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!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
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!
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