Howdy, back to report a few little things. I just got Scrivener, which I got for half off thanks to winning NaNoWriMo. I'm going through the tutorial to learn all the little tips and tricks. So far, I'm only slightly disappointed in the fact that it's built for first drafts (and not much else). Perhaps there is a way I can use it for future drafts...
And speaking of drafts, I just reached the second one of the story I'm gonna send out for graduate school. It's still rough and needs more work. I plan on hammering it out tomorrow before I send it out on Thursday afternoon. Same goes for the statement of purpose.
Not much else, but there you go.
Showing posts with label holy crap the stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holy crap the stress. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
NaNoWriMo update
Alright, into the first week and the word count issssss...
*drum roll*
12053 / 50000 words. 24% done!
Compared to Invisible, kinda crummy, ain't it? Either way, it's coming and going, but going along pretty good so far. It's interesting, but lacking in serious description and overall detail. Hope to fix that once I decide to edit the blasted thing. The stats on the site say that I should finish by the 29th. Erm... give me time. I can up it to my birthday, or even better.
~
As for other things, I will begin work on my grad school writing sample, begin the final showdown with Invisible, eagerly wait for this book to come out, and begin to psych up for the holiday rush starting tomorrow. And of course, finish up reviews and stuff. Also tomorrow. Of course.
*drum roll*
Compared to Invisible, kinda crummy, ain't it? Either way, it's coming and going, but going along pretty good so far. It's interesting, but lacking in serious description and overall detail. Hope to fix that once I decide to edit the blasted thing. The stats on the site say that I should finish by the 29th. Erm... give me time. I can up it to my birthday, or even better.
~
As for other things, I will begin work on my grad school writing sample, begin the final showdown with Invisible, eagerly wait for this book to come out, and begin to psych up for the holiday rush starting tomorrow. And of course, finish up reviews and stuff. Also tomorrow. Of course.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Where to begin?
I regret that I can't offer an apology for not frequently updating the blog. Instead, I ask for a small portion of your time for me to explain myself and why things are beginning to change.
For the last few weeks or so, I've been languishing in the summer, doing whatever I felt like doing (well, other than going to work). I learned the hard way that I should've updated my parents about my job aspirations. For the sake of things, I cannot disclose these matters here. Yet, my parents told me that sitting around and waiting wasn't the solution. That meant getting out of my comfort zone. So here I am, putting together a resume and cover letter for a possible internship. Atop that, I'm assisting at my current job at planning an event. I have to do things that require me to take some serious risks.
But if things transpire differently, I may have to find another job. I hate to do that, but I desire to move out into the world on my own. This won't happen unless I do something, whether it is push for a promotion at my current job or seek employment elsewhere. To most, what I'm going through sounds like nothing. I always prided myself in being able to handle change. But I lied to myself, sort of. I could handle change, as long as it didn't push me past my comfort zone. I've played safe for far too long. I ain't living. No, don't expect me to go do daring things, like skydiving or herding hippos. I need to start moving forward, going out there to do what I need to do. I have few major lifelong goals, but one of them still holds true: become a writer and make enough to live off of it. While the goal is unlikely, I need to try.
~
Things are going to be different around here. I have decided to do something that I had never done for this poor blog: post on a regular schedule. Starting at the beginning of August, I will post something every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I don't know what, but it will be something. It won't be apologies for sporadic postings and lack of novel updates.
Oh, the novel... it seems that I've stopped. I may have to make a serious decision with Invisible. Maybe I was wrong in thinking it was this story's time to shine. It may need to "sleep" for a bit longer. That or I have to break for the rest of the month and re-gather my senses. There is a part deep in me that wants it tackled, most of it down on bytes and Word documents.
I'm gonna rely less on platitudes and more on kaboom. Kaboom is action; in a word that has the risk of drawing out the meaning in favor of a few giggles.
To those who ask, I am fine, thank you.
I think the alarm clock just went off and hit me hard on the head for good measure.
For the last few weeks or so, I've been languishing in the summer, doing whatever I felt like doing (well, other than going to work). I learned the hard way that I should've updated my parents about my job aspirations. For the sake of things, I cannot disclose these matters here. Yet, my parents told me that sitting around and waiting wasn't the solution. That meant getting out of my comfort zone. So here I am, putting together a resume and cover letter for a possible internship. Atop that, I'm assisting at my current job at planning an event. I have to do things that require me to take some serious risks.
But if things transpire differently, I may have to find another job. I hate to do that, but I desire to move out into the world on my own. This won't happen unless I do something, whether it is push for a promotion at my current job or seek employment elsewhere. To most, what I'm going through sounds like nothing. I always prided myself in being able to handle change. But I lied to myself, sort of. I could handle change, as long as it didn't push me past my comfort zone. I've played safe for far too long. I ain't living. No, don't expect me to go do daring things, like skydiving or herding hippos. I need to start moving forward, going out there to do what I need to do. I have few major lifelong goals, but one of them still holds true: become a writer and make enough to live off of it. While the goal is unlikely, I need to try.
~
Things are going to be different around here. I have decided to do something that I had never done for this poor blog: post on a regular schedule. Starting at the beginning of August, I will post something every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I don't know what, but it will be something. It won't be apologies for sporadic postings and lack of novel updates.
Oh, the novel... it seems that I've stopped. I may have to make a serious decision with Invisible. Maybe I was wrong in thinking it was this story's time to shine. It may need to "sleep" for a bit longer. That or I have to break for the rest of the month and re-gather my senses. There is a part deep in me that wants it tackled, most of it down on bytes and Word documents.
I'm gonna rely less on platitudes and more on kaboom. Kaboom is action; in a word that has the risk of drawing out the meaning in favor of a few giggles.
To those who ask, I am fine, thank you.
I think the alarm clock just went off and hit me hard on the head for good measure.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
This is me as a sad panda... on writing and social situations
(written earlier this afternoon)
I’m feeling like I have no interest in doing anything other than staying home and reading. I know it’s getting closer to the time that I rather not do any more schoolwork. No more of those deadlines (of course, in my future field, these will be commonplace). No more dealing with teachers that annoy me. No more writing workshops or literary groups that make me feel that my style of writing is inferior and not clever enough for consumption. My whole being feels drained of energy. I’m dreading my last two papers. I have a feeling they will go wrong (as my last one had done). I’m forgetting tasks in my internship.
One big thing I’ve been dealing with is this feeling that everyone treats me and talks to me as if I’m inferior. Back in the earlier days, I would accept this and believe I was inferior. Now, my long-awaited arrogance and stubbornness has risen and I refuse to accept that I am an inferior person. However, why is it that people still treat me like I’m ignorant?
I should note that about 90% of the time when I talk and interact with people... if I act or say something awkward, that doesn't mean I'm unaware of the situation. I don't always have a snappy comeback or always the more appropriate response. I'm trying to fix this and perhaps, this is where these feelings stem from.
Back in my fiction workshop last semester, I had never felt so left out. Sure, the professor and a couple of friends reassured me that I was fine (writing-wise); yet there were a few times I got criticism that called my writing "commercial fiction", which tore at me. I mean, I'm not trying to go completely into genre fiction, but I don't thumb my nose at it. I know I should take criticism, which I do with gusto, but then there are times I know something just isn't true. This was one of those.
I'm a rare breed: I don't want to write poetry with clever language for the sake of it. I'm not striving to be like Vladimir Nabokov and have writing be art and nothing more. I can't. I want to write stories with engaging storylines, realistic characters, and important issues and points (note: no morals). Language still is important, but not on the pedestal it seems to be on right now. The same goes with all other writings I do.
I guess, to compare my intentions with those of Camus and Nabokov in terms of writing... I'm a Camus. I can't help but be a little political. I want to write about big things and share them with people. This will be a struggle as I go into grad school and even the world of literary magazines where genre fiction is an unwelcome pest and pretty prose stands out more than the context.
Maybe I need something to eat or a drink to bring myself out of this funk. But it can't be blocked and I can't keep doing that anymore. I owe to myself as a writer to just say to this whole thing:
But change the "home" to "the bar". Or whatever will be my future happy place.
I’m feeling like I have no interest in doing anything other than staying home and reading. I know it’s getting closer to the time that I rather not do any more schoolwork. No more of those deadlines (of course, in my future field, these will be commonplace). No more dealing with teachers that annoy me. No more writing workshops or literary groups that make me feel that my style of writing is inferior and not clever enough for consumption. My whole being feels drained of energy. I’m dreading my last two papers. I have a feeling they will go wrong (as my last one had done). I’m forgetting tasks in my internship.
One big thing I’ve been dealing with is this feeling that everyone treats me and talks to me as if I’m inferior. Back in the earlier days, I would accept this and believe I was inferior. Now, my long-awaited arrogance and stubbornness has risen and I refuse to accept that I am an inferior person. However, why is it that people still treat me like I’m ignorant?
I should note that about 90% of the time when I talk and interact with people... if I act or say something awkward, that doesn't mean I'm unaware of the situation. I don't always have a snappy comeback or always the more appropriate response. I'm trying to fix this and perhaps, this is where these feelings stem from.
Back in my fiction workshop last semester, I had never felt so left out. Sure, the professor and a couple of friends reassured me that I was fine (writing-wise); yet there were a few times I got criticism that called my writing "commercial fiction", which tore at me. I mean, I'm not trying to go completely into genre fiction, but I don't thumb my nose at it. I know I should take criticism, which I do with gusto, but then there are times I know something just isn't true. This was one of those.
I'm a rare breed: I don't want to write poetry with clever language for the sake of it. I'm not striving to be like Vladimir Nabokov and have writing be art and nothing more. I can't. I want to write stories with engaging storylines, realistic characters, and important issues and points (note: no morals). Language still is important, but not on the pedestal it seems to be on right now. The same goes with all other writings I do.
I guess, to compare my intentions with those of Camus and Nabokov in terms of writing... I'm a Camus. I can't help but be a little political. I want to write about big things and share them with people. This will be a struggle as I go into grad school and even the world of literary magazines where genre fiction is an unwelcome pest and pretty prose stands out more than the context.
Maybe I need something to eat or a drink to bring myself out of this funk. But it can't be blocked and I can't keep doing that anymore. I owe to myself as a writer to just say to this whole thing:
But change the "home" to "the bar". Or whatever will be my future happy place.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Where the hell have I been? Well, here's the answer (albeit long-winded...)
A few days ago, I somewhat cryptically stated that my week had exploded. I didn't list what made it do so. To be honest, now that I look back, maybe that was too strong of an analogy to use. A better one would be that it was... you know what, screw analogies. Last week was just one that went wrong.
In my Music class, I had to turn in a rhythm composition piece (eight measures, simple meter, etc.) and when the class performed it, someone said it sounded like "The Nutcracker". "Aah, f***!" I shouted in my mind. I had a fear that my work would accidentally lift a rhythm from somewhere else, and my fear came true! I remained embarrassed for the rest of the class. My professor didn't hold it against me, saying something about rhythms aren't copyrighted. He was nice about it, even felt bad for me (or so I assumed). So, I didn't get into trouble. I even got some extra time to work out some homework I couldn't finish.
All of last week, I had been playing a hyped-up version of "Catch-Up". I've been reading and editing, slamming my head against my desk when I work on Music homework, and fretting about my Victorian Lit paper. On top of that, I fell ill again. This time, it was a good ol' head cold, complete with lingering cough and schizophrenic nose.
I've gotten no writing done, but that will change today. I'll write a little before I head to work. But first, I have to finish some more homework.
Reading? Well, I've been trying to obtain everything Haruki Murakami has ever written and I'm about seven books short. I started Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates about two days ago. It's honestly one of the most boring books I've read this year. And Shakespeare's history plays were more engaging than this!
Music? No practicing on Zimbra, unfortunately. I'm going to do that over the summer instead. It'll keep me busy.
Listening to music? I've been doing some listening and buying. I bought the Modern Lovers' debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, Fur and Gold, Prospekt's March, and Talking Heads' last album.
Finances? They could be better. I have plans to work a second job: be my parents' housekeeper. I'm saving up for a few things: a new laptop, a trip to Europe next year, and some random objects that I can't think of at the moment. I have plans to purchase two last things: the re-released LPs of Talking Heads' debut album and Remain in Light. Then, it's off to the saving party!
My job? It's going okay, but I need to work more. I'm starting to miss out on things. I'm going to talk to them about hours, make my case.
I also ordered my college ring, but my card hadn't been charged... how odd.
After that, things have been decent. The new week's shaping up to be something better than the last. I leave you, trying to figure out what to do next...
-Lindsey
In my Music class, I had to turn in a rhythm composition piece (eight measures, simple meter, etc.) and when the class performed it, someone said it sounded like "The Nutcracker". "Aah, f***!" I shouted in my mind. I had a fear that my work would accidentally lift a rhythm from somewhere else, and my fear came true! I remained embarrassed for the rest of the class. My professor didn't hold it against me, saying something about rhythms aren't copyrighted. He was nice about it, even felt bad for me (or so I assumed). So, I didn't get into trouble. I even got some extra time to work out some homework I couldn't finish.
All of last week, I had been playing a hyped-up version of "Catch-Up". I've been reading and editing, slamming my head against my desk when I work on Music homework, and fretting about my Victorian Lit paper. On top of that, I fell ill again. This time, it was a good ol' head cold, complete with lingering cough and schizophrenic nose.
I've gotten no writing done, but that will change today. I'll write a little before I head to work. But first, I have to finish some more homework.
Reading? Well, I've been trying to obtain everything Haruki Murakami has ever written and I'm about seven books short. I started Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates about two days ago. It's honestly one of the most boring books I've read this year. And Shakespeare's history plays were more engaging than this!
Music? No practicing on Zimbra, unfortunately. I'm going to do that over the summer instead. It'll keep me busy.
Listening to music? I've been doing some listening and buying. I bought the Modern Lovers' debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, Fur and Gold, Prospekt's March, and Talking Heads' last album.
Finances? They could be better. I have plans to work a second job: be my parents' housekeeper. I'm saving up for a few things: a new laptop, a trip to Europe next year, and some random objects that I can't think of at the moment. I have plans to purchase two last things: the re-released LPs of Talking Heads' debut album and Remain in Light. Then, it's off to the saving party!
My job? It's going okay, but I need to work more. I'm starting to miss out on things. I'm going to talk to them about hours, make my case.
I also ordered my college ring, but my card hadn't been charged... how odd.
After that, things have been decent. The new week's shaping up to be something better than the last. I leave you, trying to figure out what to do next...
-Lindsey
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
School begins again...
It's the beginning of my final year at college. I'm about two semesters (not counting the current one) away from a sweet Bachelor's and some bling-bling (i.e., the college ring).
I'm planning to help with my folks on saving up for the ring. I was happy to discover that I could get it in silver and it would be cheaper than initially thought. Bus passes went up, though. Nearly died at the fiscal office when the clerk told me the price.
Post-college plans? I'm considering graduate school, but not for a while. I want to give it a few years and really save up. Good Lord knows it'll be a pricey endeavor. Worthy, but pricey.
My classes are shaping up to be unique and fun experiences. I'll report on those as the semester moves on.
My Shakespeare class has me reading Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, and Romeo & Juliet. With the exception of the latter two, I've been meaning to read them (I own copies of them). Yea for forced reading!
My Nonfiction class seems to be what the doctor ordered. I've been thinking of writing various things and feeling comfortable doing so. Then again, the professor for that class is an awesome lady.
Enough rambling. I have classes tomorrow, so I'm gonna go relax. I leave you, thinking about what I want to drink...
-Lindsey
I'm planning to help with my folks on saving up for the ring. I was happy to discover that I could get it in silver and it would be cheaper than initially thought. Bus passes went up, though. Nearly died at the fiscal office when the clerk told me the price.
Post-college plans? I'm considering graduate school, but not for a while. I want to give it a few years and really save up. Good Lord knows it'll be a pricey endeavor. Worthy, but pricey.
My classes are shaping up to be unique and fun experiences. I'll report on those as the semester moves on.
My Shakespeare class has me reading Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, and Romeo & Juliet. With the exception of the latter two, I've been meaning to read them (I own copies of them). Yea for forced reading!
My Nonfiction class seems to be what the doctor ordered. I've been thinking of writing various things and feeling comfortable doing so. Then again, the professor for that class is an awesome lady.
Enough rambling. I have classes tomorrow, so I'm gonna go relax. I leave you, thinking about what I want to drink...
-Lindsey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
