So...it is day five since I decided to try my hand at fiction. This is amazing! I have never had more fun with my writing before. I have written three chapters so far. Working on this novel is almost addictive. Once an idea for the next scene comes to mind, I feel as though I must write it down before I lose it. It is satire, so the direction the plot is going is basically set in stone, but sometimes I feel as though the story is writing itself and I'm just along for the ride. I know this is going to be a rewarding experience. I can't wait to see it in its published form.
At the moment, I am probably acting a tad too big for my britches. I want to stay optimistic and maintain self-confidence (I'll NEED it when I take my baby to the publishers). I can do this, but I'm in it for the long haul. I have two books on writing fiction, The Practical Writer and How to Write a Damn Good Novel, II. From what I've read so far, the latter is particularly useful as a reference on how to create emotion in your reader and build suspense, which is all-important where my book is concerned. It had better help make my novel damn good, because I would like to write my Pulitzer Prize acceptance speech alongside it! ;)
Before I get too carried away with publishing deals and bestseller lists, I have to sit down and write the novel. It's good to have the people I trust most read my first draft, second opinions have led to a ton of much needed changes. My first draft is entirely handwritten, later I'll type it up into a manuscript and continue cutting this part and pasting that part until it is good enough to submit for publishing. I'll cross that unstable bridge when I get there...
I'm sorry, but I can't share chapters or excerpts from my book publicly yet. If you want more information about what I am satirizing with my novel, follow the link here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_Smyrna
Meanwhile, I need to get back to work!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Writer's Blog
"Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up for work." --Chuck Close
I sure hope that isn't true because I feel suddenly inspired. I want to write a novel. I don't think of myself as an amateur writer, though the idea of being a full-fledged novelist is intimidating. As both a guidebook and a way to soothe my ego, I ordered The Practical Writer. The book goes into detail about the process of turning the outline for a story into a novel and then how to publish it. The emphasis is on the professional approach that is required for a novel to be bought by a publisher, which is exactly what I want to learn. I hope The Practical Writer can prepare me for both the inevitable rejections and the joy of acceptance.
I have only just begun the basic concepts of my novel. For the time being, my novel is only a single page of loose leaf paper. Could be worse...JK Rowling started out with napkins. I know from experience that the easiest time to quit is during brainstorming, so I have to believe in myself and back it up with hard work. I am trying to create characters and fully understand them before I even start outlining. Another good plan is using notecards to organize the scenes in the story. That way I can quickly rearrange things to change the pacing if necessary.
It took me a while to figure out exactly what I wanted to write. I was inspired by Giles Milton's book, Paradise Lost: Smyrna, 1922. I immediately threw out the option of writing a history, because it had already been done so well. I contemplated writing historical fiction, but eventually settled on writing a satirical novel. I like the idea more and more as I think about it. In this case, a satire is really my lazy man's nonfiction. I bet it will, regardless, still be a challenge. I hope that I'm up for it.
I sure hope that isn't true because I feel suddenly inspired. I want to write a novel. I don't think of myself as an amateur writer, though the idea of being a full-fledged novelist is intimidating. As both a guidebook and a way to soothe my ego, I ordered The Practical Writer. The book goes into detail about the process of turning the outline for a story into a novel and then how to publish it. The emphasis is on the professional approach that is required for a novel to be bought by a publisher, which is exactly what I want to learn. I hope The Practical Writer can prepare me for both the inevitable rejections and the joy of acceptance.
I have only just begun the basic concepts of my novel. For the time being, my novel is only a single page of loose leaf paper. Could be worse...JK Rowling started out with napkins. I know from experience that the easiest time to quit is during brainstorming, so I have to believe in myself and back it up with hard work. I am trying to create characters and fully understand them before I even start outlining. Another good plan is using notecards to organize the scenes in the story. That way I can quickly rearrange things to change the pacing if necessary.
It took me a while to figure out exactly what I wanted to write. I was inspired by Giles Milton's book, Paradise Lost: Smyrna, 1922. I immediately threw out the option of writing a history, because it had already been done so well. I contemplated writing historical fiction, but eventually settled on writing a satirical novel. I like the idea more and more as I think about it. In this case, a satire is really my lazy man's nonfiction. I bet it will, regardless, still be a challenge. I hope that I'm up for it.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Autumn Arrives
There are things I love about Autumn. The leaves change colors, Thanksgiving will be here before I know it, which means I get to visit with my extended family. Did I mention pumpkin pie? I learned today that pumpkin is actually a type of squash. Weird, I know. I tried pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin once and it's not much different than the canned stuff, just a bit chunky. That makes me wonder if cans of pumpkin just sprout from the ground alongside frozen pie crusts. I remember the pumpkin shortage last year, it just added to the insanely busy workweek at Publix before Thanksgiving. I got 25 hours that week, it was worth it!
I'm happy it's October. The only thing is that the weather changed so quickly. Only two weeks ago I was praying for an end to the ninety degree heat. I got my wish with perfect temperatures, but it was too good to last. On the drive to school this morning, my teeth chattered as gripped the steering wheel. I don't want to notice the ten minutes it takes for the heater to kick in. That's acceptable in January, not October. Oh well, it's worth it to savor this time of year. It will be over before I know it...
I'm happy it's October. The only thing is that the weather changed so quickly. Only two weeks ago I was praying for an end to the ninety degree heat. I got my wish with perfect temperatures, but it was too good to last. On the drive to school this morning, my teeth chattered as gripped the steering wheel. I don't want to notice the ten minutes it takes for the heater to kick in. That's acceptable in January, not October. Oh well, it's worth it to savor this time of year. It will be over before I know it...
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