A Hopeful Author To Be

Oracle

2007-09-20T11:09:00.001-04:00

So I was putzing through deviant art and found my FAVORITE artist there. She creates beautiful work and I can't help but to share. I have a character in the book I'm writing that is an oracle. This picture completely encompasses what I have been picturing in my mind for the oracle to look like. Completely Fab. Enjoy and please take a peak at the rest of blackeri's gallery on http://www.deviantart.com/ ... Here is her Gallery, definitely worth a look!

http://blackeri.deviantart.com/gallery/

Oh, and just as an update, I'm completely revamping my novel. Changing a lot of characters and adding a whole new "historical" (if a fantasy novel can claim that) history. This has probably put me behind a month but I think it will be well worth the effort in the end.

Inspiring Art

2007-09-19T14:16:00.001-04:00

As I was jotting down notes today for my book I realized something, something that is probably entirely irrelevant to what I was supposed to be doing but here it is. Have you ever walked into a book store and were browsing just for something to read to kill time in between waiting for the next book in a series to come out? Well, I've noticed that the main thing that draws me to a book is its cover. The cover art is HUGE! So I've decided that whenever I post I am going to put up my inspiring artist of the day. And of course give all you boys and girls a look at some fabulous artists with links to see more!

This one I got off of of www.deviantart.com an absolutely fabulous site. This particular photo is called "Wax Dragon" by Navate. It is absolutely beautiful and gives me a great idea for a character my novel. Beautiful work - http://navate.deviantart.com/gallery/ is this particular artist's work on deviant art. Take a look it's well worth it!

To First Person or Not to First Person...that is the question.

2007-09-17T10:20:00.001-04:00

Well, I have now written two versions of my story and both have gotten good reviews and not so good. This I am certainly glad about just because of the simple fact I have gotten terrific critiques! In case anyone is wondering www.writingforums.com has been a godsend. There are great people on there that are always more than happy to give a good critique. And they aren't afraid to tell you "Ok, you make absolutely no sense." This is good to me, it gives me hope that I may finally accomplish something in my life.

My search for a laptop seems to have produced some results! I got someone offering me an older laptop with MS Word on it for $50. I have no need for anything else, I don't need it for internet so I am super excited. I think I am going to take him up on the offer, I just have to run it by my husband this afternoon. He's a little cranky at me today but hopefully he'll understand that this is something I really want to do... *sigh*

Oh well, back to writing. Now that I've written the first chapter in two ways I have to decide what form to do it in. I like the concept of doing it in the first person just for the simple fact that I feel like I can infuse more of her personality in the writing. I just don't know. I almost wish I had some people reading this blog just to give me some words of wisdom/inspiration/whatever. I guess just to let me know that I'm not doing this in vain. That I really can do this. That I'm not the failure that I feel like sometimes. Ugh, enough of this self depreciating shit. I gotta get working on this book. Now if I could just figure out a way to add about ten more hours in a day. Oh well, back to the day job.

Typing and Writing (in the literal sense)

2007-09-06T13:47:00.001-04:00

I've always wondered if I was the only one that found that I could do my best work when I actually write what I want instead of typing it. Yes, I know that typing is much quicker and I will have to type it one way or another but I always seem to feel that my writing is comes out better when I write it down with pencil and paper. Of course it always seems that I am changing my mind about what twists and turns my character should take and I usually end up editing more than writing. I have yet to get past my first chapter. I feel like I am doing too much description and less action but I feel I have to so a person can get a sense of the ambiance. oof... I don't know. I'm going to have to just sit down and bang something out tonite. That's if my son will let me! It is his birthday today... the big 2 ack! We're going to make his favorite meal (french fries, or as he likes to say "fie fies"), and a cupcake. We'll do the big cake this weekend. I just need some time to really sit down and write. I really wish I had a laptop as it would make my life so much easier. Of course, that goes completely against what I said above now doesn't it lol.... *sigh* I'll let you all know tomorrow what happens and if I manage to do something constructive with my novel.

Ugh Rewrite!

2007-09-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

I never really realized how difficult it was going to be to write a book. Yes, I am enjoying it immensly but I just hit my first "snag" so to speak. I want to change the book from third person to first person. Now luckily I only have a chapter and the prologue done but needless to say it really changes EVERYTHING. Now there are many more thoughts to put in and I find it refreshing to be able to express more of my characters' personality. Here's the bad part. I HAVE to do the prologue in the third person. Is this ok? The prologue really has nothing to do with my protagonist in the sense that she's not in the scene at all. It's basically just giving a baseline for the event that starts off the whole book. Ugh, we'll see. I think I'm gonna ask the writers on my favorite forum for their input. They always seem to be able to give a good opinion on writing and have a bit more experience than me. We'll see.

So much to do, So little time!

2007-08-27T14:04:00.000-04:00

OY! I have to say, this whole writing bit is a lot of work! Yes, I knew that It would be from the get-go but the time management is still such a hard thing to deal with. I have to try and be mommy, wife, and secretary all in one go and still find time to write. Not to mention my painting that I do as well. I have so many little things that I do sometimes I think that maybe I should just stop doing a few of them. But then I think, "Hey, do I really want to give up that extra $30 from my painting?" Sure, it isn't a lot of money but it's that little extra that allows me to pick up a little something for my son. Or let's me and my husband actually get out of the house and go to dinner for a night. Ah well, I will get this book finished, even if it takes me a year to do it. I've committed myself to do it for a little while every day. Even if it's 20 minutes while my son is trying to climb into my lap and "read" my work. Persistance, kids. That's all you need. And the drive to do something worth doing... Ooooh I sound all public speaker-ish. HA! Have a good day all. I should have more done on the book when I can decipher what I wrote under the "drawing" that my son made for me in my notebook..ugh, this could take a while.

And I'm on my way!

2007-08-26T21:11:00.000-04:00

Wohoo! Alright, so I'm about halfway through chapter one and almost done with the prologue to my book. I know, I know, you're asking "Um why did you start your prologue AFTER Chapter one?" Well, when I got about halfway through chapter one I realized that no one is going to know where all this crap started if I don't tell them. So that's how I got there. And in case anyone is wondering, I'm writing a fantasy novel. If I had to compare to an author I would have to say along the lines of ...crap... I can't remember the name! ack.. ok well the books she wroter were Dead Witch Walking, Fist full of charms, etc. I know it will come to me. Of course I could just look at my bookshelf but that would require me to move from my computer and I'm just too comfy right now. SO... hopefully I'll finish up my prologue and chapter one tomorrow and I can start on chapter two. Of course, this is if I don't do a ton of editing as I go. For some reason I edit as I go... even though I KNOW I'll have to edit at the end as well. Ah well, maybe I'll get in a bit more writing tonite. We'll see.. Until tomorrow, Sweet Dreams!

Outline pretty much done!

2007-08-22T08:45:00.000-04:00

YAY! So last night I let my brain juices flow and popped out a good starting point with my outline. I can't say that the outline is done but I think I've got as much as I need to start writing. I found the more that I wrote the outline the more that I seem to lose the creativity. Yeah, it sounds weird but it's true. I think I am going to start writing tonite or do a little more research. I'm not a huge fan of research but I think I do have to do some geographical research. I haven't quite decided whether I want the story to take place in the U.K. or America. We'll see. I'll write again later today because I'm probably going to start some stuff on my lunch hour. Yes... I do have a day job no matter how much I hate it.

Outline brainstorm has begun!

2007-08-21T13:04:00.000-04:00

So, I was writing away on my notes last night and figured I had enough now to start a really good outline. I've been reading up on other authors ways of doing outlines and have pretty much come up with a split on whether even to do one or not. Some just say that they just start writing from their notes and things just kinda come together while others have a long (I saw one that was 36 pages! ACK!), drawn out and detailed one. I think I am going to do a brief one in all honesty. I have a good idea where I want my story to go and pertinent details written down. Of course, you know what they say about the best laid plans ;) I'm going to try and finish the outline this evening and see where things go from there. By the looks of things I think it's going to be research time. Not too much as the setting is basically a world of my creation but I think some of the lore that I'm using needs some good details. I'll keep you all posted of my progress!

Here we go...

2007-08-21T00:33:00.000-04:00

Well here we go! I've made the decision that I want to write a book. I always manage to have a ton of ideas brewing in my head that I say "hey, now that would be a good book!" Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah... well why not? I'm educated (to a degree...no, not that I have a degree) and I write crap for other people all day long, so why don't I try my hand at something that I enjoy? Well, needless to say after all these fun questions that I asked myself I started to do the research. You know, the "How-To's" and what not. I actually did find some incredible information out there. And it was incredible FREE information as I am a broke secretary supporting a family. I will never pay for information as there is a font of free stuff if you're just willing to look. These were a few of the sites I looked at:
http://brendacoultier.com - Really great informative site that actually was really inspirational for me. Kinda gave me that "I can do it" attitude.
http://www.eharlequin.com - great How- To's
http://charlottedillon.com - HUGE amounts of information there, it will take a while for you to go through it all. I still haven't gotten through it!
http://www.writersdigest.com - tons of great articles and a list of agents who are accepting new authors.

So, I sat down and actually banged out a lot of stuff. Got the characters, the plot and some other pertinent info to the story that I didn't want to forget later. Now, keep in mind I just threw it all into a word document and organized it after I got it all down. Hopefully tomorrow I can draw up an outline of sorts and get some of the major events that I want onto paper. Of course, this is taking into account that I'll have the time to do this between work, cleaning, and getting my little son (who is almost 2 eek!) fed and in bed. Oh yeah, can't forget about feeding the hubbs - he'd be cranky ;) Ah well, enough for tonite. It's 12:45 am and I have to be up in about 6 hours..ick. Until tomorrow!