Recently in Writing Category

There is one book I would like to recommend: "Total Oblivion, More Or Less" by Alan DeNiro. I could give you a review of the book, but truth be told, I hated doing book reports as a student and I am certainly not about to do one now. That would seem too much like work. Suffice it to say, his ability to make characters real, his fearlessness at creating a world without having to establish it's rules and boundries, or for that matter, making no attempt at any rational explanation about the end of civilization as we know it, only makes the book that much more interesting.

And yes, I realize I started a book report. So, I am done reviewing. Go. Buy. It. Order it from his web page. It is www.alandeniro.com, which will switch to www.goblinmercantileexchange.com. When you buy and read the book, you will understand just how appropriate is that switchover.

One of these days it is going to happen. I am going to break out of this lethargy I have been having for years. I am simply not motivated most days. I stare at my computer, my writing, my blog, and I do nothing. I find the simple act of choosing action to be overwhelming. Oh, I have my days where I can dive into my story, do the dictation so that I get my hand written rough draft transcribed into text files. But it is rare. I have maybe two, three days tops, where I can get past the overwhelming act of choosing action.

So there. I finally said it. After all this time, I finally admitted to my lack of motivation for writing.

Don't get me wrong, I love to write. I just am having difficulty with the whole re-write part of writing. It is new, and I can not get past that bastard internal critic. Seriously, I need to beat the shit out of that guy, but he always runs away and hides when I find the motivation.

Sigh. Oh well.

Okay, I decided to resume work on my novel. For the last two day I have worked on rewriting Chapter 1. The difficult part is expanding the damn thing. Way to little content, and also having to introduce characters that I created in later chapters in the 1st draft process. I am about 2/3 of the way through. I seriously see a second, and maybe even a third rewrite in my future.

I'm sure it has been said before, by more eloquent writers. Still, I want it on record. So, here it is:

The end never justifies the means, especially if the means is in direct contradiction to the very belief the end represents.

"So, what is it you desire?" Asked the man.
The other did not respond.
"Then let me guess." the man continued. "Before you a battle field of honor. Behind you an army of mythical proportions at your command."
Still, the other man remained quiet.
"You will lead them into battle, and it will be glorious. The very gates of hell shall be cast open and all the demons of the Universe shall be your foes."
Again, the other did not answer.
"In the end, you shall be victorious, with Satan himself kneeling before you in defeat."
"Such lofty ambitions I have." The other finally spoke. "But better would be a simple cabin by a stream, with fish aplenty. At the bank, with line in water, my son. In the cabin doorway, my wife, with a smile for her family, brighter than all the stars of the Universe exploding at once."
Such a simple desire." said the man.
"Yes, it is." The other said in agreement.
Suddenly, a loud crash sounded in the distance, with horrible screams and howls echoing off the sky.
"That would be the gates of hell being cast open." Said the man.
The other said nothing, he simply sighed.
"What did you expect?" The man asked. "To get what you want?"
"Yes." answered the other, drawing his sword to lead forth his army.

Well, I am unemployed. My census was too low, and with counties cutting back on their expenditures, my boss eventually lost his contract with Goodhue County. That was a sizable chunk of money. With my low census and his loss of income, it was inevitable.

I'm not mad at him. It was a business decision. He has to do what he can to save his company. I will get unemployment, which isn't too bad a deal. I'm not going to have the state take out taxes, and instead will try to schedule payments next year. Of course, we're already half way through the year, so I might just come out even, since I don't claim any deductions on my W2.

Also, he made it clear that once the census picks back up, he'll call me back. That, and if they need help once in a while, I might get called in for a few hours here and there. I just have to claim the income when I apply for unemployment for the week.

On a more positive note, The GirlFriend™ managed to find us an apartment. It's over in Prescott, WI. It's just 10 miles away, so it's not a far move. With her tax money, she was able to cover the 1st and last month's rent. We don't need to move in until September 1st, but at least it's in place. Oh, and Comcast is the Prescott Cable company, so I don't have to change my email addy and such.

So, anyway, I am going to be looking for another job while waiting to be called back to Wenden. Also, I'll be working on packing up everything, and working on my novel.

First, I spent much of the morning working on my novel. That is, I have been dictating my hand written pages into text files on my computer. Thank God for Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 (64 Bit Edition). I am getting much better at speaking and adding punctuation. "Open Quote" and Close Quote" were the toughest to get down without mush mouthing them.

Second, I mowed the lawn, with a weed trimmer. The GirlFriend™, who I love dearly, sold our lawn mower earlier this spring, thinking we'd not need it due to losing the house in foreclosure. What she didn't foresee was our not having to move out until the 12th of September. To top it off, the drum reel mower is lousy with grass 1 inch taller than it's cutting height. And since I've not mowed the lawn yet, it was...... oh say, 12 inches too long. So first I had to cut it down to size with the trimmer. I actually developed a swing that allowed me to get a really close cut that I didn't need to use the drum reel mower.

Anyway, I'm done for the day. I'm going to go to bed now. The rest of you behave, don't cause any undue commotions, and stay the hell of off my freshly mowed lawn, you damn kids.

UPDATE: Things are so much clearer in the morning, after a good night's sleep. I should have said "The GirlFriend™, who I love dearly, sold our motorized lawn mower earlier this spring, thinking we'd not need it due to losing the house in foreclosure" and then pointed out that the reel mower is not motorized.

Oh, and this is what a drum mower looks like.

Now, get the hell off my lawn.

I am currently sitting in one of the study rooms at the Dakota County Library. I'm staring out the window looking to Highway 55 and across from that is the Dakota County Government Center. It's pretty quiet on the road right at the moment with very little traffic. Also the sky is blue and cloudless, with the trees and shrubs faintly moving in the soft breeze. I guess one could say it's a beautiful day.

At the moment I'm taking a break from dictating my story into electronic files by way of Dragon Naturally Speaking. I had to redo several pages because I inadvertently closed the file I was transcribing into without saving. And to be perfectly honest, I'm actually doing this post using Dragon Naturally Speaking. I have gotten better at using the program. All it takes is patience and to speak slowly and cautiously.

So anyway, I thought I would just quick whip out a post just for the hell of it.

I have such a desire to write, and yet lack an interesting topic upon which to apply eloquence. It might be described as writer's boredom; that choice of choosing what not to write about because it has already been inked at other sites much finer than my own. Or perhaps I am simply tired of listening to my own bitching, because I am tired of listening to everyone else bitch.

So, do me a favor, everyone. Stop bitching so I can bitch. Seriously, you're cramping my style.

So, I get up at 8, 8:30 this morning and after making myself some toast and a bowl of cereal, I commence to writing. Several hours and 18 to 19 pages later I finally come up for air.

I love when that happens.

Well, I've learned one important fact; I need to get my ass to bed by 9:00 or 10:00 PM, or I just don't have the energy to get up in the morning to write. This past week I've managed to get in just a half hour of writing on my novel. It's rather pathetic. But life has been hectic, what with the Holiday Season (please don't tell Bill O. I said "Holiday," he might send the rapid anti-Christmas response team after me), this damn cold, and my back acting up. Needless to say, I am letting myself get stressed out and run down. Not good.

So, yesterday, I decided to give myself a treat; I am starting the LOTR books again. I just finished "The Sword Of Shannara," a book I first read back in grade school. To be honest, I have not one memory of the story, so reading it was new. Now, though, I am stuck without a book to read. I was working on "The Sword Of Truth" series, but the next book in the series has not been at any of the book stores, and I am not in the mood to buy a used copy online. Well, that and I am short on money for the moment.

So, I'm back to Middle Earth for a time.

Oh, okay. No one is after me. But I am writing this quick post from work. Not much really to say, other than I am alive, still. Also, still working on my novel. It's coming along nicely.

Well, I think so anyway. I am thinking of taking a picture of my notebook, just to show you how far the rough draft has come. It's quite impressive, to my standards. But than, my standards are relatively easy.

I had thought of holding off for two more days and making it an even week without posting, but I just had to drop a note and let you all know I am alive. Barely, but still alive. I have been going steady at my novel, writing just about every morning. Most mornings for about 45 minutes. Over the weekend, I get in about two hours a day, give or take. And remember, I have three day weekends.

Anyway, this morning I woke up with a killer headache. Not quite a migraine, but a very painful sinus headache that is as much caused by the dry air as it is by my still lingering cold, which I've had for about two weeks now.

Seriously, two weeks is just too damn long to have a cold. The one redeeming factor is that it's fall, making the cold less of an insult than having it in the summer. There is just something inherently wrong with a summer cold. They feel worse. At least during the winter, you can make the claim of not going outside because of a cold. Not so in the summer. Supposedly, the warm weather should help get rid of your cold.

Yeah, right. Sell me a bridge.

So, right now I am struggling with calling in sick. More likely, I will be heading to work, despite feeling like crap. I'll just have to struggle.

There you go. Now you know I am alive, though not well. Life in Minnesota. No doubt Carl will come along and make some comment about the insanity of living in Minnesota. Thankfully, I have Sarah Palin to use as an example of where insanity truly arises. Honestly, Minnesota Nice surely trumps Alaskan PUMA age wrinkles any day of the year. Even if you have a cold.

Okay, in today's 24/7 News environment, there really is no such thing as a quiet news day. However, there is such a thing as a quiet substantive news day. Without really getting all arrogant and elitist about it, there is nothing I find all that of interest.

So, that said, I can report I managed just over 2 hours of writing Friday morning, completing 11 or 12 pages. But, still haven't gotten around to taking the hand written pages and typed them to the computer.

Yes, yes. I know. Where the hell have I been?

Well, to be honest, I have a head cold that is kicking my ass. I have not had much energy, thus interfering with my blogging. I even took a two or three day break from writing my novel.  However, I did resume writing this morning.

The funny thing is; I missed writing my novel. It sounds weird, but that's the truth.

Anyway, I just wanted to quick post and tell you all I am okay.

Just over 12 hand written pages. Not bad. However, one of these days I am going to have to start transcribing them to typed files. I might actually begin that today. Well, I've got chapter one typed and part of chapter two, but it's been haphazard at best. I need to develop a more serious motivation towards typing up my novel.

Then, of course, there is the future rewrite. But I will deal with that when it comes.

59 words

Speedtest

Hugo nominations.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Bear and Patrick Nielsen Hayden, both of who I am familiar with by way of Blogstonia.

Right now I have time to work on my story. I have time to write blog posts. But, instead, I am allowing my mind to find all sorts of distractions. Why am I afraid to write?

Oh, and Bryan, once again you are unavailable by way of my connection to the intertubes.