Adventures in Writing

OK - I’ve been slacking a ton on this blog.  I never claimed to be good at it! 

 I’ve spent the last three months very productively, probably why there haven’t been any updates over here.  I completed my very first first draft of a full length ST novel.  I’m very proud of myself :)  Of course, I couldn’t have done it without Karen Wiesner and her miraculous FD30D.  I think that book should be required reading for anyone who plans to take their writing from hobby to profession.  Even if you don’t use every little thing in it - it’s filled with great ideas, and better tools.  I can’t sing the praises of that book enough!  (Which my crit partners can attest to :D)

 In other news, I’ve gotten back into the swing of reading as well.  I got Harry Potter on Saturday evening and finished it up early this afternoon.  Awesome book, and (I think) the best written out of the entire series.  I hated the way she wrote the beginning of the series (I couldn’t even make it through the first three books) but this one is amazing.  The middle dragged…alot…but the beginning and the end made slogging through 400 pages of Harry brooding and fighting with Hermione and Ron worth it.

I’m planning on finishing up the rest of the Harry Potter series ( I want to read Order of the Pheonix and Half Blood Prince) by the end of this week, and then starting next week I’ll be tackling the first major revision of my first completed MS, Moonlit Masquerade.  It occurred to me today that this ms has no masquerade, and certainly not one which involves a scene in the moonlight….Hmmm…I really like the title, though, so I must add a scene that gives the title meaning

 Off to read!!  I promise to *try to* update this blog more often.  A three month hiatus is not acceptable.  Especially since when I’m big and famous everyone will want to read it!  *Watch as the ego grows, lol*  I might as well get in the habit now. 

I’ve been blocked for over a week now.  I just can’t get anything out.  I know it’s my attitude that’s dragging me down, but I can’t help it.  I’ve tried brainstorming, I’ve searched the net for pics of my characters to get the joices flowing…but nothing.

 It all started when I saw the previews for Lucky You. 

 Hubby called me from down the hall and said “Hey, this is the movie I was telling you about that sounds like your book!”  I don’t watch TV much, so I hadn’t seen it myself.  I sit down and watch the trailer with him.  As my MS comes to life before me, I realize that I got this brilliant idea a year or so too late.  Since then, I haven’t been able to write.  Not a single word.  On that MS or any of my others.

I need to snap out of this funk, but I’m just not sure how.  All of my usual block busters have failed, and I don’t know what else to try.  Maybe writing here will help?  So far it’s not.  I’m just looking pathetic as I struggle to write *something*.  Anything.

I could turn this into a pity party - and I think I have.  Why else would I still be blocked?  I need to bounce back and get my head back into the game.  (Isn’t that a song from the HS Musical?)  Anywho…

Brainstorming has ALWAYS worked before.  Either working with a current MS or brainstorming a whole new idea.  I’ve tried  both and fell flat on my face.  I can’t get the characters to talk to me.  They’re all shrugging and saying “What’s the point?”.  I know really it’s  me doing that, but I’m not sure how to get out of it.  I know I need to.  I can’t get stuck just because ONE of my stories bears a striking similarity to a movie coming out, it makes no sense.  There are no original stories.  It’s the twists we add to them that make them original.

Trouble is, no matter how much I know this, I still can’t snap out of it.

Maybe I need to just force myself to sit down and write.

Even if what I write is destined for the trash (not even good enough for a throw away chapter) at least I’ll be writing.  Who knows, maybe it’ll end up being a story worth looking into, or maybe there will be a character worth salvaging.

As long as I write.

I wrote absolutely nothing today.  I feel like scum :(  On the other hand, I wrote over 18,000 in the last seven days; it’s been the most productive week I’ve ever had.  But, that doesn’t change the fact I didn’t write today - and that’s gonna bug me.  *Sigh*

 On the other hand, I did have a productive day otherwise.  We finished up the foyer/living room today (we just bought this house last November, and have been working on it non stop since).  We got Victoria (my daughter) some new sandals while we were looking for a toy box for her today.  Didn’t find a toy box, though.  *grrr*  I think we’re going to have to buy one online. 

We also visited my aunt who just adopted a one year old beagle.  She picked her up this morning, so we stopped by for a visit.  Most adorable puppy ever!!  Hubby and I will be getting one next spring, more than likely.  Maybe we can get one earlier (like if I find one cute enough hubby falls in love!). 

We saved our neighbors’ house from burning to the ground too…well, not exactly, but close enough.  The idiots were messing with a bonfire and they caught their shed on fire *rolls eyes*  Geniuses.  We called the fire dept.

 But I still didn’t write.  Ugh…maybe I can get some writing done before bed.

 The working title of my new WIP.  I wrote just under 7,000 words today.  Not too shabby, huh?  Especially considering I had a screaming baby all day.  *Sigh*  Don’t you just love it when they refuse to nap?

 Anywho, I think I’ve really hit a good stride with this story, and I’ve got the backstory all worked out.  I just plan on cranking out as much as I can with this one before I go back to Deadly Courtship.  That way, I can have two MS ready to submit by the end of the year.  *Cheers*  I’m bound to get an acceptance with one of them…right?

After Easter, I went to Atlantic City for three days.  Then I had to be to work very early Thursday morning.  You can guess how well that went…..

 Obviously, I haven’t gotten much writing done >:(.  However, I do have a new story floating around in my head.  The male char is really clear and I have good dialogue going with him (have I mentioned I’m partly schizophrenic? lol) but the heroine I really can’t get a grasp on.  I know where she is, I just can’t get her to tell me why she’s there.  I’m pretty sure she’s getting off a bad relationship, and all men are scum at this point.  But *shrug*.  I’ll have to wait and see what happens.  I think I’m going to start toying around with it tonight, as I want to give Deadly Courtship a rest for a while.  I’m stuck *again* and walking away for a while usually helps the muse to return.  Give her the silent treatment and she comes running back!

 Hopefully I’ll get to write tonight and over the weekend - though I may *very possibly* hit a Romance Writers meeting in RI on Saturday.  Depends on if I can get a sitter.  Either way, I really hope to get some writing done in the next few days.  Even if it’s throw away chapters on my new one, at least I’ll be writing.

Because I have absolutely nothing better to write about - and because I actually want to write in this thing - I figured I’d post my word count for the day.  I wrote 2600 words today, which brings my total to about 27,800.  I’m rooting for a first draft of between 80-90,000 and a finished MS of 100,000.  *Crosses fingers*  Let’s hope I make my goal!!

Amidst setting deadlines for my first draft to be completed, I decided that I needed something that would keep me writing - even when I wasn’t.  Thus, the idea of a blog seemed appropriate.  Everyone else has one, right?  Isn’t it about time I fell in line?

Besides, now I have somewhere to waste my time when I am searching so desperately for something to take my mind off whatever scene is giving me trouble THIS time.  Ugh.  The life of an author.  Albeit an unpublished one…for now.

 I guess I should start by putting my goals down in writing.  Seems appropriate.  My writing led me here, and I plan on using it to fuel my creativity when I’m stuck.  Please don’t ask me how that one is supposed to work

I, Bethany Hamilton, will have a first draft of my current MS completed by August 1, 2007.  Furthermore, I shall have a submissible version of said MS completed by September 1st, 2007. 

 May God have mercy on anyone who tries to get in my way!