procrastination

I cannot believe that the end of the year is here already. With everything I hoped to do, all my grandiose ideas, I sit here flabbergasted that the time is gone (having, of course, taken advantage of none of it).

The most I can say is that I spent a fair amount of time thinking about my story. While that sounds tacitly lame, I must admit that even that was helpful. I've come up with some good ideas about what I want to do. Now, if I could (read would) just sit down and write it.

limits of magic

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson is absolutely amazing in its magical limits and rules which are very clearly defined fir the reader and religiously adhered to thus far. Gives me a great example of boundaries, rules and limits.

I'm trying to find a way to create such limits and rules in my own book. Eragon was similar as well. While that magic dis not require a reagant as in Mistborn, the user was limited by his physical capacity to use the magic he possesed. Both are very good examples.

Have decided I'm ready to start writing for real. My work is not as fun for me as it once was. What's a better motivator than that?!? Wish me luck.

MTG

Started playing Magic the Gathering. Have been collecting cards the last couple days. Went down to a gamer shop last night and learned how to play. Watched several games, and some nice members there showed me the basic rules and played some games so I could see it.

Thought it might be a fun way to get some new ideas!

Happy thanksgiving everyone.

written into a corner

I read an interesting article tonight on the use and types of magic in fantasy novels. The problem i'm facing is that in my book I started out to create a superhero of sorts. The problem is that now I've done it and I don't know what to do with him. He's too powerful. Can too easily fix problems. I have to go back and put some checks on that. I need a way to balance out the good with some bad.

Now I've got some work cut out for me: I need to create some rules which govern the use of magic in my world. I need to find my hero's kryptonite!

Just set this up to be able to do mobile blogging. Hopefully it works.

Haven't actually written anything yet, but I spent some time outlining some important issues for the book. I've been stumped, and I took the time to put some ideas down on paper.

I'm also doing some serious research reading. Robert Jordan is an amazing author, as is Brandon Sanderson. We've all read lots of books, but it's more difficult than you think to actually correctly set out conversation, thought, asides, etc. That's the stuff we just take for granted when we read the works of others. So, I've spent some time carefully reading to see how the greats do it.

Would write some tonight but not feeling well.

More tomorrow hopefully.

JSE

a predicament

As I mentioned earlier, I never outline my stories and have no idea where the plot is going until I type it. However, with my newest novel I've started making notes as I go, and now I'm at a crossroads where I have several different ways of taking the story where I want it to go. I feel a little stuck because I don't know which way is best.

I was reading the acknowledgments page in a new book that I bought, and the author mentioned all of his focus groups and alpha readers and their input. I've never really thought of asking others for help on how to develop the story or for ideas on where to go. Writing has always been a very solitary idea in my mind. I'm starting to discover that the really good authors rely on many people for help. I'm so protective of what I write. So worried that people will criticize before my story is even done. I guess I need to get used to that because the criticisms certainly will come once its done.

New goal: have some people read my budding manuscript and elicit their ideas, thoughts, criticism.

Happy Halloween

I can't believe that Halloween is upon us. Ever since we found out early in the summer about our son, time has just been a blur. The entire summer was essentially wiped out. Today is Halloween, and that means Christmas is just around the corner.

I'm setting a writing goal today. Historically I'll write on my book once or twice every couple months or even years. Approximately 61 days remain of 2009. My goal is to write 2 pages on my book every day through the end of the year. If I get 122 book pages complete by New Years, i'll be well on my way to completion.

I'll keep you updated as we go.

I'm already nervous about my goal. But, if I don't set one, I'm afraid I'll NEVER do it.

JSE

a beginning

I once read that the difference between writers and non-writers is that writers write. Those of you that know me know that I have always wanted to be a writer. I have said for years that one day I would write books for a living. Here I sit having just had my (our) fourth child, working as an attorney and wondering how so much time has gone by.

I've started writing two books. One began 17 years or so ago. I actually had a draft of a few pages which sat in a box in my parents’ attic while I went away on a mission and to school. When I finally found it again after earning my English degree, I realized the story had potential but the writing was horrible. Childish. Immature. So I began a revision process that resulted in a completely different book than the one I began with all those years ago. The basic story premise is the same, but virtually every word was reworked. It's a spy thriller. To date I actually have a fair amount written, and I think it's very good. The problem is that I don't want to write spy novels. I grew up reading Tolkien and Brooks. My dream was always to write fantasy.

Recently I decided to go back to that. An idea I had been tinkering with finally worked itself out in my head, and I sat down and started writing. It turned into a promising first chapter, though I fear I made it way too grand too fast. I need to find a way to work into where I already am. That being said, I think it has great potential as well. My dilemma now, of course, is which book to work on. While I feel somewhat traitorous to the character in my spy novel (I've been with him for almost 20 years), I can't stop thinking of ideas for the fantasy.

My problem is that I don't outline. I don't know what's going to happen in a story until the plot pours out onto the computer screen through my fingers. Recently my family read a draft of one of the books and eagerly asked what was coming on a climactic section. I told them I had no idea but was as excited as them to find out.

Well, enough for now. Too much, probably.

I just wanted to start writing. Hopefully more will come soon.