Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 972 words, 36.1k total
Excerpt:
“There anything I can do to help?”
The man looked past him and inclined his head. “Your car. What model is that?”
“It’s a Toyota. But I’ve forgotten the model name. Some cloud formation. Cumulus, Nimbus.” The man leered at him. Timothy felt like he had failed a small yet important test of his own manhood. “It’s a rental,” he finished sheepishly.
“That right,” the man remarked. He looked at Timothy from the soles of his feet on up, like he was sizing him. Timothy shifted on his feet. This man could certainly do him no harm—but his heart thumped in his chest just the same.
Things are going okay. Finished my past scene, a character building one, and pasted it on in. It looks good in there--it was much too short to begin with. *Sigh* I suppose at some point I should get back to advancing the story...
Showing posts with label novel stats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label novel stats. Show all posts
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 639 Words
Excerpt:
The man watched him approach, a cold look on his face. The woman had retreated back inside the car and shut the door. He glanced in as he passed by. She was looking steadily ahead, her fingers crawling in her lap like spiders. He looked ahead and fixed a smile to his lips.
“Car trouble?”
Blue jeans man scratched under his chin and batted his eyes, as if to say, you figured that one out, eh genius? Timothy felt the slightest tinge of anger slip into his heart like a thin, poisoned dagger. His smile fell a few notches. Blue jeans man said nothing. He was wringing the rag (which was actually just his shirt, Timothy could see now) like he was trying to rid it of water.
I'm filling out a character, and thus filling out an old scene that was originally about a page long. Hopefully, it will be larger and more revealing by the time I'm done with it. I like visiting the past. Sometimes, it gives me direction for the future.
Over and Out!
Today's Word Count: 639 Words
Excerpt:
The man watched him approach, a cold look on his face. The woman had retreated back inside the car and shut the door. He glanced in as he passed by. She was looking steadily ahead, her fingers crawling in her lap like spiders. He looked ahead and fixed a smile to his lips.
“Car trouble?”
Blue jeans man scratched under his chin and batted his eyes, as if to say, you figured that one out, eh genius? Timothy felt the slightest tinge of anger slip into his heart like a thin, poisoned dagger. His smile fell a few notches. Blue jeans man said nothing. He was wringing the rag (which was actually just his shirt, Timothy could see now) like he was trying to rid it of water.
I'm filling out a character, and thus filling out an old scene that was originally about a page long. Hopefully, it will be larger and more revealing by the time I'm done with it. I like visiting the past. Sometimes, it gives me direction for the future.
Over and Out!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 617 words, 34.5k total
Excerpt:
“Daniel…do you know how you got here?”
He shook his head in reply. No, he hadn’t thought of how he had come here. Daniel had been fighting to figure out where “here” was. But then it came to him, sharp and clear, like a ray of sun piercing the clouds. He wasn’t sure he could do it, but after a brief struggle, he lifted his arms up and out. They shook violently with the effort, like he was holding invisible paint cans. He flapped them in the air, once, twice, and then he let them fall to the ground.
“You flew here?”
An old joke, planted in some dark, hidden field of his mind, came plowing its way to the surface. “And boy, are my arms tired.”
Well, things are going okay. I'm still in my Stephen King induced inspirational mode, so hopefully that continues for a while. I've found another trap that I'll have to dodge: overusing metaphors. Today, it seemed I wanted to end every sentence with "like this" or "just like that" or "as if".
I enjoy metaphors, I really do, like a wino enjoys wine. They are a good thing, I just don't want to overuse them; like a woman might wear too much makeup.
Anyway...
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 617 words, 34.5k total
Excerpt:
“Daniel…do you know how you got here?”
He shook his head in reply. No, he hadn’t thought of how he had come here. Daniel had been fighting to figure out where “here” was. But then it came to him, sharp and clear, like a ray of sun piercing the clouds. He wasn’t sure he could do it, but after a brief struggle, he lifted his arms up and out. They shook violently with the effort, like he was holding invisible paint cans. He flapped them in the air, once, twice, and then he let them fall to the ground.
“You flew here?”
An old joke, planted in some dark, hidden field of his mind, came plowing its way to the surface. “And boy, are my arms tired.”
Well, things are going okay. I'm still in my Stephen King induced inspirational mode, so hopefully that continues for a while. I've found another trap that I'll have to dodge: overusing metaphors. Today, it seemed I wanted to end every sentence with "like this" or "just like that" or "as if".
I enjoy metaphors, I really do, like a wino enjoys wine. They are a good thing, I just don't want to overuse them; like a woman might wear too much makeup.
Anyway...
Onward!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 500 words, 33.9k total
Excerpt:
The man stretched back to his feet, and Daniel caught a flash of light, a daggered reflection, from the man’s coat pocket. Glasses. Like before. A doctor.
Dr. Weiss.
The name came to him like a whisper on the air. A voice, just to his left. He whipped his head to the side but his chin fell helplessly to his chest. A new wave of dizziness swept over him. The man, Dr. Weiss, leaned into his colleague. They conversed quietly. Daniel strained to listen; his ears itched madly, as if someone was tickling them with a feather.
Stayed up too late last night. A friend from Oregon is in town. I'm actually surprised I was able to write anything today. Feeling good about my voice now--though I'm afraid I'm quickly becoming a Stephen King clone.
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 500 words, 33.9k total
Excerpt:
The man stretched back to his feet, and Daniel caught a flash of light, a daggered reflection, from the man’s coat pocket. Glasses. Like before. A doctor.
Dr. Weiss.
The name came to him like a whisper on the air. A voice, just to his left. He whipped his head to the side but his chin fell helplessly to his chest. A new wave of dizziness swept over him. The man, Dr. Weiss, leaned into his colleague. They conversed quietly. Daniel strained to listen; his ears itched madly, as if someone was tickling them with a feather.
Stayed up too late last night. A friend from Oregon is in town. I'm actually surprised I was able to write anything today. Feeling good about my voice now--though I'm afraid I'm quickly becoming a Stephen King clone.
Onward!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 979 words, 33.4k total
Excerpt:
“Ed?” Martha spoke suddenly, and both he and the nurse jumped. He got to his feet shakily, both hands grasping the bed railing. Martha was moving her head slowly from side to side, her mouth laying open shapelessly. Air escaped through her clenched teeth with a sound like a rattle.
“Martha? Oh, Martha, don’t speak.” He looked desperately at the nurse. “Can you do something?”
She mashed the call button, opened the nightstand drawer, and began to paw through it. “We can make her comfortable.”
Another nurse came in, holding a syringe. She handed it to the nurse standing beside the bed and she inserted the needle into the tube leading to Martha’s arm. Her pathetic thrashings subsided. The guttural noise died slowly in her throat. It sounded like removing a steaming tea kettle from the burner.
Ok Levi--you were right.
I posted yesterday about how, upon Levi's advice, I read an excerpt from an author before I began writing in an effort to inspire. I said yesterday that rather than inspire me, it depressed me, seeing how many leagues away I was from the supreme talent of a published author.
But now I am inspired. I guess for me it takes a day or two to sink in.
I've realized that I don't really have a voice of my own--no one writes in a vacuum. And that's a good thing.
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 979 words, 33.4k total
Excerpt:
“Ed?” Martha spoke suddenly, and both he and the nurse jumped. He got to his feet shakily, both hands grasping the bed railing. Martha was moving her head slowly from side to side, her mouth laying open shapelessly. Air escaped through her clenched teeth with a sound like a rattle.
“Martha? Oh, Martha, don’t speak.” He looked desperately at the nurse. “Can you do something?”
She mashed the call button, opened the nightstand drawer, and began to paw through it. “We can make her comfortable.”
Another nurse came in, holding a syringe. She handed it to the nurse standing beside the bed and she inserted the needle into the tube leading to Martha’s arm. Her pathetic thrashings subsided. The guttural noise died slowly in her throat. It sounded like removing a steaming tea kettle from the burner.
Ok Levi--you were right.
I posted yesterday about how, upon Levi's advice, I read an excerpt from an author before I began writing in an effort to inspire. I said yesterday that rather than inspire me, it depressed me, seeing how many leagues away I was from the supreme talent of a published author.
But now I am inspired. I guess for me it takes a day or two to sink in.
I've realized that I don't really have a voice of my own--no one writes in a vacuum. And that's a good thing.
Onward!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 380 words, 32k total
Excerpt:
“She’s got to eat, Mr. Workman. Keep her strength up.”
Ed sighed, a long expense of breath. “I’ll see what I can do.”
The nurse drummed on the tray with her knuckles. Ed looked up at her for the first time. She was pretty, brown hair tucked neatly under a knitted wool cap, makeup applied sparingly to her eyes and lashes, smile lines etched in from years of use. She saw that he was looking at him and spoke up nervously.
Well I went with Levi's suggestion and read a little bit of my favorite author, Stephen King, for some artistic inspiration before I sat down to write.
It didn't inspire me. It depressed me.
What an amazing craftsman he is! I was looking through one of his earliest published works, Carrie. Even then, at that tender age (I think he was still a teenager), he had incredible skill and polish.
After reading through a few pages, I wanted to print out my own story simply to burn it, hang it in effigy, throw it into a river.
Maybe that was an overreaction. But man, is that guy good.
Till next time.
Today's Word Count: 380 words, 32k total
Excerpt:
“She’s got to eat, Mr. Workman. Keep her strength up.”
Ed sighed, a long expense of breath. “I’ll see what I can do.”
The nurse drummed on the tray with her knuckles. Ed looked up at her for the first time. She was pretty, brown hair tucked neatly under a knitted wool cap, makeup applied sparingly to her eyes and lashes, smile lines etched in from years of use. She saw that he was looking at him and spoke up nervously.
Well I went with Levi's suggestion and read a little bit of my favorite author, Stephen King, for some artistic inspiration before I sat down to write.
It didn't inspire me. It depressed me.
What an amazing craftsman he is! I was looking through one of his earliest published works, Carrie. Even then, at that tender age (I think he was still a teenager), he had incredible skill and polish.
After reading through a few pages, I wanted to print out my own story simply to burn it, hang it in effigy, throw it into a river.
Maybe that was an overreaction. But man, is that guy good.
Till next time.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 880 words, 31.9k total
Excerpt:
The hallway was a marked departure from the cramped familiarity of the storage room. Cold metal walls stretched off to either side of him; there were no markings, no decorations. His breathing echoed hollowly down the faceless corridors. Alien as it seemed, it was also familiar—he knew where he had seen this before.
She was here. Her voice stalked through his mind, and he shivered, caught with a sudden chill.
Help me.
Things are progressing quite smoothly indeed. I'm sure my next roadblock is just around the corner. Until then, however...
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 880 words, 31.9k total
Excerpt:
The hallway was a marked departure from the cramped familiarity of the storage room. Cold metal walls stretched off to either side of him; there were no markings, no decorations. His breathing echoed hollowly down the faceless corridors. Alien as it seemed, it was also familiar—he knew where he had seen this before.
She was here. Her voice stalked through his mind, and he shivered, caught with a sudden chill.
Help me.
Things are progressing quite smoothly indeed. I'm sure my next roadblock is just around the corner. Until then, however...
Onward!
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 870 words, 31k total
Excerpt:
Jason saw the carnage behind them, the bodies strewn about, the injured cries, and the stirring began within him. He cried out and shoved his fist into his stomach. Not now, not now! he thought desperately. But he was overtaken—wounds spread suddenly on his face and arms like an allergic reaction. The man in front of him stopped and stared with his mouth open. Jason tried to speak but fell to the floor. The man moved to step over him but Jason was able to reach out a weak arm and grab the man by the leg. He looked up, opening and closing his mouth, trying to speak through the roaring pain inside him.
So how was it that I only wrote 870 words, but managed to gain 2,000 words in my total word count? Well, I'll tell you. I had already sketched out a few scenes, and now I'm finally catching up to those scenes. So my writing today butted up to the scenes I'd already written. I love huge jumps in word count without breaking a sweat!
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 870 words, 31k total
Excerpt:
Jason saw the carnage behind them, the bodies strewn about, the injured cries, and the stirring began within him. He cried out and shoved his fist into his stomach. Not now, not now! he thought desperately. But he was overtaken—wounds spread suddenly on his face and arms like an allergic reaction. The man in front of him stopped and stared with his mouth open. Jason tried to speak but fell to the floor. The man moved to step over him but Jason was able to reach out a weak arm and grab the man by the leg. He looked up, opening and closing his mouth, trying to speak through the roaring pain inside him.
So how was it that I only wrote 870 words, but managed to gain 2,000 words in my total word count? Well, I'll tell you. I had already sketched out a few scenes, and now I'm finally catching up to those scenes. So my writing today butted up to the scenes I'd already written. I love huge jumps in word count without breaking a sweat!
Onward!
Monday, February 5, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 932 words, 29k total
Excerpt:
Starla collapsed into sobs. She had been chosen for this task, chosen for a reason. But she had never expected feeling so alone, so cut off. Then she remembered the man in the woods, his outstretched hand—seeming like miles away—his cautious yet hopeful smile. For the first time throughout her long journey she had felt hope. But now he too had abandoned her.
Finally got back on the ol' writing horse today. It seems like once I make myself concentrate and write I actually enjoy it. It's the anticipation that kills you.
My favorite Super Bowl Ad:
The one where the GPS man goes head to head with the Map Monster. That was classic. I think each one of us can appreciate an ad like that--if only because we know how much we'd like to stomp around on a miniaturized city.
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 932 words, 29k total
Excerpt:
Starla collapsed into sobs. She had been chosen for this task, chosen for a reason. But she had never expected feeling so alone, so cut off. Then she remembered the man in the woods, his outstretched hand—seeming like miles away—his cautious yet hopeful smile. For the first time throughout her long journey she had felt hope. But now he too had abandoned her.
Finally got back on the ol' writing horse today. It seems like once I make myself concentrate and write I actually enjoy it. It's the anticipation that kills you.
My favorite Super Bowl Ad:
The one where the GPS man goes head to head with the Map Monster. That was classic. I think each one of us can appreciate an ad like that--if only because we know how much we'd like to stomp around on a miniaturized city.
Onward!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 440 words, 28.1k total
Excerpt:
A two-way mirror covered the wall to her left—probably a requisite for rooms such as these. That thought brought a smile to her lips; though, when she had first been escorted in, the mirror, and the reflection she had seen within, had frightened her. Some time had passed since she had last seen herself. Her hair had grown long, down to her waist, and she had lost an alarming amount of weight. Dirt and sweat had completely overwhelmed her clothing—their original color had long been lost.
Boy, I was just reading over that again. Isn't there an unusual amount of "had's" in that paragraph? And this what I choose to post as an excerpt? Gah!
Ah well. Onward!
Today's Word Count: 440 words, 28.1k total
Excerpt:
A two-way mirror covered the wall to her left—probably a requisite for rooms such as these. That thought brought a smile to her lips; though, when she had first been escorted in, the mirror, and the reflection she had seen within, had frightened her. Some time had passed since she had last seen herself. Her hair had grown long, down to her waist, and she had lost an alarming amount of weight. Dirt and sweat had completely overwhelmed her clothing—their original color had long been lost.
Boy, I was just reading over that again. Isn't there an unusual amount of "had's" in that paragraph? And this what I choose to post as an excerpt? Gah!
Ah well. Onward!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 1,000 words, 27.6k total
Excerpt:
Though, if the preliminary reports were correct, they had sent him for nothing. If Nicolas were dead (and looking at the charred remains of the forest, Dr. Weiss knew that he most certainly was), he was no longer a threat. And that was a huge relief, for them and for Dr. Weiss. Now, finally, Nicolas would submit to his tests, his true work. Dr. Weiss had always been skeptical of psychoanalysis—talking would never tell you how this man could do what he could do. Now the real science, the real learning, could begin.
He was giddy just thinking about it.
Any Other Thoughts, Simon?
Moving right along. I created a new scene today, completely arbitrarily, simply because I need to revisit certain characters to ensure that nobody forgets them. But that introduces another dilemma: by the time one of my characters completes a five hour trip, a whole lot has to happen. It's all about timing.
Today's Word Count: 1,000 words, 27.6k total
Excerpt:
Though, if the preliminary reports were correct, they had sent him for nothing. If Nicolas were dead (and looking at the charred remains of the forest, Dr. Weiss knew that he most certainly was), he was no longer a threat. And that was a huge relief, for them and for Dr. Weiss. Now, finally, Nicolas would submit to his tests, his true work. Dr. Weiss had always been skeptical of psychoanalysis—talking would never tell you how this man could do what he could do. Now the real science, the real learning, could begin.
He was giddy just thinking about it.
Any Other Thoughts, Simon?
Moving right along. I created a new scene today, completely arbitrarily, simply because I need to revisit certain characters to ensure that nobody forgets them. But that introduces another dilemma: by the time one of my characters completes a five hour trip, a whole lot has to happen. It's all about timing.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 674 words, 26.5k total
Excerpt:
Nothing but breathing on the line. Then, “Your daughter is turning 14. And I can count on one hand the number of times you’ve been there on her birthday.”
His heart began to speed within him. “Now that’s not fair, it’s not as simple as that…”
“Just come home soon.” Her voice was tired, as if this conversation had gone exactly as she thought it would. That thought saddened him, and his voice softened.
“I’ll be home soon.”
“Promise.”
“I’ll be home soon,” he repeated.
She sighed. “Goodbye, Jonas.”
It's me again!
Well, among other things, I've been writing this past week. I'm trying to sort out the mess that is my plot. What a tangled web we weave.
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 674 words, 26.5k total
Excerpt:
Nothing but breathing on the line. Then, “Your daughter is turning 14. And I can count on one hand the number of times you’ve been there on her birthday.”
His heart began to speed within him. “Now that’s not fair, it’s not as simple as that…”
“Just come home soon.” Her voice was tired, as if this conversation had gone exactly as she thought it would. That thought saddened him, and his voice softened.
“I’ll be home soon.”
“Promise.”
“I’ll be home soon,” he repeated.
She sighed. “Goodbye, Jonas.”
It's me again!
Well, among other things, I've been writing this past week. I'm trying to sort out the mess that is my plot. What a tangled web we weave.
Onward!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 340 Words, 25.9k total
Excerpt:
Nicolas put his hands on the glass and leaned in. “It was a mistake bringing me back here.”
“Well, we’ve been working on some…improvements…since you left. We’re hoping that this time you stay put, Nicolas.”
Nicolas nodded. The cold, the glass—they were meant to subdue him, render him feeble and powerless. But he was beyond that now. Nothing could hold him; not even death itself.
“You’ve made a huge mistake,” Nicolas said.
Well, since Levi harassed me in my previous post, I've gone ahead and posted something today. Getting off vacation mode and into work mode has been very difficult for me. Hopefully this week I can get more in the groove. I was able to edit a bit yesterday, and write a bit today, so things are looking up.
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 340 Words, 25.9k total
Excerpt:
Nicolas put his hands on the glass and leaned in. “It was a mistake bringing me back here.”
“Well, we’ve been working on some…improvements…since you left. We’re hoping that this time you stay put, Nicolas.”
Nicolas nodded. The cold, the glass—they were meant to subdue him, render him feeble and powerless. But he was beyond that now. Nothing could hold him; not even death itself.
“You’ve made a huge mistake,” Nicolas said.
Well, since Levi harassed me in my previous post, I've gone ahead and posted something today. Getting off vacation mode and into work mode has been very difficult for me. Hopefully this week I can get more in the groove. I was able to edit a bit yesterday, and write a bit today, so things are looking up.
Onward!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 419 words, 25.6k total
Excerpt:
Another dream. There was screaming, and Daniel was running furiously down a hallway. He saw a door at the end of the hall, the light from the outside streaming through, and he put his head down and crashed through it. He was looking out over a large field. There were flag poles and buildings scattered throughout the field. Except for a few cars in the distance, the place had a distinctively aged feel—the buildings were made of old, slatted wood with red brick chimneys, and there were black buckets filled with sand on the wall next to him, presumably for a fire.
Well, I'm off on vacation for about two weeks, so I probably won't be posting much. As a matter of fact, I probably won't be writing much, either. Which will probably be a good thing, since my creative juices aren't exactly flowing right now. Time for a refuel, I think.
Until then! Onward!
Today's Word Count: 419 words, 25.6k total
Excerpt:
Another dream. There was screaming, and Daniel was running furiously down a hallway. He saw a door at the end of the hall, the light from the outside streaming through, and he put his head down and crashed through it. He was looking out over a large field. There were flag poles and buildings scattered throughout the field. Except for a few cars in the distance, the place had a distinctively aged feel—the buildings were made of old, slatted wood with red brick chimneys, and there were black buckets filled with sand on the wall next to him, presumably for a fire.
Well, I'm off on vacation for about two weeks, so I probably won't be posting much. As a matter of fact, I probably won't be writing much, either. Which will probably be a good thing, since my creative juices aren't exactly flowing right now. Time for a refuel, I think.
Until then! Onward!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 976 words, 25k total
The Good:
“Help you?” the man asked between coughs.
“Fill me in, please. I’ve only gotten chatter so far.”
The man took off his hat and put it over his face, and then gestured back to the truck stop. “You can see for yourself.”
“I can see the fire. What happened inside?”
“We count thirteen bodies so far. Why they didn’t just run out is beyond me. I’ve never seen nothing like this before.”
“What caused it?”
“It sure wasn’t a grease fire. The whole thing went up like it was soaked in gasoline. Just like that.” The man snapped his fingers for emphasis.
Daily Stumbling Block:
Monday Blues? Holiday Blues? That must be the case. I find myself writing future scenes with a lot more ease then the scenes in the present. Maybe this is the boring middle part?
Friday, December 15, 2006
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 967 words, 23.8k total
The Good:
Daniel and Jason stood without speaking in the middle of the clearing. After a while, Daniel straightened up and walked to the edge of the trees, his back turned to Jason. Jason waited. Daniel turned suddenly and hunted the gun out of the bushes and clumsily stuffed it into his pants.
“We need to find the other, then,” Daniel said, almost to himself, “and bring him to Ed. And then he will have no choice—he will have to do what he is meant to.”
Daily Stumbling Block:
Motive, motive, motive! My characters lack motive, and spring into things simply because it suits the plot. I need to go back and rebuild the characters, and give them the proper motivation for why the do the things they do.
Random Thought:
I've been on an Internet fast (except for posting to this blog, of course), and it's much harder to come up with random thoughts without it. Which leads me to wonder if we were better off without it before.
I guess that'll have to be random enough for now.
Today's Word Count: 967 words, 23.8k total
The Good:
Daniel and Jason stood without speaking in the middle of the clearing. After a while, Daniel straightened up and walked to the edge of the trees, his back turned to Jason. Jason waited. Daniel turned suddenly and hunted the gun out of the bushes and clumsily stuffed it into his pants.
“We need to find the other, then,” Daniel said, almost to himself, “and bring him to Ed. And then he will have no choice—he will have to do what he is meant to.”
Daily Stumbling Block:
Motive, motive, motive! My characters lack motive, and spring into things simply because it suits the plot. I need to go back and rebuild the characters, and give them the proper motivation for why the do the things they do.
Random Thought:
I've been on an Internet fast (except for posting to this blog, of course), and it's much harder to come up with random thoughts without it. Which leads me to wonder if we were better off without it before.
I guess that'll have to be random enough for now.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 1470 words
The Good:
The doors opened onto a hallway much different than the one she had left. There were paintings on the walls, fancy tapestries, and smooth oak baseboard running the length of the hardwood floor. She stepped off of the elevator, turned and gasped. A man stood to her left; though he was as still as night, he had frightened her all the same.
Daily Stumbling Block:
I didn't feel like finishing the scene I was in, so I skipped ahead and wrote a future one. I hope that's okay.
Prayer Request:
A friend of mine sent over a prayer request. He's from Oregon, but the man in need of prayer, Seth, lives near Sacramento. He was in an auto accident and it looks like they are struggling to keep him alive. He has a wife who is four months pregnant, and two daughters, 6 and 3. He's in his late 20's.
This struck me particularly hard, mainly because of the similarities between me and this man. I am in my late 20's; and I also have a wife and two daughters, though they are a little younger. It's just amazing that, as I sit here typing, there is a man fighting for his life, and a family close to suffering an unutterable loss. So pray for a miracle, that this man might be spared and dwell with his family for many years.
Today's Word Count: 1470 words
The Good:
The doors opened onto a hallway much different than the one she had left. There were paintings on the walls, fancy tapestries, and smooth oak baseboard running the length of the hardwood floor. She stepped off of the elevator, turned and gasped. A man stood to her left; though he was as still as night, he had frightened her all the same.
Daily Stumbling Block:
I didn't feel like finishing the scene I was in, so I skipped ahead and wrote a future one. I hope that's okay.
Prayer Request:
A friend of mine sent over a prayer request. He's from Oregon, but the man in need of prayer, Seth, lives near Sacramento. He was in an auto accident and it looks like they are struggling to keep him alive. He has a wife who is four months pregnant, and two daughters, 6 and 3. He's in his late 20's.
This struck me particularly hard, mainly because of the similarities between me and this man. I am in my late 20's; and I also have a wife and two daughters, though they are a little younger. It's just amazing that, as I sit here typing, there is a man fighting for his life, and a family close to suffering an unutterable loss. So pray for a miracle, that this man might be spared and dwell with his family for many years.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 1,520 words, 22.5k total
The Good:
The door in front of Daniel opened and the man got out, a frantic look in his eye. He swept past Daniel, knocking him back onto the car, and then he was gone. Daniel turned and ran after him. He swept into the trees and was quickly disoriented. There was no light among the trees, and the noise of the highway seemed to come from every direction. Then he saw the light, shining against the darkness surrounding it, calling him forward. He ran to it, stumbling awkwardly through the limbs and roots and branches. Finally he came to a small clearing, where the moonlight spilled down and illuminated two figures in front of him. One of the figures whipped around—he was carrying a gun, and he raised it threateningly as Daniel approached.
Daily Stumbling Block:
This stuff is going to need some serious editing. I mean, serious.
Random Thought:
Well, our strollers left from China today. Which means we can expect them in about four or five weeks. For those readers who don't know, we are currently starting an online business selling UK-designed strollers, manufactured in China. We hope to have a website soon. Your good friend and mine, Levi Nunnink, is working on it, and it looks spectacular so far.
Onward!
Today's Word Count: 1,520 words, 22.5k total
The Good:
The door in front of Daniel opened and the man got out, a frantic look in his eye. He swept past Daniel, knocking him back onto the car, and then he was gone. Daniel turned and ran after him. He swept into the trees and was quickly disoriented. There was no light among the trees, and the noise of the highway seemed to come from every direction. Then he saw the light, shining against the darkness surrounding it, calling him forward. He ran to it, stumbling awkwardly through the limbs and roots and branches. Finally he came to a small clearing, where the moonlight spilled down and illuminated two figures in front of him. One of the figures whipped around—he was carrying a gun, and he raised it threateningly as Daniel approached.
Daily Stumbling Block:
This stuff is going to need some serious editing. I mean, serious.
Random Thought:
Well, our strollers left from China today. Which means we can expect them in about four or five weeks. For those readers who don't know, we are currently starting an online business selling UK-designed strollers, manufactured in China. We hope to have a website soon. Your good friend and mine, Levi Nunnink, is working on it, and it looks spectacular so far.
Onward!
Monday, December 11, 2006
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 1,203 today, 21 k total
The Good:
“You left so suddenly.” Nicolas reached out with his mind, but, as ever, Starla was impassable. “And things were going so well.”
Starla remained silent. Nicolas sighed and lifted his hand and Starla began to writhe in pain, her insides burning. Nicolas turned his head away sharply and began to pace. Flames poured from his fingers and met above him in a circle, a fiery halo.
Daily Stumbling Block:
Still just writing what comes to mind. I'm at the point in my story when my characters begin to meet and interact, and I don't want to sell these scenes short. The story has picked up nicely as they begin to come together.
Random Thought:
Right at this moment I am eating yogurt with bits of granola that I personally crunched up. See, I'm a big "together" eater. There are two kinds of people in this world: "together" eaters and "apart" eaters. They're easy enough to spot, especially during a big meal like Thanksgiving. The "apart" eater takes a bite of mashed potatoes, then a sip of milk, and then some turkey, et cetera. A "together" eater grabs a forkful of turkey, already doused with gravy, steers it into the potatoes, picking up what he can, takes a bite, and then takes a quick bite of his bread, which never leaves the appropriate hand during the course of the meal.
Which one, might I ask, are you?
Today's Word Count: 1,203 today, 21 k total
The Good:
“You left so suddenly.” Nicolas reached out with his mind, but, as ever, Starla was impassable. “And things were going so well.”
Starla remained silent. Nicolas sighed and lifted his hand and Starla began to writhe in pain, her insides burning. Nicolas turned his head away sharply and began to pace. Flames poured from his fingers and met above him in a circle, a fiery halo.
Daily Stumbling Block:
Still just writing what comes to mind. I'm at the point in my story when my characters begin to meet and interact, and I don't want to sell these scenes short. The story has picked up nicely as they begin to come together.
Random Thought:
Right at this moment I am eating yogurt with bits of granola that I personally crunched up. See, I'm a big "together" eater. There are two kinds of people in this world: "together" eaters and "apart" eaters. They're easy enough to spot, especially during a big meal like Thanksgiving. The "apart" eater takes a bite of mashed potatoes, then a sip of milk, and then some turkey, et cetera. A "together" eater grabs a forkful of turkey, already doused with gravy, steers it into the potatoes, picking up what he can, takes a bite, and then takes a quick bite of his bread, which never leaves the appropriate hand during the course of the meal.
Which one, might I ask, are you?
Friday, December 8, 2006
Novel Stats
Uncanny
Today's Word Count: 2,146 words, 19.8k total
The Good:
Starla flung off her seatbelt and scratched at the door handle. Michelle leaned over and grabbed a fistful of Starla’s hair, pulling her back.
“Ah…” Starla reared around and slapped Michelle with all of her strength. Michelle’s head snapped back, and Starla pulled away from her grip. Michelle reached under her seat, her hand dancing over the floor. Starla cried out and kicked open the door and then the gun was forced into her back. She stopped and stretched her hands out to either side. Michelle put her chin on Starla’s shoulder, her heavy breaths warm and moist against her ear.
“I’m not going to lose you.”
And Starla knew what she had to do. Just this once, Starla thought. Or I’m never going to make it out alive.
Daily Stumbling Block:
I'm forsaking all stumbling blocks for now and just writing as fast as I can. I'm tired of spending twenty minutes on one sentence. So, for now, I am writing what comes to mind, and, as far as I know, it's going okay.
Random Thought:
You can download a picture of a dog smoking a cigarette, and the total size of the file is about 3 megabytes. My story, the one I have been bleeding and sweating over for many months, is about 100 kilobytes. 1 megabyte is about 1000 kilobytes (actually 1024 kilobytes). So that means my story is 1/3,000 the size of a photo of a dog smoking a cigarette.
My conclusion is: size doesn't matter. But you are welcome to make your own.
Today's Word Count: 2,146 words, 19.8k total
The Good:
Starla flung off her seatbelt and scratched at the door handle. Michelle leaned over and grabbed a fistful of Starla’s hair, pulling her back.
“Ah…” Starla reared around and slapped Michelle with all of her strength. Michelle’s head snapped back, and Starla pulled away from her grip. Michelle reached under her seat, her hand dancing over the floor. Starla cried out and kicked open the door and then the gun was forced into her back. She stopped and stretched her hands out to either side. Michelle put her chin on Starla’s shoulder, her heavy breaths warm and moist against her ear.
“I’m not going to lose you.”
And Starla knew what she had to do. Just this once, Starla thought. Or I’m never going to make it out alive.
Daily Stumbling Block:
I'm forsaking all stumbling blocks for now and just writing as fast as I can. I'm tired of spending twenty minutes on one sentence. So, for now, I am writing what comes to mind, and, as far as I know, it's going okay.
Random Thought:
You can download a picture of a dog smoking a cigarette, and the total size of the file is about 3 megabytes. My story, the one I have been bleeding and sweating over for many months, is about 100 kilobytes. 1 megabyte is about 1000 kilobytes (actually 1024 kilobytes). So that means my story is 1/3,000 the size of a photo of a dog smoking a cigarette.
My conclusion is: size doesn't matter. But you are welcome to make your own.
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