Huzzah!

Ladies and Lords, we have a title.

I didn't get a lot of writing done yesterday (at least, not on either work in progress. The writing I do for the entertainment of my friends doesn't count). BUT, my hubby and I did manage to have a great brainstorming session regarding titles.

I'm a big fan of titles. In my opinion, they should have multiple meanings. For example, the name of my 1st WIP is the name of a ship in the book. It's also the attitude of some of the bad guys.

So, the title of this second book plays on many different elements in the book. I love words that can mean more than one thing.

I is a happy camper today.

A blow to freedom

Or something like that.

They've finally done it. They've blocked my blog access at work. What in the world am I going to do now?? Even more importantly, are they also going to block the forums I visit frequently. Honestly, if I can't multitask while I work, I'll go stark raving mad.

This might actually be the thing that makes me look for a new Real Job(tm).

On an up note, I wrote a minimal amount towards chapter 9 today. The work is still untitled, and it's starting to bug me. How can I have all these great novel-length creative urges, and yet something as tiny as a title stumps me. Where's the justice, I ask you?

Harry Potter

Today, I finished chapter 8 of my still woefully untitled urban fantasy. I realize that, with my current wordcount-to-chapter ratio that this first draft is going to be about half the length I want it to be. This is ok. I'm going to write like a fiend while the muse has me, and I can revise to my heart's content later.

That said, this weekend is devoted to Harry Potter. I will be going to the midnight release tonight, and I have strict instructions to finish the book tomorrow so my husband can have it on Sunday.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Trunk Novels

I have been operating under the assumption that my 1st WIP is actually my first novel. This made me sad, because the general consensus is that first novels are drivel, and should never see the light of day. They should be written, and then trunked.

But, I realized last night that I am wrong. In reality, it is my fifth.

My first novel was written in middle school, back when I was still typing it out on my mother's old Brother typewriter. It was horrid, but one of the supporting characters later became my current protagonist in my 1st WIP, so it was not without value.

Then, in highschool, I had a creative writing teacher who was way too lenient, and in place of doing daily assignments, she let me go to the computer lab and work on my "book". I must have been reading Anne McCaffrey's Rowan series or something, because I remember it being about telekinetic/telepathic teens. I guess, in retrospect, it was borderline urban fantasy, before I even knew what it was.

Somewhere along the way, I got involved in roleplaying games (notably Vampire: The Masquerade) and when I was in my first few years of college, I wrote two books involving the characters my friends and I created.

None of these were publishable, and I didn't even try. I didn't even go into it with the intention of publishing them. And truthfully, the last three were probably more novella length than novel. But, I choose to say it counts. I have written four books, prior to the two I am working on now. When I look at it that way, I'm actually kind of impressed with myself.

Back in the Swing

It feels so good to be writing again. I would seriously like some kind of study done to find out why I actually feel physically better when I'm writing, compared to when I'm not.

Got through chapter 7 of the urban fantasy project today. Still pondering titles. I'm toying with finding some meaningful Japanese word to use, but when I was looking up random things today, all the words were too soft sounding, or have already been used to name video game characters. (it's sad that I recognized that) Not to mention that it probably wouldn't accurately reflect the feeling I was going for. Ah well, it'll come to me. (or I'll choose a "working" title, and some brilliant editor will rename it for me, when it is set for publishing)

And the angels sang in chorus...

I wrote today! I finished chapter five of my second WIP and got about halfway through chapter six. The word counter to the left actually MOVED.

Just...let me sit here and bask for a bit.

Titles

I am lousy with titles. I don't know if you've noticed, but titling my blog posts is even taxing the limits of my creativity.

My first work-in-progress (stall-in-progress?) has a "working" title, because I had to call it SOMEthing. Especially after I started the second one, when saying "my book" would no longer suffice.

It's the second one that's picking at my brain today. Not only do I want to come up with a title, but I would also like to come up with a vague series title as well. (y'know, for when the unbelievable happens and folks want to read MORE) I'm looking for something vaguely Japanese sounding. Something with a samurai flavor, but not...too. I have no idea if that made sense.

Granted, I know that if/when anything of mine gets published, the publisher is just as likely to throw my title out the window and come up with one of their own. (this is why Jim Butcher gave us Death Masks instead of Holy Sheet.) But still, the first title you present to an agent/publisher should say something about the work and give them an idea of what to expect.

Apparently, they can expect a great deal of nothing from me.

Weekends

One would think that weekends would be the ideal time to write. No where you HAVE to be, no trying to fit a bout of writing into your lunch break at work...

Unless you happen to have a sick child. Then, she's hanging on you (literally), demanding this that and the other. Don't get me wrong, my daughter is an angel, but when she's sick, she is very very VERY clingy.

Thus, I have nothing to show for this past weekend. (except for an extra day off today, to take her to the doctor)

I might get something done this afternoon while she naps. I have the vaguest feeling of some impending writing coming on. Does anyone else ever have that? That feeling that there's something great sneaking up on you, if you just wait a little bit?

The Value of Force

Runners, especially long-distance and cross-country, will tell you that you reach a point when your body says "Screw you, I'm going home!" but you just keep running. Push through the wall, go for the burn, whatever.

I am wondering about the value of applying that to mental exercise. You see a writer's block. For me, this doesn't mean that I can't write at all. (obviously, I'm typing this) So, it shouldn't be inconceivable to put words down on paper (harddrive) regardless of what they actually ARE. So, is it worth it?

When I think about my 1st WIP right now, reaching for images in my head is like grasping at smoke. They wisp away, just out of reach. But, what if I stopped trying? I know the basic plot points I want to hit in this section I'm stuck on. It's not like I don't know what happens. What if I just sat down, and wrote those out? No prettiness, just basic words. A happens, and leads to B. Then C occurs. D feels X about said event. Can I do that? More importantly, if I do it, can I go back later (preferably sooner, but who am I kidding?) and fix it, flesh it out?

Is it possible that I'm just too damn neurotic to be writing at all?

Library

Since I'm not spending my free time writing, I polled all my friends and have come up with a list of authors that I'm trying on for size.

Currently, I am reading Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay. Oria recommended the author, though she hasn't read this particular book yet.

And on hold at the library, I have two books by Paula Volsky, Illusion and The White Tribunal, and one from David Farland, Runelords: The Sum of All Men. All of these were recommendations from Kat. As I understand it, these are mostly older books, but that just means that my local library might actually HAVE them. (all the newer stuff gets tied up in holds for months when they first come out.)

Also on recommendation from Kat, I have a hold on Anne Bishop's Pillars of the World. But it's checked out right now.

And to round out my hold list, I have Laurell K Hamilton's The Harlequin. Yeah yeah, I know. Drivel since Obsidian Butterfly. I can't bring myself to spend money on them anymore, but I heard Edward was in this one, so I have to read it.

I always seem to have a rush of creativity, after reading a good book. (and some of the other things I've read thus far have NOT been good.) So, hopefully, this marathon of literacy will kick me into high gear.

Slowly but Surely

Ok, while I still seem to have hit an insurmountable block regarding my novels (both of them, oi), I am intending today to sit down and write a short piece on some roleplaying stuff for a friend. Sure, it's not gonna get me the big bucks, but it should be fun and I'm always happiest when I'm writing no matter what it is.

Does it count as writer's block if you're only blocked on certain works?

Eureka!

Not sure why it won't let me type in the title field this time... *ponder*

Oddly, I was going to talk about writer's block, but this wasn't what I meant!

Writer's block has a firm hold on me, no doubt mostly due to real life stress. Work, family, everything. It all just sucks right now. I'm not sure what to do to snap me out of this funk. But I just sit and look at the blinking cursor of doom, and absolutely nothing comes to me.

Advice is appreciated.


Edited: And I fixed the title. It has nothing to do with the post, and everything to do with the fact that there is at least a title THERE now.

Weddings and Holidays and Real Life, Oh My!

Still here!

It's been a hectic week. But, we survived the wedding, and we survived the 4th. I didn't even attempt to write, during this time. I'm still feeling a distinct lack of creativity at the moment, and it's depressing me.

My thought on my chapter 3 (where I seem to be stalled out) is that, if I'm having this much trouble, maybe I'm going at it from the wrong angle. (the wrong point of view, most likely) So I've been trying to figure out what other character I could visit with, to see how they could reveal the necessary details to the reader. I can come up with pros and cons to using several different ones. It may actually come down to me writing the scene multiple times, and seeing which one I like better in the end.

Also, I forgot my wrist braces today. I was a good girl, wearing them at home yesterday like I'm supposed to, but then I went and left them on my desk. I'm a hazard to myself.