So, I did end up seeing it on opening night.
And I liked it.
#8- it was intentionally and genuinely hilarious. Bella essentilly calls Edward a dirty old man in the beginning. 'Nuff said.
#7- Kristen Stewart adds a dimension to Bella that I find extremely appealing. She doesn't really come across as helpless or needy, even when she says things like "I need you." I just saw Adventureland, and I've seen Into the Wild, Panic Room, and Speak and she impresses me on many levels. She carried the movie.
#6- the vampire fighting was very cool. Very cool.
#5- the dream sequences were almost universally awesome.
#4- the director made the nomads Laurant and Victoria legitimately creepy this time around. Big fan of the way he shot them.
#3- the scene where we see Edward get the phone call. Wow. Just...wow. I wasn't expecting it and I really hope there are more scenes that will end up on the DVD. That might just be my favorite part.
#2- the ending. They cut it in the right place.
#1- the Remember Me trailer. It looks amazing, and it was mostly filmed at NYU, my alma mater. WIN.
11.20.2009
11.18.2009
Music I Love
Inspired by the YA Highway topic: What are the songs that represent/influence your WIP(s)?
I wrote the first half of my manuscript to music, but for the second half, needed complete silence to make sure the puzzle pieces I'd set up would fit together. But there are definitely a few songs that embody the major "themes" of my WIP.
And, SHAZAM:
Fiona Apple: Paper Bag
"Hunger hurts, and I want him
So bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess
He don't wanna clean up,
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold,
Hunger hurts but starving works
When it costs too much to love."
Then, of course, You Can't Always Get What You Want, by the Rolling Stones:
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, you might find
You get what you need
And finally, I Was Broken, Marcus Foster
Said I used to think the past was dead and gone
But I was wrong, so wrong
Whatever makes you blind must make you strong, make you strong
In my time I've melted into many forms
From the day that I was born, I know that there is no place to hide
Stuck between the burning shade and the fading light
I was broken for a long time
But it's over now
Said I was broken for a long time
But it's over now
Others songs:
Ruby's Arms, Tom Waits
Warning Sign, Coldplay
I Will Follow You Into The Dark, Death Cab for Cutie
Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley
Cyprus Avenue, Van Morrison
Night Terror, Laura Marling
Lunchbox, Marilyn Manson
Feel So High, Des'ree
And there you have it. What about you guys? Do you listen to music when you write? Read? What music turns you on?
I wrote the first half of my manuscript to music, but for the second half, needed complete silence to make sure the puzzle pieces I'd set up would fit together. But there are definitely a few songs that embody the major "themes" of my WIP.
And, SHAZAM:
Fiona Apple: Paper Bag
"Hunger hurts, and I want him
So bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess
He don't wanna clean up,
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold,
Hunger hurts but starving works
When it costs too much to love."
Then, of course, You Can't Always Get What You Want, by the Rolling Stones:
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, you might find
You get what you need
And finally, I Was Broken, Marcus Foster
Said I used to think the past was dead and gone
But I was wrong, so wrong
Whatever makes you blind must make you strong, make you strong
In my time I've melted into many forms
From the day that I was born, I know that there is no place to hide
Stuck between the burning shade and the fading light
I was broken for a long time
But it's over now
Said I was broken for a long time
But it's over now
Others songs:
Ruby's Arms, Tom Waits
Warning Sign, Coldplay
I Will Follow You Into The Dark, Death Cab for Cutie
Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley
Cyprus Avenue, Van Morrison
Night Terror, Laura Marling
Lunchbox, Marilyn Manson
Feel So High, Des'ree
And there you have it. What about you guys? Do you listen to music when you write? Read? What music turns you on?
11.16.2009
I'm a naughty, naughty blogger.
I abandoned you all without so much as an auf wiedersehen. Life and revisions got in the way, and I neglected this here blog.
I am sorry.
I'm thinking of a way to make it up to you all. Promises.
I am sorry.
I'm thinking of a way to make it up to you all. Promises.
11.11.2009
THE SKY IS FALLING THE SKY IS FALLING THE SKY IS **t^%$$#efgy^&
I bet you know what that title means, my friends.
It's a loathe day.
It was inspired by several of the comments on GalleyCat in response to this post: "Literary Agents, bah! Who needs them?"
There's lots of ridiculous to choose from, but what really got my goat was a tiddle from the article itself:
"One published author who asks to be unnamed disagrees, "What do you need an agent for anymore, really? Why? To negotiate a meager advance? You can't get them on the phone anyway. You're stuck promoting the book yourself because publishers don't put any marketing dollars into your book unless you're John Grisham. I don't see the whole point when I can hire an attorney to negotiate my publishing contract for a flat fee or just upload the book to Kindle myself."
I commented my not-so-humble opinion on the response post authored by very wise, very experienced Miriam Goderich of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. I tried to behave, really I did.
The gist of it is that LAWYERS ARE NOT SUBSTITUTES FOR AGENTS PEOPLE REALLY. Even publishing lawyers, who indubitably have a niche practice area. I promise you, even the very best publishing lawyer on the planet is not going to hold your hand through revisions, tell you when your ideas suck unneutered doggie balls, and fight tooth and nail for your CAREER.
That was the first, most immediate Thing That Pissed Me Off. This quote was the second:
"Agents and publishers are going to have to adapt to the changes in the business, there is no other way to survive the digital revolution that is coming," says Jerry Simmons of INDI Publishing Group, "Failure to recognize this very simple fact will most likely mean the end to book publishing as we know it."
I'll admit to being fairly new to this writerly thing, and not knowing as much about the industry as others. But I do read the industry blogs. And all of the agent-y bloggers have written about ebooks, vooks, the future of publishing, yada yada yada. But THE END TO BOOK PUBLISHING AS WE KNOW IT?!
It's not the zombie apocalypse, guys.
End-of-days quotes like those are only endearing when Philip Roth says them, and even he should probably shut up. I kinda think everything he does is cute because he wrote Operation Shylock, but really sir. The novel...extinct?! The END of book publishing as we know it? You sound a little stressed...
@2:36
It's a loathe day.
It was inspired by several of the comments on GalleyCat in response to this post: "Literary Agents, bah! Who needs them?"
There's lots of ridiculous to choose from, but what really got my goat was a tiddle from the article itself:
"One published author who asks to be unnamed disagrees, "What do you need an agent for anymore, really? Why? To negotiate a meager advance? You can't get them on the phone anyway. You're stuck promoting the book yourself because publishers don't put any marketing dollars into your book unless you're John Grisham. I don't see the whole point when I can hire an attorney to negotiate my publishing contract for a flat fee or just upload the book to Kindle myself."
I commented my not-so-humble opinion on the response post authored by very wise, very experienced Miriam Goderich of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. I tried to behave, really I did.
The gist of it is that LAWYERS ARE NOT SUBSTITUTES FOR AGENTS PEOPLE REALLY. Even publishing lawyers, who indubitably have a niche practice area. I promise you, even the very best publishing lawyer on the planet is not going to hold your hand through revisions, tell you when your ideas suck unneutered doggie balls, and fight tooth and nail for your CAREER.
That was the first, most immediate Thing That Pissed Me Off. This quote was the second:
"Agents and publishers are going to have to adapt to the changes in the business, there is no other way to survive the digital revolution that is coming," says Jerry Simmons of INDI Publishing Group, "Failure to recognize this very simple fact will most likely mean the end to book publishing as we know it."
I'll admit to being fairly new to this writerly thing, and not knowing as much about the industry as others. But I do read the industry blogs. And all of the agent-y bloggers have written about ebooks, vooks, the future of publishing, yada yada yada. But THE END TO BOOK PUBLISHING AS WE KNOW IT?!
It's not the zombie apocalypse, guys.
End-of-days quotes like those are only endearing when Philip Roth says them, and even he should probably shut up. I kinda think everything he does is cute because he wrote Operation Shylock, but really sir. The novel...extinct?! The END of book publishing as we know it? You sound a little stressed...
@2:36
11.10.2009
I love Stephen King.
He gave us Carrie, The Shining, and The Stand. Misery, Pet Cemetery, and Cujo. And the book/movie that still scares the whoopass out of me, IT.
The first Stephen King book I ever read was The Tommyknockers, which, at the time, disturbed me not because of the creepy subject matter but the frank description of menstruation (I was in 5th grade, 'nuff said). But I loved horror books, having grown up on R.L. Stine (gosh, Fear Street was awesome) and except for IT (dear lord there is nothing more terrifying than a scary clown, NOTHING), I adored the sensation of being abjectly terrified; it was thrilling and wonderful.
Stephen King's new novel UNDER THE DOME just hit shelves, and I am so psyched to read it. I've got 22 YA books sitting on my shelf that I need to make my way through first (because reading in your genre should be a priority, fellow writers!), and then Lev Grossman's THE MAGIGIANS which I've been dying to read since August, but after that, it's Stephen King. Michael Grant's GONE and HUNGER have a similar plot point (the dome that cuts the kids off from the rest of the world) and getting to read an adult take on this ignites the squee.
As wonderful as I'm sure UNDER THE DOME will be, I'm not sure it will knock DREAMCATCHER out for my top favorite Stephen King novel.
"Wait, what?!" you say. "DREAMCATCHER?! That's your favorite? Not Dolores Claiborne, The Stand, or Needful Things? Not The Shining?! What is wrong with you?"
What's wrong with me is that I find parasitic aliens delightful. DELIGHTFUL! They spread like a disease, and in the book and movie, they're called sh*tweasels. That right there, ladies and gents, is WIN.*
What about you folks? Do you love Stephen King? If so, what's your favorite book or movie? Or do you loathe him? Speak up!
*I am very, very odd. If you did not know this by now, well...you're learning, aren't you?
The first Stephen King book I ever read was The Tommyknockers, which, at the time, disturbed me not because of the creepy subject matter but the frank description of menstruation (I was in 5th grade, 'nuff said). But I loved horror books, having grown up on R.L. Stine (gosh, Fear Street was awesome) and except for IT (dear lord there is nothing more terrifying than a scary clown, NOTHING), I adored the sensation of being abjectly terrified; it was thrilling and wonderful.
Stephen King's new novel UNDER THE DOME just hit shelves, and I am so psyched to read it. I've got 22 YA books sitting on my shelf that I need to make my way through first (because reading in your genre should be a priority, fellow writers!), and then Lev Grossman's THE MAGIGIANS which I've been dying to read since August, but after that, it's Stephen King. Michael Grant's GONE and HUNGER have a similar plot point (the dome that cuts the kids off from the rest of the world) and getting to read an adult take on this ignites the squee.
As wonderful as I'm sure UNDER THE DOME will be, I'm not sure it will knock DREAMCATCHER out for my top favorite Stephen King novel.
"Wait, what?!" you say. "DREAMCATCHER?! That's your favorite? Not Dolores Claiborne, The Stand, or Needful Things? Not The Shining?! What is wrong with you?"
What's wrong with me is that I find parasitic aliens delightful. DELIGHTFUL! They spread like a disease, and in the book and movie, they're called sh*tweasels. That right there, ladies and gents, is WIN.*
What about you folks? Do you love Stephen King? If so, what's your favorite book or movie? Or do you loathe him? Speak up!
*I am very, very odd. If you did not know this by now, well...you're learning, aren't you?
11.09.2009
MESSAGES! Yay or Nay?
If you haven't watched the vid below from Ace Ventura, you must. Not only is it hilarious (I could watch Jim Carrey shake that Monopoly guy on repeat for days) but I think it's actually rather instructive.
Srsly, readers. Ace has a message: he is all about the animals. And those of you who know me know I'm also all about the animals. Unlike Ace, however, I do not wear wraps made of people. Not yet. But I do feel very strongly about animal welfare, and have very strong opinions about animal cruelty (i.e. don't do it, it's very bad, Michael Vick sucks), most of which have been inspired by my experiences as a rescuer and a lawyer. I've even written a law review article about a topic that gripped the headlines and my conscience back when I was a wee 2L.
What struck me as I mulled this blog post over was that, as a law student, I found a way to write about something that mattered to me. And while I'm writing fiction now, I'm still writing about stuff that matters to me. Not in the same "persuasive argument" way, and certainly not on the same subjects. But still. I write because I have Stuff I Wanna Say (and because a lot of that stuff cracks my sh*t up, and I like making myself laugh). I think most writers probably similar, non?
Think about it: in order to get 60-100k coherent words out there, you have to write about something that matters to you; otherwise, how can you stay committed to your story? How can you infuse your words with enough passion to get anyone else's attention? If you have that kind of passion- not just the passion to write something, anything, mind you- but the passion to write THIS THING you're writing, THIS book, THIS plot, THESE characters- surely that's a step in the right direction. Of course, you might run into trouble if you're plugging away at that 300,000 word opus on the future of slug farming. This is where you must balance what matters to YOU with writing something OTHER people will actually want to read.
Since I write YA, I read a lot of YA. And I can think of a bunch of successful YA books that have clear messages that don't overshadow the plot or pacing of the book. Like Scott Westerfeld's brilliant Uglies series, which explores the meaning of beauty.
While I don't think my book fits into that category, I don't mind reading books that do. Uglies was never pedantic, and while Breaking Dawn contained the scariest consequences of sex EVAR, the Twilight series was still an entertaining read.
So I'm curious: if you're a writer, does your novel have a message? If you're a reader, do you like reading novels with messages? What say you, Internets?
I decided that I love novels with messages, as long as they're well done. I love me a good horror novel, but when an author manages to weave a positive or thought provoking message into a compelling plot and an entertaining read? It's made of win.
Srsly, readers. Ace has a message: he is all about the animals. And those of you who know me know I'm also all about the animals. Unlike Ace, however, I do not wear wraps made of people. Not yet. But I do feel very strongly about animal welfare, and have very strong opinions about animal cruelty (i.e. don't do it, it's very bad, Michael Vick sucks), most of which have been inspired by my experiences as a rescuer and a lawyer. I've even written a law review article about a topic that gripped the headlines and my conscience back when I was a wee 2L.
What struck me as I mulled this blog post over was that, as a law student, I found a way to write about something that mattered to me. And while I'm writing fiction now, I'm still writing about stuff that matters to me. Not in the same "persuasive argument" way, and certainly not on the same subjects. But still. I write because I have Stuff I Wanna Say (and because a lot of that stuff cracks my sh*t up, and I like making myself laugh). I think most writers probably similar, non?
Think about it: in order to get 60-100k coherent words out there, you have to write about something that matters to you; otherwise, how can you stay committed to your story? How can you infuse your words with enough passion to get anyone else's attention? If you have that kind of passion- not just the passion to write something, anything, mind you- but the passion to write THIS THING you're writing, THIS book, THIS plot, THESE characters- surely that's a step in the right direction. Of course, you might run into trouble if you're plugging away at that 300,000 word opus on the future of slug farming. This is where you must balance what matters to YOU with writing something OTHER people will actually want to read.
Since I write YA, I read a lot of YA. And I can think of a bunch of successful YA books that have clear messages that don't overshadow the plot or pacing of the book. Like Scott Westerfeld's brilliant Uglies series, which explores the meaning of beauty.
While I don't think my book fits into that category, I don't mind reading books that do. Uglies was never pedantic, and while Breaking Dawn contained the scariest consequences of sex EVAR, the Twilight series was still an entertaining read.
So I'm curious: if you're a writer, does your novel have a message? If you're a reader, do you like reading novels with messages? What say you, Internets?
I decided that I love novels with messages, as long as they're well done. I love me a good horror novel, but when an author manages to weave a positive or thought provoking message into a compelling plot and an entertaining read? It's made of win.
11.06.2009
I Love Activism!
In honor of a fellow activist today, I bring you Ace Ventura, Pet Detective.
There's nothing wrong with having a message. Jim Carrey says so.
Have a good weekend. More substantive posting Monday!
There's nothing wrong with having a message. Jim Carrey says so.
Have a good weekend. More substantive posting Monday!
11.05.2009
10 Reasons why I love SHIVER, by Maggie Stiefvater
In honor of the unveiling of the first paragraph and cover for LINGER, the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by the incomparable Ms. Stiefvater, here are my reasons why SHIVER will knock your toasty warm socks off. Go buy it today.
1) Grace, the female main character, is the mistress of her own fate. She makes her own choices. She is never weak or stupid. More please.
2) Sam, you're a hottie. IDK about the yellow eyes, that reminds me of the cover of Laurie Halse Anderson's FEVER 1793 a little bit, and I don't understand why so many male main characters in YA (Jace/Edward/Sam) have tawny/golden/liquid topaz/amber/yellow eyes in the first place, but I can look past this because of the rest of you. That Owen Wilson nose? Thumbs UP.
3) Page 71 made me laugh out loud. When an author can make me cackle (on purpose), especially in the middle of an otherwise tense scene, I'm sold.
4) I really appreciated how flawlessly the author wove the paranormal complication into what would otherwise be a contemporary romance. Well played.
5) It was page turning in the best way. There were no gratuitous plot devices thrown in for action; the ticking clock drove it. Stiefvater for the win.
6) Sam's a good guy. I tend to love bad boys in literature, so the fact that Sam won me over was huge. He works because even though he's good, he isn't perfect and says some really stupid things (well, mainly one really stupid thing, I totes wanted to punch you for it too, Sam!), but you get why. And he's easy to forgive.
7) It's so well written. SO well written. No unfortunate lines or sentences come to mind, not a one.
8) Flaws aside, Grace's parents were actual people. From the YA I've read (and as a writer), I know this can be hard to execute well. Stiefvater does it.
9) It made me cry, just like it made me laugh. Huge bonus points for getting me to do both.
10) The ending. The ending the ending the ending the ending the ending the ending.
What are ya'll feelin' today? A good book? Bourbon?
1) Grace, the female main character, is the mistress of her own fate. She makes her own choices. She is never weak or stupid. More please.
2) Sam, you're a hottie. IDK about the yellow eyes, that reminds me of the cover of Laurie Halse Anderson's FEVER 1793 a little bit, and I don't understand why so many male main characters in YA (Jace/Edward/Sam) have tawny/golden/liquid topaz/amber/yellow eyes in the first place, but I can look past this because of the rest of you. That Owen Wilson nose? Thumbs UP.
3) Page 71 made me laugh out loud. When an author can make me cackle (on purpose), especially in the middle of an otherwise tense scene, I'm sold.
4) I really appreciated how flawlessly the author wove the paranormal complication into what would otherwise be a contemporary romance. Well played.
5) It was page turning in the best way. There were no gratuitous plot devices thrown in for action; the ticking clock drove it. Stiefvater for the win.
6) Sam's a good guy. I tend to love bad boys in literature, so the fact that Sam won me over was huge. He works because even though he's good, he isn't perfect and says some really stupid things (well, mainly one really stupid thing, I totes wanted to punch you for it too, Sam!), but you get why. And he's easy to forgive.
7) It's so well written. SO well written. No unfortunate lines or sentences come to mind, not a one.
8) Flaws aside, Grace's parents were actual people. From the YA I've read (and as a writer), I know this can be hard to execute well. Stiefvater does it.
9) It made me cry, just like it made me laugh. Huge bonus points for getting me to do both.
10) The ending. The ending the ending the ending the ending the ending the ending.
What are ya'll feelin' today? A good book? Bourbon?
11.02.2009
At long last...CONTROVERSY!
This, my friends, is the snark you've been waiting for. Well, at least...this is the snark my long time friends have all been waiting for. To my new friends...well. If you thought this blog was all puppydogs and Crawlers, You. Were. Wrong. Because:
I think I loathe NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, 50k words in 30 days for you uninitiated)
"ZOMG," you say. "Maggie Stiefvater is doing NaNo! And she is Infinitely More Awesome Than You, Miss Unagented Unpublished Writer!"
I know, kids. I know. She is way more awesome. But still. I hate NaNo*. And not because it's devoid of value, because it's not. Like catheters and catharses (but not schnitzel), NaNoWriMo serves an important purpose. Hey, some of my best friends are NaNoErs. But even if I wasn't working on revisions for my novel that I would like to slingshot into the universe soon, I don't think it would work for me. Why?
Because NaNoWriMo is like the 30 Day Shred
The idea of the 30 Day Shred (30DS) is that you bust your ass for 30 days and you go from flab to fab. Not that you're going to melt off hundreds of pounds if you're morbidly obese...not necessarily that you're even going lose weight at all. But you ARE supposed to look different by the end of 30 days. And my friends who have gone the distance have taken pics and the transformation is amazing.
But it's hard. Really hard. So hard that your muscles shake (I hear) when you've done your 8,765th jumping jack.
"So," you say, "you don't believe in hard? You're in for a HARD lesson if you wanna get published if that's the case, Missy!"
"Shut up, peanut gallery," I tell you. "It's not that I don't believe in hard."
Seriously, folks, I get that you have to work hard for the things you want. I get that writing isn't easy. But for me, I think NaNo would make it harder. Like the 30DS, I think NaNo sets up these weird, unreasonable expectations: by Day 30, you'll have a novel! By Day 30, you'll have a waist!
Before the comments section ignites, let me just get it out there that I know that YOU know that you're not going to go out there in December and shop your 50,000 word novel around to every single agent listed on Query Tracker. I know YOU know that you're going to have to spend a few months (at least) revising, and revising again. But this post isn't about you, because on MY blog, it's the Michelle show. And I think if I tried to NaNo, I would not only fail, but I'd be pretty flippin' depressed about it, too.
Like it or not, there are folks out there who don't know that NaNo is really just a means to light a spark under your ass and get you writing. I've been seeing a bunch of posts by awesome people who, pre-November 1st, were floundering, looking for things to write about JUST because NaNo was coming up. Then they just started writing on November 1st, JUST because it was November first. If you don't know what to write about, I don't think you should just start writing because it's the first of November. (Now you can flame me).
Many of those same folks are now throwing in the towel on Day 3 (or seriously considering it) because they're at a standstill, and they feel crappy about it (as I would). Just like I'd feel crappy for not finishing the 30DS. And I would think that craptacular feeling is worse when it's sparked by a perceived creative failure instead of, say, a failure to move.
So, fellow non-NaNoers, unite with me. Support your NaNo friends, but don't feel badly for not doing it, whatever your reasons. Wait until you have an idea that grabs you and just won't let go. Wait until you have a story you just HAVE to tell, and then tell it as only you can. And if that happens to be in June 2010? Or February 2023? So be it.
How do you feel about NaNo?
*This post was written because I'm just jealous of everyone who IS doing NaNo, and I feel totally left out.
I think I loathe NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, 50k words in 30 days for you uninitiated)
"ZOMG," you say. "Maggie Stiefvater is doing NaNo! And she is Infinitely More Awesome Than You, Miss Unagented Unpublished Writer!"
I know, kids. I know. She is way more awesome. But still. I hate NaNo*. And not because it's devoid of value, because it's not. Like catheters and catharses (but not schnitzel), NaNoWriMo serves an important purpose. Hey, some of my best friends are NaNoErs. But even if I wasn't working on revisions for my novel that I would like to slingshot into the universe soon, I don't think it would work for me. Why?
Because NaNoWriMo is like the 30 Day Shred
The idea of the 30 Day Shred (30DS) is that you bust your ass for 30 days and you go from flab to fab. Not that you're going to melt off hundreds of pounds if you're morbidly obese...not necessarily that you're even going lose weight at all. But you ARE supposed to look different by the end of 30 days. And my friends who have gone the distance have taken pics and the transformation is amazing.
But it's hard. Really hard. So hard that your muscles shake (I hear) when you've done your 8,765th jumping jack.
"So," you say, "you don't believe in hard? You're in for a HARD lesson if you wanna get published if that's the case, Missy!"
"Shut up, peanut gallery," I tell you. "It's not that I don't believe in hard."
Seriously, folks, I get that you have to work hard for the things you want. I get that writing isn't easy. But for me, I think NaNo would make it harder. Like the 30DS, I think NaNo sets up these weird, unreasonable expectations: by Day 30, you'll have a novel! By Day 30, you'll have a waist!
Before the comments section ignites, let me just get it out there that I know that YOU know that you're not going to go out there in December and shop your 50,000 word novel around to every single agent listed on Query Tracker. I know YOU know that you're going to have to spend a few months (at least) revising, and revising again. But this post isn't about you, because on MY blog, it's the Michelle show. And I think if I tried to NaNo, I would not only fail, but I'd be pretty flippin' depressed about it, too.
Like it or not, there are folks out there who don't know that NaNo is really just a means to light a spark under your ass and get you writing. I've been seeing a bunch of posts by awesome people who, pre-November 1st, were floundering, looking for things to write about JUST because NaNo was coming up. Then they just started writing on November 1st, JUST because it was November first. If you don't know what to write about, I don't think you should just start writing because it's the first of November. (Now you can flame me).
Many of those same folks are now throwing in the towel on Day 3 (or seriously considering it) because they're at a standstill, and they feel crappy about it (as I would). Just like I'd feel crappy for not finishing the 30DS. And I would think that craptacular feeling is worse when it's sparked by a perceived creative failure instead of, say, a failure to move.
So, fellow non-NaNoers, unite with me. Support your NaNo friends, but don't feel badly for not doing it, whatever your reasons. Wait until you have an idea that grabs you and just won't let go. Wait until you have a story you just HAVE to tell, and then tell it as only you can. And if that happens to be in June 2010? Or February 2023? So be it.
How do you feel about NaNo?
*This post was written because I'm just jealous of everyone who IS doing NaNo, and I feel totally left out.
I love my friends. And Christopher Walken.
It's one of those warm fuzzy days, guys. You've been forewarned.
How many of you have friends you've stayed in touch with since high school? College? Graduate school? What about new friends you've made in the last three years?
Of those friends, how many of them help you when you ask them for favors? How many of them shoot you an email or pop up in a chat when you post good tidings on your facebook page?
Well, I'm lucky. I'm really freakin' lucky, and I know it. When I make a generic plea for help on Facebook like, say, asking what a straight vodka shot tastes like at 1:30am on a Monday morning, my friends answer. Not only do they answer, they perform the experiment (verdict: it BURNS).
When I need help designing a website? Enter graphic designer buds Jessica and Elisabeth, who answer emails until the wee hours of the morning (seeing a pattern?) and send .jpg after .jpg of images until we find the one that's just right. See Jessica's awesome work on my author site, - Mara Dyer is (unbe)comingsoon and ICANTWAITTHEMOCKUPSLOOKSOAWESOME!
And when I need to be cheered up or someone to snark with or photographs that don't make me look like a Descent crawler? Bridget. Bridiget's artistic talents are legion; her photography has been published *everywhere* and she also makes the cutest effin dog collars in the world. And her house was on HGTV because she has great taste in design, like everything else. Her Mara Dyer shots are arriving this week and ICANTWAITTHEYAREGOINGTOBEAWESOME!
And then there are my reader friends- who were friends first before they were readers, but dude, Janet Reid said aim to keep your posts to 250 words and if I get into your myriad amazingness I will have written a new novel. Anyway, you are spectacular. From Stephanie, a combination BFF and sister-I-never-had, to Becca, my plot goddess, Christi, and Emily who have seen my rough slush (remember that bathroom scene? OMG) and encouraged me to keep going anyway, and all of my 20+ other readers like Natan, EmilyT, and Mary...I am astounded when I think about how much time you spend helping me. You not only read my stuff, but comment with exquisite detail. I know how hard critiquing is, but you allare guilt-tripped choose to spend some of your free time doing it for me. That's amazing. And with every "hell no/chopchop/really?!really????!" you turn me into a better writer.
So thanks guys. Christopher Walken has a message for ya.
Who do you love today?
How many of you have friends you've stayed in touch with since high school? College? Graduate school? What about new friends you've made in the last three years?
Of those friends, how many of them help you when you ask them for favors? How many of them shoot you an email or pop up in a chat when you post good tidings on your facebook page?
Well, I'm lucky. I'm really freakin' lucky, and I know it. When I make a generic plea for help on Facebook like, say, asking what a straight vodka shot tastes like at 1:30am on a Monday morning, my friends answer. Not only do they answer, they perform the experiment (verdict: it BURNS).
When I need help designing a website? Enter graphic designer buds Jessica and Elisabeth, who answer emails until the wee hours of the morning (seeing a pattern?) and send .jpg after .jpg of images until we find the one that's just right. See Jessica's awesome work on my author site, - Mara Dyer is (unbe)comingsoon and ICANTWAITTHEMOCKUPSLOOKSOAWESOME!
And when I need to be cheered up or someone to snark with or photographs that don't make me look like a Descent crawler? Bridget. Bridiget's artistic talents are legion; her photography has been published *everywhere* and she also makes the cutest effin dog collars in the world. And her house was on HGTV because she has great taste in design, like everything else. Her Mara Dyer shots are arriving this week and ICANTWAITTHEYAREGOINGTOBEAWESOME!
And then there are my reader friends- who were friends first before they were readers, but dude, Janet Reid said aim to keep your posts to 250 words and if I get into your myriad amazingness I will have written a new novel. Anyway, you are spectacular. From Stephanie, a combination BFF and sister-I-never-had, to Becca, my plot goddess, Christi, and Emily who have seen my rough slush (remember that bathroom scene? OMG) and encouraged me to keep going anyway, and all of my 20+ other readers like Natan, EmilyT, and Mary...I am astounded when I think about how much time you spend helping me. You not only read my stuff, but comment with exquisite detail. I know how hard critiquing is, but you all
So thanks guys. Christopher Walken has a message for ya.
Who do you love today?
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