Tag Archives: poetry

Final Chapter Outline

Posted on by

I finished the second climax of the novel today.  It puts me past 45,000 words.  When I finished, I realized how barren my outline was for the rest of the novel.  Just a few points here and there. I spent a great deal of time finding historical references to make the final 25,000-35,000 words realistic and fascinating.  I think I spent more time outlining than writing today.  But I am in luck.  The final outline is complete.

With this novel, i have accomplished several goals that I have aimed for.  One: I am writing something I would love to read.  Two: I have a stroyline is not linear throughout.  Three: Love is not the central theme.  Four: Only a single character contains characteristic similar to me (and he actually isn’t involved in the story itself).  All in all, I feel like this novel is my most successful one yet.  And I haven’t even finished it.  I still predict that I will be done before the end of May.

Writing through Thick and Thin

Posted on by

It’s been an up-and-down couple of days.  I spent the entirety of yesterday in Denver, thoroughly trying to enjoy myself.  Unfortunately, sheer tiredness and memories made it almost impossible to enjoy myself.  Luckily, I was able to channel that negative energy into writing and a bit of reading.  I’m gearing up for writing again today.  I hope to channel it once again.

I finished reading “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” yesterday.  I am taking a quick detour with “Looking For Alaska” by John Green before finishing off the series later this month.  The writing style in The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo was incredible.  I loved the storyline even though I don’t care much for mysteries.  I guess when you can write, it barely matters what genre you write in.  One day I hope to be able to do that.  It would be incredible to build up such a craft that I could bring any genre to life.

Some day…

Peace Corps & Poetry

Posted on by

Within the next 24 hours, I will send in my medical review for full entry into the Peace Corps.  It’s been a long journey already–simply filling out the paperwork.  After tomorrow, however, it is all in the hands of the government.  In the months ahead, I’ll learn where I am going and when I leave.  It is going to be a 27 month endeavor.  I can’t wait to get started.

I hope to finish as much as possible before I leave.  I will finish this novel before the end of May.  I hope to also edit all four of my novels until they are ready for publication.  If I get to that point, I will let everybody know and present a link to get a severely discounted copy.  I should be able to get all of them done so long as I don’t get called into early duty (which I wouldn’t mind).

While in the Peace Corps, I hope to still have electricity.  If I do, I will continue to update this website with writing.  If I don’t, I will only be able to update periodically when I get access to a computer.  Either way, I will be writing a lot while serving.  Who knows what will come of this adventure.

A poetry update today…

Young Darling
While substituting in an Art Class, I eavesdropped on a conversation between two third graders.  The conversation was so fascinating, that I needed to write about it somehow.  This is a lighthearted poem.  It is also my first attempt at rhyming poetry.

Multiple Climaxes?

Posted on by

With the end of today’s writing, i have entered the core climax of my novel.  With a minor outline through the end, I find that my story will have three climaxes.  A small one at 35,000 words.  The major climax at 50,000 words.  A medium-sized climax around 65,000 words.  I am writing this story under the idea of “write what you would read.”  None of my favorite novels have a storyline shaped like a bell curve.

So, I can’t help but ask: how many climaxes?  Is there a certain formula that works for most stories.  Or does each story need to be taken on a case-by-case basis?  I know certain things don’t work.  I don’t like books that don’t have a true climax or only have one real climax.  Is there a limit to how many?  If so, what is the range?  I’m going to be thinking about this one in the months ahead as I continue to read random books.  Anyone have any ideas?

For the first time in a while, some actual writing.  Here is a poem:

The Wailing Wall
I wrote this poem following a bad breakup.  I tend to allow my mind to wander…and that usually leads to worst-case scenario thoughts.  The combination led to this poem.  It sat in a folder for more than a month.  I rewrote it today and finally like it.

Writing on an Off Day

Posted on by

I am having a bit of an off day.  I know I should have accepted a substitute position today, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.  My mind is throbbing with anxiety and fear.  I waited all morning for a call about a loved one’s surgery.  Finally I got it and felt relieved.  Now, I am without a schedule and wish nothing more than to be at work rightnow.  Instead, I am at my coffee shop–working on this and that.

Luckily, the knowledge that the rest of my week is scheduled puts me at some ease that today is open.  I spent my morning updating this and that.  I read a bit as well.  With all these petty assignments down, I can focus on the main attraction.  I need to pound out at least 1,000 words on my novel.  I guess I might as well get started.  Here is a poem for all my readers.

At the Base of the Waterfall
One of my favorite hikes is to a place called Horsetooth Falls.  The trail winds through a few valleys and ends in this beautiful little pond.  I rested at the waterfall for a while during my most recent hike and wrote this.  I am practicing being concise and reading my work out-loud.  I hope it works.

1,000 Word Minimum

Posted on by

Today was the first warm day in awhile.  I spent the first part of my day hiking in the mountains.  I wrote a piece of poetry up by the waterfall that I hope to upload in the next few days.  I love the feeling of completely exerting my body.  Afterwards, I came to my coffee shop to write.  The coffee never tasted so great.

Today is my 16th day of writing my new novel.  Take a look at my daily word totals:

8 April 2012: 600 Words
9 April 2012: 2,700 Words
10 April 2012: 4,300 Words
11 April 2012: 4,800 Words
12 April 2012: 8,700 Words
13 April 2012: 9,900 Words
14 April 2012: 10,700 Words
15 April 2012: 11,600 Words
16 April 2012: 13,800 Words
17 April 2012: 15,900 Words
18 April 2012: 17,500 Words
19 April 2012: 20,000 Words
20 April 2012: 21,100 Words
21 April 2012: 22,100 Words
22 April 2012: 25,300 Words
23 April 2012: 26,200 Words

I am now squarely in the second third of the novel.  At this point, I will not let myself stop until I finish.  I have decided to implement a 1,000-word minimum rule.  Even if my day is packed, I will schedule time to write and pump out 1,000 words.  I am so thoroughly enjoying where I am in the novel that the past few days have had a few 2,000-word writing binges.  Whatever it takes.

Today’s update includes musical influences.  I always listen to music while I am writing stories (not poetry).  I listen to music mainly for it’s lyrical content, but I won’t deny that it needs to sound good.  Some music, although not much, I listen to remind myself of certain ideals and to rejuvenate my mind.

Flobots
This band is probably the most influential band I have ever listened to.  Their music is political and angry in nature.  I have been to two of their concerts and was completely blown away by their talent and passion.  Nothing moved be more than when thousands of people screamed as one the lyric, “We the people did not want war.”

Air
I first came across Air while listening to the soundtrack to my favorite movie: Lost in Translation.  I borrowed one of their CD’s from the local library and was in awe of their originality.  For my most recent novel, their Talkie Walkie CD is almost always on in the background.  They are well worth a listen.

Write Every Single Day

Posted on by

Today was full of events.  We went up to the mountains as a family to celebrate my niece’s birthday.  Still, I found the time to write.  Even if it was only 1,000 words, I have found just how important it is to write every single day.  I am now at 22,000 words and am loving where the novel is heading.  When my schedule opens back up (likely tomorrow), I suspect that I will write a huge amount.  Nothing is better than seeing a novel take on a life all its own.  This is why I write.

I went to a poetry slam that got canceled last night.  I spent some time with the organizer and realized I really need to try slam poetry.  I may look into a way to record myself and upload the poetry onto this site. More on that later.  In the meantime, some more “Influences.”  This time, in the form of books.

Feed by M. T. Anderson
Near future literature is unbeatable.  Feed is the untilmate warning to the future of technology.  Almost weekly, I stumble across a news article that reminds me of something from this book.  Anderson did his research.  The future of our world will be incredible, but impossible moral questions are waiting to jump up just around the corner.  I want to be able to form a story the way Anderson is able to.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
I have never finished this book.  Both times that I tried to read it were interrupted by school work.  I plan on reading it later this year.  Nevertheless, it has already influenced me greatly.  McCarthy is the author who made me realize you need to find your own style of writing.  While exploring that, I realized that stream of consciousness is how I need to write.  Following the norm is almost never the way to go.

In the Zone

Posted on by

I wrote another 2,000 words today–bringing me to 16,000 words on my new novel over the course of ten days.  I am on a roll.  If I can keep this up, this will be the fastest and best novel I have ever written.  Also, the style, length, and subject matter are all perfect to try to reel in an agent.  I may actually try to send this out to a few agents after I polish it up.  Yet again, I spent my day working on the novel and not uploadadble content.  Instead, I am going to link another “Influence.”

The Egg by Andy Weir
I read this story a couple years ago.  It changed my life.  It’s not something to believe.  It is something to ponder. It addressed the golden rule in entirely new light.  “Do unto other as you would have them do unto you.”  It is a little long, but worth the time.

Minimalism

Posted on by

Today has been a strange day to say the least.  I am busily working on my novel.  I have constructed 13,000 words over the past eight days and only seem to be speeding up.  I hope to be done with the rough draft before the end of May.  Because of this, I am spending less time working on content that I will be able to upload.

Instead, I decided I would share some of my values and influences.  The video above is about anti-consumerism or minimalism.  I have been greatest influenced by videos and books with this message over the last several years.  If you have never read “The Gospel According to Larry,” please read it.  I have moved from more than 1,000 possessions to less than 550 over the past few months.  It is a freeing expereince.

“The more you own, the more it owns you.”

Also, I attended a poetry critique yesterday.  I hope to update over the week ahead with new poetry using some of the tactics I learned at this meeting.  I feel like it is one area of writing that I have not practiced all that much.  Hopefully I will build my craft over time.

Poetry Update

Posted on by

I spent a good deal of today writing updates for all of my blogs and reading “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”  I just finished writing a piece of poetry–which is linked below.  Tonight I will be working more on the new novel.  I hope to get to 10,000 words before Saturday–when I return home from this strange mini-vacation.  I will also be updating many of the “Blog” sections of this website with more recent pieces.  Enjoy the poetry in the meantime.  I have to run.  It’s Margarita night!

The Coffee House
I do most my writing at several different coffee houses around town.  Over the seven or so years that I have been going to coffee houses, I’ve seen a change.  It’s much harder to meet someone new when there are always electronics involved.