Monday, March 26, 2007

Betcha thought I was gone, didn'tcha?

I am in fact, still here. I've been busy of late (not writing, much to my shame) mostly with schoolwork and housework.

Today I'm committed to writing a good bit, so I'll definitely get some work. I've been having trouble with the ending to Nightblade, which is ironic, given that it's the one part that I've had written in my head for years... I know exactly how it's going to end.

I'm just procrastinating, I think.

Anyway, I'm still alive, still blogging, and maybe I haven't driven all four of my regular readers away.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Soundtrack for HackerDragon

I've got my soundtrack for Hacker Dragon. It's an industrial techno compilation, mostly, and it serves my purposes perfectly. Edgy, a little discordant, even a little angry.

Tonight, once I've finished homework, (only two more weeks left in the quarter... looks like I'm going to manage all As again this go-round) I'm going to go in for a major push to do at least several pages on Nightblade.

In other news, this is an APB for all you writers out there: you should be terrified. Epiracy on the same level as the massive amounts of mp3 thefts has begun, and you should be aware of the phenomenon. Kristin from Pub Rants has more.

Please spread the word that this is unacceptable; encourage your friends and family NOT to download these ebooks; we writers exist on the fringe of livability; unlike musicians, a few downloads are DEFINITELY going to hurt us; every book downloaded is one not bought, one not paid for, which ultimately results in lower sales, and can continue until the publisher drops an author.

I encourage you to complain to esnips, and report every copyright-infringing ebook you find. If enough complaints are filed, maybe esnips will pull that category. At the very least, the more that are reported, that'll keep their copyright department working overtime.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Into the climax

I've gotten past that awful chapter, and now am writing the climactic final confrontation. My heroes are making their way in the Bad Guy's stronghold as we speak.

I've already gotten to make some neat settings. There's a tower, but the Bad Guy isn't in the highest tier of it. In fact, he's under it.

I've introduced a third character who is unlikely to survive until the end of the book.

I need to get back to writing. :) Off to the notebook!

Friday, March 02, 2007

Eureka!

Just goes to show, you can always learn something, even when you think you know everything about something.

I've been struggling with stylistic concerns, lately. You may remember a previous post about conjunctions (or that might have been an LJ post, or even an email... it doesn't matter. Someone feel free to correct me, and I'll repost here for your benefit, if you're all that interested).

I've been struggling with the flow of my prose, how things sound. Since I've been doing the latest pages in Nightblade's Fury by hand, in a notebook, I noticed that hasn't been bothering me as much.

I figured out why.

I'm thinking too much about it. I'm concentrating so much on the technical aspects, that I'm losing my style. It doesn't MATTER if it's technically correct, what matters is that it flows. I need to focus on the story, and worry about the technical stuff.

What I may be perceiving as a problem may not actually be one at all; it will depend on what others feel about it.

Check out Orson Scott Card's writing class on style... this is what really got me thinking. He speaks of people so choked by their obsession with "correct style" that they couldn't write at all! You get so caught up in not using too many adverbs, or obsessing over showing-not-telling that you get away from what matters... the writing. It doesn't matter if it's technically correct by MLA standards if people like your storytelling ability.

I'm feeling more up to tackling Hacker Dragon, now. I was thoroughly intimidated, because that story was begun in a feverish haze of emotion and character, and I wasn't sure I could recreate the tone and intensity. Now I know that I can... I just have to stop worrying about HOW, and just write!