Wednesday In Progress: Soppy Over Scrivener

(...And no, this isn't a paid ad or endorsement of anything. These are my own observations and opinions - and photos - as always. Take from it all what you will.)

A while back, I mentioned how I was always late to the party. I really am.

Books probably not written using Scrivener - pity!

After years and years of hearing about this supposedly "awesome program for writers" called Scrivener, I finally downloaded a 30-day trial. Yesterday. I think not having my own laptop, my virtual writing and research space (if we want to get fancy) contributed to my hesitation to try this out, but yesterday - in the middle of my utter frustration with my straight job dealings, the copious notes I have littering not only my trusty never-leave-home-without-it-notebook, this laptop (several Word documents, a few Notepad files and I also use Open Office), I decided I really need to consolidate this mess.

I can't remember who it was on my Twitter feed, but someone mentioned how well they were able to organise themselves with Scrivener and bang out their story. Well, being that me without an outline is akin to me walking around town without pants (comfortable, though not appropriate and completely useless and distracting), I figured another tool in my writing arsenal wouldn't be a bad thing.

So, I downloaded the trial version (30 nonconsecutive days of usage) and even though I've only used it for a few hours thus far, I think I'm in love. I have webpages of info, character sheets and snippets of story all in their variously useful places - and I can drag and drop if I find them a better place! I have house plans! Actual images so I don't have to remember or pour through my notes/text as to whether or not I put the kitchen in the south or west of the house (not that it will matter to my readers, but just in case). I still need to have faith with the importing of documents, though. I'm so used to things not working between programs (though advertised as if it were as easy as Scrivener makes it).

I have 30 days to test everything out (but I'm probably going to buy it this Friday).

Your turn! Have you tried Scrivener? Like it? Hate it? Found something better? What writing tool can you not live without?

What Are You Afraid Of?

So, I realise I'm a little early for Halloween - but it was actually Michelle Muto's Facebook status that inspired this post (So, thank you, Michelle)!

Currently, I am writing/researching a project which involves monsters. Well, I'm writing about monstrous creatures in any case. A while back (as I was getting ready for bed), I was getting some ideas and sorting out scenes in my head, some of which involved these monsters attacking my main character in her bedroom. Naturally, that exact moment would be the perfect time for my brain to go into overdrive and imagine those monsters sitting in my bedroom, waiting until the lights were out to attack me. It took me about an hour before I could relax and stop scaring myself stupid.

When I was a child, though, I was deathly afraid of dogs. It was all my mother's fault, really. In order to coerce me into bed (and stay there throughout the night), she would warn me: Don't get out of bed or the scary dog will get you and my imagination would suddenly see two red eyes in the darkest corner of my room, just waiting for the chance to snap if I dared leave my bed. Only during the desperate bladder-bursting moments did I, too.

That fear of dogs went well into my adulthood (I'm actually a cat person). Didn't take me too long to overcome that fear, at least, knowing that my fear was really unfounded. Besides, how can anyone be afraid of this face?

A face everybody should love: our pirate dog, Bonny

I'm sure as I continue writing my monster story, I will have irrational moments where I may have to check under my bed/in the closets before going to sleep.

A few years ago when Ju-On was playing in theatres, we went - despite my aversion to scary things. I had nightmares for an entire year. I'm hoping writing this story won't be as bad because, ultimately, I figure I will finish this story in five books. That's a long time to have nightmares. Yikes.

Your turn! What sort of things scare you? Are they irrational fears from childhood? How did you overcome them or are you still afraid?

Techno Party - Fashionably Late

Late to the technology party, as usual. I'm always late to any party, really.

This weekend I got myself a new toy: 500GB laptop with a 17" screen and, boy howdy, is it beautiful. Bear in mind, I haven't had a personal computer since 2003 or so (maybe a little earlier). Oh, well, let's be honest: I have a beautiful green iMac that's been the best darned paper-weight and closet-stuffer since 2003. I probably could fire it up right now and use it, but not online. Well, I think the better half would have a stroke if I tried to drag that lump out of storage, especially with my new and shiny toy.

My iMac's CD drive is completely shot and it's more hassle to upgrade/deal with now, especially with my new and shiny toy. See the theme, here?

I still don't own a cell phone. That may change next month, but we'll see.

these hands know maniacal typing, the Neo knows pain

Anyway, this was all to facilitate better and easier writing and research on my part. Even now, the bulk of my writing will stay on my Neo (holy crow, someone's dyed theirs...interesting) for ease and the negative distraction it has by comparison to the laptop which is my biggest issue with working on a laptop in general. Give me a wifi connection and I'm lost for days hours doing research. Yeah. Research. I don't have that luxury on my Neo, so I can work.

So, yeah - another step in my writing life. More tools; shiny, distracting tools.

Your turn! What tools do you have? What have you done to keep the distractions to a minimum? Are you late to the party, too, or are you usually hosting it?

Wednesday in Progress: Short Stories Are Gold

Holy moly. An entire month of being offline (PC decided to go wacky and then it was the Nightmare Best Buy commercial) and I'm going to try and figure out this "regularly blogging" thing. Bear with me.

me writing my masterpieces, duh

So, we're going to try a new format for this blog. Wednesdays I'm going to share the wisdom of all those fabulous writers I follow on Twitter and Facebook and compile lists of helpfulness - if only for myself, but I think it will be generally useful to anyone out there reading. (I don't hear crickets over my streaming radio...)

Currently, I'm up to my eyeballs in a lot of changes/upgrades. I'm hoping to move to my own webspace in a few months, I'm working on a massive story (that I'm hoping to write in a series of 5 books), and I have a handful of stories/story ideas that are being shuffled around and tweaked whenever I have a moment. That and there have been a few life-changes that have affected us, too. It's exciting, scary, hectic - you name it. Good times.

Here we go:

I like Ryan Casey's Short Stories: Four Reasons Why You Should Write Them. Especially with the ebook popularity and a number of new products hitting the market just in time for the holidays, short stories are a fantastic medium for ebook formats. Take ten or fifteen minutes and you can have your literary fill with a nice, compact tale - in between waiting in a queue at the grocery, waiting for your next appointment, or even your lunch break (provided you don't spill your food on your eReader).

Kris Noel has great for advice on the Three Act Structure - basics every writer should follow, regardless if you're writing a novel or a short story, or a movie script! It's a great little poke in the brain if you're having trouble with the pacing of your story.

Lastly, a fun little video: Vonnegut Advice: Short Stories I personally really enjoyed Slaughterhouse Five, but I didn't get past that one book of his - and he's written tons of short stories! I think I'm going to have to devote one of my weekends to reading a few. Plenty of great, simple advice - but I like (and I need to remind myself constantly) of #4 Every sentence must do one of two things - reveal character or advance action. I also like #6 Be a sadist. Sweet.

My hope is in between all of my longer fiction, I will be able to share a few bite-size morsels that you can enjoy. There are dozens of starts floating about in this brain o'mine...

Your turn! I'd like to hear from you. What advice do you have to share about writing short stories? Do you write them at all? Have you tried? What was the last short story you've read?

But Getting Paid for Fan-Fiction Is OK

Well, I haven't died. This is good.

I have been busy with Life (which mostly involves my straight job hell, which I tweet about often) and everything else that isn't Writing. Sad, I know.

I had been throwing around a few blog ideas (because, y'know, I'm actually trying not to forget how to write - there is that fear) and when it was announced that Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series was going to be on TV, I had a bit of a shock. She hates fan-fiction. Like, enough to rant about it for three separate posts. Really.

So, I think my question here is directed to all those who write - published or not - how could you give a "fan-fiction policy" and expect them to follow it? And not alienate your fanbase? I know I'm rehashing old stuff, but again - it's the fault of the news. Congratulations to Ms. Gabaldon and I hope the fans think Moore does the books justice (he/they probably won't) - but isn't this a paid form of fan-fiction? He at least got permission and not the rambly, hate-spewing, semi-paranoia she doled out.

I think if I ever get so popular to have fan-fiction written about my characters (though it may totally squick me out), I'm going to run with it. Count it as further evidence that I have inspired folks to be active and creative, instead of merely being a spectator. Those folks just watch TV.


Note: If you're unwilling to click on the links, I must - at least - post her outrageous policy. She's entitled to her feelings and anyone with a shred of decency should respect her requests for not sending fanfic to her, and she should nail folks to the walls who try to make money off fanfic from her books. To equate fanfic with breaking into her house or - better still - sleeping with her husband goes off the deep-end. She doesn't have to read any fanfic - she doesn't have to read anything she doesn't want to, but to ban certain folks (she's not doing the adaptations for TV, that's going to be another writer!) from writing fanfic? That she thinks fanfic is illegal? Nuts. (I'd say "Loony Toons" but I don't want Disney after me, either...)

FAN-FICTION POLICY
You know, I'm very flattered that some of you enjoy the books so much
that you feel inspired to engage with the writing in a more personal way
than most readers do. Both for legal and personal reasons, though,
I'm not comfortable with fan-fiction based on any of my work, and
request that you do not write it, do not send it to me, and do not
publish it, whether in print or on the web. Thank you very much for your
courtesy and consideration.

So, what do you think about fan-fiction? Do you think I'm nuts being willing for other people to mess with my characters? Would you allow it? Do you?

Why I Keep Writing

That makes me laugh - "why I keep writing". I haven't written in a long time, although there is a personal blog post somewhere, and that was last week? I think it was last week. Anyway - "why I keep writing"... I've been listening to Mur Lafferty's I Should Be Writing podcast, trying to convince myself that *I* should be writing. Of course.

I would say that my theatre has been taking up all my free time, but that would be a lie. It is taking a *lot* of my free time, but not all. I mainly come home from work (desk job, mind-numbing accts payable drudgery), have dinner and watch a movie (usually a documentary) and play a video game. Where's the writing time in that? Well, I suppose I could forego the movie and - if I wanted to be really hardcore, I could write and eat dinner at the same time (I've done it before).

Although I also have a spouse that deserves my attention - and that's where the movie-watching and dinner-eating come into play. I only have so much time before my brain turns into toothpaste, and family time is certainly important to me. I have a finite amount of time that I've convinced myself Other Things need my attention - my writing? My writing can be done later. Of course.

Yet, I'm blogging. My Bonny blog needs updating, my personal blog is probably getting the most attention because it's a nice brain-dump location. Not only that, but the several novels that I have "in progress" span nearly 10 years' worth of work and I don't even know if any of it is worth anything. I may end up trunking everything.

Yet, I'm still writing. I still want to work on my stories - well, one story in particular that still continues to poke me in the ear or eye every so often. I know there are some serious issues with the story itself (I'm going to need an eagle-eyed historian, for one), but I really like this story - still. Even after all these months...years? Yes, I think it's now officially been two years. How did that happen?

So, why do I keep writing? Even as sporadic as I do - I still want to tell a story. I would also like to have someone other than my spouse reading it. I need to be adored by the world...or at least, more folks who aren't my friends before reading my story. Once they've read my story, they can clamour for my friendship, if they like.

I should be writing. You should be too. Or doing something that fulfills you, because that's what it's all about.

I'm Still Runnin'

...By the skin of my teeth. I am just making NaNo at an average of 2000 words a day. It's my little cushion so that one day I can go over and then give myself an excuse to be lazy, but I'm hoping I will be better than this and not be lazy - but go on to finish this...piece of crap that I can't believe I'm writing.

Anyway, my story has now expanded a bit - yay! - with more random ideas to fill out as to why things are happening as they are. There have been some twists and turns that have appeared, which is doing wonders for my word count. Of course, I'll look at this in December (or, more likely, next NaNo) and wonder what possessed me to write this.

Oh, that's right. NaNo. I'm still running. It's only Day 3 - but I'm still running.

I found Jody Hedlund's blog entry "A Writer's Number One Enemy" and it helped. Like I've said before, I'm a practising optimist. I still have my default "negative" moments. More than necessary, in fact. I am pushing through - and I'm happy with myself, as happy as I can be with myself. I am cheering myself on more than bashing myself - honest!

In other news - hubby made this great savoury juice where I threw in hot sauce. It gave it a nice bite and if we could have had alcohol, I would have been in Bloody Mary heaven.

Also, I have been eating lotsa carrots. I think my grandparents would be proud.

Word count: 6101