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| I have a goal of writing a new short story (less than 5,000 words) before January 15th, 2020. I'm currently reading an e-book by Holly Lisle (The Longview Chronicles), and recently purchased Lisle's "Create a Plot Clinic" for $10 in the hopes that it will help me in future projects. I've started taking notes for my short story, re-read Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" as a starting point, and my classes are officially over for the quarter. Now to juggle the other projects: writing group, SpoCon meetings/events, driving two cars over to Montana over a winter-y pass later in December, catching up on some video games and, right, not forgetting about that short story I promised myself. I also have a blog post I've been working on for a year on my personal site, and I absolutely have to get that wrapped up before the end of the year. |
| I love "The Lottery." Enjoy! And, yeah, you REALLY need to get that blog post done. lol You can do it! Good luck with it all! |
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I've added a new item to my portfolio:
My first project for my Creative Writing class is up! It's not perfect (if it is, you're wrong!), but it was fun to write and I plan on continuing on with it. It's about a Medium, named Kansas, who has an ability to contact the spirits of the dead: she specializes in celebrities, but find authors to be the most willing to speak with her. Until recently, she could only ever get the spirits to speak: then she discovered she was capable of more, even compelling the authorial spirit to commit murder of certain hellacious authors. Is it considered a mercy killing if it means no more awful books will be written? Kansas thinks so, or whichever author she happens to be channeling at the time... I chronicled my class experience here--from first draft, to edits, to feedback from my teacher, it's a little adventure: http://michellebrumley.com/2016/03/story-1-miss-sparkles/ |
| My first story for my Creative Writing class: "Miss Sparkles" http://michellebrumley.com/2016/03/story-1-miss-sparkles/ It's about a snarky (and drunk) Medium who has plans to murder an awful author (not me! At least, not yet!). I've documented my literary journey from my initial story scribbles, to my revised draft to the audio commentary left by my English teacher. Enjoy. Or don't, that's your choice. When I get it revised, I'll post the improved version here on the site. I have a second story that will go up soon once it's graded. It feels good to be writing again. |
I revised a short story I wrote in November 2015 called "Hope in the Darkness." Short, post-fictional-war story, give it a shot. Reviews are welcome.
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| I just had a revelation, a moment of excitement that hasn't yet passed. I'm taking my Dark Fantasy story and flipping it on its head--like, right over a table--to crash it straight into a wall. A brick wall. Of an office building. Somewhere in the modern-ish world. I can't call it Urban Fantasy because it's Fantasy Urban. I'm taking my characters, my demons (and theirs) and blowing this joint. We're starting over in a new world where magic, text messaging, blood magic and bullets co-exist as peacefully as they can. And where there is no peace, my characters are trying desperately to keep s*** under control. Wish me luck. It's going to be quite an adventure. |
| Writer friends -- I'm submitting to a local magazine, the submission guidelines say nothing about the genre, but the printed evidence suggests the genre is not mine. Do I submit a Fantasy or Sci-Fi story anyways? Or find (or compose) a piece of contemporary fiction that is not my genre? (I have to submit this for a class requirement--but I don't write contemporary fiction or anything other than Fantasy / Sci-Fi!) See submission guidelines (or lack of them) below: http://www.nic.edu/tcr |
Contemporary means it takes place in today's world, right? Computers, mobile phones, etc. Technically that doesn't mean it can't have a fantasy undertone. I'm thinking something like the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Maybe you've got a witch living in downtown New York, or a werewolf in London. Wait, that last one sounded like an old 80s song.  |
| Elle - True enough. Perhaps I should have clarified that I don't write anything except high and dark fantasy (and sci-fi), not urban or contemporary. I do have a story or two that might fall in to the urban fantasy umbrella like Patricia Briggs. (And I'd listen to a song OR read a story about werewolves in London!) |
| Write what you're comfortable writing. The guidelines don't exclude your genre; they say any genre. Just because they seem to print mostly contemporary fiction could mean that's all they ever get. If the assignment is just to submit, then submit your best. |
| Today I wrote a blog about my revision process. http://wp.me/p5ceql-gs This isn't the first thing I've written in 2016, but it's a nice opening statement. #damnwrite Share your revision techniques and tips in the comments! What works for you may work better for others, don't keep it to yourself! |
| Before writing my dark fantasy draft today, I decided to write about Text To Speech programs and why they're good for shy, introverted (or hermit!) writers. Writing Resources for Shy Writers: Let me introduce you to Text To Speech (TTS) software. http://wp.me/p5ceql-6F In case you're like me and have no one around to read your story aloud (and are too shy to read it aloud yourself!). #amwriting |
| It took me 3 cups of coffee (this morning), some stress (not much), and some solitude (2.25 days worth) to finally get an idea rolling around for #Pizzamancer that I'm proud of, and excited to write. I had a loose idea in my head: now I have one with substance, a few supporting characters, and something that makes me smile. I give you PIZZAMANCER, a tale of modern day sexism, ye olde sexism, a Prince in Skinny Jeans, a Girl who Collects Bugs and Plays Video Games, a Jerk of an Older Brother, a Mom Who is Never there, and Dragons who are often mistaken for Pizza. Also, a bitch of a boss. No zombies, this time. I'm over 4,000 words behind. LET'S DO THIS. Let #NaNoWriMo begin! |
I've added a new entry to my book, "Invalid Item"  : "Invalid Entry" Word count: 1,067 / Total word count: 42,454 |
| My progress from these past few weeks: I've added a new entry to my book, "Invalid Item" : "Invalid Entry" Crested 41k, relocated my office downstairs, ready to make my run-and-gun for 60k by the end of October. |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "Invalid Item" : "Invalid Entry" I was finally able to sit down and write. I really wanted to get to the scene after this, but this is a descriptive stepping stone, a necessary scene. I'm proud to be closer to hitting my 40,000 word mark. The BloodGate has been an important component of my series and to introduce Malisyn to it... I'm very excited. Side note: Season 8 of Doctor Who begins tonight. I'm not watching it until tomorrow, so a friend of mine who only has Hulu can watch it around the same time. Silly, I know, but call it #nerdloyalty ;) So no spoilers! |
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