I haven't made a post this month, and I'm going to be away for the rest of it so....POST!
Not much has happened in terms of writing for WMRR. I've mostly been freaking out about the portfolio for manuscript writing and if the idea is feasible for this term. I'm running out of time, so looks like I'm just going to have to stick with it. I like the idea, I just may need research I won't be able to conduct based on finances and the time available. I think the road trip idea will work, I just need to outline it, work out the specifics and find two models of writing to base my own writing on. Man when did writing get so hard?
In other news, the Writer's Guild of Alberta is offering a free membership to students, which I think I'll be taking advantage of. I've been quickly learning to take the opportunities handed to me, because I've missed out on a lot because I've been to lazy or lacking in confidence to do so. I'm still upset that I didn't go to see Robert Kroetsch in Canmore, because that would have been his last event. So there's some helpful advice for all you writers (and people in general) out there. Take the opportunities when you can get them. Those opportunities, and the contacts and connections you make all come back to help you out when you least expect it.
As for WMRR...chapter 12 kind of came to a screeching halt when I realized I'd have to do a little more military research and have a complete picture of what I want discussed, what I want to happen, and what the chapter is going to bring to the story. This is a critical chapter. I know I can come back to it when all is said and done, but what happens here is going to affect a lot of what happens later.
IT'S FREAKING ME OUT MAN.
Video
Video
Video
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Well Butter My Biscuit
This is the third post in a short period of time, but I'm done chapter 11 and I figured it was worth ranting and raving about. I technically finished last night, but I was so tired that the end of the chapter turned out rushed and...well stupid. Despite what you may have heard, there is no "L" in "machine." Herp de derp tired brain is tired.
I also felt the need to gather my thoughts and figure out what's what. Then I did something stupid. I looked at old chapters, skimming them to pick out related parts and make sure everything is working out. It is...more or less, but I have a lot of clarification work to do.
SO I'M USING COLOURS \(^.^)/
The only problem is I started highlighting the pink parts as blue because I thought that the blue was pink, but really it was pink not blue and therefore, I had to go back and re-highlight some of the pink parts so that they actually weren't blue. I had no difficulty with the green.
I also discovered that up until about chapter...7ish, my writing is mostly trash. That, my friends, is why looking back is DANGEROUS. I clarified some points, but for the most part I think I'm going to be re-writing all those chapters again. Not now, because I'm not allowed to (slap my wrists please), but in the second draft.
Also, I'm going to do something crazy. I'm going to switch chapter 12 and Dan's Interlude. Okay, maybe that's not so crazy.
NOW BARE MY ARCTIC BLAST!=DDDDDDDDDDDD
I also felt the need to gather my thoughts and figure out what's what. Then I did something stupid. I looked at old chapters, skimming them to pick out related parts and make sure everything is working out. It is...more or less, but I have a lot of clarification work to do.
SO I'M USING COLOURS \(^.^)/
The only problem is I started highlighting the pink parts as blue because I thought that the blue was pink, but really it was pink not blue and therefore, I had to go back and re-highlight some of the pink parts so that they actually weren't blue. I had no difficulty with the green.
I also discovered that up until about chapter...7ish, my writing is mostly trash. That, my friends, is why looking back is DANGEROUS. I clarified some points, but for the most part I think I'm going to be re-writing all those chapters again. Not now, because I'm not allowed to (slap my wrists please), but in the second draft.
Also, I'm going to do something crazy. I'm going to switch chapter 12 and Dan's Interlude. Okay, maybe that's not so crazy.
NOW BARE MY ARCTIC BLAST!=DDDDDDDDDDDD
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
2 + 2 = Fish
2010: 358 days +
2011: 59 days
=417 days
Words: 67977 -
Prologue, Chapt. 1, Chapt. 2: 9933
= 58044 words
58044 / 417
=139.19 words per day
Estimated final word count: 110000
110000 - 67977
=42023 words left
42023 / 139.19
=301.91 days until completion
D3PR3551NG
78 days until September.
42023 / 78
=538.76 words per day
200 days until the new year.
42023 / 200
=210.11 words per day
Therefore, if I write a proposal length essay every day this summer, I will be finished the first draft. If I write the equivalent of my average blog post, I will be done before the new year. That's not so hard right? Right?
Now I know why writers usually don't like math.
2011: 59 days
=417 days
Words: 67977 -
Prologue, Chapt. 1, Chapt. 2: 9933
= 58044 words
58044 / 417
=139.19 words per day
Estimated final word count: 110000
110000 - 67977
=42023 words left
42023 / 139.19
=301.91 days until completion
D3PR3551NG
78 days until September.
42023 / 78
=538.76 words per day
200 days until the new year.
42023 / 200
=210.11 words per day
Therefore, if I write a proposal length essay every day this summer, I will be finished the first draft. If I write the equivalent of my average blog post, I will be done before the new year. That's not so hard right? Right?
Now I know why writers usually don't like math.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Dude, What's the Password?
Got too many of them now since I changed them all to random codes and such a few years back. Spent about 15 minutes trying to remember my one YouTube account pass because I was logged out for some reason or another. That'll teach me to use the same password for years, get my msn hacked, change my passwords to stupid code and then forget them all when I need it most.
So in the past 12 days I have...
...
...
Finished Infamous.
...
Fini---oh wait nope.
...
Learned about Assassin's Creed Revelations.
...
...
...
Edited like crazy. Can't forget the editing.
...
...
And that's about it. Okay....what did I actually DO these past few weeks?
...
Ugh.
...
Now that I've wasted tons of digital space, time to talk about writing! Maybe some websites too. More websites, because I've just been thinking about writing. Mostly agonizing about plot points and fixing all the terrible bits. Unfortunately this is going to be most of my work. Not sure if I'm being too hard on myself or not.
I have a concrete idea for my manuscript writing class. The only downside is I might have to do some travelling across Canada and I---wait, what's the problem here? Oh yeah. Money and time. Bleigh.
So, websites and videos:
Sam and Fuzzy - Webcomic
Genderless Baby - Article
Write Like a Man - Article....*shrug*
Something to Be Angry About - Article
Skyrim Gameplay - Video
Canadian Ned - Video
No Words Exist to Explain This - Video
Hmm...I'm beginning to see my problem here...
So in the past 12 days I have...
...
...
Finished Infamous.
...
Fini---oh wait nope.
...
Learned about Assassin's Creed Revelations.
...
...
...
Edited like crazy. Can't forget the editing.
...
...
And that's about it. Okay....what did I actually DO these past few weeks?
...
Ugh.
...
Now that I've wasted tons of digital space, time to talk about writing! Maybe some websites too. More websites, because I've just been thinking about writing. Mostly agonizing about plot points and fixing all the terrible bits. Unfortunately this is going to be most of my work. Not sure if I'm being too hard on myself or not.
I have a concrete idea for my manuscript writing class. The only downside is I might have to do some travelling across Canada and I---wait, what's the problem here? Oh yeah. Money and time. Bleigh.
So, websites and videos:
Sam and Fuzzy - Webcomic
Genderless Baby - Article
Write Like a Man - Article....*shrug*
Something to Be Angry About - Article
Skyrim Gameplay - Video
Canadian Ned - Video
No Words Exist to Explain This - Video
Hmm...I'm beginning to see my problem here...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
THIRTY DAYS
http://thirtydahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifysproject.com/?p=65
I could technically finish WMRR if I participated in this. The only problem is I can work exceptionally slow on personal work, even if I work on it all day. At least it would motivate me to try. I could also do short stories, but I don't know if I can come up with 30 original short stories...unless they were very, well, short. Well it's something to try for. Maybe I'll actually get some WMRR done.
Maybe I'll just watch the Supernatural seasons I got yesterday....
The world may never know.
I could technically finish WMRR if I participated in this. The only problem is I can work exceptionally slow on personal work, even if I work on it all day. At least it would motivate me to try. I could also do short stories, but I don't know if I can come up with 30 original short stories...unless they were very, well, short. Well it's something to try for. Maybe I'll actually get some WMRR done.
Maybe I'll just watch the Supernatural seasons I got yesterday....
The world may never know.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Old vs. New
Been awhile since I made a post, so I thought I'd do something fun. I'm going to take snippets of WMRR from version 1 and the version I'm working on now and compare them. Looking at my old highschool material gave me a good laugh. It really is horrible. I don't know if I'm much better now than I was, but at least I see SOME improvement. All snippets are largely unedited, so sorry for any mistakes. I'm too antsy about looking over them now, especially the new, because then I'll start CHANGING EVERYTHING, and that won't be good for any progress I've managed to scrape out of this month (which isn't much).
Completion of CMD: 2006
Ash and the technicians worked non-stop for the rest of the evening and into the night. Dedrad and Grypt came by about three hours in, bearing coffee and painkillers. The coffee was for Ash, the painkillers were for the members working under his supervision. Ash downed the coffee and bullied Grypt into bringing him something stronger. The two stayed for until they got tired of the yelling. They had more than a lifetime’s worth of yelling from Ash, seeing as how he was their trainer. They decided to leave Ash alone to his work and went to join Dan, who was gaming, down the hall in computer room 113-A.
Four hours later the project was complete. Ash was incredibly tired after yelling non-stop, chucking clipboards at various people, and bringing about half the technicians in the room to tears. Supervising was hard work.
Jennifer presented the device they had worked so hard on, to Ash. He took it in his hands and studied it. It was small and compact, only being the size of his thumb. It did not look complicated or important, but it was the device that would give them a huge advantage in the war.
Completion of the CMD: 2011
Five hours and six empty coffee mugs later, the CMD reached its completion. Ash woke from a short nap to see Joey standing on the observation deck next to him. He held the same clipboard in his hands and looked down at Ash as if he were something nasty he had just stepped in. Without a word he handed him a memo and stepped off the deck onto the floor. Ash wiped the sleep from his eyes and sat up. He scanned the sheet before using the com next to him to page Dedrad. He chugged the cold dregs of his leftover coffee and followed Joey to where a small group of researchers were gathered.
As he approached he saw the team passing around and inspecting a small device. They looked pleased with their work. Ash slipped into the circle and watched as the small, metallic rectangle made its way slowly towards him. Jennifer was the last to look it over when she handed it to Ash. She placed it in his open hand, face was almost reverent. He was shocked at how light it was. He turned the thumb-sized box in his hands, examining the display on the front and the chip with two tiny prongs at the back. He passed it back to Jennifer. She turned it over and activated it. The device made no noise as it glowed with life.
Intro Jason: 2007
A knocking was heard at the door, followed by the soft click of a laptop screen being folded down. Jason Manila spun around in his chair to face the door. He stared at it for a moment, then rolled his eyes and stood up.
“Come innnnnnn,” he sung to the closed door.
The door opened to reveal a gorgeous girl with long black hair and grey eyes. She was holding a large coffee mug. Jason guessed that it was his latte. He narrowed his eyes.
“Hello General. I have your drink here sir,” she greeted, adding a fake cheer to her voice.
“What happened to latte man Miss Aimee? Did he fall down some forsaken pit, or has he forgotten how to cross the street and buy a coffee?”
“I’m sorry sir, Cody was called away on an urgent matter. I’m merely filling in for him.”
“Now what was this urgent matter I wonder? Going to tell me, or just stand there stupidly sniffing my coffee?”
Aimee’s face flushed, but she answered his question. “President Colorine requested him for sector duties sir. I am not clear on all of the details.”
Jason raised his eyebrows, and turned towards his desk. He motioned for her to enter, and tapped the desk with his finger.
“Just leave the latte right here Miss. You have duties to carry out now don’t you?”
Intro Jason: 2011
His drink was lukewarm. Again. The espresso machine on the fourth floor needed tending to. The damn appliance was brand new and though it used an old system of capsules, it should have been capable of making a hot cup of coffee. Jason tossed the last half of the drink down the sink, drops flying onto the tile backsplash. He discarded the little cup into the basket next to the sink, ignoring the nasty clink it made when it landed. Tired and annoyed he slumped into one of the chairs surrounding the common tables. Five home guard and three maintenance workers kept hm company in silence, trying to disregard his foul mood.
Fifteen minutes until he had to return to his rounds. He slumped over the table, head propped on one arm, as he tried to take an interest with the television hanging on the back wall of the room. Weather reports about the droughts and fires, government speeches concerning relations with the East and an opinion piece suggesting the Freets could be burned out of hiding, using the dry conditions to their advantage. It was followed by an ad about hair replacement with an over-the-top spokesman obviously wearing a wig. Nothing new, nothing interesting. Jason wished he had caffeine.
*EDIT - I fixed some of the typos and bad wording in the 2011 version of Jason's Intro
Completion of CMD: 2006
Ash and the technicians worked non-stop for the rest of the evening and into the night. Dedrad and Grypt came by about three hours in, bearing coffee and painkillers. The coffee was for Ash, the painkillers were for the members working under his supervision. Ash downed the coffee and bullied Grypt into bringing him something stronger. The two stayed for until they got tired of the yelling. They had more than a lifetime’s worth of yelling from Ash, seeing as how he was their trainer. They decided to leave Ash alone to his work and went to join Dan, who was gaming, down the hall in computer room 113-A.
Four hours later the project was complete. Ash was incredibly tired after yelling non-stop, chucking clipboards at various people, and bringing about half the technicians in the room to tears. Supervising was hard work.
Jennifer presented the device they had worked so hard on, to Ash. He took it in his hands and studied it. It was small and compact, only being the size of his thumb. It did not look complicated or important, but it was the device that would give them a huge advantage in the war.
Completion of the CMD: 2011
Five hours and six empty coffee mugs later, the CMD reached its completion. Ash woke from a short nap to see Joey standing on the observation deck next to him. He held the same clipboard in his hands and looked down at Ash as if he were something nasty he had just stepped in. Without a word he handed him a memo and stepped off the deck onto the floor. Ash wiped the sleep from his eyes and sat up. He scanned the sheet before using the com next to him to page Dedrad. He chugged the cold dregs of his leftover coffee and followed Joey to where a small group of researchers were gathered.
As he approached he saw the team passing around and inspecting a small device. They looked pleased with their work. Ash slipped into the circle and watched as the small, metallic rectangle made its way slowly towards him. Jennifer was the last to look it over when she handed it to Ash. She placed it in his open hand, face was almost reverent. He was shocked at how light it was. He turned the thumb-sized box in his hands, examining the display on the front and the chip with two tiny prongs at the back. He passed it back to Jennifer. She turned it over and activated it. The device made no noise as it glowed with life.
Intro Jason: 2007
A knocking was heard at the door, followed by the soft click of a laptop screen being folded down. Jason Manila spun around in his chair to face the door. He stared at it for a moment, then rolled his eyes and stood up.
“Come innnnnnn,” he sung to the closed door.
The door opened to reveal a gorgeous girl with long black hair and grey eyes. She was holding a large coffee mug. Jason guessed that it was his latte. He narrowed his eyes.
“Hello General. I have your drink here sir,” she greeted, adding a fake cheer to her voice.
“What happened to latte man Miss Aimee? Did he fall down some forsaken pit, or has he forgotten how to cross the street and buy a coffee?”
“I’m sorry sir, Cody was called away on an urgent matter. I’m merely filling in for him.”
“Now what was this urgent matter I wonder? Going to tell me, or just stand there stupidly sniffing my coffee?”
Aimee’s face flushed, but she answered his question. “President Colorine requested him for sector duties sir. I am not clear on all of the details.”
Jason raised his eyebrows, and turned towards his desk. He motioned for her to enter, and tapped the desk with his finger.
“Just leave the latte right here Miss. You have duties to carry out now don’t you?”
Intro Jason: 2011
His drink was lukewarm. Again. The espresso machine on the fourth floor needed tending to. The damn appliance was brand new and though it used an old system of capsules, it should have been capable of making a hot cup of coffee. Jason tossed the last half of the drink down the sink, drops flying onto the tile backsplash. He discarded the little cup into the basket next to the sink, ignoring the nasty clink it made when it landed. Tired and annoyed he slumped into one of the chairs surrounding the common tables. Five home guard and three maintenance workers kept hm company in silence, trying to disregard his foul mood.
Fifteen minutes until he had to return to his rounds. He slumped over the table, head propped on one arm, as he tried to take an interest with the television hanging on the back wall of the room. Weather reports about the droughts and fires, government speeches concerning relations with the East and an opinion piece suggesting the Freets could be burned out of hiding, using the dry conditions to their advantage. It was followed by an ad about hair replacement with an over-the-top spokesman obviously wearing a wig. Nothing new, nothing interesting. Jason wished he had caffeine.
*EDIT - I fixed some of the typos and bad wording in the 2011 version of Jason's Intro
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Bad News
I've started what I like to call "scrolling". Commonly occurring in academic papers, scrolling is where a writer will scroll aimlessly through a document, scanning the words, but never really reading them. I did this for about ten minutes before I realized I hadn't written anything. I think I changed one word. I have two chapters started, but I can't think of how to progress. This is probably due to too much distraction. Just now I got into a conversation about Chuck Norris, the Simpsons and quotes about France and Italy. Also, I found two new webcomics to read:
http://syacartoonist.com/
http://www.phdcomics.com/
Both have been around for awhile, but do not cease to be amusing.
As for the writing....the battle rages.
http://syacartoonist.com/
http://www.phdcomics.com/
Both have been around for awhile, but do not cease to be amusing.
As for the writing....the battle rages.
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