Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances, I was unable to finish my NaNoWriMo book. I came in at over 30,000 words and I am proud of that. It is the most writing towards a complete book I have ever done. I will finish this book anyway, and maybe even start another next month.
The overall experience was amazing, as I was able to read words that I had written, that created a story from nothing but the fabric of my imagination. To create is such a wonderful experience, and one worth repeating.
Perhaps now, I can start writing a bit more on here, but probably after Christmas. Thanks for tuning in!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
30,000 words!
Time is running out. It has been quite an experience writing this book and I am semi satisfied so far with how it is turning out. I already forsee a lot of changes that I will have to make, but that is going to be fun as well
The story has a mind of it's own, as do the characters I've created. They don't always do what I want them to do or say what I want them to say but I've made peace with that. They are their own people now.
The hardest part are the days I am working because there is just no time left to write much, so I have to do large marathon sessions on my days off, making November a dull and uneventful month. It will all be worth it when I hold a book, a finished book that I created in my hands. That will be an extremely powerful moment in my life, and a great accomplishment.
Next stop....40,000
The story has a mind of it's own, as do the characters I've created. They don't always do what I want them to do or say what I want them to say but I've made peace with that. They are their own people now.
The hardest part are the days I am working because there is just no time left to write much, so I have to do large marathon sessions on my days off, making November a dull and uneventful month. It will all be worth it when I hold a book, a finished book that I created in my hands. That will be an extremely powerful moment in my life, and a great accomplishment.
Next stop....40,000
Monday, November 10, 2008
An excerpt from Chapter One of the NaNoWriMo book I am writing. Please do not judge harshly, as this is the first ROUGH draft, and I haven't done any editing yet. The story is about a young girl who gets lost in her daydreams and soon has trouble telling fantasy from reality.
Black storm clouds blotted out the sun as they rolled across the sky towards a large ship tossing about in the stormy seas below. A sea gull cried out a warning as it swooped down towards the wooden deck. A young girl stood near the railing, her long black hair trailing behind her in the wind, as the coat tails of her red velvet jacket flapped viciously. Her golden eyes glowed with excitement and her face was flushed as she watched the arriving storm. All around her, big burly men worked the rigging, bringing down sails, and shouting obscenities. The girl took no notice of this as she closed her eyes against the first lash of rain. Thunder clapped overhead and she opened her eyes with a smile.
“Captain, this ain’t no storm comin’, this is a hurricane!” one of the large men shouted to her as he threw a barrel overboard. She looked over at him uninterested and noted the panic on his face.
“Don’t you have faith in me Gunther?” She said with a hint of insanity in her voice, and turned to grin at him. “I have ridden out worse than this.”
She strode past him, walking steadily towards the helm of the ship despite the constant pitching and rolling. Huge dark waves crashed over the railings and knocked members of the crew left and right as she strode past them and took the wheel. She heaved it to the left and the ship pitched sharply as it turned into a monstrous wave. The water slammed into the side of the ship and swept across the deck, knocking three more men down in the process. Another large clap of thunder sounded overhead, and was soon accompanied by a bolt of blue lightening.
“That one was too close Miss Ara! We need to get to shore!” Gunther screamed in her ear frantically, as his panic gave way to hysteria. His blond hair was plastered to his head, and his canvas shirt was already torn and filthy.
Ara ignored him as she struggled with the wheel. Darkness had descended all around them and the only light to be seen was from the oil lanterns hanging from the rigging. She navigated another wave, and as more water drenched her, she heard a deafening crack above her head. She glanced up into the rigging and saw that the main mast had cracked and was dangling over the ship’s deck, suspended by a cobweb of rope and canvas. Ara muttered a curse as she twisted her hair in a knot behind her head.
“Gunther, take the wheel,” she shouted to him as she grabbed onto the nearest rope.
Ara swung herself up into the tangle of ropes and wooden spars. Climbing easily and without fear, she worked her way higher and higher into the air, making her way to the mast. She stopped halfway up and drew a long sharp blade from a sheath on her thigh, and started hacking away at a thick rope hanging in front of her. In a few minutes the rope started to fray and unwind and soon broke free and coiled into the darkness below. Holding tightly onto the end, she tied it around her waist and crawled along a narrow beam until she was directly across from the mainmast. She studied it carefully and saw it had cracked two thirds of the way up from the base.
She stood up slowly on the beam, keeping her balance even as the ship took a deep plunge forward. She used this moment of leverage to jump across the divide and reached out blindly. Her hands touched thick ropes and she grasped at them desperately even as they slipped off and she plunged down headfirst to the deck below. She jerked to a stop a few seconds later, and the rope around her waist tightened around her belly, making her retch. She hung suspended for a moment longer, then sucking in a deep breath, she rolled herself up and grasped onto the rope, slowly hauling herself upright and beginning the climb again. When she finally reached the mast, she swung herself back and forth until she could wrap her legs around the huge pillar. Bracing herself, Ara undid the rope around her waist and looped it around the broken mast carefully, and knotted it as tightly as she could. Her fingers ached with cold, and she was soaked to the bone, yet she smiled triumphantly.
Grasping the remainder of the rope in her hands, she paused for a moment, then leaped outwards to the sea. As she plunged downwards she spread her arms as if flying. Above her, the broken post groaned and splintered as it gave way, and she let go of the rope and dropped gracefully to the deck below and somersaulted to a stop. She glanced up in time to see the broken spear of wood fall over the side of the railing and disappear into the black water below.
Squinting into the darkness, she tried to see Gunther at the wheel but the rain and wind blinded her. “Gunther!” She screamed into the night. “Gunther, answer me!” Distantly she heard her name being called, but the wind distorted her perception and she couldn’t tell which direction it was coming from.
“Ara! ARA!”
She spun around confused. It was a woman’s voice calling her, but there were no women on board this ship. She thought of harpies and sirens, but pushed that chilling thought from her mind. She inched closer to the helm, as waves crashed over her furiously. She heard another loud crash from behind her and this one knocked her off her feet. She turned around and saw that the remainder of the mainmast had toppled and crashed through the deck. Water bubbled up through the hole in the ship and Ara slid backwards and tumbled through the air as the ship went vertical. She hit the water hard and immediately sucked in a mouthful of seawater. She tried to cough but the brackish water filled her lungs with a burning, searing pain. She struggled to reach the surface, but her arms and legs felt like lead and she slowly started sinking downwards into the depths. Her eyes closed against the cold, wet darkness when she felt a hand grab her collar and drag her back to the surface.
“Ara!” the woman’s voice snapped in her ear.
“Gunther?” Ara asked drowsily, as she slowly opened her eyes. Peals of laughter filled the classroom as Mrs. Wheeler glared at her.
Black storm clouds blotted out the sun as they rolled across the sky towards a large ship tossing about in the stormy seas below. A sea gull cried out a warning as it swooped down towards the wooden deck. A young girl stood near the railing, her long black hair trailing behind her in the wind, as the coat tails of her red velvet jacket flapped viciously. Her golden eyes glowed with excitement and her face was flushed as she watched the arriving storm. All around her, big burly men worked the rigging, bringing down sails, and shouting obscenities. The girl took no notice of this as she closed her eyes against the first lash of rain. Thunder clapped overhead and she opened her eyes with a smile.
“Captain, this ain’t no storm comin’, this is a hurricane!” one of the large men shouted to her as he threw a barrel overboard. She looked over at him uninterested and noted the panic on his face.
“Don’t you have faith in me Gunther?” She said with a hint of insanity in her voice, and turned to grin at him. “I have ridden out worse than this.”
She strode past him, walking steadily towards the helm of the ship despite the constant pitching and rolling. Huge dark waves crashed over the railings and knocked members of the crew left and right as she strode past them and took the wheel. She heaved it to the left and the ship pitched sharply as it turned into a monstrous wave. The water slammed into the side of the ship and swept across the deck, knocking three more men down in the process. Another large clap of thunder sounded overhead, and was soon accompanied by a bolt of blue lightening.
“That one was too close Miss Ara! We need to get to shore!” Gunther screamed in her ear frantically, as his panic gave way to hysteria. His blond hair was plastered to his head, and his canvas shirt was already torn and filthy.
Ara ignored him as she struggled with the wheel. Darkness had descended all around them and the only light to be seen was from the oil lanterns hanging from the rigging. She navigated another wave, and as more water drenched her, she heard a deafening crack above her head. She glanced up into the rigging and saw that the main mast had cracked and was dangling over the ship’s deck, suspended by a cobweb of rope and canvas. Ara muttered a curse as she twisted her hair in a knot behind her head.
“Gunther, take the wheel,” she shouted to him as she grabbed onto the nearest rope.
Ara swung herself up into the tangle of ropes and wooden spars. Climbing easily and without fear, she worked her way higher and higher into the air, making her way to the mast. She stopped halfway up and drew a long sharp blade from a sheath on her thigh, and started hacking away at a thick rope hanging in front of her. In a few minutes the rope started to fray and unwind and soon broke free and coiled into the darkness below. Holding tightly onto the end, she tied it around her waist and crawled along a narrow beam until she was directly across from the mainmast. She studied it carefully and saw it had cracked two thirds of the way up from the base.
She stood up slowly on the beam, keeping her balance even as the ship took a deep plunge forward. She used this moment of leverage to jump across the divide and reached out blindly. Her hands touched thick ropes and she grasped at them desperately even as they slipped off and she plunged down headfirst to the deck below. She jerked to a stop a few seconds later, and the rope around her waist tightened around her belly, making her retch. She hung suspended for a moment longer, then sucking in a deep breath, she rolled herself up and grasped onto the rope, slowly hauling herself upright and beginning the climb again. When she finally reached the mast, she swung herself back and forth until she could wrap her legs around the huge pillar. Bracing herself, Ara undid the rope around her waist and looped it around the broken mast carefully, and knotted it as tightly as she could. Her fingers ached with cold, and she was soaked to the bone, yet she smiled triumphantly.
Grasping the remainder of the rope in her hands, she paused for a moment, then leaped outwards to the sea. As she plunged downwards she spread her arms as if flying. Above her, the broken post groaned and splintered as it gave way, and she let go of the rope and dropped gracefully to the deck below and somersaulted to a stop. She glanced up in time to see the broken spear of wood fall over the side of the railing and disappear into the black water below.
Squinting into the darkness, she tried to see Gunther at the wheel but the rain and wind blinded her. “Gunther!” She screamed into the night. “Gunther, answer me!” Distantly she heard her name being called, but the wind distorted her perception and she couldn’t tell which direction it was coming from.
“Ara! ARA!”
She spun around confused. It was a woman’s voice calling her, but there were no women on board this ship. She thought of harpies and sirens, but pushed that chilling thought from her mind. She inched closer to the helm, as waves crashed over her furiously. She heard another loud crash from behind her and this one knocked her off her feet. She turned around and saw that the remainder of the mainmast had toppled and crashed through the deck. Water bubbled up through the hole in the ship and Ara slid backwards and tumbled through the air as the ship went vertical. She hit the water hard and immediately sucked in a mouthful of seawater. She tried to cough but the brackish water filled her lungs with a burning, searing pain. She struggled to reach the surface, but her arms and legs felt like lead and she slowly started sinking downwards into the depths. Her eyes closed against the cold, wet darkness when she felt a hand grab her collar and drag her back to the surface.
“Ara!” the woman’s voice snapped in her ear.
“Gunther?” Ara asked drowsily, as she slowly opened her eyes. Peals of laughter filled the classroom as Mrs. Wheeler glared at her.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
My writing area
This is where I will be stuck for the next month
Disregard all the postcards, I have to put that hobby on the semi-backburner so I can buckle down. WHY AM I BLOGGING!?? Need to write more...more...more wine? I'd love some!
First Wordcount!
OK so I know I have been lax with the blogging but this is November now. National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo!!! I have started my bestselling novel and I pretty much have to write a ton every day if I want to make the 50,000 word limit by November 30th.
I am pretty impressed with myself so far, having written....(Drumroll please...)
4,210 words in 1 1/2 days! Not just crappy words either, most of them are good! I am pretty pleased with where the story is going, especially since I didn't really start off with a plot or character ideas, just a general thought of what it might look like.
I won't say anything else until I get a bit further. In the meantime, you can check out my progress on my NaNoWriMo profile page:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/418126
I am pretty impressed with myself so far, having written....(Drumroll please...)
4,210 words in 1 1/2 days! Not just crappy words either, most of them are good! I am pretty pleased with where the story is going, especially since I didn't really start off with a plot or character ideas, just a general thought of what it might look like.
I won't say anything else until I get a bit further. In the meantime, you can check out my progress on my NaNoWriMo profile page:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/418126
Monday, October 20, 2008
November-National Novel Writing Month
Check out this awesome website:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
You have a month to write a novel. No prizes, just self satisfaction. Sounds like fun!
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
You have a month to write a novel. No prizes, just self satisfaction. Sounds like fun!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
First Challenge!
I got the idea for this blog as I was trying to think up an idea for a story. I was just fooling around online when I came across a random story line generator. It was really fun, so I am going to post the first thing that comes up on it, and come up with a whole story about it. I will give myself a week and post whatever comes out.
I encourage everyone else to participate, it should be lots of fun to see the differences and similarities. Ready for the challenge? OK here it is!
Challenges Generated: 2
Challenge:
A character will go to sleep, but the action is misinterpreted. During the story, a character makes a slip of the tongue. The story must involve a costume at the end.
A character reveals their feelings, but the action goes terribly wrong. During the story, a character gets a demotion. During the story, someone is mistaken for someone infamous.
Good luck! All entries can be submitted to sheherezadeWB@gmail.com
I encourage everyone else to participate, it should be lots of fun to see the differences and similarities. Ready for the challenge? OK here it is!
Challenges Generated: 2
Challenge:
A character will go to sleep, but the action is misinterpreted. During the story, a character makes a slip of the tongue. The story must involve a costume at the end.
A character reveals their feelings, but the action goes terribly wrong. During the story, a character gets a demotion. During the story, someone is mistaken for someone infamous.
Good luck! All entries can be submitted to sheherezadeWB@gmail.com
Monday, October 13, 2008
Greetings
Here is my second blog where I will post some of my writing, drawing and creative ideas as well as the writings of others if they wish. I have a new hobby of writing short stories from randomly generated ideas, so I want to share them, even if they are not very good. Also, if anyone wants to submit poetry or a short story, please feel free and I will post it here. Thanks, and enjoy!
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