Life in progress

Tag Archives: writing


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EDDD 6 – Listen To Your Heart

“Listen to your heart.” What does it mean?

It’s a phrase we hear all the time. Songs have been sung, people pass it off as words of wisdom to the forlorn and the heartbroken. I found it in my horoscope today. The sentence before it stated that my emotions must not be ignored.

As advice, it sounds pretty. It lends to the imagination the idea that our hearts speak to us and can guide us on which way to go when we are unsure. But when we listen to our hearts, must we necessarily go in the direction we really want? Or does it mean that we should do what we know is right?

I wonder if cardiologists everywhere roll their eyes whenever they hear the phrase spoken aloud?

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump…

Blog post of December 6th, in honour of Every Damn Day December. Check it out! It’s not too late to join in!


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EDDD 5: They Should Have a Word For That

There should be a word specifically for the feeling you get when you say something you shouldn’t have.

It happens to everyone, I’m sure. It’s the verbal vomit that comes out of your mouth in what we delicately label a faux pas.

It’s the facebook post that you realize was something that should have been kept a secret, or the mass email you thought you’d sent to only your best friend and closest confidant, just to discover your kids’ teacher is now aware that you have a yeast infection.

For things like this, the word “regret” doesn’t quite cut it. It’s that disconnect that separates good intention from devastating action.

Even the witty comment you think of half an hour after the fact, which is far less embarrassing but easily as annoying.

Communication impediment is too bulky. Linguistically challenged comes to mind… How about “linge”?

We could say, “Excuse me, I linged,” when we ask an acquaintance how her husband is, only to find out she just went through an ugly divorce. Or, “Damnit, I could have said ‘Duck!’ when the ball came flying through the air behind that guy, rather than ‘Watch out!’ making him turn and get it in the face instead. What a linge!”

Yeah, “linge.” It’s gonna be big.

Blog post of December 5th, in honour of Every Damn Day December. Check it out! It’s not too late to join in!


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EDDD 4: Ye Olde Advent Calendar

I’ve had one of these every year since I was a child.

I used to be the only one in the house with one, now every year I buy four – one each for the kids,

oversat

and one for me.

I don’t know… Apart from the obvious miniscule sugar rush each morning, there’s something inherently comforting in hunting down the right number for the date, and then popping open the little door. And if you’re lucky, the chocolates didn’t all come unglued during shipping, and they’re not all sitting down at the bottom of the packaging.

So far, so good.

 

Blog post of December 4th, in honour of Every Damn Day December. Check it out! It’s not too late to join in!


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On Printing a Manuscript

I’m so frustrated! All morning I put off printing off my manuscript (the older one, not my new NaNoWriMo project) which is 503 pages long. I’ve been going through WordPress themes, delivering newspapers, eating… generally doing everything I could to procrastinate. Finally, I said, ‘That’s it! I’m going to do it!’ (Yes, I talk to myself when I’m alone.)

So I went into the room where the printer is, and got started. Two hundred and fifty pages and I ran out of ink in an almost brand new cartridge. 250 pages! This thing is going to cost me $70 to print… and that’s just a draft!!

Who knew writing could be so bloody expensive?

So, my novelist buddies out there in WordPress land, and anyone else who prints vast amounts of text for whatever reason, do you take care of your own printing needs on your home printer? Or do you take it to a professional?

And either way, how do you afford to write?
Ugh.

Blog post of December 3rd, in honour of Every Damn Day December. Check it out! It’s not too late to join in!

 


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Adventures on my Paper Route – Danger!

So I was walking across the main road that’s on my paper route when I passed over this for the first time:

danger

There I was, standing in the middle of the road, wondering why they would print the word “Danger” on a manhole cover. It’s in the middle of the road! Cars drive over it all the time! So I took this picture.

Luckily, I got out of the way before a car came.

Blog post of December 2nd, in honour of Every Damn Day December. Check it out! It’s not too late to join in!


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Every Damned Day December

In honour of my new friend, Dylan Dailey, I am going to attempt to write a blog post every day in December. It’s not going to be easy, what with Christmas coming and having the family to take care of, but what the heck. If I can make it through NaNoWriMo, why not EvDaDaDec?

Who else is with me?

You can find Dylan’s blog here : http://treatmentofvisions.com/

Let’s do this thing!


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Finished!

I just finished NaNoWriMo! 😀

For the record the novel did, indeed, end with a bang. Did everyone die? You’ll have to read it to find out.

*cue evil laughter*

Okay, time for a happy dance!

2013-Winner-Facebook-Cover


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Na – Nooooooo!

Is it a good sign that I want to blow up everyone in my NaNoWriMo novel? I’m thinking a nice gas explosion would come in handy right about now. Unfortunately that would mean killing off the narrator. I doubt that would go over well in most literary circles.

I think the most creative way I’ve written for anyone to die has to be my story of the unluckiest man alive:

http://neverendingstorydepository.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/unluckiest-man-alive-dies/

What’s yours?


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My Short Story

In case anyone is interested, and because I promised I’d post it, I thought I’d let you know that the short story I wrote for my course is up on The Community Storyboard.

http://neverendingstorydepository.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/7853/

It’s the story of a man who lives an alternate lifestyle, who is faced with suddenly having to look after his ailing parent.

I received a 26/28 for the unedited version – what you’ll see is the edited version, which I submitted to my professor today for my final mark. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.


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What’s in your Main Character’s Fridge?

I’ve been seriously thinking about how much my own tastes influence my fiction. The other day, my characters were in a restaurant and I purposely made them order something I, personally, wouldn’t eat.

It occurred to me that maybe I’m thinking about this too much – micromanaging my story. But the fact is, they’ve gotta eat. And I find it boring and not really credible that they’d like ALL the same things I do. If for no other reason than every character in every story I ever write always eats the same group of foods, I feel like I have to change it up once in a while.

Is this something you’ve put any thought to? If you’re a vegetarian, do you ever have your characters eating a nice juicy steak?

How else do your characters not reflect your tastes?  (Human characters, that is.)