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

So Australia Day is just around the corner and I'm not even close to 40k. But I did start a handwritten short story which seems awfully depressing and the characters have too many shouting matches. But I think I'll see it out to the end and see what happens to them.

I haven't written more of Miss Galaxy but I reread what I've got and I enjoyed it. I think my pitfall is trying to make the murder-mystery too complicated. If I aim for a lower word count I can preserve the premise. I think I might be trying to stretch it over too many words. Then I get nervous and think "If I make that happen now, then there won't be anything to happen in 2000 words time." And that stops me from writing anything at all! Better a short story than no story.

Two side notes: I'm changing jobs mid-Feb and I'm off to a leaders retreat this weekend. My last day of data entry with the Education Department is the 12th. I'll be starting as a receptionist for my church on the same day lectures start for uni: 15/02/10. Should be exciting!

I haven't written all that much lately, having only just finished exams. Then I went straight into two weeks of working 30 hours a week. I wrote a quick 360 word story on the 25th but that's about it.

I haven't looked at Miss Galaxy yet although I do mean to do so. I fear the charm may have gone. But you never know.

I'm not sure writing 40 000 to 70 000 words of short stories in two months is going to be (not to mention polishing said words) all that feasible although NaNoers (who finish up today, you go guys!) may protest. I'm going to just write as I feel I can and if I come to Australia Day with some half decent stories totalling the right number of words I might send of a submission to Affirm Press' Long Story Shorts.


~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 wrote 1515 words today and it was very satisfying! It's the most I've written on a fictional piece since November, pretty much. Yesterday, I wrote an article for Helium about investment writing, which I'll post when I put it up on Helium. But there's something exciting about writing fiction.

I'm working on a story called Miss Galaxy, which currently stands at 1888 words. It's a story about an intragalactic beauty pageant on an abandoned space station orbiting Pluto. Mystery sci-fi, I hope!

Thank you, God, for the inspiration to bang out 1.5k words.

~Lauren

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

Hooray! It's time for another random update from me.

Bahram Jones was born this week. He's a narkity British Jewish steampunk/world war airship pilot who hates just about everyone but still acts like a gentleman--generally. His stories won't be serious as such. He'll go around fighting for the Associated World Trade Office with a bunch of Germans (I think. The story changes every two seconds.) and thwarting mecha beasts while acting as a vent for my frustration and something fun for me to write.

Lez and company are still waiting. They are top priority once exams are over. 19th of June, watch out.

Hannah from RSSA is likewise not doing much. I made a realisation at some point between my last post and now how I can finish the NaNo plot perfectly so that I can begin the next book with the very first scenes I ever concieved for little miss Hannah Lee and her familiar Pollery. Which is awesomesauce.

For now, microeconomics review calls. As do alarm response invoices. Woo-hoo!

(You can cut the sarcasm with a knife... interestingly so, because that's what sarcasm means: to cut someone. Which begs the question, why do I let myself be so sarcastic? Maybe this is something Captain Jones and I will investigate while battling flying pirates.)


Until the future,
Lol

Bloggity blog.

I updated my LJ too. Whee!

Okay, so firstly: Book-in-a-Year

The year will be up in just over a month. (What? You're kidding.) Unfortunately, the first draft isn't even finished. A little thing called UNIVERSITY happened. As I kinda thought it would. Perhaps I'll give it another short in 2012 once Uni is done with.

Most of the writing I've been doing recently is to do with uni. I've recently submitted a history document essay about the Proclamation of Martial Law by Governor Brisbane in NSW in 1824 and an archaeology literature review about the Lindow Man in particular and bog bodies in general. However, I just started poking at RSSA again yesterday after completing my microeconomics assignemnt. I discovered an awesome paragraph early in the story which has given me hope for the overall health of the piece. I shall repost it here for the fun of it:

Suddenly the pair came upon a bulge in the valley. The banks stood tall on either side, mostly just sheer drops. Actual water poolled in a smaller gully within the valley. It trickled down from the cliff face and onto a series of natural stone steps into the pool. Grass, trees, shrubs and vines filled the area overwhelmingly with green and let off a variety of interesting scents. However the two most striking features were man-made: a tall grey tower, perhaps once part of a castle, with greenery crowning its bulwarks and bursting from its tall, empty windows. Opposite this was a tall wall holding back the earth dug to form this little cove. It too was over taken by growing things.

Now, it's by no means perfect. But I love it because I vividly remember being rather worried while writing that particular paragraph. I wanted to capture a specific photograph in words. And I'm very pleased with it these couple of months on.

A small note about WoDNM: I also poked at this and tacked on a few extra words. I figured out a bit more of the plot. Including a bit where everyone in the whole world DIES. Except the MC and one of his sidekicks (but it isn't Moose!)

Lastly, I've been reading Vindie's (of NiH fame) blog recently and she's posted up two brilliant story ideas. They make me want to write my own stories so much (not to mention read hers) but financial accounting calls...

Love and kisses,

Zaphod
Lol

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.

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

So, wedding plans have been dominating my time this week. Yesterday (Thursday) saw the wedding rehersal without a best man, the person doing the readings or the musician but it still went well. I'm not feeling a bit more relaxed and yet excited and nervous about the whole thing. The most stressful thing is probably the speech at the reception.

But! Despite the fact I did write the speech, this blog isn't about weddings and whatnot so back to writing:

I haven't been updating here much (or checking my email) because I have been writing stories on the Pocket PC I mentioned in the last post. I've been working on Night Magic and I've also concieved a few new ideas.

Firstly we have a cheerleader story. It's about an injured international ballerina who is employed at a school by her brother. She wants to teach ballet but said brother doesn't know if she still has the skill to make a ballet class worth the expenditure so he challenges her to take on a different class to prove she's worthwhile. When the cheerleading coach has to go on maternity leave just four weeks before the interschool championships, he tells his sister that if she can take the cheerleaders to the championship and win, he will get her her ballet class. The main characters are the ballerina and the captain of the cheerleading squad.

Another idea I had is called Blondes in Paris. It's about three different blondes who meet in a New York airport/aeroplane and travel to Paris together. One is trying to earn a scholarship, one is escaping her family to meet her Internet beau and the other is running from her employees.

And just today in fact I was messing around with Publisher (on a real computer) when I came up with an idea for another story called Knights of the Crow. It's about a girl who discovers an order of knights in the 21st century.

As our network is acting up (as it likes to do), I can't get an update on Wizard's of Dianthus but I'm at about 58k and they're still all on the pirate ship.

In other, almost writing news, I am now employed and am looking into buying a laptop which will make writing a lot easier and funner! At the moment, I like the sound of a convertible notebook like the Gateway CX200X.

Laters!

Wizards of Dianthus: Night Magic Progress
Written: 55779 words
Quote of the moment: The stench of sealife—blood and rum and death and stomach contents—rose from it.
Mood: Enjoying it!

Yep, I'm here with another writing update. Unfortunately Lez couldn't join us this time (read: I was too lazy to write in his voice) but I'm sure I will suffice.

Currently, Lez and his friends--Moose, Acjahal, Acmahal, the Old Man Who Randomly Gives Away Plot Points and Ytili--are about to stowaway aboard a pirate ship called the Duchess, provided Ytili and Lez's investigations of it prove favourable. A new character possibly will be introduced and an old one will make an 'appearance'.

Finally, after a while of boredom with the story, plot and characters, I'm back into writing Night Magic. I just wish I had a laptop or small PC to write it on the way to church and stuff like that. Maybe I'll have to ask if I can borrow my sister, Melissa's. As she now has a new phone/pocket PC I'm sure she won't mind!

Anyways, I hope you're all doing well. Provided anyone is actually reading this. If it's nobody, I suppose he can do well as well but ya know.

With love,
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