So I finished a rough draft for a short story competition today. I haven't even looked at it yet, and I suspect that I will take one little paragraph and make the final story out of that.
I'm not really nervous about entering, although I feel like I should be. Maybe I will closer to the entry date. But I won't feel confident or nervous (or both) until I edit at least once.
I have three WiPs at the moment. But I'm impatient. In order to feel like I'm going somewhere, I want to start spreading my work. I've decided to enter into a few short story competitions this year.
I have toyed with the idea of posting short stories here once a week, or once a month. But a competition raises the stakes. I have to edit, and think about audience. Here on the blog, I could just give you guys the most random cobbling-together of ideas that you wouldn't know what you were looking at.
I may (I would like to) post my competition stories here. With the competition aspect, whether I make it through any round or not, it'll at least be closer to my best work.
Unlike my stream-of-conscious blog posts, written when I should've gone to bed an hour ago.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
I can't believe -
I haven't written anything since Christmas. I also haven't read any of my favourite blogs since then (sorry).
So much has happened since then, in the world and in my own life. Therefore, there are a lot of things I could write about right now, like:
1) My overactive imagination that's been keeping me awake since NYE, despite the educated, rational person inside me debunking all my irrational qualms. The latest events in Japan and New Zealand (yeah, there was an earthquake there too, I didn't forget) haven't helped. Not to mention the massive moon that came around two nights ago, which is actually kinda cool.
2) I'm half way through Los Peregrinos, and have put it on hold for the next item on this list. And I'm 9000 words into a new project which I'm a little excited about.
3) I've spent the last five weeks traveling around the USA, visiting family and friends, and checking out cities I've never seen before. I decided this trip was reason enough to put on hold the WiP, and the relaxed attitude towards writing has caused me to start the new WiP (currently being called Apprentice Witch). So it's been an amazing experience, and has caused me to muse on different options for my future in terms of writing career and personally as well.
4) Now that I'm heading home, and arriving two days into the future (love time zones), I'm going to have to get a job, and possibly go house hunting. I've been staying with a friend in Sydney, and it's supposed to be temporary.
So, now that I've finished this post, I might just wander by and check out what's new with some of my favourite bloggers.
So much has happened since then, in the world and in my own life. Therefore, there are a lot of things I could write about right now, like:
1) My overactive imagination that's been keeping me awake since NYE, despite the educated, rational person inside me debunking all my irrational qualms. The latest events in Japan and New Zealand (yeah, there was an earthquake there too, I didn't forget) haven't helped. Not to mention the massive moon that came around two nights ago, which is actually kinda cool.
2) I'm half way through Los Peregrinos, and have put it on hold for the next item on this list. And I'm 9000 words into a new project which I'm a little excited about.
3) I've spent the last five weeks traveling around the USA, visiting family and friends, and checking out cities I've never seen before. I decided this trip was reason enough to put on hold the WiP, and the relaxed attitude towards writing has caused me to start the new WiP (currently being called Apprentice Witch). So it's been an amazing experience, and has caused me to muse on different options for my future in terms of writing career and personally as well.
4) Now that I'm heading home, and arriving two days into the future (love time zones), I'm going to have to get a job, and possibly go house hunting. I've been staying with a friend in Sydney, and it's supposed to be temporary.
So, now that I've finished this post, I might just wander by and check out what's new with some of my favourite bloggers.
Saturday, 25 December 2010
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a good couple of days, whether or not your celebrating Christmas :D
Hopefully I'll be back soon with a real post.
I hope you all had a good couple of days, whether or not your celebrating Christmas :D
Hopefully I'll be back soon with a real post.
Saturday, 11 December 2010
A third.
Hi guys,
It's been half a month since I last posted, and things are busy. And only getting busier.
But, I had my last exam on Wednesday, and got some results for essays and my major project.
I can't write essays. This doesn't surprise me, but I also know it's because I lack passion for them that I can't write them.
I can write fiction though. I got a Distintion for my Major Project. You remember the one I mentioned ages ago, that's a kind of prequel to my WiP? Maybe not. But I got a Distinction! It makes me feel good.
My daily word goal - it's increased from 300 words a day to 1000, because every time I sat down to write, that's about what came out. Of course, some days I write less, but it's not too much of an effort to make up the lack again.
And because of this, I'm a third of the way through the first draft! I'm very excited about where the plot is taking me, and when I stopped today, I left it at a place where the reader gets the first hint of a major revelation.
I can't wait to sit down to my writing tomorrow.
Another thing about being busy, is that as well as not updating here, I haven't been around to any of my favourite blogs. I miss you guys! But, I've got the whole month of January off, so there'll be lots of writing, posting here, and reading of other blogs.
I'll be back soon with a Christmas post. Until then, take care guys.
It's been half a month since I last posted, and things are busy. And only getting busier.
But, I had my last exam on Wednesday, and got some results for essays and my major project.
I can't write essays. This doesn't surprise me, but I also know it's because I lack passion for them that I can't write them.
I can write fiction though. I got a Distintion for my Major Project. You remember the one I mentioned ages ago, that's a kind of prequel to my WiP? Maybe not. But I got a Distinction! It makes me feel good.
My daily word goal - it's increased from 300 words a day to 1000, because every time I sat down to write, that's about what came out. Of course, some days I write less, but it's not too much of an effort to make up the lack again.
And because of this, I'm a third of the way through the first draft! I'm very excited about where the plot is taking me, and when I stopped today, I left it at a place where the reader gets the first hint of a major revelation.
I can't wait to sit down to my writing tomorrow.
Another thing about being busy, is that as well as not updating here, I haven't been around to any of my favourite blogs. I miss you guys! But, I've got the whole month of January off, so there'll be lots of writing, posting here, and reading of other blogs.
I'll be back soon with a Christmas post. Until then, take care guys.
Monday, 22 November 2010
Done!
Hey there!
I submitted my last essay today. And had my Spanish oral exam too. I am done with my Bachelor degree (except for the Spanish written, but that'll be cool with the help of a study group :)!
Does this mean I can read as much of whatever I want now? Does this mean I can do as much salsa dancing as I can? Does this mean I can finally concentrate on my WiP???
No.
If this was a vlog, this is the part where I hunch forward and pout at the camera. Because guess what?
I'm moving. And I don't even know when. Due to some things (which I won't go into right now), my house is being put on the market this week. My housemate and her boyfriend have started getting the house cleaned and packed away. Now that I'm done with assignments, it's my turn to do as much as is left. The house could be turned over as soon as next week, or as late as the end of December.
No dancing (hopefully some though). No reading (except during breaks at work, or on the bus).
I will try and do at least 300 words a day though. There are no other (English) words taking up my brain so I think I can manage that. 300 always leads to more anyway. It's just a small amount so that I don't feel guilty about not writing more.
It's a great idea I got from Anne Lamott's writing book Bird by Bird. If you're ever feeling down about your writing or life (what writer doesn't feel this occasionally?), read it for some inspiration.
:D
I submitted my last essay today. And had my Spanish oral exam too. I am done with my Bachelor degree (except for the Spanish written, but that'll be cool with the help of a study group :)!
Does this mean I can read as much of whatever I want now? Does this mean I can do as much salsa dancing as I can? Does this mean I can finally concentrate on my WiP???
No.
If this was a vlog, this is the part where I hunch forward and pout at the camera. Because guess what?
I'm moving. And I don't even know when. Due to some things (which I won't go into right now), my house is being put on the market this week. My housemate and her boyfriend have started getting the house cleaned and packed away. Now that I'm done with assignments, it's my turn to do as much as is left. The house could be turned over as soon as next week, or as late as the end of December.
No dancing (hopefully some though). No reading (except during breaks at work, or on the bus).
I will try and do at least 300 words a day though. There are no other (English) words taking up my brain so I think I can manage that. 300 always leads to more anyway. It's just a small amount so that I don't feel guilty about not writing more.
It's a great idea I got from Anne Lamott's writing book Bird by Bird. If you're ever feeling down about your writing or life (what writer doesn't feel this occasionally?), read it for some inspiration.
:D
Friday, 12 November 2010
Mooncow
Hey guys. I had a massive brain fart today.
Whenever I looked at the clock, I was seeing an hour earlier. Or I figured that my calculations in catching the early bus would give me the extra time I needed to get some chores done before work. I dunno.
I got called ten minutes after my shift was supposed to start and in that second I realised my mistake. And I completely flipped out. When I got to work my boss was saying:
"Calm down, it's okay. She was worried about you."
I had a private lesson first up. I like to think that I'm a professional swim instructor. I always get to work early, try to involve the parents, and treat my students, the parents and my co-workers with respect.
Clearly the mother of my first student today thinks so too, at least partly.
"I just hope she's okay," she said to my boss when I didn't turn up.
It's flattering to think that something must have happened for me not to be there. It's also touching when the parents show concern. I get a similar feeling when they express trust and/or gratitude.
Nothing happened to me. I just turned into a space cadet for the day.
This has made me realise something today. I am getting pretty stressed. I think I need to take a break from the Internet for a while and focus on my studies. It may take a week or more. I will be back though, because having increased my followers over the past few weeks *waves* has made me confident in my posting, and it's a great motivation to post.
So, keep well. Hasta luego.
Whenever I looked at the clock, I was seeing an hour earlier. Or I figured that my calculations in catching the early bus would give me the extra time I needed to get some chores done before work. I dunno.
I got called ten minutes after my shift was supposed to start and in that second I realised my mistake. And I completely flipped out. When I got to work my boss was saying:
"Calm down, it's okay. She was worried about you."
I had a private lesson first up. I like to think that I'm a professional swim instructor. I always get to work early, try to involve the parents, and treat my students, the parents and my co-workers with respect.
Clearly the mother of my first student today thinks so too, at least partly.
"I just hope she's okay," she said to my boss when I didn't turn up.
It's flattering to think that something must have happened for me not to be there. It's also touching when the parents show concern. I get a similar feeling when they express trust and/or gratitude.
Nothing happened to me. I just turned into a space cadet for the day.
This has made me realise something today. I am getting pretty stressed. I think I need to take a break from the Internet for a while and focus on my studies. It may take a week or more. I will be back though, because having increased my followers over the past few weeks *waves* has made me confident in my posting, and it's a great motivation to post.
So, keep well. Hasta luego.
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Curls and Freckles
Body image. And positive body image. It's not just to do with size and shape. Many other things come in to play when people look at themselves and think: God, what is that?
Two things that I'm particularly happy with, but so many people complain about, are my freckles and curly hair.
Growing up, I never thought freckles were a bad thing. They were just part of me. Then I got to high-school and other girls started to complain about their freckles. In the later years I had a friend, where I found that 'brightening' cream in her bathroom. The stuff that's supposed to remove 'sun imperfections'. We were seventeen for chrissake! Wear sunscreen if you are worried, but that should also be to prevent, oh I don't know, Cancer. If you have skin anything like mine, freckles are inevitable. And they're beautiful.
The magazines didn't help - well, they were better with this than other stuff, but still - with their quotes of
"Don't try to cover freckles with extra layers of foundation."and
"Stop trying to hide freckles, (such'n'such a brand) has even released a freckle pencil for girls without." What?
Those are positive messages, but they imply that there were previously negative ideas. Hmm. I've stopped reading these magazines (in detail), so I'm not sure about what the current opinion is. Flawless skin is always the ideal anyway. While I assume it just means pimples, maybe I'm so confident that my freckles are gorgeous that it means them too.
Curls are the same. I grew up with crazy hair. Not curly, just crazy. Then at sixteen, a hairdresser told me I had wonderful curls. Really? I thought. A couple of weeks later I went with a friend to get her hair done and that hairdresser told me I shouldn't brush my hair dry because it ruined the curl. I took her word for it, and suddenly I had curly hair! And I was so happy because my hair wasn't supposed to be sleek and shiny.
There are lots of similar stories on naturallycurly.com, some quite saddening. I've kind of gotten to the point of caring for my hair that when I see Mum, or she calls, she asks:
"How's the hair?"
I'm at a good place with these two aspects of my body, but I hope there are many more others out there who are happy with freckles and curly hair. Or other beautiful things that the world doesn't generally hold up to be Perfect.
Two things that I'm particularly happy with, but so many people complain about, are my freckles and curly hair.
Growing up, I never thought freckles were a bad thing. They were just part of me. Then I got to high-school and other girls started to complain about their freckles. In the later years I had a friend, where I found that 'brightening' cream in her bathroom. The stuff that's supposed to remove 'sun imperfections'. We were seventeen for chrissake! Wear sunscreen if you are worried, but that should also be to prevent, oh I don't know, Cancer. If you have skin anything like mine, freckles are inevitable. And they're beautiful.
The magazines didn't help - well, they were better with this than other stuff, but still - with their quotes of
"Don't try to cover freckles with extra layers of foundation."and
"Stop trying to hide freckles, (such'n'such a brand) has even released a freckle pencil for girls without." What?
Those are positive messages, but they imply that there were previously negative ideas. Hmm. I've stopped reading these magazines (in detail), so I'm not sure about what the current opinion is. Flawless skin is always the ideal anyway. While I assume it just means pimples, maybe I'm so confident that my freckles are gorgeous that it means them too.
Curls are the same. I grew up with crazy hair. Not curly, just crazy. Then at sixteen, a hairdresser told me I had wonderful curls. Really? I thought. A couple of weeks later I went with a friend to get her hair done and that hairdresser told me I shouldn't brush my hair dry because it ruined the curl. I took her word for it, and suddenly I had curly hair! And I was so happy because my hair wasn't supposed to be sleek and shiny.
There are lots of similar stories on naturallycurly.com, some quite saddening. I've kind of gotten to the point of caring for my hair that when I see Mum, or she calls, she asks:
"How's the hair?"
I'm at a good place with these two aspects of my body, but I hope there are many more others out there who are happy with freckles and curly hair. Or other beautiful things that the world doesn't generally hold up to be Perfect.
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