Monday, April 25

Welcome back, Ella.

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Remember this little picture I had in one of my posts, once upon a time?













This was on Word 2007. The blue bubbles to the right are comments on sentences I'm supposed to fix, paragraphs I had to rewrite, passages I needed to tear apart, etc.

For the past few months, I've abandoned fixing what the bubbles told me to fix. Instead, I've been working on scene revisions (as mentioned in my last post). Inserting passages, rewriting certain parts of a chapter, lengthening/chopping up chapters, and adding plot-related things that forced me to add and rewrite other scenes. For those months, I was doing that. I haven't bothered with my bubbles. Ever.

But Saturday and Sunday night, I decided that I was being absolutely ridiculous. It took me one month to write 3,000 words. One month. If that isn't pathetic, I don't know what is [at least it is for me ;)]. So Saturday, I decided that my procrastinating had to end NOW, and I worked my butt off compiling a check list--and then tackling as many points as I could on that check list in one night. At the start of the check list, I had about 93,000 words. When I was done with the check list, I ended up with 99,000.

Now, I didn't finish all of that in just one night. I had Easter night to back me up, thankfully. My word count for my 8th draft is currently 99,694, and I've added even more bullets to The Check List. The only good thing (somewhat) is that these bullets aren't as important and dire for me to add/fix/take away as the ones from Saturday and Sunday. Which means:

I'm back to my bubbles.

Honestly, I don't really like my bubbles. I have a natural insecurity when it comes to my writing that, whenever I'm changing something, I think "didn't I already do this?" or "now if I change this, then doesn't that mean I'll have to change this? and even if I do end up changing the latter, then wouldn't that open up another plot hole?" It's crazy, I know, and I tend to over think everything. Especially when it comes to my writing. And when it comes to my bubbles, it's like insecurity to the maximum. It's pathetic and ridiculous, and it's a very bad habit I can't just get rid of. Hey, maybe that's why it takes me such a long time to revise (at least that's what I like to tell myself).

In either case, I'm back to my bubbles. I might move away from them in another month or so, but for now, I'm back. And frankly, it isn't good to be back.

- E

Saturday, April 23

Falling Behind.

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One of the strangest things I've realized is how horribly most of my planning goes. I set deadlines for myself ahead of time, and I almost always either end up going past the deadline, or moving the deadline to a later date. In writing, the former usually happens. But in writing, the topic that's supposed to meet the deadline in the first place changes.

In case that didn't make any sense at all (and it probably didn't considering I'm writing this at eleven pm after a long day on trying to figure out how to write my AP essay), let me explain further.

Months ago, when I was writing draft 5 of Depravity, I've already set "draft goals". I knew draft 6 was going to be finalizing my scenes, draft 7 was going to be finalizing dialogue and grammar, and draft 8 was going to be finalizing everything else. Now I'm at draft 8 and what am I doing?

Still finalizing the scenes.

Now, I'm not discouraged or anything. I tend to change my mind a lot about things, especially if I care about the "thing" a great deal. When it comes to writing, I always have all sorts of ideas, and those ideas always change from time to time. I could have one idea one day, and the next I could wake up with an even better idea, although it might mean adding another short passage or altering one I've already written. Add that in with the fact I get distracted easily--and I tend to procrastinate a lot--and it basically means that my "draft goals" will be slowed down and I'm going to end up taking forever writing my next draft. AKA draft 9. In fact, I'm still taking a long time writing my eighth draft.

I'm not sure how long it's going to take before I am absolutely proud of my work, until my manuscript is agent-presentable. It might take another few months, or even another year. All I know is that I'm going to take my time. I can't rush these things. I only get one debut, and I might as well make it the best it can be (if of course I do end up getting published).

- E

Thursday, April 21

Florida Adventure.

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I know it's been really quiet on here lately, but! it's not exactly my fault. Well, not really. For the past few days, I've been away on a band trip to Florida, where we marched in a parade around City Walk and played at Universal Studios. It was pretty awesome (except for the parade, which I might as well say that it felt like I was drowning in my own pool of sweat), and it was very fun. In fact, when the plane landed in Indianapolis, I didn't want to get off at all. My friend and I were having a conversation about it, too, of our dislike for leaving Orlando.

Me: Don't you just LOVE the smell of corn? Ahhhh. Breathe it in!
Friend: I don't want corn! I want the smell of roller-coasters and fast food...
Me: Sorry. We're in Indiana now.

The best part, I think, was when we got to the hotel the first night. Our curfew was in three hours, and my roommates and I hadn't eaten dinner yet. So we ordered pizza, sat in the lobby, (which had been occupied solely by bandies, and which was right next to the pool) and hung out. Talked about guys. The usual. It was nice and relaxing and pretty cool. Of course, there were other awesome parts about Florida, but just the peace and quiet from a hectic day at Sea World (our first destination) made it amazing. Especially since by the time I got to the hotel, I was soaking wet (I rode a water roller-coaster exactly fourteen times, and the thirteenth time, when I was sitting in the front, water sloshed literally right over me). Like I said, it was nice.

I couldn't exactly call Florida a vacation though. Sure we spent every day at an amusement park for at around 8 hours, but it was still exhausting. The actual calming time at an amusement park was when we sat down to listen to the jazz band play. Plus, there was the time when my friends and I went to the Arcade, found a $20 on the ground, and played a bunch of games. I actually didn't mind staying there for the rest of the day. (The games were addicting. Plus I could've won an iPod Touch.)

Really though, there's just something different about going to another state with a large group of your friends, who's almost like your family, than actually going somewhere with your real family. The plane ride with them, hanging out with them at Orlando...it was a memorable trip to say the least. I really do miss Florida, but I can't stay there forever. I have to come back, make up for the homework I missed, and then figure out how to edit the rest of my manuscript.

In other words, back to the usual.

- E

P.S. For those who ask, I play the French horn :D

Saturday, April 2

W.I.P. Database.

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'tis here
DEPRAVITY  {YA Urban Fantasy} -- in the Giant Outline of Doom phase. See The Ink Timeline.
is my current official work in progress. The story is about fifteen year old Gwen, who finds out she is a demon slayer and is sent to a demon slayer training school, where she must uncover the motives of a supernatural guild of assassins and its relationship with the disappearing students--and Gwen herself.


'tis here
SHADOWED: THE RETELLING OF THUMBELINA {YA Fantasy}-- see The Ink Timeline.

Thumbelina was born from the flowers. Maia was born from the shadows.


In the land of Celeste, Maia Amblyne lives a seemingly quiet life with her adoptive grandmother, but at night she faces vicious apparitions in her sleep: looming shadows that taunt her and draw her to them. So when Maia sees one of these shadows when she is awake, she is compelled to follow it. She will soon realize, however, that the shadow-like creature is a trap, and when it disappears with Maia's grandmother, Maia is determined to get her back. But to do so would mean striking up a bargain with a newcomer, a faerie prince from a completely different world named Zeric who claims he needs Maia to help his clan rise to power, but will be able to help Maia find her grandmother.


But Zeric is not the only one who needs Maia. For a malicious intent, the current ruling clan of Zeric's world needs her to control the shadowed creatures that stalk the night. And a mysterious faerie named Cassandra requires Maia's assistance as well. Maia herself must spend time mastering her skills of control over the shadowed creatures, but she must do it quickly. For despite the number of people who are willing to help her, there are many more who are willing to kill her; and each person she encounters can either take her one step forward--or one step back.

Shadowed was my NaNoWriMo project in 2010 and 2011, but both years I was not able to complete it (boo...)

* Shadowed creatures are gigantic things. Like this big thing.


A RUSH OF NEEDLES -- read it on FictionPress.
When sixteen year old Nell Carlton stumbles upon a strange man encased in needles, she is brought into the dangerous world of the puppets and their human puppeteers, where she must find her role and learn about her abilities to help a supernatural guild.
This is probably my most unofficial WIP that I'm actually writing. You can go to this post for a more detailed blurb, and for more information on ARoN.

That's it!

- E