Friday, July 29, 2011

Book 1: 70 pages, retyped...phew!

Took those 70 pages and retyped them, that was enough to wear me out. The best part was that I had the chance to rework a few things, edit out a whole bunch of stuff that I was hesitant with and take what I wanted in a different direction. Yay!

Replaced a older section with a new one, yet similar and got to re work it. But i once I do the written edits, i can continue adding the other parts.

See, the bad thing (or maybe it was bad), was that over the years, I wrote parts. I thought, "Oh, well, i just piece them together." the only bad thing is to now having to piece them after 15, 10, 5, years or so. So stuff will have to be re-worked.

I think the best part is that all my characters are on board to get this done.  - sounds crazy I know.  :)

Let the fun begin!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

And Book 1 begins

And a great thing has happened - (back story first) about oh, 5 years ago, I lost a file. And it was the file to the early version of the beginning of Book one in a series I am slowly writing. So for me, as an artist, it was as if someone stole my child from me - or I assume so. I was frantic, I flipped out and went crazy and feel into a depression for a year or so.

Luckily for me, I am still old fashion and need to print out my pages to edit (I cannot do editing on the screen, my eyes get tired after a while). So I had everything on paper...but came the daunting task of re-writing at least 70 pages of information, and I just stopped.

My husband has realized that the wooden chest in the bedroom is filled with written notes, research and stuff to be edited. I thought I told him I wrote; he just knew I did photography and painting. He has no idea what the series is about (since English is his 3rd or 4th language and he is not from a European background so abstract concepts, Western European folklore and American myths are a little hard for him to comprehend. To him it makes no sense.) BUT it has not deterred him to help me the best way he can. He has been an inspiration for me to complete my first book.

We laid in "bed" (or the make shift Shiki mattress (oh i dream of having one!) since he sleeps like they do in Japan) and he wanted to know my goals. It felt silly telling him - someone like him who is very scientific - that I hope to publish my first book in a year or two. To go back for my Masters in Photography and if I could find a way to spend everyday doing my art and make a living from it, I would be the happiest person in the world.

So he introduced me to that free printing service online (Vistaprint? - I have so much going on, I do not remember what comes in my mail anymore), and I took advantage to make 100 free note cards with the tagline of my book, like the cards you would pick up from an aspiring author's table at a writing or themed genre convention. I got it in the mail Friday, and to see something printed with my plot line...made me cry.

"I can do this Alizza!" I said to my husband. "The world and people in my head that I have worked on for over 15 years, I can give them life."

He just smiled and kissed my hand.

So starting at the beginning, means taking those 70 or so pages and retyping them. And you know what, I am happy I did because I was NOT entirely satisfied with the beginning I had written back then. This is a good new start. So far I have about 20 pages left to get through before I can continue on with the first book.

Now I just need the balls to share my work with someone for a sound critique.....oh, such a scary thought.







Friday, July 8, 2011

Testing

Testing

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