A week or so ago I decided that I was going to try and get my foot back in the door of fanfiction writing (in the hope that it would prompt even more of a desire to write something original). In an effort to make this happen I signed up for a challenge, hoping against hope that I would get something that would lead to a 'happy ever after' ending and little to no conflict. Well, the prompt arrived today containing the words to a song I have never heard by a singer I have never heard of (Bruno Mars anyone?), my knowledge of singers is limited to Disney and artists like Norah Jones and Michael Bublé with a bit of Kelly Clarkson thrown in for good measure. Anyway, the song is called 'Grenade' and is about as conducive to a happy ending as an episode of EastEnders containing only the Mitchells and Ian Beale (I may not have seen the programme in at least 10 years but there was ever conflict between these factions ever since Kathy wed Phil and then ran off to Africa or wherever).
I am now umming and erring between sending the prompt back with a 'thanks but no thanks' note and dropping out altogether, or struggling to write something that doesn't have me wanting to slit my wrists before it is done. For anyone, like me, who has never heard the song, the words are pretty much alluding to "You don't love me but I love you enough to die for you"...yay, happy ending NOT! It wouldn't be quite so bad were it not for the fact that the story is a birthday one and the prompt is referring to one of my favourite pairings. Oh well, will decide while away this week and see what I can do. I have just posted on the page with the prompts that the song is going to end up with one of the characters committing suicide as the song is seriously that depressing...have also asked for help - perhaps they will give me a different prompt!
Sunday 21 August 2011
Saturday 20 August 2011
Cringeworthy Reading
I was looking through the boxes under my bed for the power converter as I travel to Boston on Monday for a week of training on a new system being introduced at work. While searching for the second of my plugs I just happened to open the largest box (which happens to be filled with the most incredible collection of junk I have ever seen) I found one thing that I have carried with me since my early teens, the first ever original manuscript I wrote.
I was fourteen when I first tried my hand at writing something full length and completely original (admittedly at this point I had never heard of fanfiction). The story tracks a brief period of time for a teenage girl and her older male admirer (no, it is not Lolita). Reading through it when I wrote it I thought that it was amazing, I was incredibly proud of this novel that ended up being over 75000 words long. Reading through what I wrote now, I am horrified by the appalling use of repetition and the word 'alright' (also my use of to and too was not the best). My character development is virtually non-existent and the plot is invisible. To put it bluntly it is as badly written as some published novels which will remain nameless but unlike the authors of those particular novels I would never have the balls to submit to a publisher.
Anyway, reading through this I realised that in my youth (which sometimes seems as though it is an eternity ago) I had a lot more courage with regards my writing ability than I do now. This has to change. I need to seriously get back in the right frame of mind to put something together that's original. Perhaps I could maybe do something with this story, rip it apart, reform the characters, use the base storyline (a girl who is out to find out who her mother is and why she abandoned her) to form a well-rounded novel with formed characters and a proper plot. Unfortunately I wrote this novel with the mind of the teenager that I was, and things that were acceptable (both use of language and grammar) are flashing like neon lights and I want to fling the whole thing on a fire. I know that if I followed through on this impulse then I would be hit with festering regret sooner rather than later, so for now Darryl Murphy and Tobie Madden will stay where they are but one day I will pull the whole thing apart with the aid of post-it notes, green highlighter and a very very big pot of strong coffee.
I was fourteen when I first tried my hand at writing something full length and completely original (admittedly at this point I had never heard of fanfiction). The story tracks a brief period of time for a teenage girl and her older male admirer (no, it is not Lolita). Reading through it when I wrote it I thought that it was amazing, I was incredibly proud of this novel that ended up being over 75000 words long. Reading through what I wrote now, I am horrified by the appalling use of repetition and the word 'alright' (also my use of to and too was not the best). My character development is virtually non-existent and the plot is invisible. To put it bluntly it is as badly written as some published novels which will remain nameless but unlike the authors of those particular novels I would never have the balls to submit to a publisher.
Anyway, reading through this I realised that in my youth (which sometimes seems as though it is an eternity ago) I had a lot more courage with regards my writing ability than I do now. This has to change. I need to seriously get back in the right frame of mind to put something together that's original. Perhaps I could maybe do something with this story, rip it apart, reform the characters, use the base storyline (a girl who is out to find out who her mother is and why she abandoned her) to form a well-rounded novel with formed characters and a proper plot. Unfortunately I wrote this novel with the mind of the teenager that I was, and things that were acceptable (both use of language and grammar) are flashing like neon lights and I want to fling the whole thing on a fire. I know that if I followed through on this impulse then I would be hit with festering regret sooner rather than later, so for now Darryl Murphy and Tobie Madden will stay where they are but one day I will pull the whole thing apart with the aid of post-it notes, green highlighter and a very very big pot of strong coffee.
Sunday 31 July 2011
A Project
It seems my thoughts on starting this journal were almost precognitive. I have received a request from my Twilight obsessed niece who has asked me to write her a novel (she actually asked for a book about 3ins thick - HAHAHAHAH <---hysterical laughter) all about vampires and witches and werewolves. I am choosing to ignore the first two because that's far too Twilight, and will instead focus on the witches aspect - that particular aspect of the supernatural having not entirely saturated the book market (especially for teens and tweens) over the last few years. Of course this means I now have to start with a plot outline, characters, and get writing!
Saturday 30 July 2011
The Inaugural Post
This blog has been on the cards for a while - in fact for the last two weeks it has sat here on the server empty and waiting for me to decide whether to write anything or not. So, here it is at last; the first post - though to be honest this has taken longer to write than most short stories.
Here you will find my thoughts about writing, various pieces of writing and probably my battle against a writer's worst nightmare: writer's block.
I have been writing for well over half my life - and not just in the "in my summer holidays I went to Chessington Zoo and my brother threw up on the bouncy castle" sense. I love telling stories but over the years have suffered from writer's block. The creation of this journal is a sign that I am ever hopeful going through my past work (some of which I may post here - if I can find the time and energy to transcribe it AND resist the urge to do the sort of rewrites that pre-pubescent writing often requires) will provide me with the right amount of inspiration to start again. I am more determined than ever that I will get something written that I am proud of.
Here you will find my thoughts about writing, various pieces of writing and probably my battle against a writer's worst nightmare: writer's block.
I have been writing for well over half my life - and not just in the "in my summer holidays I went to Chessington Zoo and my brother threw up on the bouncy castle" sense. I love telling stories but over the years have suffered from writer's block. The creation of this journal is a sign that I am ever hopeful going through my past work (some of which I may post here - if I can find the time and energy to transcribe it AND resist the urge to do the sort of rewrites that pre-pubescent writing often requires) will provide me with the right amount of inspiration to start again. I am more determined than ever that I will get something written that I am proud of.
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