In honor of the holiday, I'll say a few words.
I don't like Halloween. Maybe this makes me one of the minority, but I have my reasons.
1. Free candy. Why do I want to hand out candy to kids who have done nothing for me? Maybe, if each kid raked a few leaves in my yard as they made their way either up to my porch or back down from it, I would consider giving them free candy. I'd be more inclined to see them work first, as many would probably run away with candy in hand if I let them rake after they got their candy. Frankly, I don't think many kids would even stop by my place if I was standing in the yard with a rake over my head screaming: "Work for your candy, you ingrates!" That scene might actually get me kicked out of the neighborhood...
2. I don't like to be scared. I grew up in a household in a very scary household that taught you to be always on the defense, so why in the world would I want to go out in the world and have strangers provoke me?
3. Costumes are always a let down. Either they fail in presentation, or other people don't get it and you feel stupid having chosen an unrecognizable costume. I guess it has to do with audience, wearing a phantom of the opera costume to the library probably wasn't going to get a whole lot of recognition by school children. But, in my defense, they also didn't recognize the costume of Indiana Jones or Ash Ketchum. I think the kids might be slow, obviously there is nothing wrong with my costuming abilities.
4. I'm not a party person. I enjoy quiet nights at home. I don't go out much and I don't do a lot, so why would I be interested in an evening just for partying and "getting crazy"? I like to keep my pride, my friends and my possessions intact, I don't care how funny the story would be years to come when everyone remembers that one Halloween when my house got vandalized, I beat up my best friend in a drunken rage and there were pictures all over the net documenting all of it including my wardrobe malfunction.
5. Traditionally, Halloweens are crappy for me. Like the one Halloween when a girl cut across the parking lot in broad daylight and slammed into my car? Yeah, like that.
In defense of the holiday, I have had at least one good Halloween. One year, my sister was coming out to help hand out candy, and I said to my sister, "I hope we have a lot of Halloweeners" and she heard "Hollow wieners" and she brought a bunch of hot dogs that she had personally hollowed out the centers of. Luckily, they didn't go to waste, as we filled them with highly processed cheese and had a feast.
The best part of that story is that to have a fun Halloween experience, I have to make it up. Good times.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Why NaNoWriMo?
I recently mentioned to one of my sisters, that I would be participating in NaNoWriMo again this year, and she asked me why. I guess with everything else I'm doing, she didn't think I'd have time. And I probably don't, but this got me thinking. Why NaNoWriMo?
I think one of the biggest pitfalls for writers is not writing. How is this possible? Well, when you're faced with a big project isn't it just easier to do the dishes and watch TV? So NaNoWriMo forces us to write for one month, as much as we can, and kind of makes up for the other 11 months were we did no writing. Right? Not really, but it helps. For any writer who is having trouble just putting pen to paper, NaNoWriMo helps push them to write. So I'm doing it again this year in hopes that I'll finally get some writing done to file away with all of my other unpublishable novels.
To get any potential writers in the mood for the upcoming write fest, here is a convo I had with a fellow writer about NaNoWriMo. As you can see, before the month already starts, I'm defeating myself.
Some background information: I'm currently working on an outline for a story, which may be a post apocalyptic thriller, similar to the Road by Cormac McCarthy which my sister Cecy has easily summarized with the words: "The Road was dark and murky, a durky durky turkey." I never read the book, since she explained that it's just that phrase printed over and over again. How they made a movie out of it, I'll never know...
me: Did you decide what to write about for NANOWRIMO?
Andrew: No, still not sure
How’s your outline going? Still going to write the story about the night people?
me: I'm not sure
I feel like I keep trying to write the same story again and again and I don't want it to be like that
Andrew: yeah
me: I just get ideas in my head and I'm like "That would be great!" but I can't use it in every story
Andrew: work it into one story, one long kickass story
me: then it would be crap, everything I ever thought was cool in one story would be like a cowboy zombedy alien adventure post apocalyptic magical story with shamanic elements and historically inaccurate characters and some people with mutant abilities and the potential for talking animals and mythological beings
Andrew: soooo
Youth fiction?
me: plus ninjas, pirates, time travelers and cyborgs and other things I can't think of right now but I'd have to add later
Juvenile Fic
At best
Andrew: well
hmm
you could easily write a book about zombies and ninjas
me: I could write a book about a lot of things, the problem is, is that when I start outlining something and I think "I should add this" but then I realize that it doesn't really fit I just think it's cool so I want to add it to everything
like every post apocalyptic story I think of I always want to add someone who can make references to our time
because I think that's funny
but I can't do it every time
because then it's boring
and doesn't always make sense
Andrew: then stop adding things!
me: Its hard outlining and creating characters when I keep falling back into what I want every story to have
so I'm struggling with the outline so far
Andrew: do what i did last year
get an idea
jump in
don’t really know what happens
it’s hard because you can sit on a page for a while
other times its easy because the idea is so raw and pure that you can just get cracking on it like no other
me: I worry about just going in circles, or missing gaps because I don't have a set path
Andrew: well
you go over the path then you patch up any major gaps on the edit
it’s not perfect but it’s something
me: yeah
Andrew: and it’s fun to do it free flowing because instead of writing about the coffee shop shes about to walk into, you may notice a shop next to it that lures her in first
me: it's just scary to jump without a safety net
Andrew: but you have a good story idea in the post apoc
That’s your net
you have ideas and plans for it
me: I guess I just want it to be amazing but I can't steal aspects from other stories to make it amazing, it has to be unique
and potentially not amazing
Andrew: well that happens
but it will be good
pretty sure
me: I'm going to write a blog post about Nanowrimo and some of this convo might appear in it
just fyi
Andrew: kk
me: it's so much easier to find material for blog posts than for novels
Andrew: make a blog book
me: been doneI need more durky durky turkey for my novel
it has to be 'The Road 2: Extra Durky, less Turkey"
Andrew: More Murky
me: and a whole lotta road
Andrew: nice
I wouldn’t worry too much about it jen, it’s like 3 pages a day average to hit the 50k mark
if you don’t like what you got, redo it
me: i guess I just don't want to fail again nor do I want to come up with unusable junk
I expect too much
it's like the book Great Expectations but poorly written
and starring me
I think one of the biggest pitfalls for writers is not writing. How is this possible? Well, when you're faced with a big project isn't it just easier to do the dishes and watch TV? So NaNoWriMo forces us to write for one month, as much as we can, and kind of makes up for the other 11 months were we did no writing. Right? Not really, but it helps. For any writer who is having trouble just putting pen to paper, NaNoWriMo helps push them to write. So I'm doing it again this year in hopes that I'll finally get some writing done to file away with all of my other unpublishable novels.
To get any potential writers in the mood for the upcoming write fest, here is a convo I had with a fellow writer about NaNoWriMo. As you can see, before the month already starts, I'm defeating myself.
Some background information: I'm currently working on an outline for a story, which may be a post apocalyptic thriller, similar to the Road by Cormac McCarthy which my sister Cecy has easily summarized with the words: "The Road was dark and murky, a durky durky turkey." I never read the book, since she explained that it's just that phrase printed over and over again. How they made a movie out of it, I'll never know...
me: Did you decide what to write about for NANOWRIMO?
Andrew: No, still not sure
How’s your outline going? Still going to write the story about the night people?
me: I'm not sure
I feel like I keep trying to write the same story again and again and I don't want it to be like that
Andrew: yeah
me: I just get ideas in my head and I'm like "That would be great!" but I can't use it in every story
Andrew: work it into one story, one long kickass story
me: then it would be crap, everything I ever thought was cool in one story would be like a cowboy zombedy alien adventure post apocalyptic magical story with shamanic elements and historically inaccurate characters and some people with mutant abilities and the potential for talking animals and mythological beings
Andrew: soooo
Youth fiction?
me: plus ninjas, pirates, time travelers and cyborgs and other things I can't think of right now but I'd have to add later
Juvenile Fic
At best
Andrew: well
hmm
you could easily write a book about zombies and ninjas
me: I could write a book about a lot of things, the problem is, is that when I start outlining something and I think "I should add this" but then I realize that it doesn't really fit I just think it's cool so I want to add it to everything
like every post apocalyptic story I think of I always want to add someone who can make references to our time
because I think that's funny
but I can't do it every time
because then it's boring
and doesn't always make sense
Andrew: then stop adding things!
me: Its hard outlining and creating characters when I keep falling back into what I want every story to have
so I'm struggling with the outline so far
Andrew: do what i did last year
get an idea
jump in
don’t really know what happens
it’s hard because you can sit on a page for a while
other times its easy because the idea is so raw and pure that you can just get cracking on it like no other
me: I worry about just going in circles, or missing gaps because I don't have a set path
Andrew: well
you go over the path then you patch up any major gaps on the edit
it’s not perfect but it’s something
me: yeah
Andrew: and it’s fun to do it free flowing because instead of writing about the coffee shop shes about to walk into, you may notice a shop next to it that lures her in first
me: it's just scary to jump without a safety net
Andrew: but you have a good story idea in the post apoc
That’s your net
you have ideas and plans for it
me: I guess I just want it to be amazing but I can't steal aspects from other stories to make it amazing, it has to be unique
and potentially not amazing
Andrew: well that happens
but it will be good
pretty sure
me: I'm going to write a blog post about Nanowrimo and some of this convo might appear in it
just fyi
Andrew: kk
me: it's so much easier to find material for blog posts than for novels
Andrew: make a blog book
me: been doneI need more durky durky turkey for my novel
it has to be 'The Road 2: Extra Durky, less Turkey"
Andrew: More Murky
me: and a whole lotta road
Andrew: nice
I wouldn’t worry too much about it jen, it’s like 3 pages a day average to hit the 50k mark
if you don’t like what you got, redo it
me: i guess I just don't want to fail again nor do I want to come up with unusable junk
I expect too much
it's like the book Great Expectations but poorly written
and starring me
Friday, October 15, 2010
Post 100!
So a few posts ago was post 100! Who knew I would finally make it to post 100! Unfortunately I was caught completely unawares and it was a pretty uneventful post. But the mile marker is still there, or the milestone, rather. I guess it doesn’t matter if it was with a bang or a blah as long as it existed right?
Anyways, now we’ve reached over 100 posts with this blog. Makes sense since it has been going on for about 3 years now, and I guess I haven’t run out of ideas yet. Now if I could just get them all typed up and posted...Thank you to all of my loyal readers who have been there with me since the beginning and to all of the future readers and everyone who will be there with me until the end :)
Friday, October 8, 2010
AHHHHH - Brain Explosion!
So I keep starting and stopping posts. Most are duds, some might be promising, but I just can't focus on any to make them good enough. Will this post be good enough? No, but it's the product of finally giving up and just putting something down on the web - that sticky, sticky web full of other abandoned insect corpses, dust and the occasional predatory spider.
Here is a list of post ideas I've worked on and then abandoned. Maybe you'll see them in a future post. If so or if not, you at least can see what craziness I'm dealing with:
Rip Van Winkle – funnier than it seems.
Clichés – Not sure where I was going with this one.
Bad Movies I've enjoyed.
Workin' and Schoolin' – I think the title is probably only as bad as the content, which means it's probably a post flop.
Carrot Shoots and Weeds – about my now expired vegetable garden, which wasn't expired when I first came up with this idea.
Key Chains – Apparently this seemed interesting…for half a second.
Revisiting the Pie Chart of Motivation
The Philosophy of Styx – the band, not the river
Amazon.com and My Personal Preferences – Those commies think they know me so well…
Should people who tell bad jokes be arrested?
Pop Authors – Writing for a buck not for the art
Sugar Makes Me Rageful – Need I say more?
Script Writing – Which I know little about…
Titles – I think I've done this before but I wanted a second stab at this subject.
Raptor Con 2009 – Obviously missed the boat on that one.
These are just the ones I started on the blog, not counting all of the notes I have floating around
my house with ideas. I even have one draft online that is just full of pictures of my cat Gabby, not sure where I was going with that one…
So why am I not writing all of this out for my lovely readers to enjoy? Well, I'm lazy. It's not just that, I'm also busy, but that's not much of an excuse now is it? I have a good, solid fear of redundancy which limits my creative talents, have I said that before? Maybe I should delete it for fear of repeating myself. Hmmm.
I also think, being afraid of failure, I just don't do stuff for fear of doing crap poorly. I know that by looking at my blog you'll be like: "Jenny, so much of your blog is full of ridiculous junk, I think you're lying when you say you only bring your 'A' game to these posts." Maybe you're right, maybe some of my posts are 'B' game or even 'C' game, but I never bring a 'D' game post to this blog and that is a guarantee.
So along with work, school, and trying to bring my 'C' game or higher to this blog, I've been requested to add my "expertise" to another site (videojug.com - has anyone even heard of this?) which is probably good to get the PR but bad for my already limited abilities to keep up with ANYTHING, and now NANOWRIMO is upon us again. How can I do it all without the inevitable Brain Explosion?!?!?!?!?!
Here is a list of post ideas I've worked on and then abandoned. Maybe you'll see them in a future post. If so or if not, you at least can see what craziness I'm dealing with:
Rip Van Winkle – funnier than it seems.
Clichés – Not sure where I was going with this one.
Bad Movies I've enjoyed.
Workin' and Schoolin' – I think the title is probably only as bad as the content, which means it's probably a post flop.
Carrot Shoots and Weeds – about my now expired vegetable garden, which wasn't expired when I first came up with this idea.
Key Chains – Apparently this seemed interesting…for half a second.
Revisiting the Pie Chart of Motivation
The Philosophy of Styx – the band, not the river
Amazon.com and My Personal Preferences – Those commies think they know me so well…
Should people who tell bad jokes be arrested?
Pop Authors – Writing for a buck not for the art
Sugar Makes Me Rageful – Need I say more?
Script Writing – Which I know little about…
Titles – I think I've done this before but I wanted a second stab at this subject.
Raptor Con 2009 – Obviously missed the boat on that one.
These are just the ones I started on the blog, not counting all of the notes I have floating around
my house with ideas. I even have one draft online that is just full of pictures of my cat Gabby, not sure where I was going with that one…
So why am I not writing all of this out for my lovely readers to enjoy? Well, I'm lazy. It's not just that, I'm also busy, but that's not much of an excuse now is it? I have a good, solid fear of redundancy which limits my creative talents, have I said that before? Maybe I should delete it for fear of repeating myself. Hmmm.
I also think, being afraid of failure, I just don't do stuff for fear of doing crap poorly. I know that by looking at my blog you'll be like: "Jenny, so much of your blog is full of ridiculous junk, I think you're lying when you say you only bring your 'A' game to these posts." Maybe you're right, maybe some of my posts are 'B' game or even 'C' game, but I never bring a 'D' game post to this blog and that is a guarantee.
So along with work, school, and trying to bring my 'C' game or higher to this blog, I've been requested to add my "expertise" to another site (videojug.com - has anyone even heard of this?) which is probably good to get the PR but bad for my already limited abilities to keep up with ANYTHING, and now NANOWRIMO is upon us again. How can I do it all without the inevitable Brain Explosion?!?!?!?!?!
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