plan out for them.

That is why I like fiction more than reality. Though it may also be why people legitimately think I am crazy.

THE END

P.S. I swear I have a caring heart somewhere but sometimes the love is suppressed by all of the layers of stress, exhaustion, and cynicism.
I'm off to do some happy writing now.