I submitted my revision of ‘You Are My Drug.’ I can’t say that I love what I did. I’m even sure that I like what I did. I’ll have to read through it without the add stuff caped. It doesn’t help with everything so big and I still haven’t added the new non-capped story to the saved document that has every edition of the story.
Even if it isn’t my favorite there’s nothing I can’t change. It’s not like it’s set in stone. I’ll just have to figure out if I need to change anything. I’m hoping that I don’t and that what I wrote fits in with the story is supposed to be. I did try and address every critique that I was given. I read through the ones that I had to edit myself and noticed that many of them didn’t change too much and the ones that I gave the honest critique didn’t add anything that I said. It’s their stories and their choice what they want to add or not add. But I felt that all the comments I received should have been changed or added. So I did it.
We’ll have to see what happens.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Workin'
I’ve been working on my editing for the last couple hours on and off. It’s a little frustrating. I usually change some things then back away before going back to it. It allows the new things to settle before I re-read them. But it hasn’t been easy. It’s interesting how some changes just come easily. I can see where they need to be changed and why they need to be changed.
But others are a pain in the butt. I’m trying to find a place to add more Jay. It’s not first person POV but she’s still the main character and I guess that wasn’t showing before. So I have to find some way to make her more there. I also have to add some more meat to the story. I’m thinking that add more Jay will accomplish this, but I do know that I have to add other things as well. Like background. Which isn’t to difficult, but it’s not easy. I want to add more about Trevor and his reason for drugs but not give a specific setting, because this doesn’t have a certain place it takes place.
So this is what I’ve been doing. It’s a little hard since it’s just me and there isn’t anyone to bounce ideas off of, but I’ve never really worked well on any kind of writing with others. I just have to make sure that it’s right.
But others are a pain in the butt. I’m trying to find a place to add more Jay. It’s not first person POV but she’s still the main character and I guess that wasn’t showing before. So I have to find some way to make her more there. I also have to add some more meat to the story. I’m thinking that add more Jay will accomplish this, but I do know that I have to add other things as well. Like background. Which isn’t to difficult, but it’s not easy. I want to add more about Trevor and his reason for drugs but not give a specific setting, because this doesn’t have a certain place it takes place.
So this is what I’ve been doing. It’s a little hard since it’s just me and there isn’t anyone to bounce ideas off of, but I’ve never really worked well on any kind of writing with others. I just have to make sure that it’s right.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Making the Plan
So I finally did some actual work on my creative writing revisions. Well not a lot of work. I printed out the reviews and highlighted the remarks that I feel will be of good use. I’ve decided to edit You Are My Drug I feel like right now it would be best to get this one edited. I’m not even close to finished the story with Jesel and…I don’t know…I would like to have Jay and Trevor’s story done.
I feel safer with this story.
So tomorrow I need to find out a bit more about cocaine and then go through and work on it. I usually sit there for a couple of hours writing stuff in the margin, crossing out stuff in the margins, and then rewriting more stuff. Tomorrow seems like the best time to do it so I’m not rushed on Friday. I want to do my best. I really like this story and want to make sure it gets the add-ons it deserves.
I feel safer with this story.
So tomorrow I need to find out a bit more about cocaine and then go through and work on it. I usually sit there for a couple of hours writing stuff in the margin, crossing out stuff in the margins, and then rewriting more stuff. Tomorrow seems like the best time to do it so I’m not rushed on Friday. I want to do my best. I really like this story and want to make sure it gets the add-ons it deserves.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Imagination At It's Best
I realize that I haven’t been updating this as much as I’m supposed too. It’s not that I forget about it, I actually have am alarm on my phone that goes off at 3:00pm every weekday saying “BLOG!!” The problem is that I don’t know what to write. I think about it all day, but I can never come up with anything to say.
To me writing goes hand in hand with reading. I don’t believe that had I not LOVED reading I never would have picked up a pencil and began to write. We all have imaginations as kids but as we get older we lose the ability to not only pretend but make up adventures in our minds. Reading allows us to keep that.
I was going through this website weheartit.com which is a site with pictures of all types. I was looking through the quote section (because I love love quotes) and I saw this pictures that said “Book lovers never go to be alone.” And I realized how to true this is. Especially when I go to the dentist or to give blood and they always ask of you want a magazine. I politely decline and spend the time waiting looking around the room and then staring out the window. And while I might look weird just staring my mind is on its own adventure. I could be daydreaming. Thinking up characters that I’ve made up and what they’re doing. Or I might be going over a story that I’ve already read. The parts of the story that the writing didn’t write. Just the mundane steps fascinate me. And I find that time passes very quickly.
I believe that reading is an amazing thing. And I understand that not everyone enjoys reading (especially at my age) but it’s a huge part of me and it’s always been there.
Reading has given me the confidence to write. To create world and people are my entirely and whose stories I cherish. I can’t imagine not have the ability to be able to do both.
--------------------------------------
” Some people think that reading is boring, but the only truth I can tell is the fact that reading has saved me from bad realities. Yes, I know that I can’t just stay living in my own imagination through the books I read whether it’s a fiction or not. But filling up my mind with good things (even when it’s imaginary) has done much in healing some invisible scars.”
To me writing goes hand in hand with reading. I don’t believe that had I not LOVED reading I never would have picked up a pencil and began to write. We all have imaginations as kids but as we get older we lose the ability to not only pretend but make up adventures in our minds. Reading allows us to keep that.
I was going through this website weheartit.com which is a site with pictures of all types. I was looking through the quote section (because I love love quotes) and I saw this pictures that said “Book lovers never go to be alone.” And I realized how to true this is. Especially when I go to the dentist or to give blood and they always ask of you want a magazine. I politely decline and spend the time waiting looking around the room and then staring out the window. And while I might look weird just staring my mind is on its own adventure. I could be daydreaming. Thinking up characters that I’ve made up and what they’re doing. Or I might be going over a story that I’ve already read. The parts of the story that the writing didn’t write. Just the mundane steps fascinate me. And I find that time passes very quickly.
I believe that reading is an amazing thing. And I understand that not everyone enjoys reading (especially at my age) but it’s a huge part of me and it’s always been there.
Reading has given me the confidence to write. To create world and people are my entirely and whose stories I cherish. I can’t imagine not have the ability to be able to do both.
” Some people think that reading is boring, but the only truth I can tell is the fact that reading has saved me from bad realities. Yes, I know that I can’t just stay living in my own imagination through the books I read whether it’s a fiction or not. But filling up my mind with good things (even when it’s imaginary) has done much in healing some invisible scars.”
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Best Find At The Wrong Time
My mother and I went to the local street fair on Sunday. I wasn’t planning on buying anything since I don’t have a job and any money I get from babysitting I save, but I took $25 and decided just getting out of the house was nice. We were strolling down the street with antiques and my mom was looking over everything looking for a gift me for grandmother….plus anything she might want. A man was selling books and I of course went over to look. Sitting on the top self was three older different sets of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the series I had just put on my WANT LIST only two weeks earlier. He said it would cost $45 and I almost gave in. It took a lot for me to walk away. It figures that when I have no money everything I want comes out from hiding.
Anyways….I read over my reviews from my creative writing class. It’s going to be difficult editing my story. It’s not like a lot was asked of me but it hard taking something that sits pretty good and adding more meat to it. Plus I want to make sure I like it. I mean having other people enjoy what I’ve written is awesome and I love it, but I want to make sure that it still fits into what I want it to be and what it’s supposed to be.
Anyways….I read over my reviews from my creative writing class. It’s going to be difficult editing my story. It’s not like a lot was asked of me but it hard taking something that sits pretty good and adding more meat to it. Plus I want to make sure I like it. I mean having other people enjoy what I’ve written is awesome and I love it, but I want to make sure that it still fits into what I want it to be and what it’s supposed to be.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tactful Criticism
I finished turning in my assigned story reviews. I tried to stay tactful with my reviews and I’m hoping that they didn’t come off as mean.
I had a harder time this week than I did last. I think that’s because I found two of this week’s stories not as great as the ones before. That sound mean, but unfortunately that’s what I thought. I tried to be as nice as I could and still relay my message. It’s harder than one might think giving a tactful review. Whatever you might want to say as to be edited. I’m not a mean person and I don’t think that I would ay anything mean anyways, but sometimes you want to just tell someone the truth.
I hope the other students take my reviews as criticism as helpful and not mean.
I know I recieved a review that...well she said what she believed and it wasn't good at all. No matter how tactful it is any review that takes apart your story can be hurtful. But as a writer you have to take the bad and turn it into something good so that you can improve your story.
I had a harder time this week than I did last. I think that’s because I found two of this week’s stories not as great as the ones before. That sound mean, but unfortunately that’s what I thought. I tried to be as nice as I could and still relay my message. It’s harder than one might think giving a tactful review. Whatever you might want to say as to be edited. I’m not a mean person and I don’t think that I would ay anything mean anyways, but sometimes you want to just tell someone the truth.
I hope the other students take my reviews as criticism as helpful and not mean.
I know I recieved a review that...well she said what she believed and it wasn't good at all. No matter how tactful it is any review that takes apart your story can be hurtful. But as a writer you have to take the bad and turn it into something good so that you can improve your story.
Teaching the Art of Writing
I helped my sister write a paper for a scholarship she’s entering. Somehow I became the essay expert and since my freshman year of high school I’ve been helping all of my brothers and sisters write their essays. I’m not a fantastic essay writer. I know that I’m majoring in English but I still have yet to master punctuation and formal word usage (also using big words), but I am amazed at how….bad my sisters and brothers are at writing. It kind of amazes me that they can’t write an essay and make it sound professional. It’s times like this that I realize everyone isn’t good at everything. There are things that some can do and things that some cannot do. And while you feel smart and great doing the things that you can do you have to realize that not everyone has that come so easily to them.
Usually when one of my siblings comes to me with school work I take over. The last essay my sister Erin had to write I snuck on her computer, which she left in my room, and finished the essay. Tonight though I just gave my sister, Chelsea, a prompt and told her to write what she felt should be written. After she wrote it out and read it back to be I tweaked it a little, but not as much as I usually would. Although this was different than before since it was a essay about her and she knows herself better than I would I think I’m going to try and continue to work this way. Not only will I stop getting blamed for their papers not grading so high but it will teach them how to write on their own. I can’t continue to have them come into my room saying “we have a lot of work to do” and then basically so their work for them. I think it’s time they stop being so dependent on me. Not for everything but for things that they need to accomplish on their own.
Usually when one of my siblings comes to me with school work I take over. The last essay my sister Erin had to write I snuck on her computer, which she left in my room, and finished the essay. Tonight though I just gave my sister, Chelsea, a prompt and told her to write what she felt should be written. After she wrote it out and read it back to be I tweaked it a little, but not as much as I usually would. Although this was different than before since it was a essay about her and she knows herself better than I would I think I’m going to try and continue to work this way. Not only will I stop getting blamed for their papers not grading so high but it will teach them how to write on their own. I can’t continue to have them come into my room saying “we have a lot of work to do” and then basically so their work for them. I think it’s time they stop being so dependent on me. Not for everything but for things that they need to accomplish on their own.
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