Tag: NaNoWriMo

Writing Action Scenes

On By UncannyDerekIn The Distomos2 Comments

Is it just me, or is writing action scenes hard?

I’ve been writing a ton of them lately. While I do not find them hard to actually create, it’s the “actually writing them down” that has proven difficult. I’ve found when writing my action scenes, I tend to write faster and write ahead of myself. It’s as if the action is literally caught up in my fingers and having a duel with the keyboard.

The novel I’m writing, for the most part, is pretty action packed in the last third of the novel. In fact, every scene until the last two have some sort of intense action scene planned in it.

I wrote three different scenes today and all three were filled with a ton of action. While writing them however, I found that I was skipping words in sentences or actions all together! (Ie. Instead of “The man ran an punched a guy in the face,” I’d write, “The man punched him.”) I was so rilled up to get to the next action moment I’d just skip over details! It was both ridiculous and hilarious!

That being said, once I caught on, I did my best to pace myself properly.

Ah, the problems with writing.

Writing Quarrels

On By UncannyDerekIn The Distomos9 Comments

I love writing. I really, really do enjoy it. I get a kick out of putting each word down on paper or a computer screen. To me, there’s nothing more satisfying than writing – and even more so if it’s something enjoyable.

However. . .

Writing my novel is one helluva fun experience. I really get to create my own worlds, people, societies, technology, politics, history, religion, and the like. I can do whatever I want, and it’s great.

When it comes to writing a novel though, you have to create ideas (surprise!). Sometimes though, a really good idea – and I mean REALLY good idea – springs up and becomes something which can add a lot of depth, excitement, and mystery in the novel.

In my last post I mentioned about being well-over the halfway point in my novel. While I’m still plugging away at it, last night I came up with an idea which really got me excited. It just came to me! I thought to myself, “Wow! That would be an awesome thing to have in my story!”

The catch is though, I’m well-over the point where I can casually add things in (such as a man checking the clock on the wall which is just assumed to be there). Adding this “idea” in would require some back story as it would feel out of place suddenly being placed where it would be.

Today, I began to brainstorm how I could incorporate the idea into my novel. Yes, it was that good of an idea.

Fortunately, I do have some moments in my story where I can go back and plug in the necessary plot points to make the “idea” come into fruition later and make it have a natural flow.

Now I know I’m not the only writer to do this. It’s certainly a pain in the butt to go back and edit pages of story which only delays the actual progress of finishing the story. But some things are worth the extra work, and I know this “idea” will pay off in the end.

To conclude: adding key events in your story before it’s even finished a lot of work.

Trooper

But damn, it’s fun.

Until next time, my friends!

Still In it to Win It!

On By UncannyDerekIn The DistomosLeave a comment

It’s been awhile, eh?

Don’t worry! I’m still writing! I’m well-over halfway done my science-fiction novel!

Where have I been? As I’ve mentioned before, I work a full-time – but seasonal – job, so between March & July, I hardly have time to buy groceries, let alone sit down and write for few hours. So yes, the story had been put on pause until just recently.

Since I left you last, I’ve added another 30,000 words to the story starting from July. I have another 30,000 words or so to write until I’m fully done, then major edits and what-not. Either way, I AM writing and this novel WILL be done by the end of 2013.

In the meantime, I’ve also been listening to a TON of new music. 2013 has overwhelmed me with great lyrical and thematic inspiration. However, I’ve been listening to a lot of science-fiction themed albums. Ayreon’s 01011001 and Star One’s Victims of the Modern Age play on a constant state of replay while I write. And lots of tea, of course.

Also!

This is my work station. I have lots of notes and tea on standby while I write. Ain’t that something?

I even have a name picked out for the book already, but we’ll get to that in a later post.

Until next time, folks!

Thirty Day Challenge – FINISHED – Ghost

On By UncannyDerekIn Writing1 Comment

FINISHED!

After (a little more than) thirty days, I’m finally finished! It’s both a relieving and bittersweet moment. I am glad to be finished so I can focus on other things for the time being – but I really want to work on my story still!

Having thirty day challenges are funny in some ways. You really do remember each day well. Within this month alone, I not only wrote and worked a lot, I moved, I made new friends, expanded my artistry, and most importantly, grew a lot more as a person. (I think we’ll always be growing as people, but that’s besides the point).

As for writing, today was mostly touching up little parts here and there. It was not anything too fancy, but it was enough for me to be satisfied.

What I’ll probably be doing in the next few days is take some needed time off from the story, but also give away a bit of what the story is about in more detail. I realized I haven’t really told many people what its about.

I suppose you deserve to have at least SOME idea.

To top it off, I remember saying how I was going to post pictures of my progress, or of notes, or of drawings. I haven’t done any of that.

I guess I’ll have to show you all soon!

Ghost

To finish off the final day, I went to Devin Townsend’s “Ghost.” It’s one of the prettiest albums I own. “Devin Townsend two days in a row?” I know, but the album has some amazing songs on there which are very sentimental for me. Not to mention it was very heart-warming to listen to while writing.

Thank you for following me on this thirty-day journey!

Until my next time, friends.