Hey, everyone! I'm back!
Sorry for taking off without notice, but I decided to try switching to a very aggressive exercise program analogous to CrossFit at the end of January, and after a month's work at it (and the attendant exhaustion, recovery fatigue, immune-system depression and dietary chaos), I've decided that doing it amounted to writing a mental and physical "check" that I had no business trying to cash. Nothing whatsoever wrong with the gym or its program: it's just not a fit for me where I am physically, and where I need to put my energy in terms of my other commitments (writing among them). I'll be returning to Planet Fitness and my previous resistance-training workout this week.
Ambiguous enough? Good! Back to writing, now.
Novel-length redrafting on Darwin Colossus is the Project in Question at the moment, so I'm taking that back up this week. This weekend has been devoted to good success in catching up on neglected errands and dubious success in staving off a creeping sore throat. Sleep awaits, tonight, and resumption of a more reasonable schedule tomorrow.
-Rich
Showing posts with label administrivia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label administrivia. Show all posts
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
NaNoWriMo Countdown is Ticking!
I've been outlining and brainstorming all evening for the writing marathon (or chain of sprints... whichever) that is NaNoWriMo. I'm quite pleased with my story concept and character sketches so far (great artist steal...), and to boot, I'll be blogging here about my progress and thoughts as close to every day as I can.
This novel, tentatively titled Vitium Renata, will mark both my first novel-length foray into fantasy, as well as my first attempt at working up a fully-fledged magic system.
What it will not be, though, is an exploration of something I discovered at this past weekend's Magic City Writers group meeting, which is that I may have a real gift for writing horror, or at least the ability to derive a lot of fun and pleasure from the process. I will definitely be trying my hand at some horror stuff after NaNoWriMo has ended. Just in time for Christmas!
After the break, a little rough horror scene I did at the prompting of Kathryn, who was driving the 10-minute writing exercises that day. Be warned: it's gross!
This novel, tentatively titled Vitium Renata, will mark both my first novel-length foray into fantasy, as well as my first attempt at working up a fully-fledged magic system.
What it will not be, though, is an exploration of something I discovered at this past weekend's Magic City Writers group meeting, which is that I may have a real gift for writing horror, or at least the ability to derive a lot of fun and pleasure from the process. I will definitely be trying my hand at some horror stuff after NaNoWriMo has ended. Just in time for Christmas!
After the break, a little rough horror scene I did at the prompting of Kathryn, who was driving the 10-minute writing exercises that day. Be warned: it's gross!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Prep for NaNoWriMo
The office is painted and furnished (mostly), the Big Drumming Gig is behind me (finally), and November approaches (inevitably). I have several ideas and concepts in mind for the novel I want to write for NaNoWriMo, and I've begun getting them recorded, in mind-map and outline form. Exciting!
I'm going to be author-blogging more frequently, too: now that I'm moving distractions out of the way, I'm free to focus better around here.
Should be a blast. More to come!
-Rich
I'm going to be author-blogging more frequently, too: now that I'm moving distractions out of the way, I'm free to focus better around here.
Should be a blast. More to come!
-Rich
Friday, October 7, 2011
Progress on the Office; NaNoWriMo on the Horizon!
It's been a busy few weeks of late, between a full work schedule, lots going on around the house, and other aspects of Life Getting in the Way, but matters proceed apace.
I've managed to get the office cleaned out and painted, as visible here, and tomorrow I'll be moving a chair and a desk into the room, as well as hunting down a flat-panel monitor and desk chair so I can begin to get the room suitable for use in serious writing...
...Which is good, because this year I've decided (with Amy's blessing) to participate in NaNoWriMo again! For those who might not know, during the month of November of any year, participants in NaNoWriMo try to write a 50,000-word novel from scratch. It doesn't have to be good; it doesn't even have to be coherent. But it needs not to have any preexisting text written (though outlines are fine, if you swing that way), and to measure at least fifty thousand words by machine count before midnight, December 1 in your home time zone.
The goal is to teach participants that they can produce in quantity, and to overcome being intimidated by the magnitude of the task, since that's one of the most daunting aspects of novel writing for a beginning novelist. My prior efforts have peaked around 35,000 words, but I've made a lot of progress in terms of my mental writing "stance" since those old attempts, and I feel like 1,667 words a day ought to be no problem this time around, especially with the practice that Magic City Writers has given me.
The no-existing-text thing means that I'm going to have to let Oasis and Darwin Colossus lie fallow during November, but that'll probably be good for them in the long run. I have the skeleton of a post-apocalyptic story idea rattling around in my head that should do nicely as NaNo-fodder.
So, to sum up: I'm excited! I have a dedicated writing space, a new project, and NaNoWriMo participation to look forward to. I'll post more as things start to fall into place.
-Rich
I've managed to get the office cleaned out and painted, as visible here, and tomorrow I'll be moving a chair and a desk into the room, as well as hunting down a flat-panel monitor and desk chair so I can begin to get the room suitable for use in serious writing...
...Which is good, because this year I've decided (with Amy's blessing) to participate in NaNoWriMo again! For those who might not know, during the month of November of any year, participants in NaNoWriMo try to write a 50,000-word novel from scratch. It doesn't have to be good; it doesn't even have to be coherent. But it needs not to have any preexisting text written (though outlines are fine, if you swing that way), and to measure at least fifty thousand words by machine count before midnight, December 1 in your home time zone.
The goal is to teach participants that they can produce in quantity, and to overcome being intimidated by the magnitude of the task, since that's one of the most daunting aspects of novel writing for a beginning novelist. My prior efforts have peaked around 35,000 words, but I've made a lot of progress in terms of my mental writing "stance" since those old attempts, and I feel like 1,667 words a day ought to be no problem this time around, especially with the practice that Magic City Writers has given me.
The no-existing-text thing means that I'm going to have to let Oasis and Darwin Colossus lie fallow during November, but that'll probably be good for them in the long run. I have the skeleton of a post-apocalyptic story idea rattling around in my head that should do nicely as NaNo-fodder.
So, to sum up: I'm excited! I have a dedicated writing space, a new project, and NaNoWriMo participation to look forward to. I'll post more as things start to fall into place.
-Rich
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Much Happening, Under Cover of Silence
Fret not, work proceeds apace!
First, I'm taking some time away from Darwin Colossus. Some distance from the manuscript, along with all the notes I have on it, regarding changes both implemented and pending, will be good for the story, and for me. It's certainly possible to focus too much on an individual piece.
Next, I'm on to a space opera novel (!) working-titled Oasis. Don't want to give away too much just yet, but I've got it mind-mapped, plotted and character-sketched six ways from Sunday, and will begin writing soon: I've only got about a month before I've got to have at least a piece ready for critique at the Magic City Writers group.
Last, I've been encouraged to see my favorite authoring application, Scrivener, in the process of its port from the Mac world to Windows/Linux. I'm using Linux for my home machine these days (with a Windows XP computer virtualized, for access to my copy of Microsoft Word, natch), and seeing an official Scrivener port appear (currently in public beta at the link above) is balm to my soul. I've been using the beta for a while now, and it's progressing very nicely. Ever since decommissioning my old G4 Powerbook (yeah, that old), I've missed Scrivener, and it's great to see it becoming available again!
Until next time.
-Rich
First, I'm taking some time away from Darwin Colossus. Some distance from the manuscript, along with all the notes I have on it, regarding changes both implemented and pending, will be good for the story, and for me. It's certainly possible to focus too much on an individual piece.
Next, I'm on to a space opera novel (!) working-titled Oasis. Don't want to give away too much just yet, but I've got it mind-mapped, plotted and character-sketched six ways from Sunday, and will begin writing soon: I've only got about a month before I've got to have at least a piece ready for critique at the Magic City Writers group.
Last, I've been encouraged to see my favorite authoring application, Scrivener, in the process of its port from the Mac world to Windows/Linux. I'm using Linux for my home machine these days (with a Windows XP computer virtualized, for access to my copy of Microsoft Word, natch), and seeing an official Scrivener port appear (currently in public beta at the link above) is balm to my soul. I've been using the beta for a while now, and it's progressing very nicely. Ever since decommissioning my old G4 Powerbook (yeah, that old), I've missed Scrivener, and it's great to see it becoming available again!
Until next time.
-Rich
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Darwin Colossus Submitted to Beta Readers!
Hey everyone! Been a little while since my last post, but work has continued. I sent the story out to beta readers early (so very early) the morning of May 1st, and I wait with bated breath for their comments and replies.
Magic City Writers Group
Last night the group had its third-anniversary meeting, though I've only been a member for five months or so. I received a nice hand-painted mug with a writing quote I chose, and we did some more critiquing. A chapter from the group organizer's epic fantasy work was on the block last night, and it made for an involved and interesting evening.
I'm up next week, which means...
New Project
I'm actively brainstorming ideas for my next story. I kind of liked working bustles-and-waistcoats, so I'm leaning toward a "true" alt-history steampunk, maybe having to do with Pasteur, the Germ Theory of Disease and canned foods becoming available to the populace at large. Yeah, glamorous, I know. Might crash it into a story about 19th-century temperance movements, the fact that breweries were one of the big beneficiaries of Pasteur's attentions, and/or Phylloxera's savaging of the wine industry and absinthe's resulting spike in popularity. Dunno--maybe it needs some airships; perhaps a power struggle and revenge plot. Still brainstorming.
I'll need at least a decent first draft by Friday, May 13th to give the group time to do its critique reading, so if there's just no way to get it done by then I have the beta-reader revision of Darwin Colossus I can submit, which is significantly polished from when the group last saw it.
-Rich
Magic City Writers Group
Last night the group had its third-anniversary meeting, though I've only been a member for five months or so. I received a nice hand-painted mug with a writing quote I chose, and we did some more critiquing. A chapter from the group organizer's epic fantasy work was on the block last night, and it made for an involved and interesting evening.
I'm up next week, which means...
New Project
I'm actively brainstorming ideas for my next story. I kind of liked working bustles-and-waistcoats, so I'm leaning toward a "true" alt-history steampunk, maybe having to do with Pasteur, the Germ Theory of Disease and canned foods becoming available to the populace at large. Yeah, glamorous, I know. Might crash it into a story about 19th-century temperance movements, the fact that breweries were one of the big beneficiaries of Pasteur's attentions, and/or Phylloxera's savaging of the wine industry and absinthe's resulting spike in popularity. Dunno--maybe it needs some airships; perhaps a power struggle and revenge plot. Still brainstorming.
I'll need at least a decent first draft by Friday, May 13th to give the group time to do its critique reading, so if there's just no way to get it done by then I have the beta-reader revision of Darwin Colossus I can submit, which is significantly polished from when the group last saw it.
-Rich
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Contacted My Prospective Beta Readers Today...
Sent out my "wanna participate?" email. Very interested to see who writes back in the affirmative.
-Rich
-Rich
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sick. Dadgummit.
I have gotten sick, and need to sleep before I get sick enough that I jeopardize this weekend's travel plans. More to come later. :-(
Word to the wise: artistic inspiration isn't a good enough reason to short yourself on sleep down to 4-ish hours a night for two weeks running. Oops.
-Rich
Word to the wise: artistic inspiration isn't a good enough reason to short yourself on sleep down to 4-ish hours a night for two weeks running. Oops.
-Rich
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Writing Group Ahoy!
I've found a writing group here in Birmingham! I'll post a link to them once I have a chance to attend my first meeting on February 1. I'm also moving from OpenOffice 3.3 to Microsoft Word 2010, for two reasons: A) the writing group does what it does with Word's change tracking mechanism, and OO Writer's change tracker is only mostly compatible, and B) Word, like it or not, is the industry standard, so using anything else is just asking for trouble later on. So: time to bite the bullet. I've installed Microsoft's Office Home 2010 60-day trial, to be purchased in full once I know all is well.
I've had various and sundry errands, obligations and projects to handle around the house lately, so writing progress isn't what I've been hoping for, but I've got some time to work tonight. I'll post a Work In Progress (WIP) excerpt later.
-Rich
I've had various and sundry errands, obligations and projects to handle around the house lately, so writing progress isn't what I've been hoping for, but I've got some time to work tonight. I'll post a Work In Progress (WIP) excerpt later.
-Rich
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
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