Darla’s Noveling Journey

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I read a very interesting list yesterday of forty quotes for pessimistic people.  Many are understandably bleak statements.  One, however, struck me as quite optimistic.
Robert Louis Stevenson reportedly said, “To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.”
How is that pessimistic?  I mean, sure, nobody can guarantee a fun time.  You might get crappy weather.  Occasionally, even, natural disasters strike resort areas.  ~shudder~  That makes my periodic rainy days at the beach a paradise by comparison.
Anticipation, however, presents its own reward.  Isn’t that last work week before vacation tinged with excitement? 
That’s how I feel during National Novel Writing Month.  Of course I want to complete my story, not to mention winning the 50,000 word challenge.  My favorite part, however, is the journey I’m taking with my characters.
(Hopefully, they won’t resent me too much for all their travails and still be talking to me come December rewrites.)
In fact, right now they ought to wrap up the dialogue that’s lasted several thousand words.  I need to light a fire under them.  But how?
I know!  The house can literally catch afire.  After all, I have a villain lurking out there somewhere.  Isn’t it in his job description to do something villainous?  I think arson qualifies.
Before I go type that scene, how is your November going?  Are you NaNoing?  If so, I hope you’re enjoying the trip (or your own fire!).  Happy noveling!
Oh, and here’s the link to those amazing quotes, in case you need a (brief) break from writing:

Darla’s Writer Wednesday – Dabbling with Drabbles

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Many years ago I discovered a website through which people shared their stories.  I met some really great people and read some remarkable fiction.  Another unexpected discovery turned out to be learning a miniature story format termed the drabble.
Each drabble should be a mere one hundred words and sketch a complete scene.  Some readers and writers despise them.  I became addicted, which is not necessarily a good thing.  But positive results have stayed with me to this day.  For one thing, pithy storytelling can be some of the best.
(Flowery language certainly has it’s place, though; don’t get me wrong.)
In addition, I have learned to tackle the challenge of National Novel Writing Month a hundred words at a time.  The concept is no different than taking baby steps, of course.  Still, it works for me.
On that note, I better get back to my NaNoWriMo story.  There are about five hundred more words to go before I reach today’s goal.
Oh, and if you decide to adopt my ploy, try not to be obsessive about counting.  ~grin~  Stopping to constantly hit alt→ t → w in Microsoft Word contributes unproductive key strokes and takes time away from the actual composition.
Happy writing!
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Darla’s NaNoWriMo Update

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Now that National Novel Writing Month has begun, I’m really finding my stride.
No, I’m not a horse.  ~rolls eyes~  But I am writing.  My word count is in a range I haven’t produced since last November.  Quite frankly, NaNo inspires me.
And inspiration is what I’d like to spread today.  I read a terrific pep talk on the NaNoWriMo website.  Author Chuck Wendig shared ideas very much like Julia Cameron with her creative workshops.  He essentially encourages writers to let loose their creative inner child.  Here is his amusing and perceptive insight garnered from observing his own toddler:
“…He’ll grab a Transformers toy and half-transform it into some lumbering robot-car monstrosity—and when an adult might say, “No, no, it’s like this or it’s like that; it’s a robot or it’s a car,” he’s like, “Uh, yeah, no. Go back to your tax forms and your HGTV, stupid adult, I’ve just created a Frankencarbot and you can go hide your head in the sand-swept banality of grown-up life, sucker.”
I’m all for creating a Frankencarbot.  What about you?  Has the NaNo bug bitten this fall?

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Darla’s Day of Synchronicity

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 “Rawr”
AKA
The Bisque on my Wishlist
 
Today I visited a pottery painting studio, wanting to do something relaxing yet creative. It fit in perfectly as an artist’s date for the Julia Cameron “Walking in This World” workshop in which I’m participating. Also, it wouldn’t cost a lot.

I ended up painting two discounted Halloween pieces. As I relaxed over my projects, the shopkeeper unpacked her Christmas collection. She just happened to be doing that earlier than usual because an empty storefront serving as her rent-free storage has been leased.

No big deal so far, right?

Well, she started wondering aloud how she would ever have time to paint samples.  Then she asked if I would be interested in painting one for her.

“Sure!” I exclaimed, having debated making the suggestion myself.

Then things get even more interesting.

“You said you have cats, right?”

“Yeah.”

So she hands me a cat shaped ornament. Though she has seen me add extensive detail to my paintings, she chose this one because of its simple design.  That way, she explained, I need not spend a lot of time. The next thing I knew, I was modeling the design upon my cat Luna who passed away on August 5th. I even included her name.

The gal praised my effort, which I considered diplomacy by a benevolent businessperson. Then, to my surprise, she offered to give me the ornament after the season is over. In retrospect I suppose my personalization had something to do with that.

But still, how cool is that?

When I pick up my purchased pottery, I may offer to paint another sample or two, making clear I don’t expect to be gifted every piece. It would just be a fun way to create without doling out cash.

In addition, if I decide to buy the big special order bisque monster pictured above, my technique will be that much better. We shall see.  It’s a pricey item.

Anyway, the universe was really good to me today. I’ll have to remember to take my camera and photograph Luna’s ornament next week after it’s been glazed and fired.

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Monday with Aunt Noony

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We’re ready for National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, at our house.  Can you tell?  That’s Kolya, doing his best to give his inspiration to my inbox.  He’s a little over a year old and is fitting in well at the Noonypad, terrorizing his big sister Nadya and alternately loving on, and beating up, our eldest Boria.  He follows the dog, Coyote, around like she’s his nanny.

Yes, we have a confused household.  My son thinks he’s half dog/cat too.

But I digress.  It’s only October, even though it feels like NaNoWriMo has begun, and that’s because I am super excited to report that I’m a Municipal Liaison this year!  I finally did it, I threw my hat into the ring.  This year, there are four of us volunteering to wrangle ChiWriMo into shape.  We have a Facebook group, a Twitter feed, and even a blog.  We’ll be doing online write-ins, in person write-ins, a Kick-Off and Thank-Goodness-It’s-Over (or TGIO) party, and all sorts of stuff in between.  I’m so excited, I can’t stand myself!

Write on!


— 

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
– E.E. Cummings

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Gearing Up for NaNoWriMo

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Wow!  Is it really October eighth?  In another month we’ll be through the first week of National Novel Writing Month.
I’m attempting to stoke the artistic fire with activities like those mentioned in my previous post.  Likewise, I’ve joined a “Walking in this World” workshop.  There is a great group of folks delving into this Julia Cameron book together, so I’m excited about everyone’s potential.
Meanwhile, I have no firm idea what I’ll write for NaNoWriMo, but I am writing.  A little travel (for pure pleasure – good times!) seemed to boost my moral and give new perspective, kicking off this creativity.  In fact, yesterday was the first day I haven’t produced at least a few hundred words of fiction since returning home.
My WIP is actually a rewrite.  I felt the finished but un-submitted manuscript deserved a fresh take.  Maybe, come November, I’ll just keep going on it and count toward that 50,000 word count goal starting with whatever hits the page on the first.
What about you?  I hope you’ll join in the NaNoWriMo challenge.
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Pictures and Pottery

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Today, I had some ridiculous fun.  Hopefully, as “Artist’s Way” author Julian Cameron suggests, the activity will refill my artistic well.
My adventure started with a visit to my favorite art framer.  All-around gifted, this photographer is working with me to recreate some damaged wedding photos.  I usually bring him something more eclectic, but I feel certain he and his wife will help me create something unique from my cheaply framed ruins.
After leaving his studio, I visited a pottery store.  There I picked a paint-able piece with a reasonable, all-inclusive price.  Alone on a rainy afternoon, just as I like it, I had my pick of paints and tools.
What a blast!  A week from now, I anticipate picking up my zombie candy dish.  Flaws and all, the fired and glazed piece should be a cute addition to my extensive Halloween collection.
Anything fun taking your interest these days?  I’d enjoy reading what you’re up to.
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Darla’s Diatribe of the Week

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I have a bit of a minor rant against a magazine publisher who shall remain unidentified.  Somehow, they got my mailing address and started sending me one of their weekly publications.  Since I do not wish to pay them for an unwanted subscription, I tried to cancel via their website.

It didn’t happen.

The thing still arrives every week, though they have never pursued payment.  The only correspondence came in the form of a request for my email address.  Believe me when I say that is not going to happen.  I can only imagine that they are happy to inflate subscription numbers for the sake of their advertisers.

It saddens me to see this waste, though the magazine’s content annoys me to the point I have no interest in sharing.  Sigh…  I guess the paper could be used to line cat litter boxes.

Meanwhile, we happily spend a fair chunk of change every year getting “2000 AD” and “The Judge Dredd Megazine” from Great Britain.  Those comics are mailings I do anticipate.

Anything interesting or annoying show up in your mailbox?  I hope it’s the former as opposed to the latter.

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Dreaming of Luna

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I recently remembered an elusive dream. 

It’s premise?  I learned that someone invented a type of loom through which raw fiber could be instantly converted into a fine, diaphanous cloth.  While somehow offering the results of an overly large circular loom, the fantastical tool lacked every real-life component, including yarn.
With this wonder, a mysterious woman showed me how to transform my recently deceased cat’s fur into a seamless blouse.  You see, years before I began collecting the shed, rabbit-soft fibers.  The white tufts simply seemed too soft to discard.  I’m serious when I say they make cotton feel almost like burlap.
The dream, meanwhile, provided a clingy garment interspersing her lovely fur with a black fabric for strategic modesty.  The swaths were vaguely triangular, simple contrasting slashes in a timelessly classic pattern.  I adored it.
My recollection process is, if I may say so myself, more interesting.  It began with thought of Luna’s portrait on my laptop, in turn reminding me how her image replaced that of Craig Charles dressed as Dave Lister from “Red Dwarf”.
(Sorry, Mr. Charles.  For now, I choose this bittersweet lamentation over a fond chuckle.)
While this consideration didn’t bring back my complete memory, the process started because my dream’s sole comedic twist came in the form of Craig Charles somehow being involved.  Whether as himself or Mr. Lister, I cannot say.  Either way, he amicably helped me run this fictional loom.
Then, hours later, something else happened to help my mind fill in the blanks.  I discovered a chair pad still decorated with wisps of Luna’s telltale fuzz.  It all flooded back fast after that.

I still miss my itty bitty pretty kitty but have to smile at this unique memorial.  Too bad there is no magical loom.  Sigh…

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Darla’s Writer Wednesday – Dreams of Writing

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There was a magical time when I’d wake from dreams that left me anxious to write.  That is, arguably, a fairly common story source.  Then, for some reason, the urge dried up despite the constant REM flow.
I really want that to change.  And if last night’s plethora of images cannot instigate this, then I don’t know what will.  Scenarios were mostly good, many lacking any frustration or embarrassment that often plague my intermittent nightmares.
There was one in which I could not find a free stall in a crowded bathroom overflowing with wedding party attendants, but I’ll just stop that tell right here.  ~shudder~  I don’t know where my mind comes up with this stuff.
Alternatively, I dreamed of having been born with too many vertebrae, a virtual tail which my surgeon father removed early.  Other details remain cloudy, but I was proud of this dream dad much like the real father blessing my life.
(Dad, you can stick with mechanical things and being a great listener.)
Another dream entailed a fantastical loom.  I have written a post for September 2nd further detailing this brief plot, but the writing fodder is undeniable.  Hopefully, I’ll have a short story ready for Friday.

It’s time I get started, come to think of it.  Happy writing, all.

~