Yesterday was the Kissing Day Blogfest, hosted by Sherrinda at A Writer Wannabe. Over 90 writers posted kissing scenes on their blogs and it was a wonderfully swoon-worthy day hopping from blog to blog and reading the amazing variety of kissing scenes that all these writers have crafted.
One of the bloggers who participated, Frankie at Frankie Writes enjoyed the day so much that she's come up with another awesome blogfest for writers. It's the No-Kissing Day Blogfest wherein writers are invited to post to their blogs their best almost-kiss - the longing and tension of the oh-so-close-but-not-quite kiss. If you're a writer, jump on over to her blog and sign yourself up! It will be held on January 2, 2010.
Of course I've already added my name to the list and I'm totally looking forward to it. I'll be in Connecticut on Jan 2nd participating in my MFA residency, but I'll still find something and post it, and spend the evening eagerly reading everyone else's post for the day.
I still haven't read all the blogs from yesterday, so I'm off to do that now. More kissing fun on the blogosphere!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Kissing Day Blogfest
So a writer friend of mine started this fun little exercise on her blog, A Writer Wannabe, wherein in honor of the Christmas tradition of kissing under the mistletoe she invited writers to post to their blog a kissing scene from a current WIP. Of course I wanted to participate!
You can read my kissing scene here, but if you go to her site you'll find links to dozens of other writing bloggers who have posted their kissing scenes as well. I think today will prove to be a lovely day full of sweetness and passion, and I can't wait to read everyone else's scenes!
So without further ado, here is my scene. To set it up, it is actually a first kiss scene between the hero and heroine in the first novel of a 3-novel series which remains untitled. The genre is paranormal romance. I know, not much of a setup, but there you go.
Shadow moved quietly around the couch to sit on the edge of the coffee table where he watched Holly sleep. Her breathing was even and peaceful. Her eyes moved back and forth beneath her lids, the long black lashes brushing her cheeks. He liked that she didn’t wear makeup, and he liked the novelty that she was completely clear of any body art. She was pristine, and it made him want to explore every inch of her clear, naked skin. He imagined it was as smooth as it was pure.
He could feel his own skin on fire as he watched her. The urge to touch her was overwhelming. She stirred in her sleep, her lips parted and he thought he heard her murmur his name. He was drawn to her mouth, amazed by what he thought he’d heard. Just one kiss won’t hurt, he thought, and leaned in brushing his lips lightly over hers. He shivered and groaned, torn, then kissed her again, barely tracing her lips with his tongue. He had expected her to taste spicy like her personality, but she tasted sweet instead, and it made him dizzy.
His heart pounded and his mouth was dry, and he knew he should walk away. Kissing her, especially while she was sleeping, was only going to complicate things. He’d feel guilty for taking advantage of her and he’d never be able to look her in the eye. But he just couldn’t stop himself. He gently kissed the corners of her mouth, then took her lips with his in a full kiss. And this time, she kissed him back.
Well, hope you enjoyed it! Now go check out Sherrinda's blog and all the other links to kissing scenes. It should prove to be a very fun day!
You can read my kissing scene here, but if you go to her site you'll find links to dozens of other writing bloggers who have posted their kissing scenes as well. I think today will prove to be a lovely day full of sweetness and passion, and I can't wait to read everyone else's scenes!
So without further ado, here is my scene. To set it up, it is actually a first kiss scene between the hero and heroine in the first novel of a 3-novel series which remains untitled. The genre is paranormal romance. I know, not much of a setup, but there you go.
Shadow moved quietly around the couch to sit on the edge of the coffee table where he watched Holly sleep. Her breathing was even and peaceful. Her eyes moved back and forth beneath her lids, the long black lashes brushing her cheeks. He liked that she didn’t wear makeup, and he liked the novelty that she was completely clear of any body art. She was pristine, and it made him want to explore every inch of her clear, naked skin. He imagined it was as smooth as it was pure.
He could feel his own skin on fire as he watched her. The urge to touch her was overwhelming. She stirred in her sleep, her lips parted and he thought he heard her murmur his name. He was drawn to her mouth, amazed by what he thought he’d heard. Just one kiss won’t hurt, he thought, and leaned in brushing his lips lightly over hers. He shivered and groaned, torn, then kissed her again, barely tracing her lips with his tongue. He had expected her to taste spicy like her personality, but she tasted sweet instead, and it made him dizzy.
His heart pounded and his mouth was dry, and he knew he should walk away. Kissing her, especially while she was sleeping, was only going to complicate things. He’d feel guilty for taking advantage of her and he’d never be able to look her in the eye. But he just couldn’t stop himself. He gently kissed the corners of her mouth, then took her lips with his in a full kiss. And this time, she kissed him back.
Well, hope you enjoyed it! Now go check out Sherrinda's blog and all the other links to kissing scenes. It should prove to be a very fun day!
Monday, December 14, 2009
One Down, Three to Go
I finished my first semester of MFA study! Yay me!
A huge weight is off my shoulders both because this semester is finished and I have a holiday break now, but also because I'm one quarter of the way through my MFA degree.
Not knowing what to expect going into the program I was overwhelmed and slightly intimidated, but even though it was tons of work...buried under a mountain of reading and writing reader responses for each and every novel and screenplay...I feel appropriately educated, like my academic collection meter has gone up a satisfying notch.
So what did I accomplish over the semester? I decided that my thesis will be a screenplay and I wrote both a detailed outline and a first draft of the first act. I'm happy with the story even though my mentor has a slightly different vision for it. We'll probably have an uncomfortable, maybe awkward, discussion about that at the upcoming residency.
I read (mostly) 19 books and something like 15 screenplays (while also watching the movies), and wrote responses for each of them, plus critiqued written submissions from all the other students.
In addition during the month of November I participated in NaNoWriMo and wrote 50000 words in 30 days on the second novel in a 3-novel romance series I'm working on.
Now that the semester is over, I don't know what to do with myself. Other than finishing the NaNoWriMo novel it feels weird not to be facing ridiculous academic deadlines.
Our next residency starts Dec 28, so I'm sure after that I'll go right back to the overwhelming pressure. I'll be working on my screenplay, finishing a complete draft, but I'll also work on the professional writing aspect of the degree where I've chosen to focus on grant writing. I think that'll be pretty interesting.
And when I'm finished with the second semester I'll be half done with the degree!
In the meantime I'm going to try to enjoy the holiday. Tomorrow is Christmas shopping. Not so much fun, but if we can get it done in one day I'll be happy. It's going to be budget holiday at our house since the checkbook is seriously anorexic this year. But we always find ways to have fun no matter what, so it should be a great holiday anyway.
Hope you're all looking forward to a moderately relaxing holiday!
A huge weight is off my shoulders both because this semester is finished and I have a holiday break now, but also because I'm one quarter of the way through my MFA degree.
Not knowing what to expect going into the program I was overwhelmed and slightly intimidated, but even though it was tons of work...buried under a mountain of reading and writing reader responses for each and every novel and screenplay...I feel appropriately educated, like my academic collection meter has gone up a satisfying notch.
So what did I accomplish over the semester? I decided that my thesis will be a screenplay and I wrote both a detailed outline and a first draft of the first act. I'm happy with the story even though my mentor has a slightly different vision for it. We'll probably have an uncomfortable, maybe awkward, discussion about that at the upcoming residency.
I read (mostly) 19 books and something like 15 screenplays (while also watching the movies), and wrote responses for each of them, plus critiqued written submissions from all the other students.
In addition during the month of November I participated in NaNoWriMo and wrote 50000 words in 30 days on the second novel in a 3-novel romance series I'm working on.
Now that the semester is over, I don't know what to do with myself. Other than finishing the NaNoWriMo novel it feels weird not to be facing ridiculous academic deadlines.
Our next residency starts Dec 28, so I'm sure after that I'll go right back to the overwhelming pressure. I'll be working on my screenplay, finishing a complete draft, but I'll also work on the professional writing aspect of the degree where I've chosen to focus on grant writing. I think that'll be pretty interesting.
And when I'm finished with the second semester I'll be half done with the degree!
In the meantime I'm going to try to enjoy the holiday. Tomorrow is Christmas shopping. Not so much fun, but if we can get it done in one day I'll be happy. It's going to be budget holiday at our house since the checkbook is seriously anorexic this year. But we always find ways to have fun no matter what, so it should be a great holiday anyway.
Hope you're all looking forward to a moderately relaxing holiday!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Renaissance Feast 2009
I belong to a local chamber chorale and our Christmas concert every year is a Renaissance Feast which is hosted at a local hotel. Guests are treated to a meal in a Renaissance-decorated hall as well as a 3-hour program which includes skits, music, and dancing. Of course all of us in the chorale are in period-appropriate costumes, and our stage is set up to resemble a manor hall where we feast along with our guests.
This is my second year as a member of the chorale and I just love the Renaissance concert. The music is festive, the audience is always so receptive, and it's a chance for all of us in the chorale to mix and mingle and have fun together.
This is my second year as a member of the chorale and I just love the Renaissance concert. The music is festive, the audience is always so receptive, and it's a chance for all of us in the chorale to mix and mingle and have fun together.
Our performances were December 3rd, 4th, and 5th and because we changed the script this year, it was a new experience for all of us, and I think much more successful than last year. But now it's time to put the costume away (and since I'm not in the last bit photogenic I'm not going to post a picture of myself in costume) .
Christmastide feasting and concert is over for one more year, we must await next year to enjoy the revelry yet again.
Wassail! Drink hail!
Monday, November 30, 2009
NaNoWriMo Winner
So, for some reason I thought it would be an awesome idea to participate in NaNoWriMo despite the fact that my plate was already full to overflowing with a full MFA course load, a full time job, and a family who likes attention now and then. But hey, what the heck, who needs sanity anyway? So I plunged into the NaNoWriMo experience. Thankfully I had a strong concept of my story. I had plotted it out in broad terms and knew where I wanted it to go. Of course, along the way it veered away from where I thought it should go a couple of times, but I managed to rein it in and get back on course. And today, on the very last possible day, I crossed the NaNoWriMo 50000 word finish line and "won" - Yay me!
Of course the novel isn't finished yet, but now I can slow down to slightly less than breakneck pace, perhaps 1000 words per day?, and finish it with a little more leisure.
I definitely recommend the NaNoWriMo experience to any and all writers. It's complete and utter insanity, but it's also incredibly invigorating and inspiring as a writer. For 30 days you commune and commiserate with a community of writers who all have a common purpose: to write 50000 words in a month. It's heady stuff; frustrating and fun. I fully intend to do it again next year. If nothing else, it will boost your confidence that you can get that many words on the page - it forces you to write instead of stare at the blankness.
So there you go. I won. Hooray! Has anyone else done NaNo? What was your experience?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A Word about POV
Trying to decide what point of view to use when writing can be tricky. Your choice can depend on a lot of different factors, and even then you can get partway through a manuscript and realize you made the wrong choice. I made that mistake myself when I started my first novel. I began with first person and then realized I needed to get into the other characters' heads too, so had to go back and rewrite 25000 words from a third person POV. It was an interesting challenge.
Now I'm working on my second novel, the second in a series of three, and I'm very happy with the third person POV. It works well in this case.
I bring up the whole issue of POV because I just read a novel written in first person plural POV, The Virgin Suicides, by Jeffrey Eugenides. I've got to applaud him for taking the risk, especially since it was his debut novel, and obviously it paid off for him because the novel is well respected and it was made into a movie. However, for me, I'm not so sure it was effective. In fact, because of the anonymity of the narrators (a nebulously vague group of neighborhood boys) and the distance the POV puts between the reader and the suicide victims, I found that the POV specifically made me less engaged in the story. Because I couldn't identify with only one narrator or any of the suicide victims, there was nothing to identify with and as I writer I would think it your first concern would be to engage your reader and keep them engaged.
My guess is that the novel did so well because of two factors (and if you plan to read it but haven't, you might want to stop here): first the uniqueness of the POV, but secondly the morbid curiosity factor with regard to the suicides. Eugenides draws the reader in with one suicide immediately, appealing to the lookie-loo in all of us and then promises more gruesomeness but doesn't deliver until the very end of the book when the rest of the girls kill themselves all at once, in kind of an anticlimax. Everything in between is musings, meanderings, flashbacks...it felt like filler to me - philosophical and moderately interesting - but still filler.
So I'm basically on the fence about this novel. As a writer it was an interesting lesson in POV, but as a reader it really wasn't all that satisfying. I think I'll stick to writing in either first or third person (singular!) POV.
What kinds of experiences and/or preferences do you have when it comes to POV?
Now I'm working on my second novel, the second in a series of three, and I'm very happy with the third person POV. It works well in this case.
I bring up the whole issue of POV because I just read a novel written in first person plural POV, The Virgin Suicides, by Jeffrey Eugenides. I've got to applaud him for taking the risk, especially since it was his debut novel, and obviously it paid off for him because the novel is well respected and it was made into a movie. However, for me, I'm not so sure it was effective. In fact, because of the anonymity of the narrators (a nebulously vague group of neighborhood boys) and the distance the POV puts between the reader and the suicide victims, I found that the POV specifically made me less engaged in the story. Because I couldn't identify with only one narrator or any of the suicide victims, there was nothing to identify with and as I writer I would think it your first concern would be to engage your reader and keep them engaged.
My guess is that the novel did so well because of two factors (and if you plan to read it but haven't, you might want to stop here): first the uniqueness of the POV, but secondly the morbid curiosity factor with regard to the suicides. Eugenides draws the reader in with one suicide immediately, appealing to the lookie-loo in all of us and then promises more gruesomeness but doesn't deliver until the very end of the book when the rest of the girls kill themselves all at once, in kind of an anticlimax. Everything in between is musings, meanderings, flashbacks...it felt like filler to me - philosophical and moderately interesting - but still filler.
So I'm basically on the fence about this novel. As a writer it was an interesting lesson in POV, but as a reader it really wasn't all that satisfying. I think I'll stick to writing in either first or third person (singular!) POV.
What kinds of experiences and/or preferences do you have when it comes to POV?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Progress and New Focus
Well, I'm halfway through National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and I'm keeping up with the word count and I think the plot is still holding together, so that's a really good thing. I read posts on Twitter #nanowrimo about people who's plots are falling apart and they're just writing random scenes to make word count. I really want to complete a coherent story, and so far I haven't had too many hand-wringing moments when I wasn't sure where the story was headed.
I also managed to start writing the first draft of my screenplay (which is my MFA thesis). I'm about halfway through the first act. So far it seems to be pretty solid, considering I'm learning format as I go. We'll see how the first draft turns out.
I also presented my paper at the Women's Studies conference and it went quite well. I was very pleased.
I obviously need to find a focus for this blog. Just updating the writing projects I'm working on is not very interesting, nor is it purposeful. I think I'll spend some time considering what I want the goal of this blog to be and then revamp it some.
Anyone have any suggestions? What you'd like to see? What has worked on other blogs? Something you haven't seen in the blog world but would like to?
I also managed to start writing the first draft of my screenplay (which is my MFA thesis). I'm about halfway through the first act. So far it seems to be pretty solid, considering I'm learning format as I go. We'll see how the first draft turns out.
I also presented my paper at the Women's Studies conference and it went quite well. I was very pleased.
I obviously need to find a focus for this blog. Just updating the writing projects I'm working on is not very interesting, nor is it purposeful. I think I'll spend some time considering what I want the goal of this blog to be and then revamp it some.
Anyone have any suggestions? What you'd like to see? What has worked on other blogs? Something you haven't seen in the blog world but would like to?
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