The Gray Area, the writing blog

moved

2010-04-05T17:29:00.002-05:00

Hi
I have moved in blog space
my new home is at pants in chair
Come visit!

bye from the blog,
Annie

My NaNoWriMo's Novel

2009-11-07T14:46:00.003-06:00

"Disaster! Complete disaster! No matter how I imagined it I predicted everything going wrong, from all angles."

So begins Marty Day's journey. She trying to live a christian's life in a dangerous place and failing.

So far my word count for NaNoWriMo is 5,041

yeah I'm behind. But I have a plan. Put butt in chair and have an award program for reaching so many words through out the day.

Surrender of a Siren Book Review

2009-10-29T07:00:00.002-05:00

Tessa Dare's second book "Surrender of a Siren" is better then her first book! Her strong plot run smoothly from cover to cover. Sophia is a living breathing person from the first page. I cheered for her the whole way, hoping she receive her heart desire. Gray, the hero.... aha what not to love about a pirate... I mean a ship captain . I don't want to give the plot away but I enjoyed this book. Tessa Dare belong on the shelf right next to Julia Quinn!

Rush to the nearest bookstore to buy this book and all of Tessa Dare's books! Put this author on your "can't wait for in 2010" book list. She has a new trilogy coming out next summer!

What books have you read lately you want to shout to the world about?

This blog need some work!

2009-08-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

I need to work on this blog, update the links, and change the placements.

Julie and Julia

2009-08-18T15:55:00.001-05:00

Julie & Julia is a movie for the girls, weather it with your girlfriends, your mama, or your daughter and if you can’t find a girl to go with, well take your guy he might learn a thing or two from this movie! This is a movie worth seeing! I give it 4 ½ starfish!

About Me

2009-08-14T15:13:00.002-05:00

Hi, thought I share a little about me.

Name: Annie Gray

Email: AnnieLGray(at)gmail.com

Genres: Teen and Tween – Contemporary Fantasy, Adults - Christian Contemporary

I love zinnia. How they can be so many different colors and shapes, oh I just love it! I have some on my kitchen table now. Pinks, reds, and yellows, so pretty! LOL!

My books:
-On the Wings of the Dawn: A Contemporary Teen Fantasy, (Work in Progress)
-Always Keep Faith: (working title) A Sci-Fi Teen Fantasy (First Draft)
-The Truth About Angels and Demons: A Contemporary Teen Fantasy (Idea)
-Sky Princess: (working title) A Tween Fantasy (Idea)
-No title: An Adult Christian Contemporary (idea)

found a day job

2009-06-05T09:51:00.002-05:00

So I finally found a job... with benfits! Benfits are always a very very good thing! I also going to give writing my christian fanasy novel another go.

God Bless You, and Your Dreams!

What do birds have to do with writing?

2009-05-15T12:43:00.002-05:00

What do birds have to do with writing?

I intend to have an answer to that question as I read "Bird by Bird; Some Instructions on Writing and Life" by Anne Lamott.

Re-plotting

2009-04-07T08:15:00.002-05:00

I re-read my first draft. Calling it a long outline is more correct then a first draft. To put it mildly it needs a lot of work!
For starter it more then a one book outline, more like a two books outline. I kind of hope a three books outline. How cool that sound! But three books outline is pushing it. So I'm taking what happened in the first 80 or so pages and re-plotting the first story.

So off to the drawing board to re-create my characters, plot, and background.

Later,

From Amelia Earhart

2009-03-20T10:46:00.002-05:00

"Fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life, and the procedure, the process is its own reward." - Amelia Earhart

I need this quote posted where I can read it everytime I fear writing my stories or working on my rewrites!

voted off (your secondary characters)

2009-03-19T12:59:00.003-05:00

Last night (Wednesday's night) to the shock of many Alexis Graces was voted off season 8 of American Idol. Ryan say at the beginning of every show "Anything can happen" and last night it did.

Now how to transport this into a lesson on how to write... Well I don't know about other writers, but I always have to many secondary characters in my story. People tell me all the time that my stories are confusing because the reader can't tell who talking or doing what.
So I have to "vote off" my secondary characters. I have to look at their performance to decide who stay and who goes.
Are they written well?
Are the a "whole person" or a "stick drawing person"? What i mean are they well developed or are they flat on the page like a stick drawing a child does.
And most important Do they move the story a long?

Dear Reader,
Do you think the judges and the people who called in made the wrong decision by letting Alexis go? Also what do you think of secondary characters you come across in books, TV shows and movies. And writers what do you do about your secondary characters?

Characters' desires

2009-03-14T14:19:00.002-05:00

Dear Reader,
For you to enjoy a book or any other type of story, do you have to know what the main character wants or desires?

What is the character's desires in your favorite books and what are the titles of those books?

And other writers, how do you chose to express your characters' desires?

Characters' habits

2009-03-12T19:09:00.003-05:00

The best way to change a bad habit is to change it to a good habit. We are creatures of habits might as well have many good habits vs. having many bad habits.

I think when I notice a character in a book having a habit, good or bad, it make them more human and real.

I often write my heroes running their hand through their hairs when nervous.

Dear Readers,
what habits do you notice in books or real life? If you are a writer what often show up in your books?

Rewriting- my first mistake

2009-03-11T10:56:00.003-05:00

Turned out the best first step to rewriting a novel is to take a break from the first draft. *Laugh* I knew this but I didn't give myself a break. I jumped right in and started trying to fix the first problem I came across. A bad begining. Then in turn I decided I need to start over and just write the story again. I didn't give my story a chance before I decide to change the whole thing.

Last night I read in an article on the Writer’s Digest website that you need to take two weeks, at least, off from your first draft. A month is better but who can wait that long? The article was titled "Revising Your Manuscript"

So I'm not to think about Keep Faith for two weeks. No more trying to change it, for now. ;)
Then once the two weeks is over, I'm to read my story as if it's a book I just brought. And go from there!

Oh my the way, for Lent I'm staying about from reading others' blogs. So my Internet friends I'm be back commenting on your blogs after Easter!

So
Dear Reader
What do you do to remove yourself from your first draft?
or
What do you do to escape the world about you?

Are your characters normal?

2009-03-10T08:41:00.005-05:00

I heard this Title of this book yesterday, "Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them" by John Ortberg. I laugh everytime I think of it. I haven't read it but I bet its funny.

Anyway,
Are your characters normal? I hope not! I hope they stand out and have something loveable about them, hero and villian.

So Dear Reader
What not normal about your characters?
And yes I'm trying to answer that story about my own characters. Luke is the flirty, charming bad boy who might turn out good. Marty is .... well I'm having a harder time getting to know Marty. I don't want her to turn out like me, I want her different. I have a bad habit of creating heroine who have my personality traits, so I'm working on that. Starting with Marty.

A writer's woe

2009-03-07T18:33:00.002-06:00

In the world of writers there is a lot of criticism about our works. Some days we take it well, others...not so well.

I have had a bad week of not so well. First I posted the end of a chapter on Miss Snark's First Victim. Great blog, by the way. In her drop the needle critic section for this month. I had so many grammar errors everyone who commented thougth English was my second language. I laughed, everyone I shared this comment laughed too. I made fun of it.

It sat in the back of my mind every time I sat down to try to rewrite my story. In those times I did not find it funny. The serpent, who some people named self doubt, and others have a different name for him, had crept in. I just took the time to check a dictionnary to see if crept or creep is correct. In case you are wondering I had creep written first. People I found this comment funny because I have an hearing loss, I know for a fact I don't hear the ending of words. So I mess up on present and past tense when writing as well as when I speak. People always want to know where I'm from. At the time I posted part of my chapter I was not thinking about my grammar. In fact I believed I pretty good grammar. Wrong! I glad I know now. I'm taking it with a big shovel of salt.
And then today I sat in my writing class after reading the first two pages of my YA novel, taking more criticsim. This time I'm told I need to state what my main character wants. While I had a hook, no one could tell what my MC wanted. The teacher also said a few things, basicly saying I had to learn how to set up my plot. Needless to say, I wanted to quit.
By the way, I'm not quitting!
I'm taking the writing class for a reason. To learn!
So back to the drawing board.
What does my main character want?
At what point does she start wanting it? Start the story there.
Find out how to increase tensing in plot.

Dear Reader,
What do you think?

Feel that Fire

2009-03-06T08:51:00.002-06:00

When it come to romance in real life, is wanting to feel that "click" on the first date realistic? Or should we want take things slow and go on a few dates before we pull the "lets be friends" line?

Dear Reader,
What do you think?

February Goals report

2009-02-03T12:49:00.002-06:00

January thru March goals
February Report
Write 2nd draft of Keep Faith
I realize what is wrong with my story and now (fingers cross) I'm ready to begin.
Start Memoir of an Angel Seer
Ideas and words are floating around in my head for this one. I ever have a different title now.
Write on my blog everyday
As you can see I did not write everyday in January. So new month, new attempt.
On the first of every month I hope to write an report on how I’m coming with my goals.
It is February 3rd, only a few days off. Not bad, not good either.

top of my TBR pile

2009-02-02T10:03:00.002-06:00

1. Inkheart by Cornella Funke (on night stand)
2. The Guardian by Dee Henderson
3. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
4. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
5. Kansas Weddings by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Writing Workshop Intro

2009-01-31T18:04:00.003-06:00

So today I started a writing workshop. I want to share something I feel is very important. The teacher said when you don't know where to start, start anywhere and write, and write, and write, and write, and write... When you get to the end look back and decide what goes well with the ending.
Really he said write that many times, actually I think he said write more times then that!
oh and he said don't worry.
So
write, write, write until you have no more to write
and
don't worry!
It's your first draft!

No more FEAR!

2009-01-30T09:16:00.002-06:00

No more fear! If you have heard me say I'm scared to rewrite my story then I'm sorry I said it to much. Today I'm turning over a new leaf! Today I start my rewrite!

a trip

2009-01-20T10:06:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow I'm going to Florida. So really my goal to post everyday just isn't working out. To many days where I draw a blank on what to post about.

On the Write side of my life
I realized what wrong with my story. The last 20,000 words or so what don't go with the first 15,000 words. They are two different stories. I realized that my heroine doesn't need to run away, she leave the plot behind. There really isn't any story after that part just a set of events. The story really take place in the first 8 chapters. I need to keep her in one place and have her faces her monsters head on. It'll make the story more interesting.

What problems have you noticed in your story once you started revising?

Revising started today

2009-01-16T12:05:00.002-06:00

I'm now revising my "long outline" I'm working on ch. 2 of the long outline. It's now ch. 1. Ch. 1 in the long outline was not needed. It was just me trying to get into the story.

No Guts, No Guy

2009-01-14T09:24:00.002-06:00

A few years ago my college roommate and I read an article titled No Guts, No Guy. We were both transfer to a new school and wanted a new start. We were shy each in our own way. So we made a banner to go across out dorm room's doorway. In big letters it said NO Guts, NO GUYS. And in our case it was true. We didn't have boyfriends or any guys to date. It seem like a good way to encourage us to smile, flirt and have a good time.

The same is true for heroines in novels. Most heroines have guts! Or if she doesn't get grow braver and stronger in her journey. She get the guy because she out there making then world better or worse in same cases. The point is that no guts, no guys is so true in novels.

So what is your heroine doing to show she has guts and will get the guy in the end? Mine is trying to save her father.

Be Bold!

2009-01-13T09:49:00.005-06:00

So since it a new year I want a change. One of the quickest way to have a change is to have a hair cut. For the past few weeks I desired the Pixie also known as the Chop. I think there a few more names for this hairstyle. Only today I changed my mind. Right now my hair is pass my shoulders. So maybe a Pixie is too bold, so now I'm thinking a Bob. If I like my hair that short maybe later I'll ask for a Pixie.

Courge

2009-01-05T07:59:00.006-06:00

Right now I'm sitting in Best Western breakfast room, listening to chairs squeak, a 24 hours news channel, and people waking up over coffee and juice. I'm visiting a small town in south Alabama, to hear Bill Johnson preach about supernatual courge. If you think about it, God gave a good many people in the Bible supernatual courge.

If anything is misspelled I'm sorry my connect is weak so it not going to spellcheck.

Later,

dog lovers

2009-01-02T17:25:00.000-06:00

I think dog lovers need to go see Marley and me!

2009 Goals

2009-01-01T15:14:00.001-06:00

2009 Writing Goals

Write an 2nd and 3rd draft of Keep Faith.
Write Memoir of an Angel Seer
Write Good vs. Evil (Working Title)
Write Daily on my blog

January thru March goals

Write 2nd draft of Keep Faith
Start Memoir of an Angel Seer
Write on my blog everyday
On the first of every month I hope to write an report on how I’m coming with my goals.

5 things from 2008

2008-12-31T13:18:00.001-06:00

5 things from 2008

5 things I learned about my writing

1. I hate the word “look”
2. I write the word “was” a lot. lol
3. I can write 100 words most days.
4. If I write everyday my story is easier to write day by day.
5. I can finish a first draft!

5 books I enjoyed in 2008.

1. The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
2. FaeFever by Karen Marie Moning
3. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
4. NeverWhere by Neil Gailman
5. The Warrior by Kinley MacGregor

Word Count: At 33900 my long outline is finished!

almost finish!

2008-12-30T08:20:00.003-06:00

I'm almost finish with my long outline. Some of you might call it the first draft. I have my reasons for calling it my long outline. For one thing there are a few scenes that have only a few lines down so I have the basic idea down. The whole time I'm writing this outline I'm thinking don't critique, don't worry about spelling, don't change that sentence because it boring with the word was in it, just don't, GET THE IDEA DOWN, WRITE, WRITE and WRITE some more.
So now I'm about to write the aftermath. The slow part that lead to the words THE END. I'm telling you I had a hard time writing the last few scenes knowing my story about to end. Now I realize I'm not finish and really its not the end of my time with this story. We still have a long journey together.
So after I write THE END, I'm going to straighten everything out, then let other people critique this story.
I have no clue who I'm going to pick.
I need someone who
give good feedback
tell me what good
tell me what bad
tell me what don't make sense
Will not tell me I'm insane LOL
someone I can trust
So far I have written 33,202 words.

Later

Black Moment Mmmhahahaha

2008-12-21T20:30:00.002-06:00

Just wrote my first black moment! My characters are doom! mmmhahaha! I'm official being an evil writer!
Really
I don't feel this way. I'm having an hard time being mean. Yeah, yeah I know my characters much now feel all is lost and my job is to make them feel that way. I just wrote the all is lost in love part, now i need to write my heroine is scared, hopeless and see no way out part.
I'm also thinking...
I'm almost finished!
While I'm happy to have my first full first draft finish, I'm sad. And all the stuff going on in the world doesn't not help with this feeling.
I'm sad because... well it almost the end of my book, and... it hard to explain it a writer's thing. I think. I tried to tell my Mama. She rolled her eyes. lol. And I think I have been talking to much about word count and being in the middle of the story. I don't tell her my story. I find when I try to explain my story while writing it, the story doesn't make any sense to anyone but me. lol

Anyway I just wrote the beginning of my first black moment!
about 31,000 words. (yes, its a little shorter then I planned.)

hello

2008-12-20T09:47:00.002-06:00

Hello
What's up with everyone else?
How the writing coming? or editing?
Is everyone ready for Christmas? or put name of your holiday here?

writing time

2008-12-17T11:35:00.002-06:00

I must except that Christmas shopping, church gatherings, and family together time is going to get in the way of my writing time.
Oh I'm having fun!
It just when I write down my word count or writing report I'm like "blah!"

Keep Faith Update
Current Words: 26,694
how many people running away: none
Marty: Need to know what going on with Daddy.
Luke: acting strange (story is in 1st person Marty's POV)
Writer's confession: I have to many 2nd Characters.

pulling weeds

2008-12-15T13:45:00.002-06:00

Annie feel she is pulling weeds instead of words from her head.

Yeah my story is going slow right now.
The good news is my story still moving forward. I hope it'll pick up speed soon.

Wow what a view!

2008-12-07T22:40:00.005-06:00

Hi people!

You ready for the News!

Drum roll, please!

I'm there!

I'm at the point of no return!

The middle!

The very middle of my story!

Marty has to decide to save her father or run (if not for the rest of her life, for a very long time).

Ok, I know that 22,734 is not half of 50,000 but this is the middle of my plot.

I'm so happy!

Do a little dance!

I'm finish for the day. Plan to write some more tomorrow!

Later

NaNoWriMo is Over...

2008-12-02T09:22:00.003-06:00

I finished NaNoWriMo with over 15,ooo words. While I didn't win NaNaWriMo, I still feel good about the word count I ended up with!
I started my story again for NaNo. My story is better then before. I changed from 3rd person point of view to 1st. Good thing too, I didn't have a clue how to write my hero's point of view. I have a new beginning I feel good about.

A few things I learned my writing from my NaNoWriMo 2008 experince.
A outline is a good thing to have. I planned my chapters, some of those chapters are blank
Plan the next chapter, scene alittle before sitting down to write.
Drink lots of coffee. (It's a bad habit. Do not start this one unless you have too)

Now any new writers reading this keep in mind this is how I write. You need to learn what work for you, trust me I'm still learning what work for me! LOL!
This is the fastest I ever written 15,000 words.
Feels good!

Later

what to talk about?

2008-11-28T09:52:00.006-06:00

Do you read while working on your story?

I thought about this yesterday as I tried to daydream my story. I didn't have time to write between the two Thanksgivings. We had lunch at my Grandmother (Mama's family) and back home to have Daddy's family Thanksgiving here.

I realized I'm stuck. I daydreamed up to a point. I finished the great ecape! lol Now it time for my characters to talk to each other. Get to know something important about each other. My problem? What to have them talk about. I keep thinking about the Movie Music and Lyrics When they go to have breakfast and he find out about the book with the character based on her in it. How they talk about thier fears once they are at the table. These are good things for audience to know too. It move the story. It set the scene for things that happen later. I want to write a believable convercation that does these things.

I guess I just going keep daydreaming and brainstroming. See whati come up with.

If you are a writer...

2008-11-23T22:16:00.003-06:00

If you are a writer, you need to read this.

I found the link on Janet Reid's blog.
She's a Literary Agent, go check out her blog.

buzzing high!

2008-11-19T09:59:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I wrote more on my story than I had in a while! I'm buzzing high with this knowledge! Of course I'm drinking coffee at the moment, its helping with the buzz feeling.

Yesterday I wrote 2,227 words!
Yesterday I read an acticle by a NaNoWriMo writer who wrote her 50,000 words in 10 days!
How she do that?
She tried to beat her day before word total.
So I decide each time I sat down to write (I write about 30 minutes at a time) I'll tried to beat the word count from the sit down before. Ended up writing between 200 - 600. Each time beating the word count from before!

I now have 8,771 words!
If I keep this up I'll have over 25,000 words by the end of NaNoWriMo!
And have a good start to Sweating with Sven!

A blog to encourage writers (Surviving NaNoWriMo Day 6)

2008-11-06T14:55:00.003-06:00

No, I have no idea what encourages writers to write, or what encourage you to write. Today surfed my favorite blogs looking for an encouraging blog to help me start writing today.
Here what I realized.
Get your fanny in the chair and finger's tips on the keyboard!

There my encouragement for any writer who happen to visit this blog.

I now have 1200 words so I'm off to write!

Surviving NaNoWriMo Day 3

2008-11-03T22:12:00.002-06:00

Title: Keep Faith
Total Words: 515
Today's Words: 515
Marty: Talking to her best friend about guys.
Luke: He's not in the story yet.
sample of story: "I don't want your leftover. Keep your exes where they are." said Marty.

Surviving NaNoWriMo Pre-day

2008-10-31T12:38:00.005-05:00

In 12 hours Nation Novel Writing Month START!
Yes I have sign up again.
This is my 3rd try.
I also sign up for Sven's 70 days of sweat writing challenge. This is my back up plan in case I don't finish 50,000 words at the end of November.

I started an outline to help me write and the story changed. Well the beginning changed. It became longer and hopefully more interesting. So I decide to keep to planning my story and then write the new version for NaNoWriMo. I will make it to THE END!
i will
i will
lol
oh and i wouldn't really start until Monday. People over this weekend. I doubt I'll get any writing done.

more later
Maybe on Monday

It is not writer's block!

2008-10-08T16:52:00.004-05:00

As I’m writing lately two quotes keep running thought my head. Both of them I have said numerous times on this blog. One is in fact on the sideline.
The first one is “But if you make progress on your book each and everyday, isn’t that what counts?” written by Jaci Burton in one of her blogs for 70 days of sweat.
I have been trying to write my story so I can have it finish at the end of the month. Why? So I can start a new idea for NaNoMo. This mean I have to write about 1200 words a day. Not have much luck with that.
Here my week starting Wednesday Oct. 1
Wednesday – 372
Thursday – 0
Friday – 6
Saturday – 492
Sunday – 42
Monday – 0

Tuesday - 0

See those zeros? On those days I’m staring at the blank screen, notebook paper, or print-out thinking WHERE TO GO NOW??? This leaded to the next quote.

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after if with a club!” Jack London

I’m bad about waiting until a scene pop into my head, and then I write.

I have found a few things to help me. One thing I’ve tried is to set a goal for my heroine and I write her to it. She gets into trouble on the way, of course.
As I try new ideas for getting the story moving I’ll tell about them here.

Later,
Annie

My Book. Keep Faith

2008-09-22T10:26:00.002-05:00

Today I decided to tell a little about the story I'm writing.

It's a young adult novel.
You could call it a Christian's story.
It's place in the future.
I think it seem more fantasy then sci-fi.
Heroine's name is Marty.
Right now the Hero's name is Will but I think I need to change his name. Hard to write sentences like "Will will go to the store" with that name.

My word count has gone down I edited some scenes out and are now writing the replacement scenes
of course one scene I cut out I now think I'll more it to the end.

The goal has been moved farther back

2008-09-11T15:14:00.002-05:00

I have decided to move the goal of finishing my novel to sometime in October. Turned out the plot I had planned is not strong enough so I'm now re-reading my story. I'm asking myself if I was the reader of this story what questions would I have. As the writer I'm going see how I can answer these question.

See I'm farther in my story then I ever arrived before. I normally quit the story before this point so I'm stuck. I'm scared. I sit frozen in front of the computer thinking "is this story good enough?" "Is what I have written so far good?"
The good news
I don't what to just start another story. I mean if I do that I start at word zero again. And after so much work on this story I'm not quiting. I'm giving my permission to write .... (can't think of a word to put here that is not a curse word.) oh yes I stole the idea of self permission from berry path's 's blog she wrote months ago.

The Goal!

2008-08-28T19:10:00.002-05:00

My goal is to finish my first draft at the end of September!

I wish everyone God Bless in their writing and hitting their goals!

Keep Writing!

6th day of Binge

2008-08-21T21:45:00.002-05:00

Hi my total so far

Saturday: 2 hours
Sunday: 0
Monday: 30 min
Tuesday: 45 min
Wednesday: 0
today: 2 hours

What I have learned from this experience. I tend to find other things to do other then writing when I try to commit to writing.
one more day!

Writer's Binge Day 1 and Tomato Pie

2008-08-16T18:20:00.003-05:00

Today I started Candy Haven's Writer's Binge Class. Everyone in the class set a goal of how many hours they want to write a day for the next week.
My goal: two hours per day
Today I wrote: 2 hours

And since the word binge bring to mind food here is a recipe for:
Tomato Pie
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped 1/2 cup chopped green onion 1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell 1 cup grated mozzarella 1 cup grated cheddar 1 cup mayonnaise Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.
Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.

Food for Thoughts 2

2008-08-14T16:02:00.002-05:00

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." Jack London

This is true in life as well as in writing. Some days there are no ideas or feelings to inspire the words for that day when writing. Some days in life you have to just go for it to make that day a good day. Go to the interview, talk to the person you like, make a new friend, Ace that test, and any number of things.

Food For Thoughts

2008-08-13T12:51:00.003-05:00

"If you wish to be a writer; Write!" ~Epictetus

In the last few days I haven't written anything. I was in Florida with my old college roommate. Nothing exciting happened there. Sure we when to the beach. I, of course, get a little sunburn on my legs and back. We went shopping but there only so much shopping I can stand! I know I know women are suppose to LOVE shopping. Not me! We ate at this place that served Brunch called Another Broken Egg. I could eat there everyday. Only it was a little pricey for my looking for a job budget.

I need to go write. As Epictetus say "Write!"

Keep Faith Report

2008-08-02T21:15:00.001-05:00

I decided my book length will be 50,000 words instead of 75,000 words. I think my plot will work better with fewer words.

Definitely, Maybe

2008-08-01T12:48:00.007-05:00

Definitely, Maybe

I give this movie 4 starfish rating

This movie is a wonderful, give you a warm feeling kind of movie! A great girls-night-in movie. Ladies, this movie is about the guy's view in the relationship.

Will's daughter Maya asked him for the story about how he met her mother. He decide to tell her, but he changes all the names so she has to guess who turn out to be her mother. Maybe you will, Maybe you won't guess who end up Maya's mother but you definitely enjoying this poor guy's story.

If you believe in 2nd chances, this is the movie for you!

Anyone else seen any great movies lately?

The Confession of a Twenty-something

2008-07-31T12:35:00.004-05:00

My Confession?

I have self-doubt.

I recently graduated from college for the 2nd time. No, no Master Degree here. With a 2nd Bachelor Degree. First one in English and the new one in Family and Consumer Science. Yeah, I know how to read between the lines of a great novel and a little bit about children.

Now, I'm out searching fore a job.
Ahh, yes, the great job hunt!
I have applied fore several jobs. None I feel qualified for. Sure I know something about children development. But I'm I right for the job? It doesn't help when the ad say "Need two years of experience." I'm a new college grad.

And.... and
I'm now in the middle of my story. Well the beginning of the middle. The place where I'm staring out at the clearing. There is nothing in this clearing. I need to fill it with words. I can see the other side. I have an idea how I wish to end the book. But first I need to get through the middle.

I need to write

Instead I'm reading Left Behind and Loving it by paperback Writer. It a workshop by the way. Feel free to head over there. So I'm reading these articles by this wonderful writers and my internal editor is saying " you need to go back and work on 'your plot'" for example.

Yeah, not good.

So far I have lock the editor in a dark room with a lock door somewhere in the back of my mind. Every once in a while I heard her say something through the key hole.

I'm writing, moving forward. Thank God.

I have 15800 words, see the beginning of the middle.

So what confession do you have to make today? What do you worry about in life or your writing?

Life is a Highway (with Jesus!)

2008-07-28T11:30:00.004-05:00

I'm going to tell you a story, you may or may not have heard before. Once the story is over I'm going to ask you a question.

The story is....
We all drive our cars down the highway called Life. Once day you see Jesus on the side of the road. You think I know who this is so you pull over to pick him up. Being uncomfortable with Him, but sure you'll need Him when you drive into a bad time, you put Him in the truck for safe keeping. Once those bad times come we invite Him to sit in the back seat. Eventually, after one of those bad times, you decide to let him stay in the back seat. Now you talk to Him. Ask for his advice. Thank goodness He's not a back seat driver! One day you realize you're more comfortable with him, you invite Him to the front seat. Right next to you! Wow! Jesus is right there next to you! The feeling! You are closer to Him then ever in your life! You talk to Him all the time now! Still you don't have peace in your life. You ask Him "Jesus, why don't I have peace in my life?"
He turn to you and say "I'm not in the driver's seat."

It's hard for us to give up control of our lives.

My question is...
Where Jesus sitting in your car on this highway we call Life? Passenger

writing in 2nd person

2008-07-02T18:05:00.003-05:00

Welcome! I hope you didn't have a hard time finding the place. Come in! Come in! Make yourself at home! If you came here to find out more aobut writing in 2nd person you are at the right place. After all this point of view is about you.

Did you know that writing incorrectly in 2nd person is often one of the first mistakes a beginning writer make? I'm glad you are researching about 2nd person so you would make this mistake.

Did you know that 2nd person aim at a specific audience? Like this acticle is aimed at beginning writers.

Did you know that you are reading an acticle written in 2nd person?

For a good acticle on 2nd person go here. This guy know more about it

Writing in 3rd person

2008-07-01T10:46:00.002-05:00

I researched how to write in 3rd person on the internet. Well turned out there are three ways to write in 3rd person. I decided to keep it simple.

Writing in 3rd person is like writing events you are only observing.

Okay, that is too simple.

Ok I’m going to explain the three ways to write in 3rd person without of all the terms.

First way to write in 3rd person is the way to give the most information. The narrator knows everything! Every action the characters are making, their every thought. The readers get it all!

Example:
Mary smiled knowing her friend had found more then one new dress. She looked up from the pendent she fiddled with, to look out the door. She met the brown eyes of a young man walking by. Wow he’s cute! She thought. He returned her smile, showing a dimple in his right cheek before disappearing into the crowd.
Mary’s heart raced at the sight of his smile. She felt a burning sensation in her stomach. She almost stepped out the door to follow him, wondering how she could have any reaction to him when she only liked one guy in her life.

Will stopped walking he realized he lost track of his older friend. His thoughts had drafted to the girl he had seen a minute or two ago. He remembered the girl’s smile. Stop thinking about her. He angry told himself. Find Michael and talk him out of this foolishness. I have my own mission to complete. He pushed through the crowd.

In this one the writer can go into every character’s head, not just the hero and heroine.

Ok so the next way is more limited. The writer only writes from one character point of view.

Ok
Example:
Mary’s heart raced at the sight of his smile. She felt a burning sensation in her stomach. She almost stepped out the door to follow him, wondering how she could have any reaction to him when she only liked one guy in her life.
“Mars,” said Selena. Stopping her in her tracks. She looked to see what Selena wanted. “I’ve asked Ms. Joy’s assistant to help you pick out some dresses.”
“Selena?” Mary asked unsure what to do. “A few seconds ago I saw a guy.” Mary stopped to smile at Selena’s reaction to the word guy. Her friend has stopped in mid-motion of reaching for yet another dress. “He had the most gorgeous eyes.”
Selena pushed the dresses in her hands at the assistant who grabbed them in surprise. “Well, go after him!” Selena said. She headed to the door. “Are you going or not?” She asked when Mary didn’t make a move. Mary left without a second thought, Selena right on her heels.
In this one you know only what the heroine is doing and what she’s thinking. You don’t know what her friend is thinking.

Ok is last way to write in 3rd person is only to narrated the characters’ actions.

Example:

A young woman pushed through the crowd. She looked in every direction. She stood on her toes but she didn’t reach over the heads of the taller people. She laughed and shook her head.

Okay I realized that my examples are flat especially that last one. But I hope this helped some people at least start to understand 3rd person.

Does anyone have anything to add about 3rd person?

Keep Faith writing report:
I wrote 112 words yesterday! I'm now on chapter 3!

coming this week!

2008-06-30T10:23:00.002-05:00

This week I’m going to blog 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person. Also I’m going to blog about Point of View. I’m going to tell how I believe each is important or not important in writing.

Tuesday: 3rd person
Wednesday: 2nd person
Thursday: 1st person
Friday: On Point of View

On sunday I wrote a little over 100 words. I'm going to do better today!

Why I write

2008-06-27T09:28:00.003-05:00

First to understand why I write, you must know why I love reading. Yes, I know most writers love to read. It’s the love for the story that drives them to want to create their own stories.
The people who visit this blog may have notice the few and far between comments I have made about having a hearing lost. Most people have had a few times when they don’t hear or understand what someone else is saying. Well, imagine having that 24/7. For the most part you understand what the other person is saying then come a word you’re not expecting or rarely see. I read lips when I have a hard time understanding what I’m hearing. Once that word passed you are lost. You miss the rest of the conversion because your mind is to busy trying to figure out that WORD! Yes, incase you are wondering my mind run a million miles a minute trying to guess what you are going to say and what have you already said.
Anyway, a young girl, me, who hates whisperings and has a bad habit of tuning people out when I don’t understand, opened a book and I understand every word. There is no “what did you say?” , “Please repeat that.”, Or “what did they just say?” No! Every word is there. Right there! Printout in little black letters! In this wonderful silence but noisy world I “heard” perfectly. Of course after reading about these wonderful worlds I wanted to write about them. This is why I write for the same reason I read.

Why do you write or read? Is to escape to another world or to hear every word like me?

taking over the world!

2008-06-09T22:55:00.004-05:00

Well I was planning on posting something about the lifetime tv show ArmyWives today as you can see I haven't. I love that show! I'm so glad it started back this past sunday.
No, I'm going to post about my lastest genius plan on how I'm taking over the world! just kidding. No, it just my lastest plan on how I'm going to write more. lol. See I'm going to take over the world one word at a time!
So Fast draft has started again and I'm going for it! This is where every writer must write 20 pages a day for two weeks and then post it on the Candace Haven's yahoo group. I'm not part of a team this time so I'm just going to post what me, myself and I wrote! While it started today, I'm going to start tomorrow!
Best of Luck to all writers!
Don't forget to write today!

lets talk feet

2008-06-04T22:50:00.003-05:00

Here are 5 things I find funny about feet.

1. Some people don't have much of an arch in the bottom of their foot. (me for one)
2. Sometime the 2nd toe is longer then the "Big Toe." (Beware of these people they're bossy)
3. Our (women's) feet need a little paint to look good.
4. If you count your toes really fast you need up with eleven.
5. Without your "Big Toe" you lose your balance.

I posted this yesterday but I forgot to ask:

What do you find funny about feet?

watching

2008-06-03T23:17:00.001-05:00

Who’s watching you? Or more to the point who are you watching? I don’t know about other writers but I like to people watch. Some people favorite hobby is bird watching mine are writing and people watching. When I lived in the dorms my room was on the 2nd floor. I would sit in the window, must to college staff dismay, and watch people walk across the small quad next to my dorm.
Our campus is known for its brick sidewalk and roads. The quad has a small slop and its brick paths formed a star like pattern with a small flower garden in the middle. Not many flowers grew there since everyone going to the cafeteria walked through it. I liked to watch people walk down the slop, to see how their walk change once they reached that point. The funniest times were when some of the girls from the other girl’s dorm would try to walk in heels down that sideway made of brick. Their walk would change trying to balance on these pencil thin heels. I never saw anyone fall but a few almost trips. I think how we walk is one of our most interesting habits.
When a writer tells how their characters walk it tell all about their personality.
As a writer what habits do you often put in your story?
If you like to watch people what habit do you watch or watch for?

pulling weeds

2008-05-28T12:12:00.002-05:00

Lately I feel like I'm pulling weeds when I'm trying to write. It don't help that my grandmother in the hospital. She's ok, slowly getting better. So I'm back to writing in my notebook. Easier to carry to the hospital. So it going to take a little longer to write my lengthy outline. So how everyone else doing with their writing?

Lengthy outline

2008-05-15T21:36:00.003-05:00

I have decide that I will finish what I now call my lengthy outline by June 15th. I hope to have an idea what going to happen through out Keep Faith by that point. I plan to have write a outline of about 30,ooo+ words for an 75000 length novel. This mean I need to write about 1000 words a day.
Right now I'm working toward the "New Situation" part of the outline plot. I just need to write a few more scenes and then I start to create obstacles for my hero and heroine to over come until I get to the "point of no return." lol have no clue what these obstacles are but hopefully I come up with something.

So that my writing plan for now

run for your lives!

2008-05-06T23:28:00.003-05:00

Thank you Amanda for posting about sprint writing! I wrote 1020 words tonight!
Anyway here an update

Title:Keep Faith
New words: 1020
How many people ran off today: 2. Will and Mary are running for thier lives well at least for his.
Mary: Is helping Will escape.
Will: Wondering how he got stuck with the crazy woman.
sample:
“Woman! What are you doing?” he asked. She didn’t answer instead she moved her arms in a movement that told him to hurry back through the window. Once he climbed through, she ran back across the court yard. He decided to follow but he had a lot of questions.

Sprint Writing!

2008-05-06T10:02:00.002-05:00

Well this greenhorn at sprint writing finally wrote with some ladies from endurance writing group at Yahoo. I only wrote with them for 30 minutes since I joined the chat late last night but I wrote 490 words.
A few things I discovered while writing.
1. This story is a YA novel.
2. The bad guy of the scene think the heroine is dumb.

some thoughts

2008-04-26T16:51:00.002-05:00

First thought is I don't like the new name of my blog... I changed it earlier because I thought Writer of an Unfinished Novel sounded negative. I want to write about how I write a novel from start to finish. Then about the adventure that happen after.

Second thought is I wrote about 150 words today. I'm glad I wrote at all. I'm sick with a running nose, a cough, and can't hear (worse then normal). So I'm on meds so it not as bad as it was.

Third thought is I was going to try this book in a week thing that the girls over at First Edition started last week but I think I'll wait until I'm finish with my meds before I start that. The basic of the idea is to write 200 pages in a week. Maybe if I try this idea I can make it to the dreaded middle of my story or at least get a lot more then 100 words written a day.

Fourth thought is.... I have no clue about the ending of my story or the middle for that matter! This is a first for me in a long.. long time. I have normally have parts of my story in my head. I write the ending hoping that I'll one day write the rest of the story to met the ending but that never happened. So maybe it's a good thing that I don't have a clue what going to happen next. Yeah that what bothering me I don't know what going to happen next.

Right now in my story I'm trying to explain the heroine's world. She in with the wrong crowd so to speak and starting to realize it. I'm still in the beginning.

OK Fifth and last thought lol is about two posts over at 70 days of sweat.
The first one is "Oh How very appropriate."
It's about taking a risk in your writing and how the writer feel that the story she working on only make sure to her at the moment. I feel that way about my story too.
OK the other post is "Why I write."
It's about writing the book you want to read. lol Now I have always thought this was a good idea and that I was trying to write the story I wanted to read but it turn out I was just trying to rewrite the stories I have read. Now for the first time I really do feel like I'm writing a story I want to read because I've yet to see it on the bookstore bookshelf.
Scary!

a little bit more

2008-04-16T21:48:00.003-05:00

My report so far.

Title: Keep Faith
yesterday's words: 500+
today's words: 100+
Mary: Well I'm writing more on the mob scene.
Will: He's coming to the rescue.
The number of people running away: Between the two different scenes I wrote 7 people ran away, a group of children and Mary.
Sample of text: Fulled with anger Mary think What do these snot nose people think they are doing?"

hand written page

2008-04-13T23:59:00.002-05:00

so today I wrote in my notebook so I don't know the exact number of words I wrote. I believe 300+

Anything you can do I can do better!

2008-04-09T21:24:00.002-05:00

anything you can do, I can do better.
I can do anything better than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes Ican.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can!

These lyrics have been running though my head all day! I think it from Annie Get Your Gun..... Yes, it from Annie Get Your Gun. I just asked one of my music crazy friends. Now he singing the song at the top of his lungs. LOL anyway. I wrote some more today.

Title: Keep Faith
Today's words: 366
Mars/Mary: just attacked her own hair. It's cut pretty close to her head.
Will: Can only stare.

Keep Faith's update

2008-04-08T23:44:00.002-05:00

Finally I wrote something today!
Title: Keep Faith
Today's words: 210 (hi it's a start, will do better tomorrow)
Mars: Is surrounded by a mob. Not looking good for her.
Will: Not in the scene yet.

food for thoughts

2008-04-01T13:57:00.002-05:00

"You can't wait for Inspiration you have to go after it with a club."
Jack London

Wow I can just see a man running into the wood with a big club. Snow covering the ground, the pine trees and the man's clothing.

ready. set. go....tomorrow

2008-03-20T22:30:00.001-05:00

I'm going to start writing my story tomorrow. That the beginning and end of "the plan"!!!
Updates? I'm not making any promises.

Happy Writing to All!

Spring Forward

2008-03-08T23:17:00.002-06:00

Is everyone ready to spring forward, I know I'm not. I hate to lose that one hour of sleep I love so much!

What that? How my writing going? hahaha.... Writing what that again? Oh right where I put my story down in words. Well as crazy as it might sound my story or any other story is not talking to me. Every once in a while it run by and I get a glimpes but nothing stay logged in to my brain.
So how everyone else's writing going?

This is funny

2008-02-29T15:29:00.001-06:00

Which sci-fi crew would you best fit in with? (pics)
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica)

You are leery of your surroundings, and with good reason. Anyone could be a cylon. But you have close friends and you know they would never hurt you. Now if only the damn XO would stop drinking.

Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica)

100%

Serenity (Firefly)

88%

Moya (Farscape)

88%

Babylon 5 (Babylon 5)

75%

Deep Space Nine (Star Trek)

63%

Enterprise D (Star Trek)

63%

Heart of Gold (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

56%

Millennium Falcon (Star Wars)

56%

Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix)

38%

FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files)

31%

SG-1 (Stargate)

25%

Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda)

19%

Bebop (Cowboy Bebop)

13%

Resource

2008-02-22T11:21:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone,
Right now I'm not really writing anything. I'm mostly doing resource. So talk you y'all later.

2008-02-11T09:23:00.000-06:00

Hello People!
Sven is having round 3 of 70 days of Sweat! Are you really? I've signed up once again. Yeah, I know what y'all are thinking... Well this time I'm going to reach my goal!
Total goal: 70,000 words
Daily goal: 1000 words

For more information click the sven icon in my sidebar.

this weekend

2008-02-10T21:44:00.000-06:00

This weekend I didn't write one word. So I hope to write 20 pages on Wednesday. Why Wednesday? I have a test tuesday. School must come first. or maybe I just need to organize my time.... hmmm there a thought.
Elle hoped you had a good time this weekend with your friends
Amanda so is your computer screen too steamed up to see your words anymore?

Later :)

From Nora Roberts

2008-02-06T11:28:00.000-06:00

I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank page.

Nora Roberts

Tuesday's report

2008-02-05T22:14:00.000-06:00

Title: Keep Faith
New pages 2 1/2
Total pages 10 1/2
Page goal 280
Evan: being devilish flirtly
Mars (Mary): falling easily
Will: not in the story yet
A sample:
He stopped once he reached the door. He turned to notice I haven't followed him. "Coming?" he asked.I jumped into movement to follow. "Now?" I stupidly asked.
He grinned "I don't think our guest can wait all day." he answered.

This so sound like a teen story. I don't know if that a good thing or a bad thing. It's the first draft... repeat to self it's the first draft. Close my eyes repeating the words over and over again. The first draft is allowed to seriously suck!

monday's report

2008-02-04T22:18:00.000-06:00

So I counted my words on a one hand written page (only one side). The results? One notebook sheet, both sides, equal one type page. If one type page is 250 words then one notebook page is, give or take, equal to or over that amount. I'm just going to go with both sides of a notebook page is one type page.

Ok so here what i have so far (this is also over at Writing to the bitter end, on Livejournal)

Title: Keep Faith
page goal: 280
New page: 1
Totol pages: 8
Mary: is waking up
Will: has not entered the story yet
Even: walk into the room without a warning
A sample of text:
"Still wearing virgin white." he said
Of course he say something about it. I thought. All men do is think about sex, right?

I still in the this suck stage of my writing so I'm spending most of my time staring at the page then writing. Tomorrow is a new day!

Happy Writing and Good Luck!
Annie

saturday report

2008-02-03T01:30:00.000-06:00

I only got one page today. The story didn't flow I spent most of the time staring at a blank page.

friday's report

2008-02-02T10:13:00.000-06:00

very little progess on friday. I only wrote 2 pages. Here the thing I was at the computer, while I can spit out a good number of pages at the computer I now believe that I'm better at getting more pages the old fashion way. lol pencil and paper. There seem more of a conneting between by day dreaming mind and my writing hand. When I'm at the computer I still worried about typos.
So does two written notebook pages equal one typed page?
That what I believed in High School at least.
Does everyone agree with that?
Here the big question is it one side or both sides that count as a page? lol
Ok now everyone get back to writing!

Happy Writing and Good Luck!
Annie

fast draft and plotting

2008-01-28T14:53:00.000-06:00

So I just joined Candace Haven's write_workshop yahoo group. She getting ready to start a workshop on how to write a fast draft in two weeks. She said to write 20 pages a day. All I can say about that is WOW! Anyway not sure I'm going to join this workshop since I just came up with a new idea that need some serious resource before even writing the first draft.

So this time around I have decided to try being a plotter. Or a least write more background and do more resource before writing that first draft so this is not a book I can try write in 30 or 70 days. Right I'm writing scenes in my heroine's first person POV. So far the scenes are importance to her. I'm hoping that other characters' scenes start popping into my head. I believe that actual story will be in 3rd person.

Later Y'all

writing...finally!

2008-01-22T00:43:00.000-06:00

So today i finally started writing again. My well has been dry for so long. Sadly it another story, not the one I have worked on for the past two years, give or take. The new story is Chirstian's fanasy place in the future. My other story didn't feel right. I hope to one day return to it but right now it on the back burner.
So far I have written background information on the heroine, so far this story does not look like a romance but knowing me it will show up eventually. So far she the only one talking so far.

Later Y'all

what I have written lately

2008-01-19T11:55:00.000-06:00

As some of you know I have started my internship. Part of my assignment in for my internship is to work on 3 projects. One of my project is to write an Dear Parents letter about why should parents make their 2 year olds follow the rules. Well here is the letter:

Dear Parents,
It is very important that your two year olds follow rules. He is now starting to explore the world around him. He needs to know the rules of that world. Now is the time to teach them. One reason to start teaching the rules is that your child’s language will grow leaps and bounds in the next few years. Some experts say that children between the ages of two - six will learn the meaning of eight new words a day. This will help them learn the meaning of your directions. While exploring he will show a strong need for independence. This means that he is also going to need boundaries. Your child is going to test these boundaries to lean his limits and the rules. Rules are significant for your child’s development.
Here are some suggestions on how to teach your child to follow directions:
· Think of discipline as a teaching tool.
· At this age children learn by example, show your child what you wish for them to learn. If you wish for them to clean up their room, show them how to clean up their room.
· Try to teach the rule by turning it into a game. An example is turning cleaning up their room into pretend-play. Pretend that their toys need to return home. Have the toys walk, jump or even fly home.
· After saying no, offer two acceptable choices. An example would be if your child wants a toy someone else is playing with offer them a choice between two other toys.

If anyone see any grammer mistakes please let me know. I turn this in next week.

The New Year! 2008!

2008-01-01T20:48:00.000-06:00

One of my friends, over at LiveJournal, Elle posted what she learned about her writing over the past year, on her blog. Well I have not learned as many things as she had but here are the few things I learned.

1. It's okay to write.... bad. It easier to fix a page full of words then stare at a blank page waiting for the right words to come.
2. When I have a moment where I'm not sure where to go next. Its best for me to write or start a short story. I would at least wrote something that day. Plus the book I'm trying to write hates that I'm away and start talking to me again. :)
3. I really really need to quit worrying about the word count.
4. No matter what it best if I write something everyday.

Okay, now my plans for the coming year....

1. Finish school
2. Find a nice job so I can get out of my parents' hair.... I mean house. (really it's not that bad, just that what children are suppose to do. Move out eventually) Not that moving is in the plans for 2008
3. Write for myself! Not for publishing or other people. Goes along with need to quit worrying about the word count thing above.
4. Keep in touch with my new writing friends Amanda and Elle.

The Well is dry

2007-12-18T16:23:00.000-06:00

Hello my friends,
Just in case you are wondering what happened to me here an update. once I get home I get catch up in the usual Christmas shopping and family gathering. So I have not had the chance to write. Also when I did try to write... I was dry. I had nothing... So I'm trying to read something hoping the juice will return. Note I said trying.... School might be over for Christmas break but I'm still busy.

I hate being sick!

2007-12-06T22:42:00.000-06:00

so for the last 2 days I have been sick, so sick I don't feel like doing anything, like walking to class, working on my class work or writing. i'm just been sleeping the days away. so i'm behind by 600 words maybe I'll write them later tonight, since I'm feeling better and not sleeply since I slept most of the day.
thanks for advice amanda.

daily word count: 0

1st day in my challenge.

2007-12-04T18:58:00.000-06:00

First what going on in my life.
I might be getting an internship at the place I really really want to intern!
Now I'm just going to "think out loud"
I'm so shy it hurt sometime... you know the people who rather run away then face other people..... that me..... well was me. I'm not so shy anymore that I can't face people.... it just a certain person.... and I don't run away I more avoid. I want to run away, it just that I see him at work and can't run away. Yes, i know sad. We play the staring or watching game as I like to call it. See we don't work for the same place it just that there are two stores with windows/ glass wall between them. i work at the coffee cafe and he work at the campus bookstore. So everyone watches people though the glass. anyway I'm just shy, so I just watch, I don't smile or anything just watch, I'm bad about watching people anyway lol. Ok i'm finish rambling about it.
Amanda I know you are the only one who read my blog so thank for "listening" lol

Day word count is 321!

A challange to myself.

2007-12-03T21:49:00.000-06:00

I plan to write 300 words for ten days starting tomorrow. After the ten days are up (final exams will be finish and Christmas break start) I will then start to increase my word count by beating the previce day word count until Dec 31th. That the challange I created for me. lol!

42nd day of sweat

2007-11-27T20:39:00.000-06:00

OK so I basically started the story over. Started writing it from the hero Point of View. Normally I write both together though out the book. No no not this time. For started I decided to write in first person from my heroine point of view. this worked pretty well until I realized I don't know my hero. He doesn't talk to me or my heroine very often, make it hard to write about him. Men! any who over my very short thanksgiving break my hero all the sudden started telling me his side of the story. (yes i hear voices in my head.....*roll eyes* It called writing a story in your head.... just that charterers take over..... yes I'm crazy what can I say I'm a writer. ) any who.... So I'm now writing his story. It could not have come at the worst time. i have a research paper due next week and then finals.

Yesterday word count: 275

for anyone who's wondering

2007-11-20T14:09:00.000-06:00

Writing really slow right now. Between school and writing, school come first so I'm trying to finished projects that are due after Thanksgiving. I'm hoping once Chirstmas Break start I'll get a chance to play catch up. I know that weeks aways but I'm going to be busy those weeks.

30th day of sweat

2007-11-15T08:02:00.000-06:00

I started writing again this morning! As soon as I woke up I wrote for 30 minutes! Yay! I'd would do a little dance but I'm not a morning person.

Word Count: 341 and counting (fingers crossed)

28th day of sweat

2007-11-13T20:33:00.001-06:00

Hi
Amanda. I'm fine now. My friend with the kindey stone had to go to the hospital, so thursday and friday I was at the hospital most of the time. He had surgery on friday's morning. I know I don't want to be in the hospital by myself so I'm not going to let my friend stay in the hospital alone. So I tried to stay as much as I could. My friend came home on friday. The weekend was busy with being lazy.... trying to do school work. Sunday I get sick and monday was not any better. I finally feel better today. I wrote a little the whole time. Mostly in a notebook. So i need to type that up to see how many words I have this week, plus I didn't have a clue what to write over the weekend but I think I have a good idea where to take the plot now. Thank you for your time to everyone who bother to read this. lol
Thank you Amanda for being a good friend (in the world of blogging)

Words count: who knows

21st day of sweat

2007-11-06T00:30:00.000-06:00

hello,
The camping retreat was just what I needed. I'll tell you more tomorrow what happened. Right now I'm ready for bed. I have a test tomorrow so... anyway today word count is 876. A little bit here, a little bit there. It's starting to add up. I feel good about my word count. Will aim for a higher number tomorrow.

17th day of sweat and 1st of NaNo

2007-11-01T21:20:00.000-05:00

Today while also studying for a test I wrote 575 words today. I now write for 30 minutes right after I wake up. As soon as I wake up I start my computer, open the word program, then set my cell phone timer, then for the next 30 minutes I write. I will write about 250 - 300 words. I know I'm not a very fast typer. Later that day I told 15 minutes break from studying to write. So at that time I wrote about 200 words. I'm not going to get much writing done this weekend I'm going to camp for the weekend. Its a college students retreat. I think it be fun, it was fun last year when I went.

15th and 16th day of sweat

2007-11-01T00:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!
No little ghosts, witchs or fairies came to my door tonight. we had a whole bowl of candy too. So my words count for yestesday was 420 and today none. I trying to write the hero's pov now. Harder then i thought. His pov is in 3rd person. I just feel like his side of story explain a few screens better but I'm not yet sure how to write. I feel like I should just write and not worry about it but sometime that hard. I want to go back and if it, change it, but what I change doesn't sound right either. Sometime I think what I orinally write sounded better. Plus I dealing with school. Ugggg..... I need to find a internship for Spring semester. Every where I have tried so far, say sorry we're not supporting a internet at that time or they already have enough interns. I want to write to help with the stress but then I stress over the writing. I know my posts are not up beat right now I'm sorry. It just that time of the semester I guess. I know it'll get better. It always does, its just climbing the mountain that turn out to be a grain of sand, but the climbing is the hardest part.

14th day of sweat

2007-10-29T23:06:00.001-05:00

Today I didn't get the chance to type anything up. I wrote some on a scape piece of paper. See this morning at 6 my friend wake me up. He needed to go to the ER. Turned out the poor guy had a kidney stone. Normally I write in the morning when I wake up. My mind still in dreamland where anything can happen so I tend to write better before my coffee crazy right? lol anyway so I didn't have the chance this morning. I wrote a little at the hospital but it felt like an coming of an idea more then part of my story. It was more like my hero's journal. Anyway I spent 3 hours in the er this morning with my friend. I feel like I hitting a wall in everything I'm doing, not just writing. I need to find that ladder to help me get over the wall. Stupid thing is hiding from me. Anyone have any small ideas on how to de-stress?

13th day of sweat

2007-10-29T01:25:00.000-05:00

hi for sunday the 13th day of sweat I wrote 695 words! ok now I'm going to bed. Goodnight!

12th day of sweat

2007-10-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

yesterday, the 12 day of sweat, I wrote 686 words. yay! Better then I have been writing lately. I haven't written anything today yet.