Writing Journal

Welcome to my "learning to write journal." It's where I'll put my thoughts, opinions and observations about the writing process, editing, and learning to write. I'm not an expert, but it's good to put your thoughts on paper.

9-20-11

Joined an on line interactive game site a month ago. I joined as a way to connect with my husband. I've never been one for on line games before, so this is new. I'm used to writing all characters, that it surprised me when another gamer (not my husband) politely told me to not write his character. Okay, so I have to look at this game as a collaboration between writers. Not a problem.

I find myself using the writing skills I've used so far (few as they are) to make the scenes more interesting. Painting a picture, as it were. The gamer who corrected me loves the amount of detail. I'm glad to hear my skull sweat is paying off.

Wrote a rape scene yesterday. It disturbed me. I wrote a character who was so despicable, that if I met them in real life, I wouldn't mind if they stopped breathing. Made me realize something: there are going to be times when I won't like the things I write. I won't like the characters or what they're doing. Maybe that's why I have had a hard time going further on "Blessed Are The Peacemakers." I can't bring myself to write the ugly things the characters do. Will have to think more on this.

Gotta go. Will write later.

9-25-11

My daughter gave me an idea for a scene. She, my husband and I were at an electric car show in the park the other day. She was getting restless and bored and I was getting tired of walking around, so we took a break. I sat down near a flower bed and my daughter entertained herself with a feather that she'd found. There was a slight breeze; she'd put her back to the breeze, let go of the feather and then see how long it would take her to grab the feather before it blew away.

This got me thinking: wouldn't this be a good exercise for Akerly's reflexes? I'm going to write a very rough draft and see how it goes.

Also, have made a list of what wizards can and can't do. My husband recommended watching everything from Lord of the Rings to Wizards of Waverly Place for spell ideas.

10-4-11

Today I learned how to link and send images to other gamers using BBCode. I have no idea what BBCode is, so don't ask. I know, "What does this have to do with writing?" For the interactive game site I'm on, as images spark the imagination of the gamers.

I feel like Nemo's dad when he admits to being happy, "This is a very big deal, for me." Computers intimidate me. All those zeros, ones and codes; I'm afraid of making a mistake and cause the tower to catch fire. "Is black smoke supposed to billow out of this thing?"

It's a skill that I'm probably long-overdue in learning. But even though I've learned it, I don't want to lean on it. I still want to paint pictures with words and make the reader "see" what I'm talking about.

Anyway, that's what I learned today.

10-9-11

Received an email from the woman in charge of our local writer's group. The time and day of our meetings have changed to Mondays. That's great, because it used to be on Thursdays; my daughter has Martial Arts on Thursdays and we don't get out of there until almost six.

Haven't done any writing the last couple of days. My daughter's birthday is this weekend and we're hosting a party for her. Will try to write asap.

10-12-11

I was wondering about Ackerly this morning.

Question: why would a man in his mid 30's suffer from low self-esteem?

Possible answers: he's afraid of responsibility, he hasn't had the experience in life to bolster him up, he has a condition that prevents him from improving himself, he lives with his mother.

What gives a person self confidence? Experience. Learning. Having someone else believe in you. Is that why Ackerly burned the candle? He knew deep down that Maeve believed in him and that's what caused the self-confidence to grow?

I was listening to Master and Ackerly talk to each other (yes, I know I'm nuts) and this is how the conversations went:

M: Hold the orb as if it's a woman's breast.

A: (not sure how to do that.)

M: Surely you've made love to a woman before.

A: I don't remember.

M: You don't remember? How can you not remember?

A: I just don't.

M: Maybe you were drunk. Have you ever made love to a man?

A: Not sure.

M: How about a goat? Surely you'd remember that!

Why would Ackerly not remember his sexual experiences? Maybe he's a virgin and lying about having them? Maybe he has no memory of them. Why would he not have a memory? Maybe he just woke up. From what? A coma. Why would he be in a coma? Accident, illness? Someone put him in a coma for his protection. Why? He's a weapon, and you don't draw a weapon until it's needed. Didn't that happen to Arthur? Doesn't this sound so Harry Potter?

Started on Ackerly's exercise. Will add to it tonight.

10-12-11

Wrote for two hours today. Yes, Ackerly. Once I get started on a scene, it's hard to give it up for something else.

I may or may not include the conversation between Master and Ackerly in this scene.

11-20-11

Thought about writing a story based on a rough patch in my marriage. See, one day my husband called and said we were having an "us" problem. After much talking and crying, it was decided that we weren't having enough sex and something had to be done about it.

"An Us Problem." Sounds like a good title for an emotionally charged story. Except for one problem: we're still in the rough patch and are still trying to fix our marriage. I'm way too close to the story. It would feel like I'm ripping a healing scab off a wound.

Actually, if I were to write something based on our lives, it would be "The Ballad of Twelve Cents." This recession we're in would give me plenty of ideas for a story.

Finished "The Assignment." My husband liked it, though he thinks it needs improvement and changes. The questions about Ackerly's past should be in a different scene; one where he just started his apprenticeship. Mike--my husband--also liked how the magic had a basis in the real world. Maybe that's how I should look at magic...it's part of the real world, like gravity and oxygen, but because technology has changed the way we live, it's overlooked. Maybe. Still don't know where I'm going with it.

Looked up Freytag's Pyramid. Sounds like it's good advice that will help in my writing. I should keep a picture of it above the computer, along with a cheat sheet on how to use it. When I first saw it, I thought, "So this is what you're supposed to do." The nuts and bolts of writing intimidate me sometimes.

1-18-12

So I'm reading a book called "Why Is It Always About You?" by Sandy Hotchkiss, LCSW. It's about Narcissistic Personality Disorder (aka: God Syndrome.) It's affecting me in a bad way. I feel that as I read this book, I am seeing every selfish person in my life...and sometimes I'm one of them.

Question to all writers: does this happen to you? As you're researching the psychology of a character, do you see parts of yourself and loved ones you wish you wouldn't? Those dark, spiderweb-covered places under the mind mattress?

I can't help but see certain relatives in this book. Like my sister, who used her kids as "man bait." Honestly, she'd practically wave them in front of a guy and say "Look at what a good mother I am!" The rest of the time, she'd pretty much ignore them. I read this book, remember her behavior and get pissed as hell.

Maybe I should just read with a mind detached from personal matters.