My days are often filled with the same, repetitive process. And as I repeat day after day, I'm beginning to find a similar theme in all of them: work.
Monday and Wednesdays: Arise early for Government class. After class, small amount of time allotted to forage for food. Successful or no, proceed to the near-hour drive to French class. After French class, complete the same drive home, find sustenance and prepare self for job that will most likely have you staying out past ten. When home, small amount of time allowed for eating, studying, writing, or other recreational activities. Go to sleep.
Tuesdays: Arise even earlier for Economics class. About three hours devoted to eating, studying, writing or blogging (as done now). Go to World Mythology. Proceed to job. Same routine at night from Mondays and Wednesdays.
Thursdays: Repeat Tuesday. After World Mythology proceed to second job that lasts until 5:00. Off the rest of the day. Remainder of time conscious is devoted to either resting, cleaning, studying, or writing.
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays: Sleep in until work (sleep is needed!). Go to work for 7 - 8 hours. Come home to rest, clean, write, or vegetate. If one of these days are my off days or if I happen to get off before 4:00, spend time with Boyfriend, friends, or family, and run errands. Saturday nights are booked to complete Government assignments which are due at midnight.
My writing is normally completed either when I get off, during class, between classes, or during breaks at work. But, as you can see, I'm constantly working--be it my normal job, my second job, school work, writing work, or housework. It feels oftentime like a neverending cycle. Writing gets put on hold most of the time for other responsibilities I must devote time to. As a result, things like blogging or networking gets put on hold while I deal with priorities. Not to mention how I'm constantly reminded that for every hour I'm in class, you must spend two hours outside of class to study. I don't think I'm reaching that recommendation.
Meanwhile, other things happen. I've had a lot of car troubles recently and work schedule issues. When I make a B on a French test and explain to my professor of my recent stress-load, I am merely told how he expects me to still make an A in the class. I understand, high expectations, wanting me to do well since I'm always expected to make an A, but a B is not a bad grade. But when the adult figures in my life look at me, they expect better than a B, of which I am capable of, yes. However other things in my life take equal precendence, and that's the truth whether they like it or not. Even with school--when I have a 1,250 word essay due in Government and a 7 page paper due in Mythology, I will not use the time I need to write those to make sure I know French perfectly. I'll make sure I will make nothing below a C, but I'm not going to waste that time to memorize concepts word-for-word I already understand.
Then there is also the issue of not having enough credits to graduate with my Associates this May, something I largely panicked over. I spoke with some people, and since the class I need is not offered, my French professor will also do a Topics in World Literature class with me in order to get me the one credit hour I need. I'm relieved, but after Spring Break, this increases my classload.
All this stress, and then I have to worry about some spiteful, passive-agressive instructor who took a picture of my license plate because I was parked in a Staff/Faculty only parking lot. I've been plotting my revenge for this lady on a near-constant basis.
Beyond the stress, negativity, and complaining, I am making progress though. Each word I write is that much more closer to the end of my manuscript. I've considered changing the title from Archer of the Lake to something else, but that's a problem for later. I also received a dream about two nights ago and after ruminating over it for the past two days, I believe I have another book idea practically established. I started writing the first few pages of that project, and I find the idea intriguing and motivating. Meaningful.
But I have spent too much of my precious free time now blogging for today. I leave you with the reassurance that I am making progress.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
What Inspires Me
The current word that has peeked my interest is, in English, credit or credibility. In Latin, the verb 'to believe' is credare, credo (to believe, I believe), or trust. I just learned this verb in French. Croire. It's always fascinated me, for some reason. I wanted to turn it the Latin version into something of a statement famous from a favorite anime of mine. However, the verb 'to give' fit better than trying to convert credare into 'to entrust' or a giving of trust, since the statement was a command. If you're curious, the phrase in Latin is, Da Mihi Tuum Cordem. (Give me your heart, from Princess Tutu)
Also, I have three songs for you--
Lord of the Rings Symphony (Compilation, with commentary from composer) Look for the bass clarinet!
Fiddler on a Roof -- If I Were a Rich Man
Carrie Underwood -- Blown Away
Also, in my World Mythology class, we have just finished our section on Greco-Roman mythology. So, I thought this would be an appropriate time to make mention that my female protagonist is loosely based on a figure from Greek mythology, perhaps one of my favorite goddesses.
Side note, we begin Norse mythology today. I'm excited for Loki.
Also, I saw the new movie Warm Bodies, twice in the past week. I enjoyed it so much, just as I thought I would, that I was happy to see it with another friend who wanted to see it desperately. I'm determined to eventually read the book it's based on. But on a whole, the movie gave me a new interest on zombies, a new perspective. The zombie genre always interested me on the survival angle-- see Amanda Hocking's Hollow series, and the Walking Dead.
Speaking of the Walking Dead, I love that show. I have not, however, since the latest episode and I will vehemently seek anyone out who spoils the new episode for me.
Also, I have three songs for you--
Lord of the Rings Symphony (Compilation, with commentary from composer) Look for the bass clarinet!
Fiddler on a Roof -- If I Were a Rich Man
Carrie Underwood -- Blown Away
Also, in my World Mythology class, we have just finished our section on Greco-Roman mythology. So, I thought this would be an appropriate time to make mention that my female protagonist is loosely based on a figure from Greek mythology, perhaps one of my favorite goddesses.
Side note, we begin Norse mythology today. I'm excited for Loki.
Also, I saw the new movie Warm Bodies, twice in the past week. I enjoyed it so much, just as I thought I would, that I was happy to see it with another friend who wanted to see it desperately. I'm determined to eventually read the book it's based on. But on a whole, the movie gave me a new interest on zombies, a new perspective. The zombie genre always interested me on the survival angle-- see Amanda Hocking's Hollow series, and the Walking Dead.
Speaking of the Walking Dead, I love that show. I have not, however, since the latest episode and I will vehemently seek anyone out who spoils the new episode for me.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Fonts
As I'm drawing nearer and nearer to the close of my manuscript, I'm beginning to spend some of my energy worrying about the fortmatting. eBook and print. I've found that The Book Designer is a rather helpful blog for indie publishing, and highly recommend it for fellow authors. I keep telling myself that that's an issue for a later time, but I have been going back and forth on what font to use. I've researched most common ones and I'm undecided between the two my word processor has--Palatino Linotype and Garamond. After a quick poll on my Facebook, it appears that the former is the favorite between the two. If anyone is reading it, feel free to state your preference in a comment below between A & B:
Please forgive the typo--the one that is not underlined in red. "Unconformed" is very intentional. What you're seeing here is the very first paragraph of the entire manuscript, an opening of sorts. I've deliberated between sharing that beginning here, but I believe I will save that surprise for later. For now, be grateful for this first paragraph and feel free to share your feedback with it. Also, more later when I've decided on the release.
And, be sure to check back later for another 'What Inspires Me' post.
And, be sure to check back later for another 'What Inspires Me' post.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Die Hand v. Le Clavier
Die Hand is "the hand" in German, and Le Clavier is "the keyboard" in French.
Both of these items are important for any writer. Before word processing and typewriters, there was the hand to write with and the pen, pencil, quill, odd piece of charcoal that was the instrument. I often wonder how long it would take for an author pre-21st century to write a book.
I came upon this article on Word Count that details a skeletal estimation of word counts for different novels and books, dependent on genre. With Archer of the Lake, I believe it's safe to assume that it falls under a young adult fantasy. My current word count that I've typed out is around 55,000, but I believe I've completed around 60,000 words written.
And, upon realization the other day, therein lies the issue with my slow progress. I follow other writers and their blogs and their blogging on writing and such. It has become suddenly and painfully obvious that how other writers seem to make faster progress with their writing and manuscripts is perhaps they sit at a computer and write by typing. It's not a method that I can fault at all. Typing is fater than writing words by hand, especially since my last clocked typing time was around 89 wpm (words per minute).
My normal practice of writing is during the day--be it lunch break, class break, homework break, is to write what I can or am able to in my notebook. Side note--my preferred writing notebook is a composition notebook. I've already filled up two composition notebooks with Archer of the Lake alone, and I'm halfway through my third notebook (which features a shot of Katniss, Hunger Games plug!) Later, I will slowly do the grueling work of transcribing all the pages from my notebook into the computer file I have. In retrospect, this seems like a rather inefficient method of writing. Valuable time that could be spent on creating new on content on the manuscript is wasted on squinting at my awful handwriting and trying to decipher what I was trying to say in my hasty scrawl in order to transcribe it for digital copy.
I realized that, logically, if I want want to make better progress on this I should devote all writing to the computer. However, my writing is done in sporadic bursts--five minutes here or thirty minutes there. And I absolutely hate, hate writing out of order. Say if I stopped my current progress and continued it on the computer. I can't pick it up later, if I'm not at my computer or have my USB in hand, from my notebook because there's a large gap of story that's missing that could prove vital to continue.
Bu I must get over this if I want to at least attempt making better progress. Here is a Typing Speed Test if you would like to try your own wpm rate. I just took it and my speed went down by three--I'm currently at 85 wpm, which is still not bad.
Both of these items are important for any writer. Before word processing and typewriters, there was the hand to write with and the pen, pencil, quill, odd piece of charcoal that was the instrument. I often wonder how long it would take for an author pre-21st century to write a book.
I came upon this article on Word Count that details a skeletal estimation of word counts for different novels and books, dependent on genre. With Archer of the Lake, I believe it's safe to assume that it falls under a young adult fantasy. My current word count that I've typed out is around 55,000, but I believe I've completed around 60,000 words written.
And, upon realization the other day, therein lies the issue with my slow progress. I follow other writers and their blogs and their blogging on writing and such. It has become suddenly and painfully obvious that how other writers seem to make faster progress with their writing and manuscripts is perhaps they sit at a computer and write by typing. It's not a method that I can fault at all. Typing is fater than writing words by hand, especially since my last clocked typing time was around 89 wpm (words per minute).
My normal practice of writing is during the day--be it lunch break, class break, homework break, is to write what I can or am able to in my notebook. Side note--my preferred writing notebook is a composition notebook. I've already filled up two composition notebooks with Archer of the Lake alone, and I'm halfway through my third notebook (which features a shot of Katniss, Hunger Games plug!) Later, I will slowly do the grueling work of transcribing all the pages from my notebook into the computer file I have. In retrospect, this seems like a rather inefficient method of writing. Valuable time that could be spent on creating new on content on the manuscript is wasted on squinting at my awful handwriting and trying to decipher what I was trying to say in my hasty scrawl in order to transcribe it for digital copy.
I realized that, logically, if I want want to make better progress on this I should devote all writing to the computer. However, my writing is done in sporadic bursts--five minutes here or thirty minutes there. And I absolutely hate, hate writing out of order. Say if I stopped my current progress and continued it on the computer. I can't pick it up later, if I'm not at my computer or have my USB in hand, from my notebook because there's a large gap of story that's missing that could prove vital to continue.
Bu I must get over this if I want to at least attempt making better progress. Here is a Typing Speed Test if you would like to try your own wpm rate. I just took it and my speed went down by three--I'm currently at 85 wpm, which is still not bad.
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