Draft: One Of Many

I restarted Draft Two this afternoon. This  is to be a rewrite of the story several times over. I am going to write the tale from each characters point of view so that I can better understand each character. In Draft Three I am hoping to combined most of what I have found out about the characters in to one copy. I’m sure there will probably be a Draft Four but I don’t know yet what it will entail.

The challenge is that as I start each character in their setting. The one character is in a completely different state. So I am deciding what is happening between all the space where the others had filled in. I think it will be interesting to find out what is happening behind the scenes. I guess that I wasn’t able to describe some of the things taking place in my story because I wasn’t completely sure what was happening either! There is a lot of space that my main character takes up. I’ve got to know what the side kick is doing while the main is busy.

I am hand writing this draft because I can sit down and write at anytime without having to worry about if someone needs on the computer. Although I am also hoping that it will bring me closer to the people as they go through each event. So the goal of Drafts Two is to know my characters. I know there are charts and things to help with that but I can’t fill in what I don’t know.

I am working on my November Novel, since I didn’t say earlier… I am hoping to get this draft done by the end of February. Then I can start wrapping things up in Draft Three, fingers crossed for March. Maybe I can tie loose ends in Draft Four. There is the plan for draft layouts!

SOLD!

Two weeks ago I listed my second item on E-bay. A week later I changed the title and re-listed it. Yesterday I sold my first item on E-bay! I am more happy than I can say!

Dad has been on E-bay for many years and I have listed things for him but this was the first time I sold my stuff on my account! I packaged and shipped it today. Hope the winner likes it!

I have found that it is easier to list other people stuff. The reason being the same as following someone elses advise rather than deciding something for myself. It is just easier to follow then to guide. At least for me anyway. So this has all been challenging, however very exciting! There is nothing like completing something by ones self!

I have still been writing, mostly on Monday mornings while I sit through my sister’s piano lessons. Right now I am trying to live my characters cloths. Trying to live there life and see things the way each character sees them.   

Other then that I am reading, T.A. Barron’s Merlin series. What I like the most about it is how he brings everything to life. From trees to unique critters I never heard of before. At the beginning of each book he is starting of with simple things, like water or eggs or wind. He makes it so vivid that it is like a camera is focusing on just that one thing. The amazing part is that tiny bit of nothing has a roll to play through out the story.

I read the “Sword In The Stone” before I read Barron’s books. I found it interesting how he took the smallest details, as well as the big ones, and sets them through out the series of books. When the tale ends everything will be in place for the things that come to pass in what we already knew about Merlin. Although the Avalon series is not entirely about Merlin, it is a great series as well.

Do I believe in magic? Do I believe that Merlin is real? Do I agree with everything that is in these stories? I think I’ll leave that for another night and a new post. Good Night Friends! …or should I say Good Morning!

Happy 2010!

Today went terrific! I got an early start, which always proves to be better than a late one. Attended my sisters piano lesson, so I got to do some writing before I even had anything to eat. Working on this new idea about a young guy who doesn’t want to go to space but it is about his only choice. Along with that is this story about a girl who is going to find out she is a princess but it is pretty much a skeleton right now. Will probably turn out useful with a different story I want to take a look at latter this year if I don’t get other plans.

I did take a peek at my November Novel and started draft two. Hurray! More detail less telling is what I’m going for at the moment. I didn’t get too far when my friend started chatting with me on Facebook. Turns out she wanted some help on writing a five-page report. Yes! I love researching a topic and writing a report about it. So I was having a blast. I also had supper in the oven and was helping my brother with English and Math. Talk about multi-tasking!

After supper the computers were occupied and thus my Novel so I was back to writing my story ideas and cutting out tree branches for my brothers quilt. Now I’m writing this quick blog entry to let you know how everything went today.

It snowed a little today and I had a cup of peppermint hot chocolate!

Snow

We didn’t celebrate Christmas until the day afterwards. Which was great because it snowed! However I don’t think I’m interested in cookies until July.

Being my first year out of school with sometime to do things I …uh… over-baked. We gave some away and attended a few Christmas eve events that each got a tray. There were still plenty of cookies and bread. It was a lot of fun anyway!

As for my Diligent December plans… They were as follows…

“My Diligent December is to get a schedule worked out and stick to it. That way I get my writing and music practice in everyday, instead of whenever I decide to sit down and do it. Oh, and stay off Facebook as much as possible!”

Well… It worked for parts of the month. Does anyone realize how hectic December is?  I did get a lot more done then I had the past few months. I even blew the dust off my violin a few times. Then a few days New Years I got writers block really bad. I had it a few times before but nothing that bad! I couldn’t think of anything. So I put down my paper and waited. It was torture!

Then late New Year’s eve I got an idea. It wasn’t much but it was something. I have been playing off it for the past few days. Now I’m thinking of returning to my November Novel and seeing what it is lacking.

As for Facebook, there hasn’t been a lot of time for that. I squeeze in sometime while baking or just sit down and grab it. I spent enough time there to say that I should probably have spent less.

So was Diligent December a success? I’m not sure. What do you think? What did you do this December that you’ll remember the most?

It has been snowing almost every day since Christmas, thus the title of this post! I think maybe I’ll go have a cup of hot chocolate and help Mom on the quilt she is making for my brother. Tomorrow I’ll have a look at that Novel!

Christmas?

Wasn’t yesterday Thanksgiving? Didn’t I just finish NaNo?

Okay, so I’ve been working on my Diligent December goals, baking cookies, writing, watching the snow, staying up late occasionally, a little Christmas shopping, and doing all the other house keeping projects that come along. Then suddenly last night while I was out to pick up my brother, I realized we are only a week away from Christmas! My how time flies! Where did it all go?

Ha, I’m laughing at my own bewilderment! Smiling at the thought that I can wonder such things! I remembering when it used to seemed to take forever for one day to end, let alone a whole year! I think I am finally figuring out what they mean by “when you grow up…”.

Christmas is almost here and I’m so excited! I hope it snows again! (When we aren’t planing on traveling.)

Do I have everything ready for that special day? Ummm… No. I still have somethings to finish, a couple items to mark off my shopping list but it will get there! I have no fear of that! So let the day come and I’ll be ready when it gets here!   I hope…

Have A Dickens of a Christmas

Every year on the first weekend of December the weather here gets bitter cold. Without fail at the same time each year Christmas festivity is brought forth it an event called Dickens. They have vendor’s, christmas carols, food, entertainment, and horse drawn wagon  rides. Nearly everyone is dressed up in costumes of the era. What most don’t see is all the work that goes into each part of these activities!

I visited once a few years back and saw the pretty landscape and decorations. Smelled the odors of the delicious food. Watched the breath roll out of the mouths of people as they talked. Listened to the lovely carols played on brass instruments or sung by carolers. It really is quite unique.

I never would have thought about the work put into each detail. That is until I became part of it. First my sister and I made costumes. I never thought we’d finish them! However we did and we wore them. I ran around for a couple days in my Dickens’ cloak trying to get used to the gigantic sleeves and the flying cape. It was terrific, I love it! My family thinks I’m crazy but that is okay. (I love to see their odd looks and, not well, hidden smiles!)

So Saturday rolled around. I pulled on my gloves, not able to decide between the green or the white. Then buttoned the four cool buttons on my thick green cloak. Tied the ridiculous wide-brimmed bonnet over my white knit hat and paused for a picture or two before heading out into the cold weather to attend the Dickens event.

I wasn’t attending Dickens just to view the festivities that were taking place, although that been great too. I was there to be a part of them. All week I enjoyed watching people’s faces change to amusement whenever I mentioned what we were going to be doing. We were the “pooper scoopers,” as my sister puts it. I like to saw we were walking behind the horses. Our friend brings her goats to Dickens with these packs on the side called… well, I can’t remember what they were called. Anyway they were looped onto this saddle that was clipped around the goat. In them we had plastic bags that were put horse manure in. Really it wasn’t a bad job. The goats, named Ditz and Fluffy Puff, were more messy than the horses. Most of the time we just walked around with the goats. You wouldn’t believe how many pictures were taken. Next time maybe I’ll try to count.  This time I was just busy keeping a smile on my face! The newspaper even talked to us. I really hadn’t thought much about being something in the event other than helping my friend. People are so funny! I can’t even begin to tell you of all the things we were asked. When it began to snow at noon, I became very grateful for my wide-brimmed bonnet. As the snow came down all I had to do was turn my head a little and the snow never got to my face. I admit though that even with all the fun we had I was plenty ready to come home! My nose, finger, and toes were so cold they started to feel warm. I knew that wasn’t a good sign.

When I got home the first thing I did was change out of my wet cloths and made a cup of hot chocolate. Then called Mom on the phone to let her know we were home safe and to watch the roads while she traveled.

The link below is to the Williamsport, PA. Sun Gazette Newspaper. The girl in the white bonnet is Rebecca, my sister. (I don’t know what newspaper got our names. Never thought to ask until afterward. So I Googled, “Dickens Wellsboro” and found this pic.)

CU.SunGazette.com | Purchase Prints, View Galleries, Upload Photos – Williamsport Sun-Gazette.

Wonderful!

So I couldn’t really think of a title for the post. That was the least of my worries. I have been having a great day. Not because I did anything really exciting, I didn’t really. It was because I got my schedule written and got somethings accomplished. So it didn’t all go according to plan. That would have been like an imaginary day anyway. I did get to write though. It felt so good! I got to sit down and read my Bible!

I also got the really terrific job of helping Mom clean my brother’s room. Okay so it wasn’t so great but we did find out where those terrible smells were coming from. We did get the empty Pringle’s cans in the garbage. We did find his nice dress pants, the ones he says he doesn’t have. It turned out amazing! I left Mom to finish the final touches while I helped with a math and english class. Brothers are wonderful! No, they really are! I don’t know what I’d do without mine… Let’s see no one to pick with, no one to get the flour off the top shelf, no one to argue over the front seat with, no one to… Life would be boring. yeah I’m nineteen and I argue over the front seat once in a while, usually just for the fun! Oh, the driver’s license book is written down as part of my schedule, but it is one of the things I missed so far today. Maybe I’ll read a little before bed?? (hint to self)

Guess I’ll just have to see what schedule day 2 holds! Diligent December is under way!

It Will Suffice

Here I am on the other side of November. The bad news is I did not make it to 50,000 words. The good news is, there is always next year. Actually I am very happy to have made it to 27,000,and some,words. It was over half way. I do plan to try, at a later date, to get the story up to at least 50,000. I need to set it aside for a time to think about other things. Maybe get back to my story I was working on. By that time I’ll come back to it with a new light.

I am working up a schedule with my mom so that our day doesn’t clash all the time. Maybe things will flow smoother and I can get more done. That is if I can follow the plan or is if the plan falls through?

No matter what, I am planning for a great December! Cookie baking, finishing up Christmas presents, attend Dickens, and (keep to my Diligent December plan which is) stick to a schedule!

If I Didn’t Know

If I didn’t already know I’d be amazed. I’m using spell check on ‘Reason For Revenge.’ Ha, I found that my spelling is greatly lacking! I already knew that, spelling has always been a struggle and I find that it still is. As long as there is spell check I’m great! It is a grueling task to go through my forty-one pages, though. I’m about ready to take spelling tests on myself! Most of the time it just proves to be a missed typed letter or a space in the wrong place but still …

So anyway, I find myself sitting at the computer fixing typos and spelling errors. I got the music on so that only I can hear it since most everyone is in bed. I’ve got to see what I can do about closing this wide gap between 25,000 and 50,000 before twelve tomorrow. So I’ll see you at the end!

Can you believe November is almost over?! AHHH… =)

Then there is hunting tomorrow too!

NaNo First Draft of ‘Reason For Revenge’

Hurray, I’m sooo excited! I finally finished my first draft for NaNoWriMo!

If it wasn’t one in the morning with nearly everyone in bed I’d run around the house, sing on the top of my lungs, dance with the dog, throw some snowballs, bake cookies, and then plunge back into the story to work the second draft. My word count is over 25,000! I’m hoping that I can go back through and fix some of the things I skipped over and bring my word count up before the bell tolls! That’d be great! I never really believed I’d make it this far! I hoped I would, I planned on it, but now that it is here I don’t believe it. I’m half afraid to go back over it! I might end up with a new twist and find myself on a whole new adventure.

I work at the antique shop most of the day tomorrow so I won’t even be able to peek at the story until after supper. Probably a good thing, it will give me a little time to think it all over. So good morning to everyone, I’m off to bed to catch some sleep before Mom comes and wakes me up!