New Project

Once again (and directly after the designated month) I am attempting a novel. I'm not sure if it will reach 50,000 words, but I consider it worth a try. It's sort of a dark fantasy story; I'm rather fond of those. It's also a combination of a short story I came up with in Creative Writing this past spring, one which was much improved but never quite mastered. The characters are from the past novel attempt; the concept is from both, more on the story's side.

I've written several novel attempts in the past - finished first drafts, that is - but they always come up quite literally short. The longest one was written within a matter of days in summer 2009, but it was basically a ripoff of a ripoff (and, according to Ezra, there would be another "of a ripoff" there). Still, we must all learn the hard way in writing, eh? There's no sense in shaming amateurs, unless they're published somehow. Like Stephenie Meyer.

I think I might be able to do novels at some point, but for me it might be a matter of practice. I don't think I'll give up.

School tomorrow, and after that I'll be meeting with Printz members at Quail Ridge Books & Music, where just last night I attended the teen writers' workshop there, and have been for over two years (crazy, what?). I'm most likely going to meet an author I've not read yet: Cassandra Clare. In the past here I've met Mary Pope Osborne and seen Orson Scott Card and Lois Lowry. Wish me luck!

May the stars watch over you.

Lewis

NaNoWriMo - An Afterthought

As some of you may already know, I did not participate this year for several reasons, if any:

• Not ready
• Not sure what I wanted to write
• Lazy
• Having bad noveling experience at the time

So yeah, shoot me. But before you pull the trigger, I have this to say: I might (and probably will) do it next year. I think I'll practice focus (something I need not only in writing) and elaboration. I wrote a short story last night and sent it to my friend Hannah (http://mockbookgirl.blogspot.com/) and may or may not read it at our group next time--this depends on if I've written anything else worth reading. I will admit this here to Olivia (http://elfarmywrites.blogspot.com/): I'm still reading Clockwork! She's pretty cool, so I suppose I'll survive, but still. I just need to sit down to it more often, especially considering that I printed out 400 pages on my printer simply so I could use a bookmark (I don't favor having to scroll down 986,731,342 pages every time I open a document).

What will I write? I haven't the slightest idea, but then again, I'd have nearly a year to change my mind if I did. I've written a lot of fantasy stuff in my time, but I may try for something realistic. This probably will not be for my Nano, nor do I think it will take up the majority of my prose, but it will be an occasional thing to try. I've been journaling and blogging more, so that ought to help. Saw Orson Scott Card on Wednesday. I've only read a few pages of one of his books (Ender's Game), but he seemed like a cool guy. I didn't actually meet him, but I think my aforementioned friends did. I'm sure I'll get another chance.

We should be getting a tree today. I don't call myself Christian, but I like the atmosphere of Christmas: it makes me thoughtful, just like rain. And while some people might say I can't celebrate Christmas when I'm not Christian, I ask them this: Is it illegal? I didn't think so. We will not be making our usual Illinois trip this year, but I don't know what we will do instead. I probably won't leave the country, but that should happen in the next few years now.

Random notes: Saw Tangled not long ago, and it was hilarious and (for me) inspiring. Or rather, rekindled an old idea. I loved Maximus the horse and the whole getting-Flynn's-nose-right joke. ~ I hope to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 in IMAX. I've already seen it twice in standard theaters, and I think Nagini's "jumping" scenes would be awesome in IMAX. I really ought to read the books again, but the choice remains: American again, or should I try the European editions? ~ I think my sea cucumber died. Not a common pet, but this one never moved much and we could never tell, but now it's balled up and collecting brown stuff. I mourn its life, but I am glad if it did not suffer. ~ After reading American Gods, what do I turn to but another Neil Gaiman book? It is a collection of short fiction calld Smoke and Mirrors.

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Good-day!