Category Archives: Uncategorized

Interrupted my a Storm

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I was going to use yesterday evening to edit my heart out.  Instead, this happened.  The storm was moving so slow.  I watched it for nearly an hour as it slowly approached town.  Then, when it finally hit, I had way to much fun.  Lots of rotation in the clouds, plenty of hail, and some of the heaviest rain I have ever experienced.  This is easily the best storm of the year.

I’m going to try to get back on track today.  I have a lot to do before I can sit down and edit…but I’m going to get that out of the way right after I finish this update.  I want to get at least another 10-15 pages done today.  I’m also kind of jealous of my friend Jordan.  She already uploaded her second day of the Memory Project.  I never got around to it.  Maybe I should just start today.  I will let you know…

With Love,
Richard

A Long Day of Moving and Editing

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I spent four hours of my day helping my mother move out of her office.  After the role I played in getting her fired (or reassigned, as they put it), it was the least I could do.  As I walk away from today, I have a renewed understanding for why I hated working in an office and would prefer never to be a part of one again.  Politics is frustrating enough in a family or set of friends…it’s simply Hell at work.

I’ve started working on the third draft of the novel.  Since there are so few changes necessary, I am breezing through it.  There are 52 chapters in all…and I just spent the past 90 minutes getting through the first five.  A part of me just wants to finish off the draft over the next two days so I can focus on some other projects (like actually starting the Memory Project) while other people look it over.  I’m at least going to continue editing for the next 80 minutes (I hate that the coffee shop in this town closes at six).  Maybe I will continue working at home.

With Love,
Richard

Best Coffee Ever

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My hometown has some of the best drip coffee I have ever tasted.  It’s called The Blue Mug.  For only $2, they give you a mug that you can refill as often as you would like.  That’s why I feel like I can get so much work done here.  I just finished writing one of the extra chapters and loved it.  I was preparing the information for the second chapter when i realized it really wouldn’t add much.  I’m going to scrap the idea.  My novel is going to be short of the planned 70,000 to 80,000 range.  Going into the third draft, it stands at 67,344 words.

I’m going to alternate between Ghostwriting and working on the Third Draft the rest of this week.  I’m house sitting for my parents again–which gives me a lot of free time.  I just got a pretty big ghostwriting job via Elance.  I can’t wait to get started.  I think I will be able to strike a nice balance between writing as a job and writing as a hobby.  Only time will tell on that front.  I have to run.

With Love,
Richard

Third Draft

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With the help of forty ounces of coffee, I was able to finish the second draft of my manuscript. I am going to write two new chapters tomorrow before regrouping and starting on the third draft. It’s a great feeling to know that your manuscript is approaching the stage where others can read it and not be bothered by small mistakes.

When I finish with my next draft, I will give two people the opportunity to be the first readers. First is my mother–mainly because she would kill me if I let someone else be the first reader. The other is a friend of the family. She is a fast reader who helps me edit. She also is a great way to see how the average person will like the book. I can’t wait to get it to them. Soon enough.

With Love,
Richard

Ghostwriting Problems

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I don’t want to leave the wrong impression.  I love ghostwriting.  I like getting paid to sit down and write on random projects.  There’s just a problem that goes with it.  It forces all your energy away from your project and into someone else’s project.  I spent the last two days working on a website and real estate rewrites.  It was easy money…but I haven’t touched my novel in 48 hours.

It’s time to get back to work.  I am going to try to finish the first rewrite of my novel within the next 48 hours.  I’m still going to take sporadic ghostwriting jobs because I need the money…but I need to find the right balance.  I am currently dedicating at least three hours to writing a day–whether it is my own writing or ghostwritting.  I may bump that up to four hours.  Getting my own projects done when I have the time is the best way to not fell stressed out when i have a ghostwriting job.

Much Love,
Richard

Writing Various Ages

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As I come close to finishing the second draft of my novel, a certain thought keeps coming to mind: what ages am I capable of writing?  I used to believe it was almost impossible to write beyond your age.  I now know that not to be true.  I am now 23 and the core of my novel center around three characters in their late twenties.  Nowadays, my thoughts revolve around the more extreme ages.  Throughout the novel, I bring in random characters in their forties and fifties…but I worry that I can’t make them as well rounded as the other characters because I haven’t gone through that part of my life.

Then there is youth.  With this novel, I feel like I have done a good job with my youngest character.  She is 14.  When I think about it, however, I am not sure if I could go much younger.  I love reading books with young characters…but I don’t know how to develop such a character.  How do you enter the mind of youth?  I talked at length with one of my friends about this.  She just read “Room.”  It’s a book that centers around a five year old.  I can’t even imagine.  Maybe that’s another boundary of my abilities that I need dismantle through hard work and writing practice.

With Love,
Richard

The Intimate Sunrise

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It was strange watching the sunrise this morning.  It was the first time in many many months that I successfully stayed up all night and watched the sunrise.  It was beautiful, yes, but that barely explains it.  It’s almost like an intimate moment with a celestial object when you see it’s silver lining cross the horizon and fold into a dome over the next several minutes.  Those hours of waiting in darkness were well worth the wait.

Caffeine seems to be the perfect aide for editing.  I had three red bulls last night and got through about 20 pages of editing.  This afternoon, as I work my way through some espresso, I have almost completed another ten pages.  I now have only 28 pages of editing left to finish the second draft.  I’ve already worked out half the bullet points of things I need to work on.  This manuscript is already looking pretty clean.  My daydreams about sending it to an agent are starting to peak.  I need to control those daydreams until I have a clean manuscript.

With Love,
Richard

Friday All-Nighter

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Considering the absence of any friends in my general area this Friday Night, I have taken it upon myself to make this night interesting.  I just got back from a short evening on the town.  I picked up a four-pack of Redbull on my way back.  Tonight will be a night that I need.  One where I fight my body, the urge to sleep, and come out the other side with a beautiful glimpse of the sunrise.

I wrote a short poem for everybody.  It is linked below.  I am going to spend tonight, editing my novel, writing memories, walking the dark streets around my neighborhood, and probably watching the movie “Brick.”  I haven’t had a night like this in a while.  I need it.  I hope I last past 3:00am this time.

Freckle
I wrote this shortly after wandering the roads of my new town.  I remember doing the same thing in my hometown–traveling around like an explorer.  Only this time, I was alone.  The difference was immense.

Editing While Stressed

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I spent a very frustrating morning at the DMV.  After realizing that I would accomplish nothing today, I decided to declare defeat until a later date.  The stress of days like today is palpable.  My job is to try to focus that energy.  As I felt like bursting into tears, I went to my coffee shop instead.  I’ve been editing for the past hour and will continue to do so for a while (free refills on drip coffee is pretty much the best thing int he world).

Refocusing stress into the perfectionist mindset that is necessary for editing is beautiful.  I remember always trying to erase my stress by jumping in a hot tub or going for a walk.  I still do that from time to time.  But this is so much better.  I feel like I am using that stress to do something productive.  I am now almost halfway through the second draft of my novel.  I’m going to get back to it.  I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.

With Love,
Richard

Fun in the Sun

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I just spent the last hour or so editing.  I want to keep going…but it is so beautiful outside.  I have a season pass to a “beach” up on a reservoir in the mountains.  Even though I know I should keep writing and editing…I can’t bring myself to do it.  I want to lay out in the sand and soak up the sun.  Nothing sounds better right now.

Until next time,
Richard