The Day Before The Day

Hi hotshot,

I've made my resolution. Because without it, I know I'll never get anywhere. Do you know how many people stand around saying: "Yeah, I'll totally write a book or something..." and then never do? I don't want to be one of those people. I refuse. The thought terrifies me more than apathy can smother.
What if this is all for nothing? If I just wander around forever saying "ahuh, total writer here. Yup, you wouldn't believe the crazy stuff in this here skull" then I've failed.
Writing is serious. You have to brave the avalanches of white nothingness, for Pete's sake. You stare into your brain for HOURS. Do you know what that DOES to your soul? A lot of the time it makes you giggle with glee while you write about some mischievous character or another. Sometimes you get all upset over John or Sally or Djarkspar having to get a lobotomy at the post office because it seemed like a great burst of inspir-

Whoa, hold on.

Like a post office where people send..their brains..? No, no! They can switch who they are. Instead of sending jumpers and pants they send..themselves? Over wires... People can send themselves over an internet connection-
The next big human trafficking plot, or a group of die-hard insidious hackers, where if you interrupt an update you could be killing the person who's loading... And then theres a blackout in the city.

Huh.

That's mine, don't take it. Unless someone's said it first. Which, let's be honest, is likely, considering I am one of 7 billion (ish) people oh let's get on with it already.

So my resolution:
Start writing the Book on Friday, tomorrow, because Fridays are good days.

Sounds simple, eh? If its so simple, try it yourself. I will. We can compare notes at the end.

I'll keep updating. Put your hands together and hope I don't fail.

I feel like having a nap.

Siberian pages

Hi hotshot,

I hate feeling like everything I write is rubbish. It happens more and more recently. Everything is there- computer, pens, paper, pencils, I have chalk* available. But it seems like all the writing instruments in the world will never make the scary blank spaces on the screen any less intimidating. It's like my mind is just as blank- I'm a silly dreamer, so all that empty white feels like a landscape of snow. And you can make as many snow angels and snow men and women and children as you like, but then- but then what? How do you make a snow village without a shovel? Or even just a house? How do I finish one petty snow house without some inspiration?

Is this the part where all the hard work kicks in? Where you persevear through the bleakness until the sun rises again, mets the white, reveals the colours underneath. But that's no fun. It's like the ice is eternal. It feels that way, anyhow.

But I hate unresolved problems so I'll try to fix it. Write at a more regular time, for one. Maybe then my brain will learn when to get funky. And while it learns, I'll have to continue on with what I've got until the avalanche clears and I reach some good solid ground again.

*It just occurred to me that chalk is in fact white. Rats.

music, music, music

Hi hotshot,

Music is one very important factor to writing, for me. If I read a book and am listening to a song at the same time, that song will forever effect how I see that book. Like Fireflies by Owl City now is attached to Witch and Wizard by Robert Patterson, and Shot Heard Around the World by Boys Like Girls is firmly soldered to Skulduggery Pleasant: Danger Days by Derek Landy.

Other inspirations include this piece of lovely, lovely music for the Hunger Games series.

 

And of course, songs can almost define characters and stories I work on. I find my writing to be very...script-like a lot of the time. I write scenes well, that's my strength. Plot is my Achilles heel, though, so I like letting characters run my story for me. So finding a song for a scene, to make it more...dense? Perfect moment.

I think, when I publish my first book, I'll have an index at the front for the song that goes with each scene, if I can. That would be nice. :)

Disclaimer: The music isn't mine.

fav books Aug '12

Hi hotshot,

I was thinking, earlier (as dangerous as that sounds). What author has ever gotten anywhere without reading? Save for the first person to ever invent a code of gibberish and write, very few. Reading good books made me want to be able to write good books. Simple.

So here's a list of some of my FAVORITE books!


In no particular order, here's Blood Red Road, by Moira Young.

This book is a shock- it's well written, while having the worst consistent spelling ever. The bad spelling, however, is on purpose, because it's written from the heroine's heavily accented point of view.  The story follows Saba, a girl living in the Dust Lands, and her quest to find her twin brother Lugh. A thoroughly enjoyable dystopian, and I can't wait for it's sequel to come out. Let's hope it doesn't suck, because that would be a real let-down. Moira Young has a winner on her hands here, people.

And, always,

Divergent by Veronica Roth. Another dystopia. Another genuinely kick-ass heroine. Must read. Its sequel, Insurgent, was good, but the heroine (Tris) is not quite as awesome as before. I'm curious to see what the final book in the trilogy will be called. Convergent, anyone? 

And what's a favorite book list without a talking skeleton detective? That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Skulduggery Pleasant at your service.

This book is sarcastic. And funny. So, so funny in all the right ways. The main character (apart from Skul) is the indescribable Stephanie Edgley. The series starts to get full of inself as Derek Landy writes more of them, but this is a perfect read for a rainy or sunny or weathersome day.

And vampires. I have to include vampires somewhere. How about suburban vampires?

A totally messed up family. The plot moves along at a nice pace, and there is a noticeable lack of sparkling. I really like Matt Haig's style of writing- blunt and sweet and to the point. I have made a note here to read more of his books.

NB: Read more of this guy's stuff.

Legit.

For those who have not met Terry Pratchett yet, I suggest either

The Last Continent

or

Hogfather

They are both gems that show how good he is at poking fun out of almost literally everything in his own book.

There is also the hilarious Beauty Queens, which is one of the nicest surprises I've had all year. I don't know why it's so surprising when I find a good book, but it is.

semi-dystopia. Strange, to say the least, and is now firmly imprinted on my mind as a very, very good piece of literature.

I think I'll leave it at seven books, for now, because seven is a good ol' number. 

The flash of grave robbers

Hi, hotshot

I had an idea for a story today. That's really, really good. There's nothing that makes a day good quite as fast as getting an idea. They don't have a particular source. It's like reaching your hands out blindly. Often you just catch trash and nothings, but sometimes-

The title would be "The Teenage Grave Robber".

I wrote it on the envelope that held my passport photos. I had to renew my US passport, and that was the only paper I had available. Thank goodness I had paper. Usually I have to write on my hand.

Moving swiftly on, this is what flashed through my head:

First off, let's get something straight.

I am not a thief.

Dead people don't care if they're not wearing a watch anymore, missing limbs- because they're dead.

I've never stolen a damn thing in my life.

Did you expect something longer? Don't. Four sentences is more than enough. It's a flash, after all.