Writing a Story/Manuscript/Book

You know, I have wanted to write a stories and or a book for a long time. And I know I have written here a few times about this. After talking with a few people(authors), and reading, I have a little bit more knowledge, or should I say idea about how to go about it. Oh, don't get me wrong, I have so much to learn. I know it isn't perfection, but I am going to stumble through this and try to finish one creative process.

I understand now that you don't just sit down and start writing. That you have to learn each of your characters beyond that sentence that you meet them in the story. And everything from their names to the place and time they were born is important.

So I have started my story, and now I have started writing about my characters. So in a sense you have to have a story for each one. I see what Stephenie Meyer means when she says her characters won't shut up. I have to say that I would rather my characters be shouting than sitting there telling me nothing at all.

I have wondered why my dreams are about people I have never met. I mentioned this to my counselor, I told him sometimes I closed my eyes and it is like "Show Time". All of these people or characters that I have never met start doing things that I don't even understand. He said maybe I should write it all down. Well that would be great, but I very seldom remember it well enough to make sense of it.

I began to read that this is what writers do. They dream about stuff and grab a pencil to write down their thoughts before they lose them. My friend, Diane Chamberlain, said to keep a pen and paper beside the bed and when I wake up to jot it all down. I am going to have to be more diligent at it.Who knows what I will find.

I was listening to a taped radio show where Diane was interviewed. The interviewer asked her if she had any advice to new writers that were trying to get published. Her advice was to take some classes. Especially in composition. She explained that she had read some very good story ideas that were poorly written. It was sad that these very creative people would not get published because they lacked the knowledge of basic writing.

Knowing that I lack skills and knowledge in that area, I am going to enroll in a class this fall. I also need to build my vocabulary. I have been blind about my skills in vocabulary. Now that I am working with 7th and 8th graders I can see how important it is to learn this. I am surprised at times when they ask me about a word that they don't know. I hope that they can see why every class has you do vocabulary. Every class from math to home economics presents a new set of vocabulary words.

I may never write a novel that the whole world will see and buy, but maybe I can put words down on paper to satisfy my need to write. And like Stephenie Meyer wrote when explaining how Twilight was born, it was never meant to be for anyone but me, I will be happy to have a finished piece with a beginning, middle and end. It will be completely finished and it will belong to me. If I decide to share it with anyone else, well I hope they will say " Wow, that was very good and well written".

Note: I came back to edit this today and you know, I was having trouble keeping my eyes open last night and in fact fell asleep a few times while writing it down.

E-Readers

I suppose you have probably heard of those little computer like books. Sort of like an I-Pad except that it isn't. It isn't really a book. It is actually a reader...An E-Reader.

I was at the doctor's office this week, and I witnessed a woman with a device in her hand that looked to be the size of half a sheet of paper. So being the bold and chatty person I have become, I asked her if it was an I-Pad. That is when I got my first look at the e-reader. I couldn't believe how really awesome it was. You can carry your entire library around in your purse. She got so excited telling me about it. I am putting that on my Birthday/Christmas wish list right now. If they hear it enough, maybe they will take a hint.

I got a touch phone around Christmas. And I really wanted a laptop, so I just put the Internet on my phone. So I sit in my chair and surf the net while watching tv. My husband just shakes his head. For Mother's Day I got a laptop from my children. Now I sit in my chair and play on my laptop, Twitter on my phone and watch tv. I am really driving my husband crazy now. But that is my job after all. Isn't it always our jobs to drive men crazy. I have a theory about that. I will have to make a separate post about that. In fact, I can't believe I haven't already. Well maybe I have, better look before I start blabbing about it. 

May 14

Just thought that I would ramble a little this evening. We are getting to ready to go and see my newest, dearest and closest friend Russel Crowe in "Robin Hood". He is my new friend on Twitter, so I know we are going to be close. LoL..You wish that you could just introduce your self and say "Hi". But I know that isn't going to happen and the fact that you answer them and ask them questions like they are listening, well I guess that makes you a stalker. The internet surely has made stalking easier.LOL

I really enjoyed Kevin Costner as Robin Hood, but I imagine that Russel is going to make Robin a bit more to the actual Robin Hood. Would it not be cool to get to play dress up and Robin Hood like we did when we were kids. Have kids forgotten how to play? Remember when we were kids and we would act out these movies. I know that some of my grandkids do, however, most kids don't seem interested. Maybe the ones that do are going to be actors. I could live with that. Anything to get to the red carpet. To glam out for one night. Heck Tamara said that she might get an audition over at the Yellow Rose Theater and I am begging her to let me audition to....

Only 7 more school days...I am sad about that. My 8th graders are getting ready to move on to the high school..I will miss them. Maybe next year I will have to sub over there for a day or two...Now that I have two 8th grade classes that have moved on I will have a chance to see some of my students. Wow I didn't know I would love teaching so much.

Moving on, I got laptop for Mother's Day. My wonderful kids did that for me. Now I haven't got any more excuses for not writing my book. So I have to get busy now. I am going to take a creative writing class at the vo-tech. Well, I will probably take a composition class and a writing class. So that these thoughts I have can be written down in a way that people can actually read and understand.

If my daughter in-law can go to school with all those kids, surely I can take two classes.
Do you think that I can take them online? I will look that up.

Well I am going to try and enjoy the rain and stay dry. There is surely a lot I can do inside if I want to work.