My classes look like they're going to be terrific. In Fantasy and the Numinous in Children's Literature, our final project is to write a 10+ page fantasy story, incorporating elements that we've studied (myth, religion, etc.). Humanities 101 is all cool ancient Greek literature, and Conflict and Conflict Resolution is a polisci class on genocide and conflict that culminates in a 3-day crisis simulation. And I start Craft of Fiction tomorrow.
This will be an excellent semester.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Snow!
It finally snowed. A lot.
Of course, this is the day I need to drive around to finish up errands before school starts again...but I suppose I'll just have to stay home, drink hot chocolate, and watch Farscape...er, edit my novel.
Of course, this is the day I need to drive around to finish up errands before school starts again...but I suppose I'll just have to stay home, drink hot chocolate, and watch Farscape...er, edit my novel.
Monday, January 15, 2007
The Year of Doing Big, Fun, Scary Things
The Year of Doing Big, Fun, Scary Things over on the NaNo forums. Sounds fun.
Self-discipline and writing, plus breakfast
And so the end of Winter Break nears. It's been fun, I suppose, not having any schoolwork whatsoever or any work to do, but it's been dreadful for my self-discipline. I keep meaning to start editing my NaNoWriMo/Day novels, but then I bought the third and fourth seasons of Farscape (bad Nora!) and watched them, and then got my mom addicted to Farscape and so have been watching with her...Plus, I get up at noon, so much of the day is gone before I actually start doing anything.
Hopefully I'll do more writing when I get back to school. I'm taking Craft of Fiction and Fantasy Children's Literature, both of which should help encourage the writing. They're also morning classes, meaning I won't be able to sleep in every day until 1 pm like I did last semester. Maybe that will help me do more work in general.
On the 26th, I get to really bludgeon myself with writing, since I'm going to South Carolina for an 8 AM-5 PM 'Writer's Boot Camp' that will be run by Nadia Cornier and Bob Mayer. And, at some point in the near future, maybe I'll have edited one of my novels to the point that it's worthy of display to the rest of the world.
Off to go scour our house for something tasty and breakfast-like. Even if it is lunchtime.
Hopefully I'll do more writing when I get back to school. I'm taking Craft of Fiction and Fantasy Children's Literature, both of which should help encourage the writing. They're also morning classes, meaning I won't be able to sleep in every day until 1 pm like I did last semester. Maybe that will help me do more work in general.
On the 26th, I get to really bludgeon myself with writing, since I'm going to South Carolina for an 8 AM-5 PM 'Writer's Boot Camp' that will be run by Nadia Cornier and Bob Mayer. And, at some point in the near future, maybe I'll have edited one of my novels to the point that it's worthy of display to the rest of the world.
Off to go scour our house for something tasty and breakfast-like. Even if it is lunchtime.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
The effects of travel on writing
This summer, I am bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina for a month of volunteer work on my parents' dime. That means 4 weeks of teaching English to young schoolchildren from 9 AM-3 PM, Monday-Friday, and the rest of the time to do whatever I want. In the amazing city of Buenos Aires. I'm not taking my laptop, since I'll be spending the month in a youth hostel, but I expect that most of what I write during that month will have a distinctly different feel as compared with my writing now.
The trip probably won't be conducive to a whole lot of editing, but the amount of writing I expect to get done will more than make up for it. Only downside: at the moment, I don't speak Spanish. I'm currently at a very high level of French proficiency, to the point that I could get around easily in France, but...no Spanish. That means lots and lots of studying between now and June 1.
I'm still marveling at the fact that my parents will even let me go. Especially with the whole diabetes thing and all.
Travel (particularly international) has always had an excellent effect on my productivity. Let's review:
1. Went to Europe for 3 months (1999), wrote a 90,000-word novel
2. Went to Venice for 2 weeks (2002), wrote 100 pages of a novel
3. Went to Paris for 2 weeks (2004), wrote 100 pages of a novel
4. Went to British Virgin Islands for 10 days (2005), wrote ~70 pages of assorted pieces
I expect a lot from this month in Argentina.
The trip probably won't be conducive to a whole lot of editing, but the amount of writing I expect to get done will more than make up for it. Only downside: at the moment, I don't speak Spanish. I'm currently at a very high level of French proficiency, to the point that I could get around easily in France, but...no Spanish. That means lots and lots of studying between now and June 1.
I'm still marveling at the fact that my parents will even let me go. Especially with the whole diabetes thing and all.
Travel (particularly international) has always had an excellent effect on my productivity. Let's review:
1. Went to Europe for 3 months (1999), wrote a 90,000-word novel
2. Went to Venice for 2 weeks (2002), wrote 100 pages of a novel
3. Went to Paris for 2 weeks (2004), wrote 100 pages of a novel
4. Went to British Virgin Islands for 10 days (2005), wrote ~70 pages of assorted pieces
I expect a lot from this month in Argentina.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
National Novel Writing Day
Happy New Year.
I just started in on my second National Novel Writing Day as my crazy way of kicking off 2007. Reflections so far:
1. If you want to drink an entire cup of tea every hour, you had damn well better make sure you're drinking decaf.
2. A 200-mg caffeine pill, six cups of caffeinated black tea and two cans of Red Bull in the first seven hours of writing will make you sick. Especially if you insist on eating at the same time.
3. Don't go into NaNoWriDay having stayed up late the day before also. If you only got six hours of sleep the night before, you'll have a hell of a hard time getting zero hours tonight.
I just started in on my second National Novel Writing Day as my crazy way of kicking off 2007. Reflections so far:
1. If you want to drink an entire cup of tea every hour, you had damn well better make sure you're drinking decaf.
2. A 200-mg caffeine pill, six cups of caffeinated black tea and two cans of Red Bull in the first seven hours of writing will make you sick. Especially if you insist on eating at the same time.
3. Don't go into NaNoWriDay having stayed up late the day before also. If you only got six hours of sleep the night before, you'll have a hell of a hard time getting zero hours tonight.
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