For someone who tends to start and never finish, a milestone

So, I mentioned two posts ago that I would debrief screnzy but then I forgot and didn't, so I'll do that now and talk about detective stories next time.

Ok. Screnzy.

I think that scripts are not my thing. I mean, I keep trying to put in parantheticals or long descriptions and it's not really working out. Part of the problem may also have been that I was adapting, rather than writing something original. It's something to come back to, rather than something to completely give up.

But I'm pretty sure now that I'm a prose writer, so I'll keep working on that.

I'd also like to point out that the story that I wrote a little while ago based on the movie the Adjustment Bureau is - and I only realized this recently - the first piece of non-required (ie non-school) writing that I have actually finished. I mean, it could use a couple heavy rounds of editing, but it's finished. That's actually a pretty big deal!

Hi, I'm alive (despite all evidence to the contrary). Plus, status update.

Look! Two days in a row! Is this the beginning of a new era?

I'd like to think so, but probably not.

Anyway, happy to report that I'm back to writing, working simultaneously on two projects. The fantasy (my nano novel), which has exploded into a blob-like mess of ideas and Things That Have To Happen But Haven't Yet and is very conducive to procrastinating mightily. Did that sentence make sense? Probably not, sorry, it's late and I just ate a very large steak for dinner.

Next year I think I will be very fat.

Anyway, the other project is as of yet untitled but I like to refer to it as "Law and Order: Vampires", which is sort of what it is except no ADAs have made an appearance as of yet.

So a fair amount of writing done although my first chapter, contrary to all laws of the universe, is actually too short and contains no backstory or exposition, barely any description and actually not that much dialog, either. In plain terms it's short and needs to be expanded...but that's for a later revision.

This has the potential to be difficult for me because I was always the kid who looked up the answer in the whodunits...but more on that tomorrow. Bedtime.

Status Update: L&O: Vampires

Word count: 1,355
Characters introduced: 5
Characters killed: 1 (she was dead when introduced)
Vampires: 1 (Piper)
Werewolves: 1 (Corrigan)
Humans: 3 (Mallory, rookie, dead girl)

I Collect Names

I've always been a collector, although my mother might have a stronger term for it...anyway, I collect names. It's probably because naming things is one of the hardest and most stressful parts of writing for me. And titles. I can never think of titles.

So anyway when I hear a name I like, or read one, I add it to my list, in the hopes that one day when I need a name the perfect one will be right there, waiting for me.

The reason I'm mentioning this now is because the other day I was in photography class, and we were looking at some photos by a largely undiscovered 50s street photographer named Vivian Maier. (If you're at all interested in photography, take a look - they're very good photos) One girl came in a little late and asked me who the photographer was.

I said, almost immediately, "Victoria Harvey". I really have no idea where that came from. But it was a pretty good sounding name, and the fact that it had spontaneously popped out of my mouth had almost a destined feel to it. Needless to say, it went on the list.

Pickiness, and Sympathetic Characters

Ugh, rehearsal schedule is reaching new heights of craziness, hence my blog neglect.

I may be picky about food - yes, I admit it freely- but there's a lot I'm not picky about. And sometimes it's almost to the point of not having an opinion, or not wanting to be decisive and commit to one, but often it's just because I happen to like a variety of things.

Like music. I am decidedly unpicky when it comes to music. I like a LOT of different styles, genres, artists, whatever. Except I don't really like rap. Or country. Sorry Rat. (She really likes country)

This is relevant because I was reading Johannes Cabal the Detective the other day - the second in a series, and you should read them...the first is Johannes Cabal the Necromancer - and I was thinking about the main character, the titular Johannes Cabal. Wow that was a long sentence. He's...interesting. He's not your typical good guy. He's selfish, he's not very nice, he doesn't play well with others, his motives are not always pure, and yet you find yourself rooting for him.

I'm not going to analyze this too much, but basically my point is it takes a lot of skill to write a character like that in such a way that he's sympathetic to the reader. Hm. Something to work on.

Tomorrow, provided I remember, I debrief Screnzy.

EDIT: So I said that my not being picky was relevant, but then never actually said why...the connection is that I'm not picky about the characters I like. They've got to be well written, interesting, fleshed out - the usual. But they don't always have to be the "hero". I like variety in my characters, just as I like variety in my music. And my ice cream. Besides, always reading about the same sort of character gets booooooring, right?

"We are who we are. Lotteries are stupid."

Do you know what? Writing cards is very difficult.

I find it similar to signing a yearbook, actually. It's hard to write something heartfelt and unique and genuine and not sound stupid or sappy. It's hard to reduce the ups and downs and lefts and rights and wrongs of a relationship into a few words. People are such complicated, multifaceted beings, and cards aren't very big.

I think, sometimes, it would just be easier to write everyone a novel.

Of course, even a novel is a reduction; just a longer one. Honestly, nothing can totally capture real life, it just is. But we write novels anyway. I guess they're easier to understand.

That was enough profundity (if it even was profound) for one night. Back to writing, because Rat's story needs to be done tomorrow and it's a page long. Haha. It really is funny how bad I am at deadlines. Except it's not.

Also, Blogger has moved the little box where I type labels for posts...it's on the left now instead of the right. That annoys me.

And just to clarify, the title has nothing at all to do with this post. I just liked it. Brownie points if you can identify the source...

I'm A Little All Over the Place

True to form I procrastinated rather than doing anything useful today.

Also, I have been putting off getting a new social security card for over a month now...REALLY have to get on that...

Goodnight. Maybe I'll have something useful to say tomorrow.

P.S. After a certain conversation I had today I'm thinking about baby names. It looks like Ethan or Oliver for a boy...not sure about girls yet. This is totally and completely irrelevant to everything but whatever.

So Much to Do, So Little Time

I thought about posting yesterday, but I was babysitting and typing anything longer than a couple of sentences on my phone makes me want to throw up.

Today, I am Cleaning The Room. It's something I do a lot, although the room never actually gets clean. And I have to get started on Rat's present, and keep working on the others (wow I fail at deadlines).

I also have to study for the Chem AP which is - haha - tomorrow, and I haven't. At all.

Don't mention that to my mother, please.