Find what you're looking for

So, I revamped the tagging system on this blog after developing one I quite liked for my other blog, Dots n Dolls.


Inspiration - for posts about ideas and inspiring things
Preparation - for posts about outlining and other planning activities
Education - for posts about how to write
Initiation - for posts about starting stories
Continuation - for posts about continuing stories
Completion - for posts about finishing/finished stories
Submission - for posts about submitting stories and waiting on submissions
Publication - for posts about getting published
Competition - for posts about competitions, including NaNoWriMo
Fascination - for posts about interests other than writing
Information - for posts about what's going on in my world
Observation - for posts on life and the universe
Procrastination - for posts about everything

False Hope of Spring and It's Relationship with Words

For some reason--maybe the blue skies, maybe playgroups meeting outside, maybe colleagues walking around in caps and shorts--I keep feeling like it's spring. The stuffed sinuses might contribute as well!

Anyhow, this is significant because it's really inspiring me to write. Perhaps that's because the number one writing event on the Internet happens in Australia's spring: NaNoWriMo. Excitingly, this semester's exam period finishes mid-November so I might be able to participate in the 50k sprint this year. Especially if I get early exams.

For now though, I haven't actually been translating this mysterious inspiration into words--although I laid down a few sentences for Miss Galaxy last night--but it's a good feeling.

Over and out, chums.


- Lauren

I'm now past the 3k mark with Miss Galaxy and still enjoying spending time with the characters. I have another idea for a story of sorts--a collection of letters written by one person throughout her life right from a primary school pen pal to writing to her grand-children. It will be titled "All My Love". For the record, the title came before the concept.

The main reason I came to post today, though, is to make note of a new opportunity I've stubled across. Aspect Press in Melbourne is aiming to publish a series of 6 single-author anthologies under the title Long Story Shorts. Check out the info here.

I think Miss Galaxy may have potentional, and maybe even All My Love. I estimate that I need about 5 stories of 8000 words each. I thought I could throw in a few shorter stories as well, to bring it more between the 40000 and 70000 needed.

So there's the goal. Let's get to it.

~Lol

I thought I'd post an update on my current WiPs for whoever's interested.

Wizards of Dianthus: Adventures of the Wizard, the Apprentice and the Ghost
(WoD:AWAG) previously 'Overdue Fees'
I've written the first draft but the story is incomplete. I've reread it and am part way through making plot cards for editing it. I'm hoping to get a proof copy printed at CreateSpace for free because I participated in NaNo. But I'd have to be done by June (I think).

Wizards of Dianthus: Night Magic
(WoD:NM)
This is still unfinished. I last worked on it in early February and wrote about a paragraph. I think the sequel AWAG turned out a lot better plotwise. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with this. I hope to finish and I suppose I won't really know what potential it has until I do.

Reinsforde School of Special Arts: The Harbinger
(RSSA1)
I've still got the unfinished draft of this on my HDD. However, I've been having a lot of new ideas regarding the story and magic system so I think a near complete rewrite will be required.

Renae
I was sorting out my hard drive just before uni started and came across this short story I wrote for the Women's Weekly and Penguin Books competition. I know why it didn't win. It had a lot of holes and weak spots that were nearly holes. However, I think it dealt with an interesting plot line and I hope to rewrite and expand it into a chick lit novel.


Laters,
Lol

I probably should mention that I ended up winning NaNo in 11 days. With 20 minutes to spare. W00tcakes!

Now I'm editing up my story, Wizards of Dianthus: The Adventures of the Wizard, the Apprentice and the Ghost (aka AWAG) in hopes of getting a respectable free proof copy through NaNo and CreateSpace.

I'm currently reverse outlining. This means I'm going through and figuring out what each scene I've written is about and then I'll turn these descriptions into an outline which I can rearrange and otherwise edit. It'll also show me where I skipped scenes in my mad rush to the finish.

I want to have the whole editing process done by June or July (can't remember which) to get the free proof. I also want to take advantage of the 07 offer with my original Wizards of Dianthus (even though I wrote that in 06... shhh, no one needs to know). That's due the month before 08. I haven't even written The End on that story though.

Ta-ta,
Lol

NANOWRIMO!!

'Nuff said.

I have my exam dates.

13-Nov is AFM112 Introduction to management accounting (or some such)
17-Nov is ECON102 in the morning and HIST151 in the afternoon
19-Nov is COMP100
20-Nov is NANOWRIMO 2008!!!

I'll have 11 days to write 50 000 words about Rebella Foxglove the... 3rd? Wizard of the 12th Order of Wizards. I'm pumped. But obviously not pumped enough to come and share the news on the day I actually got said dates. I've had them for a while. I've just been battling with assignments.

Bring on November!
Lol

PS. You'd have heard this sooner if you followed me on Twitter. Look for Rapunzel247

Hello from Kalgoorlie!

I'm having heaps of fun. Liss and I have done some cooking, scrapping and piano playing. We had a games night on Friday night and then one of their friends' 4-year-old had a birthday party Saturday. After church we went to a park with some of their friends. I saw emus, cockatoos, kangaroos and peacocks.

I've been thinking a bit about NaNoWriMo. My exam period is pretty much smack bang in the middle of November. I've got about a weekend after exams are over to write a novel. Unless I'm really lucky and get early exams.

If I do manage to write my 50k it'll mostly likely be a sequel to my (still unfinished) '06 NaNo or a story about shipbreakers. The sparse ideas I've had for the sequel include the MC being Rebella, one of Lez's co-wizards, the plot would revolve around a possible loose end resulting from Night Magic and there would be some interesting developements in the lives of some of the most loved (by me mostly) characters from Night Magic. I'd call it... um... I don't know. Coming up with titles is fun and annoying in even parts.

Oooh. I really want to think up a title... Plot keywords: Rebella, Moose, wedding, ghost, Prince of Wales... Ahaha! I looked over some notes about this sequel and came up with a working title (secret project name?): Overdue Fees.

I think I'll almost certainly write WoD2 if I can. It'll be easier to write in a weekend than the more serious shipbreakers story.

Argh. I can't wait to get my exam dates.

Till later,
Lol

Bah, so I'm sitting here staring at this blank page trying to write up a post. I cannot get Blogging Writer's Block!

Basically what I came here to say is that I have begun a project that I've christened the Book-in-a-Year project. I have planned out, step-by-step, what I will need to do to complete a novel, revise it and send it off to at least one publisher/agent within a year.

It begins with choosing a book, which I have. It's titleless and completely plotless at the moment. All it has is a genre (fantasy) and a world (this one... sort of).

Now I have three and a bit months of brainstorming, making characters and plotting till I begin writing in November with NaNoWriMo. The brainstorming will include, hopefully, creating a language and drawing maps.

After November, I'll continue writing through December and January, though at a slower rate most likely. I should be finished by February. I'll lay it aside for a week or two and then begin a four step editing process including having someone else's eyes read it. Finally in June I will track down appropriate publishers and agents and by the 9th of July--exactly one year since I began--I will send it off to the first name on my list.

Now, the hard parts will be to stick to the plan and to not get sick of the novel during the year.

Needless to say, Night Magic is being put on hold. Also in other news, there's only about nine days till I find out who won The Competiton. The August issue of Woman's Weekly comes out on the 25th and it will contain the winner's name and story. It seems both a very long time and no time at all since I entered that story.

Hopefully I'll drop by here more often to keep you updated on the Book-in-a-Year project.

BOOK-IN-A-YEAR Update
Goal: Research/brainstorm to find a plot
Date Begun: 9-Jul-07
Target Date: 30-Jul-07

And now for a ScriptFrenzy report.

Title: Conveniently Missing
Words: 2552/10000
Mood: Freaking out

Ah the joys of piles of school, work and other committments. I came into the June, 20k word script writing challenge knowing full well that I might not be able to finish. But I didn't think it was going to be this bad. We're exactly half way through the challenge and I'm no where near 10k. Some serious writing will have to be going on to get there in time.

I'm writing a crime/mystery about a gangster and a waitress. Thing is, it's not planned out super well so I'm kind of dawdling at the marriage scene, hoping I'll get a burst of inspiration. And it's come... in a way.

You may have noticed they played Ocean's 11 recently, what with the third movie coming out and all. Well, I watched it so now I've seen both 11 and 12. And it's got me thinking that I could write my script, Conveniently Missing, a bit like them with huge, complex thefts. So, what I'm thinking is the murder victim will have betrayed his pals twice (a different set of pals each time). The main character will be from the second set of pals and the antagonist from the second set. Now, either the MC or the antagonist killed the victim. I know which one but I won't spoil the plot in case my script ever becomes a million-dollar blockbuster.

Now, CM won't involve a complex theft because... it's too complicated. It'll be about the MC running away from the antagonist and the cops. Now, I still haven't figured out a few things such as setting (from where they ran and to where they're running), climax (the big, crunch point) and ending (where everyone lives happily ever after... or not). All of which are extremely important.

Now you see why I'm scared... very scared.

So... I've changed ideas completely for Script Frenzy. I'm now going to write a crime screenplay about a gangster and a waitress who marry to give themselves alibis for a murder. The people over at ScriptFrenzy have been absolutely fantastic in helping me brainstorm out this plot but special thanks go to Tias42, Little Wing (who gave me the idea in the first place), PFMoi and TwistedFirestarter.

Despite this, I'm now not feeling like I'll have the time to write a script in June. I'll be studying lots, I have my SAT on the 2nd and work is beginning to pick up (read: I actually have work to do). I also want to get my Ls.

Then I weigh all that against the fact that I only have to write 20k words, which will take 10 days if I go at NaNoWriMo rate. I only have to write 667 words a day to win with 10 extra words thrown in.

Blargh. I'm not sure. Maybe I'll just start and write whenever I've got spare time and see if I win or not. I'd just love to be able to say I took part (and won) the first SF ever.

Laters,
Lauren

PS. The following posts are two that I meant to post earlier this month but Blogger was acting up.

I'm sitting here at work with little to do. I've had a couple of story ideas while working last week and today. Not nearly as many as when I'm studying.

The first is a bit wild. It's about a man who suddenly finds himself able to understand what birds are saying just as a tree full of rosellas or something starts squawking about the end of the world. And strangely, just this Saturday I was at www.scriptfrenzy.org and on the random plot generator, I got another wild plot this time involving radioactive parrots.

Speaking of Script Frenzy, to interupt the broadcast, it looks really interesting with a very snazzo site. I'm tossing three options: do it and write a movie about radioactive parrots trying to kill Hitler, do it and write a more serious screenplay about three blondes in Paris (serious?!? I hear you scoff) or not do it. Option 2 would involve a lot more research than the other two and there's not really much time as it starts in June. Also, I do my SAT on the 2nd of June and that might pull me behind. Plus I'll be starting school again on either the 5th or 6th of June and with my job as well, time might be a little... nonexistant. Anyways, if you have any opinions or suggestions or anything, hit me with a comment.

Now, back to my ideas. The next one is the only one that has come from my actual job. I was entering an offence which involved a Year 3 teacher and her assistants' bags being stolen with witnesses from a next door classroom. I thought maybe a mystery story/series about two Year 3 students who solve schoolyard mysteries would be interesting.

And lastly, just today, I had this idea about a cleaner or random who is a serial killer attempting to wipe out all women. One of his attempts involves gassing them in the toilets. Freaky and disturbing, I know, but there it is.

An update on WoDNM:
Work was really slow on Friday and I was pratically finished by lunch so I used Google Docs to work on WoDNM a little. Still unsure of word count as I have bits and pieces all over the place but Lez and friends are just trying to escape from beneath the deck of the Duchess.

Anyways, I'd better go get some work done.

Laters,
Lauren

My, my, my. I haven't posted in a while, ay? Not long ago I started typing up another post but I left the computer (to eat tea or some such event) and forgot to save the post. Me in all my scatterbrained glory, forgot to return to the computer and complete/save the post. So the computer got shut down that night and I lost the post. T_T

However! This isn't just a lost-data-misery post. And here's hoping you won't get many of those posts because me plus lost data to the power of story equals unpleasant. So onto more relevant topics.

Women's Weekly and Penguin Books competiton (hereinafter referred to as The Competiton)

No news on the fate of my little story, Reflections, as of yet. This is as expected because the winners aren't published until the August issue which comes out late July. I'm still quietly confident of winning a prize but the excitement has worn off somewhat. Which leads me to the next relevant topic...

Wizards of Dianthus: Night Magic Progress

Written: 54289 words
Quote of the moment: However it was Ytili that Lez spoke to and so she answered. “Prince Porcupine.”
Mood: Disenchanted and still need that 'motivation'.

Yes, as the excitement has worn off, I am no longer all that enthusiastic about Night Magic. So, all enthusing vibes will be very welcome. And pokes. And proverbial kicks in the rear end. And offers of million dollar book deals. You get the picture.

NEW! Lez's Sporadic Plot Update

Hello, my name is Lez. A few things about me: I'm a wizard and I am a fan of sarcasm, satire and sardonic undertones. I feature as the main character of WoD: Night Magic and the Author has asked me to do a little plot update every now and then to keep you lot up to date with the plot (naturally).

Firstly, we will begin with something quite popular among television shows such as Lost, Heroes and The Bill.

Previously on Night Magic...

With the intention of eradicating the hags, I accidentally cast Night Magic over my home country, Dragonhook, causing a lot of ill side effects. After hiding for 200 years as the Dark Wizard, I was caputured. I soon escaped and met up with Mother Nature. Another accident later and Mother Nature was asleep.

Next I made my way, unintentionally, to the Realm of Darkness with my companions Moose the irritating mouse, the Child of Prophesy whose name speaks for itself and the Old Man Who Randomly Gives Away Plot Points. Recieving advice from the Lord of that realm, I made my way to Port Ssenkrad where the Child of Prophesy... passed away, Moose and I were imprisoned and the Old Man Who Randomly Gives Away Plot Points vanished.

After an escapade involving pixies and murder, Moose and I plus our new found companion Ytili started on the quest laid out in the Lord of the Realm of Darkness' advisory book. In the Very Dry Desert, we were joined by two new questers: Acjahal and Acmahal. Both were reputed to be reincarnations of the same man (though one was female).

The first step was to perform a magical spell which would take over Mother Nature's duties until she could be woken. With Acmahal's help, that was completed. Then we made our way to the small land of Ardut where we picked up the first ingredient for the waking potion we were to make. From there we went to Port Nial to wait for a boat heading to Panda Island but while there we met up with an old associate of mine...

And that is where we pick up the update for today. Moose, Ytili, Acmahal and I were in the middle of questioning said old associate: the Old Man Who Randomly Gives Away Plot Points when Acjahal reported that a group of soliders had come to our in searching for a 'Dark Wizard'.

And so, currently, along with giving you a plot exposition, we are lowering the Old Man Who Randomly Gives Away Plot Points out a window and weighing up the costs of being charged with stowing away to being charged with Malicious Magic and aiding a Dark Wizard.

Signed,
Lez

Hmm, and now I spent all that time typing up a plot synopsis for all you lovely readers out there, I had better get back to writing the actual story so one day you might be able to catch up with Lez in non-synopsis format! No, wait... I'd better apply for that job that closes in seven days first...

With love,
Lauren

So in my last post, I wrote about the Women's Weekly and Penguin Book competition which you may be pleased to know, I have officially entered. I sent off my story, Reflections, with an entry form Thursday just gone.

Anyways, you may remember I mentioned that part of the prize was having a finished manuscript assessed by Penguin Books for publishment. This is probably the part that I find the most exciting. Sure, it doesn't garuntee that my manuscript will get published but it appears that my manuscript will by-pass the usual pile of queries and manuscripts. And all I need to do is write a manuscript that will make the editor want the book and get it published! Simple... Riiight.

Anyways, at first I thought I'd finish the novel I'd just started when I discovered the competiton: a horror/fantasy/mystery called The Engraver's Shop. But that only has about 7k words done on it and I'm not sure I could have it ready in time. And then, my friend, Sinead, who I'd given a copy of my unfinished NaNo 06 manuscirpt told me that she was loving the story and had even read the first bit to the rest of her family because it was so funny.

So I decided to take another look at the story: Wizard's of Dianthus: Night Magic. I began reading it again and it amazed me, though I do say so myself. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the crazy jokes and antics that I'd stuffed in there mostly as word padding to get myself to the word count. And I quickly decided: this was the one. I would finsih rereading it to get my orientation again and then finish it and edit it in time to be my manuscript for assesment if I did win.

So here I am, with only about 10k words left to read before I start writing it again. Please feel very welcome to shoot me an email or bug me on MSN or otherwise nag me into reading and writing this thing. And eventually I will be looking for proofreaders so if you're interested in reading a fantasy comedy with a slightly sarcastic lead, let me know. The more beta readers the better.

Catchya later,
Victory

I'm just sitting here plotting. Not evil-genius plotting. Not even particularly genius plotting. Just plotting.

Anyways, this blog serves one purpose: it is my online writing journal blog. In other words, here I will be reporting on anything to do with my writing and (hopefully) writing career. But of course, there may be a tangent or two here and there.

So, I've been doing creative writing since I was around five. I've been doing it as a hobby since ten at the latest. I've grown to absolutely adore it and it's beginning to take over my life. Despite the fact that school, getting a job and friends are all fighting to keep it in it's place.

The first major thing I remember writing was a story called Jake North about a man and his brother. He becomes a sailor and the brother a taxi driver and various other not-so-interesting stuff happens. I entered it in the Mary Durak Award for Young Writers in two seperate years. I also entered the same award with different stories two other years.

Since I moved from my old house and could no longer participate in the Mary Durak Award for Young Writers, my writing hasn't really been making it past my own house. And it sort of dwindled as a whole during 05 and 06 apart from entering NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org).

But in the last few days of 2006 I discovered a competition being run by Women's Weekly magazine and Penguin Books publisher. The challenge: write a 3000 to 5000 word story centred around a woman. The prize: the story published in Women's Weekly, $10,000 and Penguin Books would look at a completed novel manuscript to assess it for publishing plus two runners up would win $5,000. The competition closes on the 2nd of February and the winners will be announced later this year.

I quickly set about writing a story to enter. Originally titled Mirrors, my story Relfections is about a lady named Renae Byrd who discovers she is pregnant though it seems that is impossible for her and meets a mysterious woman who knows something about her past. It is just a smidget under 5000 words and my attitude toward it went up and down during the course of its creation. One moment I loved it and thought it was a sure win and the next I hated it and wanted to tear it apart. By the time I'd finished it, I was convinced it was the worst piece of trash ever to come from my mind. But my mum took it and read it and proposed deleting a plotline which she felt was firstly, unnecessary and secondly, not morally good.

At first I was a tad upset but I did what she suggested and deleted it. Almost immediately I began to feel good about the story. And I realized that it wasn't that I thought my writing was bad but rather something inside me was fighting against the iffy theme I'd introduced to the story. Now that I'd taken away that, I felt good about what I'd written on all accounts.

At the moment that story and another I thought could be a contender are being read by a friend and then after that, the story I choose to enter will be ready to send off. I'm very excited about this competition as I feel it may be a part of a promise God made me mid last year and the beginning of me stepping out into the calling I found last year. Perhaps in another post I'll tell you more about it but at the moment I don't feel like going off into a Spiritual tangent.

Until next time...
Lauren means Victory