Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 630 today 22.8k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Emily Bronte, Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
It interested me that hundreds of years ago Arthur and Katie had sat on this very rock and etched their names in the stone and moss. I ran my hand over the letters, imagining that Arthur had once done the same thing. Had he looked anything like me? Then I thought that one day, when I was dead, another boy and girl would sit on this rock and never guess that Amy and Jack had been here too. Suddenly I wanted hold Amy’s hand.
***********************************************

Today I was on. I had to write a sad farewell scene and I was hoping that I could pull it off. I did. Some days writing is painful, other days it's like connecting with a pitch in the bat's sweet spot and watching the baseball soar away. Today I hit a home run.

Tomorrow I'll be back to grounding out. :-)

Writing a book is a lot like writing a song...

Anyone who knows me well knows that my favorite band is The Smashing Pumpkins. I remember the first time I heard Bullets with Butterfly Wings, it was like a switch flicked in my head and wires ignited. Billy Corgan, I'm still convinced, is one of the best pop composers of the last century. The scope of the music he's written and produced is staggering.


My first band, The Smoothies. That's me, 3rd from the left.

I was a band for the majority of my teenagehood. I wrote songs, sang, and played guitar. I was hugely influenced by The Smashing Pumpkins. You might think that my songs weren't half-bad, being influenced by such a greatness. Actually they mostly stank. Now I that I'm writing a book I think I know why I never wrote great songs.

Let me back-track and play a track by The Smashing Pumpkins. Of all their excellent songs, I think that Tonight, Tonight may be their best. That orchestra, the pounding drums, the guitars; it's a grand song. I dreamed of writing a song so able to sweap the listener away.

Listen to it here and you'll see what I'm talking about:

Tonight Tonight. Final Version

powered by ODEO

But the song didn't start that way. One of the b-sides that the Smashing Pumpkins released was the original demo of the song. The one that Billy Corgan recorded on a tape deck right after he wrote the song. Listen to it here:

Tonight Tonight. Original Demo.

powered by ODEO

If I heard that song I probably wouldn't ever need to hear it again. His voice is off-key in a few parts. The production sounds like he recorded it on a tape deck. His guitar is out of tune.

But it's all there! The structure, the chords, the melody. The song was completely written except Billy Corgan was the only one who knew what it was going to be. Listen to it, it's just missing the pounding drums, the violins and the intesnity.

That was my problem. I thought that great songs were made up of violins and dynamics so I tried to write songs that had those things. But I really just needed to sit down with a guitar, forget about all those sweeping grand sounds, and write a good melody, with a good stucture, and a good chord progression. I was trying to build castles without laying a foundation.

After Billy Corgan wrote Tonight Tonight, he went into a studio and perfected it. He rehersed it with the rest of the band until they found a drum beat that worked and guitar lines that meshed; and then, at some point, they decided to bring an orchestra in. Then they finally spent weeks in the soundroom, mixing it to perfection. But the core of the song never changed.

This all really reminds me of writing a book. When I think about my story, my head is full of grand moments! climaxes! dispair! romance! music! But I can't write a book about that stuff. I need to sit down and, line-by-line, write a first draft that's good enough. I need to lay the foundation of my story. I don't need to focus on the minuta of sentance structures or finding the perfect metaphor. In other words, I need to stop dreaming of orchestras and just put together a good song.

Billy Corgan sat down and recorded a song that only he understood. One year later, after a lot of hard work, the rest of America understood it.

Right now I'm focusing on writing a story that I understand. In later drafts I'll (hopefully) make it into a story that other people can understand. If you read it right now, you'd think it's a mess: Plot threads are completely dropped, dialects change, motivations reverse. But I'm clearer on it than ever.

Hopefully I'll be able to see it through.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 450 today 22.1k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Emily Bronte, Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
We didn’t associate with other kids much. They had different sorts of games then we did. I only had look at Amy and know that she was about to run and I was supposed to race her and she always knew when to stop before I got too tired. Besides the other kids were usually crude – always joking about their parts - and I’d end up warning them to keep a wholesome tongue, which led to them asking me what I was going to do if they didn’t, which then led to Amy bloodying their noses and making them cry. So it was best that we kept to ourselves.
***********************************************

Still doing character development. This is a character that I'm having a great time exploring. He's about 11 years old. That's an important age, when a guy is just getting wise to all the stuff that will occupy his thoughts for the next sixty years. I hope I can pull this character off. I'm more confident about him than anyone else though.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 300 (bah!) today 21.6k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Emily Bronte, Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
The weeks passed and the late summer turned to a warm autumn where the leaves persisted to cling to the trees, reluctant to fall. I rarely kept indoors. It seemed entirely wasteful to refuse the sweet air and the warm touch of sun that the season continued to offer just before school started.
***********************************************

I need to get this plot moving! The problem is that I'm introducing a new character and also filling out backstory events. Not very exciting. I need to blow something up. :-)

Now THAT'S a cover

I've been reading Jeffery Overstreet's blog for years. He's a film critic for Christianity Today and always has interesting posts.

Anyway, he reveled about (two?) years ago that he had landed a deal to publish his fantasy novel, Auralia's Colors. Just last week he proudly revealed the cover. I'd say he has full rights to beam over this gem.



I hope that if I'm ever blessed enough to have one of my stories published it looks as good as this. I will be very happy. Congratulations, Jeffery.

Can you imagine the opposite? What if you slaved for years, pouring your heart into a story. You finally manage to get it published and the publisher decideds to go with a cover like:



or *hold back bile*



I shudder to think...

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 450 today 21.3k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Emily Bronte, Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
We focused mainly on playing. Each day whittled away the amount of time that we still had together; but instead of this making us gloomy and sullen it inspired us to a frenzy of play. The stairs became hills of battle that witnessed fierce charges and desperate last stands; the beds transformed into pirate ships and the carpet a raging sea. She was an immortal Elf, a warrior queen, a nurse on the field of battle. I became Aragorn the Dúnadan finding the paths of the dead, Sir Galahad seeking The Grail, Kay Everling dueling with Maleficus on the Jericho plains.
***********************************************

Moving right along. I decided to change my writing time from late at night to my lunch break. I'm hoping that I'll be more productive at midday than midnight.

We'll see how it goes.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 500 today 20.9k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Emily Bronte, Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:


Let us then go silently:
To bear him forth to the cool night-air
The summer night drinks from the sea.

The song had more verses that I can’t remember but the last line made me cry. I stood, holding hands with Amy and let the tears steam down my cheeks unashamed. I wasn’t crying because I was sad. (I don’t cry over sad things.) I cried because it was all so completely beautiful: The handsome men and lovely women - even more beautiful in their solemnity – marching through the gates on a mission of mercy; the stark brass music, mourning the fallen; even the pale autumn light, it all gripped me deep in my bosom.

***********************************************

I'm doing some plot-exposition right now and it's tough to keep it interesting. I just gotta get through it and I'll fix it in the rewrite. That's becoming my mantra for this book.

I've discovered a fun technique for inspiration: Just before I start writing I read a few pages from a book that I like. It really helps to get those writing-juices flowing. If your struggling for inspiration I'd highly recommend it.

Novel Statss

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 400 today 20.4k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Emily Bronte, Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:

“Come back!” she hissed and her hand squeezed mine so tight that it hurt. “You promise not to die! I know your head, Jack. It’s different from mine. You’re always dreaming; even when you’re awake. Just say that you’ll come back when your story is over. Tell me how that one you used to tell – with the princess - how did it end? I liked that one.”

“They lived happily ever after,” I said.

“’Happily ever after...’” she breathed. “Promise, that’s how this – your story is going to end. Okay?”

***********************************************

*Sigh* what a week. It's my first tax time as a self-employed person, so I've been working some late hours to pay The Man. Because of this, my word count for this week is atrocious. Hopefully I'll be able to make up some this weekend but my eyes are getting heavy and it's only 7:00 PM.

We'll see...

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 450 today 20k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:

“Why are you crying?” I asked.
“Because you’re going to leave,” she said, sniffing. “I just thought of it.”
“I know... But I’ll come back.”
“It is very important? What does the lady needs you to do?” she asked.
“It’s because of the books I read,” I said.
But what’s in the books? I wondered. A path, came her answer, the books are a map. You are a guide.

***********************************************

Not much to say tonight. One character is getting news about a catastrophe in my story. I'm trying to remember how everyone acted on 9/11.

This is why I stayed up til 12:30 last night

Wuthering Heights is hands-down one of the best books I've read in a long time. Emily Bronte is an amazing writer... I absolutely loved this book.

Everyone should read it but don't be fooled by the dust jackets advertising a romance. This is a dark story about obessesion. The main character (Heathcliff) is about as wicked as Englishmen come. The only bit of Romance comes at the very end.

Highly reccomended.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 250 today 19.4k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
Kay Everling cut off the head of Maleficus with Acheron. He stood victories in final battle at Devils Water with Acheron raised high. But the thing about Acheron that intrigued me the most was that it was missing. After Kay entered New Camelot no one ever saw it again and he wouldn’t speak of it. My sister, Amy says that he probably just lost it and was too embarrassed to tell anybody. Amy’s always saying dumb stuff just to set me off. But even she knows, deep down, that the sword was special. Just like everything else in those days, it was magic. Kay didn’t loose the sword. He hid it away for another battle.
***********************************************

I'm liking the new POV. Hopefully it won't take me so long to figure out this character.

As evidenced by the excerpt above, I'm filling out the backstory. It's a stretch for me. World-building has never been my cup of tea. I don't like making up funky names or creating elvish races or figuring out magical systems. My worlds always tend to be distorted versions of Earth. I'm okay with that.

I'm working on it...

Yes, I have big plans on sitting down and starting the next chapter tonight. I swear. :-)

************

This morning, on a whim I cracked open some of my first attempts at writing a book. Ack! Gag!

I was nineteen years old when I dicided that I wanted to write a book. That was five years ago. Let me tell you about that book.

It was funny. It was romantic. It was sad. It was much better than everything else on the bookshelves. It was allegorical of humanity's relationship with Christ, I.E. Deep.It was a heartbreaking-work-of-staggering-genius.

It was terrible.

I can't believe how transparent all my failings are. It's so painfully obvious when I'm trying to be funny. My grammer is atrocious. I address the reader in almost every paragraph like I'm Santa Claus ("And remember, dear children, love is the highest virtue... Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!"). And - because I was trying to be allegorical - the plot makes little sense.

I think I've learned a few lessons since then. Here's some that jump out at me:

1. No allegories! Best lesson of all. It's paralysing to be allegorical. Say I'm writing a character that represents God: God can't, you know, do anything wrong or make any mistakes, right? So I guess this character can't ethier... Oh and I guess he should be omniscient too. What about omnipresent? No allegories! If my story happens to have deeper meaning great! If not, great!


2. The correct way to use commas, semi-colons, colons, and dashes. I'm no grammar expert now, but I'm better. Thank you, Elements of Style!


3. Show, don't tell. Instead of waxing on about how wonderful my characters are, maybe I should just let the reader decide that for themselves.


4. Don't write about things you don't know anything about. The center of my first story is a father, daughter relationship. Reading it now, my story is pretty much how a nineteen-year-old with a pregnant wife would envision parenthood. Everything is sweet enough to make you gag. Lots of "daughter running to greet her father after work, father scooping daughter up in his arms, they frolic through meadows" stuff. Now that I've actually had three kids I have a better idea of how the whole thing works. It's embarrassing how off I was.


5. Everyone doesn't have to be good-looking. I described all my characters like movie stars. The guys were ruggedly handsome. The little girls were cute. The ladies were hot. When I was nineteen I was shallow concerning physical appearance. I'm still shallow but I think I'm more balanced with the whole outward-beauty thing. (Penelope has a slight issue with her weight, btw.)

Those are just a few lessons but it's nice to sit back and reflect on the ground I've covered in five years. I'm sure in another five years, I'll read the stuff I'm writing now and cringe but at least it won't be as bad as when I started.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 400 today 19.4k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
A strange feeling came over me. I realized that I would probably be following Lilith much longer than the length of this tunnel. I didn’t know what would happen when we reached Whitecloud but it was certain that my journey would not end there; and wherever the path led I was equally certain that Lilith would be with me. That was a happy thought. I could walk into a lion's den if I had someone like her at my side.

***********************************************

We made it to the end of the tunnel. I think it turned out to be a good idea to send them in. I also think it's time that my characters got to Whitecloud.

Whitecloud means switching gears. I've been planning to write this portion from a different POV. The setting also is going to change from forest to city. I imagine things are going to be rough at first.

I can't think about it tonight though. I've made it through a significant part of my plot. That's accomplishment enough for right now.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 530 today 18.664k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
Lilith took a seat next to me. I leaned against her shoulder. My eyes closed but still I listened to Fin’s songs. He knew so many and he never faltered in his singing. It annoyed me that he hadn’t sung for us before. Then I fell asleep.

***********************************************

I had intended to make this tunnel full of ghosts and zombies but so far nothing supernatural has arisen. Instead a character got claustrophobic and had a panic attack. It's weird how you can intend to take a plot in one direction and it just goes another.

If there's one thing that I've learned in my short writing ventures it's to not force things. If something isn't fitting don't squeeze and force it until it fits. Instead go where the story's leading itself. It always seems to work better.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 500 today 18.1k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Kate Rusby, Stephen King.

The good:
I examined the ceiling and considered how many tons of earth sat over our heads. What was holding it up? Just a few feet of concrete? I shuddered and attempted to direct my thoughts to a different subject but they remained stubbornly fixed. I envisioned with horrible clarity a sudden cracking noise, a futile shout of warning from Lilith, then acres of earth pouring down on my head and pinning my body still. How long could someone live buried alive? Hours? Days? After more thoughts like this every noise became a terror; the harbinger of a suffocating death. The air already seemed to be too scarce. It felt as if someone was holding a cloth across my face.

***********************************************

Finally back in the swing of things. Tonight I told my wife, "I've got to write. It's a must." And like the wonderful person that she is, she totally understood.

Speaking of my wife, I often forget that she once had a panic attack. It was only a few weeks after I met her for the first time. We were hanging out in a crowded house on a rainy day. She started to feel like she couldn't breathe and pretty soon she was hyperventilating. It went on for hours and her parents had to come and pick her up. "Really embarrassing," is how she sums it up. Seven years later, it hasn't happened again. (This event actually was instrumental in us getting together but that's another story.)

The reason I bring this up is because I just made one of my characters have a panic attack. We'll see how it goes.

Argument (or the story so far)

My story has been drastically evolving as I write. Certain characters have done one-eighties with their personalities and motivations. Backstory has been hinted at but never spelled out. Destinations have changed. I keep forgetting plot threads and details. Before I wrote another chapter I had to write this.

This is my story so far (including backstory that won't actually be in the book). I'm going to be referencing this as I go forward to make sure that things line up. I don't mind that I don't have any plot outlined beyond what I've already written. I just need to keep track of what I have.

I present it now for your inspection. Make of it what you will.

Argument:

When the Two Empires fall the earth goes bad. Bombs and wars wipe out millions of people in moments. Whole countries turn to waste. Warlords rise up to dominate the land. A second dark age covers humanity and many believe that the end of all things is near. Then, two hundred years after the fall, Kay Everling casts down the warlords and establishes a new kingdom called Postworld that covers a thousand square miles. He founds two cities: One on the sea called New Camelot; there he sets his throne in Luna Castle, a structure so beautiful that it rivals the works of the Two Empires. On the other end of Postworld he builds Whitecloud on the very edge of The Waste to stand guard against the evil that still lingers beyond the borders.

The Everling line rules Postworld for two hundred years and there is peace. Nothing comes in from the outside world (called The Wastes) and no one goes out. But eventually the evil that destroyed the Two Empires returns. In a single night, a force known only as Nightmare Lucy kills ten thousand people in New Camelot, including every member of the royal family save Penelope, the youngest daughter. She escapes and flees into the forest. Her plan is to seek refuge in Whitecloud but she must cross many miles of forest to reach her destination.

Fin lives in the small farming community of Silverwater. One night - ninety days after Nightmare Lucy - his Grandmother sends him to Lilith the witch’s cottage in the forest to buy the Bitterstalk vegetable. When Fin reaches Lilith’s cottage the conversation between them reveals that their relationship may have some unknown history that Lilith is aware of but Fin only suspects.

As Fin returns home through the forest he encounters a wolf-like creature (called a Warg) chasing a girl. Almost without thinking he peruses them. After a struggle he kills the Warg with his rifle but not before it injures the girl badly. He returns the girl to Lilith’s cottage for medical treatment. Exhausted, he falls asleep in the cottage but not before Lilith tells him that the girl is Penelope Everling, the last surviving member of the royal family.

In the morning Lilith tells him that the same dark force which killed the royal family is also that which destroyed the Two Empires. This force is mustering power to bring about the final destruction of humanity. The final confrontation between good and evil is brewing. The last story has started. Lilith believes that, by saving The Princess, Fin is a key figure in this story; she claims that he is the hero. Fin has hitherto been disenchanted with the simple country life and longs for adventure and glory. He gladly accepts this news.

After conferring with Penelope, Lilith decides that they should take her the rest of the way to Whitecloud. Lilith mentions that she’s had visions of a boy named Jack Christian who lives in Whitecloud. Her visions tell her that Jack is a key in defeating the gathering evil.

They begin their journey through the forest to Whitecloud. Penelope is still somewhat injured from her encounter with the Warg and must ride in a cart that Lilith pulls. (Fin is impressed by the witch’s strength.) That night they hear strange music in the forest and flee their campfire. Looking back they see a tall faun in their camp. Penelope sees this faun again the following night but thinks that she’s dreaming.

On the journey, Lilith and Penelope quickly begin enjoy each other’s company but Fin is a somewhat awkward addition to their party. Lilith especially has a tendency to be short with him.

On the morning of the third day they come to a railroad track that Lilith calls the Diakost. She says that it is a relic from the Two Empires but that trains used to run on it nearly one hundred years past. She says that it will take them to Whitecloud.

They follow this track for one day until they reach an abandoned railway station with a road leading away from the track. Lilith has been here before. The road leads to the long-forsaken Nome Mine and Lilith recommends that they fill their canteens in the manor well. They desert the railroad track and, after passing through the gloomy mining fields, they come to the beautiful manor gardens. Oddly enough the gardens appear maintained. After an argument with Penelope, Lilith leaves Fin and Penelope in the garden to find the well. A strange magic almost immediately enchants Fin and Penelope and they fall asleep.

It is night when Penelope awakens. She is lying near the entrance to the mine. She hears knocking noises and sees strange lights in the abandoned shaft. Something draws her towards the mine mouth. She wants to stop but she can’t. She realizes that the mine wants to eat her. Lilith saves her at the last minute and commands the spirits that haunt the mine to retreat.

Lilith brings Penelope back to the railroad track where Fin is waiting for them. Penelope soon realizes that Fin also had an experience in the mine that has terrified him but he won’t speak of it; though it appears that Lilith knows what happened to him. The following morning Penelope overhears a conversation between Lilith and Fin where Lilith consoles him and apologizes for being so harsh towards him in the past. Even after the conversation, Fin is still harrowed by his experience in the mine.

By now Penelope’s leg has healed and she can walk fine.

As they draw nearer to Whitecloud they find that the railroad track enters a dark tunnel. No one, especially Fin and Hattie, wish to enter the tunnel and Lilith suggests that they try and find an alternate route and meet up with the track on the other end. This sounds agreeable to everyone but a forest fire suddenly appears and blocks their path. While running from the fire Fin discovers that Penelope is a faster runner than he is. To escape the fire they seek refuge in the tunnel and decide that they must go through it after all. Before they start, Penelope thanks Fin for saving her from the Warg.

***

That's it for now. I haven't written any more. I'll update this again sometime.

Novel Stats (or the night of no inspiration)

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 200 today (Aiee!) 17.8k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Kate Rusby but not much else.

The good:
“We’re ready,” I said and took Fin’s hand in mine and reached for Lilith’s. “Lead on, Ms. Lilith.” Hand and hand like children, we ventured forward.

***********************************************

Bad night. I think my muse took the night off to play internet poker. Here's hoping that tomorrow is better.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 420 today 17.8k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Steven King, Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
It seemed odd to sit down and eat just after such a harrowing ordeal but I found myself rather hungry. We sat in a small circle on the tracks, breaking our bread. My eyes continued to stray down the track to where everything vanished in a fist of darkness. It would be better to face that on a full stomach.


***********************************************

Today is definitely an in-between scene. I'm trying to make the most of it by focusing on developing Penelope. I'm really enjoying writing her. She's blossomed in my mind over the past few days. It's taken me a while to figure her out though. I originally wrote her as flirty and prissy. Wrong!

I don't know why I tried to write a character like that. I don't like those sort of girls. Why did I think it would be good to write a book about one? Things are much better now.

BTW, I just sent my characters into a tunnel full of (Zombies? Vampires?) that looks like this:



********

Here's a nice lyric:

And he has tried to swim the stream,
Oh woe betide the willow wand,
And woe betide the bush and briar,
For you broke beneath my true love's hand
When strength did fail and limbs did tire

And woe betide you Annan Waters
By night you are a gloomy river,
And over you I'll build a bridge
That never more true love can sever.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 500 today 17.8k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Steven King, Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
We began our final sprint down the ravine. The sky was dark as a thunderstorm. Blistering wind screamed over our heads. The air all around us rippled. Every inch of my body was drenched in sweat: it slicked my thighs and streamed down my face into my eyes and mouth. But the air was clear. I could breathe. My ankle was better. I ran as hard as I could. And I liked it.

I’d never been built like the other willowy girls who populated Luna Castle. My legs were thick and my waist, no matter how I tried to smooth it, always bore a soft ripple of fat. “You’ve got a runner’s body,” my mother once told me, after catching me reproachfully examining my figure in a mirror. “Postland has too many swans, for my tastes. Penelope, you’re a deer.” So I ran. The other girls might look gorgeous in a bathing suit but I could lick them in any race. The courtly life didn’t allow for many such opportunities but it didn’t matter. I was a runner. And I could even beat a fire if it came to a race.

***********************************************

I feel like I'm finally getting a bead on Penelope's character. She's starting to turn into real person for me instead of a caricature.

Poetry anyone?

This is a poem I wrote almost two years ago. I'd been reading Robert Browning and was inspired to write an epic poem. It was supposed to tell a story but I quickly burned out never finished it. I still sort-of like it though.

Chimera

1.
See now the scar in rock
The ragged tear in cliff, my path
Fingers fumble, they clutch, they grasp
Arm’s sinews tick like the work of a clock
Air sucked like a child and breast so locked
And watch the inches drag away and pass

2.
Stubbled clouds stack the sky in slate
Throwing snow petals to pattern the soil
Now caught by wind and turned in a cauldron boil
And there the mountain spear and sky mate
“Come and see the cold light generates.”
Says your voice or only the distant thunder roll

3.
Chimera, did your hand?
Your forge form the precipice?
Or knife cut the crevice?
Or mill grind the rocks to sand?
Did the fingers that drew mountain from land
pull tight the wires of my wrist?

4.
Soul, no longer muse, for I have sworn
To cast him from the cliffs and see his fire fade
He who dug the pit will also low be laid
Hero, the earth has made me so and I will not scorn
the path that paws of beasts have yet only worn
“Come and see the life death made.”

5.
Guinevere, her kisses calmed, feet no longer tread
Her voice, a bell of mercy, in these silent hills
Her fingers smoothing frost from a pane so chilled
Dashing like a deer on our path, she led
Sudden as a laugh, sharing in my bed
With her waters and whispers, dry riverbeds filled

6.
Remembering the day we wed in the storm
Her hands, sharp as knives on my breast
In silk, thin and pale as frost, she dressed
In one kiss, destinies tangled like thorns
With words of ragged fire to her I swore
And as one we cleaved to the quest

7.
A lady, fair as a child
A girl, dark as doom
Her words choice as silk on the loom
Could one so tender be so wild?
Could one so hard be so mild?
Yet she that burned life was quenched by tomb.

8.
Guinevere, your crown once fine gold
now a band of stones, a dress of clotted earth
Princess, royal maid, now dust is your worth
Her face, her skin too pale to line old
Her fire blazed fast and at a spear bled quick and cold
She, once so blessed, in the end Chimera cursed.

9.
Chimera, did your sword paralyze?
That day of sudden battles and attacks
When strength waned and death waxed
Did you turn deaf at her cries?
At your command did she die?
Did your hand plunge the axe?

10.
Here now, I reach a place flat as the cliff sheer
This new land pulls me from dreams of her
In my path, a stream moves with waters clear and pure
The drops and slosh tap like soft chimes on my ear
When last did I see a drink so sweet and clear?
This is surely a trap, my thirst to lure

--------

Aaaand... I got bored. Sort of a cliffhanger poetry wise though.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 500 today 17.8k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Steven King, Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
“Fin, when I was young... I had visions... of dark things. I couldn’t help it, they just came. But when I told my mother and the elders, they had only useless grownup things to say; it was just my imagination; I was just a child; there was nothing to be afraid of. That was even worse then the visions themselves. I knew I was alone with these scary pictures pouring into my head until it felt like my skull was going to crack. Fin, I will never say grownup things. You can tell me that you’ve seen scary monsters and I’ll stop and listen, ‘cause I’ve seen them too.”
***********************************************

I got the music bug and I wasted this weekend recording a song instead of writing. I was happy with how it turned out but my wife didn't like it and someone else commented that it sounded like The Phantom of the Opera or Gollum singing. Not sure how to take that. I had fun though.

By the way, how do you get your characters to go back underground right after they had a nasty time in a haunted mine? Start a fire, of course!

quick update...

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. My writing computer has been on the fritz and won't let me get into Blogger. I'm writing this from my non-writing computer.

Expect regular programming to commmence soon.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 700 today 15.6k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Steven King, Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
The mine wanted to swallow me. It would to lick me into its gullet and pull me down the rusting tracks to be crushed and digested by stones and dirt. And it reeled me forward as if it had a hook in my neck.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: Nothing new to report here.
***********************************************

The haunted mine continues to bear fruit. A lot of character focusing happened in there for me. Suddenly I understand the witch and Fin a lot better. I still need to focus a tighter bead on Penelope (I changed her name from Hattie) but I'm feeling much better about everything.

Next up: Tunnel Zombies! (I'm serious.)

Just FYI

After few complaints, I did some digging and discovered that only Blogger-registered users can comment on my blog. Whoops.

Commenting is now open to everyone except spammers, racists and the Irish.

Visual Inspiration

Sometimes pictures make me want to get on the keyboard and start writing.Certain artists are especially good at this. I thought I'd share a few.

Maxfield Parrish
Sort-of a 'duh' here but his older, lesser-know work is a well of inspiration.





Above are a few images from the book "Dream Days". I remember finding this book in the library and pouring over the illustrations. Parrish went on to paint lavish, colorful landscapes later in his career that were hugely successful but I prefer his early illustrations.

Arthur Rackham

Creepy, old-school, pretty illustrations.



P.J. Lynch

The first modern illustrator here. Lynch's illustrations are like pearls. You can see how that he loves his characters in the way he paints them.



Michael Whelan

I'm really only aquinted with his work from The Dark Tower series but it's enough to sell me. His images are just grounded enough in reality to make me look twice.





So those are some for me. Anyone care to share what inspires them visually?

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 830 today (much better!), 14.9k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
I thought that I could hear voices speaking but then I realized that I was chanting:

Slide down the earth’s spine
Here to cut, heave and slice
Come drain the earth’s veins
Where light smothers and wings flutter
And thoughts creep, and dreams sleep
Come drain the earth’s veins


Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I've recently realized that whatever attraction was supposed to be happening between two characters is about as dry and fake as a sloppy writer could write it. Much fixing is needed.
***********************************************

I finished the "haunted mine" sequence. I was dubious about it because it seemed to come out of nowhere and I wasn't sure why it deserved to exist in the plot; but now that it's done I'm really glad I wrote it. I think it turned out nice. *Does a happy dance*

I drew a picture

I've never drawn pictures of my characters before. But today I did. This is my princess. I'm currently writing from her point-of-view.



I just realized that she looks exactly like my little sister. Weird...

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 360 today (still, ugh), 12.3k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
"I won’t retreat until I see something more threatening than a short lawn."

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I spent 20 minutes trying to figure out the name of a tree. If that isn't a waste of time I don't know what is. I should've just called it a pine tree and got the name later.
***********************************************

Not much to report except that it's raining today and I love the rain. I could've had a much better wordcount tonight if I hadn't been fixated on the right name for that tree. Oh, Bugger!

Speaking of mines...

Anyone who lives in Grass Valley will know why but I thought I'd explain it to those who don't.

Twenty three years ago I was born in the little California town of Grass Valley and I haven't wanted to leave since. Grass Valley is a town founded during the California Gold Rush around The Empire Mine. The Mine isn't running anymore. Now it's a park.

When I was a kid I lived with that mine almost literally in my back yard. In the summer evenings me and my family would all go for walks down the trails and play. The huge hills and valleys always reminded me of castles.


Some of the trails

There's something very mysterious about a beautiful place that has been abandoned.

I remember the first time my Mom shelled out the money to get into the gardens. It was like a little glimpse of heaven for me. I've always loved pretty things and I remember feeling almost overwhelmed walking across the green, shady lawn; through the rose arbors; and past the fountains.

It's quiet inside the gardens and there's a lot of hidden lawns and walkways. I love that place.





Some shots of the gardens

It's a great place to go for inspiration or just to relax. I'm very grateful that I grew up with such a beautiful place so close.

If you're ever in Grass Valley and want a tour - let me know. I'm always up for it.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 250 today (ugh), 12.950k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
On the side of one hill perched the black timber-skeleton of a strange old structure, looking so frail and precarious that a breath of wind might blow it to the ground.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I'm not sure how relevant this sequence is to the plot. Am I sending The Hobbits to Tom Bombadil when they should be going to Rivendell? I guess I'll find out.
***********************************************

My characters are just walking into the haunted mine. Yay!

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 400 today, 12.692k total (out of a likely 60-80k)

Inspirations: Rosie Thomas, Anberlin, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
“It’s a Train Station,” Lilith said.

As we came closer we saw that she was right: Just of the tracks stood a concrete platform, strewn with rotten leaves and pine needles. Four rusty benches sat towards the back; one had been wrenched from its footings and lay twisted in a heap. At one end there were the remains of a ticket booth.


Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I've been lazy this past week writing-wise. I need to get back in a groove.

***********************************************

Whew! The holidays are over and work has calmed down enough for me to return to my book. I've missed writing it. I've decided to let my characters get lost in the woods and stumble upon a haunted mine.

For some reason I love corny haunted stuff. Haunted houses, haunted hotels, and now haunted mines. There's something cool and oddly likable about it.

Happy New Year, you lovely, awful world

I woke up this morning and checked my news site. I'd entirely forgotten that Saddam Hussein was going to be executed, but there they were: pictures of the man having a noose looped around his neck, then lying dead and bloody.

I remember when I was a teenager that this man scared me. There were always rumblings coming out of Bhagdad that Saddam had a Nuke or a Bio-weapon that could wipe a lot of us out. I remember the photos of the UN inspectors dressed in apocalyptic bio-hazard suits on the covers of Time and Newsweek.

Then, years later, came the invasion of Iraq. Like most Americans I was thrilled by how quickly victory seemed to be ours. I remember listening to radio broadcasts of Iraqis celebrating in the street. I stopped by a Starbucks on my way to work and ran into friend; we were both grinning ear-to-ear, drinking our lattes. Finally I remeber the gung-ho capture of Saddam himself. What did the soldier say? "George Bush sends his regards." How cool!

But seeing those pictures made me sad. Is this how it ends? A fat old man getting his neck broken and going to hell? Revenge is not as sweet as I expected.

Now I have new things fear: North Korea is the new Iraq. Did you hear that they're testing Nukes? One of those things could take out the west coast. Or what about Iran? They've gone Nuclear too and they hate us. We've got to do something!

The story continues to put out the same plot. I've lost the desire to see Kim Jong or Ahmadinejad meet Saddam's fate. I wish this whole thing would end like a Disney movie. But it won't end; it'll just start new loathesome chapters.

This isn't an anti-war rant. That's possibily the worst part of this whole thing. The peace crowd is hiding it's head in the sand. All the stuff that the hawks say is true. The world is honestly a bad place. No amount of protests are going to change that. Nice idea but it's time to come back to reality. (Oh and by the way, science and "progress" are largely to blame for most of our problems today. Yes, thanks for antibiotics but I'm fairly ticked that you gave us massive pollution and the ability to wipe out whole contenients in seconds. I eagerly await what you'll bring us next.)

Ah, but it's just as bad over here on the conservative end. We had six years of government control and not much has changed for the better. People are still killing babies. War has increased. Again, this is not a put-down to President Bush. But I've lost the neive belief that polictical leaders can change the world. They might be able to change situations but changing men's hearts is another thing.

In short here's a prediction for 07: Continued degredation of society, news headlines that keep us up at night, war, rumors of wars, disease, death, chaos.

Last night I was putting my two kids to bed. Jack is four and Lily is two. We have a new tradition of singing a song together to help Jack not be afraid of the dark. "Sing the shield song," he says. We turn out the lights and huddle close together in the dark, Lily under one arm and Jack under the other. We sing:

Thou, O Lord, are a shield about me;
you're my glory;
you're the lifter of my head;

Hallelujah, you're the lifter of my head;
Lord, I love you, you're the lifter of my head;


Jack likes the part about the shield. So do I. Their little off-key voices join with mine and we soulfully sway back and forth together, singing.

All my life, from my earliest memories, I've been singing that song when I'm afraid. I remember lying on my bed singing it in the dark when I was no more than three. I sang it when I was a teenager and I was scared stiff of UFOs (don't ask). My list of fears grows with each year so I find myself singing that song often as an adult.

I feel optimistic about this year. The world is going downhill fast if it ever was uphill to begin with, but all will be well in the end. I've lost faith in many things. I no longer believe that war brings the victory we desire. I don't think politicians make the kinds of changes we want them to. I find little satisfaction in the American dream. I never really had much trust in science in the first place but I think it will only usher new horrors upon us. But Jesus has not failed me. The older I get, the more my idol collection shrinks; more and more I have to cling to the living God.

I don't know what my children will face when they're grown but I don't think it will be any better. It will probably be worse. I hope they remember the song when they're afraid.

Amazing, isn't it? I still find great hope in things I understood before I knew how to use the toilet. The Lord is a shield about me. World, bring what you will. Hallelujah, he's the lifter of our head. Come quickly, Jesus. Only you can end this wonderful, awful story.

This year I'm going to pursue him more than I ever have. What else is there to do? This will be a good year.

Happy New Year, everyone.

Merry Christmas, Everyone! God Bless.

I'd like to do novel stats. I really would. Tonight I sat down at the computer and wrote:

“If we make good time we might reach Whitecloud by tomorrow,”

Then my 3-month-old boy started crying and the evening went downhill from there. So now it's midnight and there's nothing to report.

Goodnight. :-)

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 480 today, 11.9k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Rosie Thomas, The Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack

The good:
Lilith sang softly:

And Jesus looked down in the pen
Where the sheep played poker and drank gin
So he broke the gate and let wolves in
The day the music died
And noise played on the radio
And dirges sounded deep and low
While we all danced close and slow
The day the music died


Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I'm haunted by all the usual specters. Nothing new to report.

***********************************************

I've been filling out the backstory of the first few chapters. Post-apocalyptic is a really fun setting to write in. Nothing is off-limits. I can have a knight program a computer while singing "Hard rain's gonna fall", if I want. Not that I would. But I could...

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 400 today, 11.6k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Rosie Thomas, The Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack

The good:
At this Lilith opened her eyes and blinked at us across the fire. “Enough about Dark Friday; such things should not be spoken of in the night,” she said ominously and then closed her eyes again.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: All the usual problems. Nothing new seems to have cropped up in the past few days.

***********************************************

Work is still insane. It's taken away from my writing time. I'm making it a priority that this next week, I'll make decent time for writing.

I saw Lady in the Water last night. I loved it. It almost made me cry. If you like fairy tales, you should see it.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 630 today, 11.3k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Copeland, Tolkien, The Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack

The good:
“The Diekost once crossed the length of Postworld. The Imperial Express ran this length of track, but its whistle has not sounded for more than a hundred years. Still, the tracks of the Diekost have not curved with time and they will lead us to Whitecloud – and who knows? Maybe even to the end of the quest... But Jack will tell us such things.”

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: Same as before. Where's the urgency? I'm worried that this section is lacking in some basic logic. Don't the questers worry that they don't know much about their quest? Stuff to fix in a rewrite.

***********************************************

Moving forward. Thank the Lord for Tolkien. The man is amazingly inspirational.

JMeadows posted three chapters of Toil for the Wind to the OWW. Looking forward to reading those.

Work is insane!

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 500 today, 10.7k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Copeland, Tolkien

The good:
As we spoke I felt a mysterious sense of relief and soon Lilith didn’t have to prod me for details and memories spilled out of me. Things I hadn’t thought of since Dark Friday found their way to my tongue. She laughed with me when I told of the how one winter I had carefully laid a snow trap to catch my brothers only to fall in it myself. I recalled how disastrous my first riding lesson had been and my father swearing that I added a gray hair to his beard each time I mounted a horse.


Bad writing skill that needs to go away: This chapter is lacking any sense of urgency so far. I've got to get people running instead of sitting around talking. I need some Black Riders to chase my Hobbits.

***********************************************

Looking for some good writing music? Try Copeland.

Otherwise, it's been a slow weekend. The kids have decided to not take their naps and inspiration is hard to come by. Here's hoping for a better next-week.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 570 today, 10.2k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Tolkien

The good:
“If only...” Lilith said softly then shook her head. "The woods are not safe anymore. We must travel with more care." In the moonlight I could see her eying me and Fin. "This quest is already waking things that have slept for many years..."


Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I need to keep the plot focused, which is hard to do if you don't do any significant plotting beforehand. I don't want to bring in too many elements that I'll have to ditch later.

***********************************************

Still loving The Fellowship of the Ring. Still loving writing.

Dialogue as narration - a few examples

I was talking about this with Simon the other day and was saying how I'm trying to use the dialogue to convey action more often. I don't think I communicated the concept clearly enough so here's a few examples. Hopefully they might serve as inspiration.

First from That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis. The setting is a rainy night. A group of people are searching for a man.

"If once we start changing course," said Dimble, "we shall go round and round in circles all night. Let's keep straight on. We're bound to come to the road in the end."

"Hullo!" said Jane Sharply. "What's this?"

All listened Because of the wind, the unidentified rhythmic noise which they were straining to hear seemed quite distant at one the moment, and then, next moment, with shouts of "Look out!"--"Go away, you great brute!"--"Get back!"--and the like, all were shrinking back into the hedge as the plosh-plosh of a horse cantering on soft ground passed close beside them. A cold gobbet of mud flung up from its hoofs struck Denniston in the face.

"Oh look! Look!" cried Jane. "Stop him. Quick!"

"Stop him?" said Denniston who was trying to clean his face. "What on earth for? The less I see of that great clod-hopping quadruped the better--"

"Oh, shout to him, Dr. Dimble," said Jane in an agony of impatience. "Come on. Run! Didn't you see?"

"See what?" panted Dimple as the whole party, under the influence of Jane's urgency, began running in the direction of the retreating horse.

"There's a man on his back," gasped Jane. She was tired and out of breath and had lost a shoe.

"A man?" said Denniston; and then: "by God, Sir, Jane's right. Look, over there! Against the sky... to your left."

"We can't overtake him," said Dimble.

"Hi! Stop! Come back! Friends--amis--amici," bawled Denniston.

That section is a very action filled scene and most of it is conveyed through the dialogue. It works so much better than paragraphs describing how the party was confused by the darkness, how Jane saw the person on the horse, how they realized that Jane was right. These details are all communicated through a few lines of dialogue and the result is a fast-moving scene that reads great.

Another example from another master: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. The setting is The Rat and The Mole rowing along the river when The Rat hears something.

It's gone!" sighed the Rat, sinking back in his seat again. "So beautiful and strange and new! Since it was to end so soon, I almost wish I had never heard it. For it has roused a longing in me that is a pain, and nothing seems worth while but just to hear that sound once more and go on listening to it for ever. No! There it is again!" he cried, alert once more. Entranced, he was silent for a long space, spellbound.

"No it passes on and I begin to lose it," he said presently. "O, Mole! the beauty of it! The merry bubble and joy, the thin, clear, happy call of the distant piping! Such music I never dreamed of, and the call in it is stronger even than the music is sweet! Row on, Mole, row! For the music and the call must be for us."

The Mole, greatly wondering, obeyed. "I hear nothing myself," he said, "but the wind playing in the reeds and rushed and osiers."

***

"Clearer and nearer still," cried the Rat joyously. "Now you must surely hear it! Ah--at last--I see you do!"

Again, do you see how the dialogue not only conveys the action but what the characters are hearing. You could re-write the last few paragraphs to be entirely inside the characters heads but when he uses dialogue it's much more natural and interesting to read. Obviously you could go way overboard with this but it's one area that I can stand to improve in.

Can anyone think of some other examples of this?

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 700 today, 9.6k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Tolkien

The good:
Forgive me if I said, “I’d like to sit closer to the fire – no, don’t carry me – I can make it fine just leaning on you. But put your arm around my waist... There. Thank you.”

These were grim tactics. I’m not a flirt. But the situation seemed to be calling for it.


Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I'm having a hard time striking the right note between Fin and Hattie. How do you start a relationship that you know is going to fail? They need to have some sort of connection but it can't be too good otherwise there's no reason for them to fall apart.

***********************************************

I'm reading The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time in nearly six years. I'd forgotten how good it is. It's odd how different the movie feels from the book. I like it that way though.

Tolkien is such an excellent writer too. Great inspiration material.

I'm heavily barrowing from Kenneth Grahame for this chapter. The characters in his Wind in the Willows encounter a creature in the chapter called "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" quite similar to the one my characters also run into. Except they have very different reactions. BTW if you haven't read Wind in the Willows you are seriously missing out on one of the best books ever.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 300 today, 8.5k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Anberlin

The good:
Ms. Lilith continued, “I don’t even remember my family name – but I think it was plain, like ‘Smith’ or ‘Jones’.”

“At least it isn’t Sourburger!” Fin said and snorted a laugh.

There was a silence.

“Was that a joke?” Lilith asked presently.

“Well...”

She sighed. “...at least Heroes aren’t supposed to be funny. If that was the case I would pack up this quest right now.”


Bad writing skill that needs to go away: Same concerns apply as before: I need to give my characters unique voices.

***********************************************
Back in the saddle. I'm having lots o' fun exploring these characters. My book is a happy book so far. Horay!

Sunday links and excuses...

It's been an interesting and non-productive-writing-wise week. I haven't wrote a line since Wednesday. Speaking of Wednesday, it was an interesting day. I woke up feeling feverish and sick but the thermomator kept lying and saying I was fine. Nonetheless I decided to "work from bed" for the day, which consists of 20 percent actual work, 20 percent YouTube MS3TK videos and 60 percent sleep. In the middle of this, I got a call from my work partner who informed me that we had lost "the big contract" and just like that 80 percent of my income went "poof!". Interesting...

I'm not freaked out by this development. The same thing happened to me about three months ago (then I freaked out) but everything worked out fine. This smells suspiciously like one of those trust in The Lord moments. I spent the rest of the week scrambling to get some new contracts and writing got pushed to the side. Tomorrow I'll pick things back up.

So for some muching, here's a few links:

• Ever struggled for that perfect metaphor and things just didn't come out right? You're not alone. This is a must-read BTW.
  


• I just got the new Anberlin for my wife and she loves it. Yes, she's that cool.
  


• Looking for visual inspiration for your Fantasy story? Google Maxfield Parrish, Arthur Rackham and Michael Whelan.
  


• Looking for visual inspiration for your Fantasy story? Google Maxfield Parrish, Arthur Rackham and Michael Whelan.
  


• If you haven't watched The BBC version of The Office, you're missing out.
  

Uncanny blog

Exciting news! My pal Simon has started a writing blog of his own. Simon is a creative writing major who never enjoyed writing creatively... until now! He's off and running on a book about Superheros... I think? He's posted some excerpts and *sheesh*, Simon, did you have start off so good? You better finish this book.

Godspeed, Simon.

P.S. Don't judge him by that picture. He doesn't usually look so loco-eyed...

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 400 today, 8.1k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Anberlin

The good:
The blankets the witch had wrapped around me were warm and soft. The cart rocked me like a cradle. The old temptation to suck my finger arose long enough to scare me. What would Fin think if he saw me doing that?

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I've switched first-person POVs to a different character for this chapter. I need to make sure that I give her a different voice than the other POV. Easier said than done.

***********************************************
The before-mentioned POV switch is interesting. I think it'll help me flesh out the other characters. If it works I might keep doing it through the rest of the novel.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 900 today, 8.1k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Anberlin

The good:
So as I left Postland – my home, the land I had grown up in – my mind was not concerned with things like growing up or the dangers that might lie ahead; I was wondering if the witch was strong enough hold a two-foot-thick log above her head like I had once seen a farmer do.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I'm pretty sure I rushed the last chapter. I need to give it a major once-over before moving on.

***********************************************
Done with chapter 4 already? This thing is moving fast. I need to read a good quest book for inspiration. I think I might pick of The Fellowship of the Ring...

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 650 today, 7.2k total (out of a likely 40-50k

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Anberlin

The good:
“H-Hi...” I finally managed, finishing with a nervous laugh that made me sound eight years old. Gods, what a jest I was.

Then – worse and worse – she took my hand. Her skin was amazingly soft. If I had been much younger I would've taken her fingers and rubbed them along my cheek. Then I realized with a start that she had been talking. How much had I missed?

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: Things feel like they're moving too fast right now. Developments are popping out left and right. Also I don't have a clear enough idea in my head of what the princess looks like.

***********************************************
Into chapter 4 here. Fin really meets The Princess in this one. It has to work. Their relationship is the driving force of the plot.

Non-writing post...

Just in case you're wondering what that little "Radio Unknown" widget is in the sidebar - just click it and (if you're on a slow connection) wait for it to load.

For more info visit radiounknown.blogspot.com

Levi reccomends...

I'll admit that I'm a huge sucker for Tintin comics. I think they're masterpieces of the form. They appeal to me on just about every level. They're funny, touching, wholesome and exciting. Not to mention beautiful. Linge claire is, bar-none, my favorite style of comic art. And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so because they've sold over 200 million copies world-wide.

So why isn't anyone else carrying the torch? Why is it that every comic that appears these days seems to be written by bitter nihlists, who seem more preoccupied with death and violence then fun and adventure? If not for Mike Allred and Jeff Smith I might have despaired.

Then I stumbled across Johnny Crossbones. I can't say how much I love this strip. Tintin fans, don't ask - just read it. Word is that it's going to be published by Dark Horse. I'll be shelling out the cash the second it hits the shelves. The world needs hundreds more comics like this but I'm glad that Les McClaine is finally giving it a start.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 400 today, 6.6k total (out of a likely 40-50k

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Anberlin

The good:
“I always knew that you were wicked inside but I just didn't know how wicked,” I said, sipping my coffee. “Maybe we've never loved each other like kin should – but I cut the wood and weeded the garden so your old hands wouldn't have to. And I always kissed your cheek even when I really wanted punch your nose. Because - no matter how much you look like a toad - you're my Gram.”

She took a drink from her mug made a bitter face.

“Eck - too strong... And you're wrong there; I ain't your Gram. Lilith dumped you on my door ten years ago. I just took you in 'cause I needed the help – Gad, Fin! did you take all the sugar?”

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I think that he maybe accepts the revelation of his hero-dom too easily. This chapter was fun to write but it feels a little flat to me. There's a lot of exposition and I need to make sure that it feels natural and flows logically.

***********************************************
Revised Chapter 3 a bit. Fin's Grandma doesn't die anymore and I like it that way. I'm 3 paragraphs chapter 4 now. Tomorrow should really start fleshing it out.

Inspiration for Monday

He fumbles at your Soul
As Players at the Keys
Before they drop full Music on--
He stuns you by degrees-
Prepares your brittle Nature
For the Ethereal Blow
By fainter Hammers- further heard--
Then nearer--Then so slow
Your Breath has time to straighten-
Your Brain to bubble Cool--
Deals--One--imperial--Thunderbolt--
That scalps your naked Soul--

When Winds take Forests in their Paws-
The Universe--is still--

~~~~

My life closed twice before its close--
It yet remains to see
If Immortality unveil
A third event to me

So huge, so hopeless to conceive
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 1,000 today (woo-hoo!), 6.2k total (out of a likely 40-50k

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk

The good:
My thoughts turned to The Princess: What would I say to her? “Hello, m'lady, I'm Fin.” No. “Good morning, Hattie. How's your arm?” It seemed that The Hero should sound more... Heroic. I wondered if I should kneel when I met her. Then a terrifying thought came – would I have to kiss her hand? Gods!

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: This chapter came out super fast. I have the sneaking feeling that it's going to suck after multiple readings. But right now I can't see anything glaring.

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I'm already at Chapter 4! Wow. Chapter 3 was like the easiest thousand-plus words that I've ever written. Fun stuff.

Chapter 1 is online

If anyone's interested, I've posted Chapter 1 on my LiveJournal account. Check it out

And yes, it does have the word "breasts" in it. And yes, it does embarrass me! I'm open to alternate phrasings if anyone feels like speaking up.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 430 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk

The good:
When I woke the cottage was dark and quiet; a pale light shone in the windows. The fire had dwindled to a few glowing embers. Morning was near. Had I slept in the chair all night? I wiped a line of drool from my cheek. How long had that been there? Hopefully not all night.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I'm becoming paranoid that I'm being repetitive with my sentence structure. I tend to get into ruts, I think...

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I'm on Chapter 3 now. So far it's going better than my other Chapter 3s.

Interesting links

It's been a lot of fun following the happenings on Maprilynne's blog. It's exciting to see a very good writer getting deserved recognition. If you've read the first chapter of her book you'll know that the success is warranted. I know that it inspired me...
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Just in case you're wondering, I'm writing Happy, The End with an Unreliable narrator.
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Ever had an Ah-ha moment??
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It's on my sidebar but it deserves a call-out because The Evil Overlord Manual will make you crack up.
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I think The Second Coming may be one of the best poems that I've ever read. That and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. I read these poems and I feel humbled and inspired. 1) Because I'll never write anything so beautiful. 2) Because who can't read:

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes,
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening,
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,
And seeing that it was a soft October night,
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.

and not be inspired? Everyone except C.S. Lewis. :-)

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 650 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk

The good:
She might have looked like some fairy sleeping – one pale arm drawn gracefully across her forehead; one eye gently shut; her long silver hair fanned around her. But the other eye was purple and swollen. Two spidery lines of blood came from her nose and rested on her lips.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I'm having trouble getting my characters from point A to point B. They just need to take a walk through the woods but I'm not sure how much writing to devote to it. Should it be a sentence? A paragraph? Two paragraphs?

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Almost done with chapter 2! I'm loving this.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 800 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, the rain

The good:
I felt around me and my fingers came in contact with warm flesh – an arm. I examined more then quickly drew back – it was certainly a girl.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: Too wordy again. All my first drafts are too wordy. Forgive me E.B. White... Simple is better.

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This chapter is just pouring out. This is the best take on this book yet. I can feel it. Things are finally clicking!

Good writing book: The Elements of Style

The Elements of Style
by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White

If you read one book about writing it should be this. It's skinny, to-the-point and full of priceless writing instruction. It really helped to de-mystify certain aspects of the writing process for me. Oh - and Stephen King recommends it too.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 1,000 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, The rain we had today

The good:
The rain had slowed but the wind was picking up. I began to shiver. I breathed on my fingers to warm them. Branches and brush rustled loudly in the wind. If anyone had an ounce of imagination it might sound like something running through the trees. I immediately straighted up. Something was running through the trees; just in front of me and to my left. At least two separate creatures. I could hear them splashing through the rainwater.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I've been in maybe three fist fights in my life and they were all before I was a teenager. This scene has a lot of hand-to-hand combat. I hope it doesn't come off as fake.

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I'm loving the setting change I made. Things are so much clearer in my mind now. I'm liberated from a vagueness. These two chapters had a slow start but now they're flowing great. Fun stuff!

Bad writing descision #1: Needless characters

I covered one incident of this in My Troll evolved into a flying monkey but this tenancy keeps popping up: I write needless characters into my plot.

I just did this the other day. In my first chapter I had my protag. hook up with a character who had the following attributes:

1. Was annoying to my protag.


2. Did nothing but babble and quickly is ignored by my protag.


3. Runs home after six or so paragraphs.

After I wrote him I had to ask why? I totally understand the need for expendable characters such as:

1. A redshirt that a monster can much on (just to show the danger).


2. A street beggar that our hero can 1) Spit on or 2) Buy a hot meal. The beggar just revealed a lot of character in our hero.


3. A cog of some sort that moves the story forward. (A Horatio to our Hamlet, maybe.)

But I keep on coming up with characters that don't do anything... I've got to stop wasting time on this.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 700 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Charlotte Martin

The good: N/A

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I'm scared that this scene could fall flat. It should be tense. As always with my first draft, I'm using too many words.

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Finished my re-write of the first chapter. All-in-all I'm pleased. I may post it sometime soon.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 600 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk

The good:
Seized by an inspiration, I took a quick look around, unzipped my jeans, and peed on the writing. I'd hoped that maybe it would run the paint but it actually made the writing darker. Now I was going to have to walk by my own pee-stain every day. Gross.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I feel like Fin is now a more interesting character but I need to make the witch have a good entrance. Right now she's doing nothing. I'm not exactly throwing my reader into the action with this chapter ether...

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Productive day today (by my standards). I get to write the new witch encounter next! I'm looking forward to that one.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 400 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk

The good:
"I first saw it through the tangle of creepers and brush. The house wasn't like those in town; it was made out of dark stones and mortar, with a straw roof. The two windows were foggy red glass instead of clear. In the dim light it looked unsettlingly like some craggy face with huge red eyes and wild hair, glaring through the trees."

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: I still feel like my protag. is boring. I'm trying to give him a better entrance. Do I want to have an adventure through this guy's eyes?

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Plowing ahead. Logically I feel better about where this is headed but I'm a bit concerned that I might change this story so much that I'll loose what first inspired me. I've got to be careful.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 300 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk, Sufjan Stevens

The good:
"Fin, stop looking at your feet - I want you to get me some Bitterstalk from Lilith," my Gram said. She counted out three Silver Marks into her weathered hand. "This should be fine... Give 'er a kiss if she's difficult. But not the wet kind – I don't want you to start lustin' after witches."

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: My characters are boring! Augh!

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Slow writing today. Not much time in my schedule. Got to get to work now. Hopefully, I'll be able to eek out some more words tonight. I'm enjoying writing this stuff, though.

Take a peak at the sidebar...

I added an outline/teaser that should give you a sense of the plot. Also I added an audiozue widget.

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Weekend Word Count: 1,000 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: Jeremy Enigk (he's going to be the soundtrack for this book).

The good:
I could feel my heart go a little faster now. The forest always did that to me; especially the places where the trees were all bony and bare; or in the deep groves where the ground was so wet that my feet sunk in and moss was on everything – even the rocks. The Ghoulies didn't go there; neither did the Rooks.

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: Total re-write of the first chapter, which is going to effect the other chapters too. Is it bad that I keep having to change the beginning?

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I totally re-did the setting. I was operating in a vague Fantasy, castles, villages, kingdoms setting. Now I'm in a slightly post-apocalyptic/fantasy setting. It's freeing because it's much more specific and compelling. My characters can shoot guns but there's kings, knights, princesses and castles too. This may be a huge mistake but it's helping right now...

Ch-ch-cha-changes!

I've been thinking about the beginning of Happy, The End and I've decided to scrap the whole orphanage setting. Like the troll, it once served a purpose but now it just feels awkward. Especially since I never go back to it after the first chapter. I have to explain this whole system Fin has set up at the orphanage then it gets ripped right out from under him and he doesn't even really care when all is said and done. I originally thought it would be a good setting to give insight to his character but I think the whole beginning would flow much better without it.

I think this is one of the drawback of the Stephen King plot-as-you-go method...

Also, I've been bugged on Fin's motivation for "the quest". Why should he decide leave everything and trudge off into the unknown to kill a villain he's never met? I still am not sold. I'll probably use the age-old "he needs to save the world" as a red herring but I think the real motivation is lust.

I'm thinking of changing the title to The Last Fairytale or The Last Legend. Both sound like a cheezy movie but they make sense in the context of the story. What do you think?

Novel Stats

Metrics for HAPPY, THE END

Daily Word Count: 600 today, 8k total (out of a likely 40-50k)

Inspirations: New age music

The good:
She observed me. Then sighed. “It's too bad you're the hero. You'd make a good sorcerer – always looking for shortcuts. Dark roads open and move with the wind, Fin. Catch them while you can and don't stop to make a map."

Bad writing skill that needs to go away: How do I write about philosophy without sounding like a prig? I don't want my character to start spouting Christopher-Paolini-esque Levi musings that have nothing to do with the plot. Tread carefully here...

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Chapter 4 sucks right now. I went back today and fixed some issues that had been bothering me with Chapter 3. I changed Fin's motivation for going on the quest and I think it works better. Still, I think I need to make it more urgent.