The state of play …

I was starting to feel it had been a while since I posted here, but I see it’s only been 5 days. That’s not terrible, is it? I mean, you guys don’t miss me that much when I’m gone, right? You’re allowed to, I guess. I suppose it would be flattering. But it was also be, like, responsibility, or something … urgh. OK, don’t miss me. But do come visit. Let’s make it like we’re old friends – we don’t have to talk everyday, and when we do chat, it’s like we’ve never missed a beat. Yeah … I like that.

Righty. So, you guys know I have been writing a story, now titled “Healer’s Touch”, for several years now. It’s taken that long because over the course of shaping the story itself, I was also learning the craft of writing, through my involvement with ‘sites like WDC, or through reading and trying out the advice offered by Larry Brooks (I honestly believe that applying his story-structure to my story has been close to the single most significant thing I’ve done for it) and Janice Hardy.

So, this is a wee “this is where I’m at” post …

In a recent post I mentioned that I had struck up some back-and-forth with a small publisher. Well, right now I am sitting on a contractual offer …

New Post Title (Hey, I’m savin’ my creativity for my novel. You got a problem with that, punk?)

Right, I was just noticing that I said I’d keep you informed how I went with that Manuscript Contest I entered (and, I would link to where I said that, and should be able to because I just read it … but I closed the post and I can’t remember which one … Lesson, kids? Erm … write … everything … down? Yeah … yeah … that’ll do). So, I thought I should tell you how I went …

Well …

I didn’t get third.

And, I didn’t get second.

…

…

Officially done

The final draft of what I am now calling “Healer’s Touch (Book 1 of Weapons of War trilogy)” – trilogy being expected, but tentative until I nail down a few more details – is done and submitted in a competition to, hopefully, win a critique.

I have also forwarded copies to two willing beta-readers.

So the plan is to try not to look at it for the next 4-6wks. I may look at it for the sake of:

1. studying it for structure so I can learn from what I’ve done and hopefully do things more efficiently next time

2. making notes re: character details/timelines so that I have good reference material to go on with

I have several other things I can do instead:

Music: New Zealand Music Month – Shapeshifter

Here’s a Shapeshifter song/video. Hope you like:

Finding My Way

So … on the word count front, it may look like I have stalled. But, I haven’t. I am feverishly working away every spare minute I get. And my head is abuzz with story and writing even when I am supposed to be doing other things. However, I have reached a junction in my writing of my WIP. Another one, I suppose, but I truly sense the end is nigh on this one. Yes, I still have a bunch of words to put down, but I have also already put an even larger bunch of words. Yes. I do truly believe that the number of words I have already put into the world is larger than those yet to come. I could be wrong, but I’m going to believe it.

I have come to a decision (and procrastinating at the moment, because sometimes putting decisions into action are less fun than they seem in one’s mind) …

So far, on the whole, I have been pantsing it – I write. And, truth be known, I still believe that my best writing has come from those “inspirational moments” in the shower, as I drift off to sleep at night, or when I’m out for a walk – yes, away from the computer or pen and paper.

However, I have worked out an outline before, and I liked it. And then I went and learned stuff about increasing stakes, and story structure and blah blah …

Ticking Along and a Prequel

883 words on “Weapons of War”, so far today. And I should get another moment to add to that, as hubby would like to play his drums tonight – he’ll do that after Master 19months goes to bed, so I’ll have some time (if rackety) to myself. I like making this sort of progress.

As a bonus for you, readers, I have decided to post up a prequel-scene short story. I wrote it for a writing.com competition called “Bring Forth The Darkness: Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n Roll”. I thought that with a theme like that, it would be a good chance to explore my antagonist (not that my protags are goodie twos, but …). For the competition, I only had to touch on one of those themes but, for fun, I decided to get all three in there – so, you have been warned. Read if you feel like exploring the world I am creating, don’t if it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea. The story is called “Toes Across The Floor” and I have filed it with my “Weapons of War” chapters.

I didn’t win that competition. There were only two entries, so it was a case of win-lose. So, while I could say I came second, I really don’t know how I would have done had there been more entries. Still, I had fun exploring my psychologically damaged antagonist and his relationship with my main female protagonist’s mother … indeed.

Research: So much fun & so overwhelming

I’m trying to research some history in order to write a decent short story for a “competition” (although, I’ve decided I don’t care if I win – I’m leaving it too late to do my best – but I must make an effort to enter).

I had this plan to do an Alternative History/Steampunk story, and thought it would be really fun to apply Steampunk to something other than Victorian England or the Wild West. How well I’ll do, I really don’t know. I’m planning to have a go at the alt. history, anyway.

The original prompt I started working on this story for (the new goal doesn’t have a theme or prompt – it’s Open) included dragons, so that had me thinking China. So, after a little research, I discovered the story of Li Zicheng – quite interesting, by all accounts. And, if you have the time, this video probably has the best information about his time in “power” (however you define it). I’m quite keen to watch the next part, now. Perhaps tomorrow.

 

A.D.1644 Part 2 Transient Rule of Li Zicheng

What a week …

Or, rather … what an end to a crazy week. Hmm. No. I’m not so sure it’s over, yet.

OK, here goes. (I’m on caffeine, so bear with me). Last week, I learned new stuff about writing (Thanks, Janice) and I set about implementing what I learned in my WIP. This meant MAJOR re-writes (good-bye scenes I was really quite attached to …). The problem with doing this now is we start reviewing in the “First Three Chapters” group I am part of next week! Eep! OK, that’s fine. Breathe, you can do this. And … you know what? I was doing it. At over 2,000 words per day, I was doing it. The end of Chapter 1 is done. Chapter 2 is done. Most of Chapter 3 is done – thanks largely to the fact I can reuse some old stuff here.  And, I even finished a short story (~2000 words)  for a competition yesterday. Yeh man. I am a MACHINE.

So, the two competition stories I did over the last couple of weeks? They earned me two 3rd places. Not too shabby, huh? OK, so they weren’t major, prestigious writing comps, but that’s OK. It’s nice to prove to myself that I can write to a prompt and do alright. Especially when the story I write is away from my WIP. As a novelist, I get worried that I’ll only ever have one story in me. This is it. Once I’ve sent these characters out to play, I’ll be stuck. I’ll never write anything again. Oh woe is me.

So, I encourage you to play with short stories. Find a few competitions (writing.com is great for it … but I’m sure there are others) and challenge yourself.

Even better than placing in competitions is getting feedback – in-depth feedback – from an enthusiastic reader. And I found one today.

Woot!

792 word Short Story written. (Limit was 869 – random, I know). Yay. I completed something.

Time to return to adjusting my WIP before the boy wakes for the afternoon.

 

(I’m not sure if I’ll put my short up here. It was written for a competition called “The Weekly Quickie”. Most entries are highly sexual, of course, but they don’t have to be. They just have to stir feelings in the judges. I’ll see how it rates, and then I’ll consider whether to post it under my “Other works”.)

The Art of Failure …

“…  it’s as simple as that. Once I decided to risk failure I became a more complete person for it. I mean all you gotta do is risk. See you are looking at a better person now.” (Michael DeLuise (as Joey Penhall) in 21 Jump Street episode “Film at Eleven”)

 

It’s something I try to teach my son. He’s nearly 17 months old and, so far, his tendency is to (literally) throw his toys if he can’t do what he wants to do with them. If I threw my toys (read: computer) every time they didn’t work the way I wanted them to, oh boy, it’d get expensive! Like now. It seems I need to have different browsers for different tasks. Firefox runs some things better, but it is totally crappy for typing up a simple blog entry – for me, anyway. I can type words ahead of what Firefox shows me. Chrome manages the typing fine. But if I want to look at (or play – sheepish look) anything with Flash, I gotta go to Firefox. Gah!

Anyway, that wasn’t the point behind me starting this post.

Ever since I got “nominated” for a Liebster Blog Award, I have been trying to fulfil my part of the deal. Someone linked to me (and four other blogs), now I am meant to do the same: link to 5 blogs. And not just any blogs. They have to have 250 or fewer followers. Not all blogs post their follower number, either, so how am I supposed to pick them? I don’t have a heck of a lot of time to troll through the interwebs finding random blogs that deserve a boost. Not to say I wouldn’t love to. So, what I am going to do, is re-post parts of posts I really like and link to the original post, of course, and also just link to blogs I like. I should do the whole “Blogroll” down the side, shouldn’t I? OK, time to make friends with technology.

Anyway, back to the topic I indicated with my post title. I was just reading this post about failure and thought I would share – even if it is nearly a year old already.

Learning from failure is a good thing. Learning from other’s failures is even better – although I do admit you usually learn more by experiencing things for yourself, there are some things you won’t get the chance to learn from if you make a mistake trying them (such as speeding uber-quick on a motorbike). So, learn from others if you can. Try the things that you can live with the thought of failing at. Well, at least that you can live after failing at.

Wow, this post was just meant to be a quick, light-hearted link … What happened?