I'm a car accident veteran/survivor.
May 9, 2008, my best buddy and I were on our way home from SHE-Event (A Rebecca St. James concert-type thing) when Amanda swerved. We were going all over the road and finally, we jerk to a stop.
Yes, I thought. Now we can get out of here and go home.
Bam! The airbag deploys and my glasses break.
Oh crap, we wrecked. Then I see the pole in front of us.
November 20, 2008, two years ago today, Amanda and I were on our way to school. It was Thursday, and I was wearing my chapel uniform. I hated chapel, which is why I remember it, probably.
Amanda swerves off the road and slams on the breaks. We flip multiple times.
We're gonna die! We're gonna die! I don't remember, however, if it was me screaming or her. Somewhere at the back of my mind registered that it was kind of fun. If I didn't think I was about to die, anyway.
The car stopped between two poles. How we missed is a miracle.
It's kind of funny though. Statistics show that you're more likely to get into a car accident if you're listening to country. We were listening to Taylor Swift's Fearless album. It had just come out.
People stress the importance of seatbelts. If we hadn't been wearing ours, we probably wouldn't have survived.
At least my air bag deployed and was already deflated by the time we stopped rolling.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Follow The Link
I'm a member of Happy Writer's Society and I got to share my thoughts there.
Happy Writer's Society: The Importance of Reading
Happy Writer's Society: The Importance of Reading
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
De-Stressing
I'm not taking part of NaNoWriMo this year, as most of you know. Truth is, I'm not doing much of anything this month that has anything to do with reading and writing.
I'm still doing both, but I'm not making myself. I'm doing it because I want to and not because I have to. I've read 60 books cover-to-cover this year and reread 9 cover-to-cover. Actually, I've done 10 rereads, but I'd read it for the first time this year and then re-read it a month or three later. I marked when I read it, not when I re-read it. I'll post a full list of all the books I've read this year and my ratings. My favorites and the ones I didn't care for so much.
Instead of reading and writing, I've been worrying about other things: what I eat, what I wear, and how my hair looks. I'm in college and I think it's time I started caring about those things.
The CMA's are tonight. I'm so excited! :D
I'm still doing both, but I'm not making myself. I'm doing it because I want to and not because I have to. I've read 60 books cover-to-cover this year and reread 9 cover-to-cover. Actually, I've done 10 rereads, but I'd read it for the first time this year and then re-read it a month or three later. I marked when I read it, not when I re-read it. I'll post a full list of all the books I've read this year and my ratings. My favorites and the ones I didn't care for so much.
Instead of reading and writing, I've been worrying about other things: what I eat, what I wear, and how my hair looks. I'm in college and I think it's time I started caring about those things.
The CMA's are tonight. I'm so excited! :D
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Printers and Patience
I finished another read-through of Black Sight today. It's a total of 203 pages and I spread it out over my half-cartridge left of ink in my printer, and my new cartridge. The cartridges I have print approximately 200 pages. I got 136 off my old cartridge and got what was left on the new one. There is a huge pile of paper sitting on my bed.
I'm handing this copy over to my mother with a red pen.
Now, I'm going to read someone else's published work and will call it a night. My godkid's harping for the computer to play JumpStart or Hoyle or something.
Good night and God bless.
I'm handing this copy over to my mother with a red pen.
Now, I'm going to read someone else's published work and will call it a night. My godkid's harping for the computer to play JumpStart or Hoyle or something.
Good night and God bless.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
November 1
I'm pleased to report I survived November 1 without striking blindly into creating a new novel that has had no planning. (Not that I ever follow the plans that I do make.) Instead, I've been hard at work editing Black Sight. It's only 48,000-something words, close to 49,000.
I took a pen to the printed copy my mother and sister read. While going chapter-by-chapter, I realized that I left out two chapters in the printed copy. Oops. So those two haven't been edited yet. I had wondered where certain scenes were while I was going through it and editing, but thought perhaps I decided to take it out and I just didn't remember. Wrong.
During my pen edit, I jotted notes like, "Don't forget to make sure you change this name, and make sure you do it in every chapter." and "Add explanation for this SOMEWHERE in the book." Those are not word for word, but that's what they say in essence. My real notes don't make sense.
There are other scenes that I just bracketed and wrote, "Rewrite" in the margins.
I complained to my mother yesterday (or maybe the day before) that I needed to learn how to drive and I needed to get a job. I only go to classes twice a week (college student with a driving hang-up, who knew?) and that I needed something to do for the rest of the week.
My mother just told me to worry about my book and try getting it published and bring in some money that way.
Er, no. It's okay to dream of making a million dollars for a great book, but that almost never happens. And it probably won't happen to me. I read Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft recently. I knew this already, but in there, he says that if you're in it for the money, don't do it. I mention this because SK is an authority on it and people respect something when they know an authority endorses it rather than just some random article. So I'm not the first nor will I be the last to agree with it.
I have to be in General Psychology soon. Have a good one, and God bless.
I took a pen to the printed copy my mother and sister read. While going chapter-by-chapter, I realized that I left out two chapters in the printed copy. Oops. So those two haven't been edited yet. I had wondered where certain scenes were while I was going through it and editing, but thought perhaps I decided to take it out and I just didn't remember. Wrong.
During my pen edit, I jotted notes like, "Don't forget to make sure you change this name, and make sure you do it in every chapter." and "Add explanation for this SOMEWHERE in the book." Those are not word for word, but that's what they say in essence. My real notes don't make sense.
There are other scenes that I just bracketed and wrote, "Rewrite" in the margins.
I complained to my mother yesterday (or maybe the day before) that I needed to learn how to drive and I needed to get a job. I only go to classes twice a week (college student with a driving hang-up, who knew?) and that I needed something to do for the rest of the week.
My mother just told me to worry about my book and try getting it published and bring in some money that way.
Er, no. It's okay to dream of making a million dollars for a great book, but that almost never happens. And it probably won't happen to me. I read Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft recently. I knew this already, but in there, he says that if you're in it for the money, don't do it. I mention this because SK is an authority on it and people respect something when they know an authority endorses it rather than just some random article. So I'm not the first nor will I be the last to agree with it.
I have to be in General Psychology soon. Have a good one, and God bless.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Fluff the Ego, Please
Since I was emotionally high yesterday, I don't know if this is all in order, but this is all what happened.
I asked my sister if she liked the ending to Black Sight yesterday. She and my mom both said they loved it. It made sense and there is satisfaction involved in the ending, even if all of the options are less than ideal.
These were the same people that said trying to be a writer was a bad idea. The same ones who told me I didn't have a future with it. It felt, at times, that they were the least supportive people in the whole wide world when it came to this writing thing.
"You'll never make it."
"There's no money in it." <-- That is true, but it shouldn't stop anyone. There's no money in teaching anymore either, but teachers are some of the most revered people.
Oh, the gratification that they're the ones saying that it is good! Now, I know they're family and they're supposed to say it, but remember my sister is the one that said it was stupid at first.
One of them, either my mom or my sister, asked me how I was going to support myself. My sister said something like, "You can't do it by writing." But then, "Well, actually, you could."
Oh, the satisfaction! When people who have said one thing for years change their mind to the way you want it to change, there is not a better feeling.
Ha ha ha. My ego has been fed.
I asked my sister if she liked the ending to Black Sight yesterday. She and my mom both said they loved it. It made sense and there is satisfaction involved in the ending, even if all of the options are less than ideal.
These were the same people that said trying to be a writer was a bad idea. The same ones who told me I didn't have a future with it. It felt, at times, that they were the least supportive people in the whole wide world when it came to this writing thing.
"You'll never make it."
"There's no money in it." <-- That is true, but it shouldn't stop anyone. There's no money in teaching anymore either, but teachers are some of the most revered people.
Oh, the gratification that they're the ones saying that it is good! Now, I know they're family and they're supposed to say it, but remember my sister is the one that said it was stupid at first.
One of them, either my mom or my sister, asked me how I was going to support myself. My sister said something like, "You can't do it by writing." But then, "Well, actually, you could."
Oh, the satisfaction! When people who have said one thing for years change their mind to the way you want it to change, there is not a better feeling.
Ha ha ha. My ego has been fed.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Books that Suck (You In) and Those That Don't
Any book-lover knows what I'm talking about when I say a book just sucks you in and you can't get out to save your life. You hate putting it down.
My writing is seriously linked with my reading--which it should be. But I don't know if it's supposed to go this far. If I'm reading a really junky novel or sometimes a really good novel, I can't write. They deplete my literary juices. The bad one just makes me hate the words and the good one just keeps calling me back and I don't want to concentrate on what I'm writing.
Sometimes though, if I'm reading a really good novel, it does make me want to write and I don't want to read it. My middle ground is finding some small paperback that is interesting, but not too interesting. Then I can write for a little while, then read, then write...
I borrowed 'Salem's Lot from the Jefferson Davis campus library. Perk had it brought in for me. I don't feel like writing, and I haven't.
Happy Friday.
My writing is seriously linked with my reading--which it should be. But I don't know if it's supposed to go this far. If I'm reading a really junky novel or sometimes a really good novel, I can't write. They deplete my literary juices. The bad one just makes me hate the words and the good one just keeps calling me back and I don't want to concentrate on what I'm writing.
Sometimes though, if I'm reading a really good novel, it does make me want to write and I don't want to read it. My middle ground is finding some small paperback that is interesting, but not too interesting. Then I can write for a little while, then read, then write...
I borrowed 'Salem's Lot from the Jefferson Davis campus library. Perk had it brought in for me. I don't feel like writing, and I haven't.
Happy Friday.
Monday, October 25, 2010
No NaNo This November.
WARNING: DUE TO THE IMPLICATIONS THAT PREVENT ME FROM PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH THIS YEAR, THERE MAY BE A GREY OVERCAST FOR THE LUNCH NUMBER BLOG.
Okay, that's out of my system. I've done NaNoWriMo every year in high school. Last year was my only successful year. You could say I'm retiring a winner, but I really don't wanna skip it.
I'm a college student, give me some slack. I have Long Ridge to worry about. And that writing will count in the end. It's not exactly for a grade, but I have to turn it in and my instructor tells me what I did wrong, and how to improve it.
Well, I'm taking on a new project, but writing isn't central to the project. Don't worry, I'm not taking a hiatus from writing. I wouldn't be able to function correctly if I did.
Still, I'm already hating the idea of missing NaNoWriMo. But it's okay. It's not like I had any new ideas anyway. Except the new project. But I wouldn't change the project to fiction. Maybe next year, if this year goes well.
Good day, and God Bless.
Okay, that's out of my system. I've done NaNoWriMo every year in high school. Last year was my only successful year. You could say I'm retiring a winner, but I really don't wanna skip it.
I'm a college student, give me some slack. I have Long Ridge to worry about. And that writing will count in the end. It's not exactly for a grade, but I have to turn it in and my instructor tells me what I did wrong, and how to improve it.
Well, I'm taking on a new project, but writing isn't central to the project. Don't worry, I'm not taking a hiatus from writing. I wouldn't be able to function correctly if I did.
Still, I'm already hating the idea of missing NaNoWriMo. But it's okay. It's not like I had any new ideas anyway. Except the new project. But I wouldn't change the project to fiction. Maybe next year, if this year goes well.
Good day, and God Bless.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Bad Reviews, Bad Names, and Bad Writing
Most of you know I finished Black Sight last week--or week before last? Anyway, my mother read it. She loved it, but had trouble with the names and their pronunciations.
Sigh... Most of those names can be found in a baby name book. The rest were from a name generator.
My sister's reading it right now. She first told me it was stupid, and then she told me the first few pages weren't very interesting (my mom agreed) and that it was just okay.
I said I wasn't going to rewrite it, but I think I will. There's a bunch of stuff I left out and a bunch of stuff that needs taking out.
Here's to rewriting.
Good night and God bless.
Sigh... Most of those names can be found in a baby name book. The rest were from a name generator.
My sister's reading it right now. She first told me it was stupid, and then she told me the first few pages weren't very interesting (my mom agreed) and that it was just okay.
I said I wasn't going to rewrite it, but I think I will. There's a bunch of stuff I left out and a bunch of stuff that needs taking out.
Here's to rewriting.
Good night and God bless.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
If You Made It Revisited
Since Halloween is swiftly approaching, (a holiday I have never been allowed to participate in any way, shape, or form) I've been thinking of some sort of piece I could do. Something creepy and stuff.
Well, in August of last year, I wrote, "If You Made It..." It's a Vent Piece with the tagline line , "Dr. Frankenstein was bad at being God."
Like any piece I've written that has anything do with God, a lot of people liked it. I was kind of surprised though when it came to this one. Surely comparing God to someone as awful as Dr. Frankenstein would be bad.
I'm looking it over now, a year older, but not much wiser. I'm revising it, just a little, mind.
What's really funny is that the seed for this VP come from Van Helsing.
Something Dracula and Dr. Frankenstein were talking about stuck with me. Unfortunately, I don't have said quote burned in my memory, nor did anyone put it in the IMDB for me to copy-paste.
Anyway, what Dracula said to Dr. Frankenstein, as I said, stuck with me. The idea germinated. After turning this idea in my head millions of times, I had something. Although, instead of focusing on the movie Van Helsing, I went back to the stereotypical idea of the Frankenstein story.
And here it is:
Dr. Frankenstein was bad at being God.
The difference between God and Dr. Frankenstein: God actually loves what he created. Dr. Frankenstein hated his monster. He was afraid of it.
And people can be worse than that monster. At least the monster didn't know better. We do. But God will never stop loving us no matter what.
At least Dr. Frankenstein disappeared. God still shows Himself. Seriously, how many of you can go to an aquarium and think, "Hey, me and that fish have a common ancestor!" Come on, now. Have you seen some of the things they pull out of the sea? How okay are you with believing you are related to a crawfish?
As the creation (not the mutation) shouldn't we love the One who created us? If not love Him, can we respect Him? Reverence Him? Hey, this God didn't have to make us, but He did. The Monster had it figured it out.
The doctor couldn't control his creation and it led to his doom. Thousands of years after Creation, after the Fall, after the Crucifixion, God is still in control, even if it seems like there are more and more atheists, even if socialism takes over America, even if a thousand people are murdered. God allows it to happen.
Why? It's not just about one person. It's about everyone. That $20 you lost may pay someone else's phone bill. That person was killed in a car accident and other people got saved.
I don't know where it is in the Bible and I don't know the exact quote, but no matter how many bad things happen, God will use it for good. I know it's there, I saw the verse on VeggieTales (oh no, not them again!). It was the episode about Joseph. (I think it may have been Romans 8:28.)
Could the doctor handle the big picture? No, he could not. Just as the one creature he created got out of hand. God gave us free will, but He's still the Big Man Upstairs. Good night and God bless.
Well, in August of last year, I wrote, "If You Made It..." It's a Vent Piece with the tagline line , "Dr. Frankenstein was bad at being God."
Like any piece I've written that has anything do with God, a lot of people liked it. I was kind of surprised though when it came to this one. Surely comparing God to someone as awful as Dr. Frankenstein would be bad.
I'm looking it over now, a year older, but not much wiser. I'm revising it, just a little, mind.
What's really funny is that the seed for this VP come from Van Helsing.
Something Dracula and Dr. Frankenstein were talking about stuck with me. Unfortunately, I don't have said quote burned in my memory, nor did anyone put it in the IMDB for me to copy-paste.
Anyway, what Dracula said to Dr. Frankenstein, as I said, stuck with me. The idea germinated. After turning this idea in my head millions of times, I had something. Although, instead of focusing on the movie Van Helsing, I went back to the stereotypical idea of the Frankenstein story.
And here it is:
If You Made It...
Creations
August 25, 2009 (Revised October 16, 2010)
J. C. Verdin
August 25, 2009 (Revised October 16, 2010)
J. C. Verdin
Dr. Frankenstein was bad at being God.
The difference between God and Dr. Frankenstein: God actually loves what he created. Dr. Frankenstein hated his monster. He was afraid of it.
And people can be worse than that monster. At least the monster didn't know better. We do. But God will never stop loving us no matter what.
At least Dr. Frankenstein disappeared. God still shows Himself. Seriously, how many of you can go to an aquarium and think, "Hey, me and that fish have a common ancestor!" Come on, now. Have you seen some of the things they pull out of the sea? How okay are you with believing you are related to a crawfish?
As the creation (not the mutation) shouldn't we love the One who created us? If not love Him, can we respect Him? Reverence Him? Hey, this God didn't have to make us, but He did. The Monster had it figured it out.
The doctor couldn't control his creation and it led to his doom. Thousands of years after Creation, after the Fall, after the Crucifixion, God is still in control, even if it seems like there are more and more atheists, even if socialism takes over America, even if a thousand people are murdered. God allows it to happen.
Why? It's not just about one person. It's about everyone. That $20 you lost may pay someone else's phone bill. That person was killed in a car accident and other people got saved.
I don't know where it is in the Bible and I don't know the exact quote, but no matter how many bad things happen, God will use it for good. I know it's there, I saw the verse on VeggieTales (oh no, not them again!). It was the episode about Joseph. (I think it may have been Romans 8:28.)
Could the doctor handle the big picture? No, he could not. Just as the one creature he created got out of hand. God gave us free will, but He's still the Big Man Upstairs. Good night and God bless.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Lunch, Personal Ads, and a Car Wash
Lacey and I usually leave campus for lunch. Today, we really didn't know what to do. Brilliant, Writer BFF suggests we go to the car wash.
For college students, we are kind of lame. We laugh at mostly clean jokes and aren't wild or crazy on Saturday nights. But that's okay. We're responsible, matu--well, really responsible, good Christian gals.
Well, on the way to the car wash, Lacey mentioned she had responded to a personal ad and that she was meeting him today.
So, agonizingly lonely person that I can be, I started considering, jokingly, what I would ever put in a personal ad if I was ever brave enough or pathetic enough to put one in the paper.
"Lonely writer seeks companion."
Not telling at all. Then I added, "Height: 5'3. Weight: *hesitating* More to love."
Lacey added on, "Preferably male."
I laughed. That too.
So, "Lonely writer seeks companion. Preferably male. Height is 5'3. Brown hair and eyes. Blind."
When I said 'blind,' my first thought was, "Oh man, someone's gonna take that seriously and think I really can't see." I am blind, but I wear corrective lenses. It sucks and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy--on second thought, maybe I would.
Lace and I had a lot of fun today. After the car wash, we went to WalMart and Fred's.
Yeah, college girls gone wild. LOL.
For college students, we are kind of lame. We laugh at mostly clean jokes and aren't wild or crazy on Saturday nights. But that's okay. We're responsible, matu--well, really responsible, good Christian gals.
Well, on the way to the car wash, Lacey mentioned she had responded to a personal ad and that she was meeting him today.
So, agonizingly lonely person that I can be, I started considering, jokingly, what I would ever put in a personal ad if I was ever brave enough or pathetic enough to put one in the paper.
"Lonely writer seeks companion."
Not telling at all. Then I added, "Height: 5'3. Weight: *hesitating* More to love."
Lacey added on, "Preferably male."
I laughed. That too.
So, "Lonely writer seeks companion. Preferably male. Height is 5'3. Brown hair and eyes. Blind."
When I said 'blind,' my first thought was, "Oh man, someone's gonna take that seriously and think I really can't see." I am blind, but I wear corrective lenses. It sucks and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy--on second thought, maybe I would.
Lace and I had a lot of fun today. After the car wash, we went to WalMart and Fred's.
Yeah, college girls gone wild. LOL.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Downsizing
I haven't been spending that much time on Writing.Com lately. Tonight, I spent some time reviewing people. I'm hoping to get some reviews in return and I have, but...
I deleted a bunch of stuff in my portfolio. Since I haven't been on as much, and I'm wanting to publish, I won't need as much space in my portfolio. When it's time to renew (or even befrore, if I can), I'll switch to the cheaper membership. It only holds 50 items. I managed to get it to 40-something. I took out a bunch of folders. They made the second-largest (probably) percentage of items in my port. So, My Vent Piece folder, while I left a bunch of them there, there's plenty missing and they're not divided my VP set anymore.
Change is good sometimes.
I deleted a bunch of stuff in my portfolio. Since I haven't been on as much, and I'm wanting to publish, I won't need as much space in my portfolio. When it's time to renew (or even befrore, if I can), I'll switch to the cheaper membership. It only holds 50 items. I managed to get it to 40-something. I took out a bunch of folders. They made the second-largest (probably) percentage of items in my port. So, My Vent Piece folder, while I left a bunch of them there, there's plenty missing and they're not divided my VP set anymore.
Change is good sometimes.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The End
I finished Black Sight this morning. Sort of. There's a beginning, middle, and an end. It needs an edit. Badly. It's nowhere near as long as I would have wanted it, there are parts I forgot to add. But I'm waiting to do that. I'm not going to look at it for a while and work on some other writing project. I'm not re-writing Black Sight. On that, I am adamant. I'm tired of this story. I love my characters, make no mistake, but I'm done. Done. Done. Done. At least for a little while.
My mother never read that story I printed out the first time or second time, or whatever.
I got another story I've been itching to work on, so I'll move onto that.
My mother never read that story I printed out the first time or second time, or whatever.
I got another story I've been itching to work on, so I'll move onto that.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Double Epic Fail!
Yeah, you know how I was supposed to get 35,000 words for Black Sight. Well, I looked at my planner today, the day after my deadline, and saw I had two goals. One for Black Sight and another for the romantic comedy.
Okay, I've been stretching myself too far. I have essays to write for English Composition for college, I have short stories or articles to write for my Long Ridge. Then there's downtime pleasure writing.
Time to start making realistic goals, I guess. Or none at all for now. I can't make my deadlines right now.
For the record though, I'm only a day late. Yup, I got 35,000 words into my pen drive. It's not all on the Black Sight Word document, but it's there. As far as the romantic comedy goes, well, I haven't touched it in weeks. I don't even have names for all the characters. No worries, my main characters are named. There's the first chapter on my writing.com. Since I have this insane dream to get Black Sight published, that one's not published.
So, you're up-to-date on my writing life. Writer-Overload. Red alert. Red alert.
The Romantic Comedy. <--In case you're interested.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Goals
I made a personal goal to have 35,000 words by the end of this month. I have a lot written out in my composition book. Four 1,000-word drafts, and a little more. They're part of a different part of the story that I wanted to add to this first half of the book. Once I have this first part figured out, I'll work on the second part.
Since what's written in the composition book is a rough draft, it's not too far-fetched of me to think that I've only a few hundred words from reaching my goal. Usually, what gets added to the computer is longer than what's in the rough draft.
Not last night, but the three nights before then, I spent the time right before bedtime writing. I would try to do 1,000 words in a day. Usually, I wrote a paragraph or two during the day, but the majority of the draft would be written that night.
Last night, well, I had school this morning and I was too tired. I finished my 1,000 words earlier today. I started on another draft, but I was in too bad a mood to continue writing. I wrote all right. Not for my story, though. I made a vent fest. That's enough writing for one night.
I'm going to have to add everything to the Word Document. I'm typing it out and then adding it in, but anyway...
I'm going to be busy tomorrow.
Since what's written in the composition book is a rough draft, it's not too far-fetched of me to think that I've only a few hundred words from reaching my goal. Usually, what gets added to the computer is longer than what's in the rough draft.
Not last night, but the three nights before then, I spent the time right before bedtime writing. I would try to do 1,000 words in a day. Usually, I wrote a paragraph or two during the day, but the majority of the draft would be written that night.
Last night, well, I had school this morning and I was too tired. I finished my 1,000 words earlier today. I started on another draft, but I was in too bad a mood to continue writing. I wrote all right. Not for my story, though. I made a vent fest. That's enough writing for one night.
I'm going to have to add everything to the Word Document. I'm typing it out and then adding it in, but anyway...
I'm going to be busy tomorrow.
Friday, September 24, 2010
The Writer's Bible Verse and The Where-To-Turn Section
Okay, the Writer's Bible Verse isn't in every Bible. One translation out of the billions and billions of translations has it worded like this:
I have two quote books. This was in one of them under "Criticism." The words "constructive criticism" stick out at you, don't they? I saw this the first time just thought about how applicable it was.
Of course, the verse means every part of your life, but since I consider myself a writer, well, yeah. You get where I'm going with this.
*Not a picture of my Bible, picture courtesy of Amazon.com. But that's the one I have.
I've had it for several years and the Where to Turn Section knocks me out. Not only is it very...how do I put this, in what sounds like a Everything Guide book. I'm serious. The word choice is that informal and that hip with the lingo. Seriously. Well, I guess if the Bible speaks to you, it's going to speak to you in your own language.
There's one Where-To-Turn that really knocked me out the first time I saw it.
"When you are bored...Psalm 103...726"
I'm serious. That's really there. If you look up Psalm 103, it's a praise and count-your-blessings psalm. Of course I looked it up. I had to know what they recommended for when you were bored.
Another of my favorites was:
"When you need to get your head on right...Philippians 4:8...1430"
My brain processed it saying, "When you need a good kick in the pants." I can't figure out a good, formal, gobbeldygook for it, though. Okay, it's not funny like "When you're bored" but the word choice just didn't...I don't know. It wound up being one of my favorite verses though.
"When you are tempted to look out only for #1...Luke12:13-21...1262"
There are plenty of overbearing, "you're a dirty selfish sinner" mean ways to put that. The verses is the story of the man who stored all his riches on earth and he died that night.
Nothing can convince me God doesn't have a sense of humor, which is a whole nother blogpost. It's a pleasant thought thinking that the people who set these Bibles up must have one too and can put it in how we speak nowadays. I wondered if they thought/knew people would get a kick out of their word choice.
Good night, and God bless...you're going to go check those verses, aren't you? Or going see what you're Where-To-Turn section, if your Bible has one, has in it.
Proverbs 15:31 (NLT) If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.
I have two quote books. This was in one of them under "Criticism." The words "constructive criticism" stick out at you, don't they? I saw this the first time just thought about how applicable it was.
Of course, the verse means every part of your life, but since I consider myself a writer, well, yeah. You get where I'm going with this.I have this little crimson, Celtic-Cross decorated, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). In 11th & 12th grade, I was teased because some kid thought it looked like a Quran. It's a Holy, well-used, red-letter edition Bible.
I've had it for several years and the Where to Turn Section knocks me out. Not only is it very...how do I put this, in what sounds like a Everything Guide book. I'm serious. The word choice is that informal and that hip with the lingo. Seriously. Well, I guess if the Bible speaks to you, it's going to speak to you in your own language.
There's one Where-To-Turn that really knocked me out the first time I saw it.
"When you are bored...Psalm 103...726"
I'm serious. That's really there. If you look up Psalm 103, it's a praise and count-your-blessings psalm. Of course I looked it up. I had to know what they recommended for when you were bored.
Another of my favorites was:
"When you need to get your head on right...Philippians 4:8...1430"
My brain processed it saying, "When you need a good kick in the pants." I can't figure out a good, formal, gobbeldygook for it, though. Okay, it's not funny like "When you're bored" but the word choice just didn't...I don't know. It wound up being one of my favorite verses though.
"When you are tempted to look out only for #1...Luke12:13-21...1262"
There are plenty of overbearing, "you're a dirty selfish sinner" mean ways to put that. The verses is the story of the man who stored all his riches on earth and he died that night.
Nothing can convince me God doesn't have a sense of humor, which is a whole nother blogpost. It's a pleasant thought thinking that the people who set these Bibles up must have one too and can put it in how we speak nowadays. I wondered if they thought/knew people would get a kick out of their word choice.
Good night, and God bless...you're going to go check those verses, aren't you? Or going see what you're Where-To-Turn section, if your Bible has one, has in it.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Reasons We Write...And Why We Don't
Monday, I think, I printed out 111 pages of my unfinished novel. I had reached what I hoped was a good stopping point. My mother just so happened to find out. She wants to read my story.
I have just a little issue with that.
May 21, 2008, the Short Stories Newsletter from Writing.Com states the second top reason writers don't write:
For the record, I don't write Erotica, never even tried. I write fantasy, and my mother is not overly fond of that genre. She and my sister primarily read romances. I love romance too, even have a romantic comedy in progress because I love watching those and reading them is just as fun, but my favorite genre remains fantasy. It's what got me reading after all.
So, when she told me she wanted to read it...well...The "bad idea" siren went off in my head. Luckily for both my mom and myself, I've come to terms with the fact that she'll be reading it over the weekend. I told my mom she could see it after I'd taken the red pen to it. I'm hoping the red marks don't confuse her too much...There's so many...
Now for my "Why" Lists:
Why I Write:
1-Because if I don't, I'm a mean you-know-what. (Ask anyone who was around me when I took that hiatus in tenth grade.)
2-These characters are giving me a story to tell. (Why I began writing in the first place.)
3-I want to share a new spiritual idea and hopefully get some feedback and opinions.
4-Something funny happened and maybe it'll make other people laugh too.
5-If it's my diary, I just need a vent fest.
Why I Don't Write:
1-I've written an entire blogpost. But when it came time to actually post it, I just clicked out of it. It was too personal and I didn't want it all over the internet. (Well, that was writing, it just didn't exist anymore.)
2-I've got writer's block.
3-I'm not reading anything so my literary juices are depleted. I can't write if I'm not reading a good book. I need literary stimulation.
4-The downside to reading is that I don't WANT to write and just finish out the book I started. I can't even think about writing.
5-I have no idea what to write about, or if I do, I don't have enough to say to finish it out, so I don't.
I have just a little issue with that.
May 21, 2008, the Short Stories Newsletter from Writing.Com states the second top reason writers don't write:
2. But what if my Mom reads my work? I write Erotica. There, I've said it out loud. I'd probably shrivel up and die if my Mom ever read my Erotic tale, which is why I had it published under a pen name. You can't worry about someone else's opinions of the kind of writing you do, or you'll never start writing.
For the record, I don't write Erotica, never even tried. I write fantasy, and my mother is not overly fond of that genre. She and my sister primarily read romances. I love romance too, even have a romantic comedy in progress because I love watching those and reading them is just as fun, but my favorite genre remains fantasy. It's what got me reading after all.
So, when she told me she wanted to read it...well...The "bad idea" siren went off in my head. Luckily for both my mom and myself, I've come to terms with the fact that she'll be reading it over the weekend. I told my mom she could see it after I'd taken the red pen to it. I'm hoping the red marks don't confuse her too much...There's so many...
Now for my "Why" Lists:
Why I Write:
1-Because if I don't, I'm a mean you-know-what. (Ask anyone who was around me when I took that hiatus in tenth grade.)
2-These characters are giving me a story to tell. (Why I began writing in the first place.)
3-I want to share a new spiritual idea and hopefully get some feedback and opinions.
4-Something funny happened and maybe it'll make other people laugh too.
5-If it's my diary, I just need a vent fest.
Why I Don't Write:
1-I've written an entire blogpost. But when it came time to actually post it, I just clicked out of it. It was too personal and I didn't want it all over the internet. (Well, that was writing, it just didn't exist anymore.)
2-I've got writer's block.
3-I'm not reading anything so my literary juices are depleted. I can't write if I'm not reading a good book. I need literary stimulation.
4-The downside to reading is that I don't WANT to write and just finish out the book I started. I can't even think about writing.
5-I have no idea what to write about, or if I do, I don't have enough to say to finish it out, so I don't.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Because I Just Love To Laugh At Myself...
My mother made us all go to church today. I'd never been to a Methodist service before, so it was interesting. Anyway, my dad and I needed to fill out a visitor card (My mom had been there plenty of times for Bible Studies. She wasn't a visitor, technically. My little brother, Vin, is too young to do that sort of thing.) We sat in the very last pew.
I leaned over on the pew's cushion to get another visitor card. I lost my balance and rolled off the pew. My parents saw and while they didn't laugh, I could tell they wanted to. Them and the people in the pew in front of us.
After my little demonstration of clumsiness, I enjoyed the service, for the most part. The preaching was probably the best part. I didn't know the hymns they sang, so...yeah.
That's not the pew, but it's this sort. The pews in this church had cushions that had been thrown onto the hard wooden bench. My cushion kept slipping.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Opening Lines & Bars
Think back to your favorite song. Do you think your eyes light up when you hear those first opening bars of music?
Most people know I'm a country music fanatic. One of my favorite songs is "My Maria"* by Brooks & Dunn. I love those first opening bars of music. (I think that's why it's one of my favorites, actually.) It's really upbeat and it's just a few notes. Those few notes go a long way.
As far as opening lines go...
"Well, I love her/but I love to fish." - "I'm Gonna Miss Her"* by Brad Paisley <--One of my favorite opening lines to a song.
Okay, let's go to books now before I launch into all my favorite country songs. Or songs of other genres for that matter.
*Neither of those YouTube links go to the official videos. The official videos have advertisements.
In your favorite book, is the opening line your favorite part? Or even the first scene? An opening hook can make or break a book for me whether or not I'll read it. Since books speak for themselves, here's some best-sellers/well-known classics' openings that I was able to pull from my bookshelf:
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." - (like you honestly don't recognize this passage but it's from:) Genesis 1:1, the Bible (best-selling, classic, life-manual...)
"When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton." -(Again, do I really need to put where this one's from?) The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien, (classic, best-seller)
"Mr. Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance that was never lightened by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable." -Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson (classic)
"Taran wanted to make a sword; but Coll, charged with the practical side of his education, decided on horseshoes." -The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander (first book of a best-selling series, may be considered a children's classic)
As a reader, some of my favorite books have these lines that just suck you into the story. Now, all of those may or may not be well-known works, but I tried to stick to the classics on my own 'read' bookshelves.
Some of my personal favorite openings that may or may not be well-known:
"Linderwall was a large kingdom, just east of the Mountains of Morning, where philosophers were highly respected and the number five was fashionable. The climate was unremarkable. The knights kept their armor brightly polished mainly for show--it had been centuries since a dragon had come this far east. There was the usual periodic problems with royal children and uninvited fairy godmothers, but they were always the sort of thing that could be cleared up by finding the proper prince or princess to marry the unfortunate child a few years later. All in all, Linderwall was a very prosperous and pleasant place.
"Cimorene hated it." -Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede (beginning of a bestselling children's series)
"'You, my lord, are a rake and a rogue. A scoundrel.'" -The Wedding Bargain, by Victoria Alexander (NYT Bestseller)
"I saw Byzantium in a dream, and knew that I would die there." -Byzantium, by Stephen R. Lawhead (I don't think this book was a best-seller, but SRL has others that were. This one just so happens to be my favorite standalone.
Well, lovers of books and reading, those are some opening lines that others or I thought were great. How can you not love a book that begins like some of those do?
Most people know I'm a country music fanatic. One of my favorite songs is "My Maria"* by Brooks & Dunn. I love those first opening bars of music. (I think that's why it's one of my favorites, actually.) It's really upbeat and it's just a few notes. Those few notes go a long way.
As far as opening lines go...
"Well, I love her/but I love to fish." - "I'm Gonna Miss Her"* by Brad Paisley <--One of my favorite opening lines to a song.
Okay, let's go to books now before I launch into all my favorite country songs. Or songs of other genres for that matter.
*Neither of those YouTube links go to the official videos. The official videos have advertisements.
In your favorite book, is the opening line your favorite part? Or even the first scene? An opening hook can make or break a book for me whether or not I'll read it. Since books speak for themselves, here's some best-sellers/well-known classics' openings that I was able to pull from my bookshelf:
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." - (like you honestly don't recognize this passage but it's from:) Genesis 1:1, the Bible (best-selling, classic, life-manual...)
"When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton." -(Again, do I really need to put where this one's from?) The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien, (classic, best-seller)
"Mr. Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance that was never lightened by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable." -Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson (classic)
"Taran wanted to make a sword; but Coll, charged with the practical side of his education, decided on horseshoes." -The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander (first book of a best-selling series, may be considered a children's classic)
As a reader, some of my favorite books have these lines that just suck you into the story. Now, all of those may or may not be well-known works, but I tried to stick to the classics on my own 'read' bookshelves.
Some of my personal favorite openings that may or may not be well-known:
"Linderwall was a large kingdom, just east of the Mountains of Morning, where philosophers were highly respected and the number five was fashionable. The climate was unremarkable. The knights kept their armor brightly polished mainly for show--it had been centuries since a dragon had come this far east. There was the usual periodic problems with royal children and uninvited fairy godmothers, but they were always the sort of thing that could be cleared up by finding the proper prince or princess to marry the unfortunate child a few years later. All in all, Linderwall was a very prosperous and pleasant place.
"Cimorene hated it." -Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede (beginning of a bestselling children's series)
"'You, my lord, are a rake and a rogue. A scoundrel.'" -The Wedding Bargain, by Victoria Alexander (NYT Bestseller)
"I saw Byzantium in a dream, and knew that I would die there." -Byzantium, by Stephen R. Lawhead (I don't think this book was a best-seller, but SRL has others that were. This one just so happens to be my favorite standalone.
Well, lovers of books and reading, those are some opening lines that others or I thought were great. How can you not love a book that begins like some of those do?
Friday, September 17, 2010
When Writing Is Therapeutic...And When It Isn't
Last night, I was in a particularly bad mood. I'm one of those nighttime depressees. Come daylight, I'm fine. I cried and I didn't try fighting it. {this is NOT easy for me to admit. I hate crying, especially when I'm caught, but I needed the example} I knew I'd feel better once I was done. And I did feel better. At least a little. After that, I got my notebook from off the floor, turned to a new page, and started writing. It's a new poem, on my WDC. "The Hunter." It's not about what was wrong, not entirely anyway, but it was something I had been wanting to write.
My best writer friend, Lacey, writes when she's in a bad mood and in need of therapy. After a few sessions, she feels better. Writing has proven therapeutic for many.
But what about when it has the opposite effect?
Back in July, when I first started the current draft, something odd happened. It was a conversation between Naren (our protagonist) and Alandra (the antagonist). Naren was annoyed. Incredibly annoyed. I started getting annoyed. I was thinking, "Why doesn't Naren just kill her now and get it over with?"
Whoa. Back up! I was getting annoyed at what I was writing? In hindsight, it makes sense. I've cried (oh, dang, I'm just admitting to it a lot tonight, aren't I?) several times when I was writing. Just ask my friend, Amanda. She's caught me crying while I was writing! When my characters were happy, I was happy. When they were sad, so was I. When they were angry, I was angry. When they didn't know how to feel, neither did I.
I don't know if this is necessarily a good thing, though. Yes, it's good that I can get under my characters' skins, but is it good for my feelings to be affected as well? I'm supposed to feel better after a good write, not like I want to kill someone.
But I'm certain I'm not the only one.
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