Writing Ray - Camp Nanowrimo Day 16

Afternoon my petals, I know it's a bit late to be writing about yesterday's Camp activities especially since I've written nothing so far today. But I spend a delightful few hours this morning frantically re-reading a Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor ahead of the arrival of my beauteous signed copy of Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Look at all the pretty on my Instagram). So I have that to look forward to once I've got somewhere with this Scene of Doom or Dramatic Death Scene as I have otherwise been calling it.

But in recap of yesterday, as you will know over the past few days I have rebelling at Camp, more than I already am by carrying on with a novel that I'd started before April. Rather than continue to slog fruitlessly at a scene, I skipped ahead a bit... into the next book and started writing a scene.

Last night I finished that scene. It ended up being 6 hand-written pages and 2500 words, over 1K of which were written just last night. I'm pretty happy with it and I think it's been really helpful to write as it gave me some insight into how my MC is going to be affected by the events that are happening at the end of the first book. Knowing what her mindset is and what she is feeling a few weeks after the fact will be very useful things to know for when I actually write them taking place. I should have a better understanding of what her initial, visceral reaction will be in the moment.

I know the reaction is going to be fueled by pain and grief and a little bit of betrayal (of the "how dare you leave me here without you" kind). Now thanks to my awful realisation while in the shower a little while ago I also know that my MC is going to be wracked with guilt at having a hand in bringing about the death itself.

Well done Ray, torture her some more and make it even more heart-breaking to write. Y'bitch...

*sighs* So yes I will soon have to be writing that and my poor Alpha Jess will have to avoid reading it for as long as possible until I have something nicer for her to read. I'M SORRY OK? *offers chocolates*

Yours Evilly
Ray

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Writing Ray - Camp Nanowrimo Days 13-15

Well I'm doing a rather terrible job of keeping the blog updated while I'm at Camp. Not that my progress has been so remarkable as to warrant daily update post because frankly y'all don't want to hear about the snail-like increases in my word count over the past few days.

In a very eerie turn of events I wrote the exact same amount on Days 13 & 14 as I did yesterday (803 words) so I'm finally over 5,000 words but since I should have been at 10K by the end of yesterday I've got a way to go. If I still want to hit 20,000 words by the 30th I'm going to have to pick up the pace.

Part of why I got so bogged down over these past five days is because the scene I'm working on a particularly tricky one that demands a lot of emotion that I have really struggled to inject into it. My progress was so sluggish that on Monday I decided to try something nutty and started hand-writing a scene that isn't even going to be in this book. It's possibly going to end up as one of the first scenes in the second book and I've really enjoyed working on it, despite the fact that I should probably concern myself with the beginning to Book 1 before Book 2 but hey-ho.

Today I will probably do some more on the Book 2 scene until it reaches a nice end point. Then I may look at going back to the DDS (Dreaded Death Scene as I shall henceforth call it) or possibly skip to one of the scenes directly after it. I may find it easier to write the aftermath of the event than the actual event itself.

But I may have to head out into the garden again because the sun is so lovely that I ought to soak up some rays before the plumber comes to fix my kitchen tap (so I can finally do the dishes).

Laters
Ray

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Writing Ray - Camp Nanowrimo Day 11 & 12

Bet more than few people got concerned I had just stopped writing again :P

Never fear for I was merely trying to get two last bits of work out of the way before the term finished for Easter. Now that both my French assignment and my TA portfolio are done I can relax and get back to writing my novel!

Taking a week off the book has buggered me up a little bit because I'm now nearly 7K behind where I should be at this point and that's with me lowering my word count to 20K. Plus the scene I'm working on is super-difficult and full of both action and emotion, so that's making it hard to get back into the swing of things.

Friday I got a smidgy bit of writing done (203 words) but yesterday after many hours of walking and garden destruction I actually got 460 words done. Yea I know it's not a massive amount in the grand scheme of things but it's progress.

My Camp Nano Total so far is 3664 words by the end of the 15th I need be on 10K so I have 6,336 words to catch up on. That should mean I have at least this current scene finished and maybe the one after it, which hopefully is more than doable since I have no work for two weeks now :P

I spent quite a bit of time last night trying to find some music to listen to which would actually fit the mood of the scene I was trying to write - surprisingly tricky, but I ripped the CD le boyf bought recently ahead of this concert we're going to in May - Yoshiki Classical (Le boyf is a big fan of X Japan who Yoshiki used to be drummer for, I believe). The CD is all orchestral with some purely instrumental versions of X Japan songs and bizarrely two themes for the Golden Globes which is surprising. But all of it is supremely mind-blowing and epic to have blaring through your headphones, genuinely tingle-inducing to listen to. O_O

Right I have more writing to do this morning, I want/need to get through all the plotting notes I have so far for this scene so I can plan out the fighting bits (possibly in my garden while flailing a sword about).

Hope any campers who may see this are doing well, keep going almost half-way now!

Toodles

Ray

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Writing Ray - Camp NanoWrimo Day 2 & 3

So I forgot to do this post yesterday and it's likely that I'm not going to get anything written today because ya know, procrastinator extraordinaire...

I had a bit of a wobble after I cranked out my 1050 words yesterday since it felt like squeezing blood from a stone the whole time I was writing the scene. I could sense how forced the writing felt and I'm sure that when I go back to that scene I'll want to rewrite everything I did before I finish it.

I think I diagnosed part of the problem in a chat with my fabulous Alpha Reader Jess - I don't write well with fixed timescales and goals to meet. It's not a great thing for if I ever wanted to get published or whatever because of course deadlines are some serious shit and you can probably land yourself in a whole world of trouble if you don't deliver what you're contracted to do when you're supposed to. But I just can't write my best that way.

For me though I can ignore deadlines if I want (except with my OU work that's gonna mess things up if I start skipping doing TMAs). Writing is not my job, it's a hobby and when a hobby starts to feel restrictive and time-constrained with requirements then it's not a hobby anymore - it's a damn chore and I predominantly procrastinate chores.

I think that's part of why I stopped writing book reviews because every time I read a book there was the nagging feeling that I should be reviewing it on the blog. Even though I wasn't even receiving ARCs from publishers I felt obligated to share my thoughts in detail about the YA books I was reading. It forced me to think critically and analytically about the stories and characters I had just got to know and I bloody hated that. I like to just immerse myself in books and only think about things like that if something is glaringly bad and throwing me out of the story. Reviewing threatened my enjoyment of reading so I stopped.

Unrealistic word count targets and arbitrary deadlines threaten my enjoyment of writing so if necessary I'll ignore them. I'm not going to stop writing during April if Camp becomes too stressful but I'll just go back to working on the scenes from my story as I was before this month and writing at my own damn pace.

With this mentality in mind I settled to my laptop last night and working from the hand-written start point done on a train on Sunday (whole separate story here) I did a whole scene of nearly 1600 words. In possibly less time that I did the first day's writing. When I looked up from typing to see I had over 1000 words I was surprised that I had gotten that far - that's when I know that the story is flowing right - I didn't have to stare and glare at the corner of my screen willing the wordcount to go up; it just happened.

Today I won't write anything and that's fine. To satisfy my inner pedant I have got enough words banked to allow me this day's respite without falling behind (on my wholly arbitrary word goal) so tomorrow I can start on a new scene and hopefully the words will fly again.

I feel happier for having come to this conclusion and I think there'll be a better outcome because of it.
Which means for story for Jess to read :P

Later dudes
Ray

P.S. Current total word count for 2014 Writing Project- 46,042 hells yea

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Writing Ray - Camp NanoWrimo Day 1!

*starting cannon fires*
GOOOOOoooo.... *looks at feet* I appear to have gone nowhere. Damn

So it is the first day of Camp and I'm already a little shaky. I have spent the last week and a half fretting about the fact that I've not finished the scenes that I wanted to get done and I've certainly not planned out the first scenes that are supposed to be going at the beginning of my book. In short my brain tried to quit before we even started.

I think I have the evil Albatross of Nano2010 still circling overhead, lurking to remind me of my previous fuck-ups with this whole writing shizazzle. My subconscious is psyching me out like a pain in the ass; what once took me a few hours to write is now looking to take *days*. Ugh WHY OH WHY?

I am gonna still bloody try, even if everything I write in April is a pile of shite I *will* still get it done. It's not like I won't have the time. After the end of next week I won't have my OU work to worry about until the start of May and my Diploma portfolio should all be done (if I get my damn observation done in time). So my Easter hols will be blissfully free for writing in the sunshine if I so choose.

Just gotta make sure that I don't lose enthusiasm for my book. My darling Alpha Reader Jess is the best cheerleader evah and I am certain that I will be texting or tweeting random story questions at her during Camp (so you're forewarned :P).

Gah this post is a mess. I am a sleepy mess and I hate daylight savings time cos I keep glancing at my mantle clock which says it's twenty to six BUT IT'S NOT!

Anyway I gotta keep writing
Laters
Ray

Current Word Count: 358

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Writing Ray - Endings why you so tricky?

Good evening my lovelies, since I've not posted for a wee amount of time I thought I'd write something for you now. I finally finished the big reveal scene from my book today which I swear has taken me two weeks to get out (this past week has been rather emosh and stressy at work). Now I have that scene down I can start to bring the various plot threads I have together and get everything to a satisfactory end before I jump back to the beginning and write until everything meets up again.

But I have to figure out how I want to end the story, before I've actually written how it starts, I mean of course I can go back and rewrite it later once I've got everything straight in my head but I want to try and get it as right as I can on this first draft to save serious brain mashing further down the road.

Where to take it though? Do I go for a more action-y high energy climax or a more emotional ending with enough menace to carry over into the second book (there definitely will need to be one as this shit ain't getting resolved in one book)? There are several things I know need to happen but there are other bits that could happen that might have drastically different consequences for my characters.

There is also the question of do I go for a dramatic character death? If so who is on the list for the chop? Should it be a noble death or downright unfair? These are the questions I am faced with right now. Hilariously when I mentioned that someone might die to my ever-trusty Twinnie and Beta Jess, she thought of the exact same character which says something about my evil authorly intent that she's picked up from what she's read of my story so far :P

So I have some serious outlining to do and possibly about 15K of writing to get done before April starts so I can crack on with the beginning during CampNano.

Ack Endings are gonna be tricky as hell.

Word Count as of earlier - 38,567 :O

Nighty-night chaps
Ray

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Writing Ray - Hint of a Prologue and Camp Nano!

Howdy there chaps!
Hope y'all are having an excellent Thursday (I strangely find them much preferable to Tuesdays, I hate Tuesdays with a vehemence known only to Sam Winchester :P)

For today's post in the Writing Ray series, I thought I'd give you lovelies a wee hint of the Prologue from my book/novel/story whatever the hell I call it. It's the only thing I have from the first third of the story so far so it may be a while until anyone other than the Privileged One *winks* gets to read anything else from it.

But never fear because hopefully I shall be remedying this lack of beginning during April when I attempt Camp Nano which is the off-season version of Nanowrimo which is in November (Ye olde readers of this blog will perhaps recall the fatal Nano attempt of 2010). Camp Nano is different in that you get to set your own word count so it's less pressurised if that's what you need.
I'm aiming to write 25,000 words on my Current novel and more specifically write the first 25K of the story since all my scenes so far have been for later on in the book.
So come closer to April I shall post a bit more about that maybe....

Anyways now for the exciting bit (or so I hope it will be for y'all). Here for your enjoyment and if constructive, your writing critique. Here is a chunk of the Prologue from my novel which has been vair tentatively titled Fire Will Tell (it'll probably change unless I get attached).

The Citadel was under siege and the King with fire in his hair stood looking out over his city with fear in his heart. In his arms lay his newborn daughter, a mere wisp of copper visible on the crown of her head. All this ruin for one little Princess.

King Keelan sighed; it had been futile to hope that the darkest day of his reign would not be today. Barely a year under his rule and his brother's lust for power had overwhelmed his sense. Isaiah was going to sacrifice everything for a chance to be King.

A door flew open behind him. The dishevelled Baron Deryn had arrived, bloodied sword in hand. Keelan's boyhood friend was pale and shaking.

"Majesty there are Amberford soldiers making their way to this wing!" he panted. "I had to cut my way through a squad to get here ahead of them. We must leave immediately!"

"Deryn, do you know why Isaiah has declared his intention to take the throne? Why now in particular?" Keelan turned away from the disheartening sight out the window to face the younger man, cradling his daughter close against his chest.

"She is the reason," he held out the swaddled infant. "My daughter. Isaiah believes that because my wife bore a girl under a red star, the Gods have deemed my line unfit to rule. He is rending this city apart because he has been swayed by the fanatical ravings of the Duke of Amberford."

Deryn stared at his King "Kelvan is mad with grief for his wife. He would sacrifice his own newborn son if the Gods would return Elenora to him. I fear for the boy's safety while his father is in such wrathful humours." Retrieving a handkerchief from his pocket, Deryn began cleaning off his blade.

Nodding sadly Keelan approached his friend. "This I know, and it is why I must ask too much of you. Kelvan's rage has spurred my brother into treason and I fear that he may sacrifice the Princess to strengthen his cause. You must take her now and keep her safe. The passages between the walls lead down and out in the Temple Quarter, follow the signs of the star and it will bring you to the Mother's Temple."

Confusion flickered on the Baron's face as the King handed him his only child. "Are you not coming with me through the tunnels Keelan?" Opening his jerkin he carefully tucked the child inside before buttoning it back up. His swordbelt would stop her from slipping down.

"I cannot flee, if Isaiah wants my crown he will have to wrest it from my dead hands. I can also prevent anyone from following you. Now go Deryn, keep my daughter safe. A day will come when she will be a guiding star for the realm. She will be their hope. Gods blessings go with you both."

Keelan held out his arm, Deryn reached to clasp forearms with his oldest friend for what was to be the last time they met in this life. Clear blue eyes met sombre brown ones. Though only three years separated them in age, at that moment Deryn could see decades of wisdom shining from the youthful King.

"May the Gods forgive me, I will do everything in my power to protect her Majesty," saluting he turned and made for the open panel in the wall behind the King's desk.

Readying his own sword Keelan cast a look towards the main door as the heavy footfalls of soldiers in armour approached. His fate was soon to be decided, that of his heir was not out of his hands.

He called out one last time to his friend, "Deryn? If you see Emelyne, tell her I love her always and that I have entrusted our Star to you."

The Baron nodded grimly and closed the secret door behind. Now it was just several miles of narrow passages between him and safety. He needed a plan to avoid getting killed once he got out of the Citadel.

Lifting a torch from a bracket on the dusty wall Deryn began to run, his other arm acting as a shield against knocks to the sleeping infant now in his care. Soft tufts of copper hair peeked out from inside her swaddling clothes. This was all too much responsibility for one man to bear.

*Keeps eyes closed* There... half of the Prologue... argh.

What you guys think? Anything? Nothing? *flies away*

Laters

Ray

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