Another rough week. It's just so hard to think and concentrate when it's this hot. It just sucks the life out of me. At least I've had a few good ideas of things I want her to explore so it's not a total waste of time.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
NOVEMBER GIRL WEEK 4
Didn't get much done this week. The heat just sucks the life out of me at work and it's even difficult to think creatively.
I've been looking back and thinking about how most of the characters I write are women. Doctor Who: Shadows of the Past was about a female character and the main character in the Starpoint series is a woman. The only book I've written in the past six years that didn't have a female main character was Welcome to Nowhere. The main characters in the short stories I've written are male but that's about it.
Part of it, I think, is that it's more of a challenge writing a female character in the lead. It's more fun to poke around in their personality and find things I didn't expect. It just happens more often with female characters. The male in Welcome to Nowhere never did really surprise me or take on a life of his won. He's an interesting character, I put a lot of heart into him, but he never once did anything unpredictable. Gallif, in Starpoint Mountain, was surprising me all the way to the end. November has already made a couple of decisions I didn't expect. That's why I like her so much.
Part of me says I really shouldn't think about it to much. The reason might either disturb me or take all of the fun out of it.
I've been looking back and thinking about how most of the characters I write are women. Doctor Who: Shadows of the Past was about a female character and the main character in the Starpoint series is a woman. The only book I've written in the past six years that didn't have a female main character was Welcome to Nowhere. The main characters in the short stories I've written are male but that's about it.
Part of it, I think, is that it's more of a challenge writing a female character in the lead. It's more fun to poke around in their personality and find things I didn't expect. It just happens more often with female characters. The male in Welcome to Nowhere never did really surprise me or take on a life of his won. He's an interesting character, I put a lot of heart into him, but he never once did anything unpredictable. Gallif, in Starpoint Mountain, was surprising me all the way to the end. November has already made a couple of decisions I didn't expect. That's why I like her so much.
Part of me says I really shouldn't think about it to much. The reason might either disturb me or take all of the fun out of it.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
NOVEMBER GIRL WEEK 3
It was a really good week writing. Got lots of work done and have started to expand the world where the story takes place. It feels really good.
I have to admit that Robert Heinlein is a big influence on this book. I've been reading his stuff constantly and it is so amazing it's really opened my eyes to story telling. For the most part I will sit down and write tons and tons of back story for my books. On Shadows of the Past I did a time line of what happens on Earth from the year 2000 to the year 2060 when it takes place. I knew everything there was to know about that character. The same with Starpoint Mountain and I wrote pages and pages of character details about the characters in Welcome to Nowhere including their parents, siblings, birth dates, schools, etc.
When I read the Heinlein stuff I get the feeling he doesn't do that. He doesn't explain what has happened to the world in his stories. They are there and you have to accept them as they are. A lot of the times it'll just be character scenes but they are so amazingly interesting I can't put them down. Sometimes it's hard to remember what the plot was supposed to be as well. It's a unique way of writing and I only hope this is a fitting tribute.
I have to admit that Robert Heinlein is a big influence on this book. I've been reading his stuff constantly and it is so amazing it's really opened my eyes to story telling. For the most part I will sit down and write tons and tons of back story for my books. On Shadows of the Past I did a time line of what happens on Earth from the year 2000 to the year 2060 when it takes place. I knew everything there was to know about that character. The same with Starpoint Mountain and I wrote pages and pages of character details about the characters in Welcome to Nowhere including their parents, siblings, birth dates, schools, etc.
When I read the Heinlein stuff I get the feeling he doesn't do that. He doesn't explain what has happened to the world in his stories. They are there and you have to accept them as they are. A lot of the times it'll just be character scenes but they are so amazingly interesting I can't put them down. Sometimes it's hard to remember what the plot was supposed to be as well. It's a unique way of writing and I only hope this is a fitting tribute.
Monday, July 11, 2011
NOVEMBER GIRL WEEK 2
Spent three days doing the first conversation in the book. It wouldn't have been so bad if it were more than just a few lines. Going to have to rethink about the conversations that take place throughout the book. It's early enough in the writing that I can still change it without loosing anything.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
NOVEMBER GIRL WEEK 1
I started November Girl this week by writing the prologue. It's called The Last Ordinary Day and gives the reader an introduction into the world of the story then blowing it up. It may, or may not be, our world and it may take place in the present, or future, or maybe the past. I'm really keeping my options open. ;-)
In some ways I'm going back to the way I wrote the Starpoint Mountain books. I had the main characters, a rough idea, and how it ended and just started writing it. There were lots of surprises in that story and characters didn't always turn out the way I planned them too. When I wrote Welcome to Nowhere I did just the opposite. I knew all of the characters in detail before I started and was limiting it so I couldn't add anymore. It also took place in a limited location so I had to put the place together before I started and once it was going that was it. I'm very happy with it but it wasn't as much fun to write, no surprises, so I went back to the original way. the only difference I have no idea how it ends. I just have the main character, a few rough ideas for others she meets, and a few points I want to make.
I feel like Ed Wood watching Plan 9 From Outer Space. He's so proud of it during the premiere and says "This will be the one they remember me by," not realizing they remember it because it's so bad.
I'm also doing it in the first person. I've only written in that form a few times so it's not like I have much experience at it. I must be crazy! If had any brains I wouldn't do it!
In some ways I'm going back to the way I wrote the Starpoint Mountain books. I had the main characters, a rough idea, and how it ended and just started writing it. There were lots of surprises in that story and characters didn't always turn out the way I planned them too. When I wrote Welcome to Nowhere I did just the opposite. I knew all of the characters in detail before I started and was limiting it so I couldn't add anymore. It also took place in a limited location so I had to put the place together before I started and once it was going that was it. I'm very happy with it but it wasn't as much fun to write, no surprises, so I went back to the original way. the only difference I have no idea how it ends. I just have the main character, a few rough ideas for others she meets, and a few points I want to make.
I feel like Ed Wood watching Plan 9 From Outer Space. He's so proud of it during the premiere and says "This will be the one they remember me by," not realizing they remember it because it's so bad.
I'm also doing it in the first person. I've only written in that form a few times so it's not like I have much experience at it. I must be crazy! If had any brains I wouldn't do it!
STARPOINT VIDEOS
It's taking shape and looking really good.
I took a workshop and am officially a member of PATV now so I'm good to go. I can operate the HD camera so when we go out to shoot on location I can take care of it. It will be easier to organize with fewer people. I'm hoping that Suzy and I will be able to get together some Saturday morning and go out and shoot some of the scenes, then meet up with Jessica later on and shoot hers.
I finally got to meet with Alejandra and she's very excited about doing the role of the Fortune Teller. I hadn't given that character a name in the script and she asked for one. I told her since she's playing the character she could pick the name herself. She lives in Burlington and it's quite a drive from there to Iowa City, 1hr 15min or so, so I'll be going to Burlington sometime later this month or early next to read through the script and rehearse with her. As with Suzy and Jessica I want this to be as fun and easy as possible for them.
I took a workshop and am officially a member of PATV now so I'm good to go. I can operate the HD camera so when we go out to shoot on location I can take care of it. It will be easier to organize with fewer people. I'm hoping that Suzy and I will be able to get together some Saturday morning and go out and shoot some of the scenes, then meet up with Jessica later on and shoot hers.
I finally got to meet with Alejandra and she's very excited about doing the role of the Fortune Teller. I hadn't given that character a name in the script and she asked for one. I told her since she's playing the character she could pick the name herself. She lives in Burlington and it's quite a drive from there to Iowa City, 1hr 15min or so, so I'll be going to Burlington sometime later this month or early next to read through the script and rehearse with her. As with Suzy and Jessica I want this to be as fun and easy as possible for them.
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