Tag: amwriting

Short stories take a long time.

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Hello

Last week I wrote about how I thought doing a lot of things, editing, reading and writing, all in one session could be harder or easier than I thought. I wasn’t sure if I could do it but I was going to try. It seems my subconscious has made my decision for me.

Editing done in the past week = None.

Reading done in the past week = Some.

I’ve kept reading the Bottle Imp, which is a really good piece of suspense and thoroughly enjoyable read so far, but I’m yet to finish. I said I’d finish it last Tuesday night. What a fool I was.

Writing = A fair amount.

Along with doing some reading, mostly to and from my girlfriends flat, I have started and am close to finishing my first short story of the year. It is the story of an immortal who lives in modern day Manchester. He was born in 1900 and has travelled the world seeking the reason for his existence. He knows there are more of his kind but, as they all travel as much as he does seeking new adventures and getting away from people who have worked out or who are about to work out their secret, he has been unable to find any of them. Then he decides to commit an act that will get theirs, and his main target, The First Immortal’s attention. He feels The First must have the answer he craves. But will it be that easy?

Buggered if I know. I have one ending which I’m going to go with initially but I’m going to consider a few more, whatever they are, as well. I am glad I have written this story. It has been on my mind for a while. The word length will stay at 3000 so when I’m done, and I know I’ll go over it, the edit will delete the unwanted words. And then the next edit. And so on…

As for The Picture of Dorian Gray, that will have to wait a few more days. The Bottle Imp looks to be coming to an end, I only know this without reading the ending as I checked when it roughly finished, and then it will be onto Oscar Wildes book. Here’s hoping all this build up I’m giving it will be worth it.

Ok, well I’m off to watch Olympiakos Vs.Man Utd. Have a good week and enjoy as much of it as possible.

Bye Bye

One short story a month. Maybe

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Hello

As per my usual routine recently I’ve been keeping on with the writing of my 2013 NaNoWriMo project, The End Solution. No editing done this week but I’ve enjoyed the extra writing in its stead. I’ve also decided to try and write one short story a month alongside writing the End Solution and editing some of my other stories. And reading. And so on….

But is this all too much?

Who knows? But I’m going to give it a good try. I’ve had an idea for a story based around an immortal living in modern day Manchester for a while which I started to write last week. I didn’t want to do the whole ‘fish out of water’ scenario so I started cautiously as I was wondering what I could do with it. And as luck would have it, well not luck but the way I write coming into play brilliantly, as I finished the first page I realised I needed to map the story out. It’s only going to be around 3000 words so I have to use every word wisely. Then, after writing the map and the second page, I came up with an ending. A cast iron, should be there until the umpteenth edit, ending. And I even know how I’m going to get there to. I usually just write and see where the story takes me.

But this time it’s different.

I don’t know why but when I write short stories I plan then out. Down to every last detail. But when I write longer ones I roughly plan them and go with the flow. I have never felt any problem writing this way so I’m hoping to use this and get at least one new short story finished per month. But maybe not November. That could be an extra challenge on top of NaNoWriMo 2014? Hmmmm…..

Also, following on from my last post, I’m going to be reading The Picture of Dorian Gray next. To be honest, I’ve been looking forward to reading this as much as I had looked forward to reading Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Here’s hoping it will be as good if not better.

Dorian Gray

Okidoke. I’m going to get on with the reading The Bottle Imp and hopefully start reading the above this time tomorrow.

Bye Bye

One book down. But which one should be next?

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Hello

My continued attempts to edit two stories side by side have not been as fruitful as I thought they would be. I have been continuing to edit them but I didn’t do it for every day of last week. Which, in my head, was the plan. But I have managed to write more pages of The End Solution. It’s moving long quite nicely but I’m still no closer to finding out what the ending is going to be. I am starting to think I may have to write all of my possible endings out on paper and decide which works best. I’ve also found that I will have to go back and add in a few chapters to cover some story points I have neglected. Do I do this now or in the editing stage? I think I’ll do it now. Or maybe not. I’ll come to this decision after some careful thought. Or whilst I’m on the toilet. Or playing Pro Evolution Soccer. Or staring at the wall. Whichever way this comes to me though, I hope it is soon.

Any who, on a different subject, I finished Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (http://www.play.com/Books/Books/6-/Search.html?searchstring=dr+jekyll&searchsource=2&searchfilters=s%7bdr+jekyll%7d%2bc%7b91%7d%2b) and it has become one of my favourite books of all time. The way Robert Louis Stevenson has weaved this story is unlike anything I’ve ever read. Maybe that’s my fault (there’s no maybe about it) but it’s a bold and striking style that captivates and keeps you hooked. Admittedly it can be a bit like hard work, some of the words he uses I’ve never heard of and the way I pronounce them in my head is most likely way off and the meanings will be as well, but if you are looking for a short, sharp and engaging read, I’d go for this one.

This finishing of the book malarkey has left me with a problem….what book do I read next?

At the end of my copy of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde there is another of his tales entitled The Bottle Imp. I only found out this was in with my copy halfway through reading it when I glanced at the back of the book cover. It is an apparently sinister story which will give me time to decide which of these books I’ll read next.

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If any of you fine people have read any of the above, feel free to give me your honest opinion about which ever it may be. Or some if not all of them.

Cheers

And so to the edit. Not forgetting the writing of course.

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Hello

I’ve started to edit the first chapters of two of my novels simultaneously. I’m liking how, as both stories are quite different, I’m not getting confused. Sometimes I think I’m going to focus more on one than the other or get parts of one story mixed up with another one.

The Searcher’s Want, which I started for NaNoWriMo 2012 and finished recently, starts off in the same fashion as The End Solution, my ongoing NaNoWriMo 2013 effort. I’ve found over these two and over my other stories short and long, finished and unfinished that I’ve written, start by putting the reader in the middle of the action. I have always preferred this when reading any story so it doesn’t surprise me that I have started my own stories this way. But I am pleasantly surprised I’m being consistent with my writing. Had to happen some time.

Both stories so far have started with the main character doing what he is chiefly known for. With the End Solution, the main character is about to and does remove the chemical from a potential threat to society. In The Searcher’s Want, he is searching for a demon and killing it. For me, putting the reader straight into the action is the best way to start. I like to be slowly fed the story. I also love reading a fast paced action scene. Writing them is a joy as well. All my long stories have many of these scenes in them but not too many. Well, so far anyway. I’ll probably remove some and add others when the edit gets into full swing. 

I’m going to post a draft of the first page or two of The Searchers Want on this blog and most if not all of the first chapter of The End Solution on http://www.critiquecircle.com/ sometime soon. Your comments and constructive feedback will be appreciated.

Along with this, so that I don’t get too settled into a routine, I’m continuing to write The End Solution. I wanted to write a page a day throughout January but a combination of laziness and doing other stuff meant I managed ten pages. Which isn’t too bad considering I’m editing as well. And so from this I ask….

Did you manage to get a lot of writing done in your January?

Good pie.

One chapter too long. But that is what edits are for right?

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Hello

I’ve continued to write the End Solution and to my huge grin, which turned to slight annoyance straight after, I realised that the chapter I had just finished was twice the size of all the other chapters in the story so far. I would potentially do this for the ending of a story but not just passed half way. I’ll have to get to stream lining that ten page monster (compared to all the other five page normal sized creatures) in the edit. Or maybe I should do it now. I’m not sure. What do you think?

That cold I mentioned last time still hasn’t completely gone away. And it will go away because I can’t be ill for what’s coming this Friday. I’m sure you are all aware and are either applauding me or frowning as if to pretend you don’t know, it’s TNA Impact Wrestling from the Manchester Arena. Me and my friend try and go every year and it has never disappointed. It will also be the day I break my self-imposed, no beer plan and get back on it. I just hope I don’t get so ratted I miss the event. I’m sure I won’t. Hopefully.

I’ve started to renew my relationship with one of the websites I used to frequent. Critique Circle has always been a valuable way for me to get good, solid feedback and to read other writer’s Fantasy and Sci-Fi stories. If you are not aware, the idea of the site is as follows:

  1. You read other peoples stories from any genre you like and critique them once you are done.
  2. The more in depth your critique is, the more credits you will receive.
  3. Once you have 3 credits, you can submit a story of your own.
  4. Other authors will then critique your story and your feedback has arrived!

I’ve read one fantasy story and now have enough credits to submit my own work. I’ll let you know how that goes in due course.

Right then. I’m off to read and write.

Bye Bye

Editing, Writing, A Cold, Oh My!

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Hello

Following on from my last post, I edited the first few pages of the first chapter of my vision-of-the-future story, The End Solution.

One of the pieces of helpful feedback I received from my last post was to try to picture the street that the start of the chapter takes place on. I walk up and down said street every day and have done so for the past ten months, so this should have been a no brainer and something I should’ve considered. Captain Hindsight, I know your pain. Anyway, I pictured it and made some changes and immediately thought it read a lot better. I’m a little bit biased (Surprised?) but it was easier and smoother to read compared to what was there before it. I closed my eyes to picture the street and it didn’t take long for me to write enough of a description to hopefully set the scene and put the reader in the story alongside the characters. Or floating above them or walking just behind them at least.

I also changed what I thought was needed to put the story out of the passive and into the active voice. Again the story was smoother to read and was a lot more gripping. Actually putting the reader into the action instead of telling them about it like it happened a few minutes ago. As in, if you had changed from your work shoes to your boots to go home before the end of work instead of at the end of it, you would have seen it. Anyway, all in all I’m happy with the progress I’ve made so I may post the edited version on here at some point.

I continued to write the rest of The End Solution after doing this and I reckon I’m about five to ten chapters from the end of it. Although, I don’t know which of three possible, up to now, endings I’m going to use. But, like with all the other long stories I’ve written, the ending will come to me all of a sudden and I won’t be able to stop writing. I do enjoy that part.

Right then, thank you for reading and I’m going to get back to it. Oh, and the cold part of the title refers to a cold I picked up, after a small bout of food poisoning, that slightly ruined my week. It’s gone now though. I’m beginning to think giving up beer for thirty days was a bad idea. My body seems to be telling me so.

Good Pie

Thanking you and moving forward.

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Hello all,

My last post concerned the first page of the novel I’ve started to write, and will pick up again soon until it’s finished, from NaNoWriMo 2013. I asked for constructive feedback and received it quickly and efficiently. It will always amaze me how in some cases complete strangers can be extremely helpful. In this and in life in general. Anyway…

I would like to thank, in no particular order, Quinne Darkover (awesome name) who sent me, in a separate attachment, in the margin feedback on my story sample. It was very helpful and when I go to edit my story I will refer to your comments thoroughly. Sean Cleary, who is always helpful with feedback and straight to the point which is what I prefer for this type of thing, Lori Fetters Lopez ( @fetterslopez ) who gave me a very good insight as per usual. She also mentioned about passive voice use which has shaped my edit massively. Always reliable. Prof Godel Fishbreath (another good name) who gave me some food for thought regarding my starting paragraph. And my good friend and new follower to this blog, Leigh Yeats ( http://iseethingstwice.wordpress.com/ ), who advised me well and showed me some good reference material and feedback regarding passive voice use. Thank you to you all.

So, from all of this I have gone over the page and made some adjustments. Most of them were making it read in the active voice and not the passive where applicable. I always seem to have trouble with this. I know what the difference is between active and passive voice but I always seem to forget about it at the crucial time. When I’m writing! It is very annoying but that’s why I asked for feedback. Otherwise I would be walking around thinking I had the voices in the bag.

Okidoke, I’m going to leave you now. Going to go and continue reading Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which is shaping up to be epic. I’ll be looking at my story again tomorrow so I’ll let you know how that goes. Hopefully I won’t go nuts and decide to change the whole thing. From what the feedback so far has told me, it’s pretty solid. And I agree.

Bye Bye

A small slice of my NaNoWriMo 2013 novel. Constructive feedback is most welcome.

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Hello

Today I’m going to share with you the first page of my 2/3 of the way finished novel for NaNoWriMo 2013, The End Solution. If you’d be so kind, could you read it and give me some constructive feedback. But before all of that, here’s a bit of a plot summary…

The government found out about the chemical, which flows through just about everyone and controls whether or not they commit a crime depending on how much of it is in their system, and how to extract it. A person who has had the chemical extracted will never commit another crime. This has led to them cleaning up the UK and making it virtually crime free. But, they rule with an iron fist and ‘remove’ anyone who talks about them in a negative way. After one of their experiments escapes and bites quiet and reserved office worker Bruce Avenly on the neck, they have achieved their ultimate dream. They have created a walking deterrent against crime. Bruce can extract the chemical when he wants by sucking it out of someone then and there. Bruce finds that everything about him ten times better and his confidence is through the roof. He is declared an outlaw after they first claim to want his help, then want him dead. Can Bruce find out the answers he needs before the chemical thirst takes over? Can he help free a scared UK out of a dictatorship? Or will he use his new found gifts to terrorize those he loves and everyone else?

Like the title says, your constructive feedback is welcome and if you have any questions, just ask. It has only been through a few edits but I’m looking for some initially reaction to it before I continue my edit. Cheers

‘

The End Solution by John Robert Sermon.

Most of the time he struggled to smell anything else but the chemical. Bruce Avenly has been walking around like this for the last four months and the only time he didn’t smell the chemical was when he passed out due to sleep deprivation.

His face had been plastered all over the government reports and country wide newspapers. There was page after page of glorious lies that they, from the looks of things, had spent a lot of time and money on to turn the country against him. I’m now some kind of monster to be feared? He thought. He stopped walking and moved to the inside of the pavement.

“The chemical is ripe in someone close by.” He said to himself. He lent against the wall of a pub he always used to walk past on his way home. He had never been in there or ever wanted to. But he did find himself missing the routine of walking past it ten times a week to and from work. It certainly beat being an outlaw, he reasoned. He shook off his latest sentimental moment and glanced around for who it might be. He remembered that the last one took a lot of effort and blood loss to completely extract the chemical from. Even then he wasn’t sure it would cure them completely as he never waited around long enough to find out.

“There you are.” He said not caring who could hear him. He looked across the road over four lanes of traffic, the farthest smelling yet he briefly contemplated, at a scrawny looking woman with thin, ravaged, dirty blond hair. She looked drawn and very frail. He took a deep breath and smelt the chemical that was coursing through her veins. It smelt like it always did. A rich tangy metallic smell with a hint of sweat and salt. He both loved and hated the it in equal measure. He casually walked to the nearest crossing and made his way over to her side of the road.

“I’ll get the money tonight mate. Don’t worry.” She said loudly down her phone. Bruce kept a good distance behind her and even if he had stayed on the other side of the road he could’ve clearly smelt her. The scent is always strongest in people who will or who have committed serious crimes. He was confident he could over power her as he always is in the prelude to extracting the chemical. It was the screaming and blood he had to worry about. She pocketed the phone and turned down an alleyway. One of many things Bruce loved about Manchester was how in most cases one alleyway led into another which will eventually lead you back to its centre or back to where you started. He had tried to explain this to a lot of people but they could only slightly understand what he was saying. He remembered mumbling a lot before he became what he is today. He did prefer some things about being human than being a chemical vampire but he hated a lot of things as well. His lack of confidence to say what he wanted to say or do what he wanted to do was something he did not miss at all.

He looked around to see where she was. He spotted her in the distance standing on a street corner. She was stepping from side to side and waiting for something. He knew what she was waiting for. She moved like every other prostitute he’d ever seen. But the chemical was so rich within her that she was more of a danger to her client’s life than the average prostitute was. A silver BMW drove passed and then slowly turned around. Bruce quickly walked up to the car as it pulled up next to her.

‘

Happy New Year and all that. Best get back to it then.

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Hello

Hope you all had an enjoyable new year’s eve. I spent mine with my girlfriend, my parents, sister, brother in law and my nephew. It was nice and chilled just how I like it really. I’m not a big fan of NYE and I only really like it when I’m spending it a house party/gathering or not at all. Does that make me a scrooge for NYE? There’s a story in that somewhere….

Anyway, after a month away from writing I must get back to it. I read a pledge the other day which went ‘I pledge to write one page per day in January.’ Sounds like a plan. Although I didn’t get any done yesterday and I won’t get any done today. I’ll have to plan how to catch up. It’s nanowrimo all over again. Or whatever the shortened version of it is.

A page a day will get me back into the swing of things. I reckon I’ll start by editing the first page of my nanowrimo 2013 (not completely but enough for now) and posting it on here. If u fancy a read, I’ll put a synopsis up with the excerpt soon.

Okidoke. Well, I’m going to start thinking, as my laptop isn’t with me and I’m off work so I’m trying not to do anything at all, of what I do after the editing is done.

Good pie

And the break continues…and a few pictures of what I did.

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Hello

Since last time I have still been keeping on with this break thing. I’ve had the last week off work which has meant I’ve had to focus even more on my writing break and not giving in to temptation. And this is how it went…

I spent Monday with my girlfriend, which was awesome and very relaxing. Having no work the next day was a refreshing change as one or both of us usually has to get up early the next morning.

Tuesday was the day I visited the famous, and largest in Europe, set of Christmas markets in Manchester. It does have a daft amount of stalls but I usually only end up buying some fudge and a huge rocky road muffin. I’ve not bought any fudge yet but I did buy a smartie chocolate muffin the size of my head which was gone in no time. I managed to buy a Christmas jumper and a present for my nephew as well. Then, in the evening, I did nothing at all. It was lovely.

Wednesday had me going to see my friend and her new baby. It was good to catch up as I’d not seen her in a long time. Afterwards I  went home and did naff all. Although this didn’t stop me from coming up with another idea for the twist in the story I told you about in my last post. It was something that had been playing on my mind since I finished writing story a few years ago. I knew I needed to make sure the twist was clearly explained and had a reason behind it. As long as I can do that, which I think I’m close to doing, I’ll be happy. Then I’ll probably discover that something doesn’t make sense and start all over again. I mentioned the story in a few posts previously and posted some rough drafts of the first chapter. Its called The Town of the Mountain. And then there was…

Thursday which saw me going to watch West Side Story at the Palace Theatre in Manchester with my girlfriend. I’ve wanted to see a big show at the theatre for years and she made that want happen by getting us tickets for a birthday present for me back in June. I wanted to see a show that was established and up to a high standard. The show was everything I hoped it would be and I enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks again Michelle.

Now on to Friday when I went to Leeds with a few friends to celebrate another friends birthday. We started drinking on the train there and polished off a fair amount of alcohol before we eventually went out in Leeds in our Christmas Jumpers. That night rolled on nicely as wearing those jumpers got us and everyone around into the Christmas spirit. The Saturday consisted of more alcohol and pizza followed by another night out. Out of the two nights, I preferred the Christmas Jumper one. The reason being I got chucked out of a bar on the Saturday night for something I didn’t do. Some bint accused me of pushing her off a chair. And managed to mistake me, a six foot, bearded man with short brown hair, with a five foot nothing bloke with long blond hair and no beard. How could this happen you may ask? Because we were both wearing black tops. She knew the manager so I got shown the exit. Even the bouncer said it wasn’t me. I could explain more but I may start to ramble and become more angry and go round trying to push more people over. So here are a few pictures instead.

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This is me being proud of my Christmas jumper. Just before we went out.

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This is me and a few mates. Not sure what we’re doing to be honest.

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By this point we were all fairly drunk and one of us had gone missing. It turned out he’d just gone home.

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More drunk now.

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This one was from Saturday night. I didn’t get many good pictures but this is us trying to do Gareth Bale’s heart celebration thing he does when he scores. Only a few of us managed to master it. Dan at the front, who’s birthday weekend it was, hand’s seem to have fallen apart when he tried it.

Well, that’s all from me. Hope you enjoyed a small slice of my life. Good luck as always with your writing and see you soon.

Cheers