Monthly Archives: October 2013

Reading and Writing, October 20

by Liana Posted on October 20, 2013
This entry is part 19 of 103 in the series Daily Scribble Reports

So Scrivener has multiple uses, including analysis. I wanted to do an analysis of "Dowse and Bleed" and promptly discovered that I had three scenes of around 3000 words each, give or take a few hundred. This was shocking to say the least. Normally, I don't manage that kind of word count for a single scene.

So I did a lot more reading than writing and some editing. It's like I couldn't get my brain to kick in until after dark. (This might have been due to three meetings, taking minutes, doing board research, and shopping and chores, but hey, a girl's not supposed to make excuses, right?)

I love to write directly to prompts, but not sure that I'm going to do this one for the exchange. En brief, their questions were already answered by the creator. It's hard to write fic to answer them again.

Count

  • Fiction: 340 words - Month to Date: 23,139 words
  • Blog: 163 words - Month to Date: 8,058 words

365 Challenge

  • 229/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn/Fracture & Recall Crossover: The Only Mercy – 274 words
Download article as PDF
Posted in Writing | Tagged , | Comments Off on Reading and Writing, October 20

Reading and Writing, October 19

by Liana Posted on October 19, 2013
This entry is part 18 of 103 in the series Daily Scribble Reports

So yesterday's post got left at work by accident. Will post it Monday and update the weekend posts to reflect accurate numbers. In the meantime, not doing good not reading before writing.

Yuletide assignments went out and all the pinch hits went during Sabbath. Nice. :shrugs: Oh, well.

And it's back to the crossover. And you know what? That's good enough for tonight. It's late. I'm tired and cranky, and boy, do I have a jam-packed day tomorrow. I've got a board meeting and shopping and board research and yuletide and Denny/Laurie reading and rugs to wash and a kitchen to take care of. Ah well.

Count

  • Fiction: 513 words - Month to Date: 22,799 words
  • Blog: 122 words - Month to Date: 7,895 words

365 Challenge

  • 228/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn/Fracture & Recall Crossover: The Right Question – 513 words
Download article as PDF
Posted in Fandom, Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Reading and Writing, October 19

Reading and Writing, October 18

by Liana Posted on October 18, 2013
This entry is part 17 of 103 in the series Daily Scribble Reports

So I did an incredibly poor job of reading nada before writing. Alas! I'm beginning to feel a little fraudulent, but I wonder if I'm just tired. I'm on a cleanse and the weather's changing and I'm working on another longer piece that's plot-driven, a sure recipe for forcing myself to slow down. It's intensely not my strong point. Plot-driven, that is.

But I did get something written today. A crossovery bit of fanfic. There goes 415 words.

Thinking out loud here: I think the problem is that while I got off to a good foot on this Justus story, it was unintentional and I'm having a hard time working it with canon and I hadn't the clue where I was starting, let alone where I was headed. I think I'm going to scrap and redraft. This is a very scary thought.

I could always stop, drop, and write about kittens. I've got two clans, the grammatical and the errata. And then there's Popcorn. It gets messy.

Count

  • Fiction: 415 words - Month to Date: 22,286 words
  • Blog: 193 words - Month to Date: 7,773 words

365 Challenge

  • 227/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn/Fracture & Recall Crossover: It's a Start Anyway – 415 words
Download article as PDF
Posted in Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Reading and Writing, October 18

Reading vs. Writing: Wait, I thought you guys were friends!

by Liana Posted on October 18, 2013

Yeah... not always. And this is the perfect summation and what to do about it, from Kristine Rusch:

Back when I was training myself to sit down and finish something, I learned the hard way that my greatest distraction was not other people or my computer or games or the phone or the television. My greatest distraction was other novels.

If I started reading a novel at lunch, I would finish at dinner. And then I’d deem it too late to write. So I had to make reading my carrot. I didn’t allow myself to read until I was done writing.

I’ve mentioned that a lot before, because the stupid compulsion remains. I cannot read fiction before I’m done writing my own fiction or I won’t get anything done.

But there was another component to my writing back then, one I dropped as the deadlines, publication dates, and payments took over. I wouldn’t let myself read anything if I hadn’t written that day.

In other words, reading was my reward. If I finished 3,000 words, I could read a book. If I didn’t, I couldn’t read until I did.

Carrot, meet stick. Stick, meet carrot. I had forgotten you guys.

- See more at: http://kriswrites.com/2013/10/16/the-business-rusch-carrots-and-sticks/#sthash.FuKcyUvN.dpuf

Download article as PDF
Posted in Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Reading vs. Writing: Wait, I thought you guys were friends!

Reading, Writing, and Upcoming Schedule – October 17

by Liana Posted on October 17, 2013
This entry is part 16 of 103 in the series Daily Scribble Reports

FRIENDLY REMINDER: If your comment vanishes into the spam moderation ether, please email me at info at lianamir dot com so I can fish it back out.

Reading & Proofreading

I had a proofreading job come in, which will cut hard into scribbling time, but add to weather the bank advance cut-off transition, so it's a worthy switch.

I'm also going to put off reading any fiction by anyone else until after I've scribbled each day. This is an experiment. It will take nerves of steel (which I'm not entirely sure I have). More on that tomorrow.

Writing & Fanfic

So I didn't get anywhere with Laurie today. Couldn't find her mental space and realized I needed to dive into canon to do that. Canon's not at work and my lunch break didn't go to writing per usual, so yeah. Moving it down on the to-do list. I consider this a Yuletide piece.

Speaking of which, Yuletide itself is looking amazing. I signed up as a pinch-hitter and browsed through a bunch of letters. I may do the book exchange and I'm definitely going to be writing treats. In the middle of this, I promise to lithiumlaughter that I will indeed get around to hammering my head hard enough on "Everything is Blood" to finish it.

I did start off this morning with a ficlet that could go as a continuation of an interesting crossover fanfic AU (thanks, thecatisacritic) or fit within the regular Kingdoms and Thorn universe. So there's that. I do think it needs more, a continuation and exploration. Don't I have enough ficlets needing that though!

I decided to start posting more on the blog again, which is silly since I'm trying to scribble more fiction, but alas! I tend to be happiest when creatively overextended. Since I've already started doing it, I might as well just admit it.

For NanoWrimo, I still haven't the foggiest idea which book I'll write, though I'm leaning toward something with momentum, which would mean Kingdoms and Thorn or Seven Days. I love Vardin, but I'm not sure I could build up the steam in time for November. And everyone loves Seven Days. Thanks again, lithiumlaughter, for you wonderful comments. I need to get answers to your questions back, come to think of it.

Back on the evening scribbling grind, and this Kingdoms and Thorn piece is coming together again. Not sure what did the trick, but I'm liking the interactions between Justus, Cole, and Larique. I'm also realizing this thing's going to turn into a "Dowse and Bleed" size fic before it's done. Ah, well. At least I'm getting somewhere, 367 words of somewhere wraps the scene. I've a feeling it won't be done today, thecatisacritic, but you prompted it and it's coming. Now I've just got to remember to work in Justus going undercover and noticing a threat no one else does.

I'd be able to write more too, but I have a question it's going to take some percolating to answer. What in the world does that report say? Sometimes readers think we're hiding information for suspense when really, we don't actually know the information yet. Ah, well. Off to percolate. Good night!

Count

  • Fiction: 841 words - Month to Date: 21,871 words
  • Blog: 630 words - Month to Date: 7,580 words

365 Challenge

We're at day 290/365 and written piece 226/365.

Most of these pieces haven't been linked on the challenge page because they're commentfic and I'm editing the mess out of them for publishing. I really do need to get a Kingdoms and Thorn collection pulled together. But first, I want to see in_the_blue's suggestions for expanding "Dowse and Bleed." Seriously. It would be my first novella (not counting MG novel, similar word count) ever.

  • 226/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Price of Reconciliation – 474 words
Download article as PDF
Posted in Journal, Writing | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Reading, Writing, and Upcoming Schedule – October 17

On Christian Introverts by J. S. Park

by Liana Posted on October 17, 2013

So I was perusing valuable links and ran across this gem of a post called "14 Ways to Handle a Christian Introvert." Note: I am a Christian and an introvert. I rolled with laughter. This is me. You read my mind.

An excerpt:

2) We just don’t sing like the front row.

It’s great that extroverts can freely express themselves during worship time.  But introverts sometimes just read the lyrics, connect inwardly, and keep their hands inside the vehicle.  If you see us raising even one hand and singing a few words, we are seriously pushing the gas pedal all the way to the floor.

3) Do not ever rebuke us in public.

Or you and I are done.  Forever. You should never do this anyway.

7) We get super-tired around a lot of people.

My limit is about four hours, and then I actually get a headache from just hanging around human beings.  My Sabbath rest is leave-me-alone-time with my non-judgmental dog.  Give us that time without trying to counsel us about it.

8) Don’t be offended if we don’t reply right away.

Sometimes when we see a Facebook invite to that next big church event, we just let it sit there and think about it periodically throughout the week and then come back to it before committing.  We do the same thing with text messages, emails, phone calls, and you showing up at the door.

10) Please do NOT bring a lot of attention to us.

Not in the church bulletin, not the church site, not for my birthdays, not for that nice thing I did for the homeless — just please, no spotlight.

11) Sometimes we’re just moody.  It’s not depression or a “spiritual attack” or “unconfessed sin.”

One word: space.  Lots of it.

Download article as PDF
Posted in Journal | Tagged , , | Comments Off on On Christian Introverts by J. S. Park

Writing Only, October 16

by Liana Posted on October 16, 2013
This entry is part 15 of 103 in the series Daily Scribble Reports

So it's time to start writing again. Going with the random prompt technique, as it seems to wrok so well for me. This time, we're going to write about the work Red Wolf does. It didn't take as long as I thought to pull out "Rearranging Assets," though it was far too clinical a piece for my tastes. :shrugs: I'll have to do better at storyizing the rest of them on this topic. For now, I skipped to a different prompt: the hug for Anna from her husband about her parents. That piece went well and quickly.

Then, I moved to the idea of Shift stopping by Justus' workplace. Behold, the sprawl! Nevertheless, in my first session before break was up, I got 875 words in one and a half scenes and I'm watching the team come together, which is exactly what I needed to see.

Coming back to this on my next break, let's see what we can do. :skimming work already done: Gets a handful of words done before break over.

Evening time now. Couldn't get settled down to work again, so calling it for the night at 938 words.

Count

  • Fiction: 1727 words - Month to Date: 21,030 words
  • Blog: 220 words - Month to Date: 6,950 words

365 Challenge

  • 224/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Rearranging Assets – 387 words
  • 225/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Would That It Were – 402 words
Download article as PDF
Posted in Writing | Tagged , | Comments Off on Writing Only, October 16

Reading and Writing, October 15

by Liana Posted on October 15, 2013
This entry is part 14 of 103 in the series Daily Scribble Reports

I am highly tempted to do Lovemark the Seasons for NanoWrimo, but I'm still not sure. Anyway... To writing.

I should say, I've been trying to get my brain pointed toward writing and nothing's happening. Let's switch to the random technique. I was asked for hugs for Rett and Meld. Those ficlets went well. Now, what? Lightsculpt needs to meet his parents. Okaaay. Who are they anyhow? So that worked. And the next random prompt—not without you—fed right into it.

Since I was on a roll, I went ahead and read and commented on my to-read ficlets. So it ought to be back to writing. Since the random prompt technique is working, let's go with what ain't broke.

So I burned through a bunch of ficlets this evening. Let's call it a night.

Count

  • Fiction: 2674 words - Month to Date: 19,303 words
  • Blog: 218 words - Month to Date: 6,730 words

365 Challenge

On this day 288/365, I'm on written piece 223/365.

  • 216/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Tell Me in the Morning – 616 words
  • 217/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Soon – 293 words
  • 218/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Worth Something – 428 words
  • 219/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Working Up the Nerve – 160 words
  • 220/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Something Other Than Smoke – 314 words
  • 221/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: The Leash – 310 words
  • 222/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Moral Support – 331 words
  • 223/365 – Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: In the Business – 222 words
Download article as PDF
Posted in Writing | Tagged | Comments Off on Reading and Writing, October 15

Reading and Writing, October 14

by Liana Posted on October 14, 2013
This entry is part 13 of 103 in the series Daily Scribble Reports

Stage One: Assess

So today, I wrote a blog post before getting to other writing. A lot of stuff about fandom and original fiction has been hammering in my head lately and that gorgeous piece of early Yuletide goodness put me over. Of course, now I owe a Laurie fic back and that's mulling in the percolator. In the meantime, there's what to write for Nano to consider and how many ficlets I can plow through today running on a late start, to say nothing of the three I haven't read yet from thecatisacritic.

Submissions

Got a rejection letter late in the day. It was a good rejection letter and very helpful. I do have a strong tendency to write vignettes, and I'm not entirely sure I'll ever be cured of that, though curiously, this fic isn't actually a vignette. Nevertheless, the comments gave me some great ideas on where to go when I'm ready to flesh out Alliance more, as my first angles were fizzling badly (I'm apparently not that into school fic, I just thought I was), and it also made me realize something: I have come to expect rejection. I never actually want to see the response to a submission. That's a very odd thought.

Stage Two: Work

I tried to make some progress on "Everything is Blood" and I did make some, but I wasn't impressed and it's still not coming together for me, so I decided to hit Kingdoms and Thorn again instead. And there goes 184 190 198 words on Lovemark the Seasons. I was actually thinking ficlets, o muse o' mine. Please?

Oh, bother it. Sorry, thecatisacritic. I'm going to bury myself in Lovemark.

Stage Three: Count

  • Fiction: 1,187 words - Month to Date: 16,629 words
  • Blog: 822 words - Month to Date: 6,512 words

365 Challenge

Speaking of the challenge, what day am I on and how's the overall progress going? I'm on day 287/365 and written piece 215/365.

Download article as PDF
Posted in Publishing, Writing | Tagged , | Comments Off on Reading and Writing, October 14