Category Archives: Uncategorized

Script Frenzy

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I just finished working on the script for Elance.  It was supposed to be a 7-minute movie…and I wrote 13 pages.  I have a feeling it is too long.  Hopefully the contractor doesn’t mind too much.  Anyway, I am completely addicted to the idea of screenwriting.  The first thing I know I need to do is read through a few scripts from good movies.  Does anyone know how to get your hands on movie scripts?

I’m going to take a break this afternoon.  I will update the Memory Challenge with Day 13 this evening or night.  It’s going to be very different from the ones I have done.  I’ve been looking through the newspaper from my hometown and it sparked several strange memories.  I can’t help but recall the strange circumstances of my high school graduation…and the strange realization that I am exactly who my 18 year old self wanted me to be.

More on that later,
Richard

Mountain Conversations

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I spent most of my day in the mountains with a new friend.  I love the stage in new friendships when you are able to talk for hours on end.  Politics.  Old romances.  The role of creativity.  Philosophy.  I’ve always been fascinated with the way that conversations evolve from one topic to the next.  When a conversation goes on for hours, you can usually track it back like an organic, living thing.

I spent most of my evening working on a script for Elance.  With every passing day, I am becoming more and more interesting in screenwriting.  Instead of aiming for writing another novel in the second half of 2012, I think I’m going to try for a movie-length script. All I have to decide now is what story I should write about.  I have plenty of stories in mind.  I just don’t know which one would translate best into film.

Today, instead of a memory update, here in an influence update and a  music video.

Fun
I liked the song, “We Are Young”.  Fun didn’t hit my radar, however, until the some “Some Nights” hit the radio.  I am in love with it.  My inner history nerd loves the video that goes along with the song.  The lead singer is so emotional.  Plus, the romance that they push in the video is so beautiful.  Make sure to watch the video.

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Fascinated by Scripts

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I know I bid far to low to ghostwrite the script I am currently working on…but I love it.  I’ve written Haikus, Poems, Flash Fiction, Short Stories, and Novels.  The one format that I have never worked with is screenwriting.  It’s very different and dialog-oriented.  Now that I am learning the ropes as part of a job, I can’t help but wonder if I would enjoy doing one on my own.  I absolutely love movies.  Plus, I usually envision my stories in scenes.  Maybe this is the perfect in-between.

Aside from working on the script today, I am getting back into the swing of working on my 50-Day Memory Challenge.  I’m going to try to do as much work as I can over the next couple weeks.  Once the end of July hits, I’m going to get crazy busy.  Trip to Connecticut.  Trip to Iowa.  Trip to Washington.  All within the course of one month.  It’ll be amazing, but difficult to write consistently.  I can’t wait.

Day Twelve: Dances with Cougars

Genealogy, Scripts & Geese

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Today has been quite an interesting day.  I have 17 days before I fly out whit my family to Connecticut to celebrate my Grandmother’s 80th birthday.  I have a bunch of geneology stuff that I’ve gathered over the years that I want to be able to give them as a present.  One is an audio diary that they gave to the entire family a couple decades back.  I’ve started transcribing it and hope to finish before the trip.

I also just received a ghostwriting job.  The job is to write a script to a seven minute short film.  I got the job because I bid way to low for such a job…because I really want to try writing a script. I can’t wait to get started.  I have a week to write it.  So, I’m going to go start working on that.  Here is day eleven of the 50 Day memory Challenge.  Enjoy.

Day Eleven: The Injured Goose

Back to the Memory Challenge

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I’m thoroughly enjoying the weather right now.  I live in Colorado…where the smoke has consumed us for about a month now.  Luckily, we are entering the rainy season.  It looks like a monsoon out there.  I love it.  Time to go play and get soaked.

With the help of a reader, I am finally getting back to my “50-Day Memory Challenge.”  Although it is not going to be anywhere near fifty continuous days, I will finish this challenge.  Today is day ten.  After receiving a long email from a reader, I couldn’t help but continue writing about my experiencing with the abortion my girlfriend and I had six years ago.

Day Ten: The Opposite of Lonely

Six years Later…

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The Fifth of July is always a complicated day for me.  Anniversaries–no matter what kind of anniversery–tend to remind you of the day that something took place.  My event took place on July 5th, 2006.  I was a month away from starting my senior year of high school.  I was dating a nerdy girl who I thought I was in love with.  For the two weeks prior to that date, I was in shock.  She was pregnant.  I didn’t know what to do.

I’ve written a lot about this situation.  If you haven’t read my full acount, it can be found here.  I have started a tradition of just writing out my thoughts on the anniversary of the abortion.  My thoughts evolve so much from year to year–even now.  Here is a link to what came out when I sat down to write today.

Jaccob: Year Six

Happy Forth

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I will do my best this summer to keep up with my blog here.  With so much happening this summer, that will be harder some days than others.  I took a week off of writing after finishing editing the third draft of my latest novel.  After a bit of a road trip this weekend, I am back at it.  I will start the memory challenge back up here soon as I decide on what to work on next.

Free writing is an important element for any writer.  It is an element that I neglect far too often.  Sitting back in my hometown coffee shop, however, I got the inspiration to sit down and just write.  Out came a piece that surprised me.  I am going to upload it under nonfiction because it does feel like a diary piece.  I need to make sure to continue free writing much more often.

Her

Multiple Climaxes Revisited

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I just finished the third draft of my latest novel.  I believe it is quite clean and ready for the eyes of family members and friends.  While reading it this time, I realized that I had organized the book in strange way.  I knew I gave it multiple climaxes.  That was on purpose.  What I didn’t realize was that each one was a different kind of climax.  First comes to the action climax.  Then comes the emotional climax.  Lastly comes to the story’s climax.  Each one has its own purpose.

I am very happy with the progress I have made on this novel–considering I’ve only really been working on it for three months or so.  I can’t wait to have someone else read it.  I’ll focus on something else tomorrow (probably the memory challenge).  After than, I am taking a road trip to see and old friend halfway across Colorado (I’m thinking about taking the long way past Colorado Springs to see how bad the fire is).  Until then!

Much Love,
Richard

Pre-Peace Corp Writing Goals

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A lot is changing in my life.  There’s only one problem.  Many of these changes won’t take place until January.  I need to fill the gap between then and now.  I’ve though of a lot of different ideas–from traveling to working.  In the end, the best idea I can come across is to immerse myself in my writing.  So I created a list of writing goals I want to accomplish over the next 200 days or so.  Here they are:

Writing Goals

  1. Finish Editing my fourth novel
  2. Do final editing on Stitch [Novel Three]
  3. Do final editing on The Saints [Novel Two]
  4. Do final editing on The Fire Saviors [Novel One]
  5. Write a fifth novel
  6. Do final editing on fifth novel
  7. Compile a collection of 50-100 poems
  8. Do final editing on Poem Collection
  9. Compile short Stories/Flash Fiction
  10. Do final editing on Story collection
  11. Join Every Writing Club in Northern Colorado/Go to them
  12. Finish Memory Challenge
  13. Do final editing on memory challenge
  14. If money allows, print one set of books “Before Peace Corp Writing”
    1. The Fire Saviors [Novel One]
    2. The Saints [Novel Two]
    3. Stitch [Novel Three
    4. Novel Four
    5. Novel Five
    6. Poetry Collection
    7. Story Collection
    8. Memory Challenge

A Fine Frenzy

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I am officially addicted to the band “A Fine Frenzy.”  As you will see in today’s poem, I even borrowed a phrase from their hit, “Almost Lover.”  The song is fascinating.  It might just be me, though.  A woman’s voice entangled in a piano is one of the most beautiful sounds I can think of.  I recommend that everybody click through and listen to the song.

For any of my followers, I suspect you will see a change in my writing.  I feel like I am standing at another crossroads.  I’ve crossed plenty in my 8,500 days of life.  Many have been small…several have grown in significance.  Today, as I watch my closest friend prepare to move 1,000 miles away, I know this crossroads will be significant.  With less than 200 days until I enter the Peace Corp, I want to do all that I can to create the life I’ve been waiting for.  =)  Enjoy the poem.

These Days We Wait