June 7, 2010

Why do people read books? Perhaps to distract them from their own worlds. Perhaps to provide them with an escape from their reality into another, one more interesting or totally unlike their own.

So, then, why do we write books? To be "published" writers? Nah. You don't need to be published to be a writer. It's nice to get paid, though. To express ourselves? Sure. Writers can be moody, self-absorbed, introspective and emotional. It's helpful to get it all out on paper. Feel better? Good.

But for me, the reason I write, is to escape from my reality. Not that being a teacher and a mom are bad things. But it's nice to enter my writing zone and travel to places I create. I control. I direct and dictate. It's quite a power high to determine the fates of my characters and to live vicariously through them. It's actually addictive. I crave it. More than dark chocolate. And that's a HUGE deal for me.

Being a writer is a love-hate relationship for me. I love to write. I hate it when I'm not writing. Time passes when I write. My fictitous world becomes my real world and I love living in this alter universe. Kinda like being in my own Avatar...

Anyway, this post is meant to be a warm-up so I can get back to editing my book which, BTW, I'm polishing and am pleased as punch with the results thus far, if I do say so myself.

TTFN

K~

June 5, 2010

Happy Birthday, Anthony! Ten years old at 2:22p today. Where has the time gone...

We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. What did I order for dessert? Carrot Cake. YUM!!!!! Amongst all the choices of cheesecake, I chose carrot cake. And I'm a choco-holic. Go figure.

Ok, here's the update. Butterfly is now called Boardwalk. Yes, I renamed the book five days before it goes to print. I've added a new prologue and first chapter, and I really like the way I've fleshed out my protagonist's motives and my antagonist's secretive past.

Gotta finish proofing. The clock is ticking.

June 2, 2010

Ok, the insanity passed. What was I thinking?

Rewriting the book in first person would be like pulling out the old foundation from underneath a house while the first and second floors teeter precariously on top. I just can't rewrite this book in first person. I tried. It's not in my DNA. I prefer the power of third-person omniscient - having infinite awareness, understanding and insight. As the narrator, I like to know everything everyone is doing. I can dictate their movements like a chess master. First person is one-dimensional, in my opinion. I need my readers to know what the main character doesn't know so they can say "watch out you crazy protagonist!" and then cringe when she doesn't.

So, I'll save first person for some other writing endeavor. Butterfly remains firmly in 3rd person omniscient.

So there.

June 1, 2010

I've been reading an excellent book by Judy Blundell titled "What I Saw and How I Lied". I picked up this book at a book fair and was smitten by Chapter 1. It is succintly written, intriguing and descriptive. I read six chapters while waiting during cello and swim lessons this morning. It feels good to have time to read again.

And...this book has confirmed what I've thought for the past year. I need to rewrite "Butterfly" in first person.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Am I insane?

But seriously, I've noticed that the YA books my students love are written in 1st person. I've never written in first person. It always struck me as self-indulgent and arrogant. "I did this..." "I did that". "I, I, I..."

And yet...

First person seems to draw readers into the minds and motives of the main characters more quickly and provides the opportunity for readers to care about the emotional well-being of the main characters.

So, I'm off to run errands and then I'll come back and take a closer look at this proposition of insanity.

Somebody stop me!

BTW - Kaitlin Farley published her NaNoWriMo book "Obscure Destiny" with Create Space.

https://www.createspace.com/3457836

Congratulations, Kaitlin! I am proud of you!

TTFN

K~

Summer Vacation

My grades are posted for the semester and I'm officially on summer break! Yippee! Now it's time to focus on my alter-ego - the writer.

I've signed up for a Romance Writer's course just for fun. Should be interesting to learn to write another genre. It starts June 19th.

In the meantime, I'm polishing my NaNoWriMo book to print by the June 10th deadline. I may either submit "A Place for Pamela" or "Butterfly". Depends upon my mood and inspiration.

Schools...out...for...summer...! (-:

Awards

My short story "A Place For Pamela" was recognized as a first place winner last night. Same with my poem "Excuses". Thanks to MPS for the lovely awards assembly and the beautifully printed anthologies of all the first place winners' writings.

Looking forward to sketching the outline of my next book over the summer break.

14 school days to go...

FanStory

I love this website - OMG! The members of this site post their poetry and prose for the FanStory community to critique. It's a wonderful concept and I'm enjoying being a member. I have posted 11 chapters of my YA book "Butterfly" and have been receiving helpful critiques.

www.fanstory.com

I have put "A Place for Pamela" on hold until after school is out. Too much going on right now at work to think about editing a book. But once June gets here, you'll find me by the pool with a highlighter pen and a package of sticky notes!

Who's looking forward to NaNoWriMo 2010? ME! I hope you are, too! Start thinking about it now. Don't wait until the Fall. We'll begin our novel writing club in August when school starts up.

TTFN

Mrs. P