there once was a girl who had a dream of telling stories to the world, here lies the chronicles of her treacherous journey battling the monsters of procrastination and self-critiquing, sailing through stormy writer's block and following the magical muses-- all in hopes of reaching the shores of literary nirvana...
" Speak, Memory- of the cunning hero, the wanderer, blown off course time and again, after he plundered Troy's sacred heights."
- Odyssey 1
So it's ironic that my blog is chronicling my odyssey of writing stories, novels and poems on the road to publication, and in my honors class, I'm actually reading the book I took the name from. But I'm super excited, because I love love Greek mythology, always have. That's why I loved reading the Greek myth anthologies (and comparing them to the copycat Romans lol), Magic Tree House series, watching any Wishbone episodes of the Odyssey, King Midas etc and of course, the Percy Jackson series.
What's interesting is that the paper I have to write is not simply writing about an element in the Odyssey, but actually writing an argument about it. I can only use the textual evidence to support my thesis and write a 5-7 page paper. This is due in more or less 2 weeks. Yeah, and I haven't started.
Well, I've at least narrowed down the 2 prompts I'm interested in, but I can't seem to figure out which one would be worth pursuing, or which one would be easier to defend.I'm stuck between arguing the significance of women in the Odyssey or the significance of gods.
I'm also worried about plagiarism, which is a huge no-no, especially in college. But I can't help that my basic ideas seem to agree with what Sparknotes has, so what am i supposed to do??
I need owl-eyed Athena to guide me through this haha. I love the symbolism in Greek mythology, but come on, how many times do they have to repeat "owl-eyed" or "grey-eyed" Athena? It loses its specialness after a while...
I guess I've just always enjoyed the Odyssey as a story and never thought about it analytically. Greek myths are usually pretty obvious in their meanings, because they're meant to explain natural occurrences in our world that the Greeks couldn't explain. Sometimes I think authors don't really plan out any deeper meanings or motifs and all that stuff. They just tell the story the way it's supposed to be told and readers find all these underlying coincidences and such.
But you have to admit, the Odysseus is an amazing piece of literature. It has probably the only fictionalized couple that I actually cared about- Odysseus and Penelope. I really feel sad thinking about how long they were apart from each other, how she remained loyal to him, and how happy he was to see his family again. There's real hardship and suffering, which creates real emotions. Unlike a certain group of sparkling vampires we all now:)
Anyways, I will be plunging through the Odyssey at full speed to write this paper, but I have not forgotten my other mission-to prepare my novel for NaNoWriMo in November. It sounds far away, but I know it'll be just around the corner, teasing me to keep my pact. As long as I have the right tools and preparation, it should be smooth sailing for me.
Unless Poseidon decides to take his anger out on me along the way....
"Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.
- Steve Prefontaine
pic copyright munfitnessblog.com
so i signed up for NaNoWriMo 2009 for the first time ever. Basically this means I am attempting to write an entire novel from Nov 1- Nov 30. I doubt I will be able to finish the 50,000 word count, but I think just being in the whole project alone will be an awesome experience and hopefully the right motivator to finish my novel. I know you can't start writing until midnight on November 1st, but there aren't any rules on outlining and plotting ahead of time right? because that's what takes me time. If I can have a decent outline and know where I'm going with my story, I think I'll have a much much easier time just writing away. It's sort of like a marathon, getting all hyped up and in shape. Some of my secrets are changing fonts, writing centered and in places other than my room(or dorm room.)maybe I'll set up shop in the cliche Starbucks downstairs. I'll need fuel:) There's something strange about writing for quantity and not quality. Normally, I would feel like it's a waste of time, but in a way, writing crap really helps me unblock and write better. Plus I think it's really cool that I'll be on a website where millions of other people are writing novels and have the potential to have their book published! I don't know how anyone can write a book in a month and get an agent or publishing house interested. I guess they have to do rewrites and then they send up queries. I already have a list of agencies and publishing houses I want to submit to and I don't even have anything finished-very lame. First rule of publishing is write the book first! So I'm hoping NaNoWriMo helps me do just that. I don't really want to make a schedule for myself, but my goal is to write every day.You even get pep talks sent to keep up the motivation from published authors like Meg Cabot(!), Phillip Pullman, and Katherine Paterson-I love that!I think it would so awesome to be a winner, even though there's no prize as the website says. So I encourage anyone to sign up for this crazy adventure with me at nanowrimo.org.Let me know if you do!Oh and I'll leave you with a Meg Cabot NaNoWriMo pep talk that perfectly address the dilemma in my last post:)
Dear NaNoWriMo Author,
I know what you're doing. You're thinking about cheating, aren't you?
Ha! Caught you!
Come on. One cheater knows another. You think I've never been there?
Maybe for some of you it's not too late: you haven't crossed the line...maybe you're just entertaining the idea of abandoning the story you're currently working on.
Maybe you're just thinking of taking a break to jot down a few notes about the story you just thought of; that ultra-fresh, totally cool, sure-to-be-a-bestseller you dreamed up the other morning while you were supposed to be figuring out where you took the wrong turn on your work-in-progress.
But I'm here to let you know: That's how it starts. The next thing you know, you're doing character sketches. Then a little dialogue. Then whole scenes.
And then you're through. You've given up on your work-in-progress entirely, and the next thing you know, you've started working full-time on this new story you thought up.
I know only too well what comes next. The excuses. The rationalization: "So what? So I switched stories. I've still got a work-in-progress. It's just not my original work-in-progress. So I'm a little behind in my word count. I'm still writing, right?"
Sure, it seems innocent enough. But the problem with doing this is that of course the new story always seems better than that old busted up, out-of-control story you've been working on for so long. That new story has the aura of dewy freshness to it. It's calling to you! It's all, "Yoo-hoo...look at me! I don't have any plot problems and my characters are way-intriguing and some of them wear leather jackets and oh, yeah, you know that weird transition thing you've got going on near chapter four that you can't figure out? I don't have that!"
I know. It sounds good.
But how long until some other story idea comes along and twitches its enticing little characters at you, and you decide to abandon this new one for it? How many words will you have then?
Not enough for a whole book, that's how many. And here's the thing: If you keep doing this, you never will.
Do you think I haven't been there? Cheating on your current work-in-progress with a new one is the oldest trick in the book! I have a plastic milk crate crammed full of stories I started and never finished because I cheated on them, then got so enamored of my new story, I never went back to the old one. Over and over and over again.
And that, my friends, is how you never finish a book. Take it from someone who has hundreds (maybe even a few thousand) of unfinished stories because of this phenomenon.
So stop right now! Stop using a new story idea (or whatever excuse you've come up with) to avoid the work you still have to do on your current work-in-progress!
Put the Shiny New Story away for later, when you're done with your WIP! If your Shiny New Story is that good, it will still be there waiting for you.
And please...don't end up like me, with a plastic milk crate full of half-finished stories. Think about what made you fall in love with your work-in-progress in the first place. Shower it with the attention it deserves.
And whatever you do, don't let it end up in the Milk Crate of Shame. Think of where we'd be if all the great stories we love today ended up there, uncared for and forgotten by their authors, because they got distracted by some Shiny New Idea while they were working.
Take a deep breath. There. Feel better?
Yeah. So do I.
Now let's get back to work.
And about the cheating...I won't tell if you won't.
I am the ultimate flip-flopper. Not in my politics, but in my writing projects.
Remember how I said I had an epiphany to write my Amirah Hassen novel as a part of a short story collection in order to be able to address all the different voices I wanted?
Well last night, I just HAD to come up with an incredible outline for the novel, with tons of great characters and subplots and themes....what's wrong with me?
I guess I don't have to choose between the two. I can still write a short story collection AND a novel. It's just going to take more time to finish either. Especially because I'm juggling my Zac Daniels story (psst:check out the other blog!) It's just so hard trying to figure which form is going to allow me to express myself better, which one is going to describe and entertain and connect more- the delicate short story or the grandiose, epic novel.
But I think with all the time I have between classes and in the mornings, it's good to have some kind of creative outlet depending on the mood I'm in. Or early in the morning like 4:30 am. Whatever:) Some writers say you have to stop thinking about writing as this oh so lovey, wonderful process and treat like work. Hard, frustrating, tearful work. I think the mentality of it is right, approaching it with punctuality and dedication. But if it's work, I'm not going to do it. I have enough of that for me already. I guess the emotions of love and hate are so intertwined, it's almost the same. I love writing and hate it. But the thought of finishing, of hearing my characters talk in my head when I'm walking to class or sitting in my room makes me want to keep going.
I feel bad for my roommate when I wake up and start typing away on my laptop. But I am not the kind of person who can remembers thoughts from the night before. I also cannot do that put a journal by your nightstand and write it down. I tried it and in the morning I read chicken scratch and loopy signatures. I guess turning on the light would help too....
I really want to have a decent amount of writing to show the writing club I'm joining (or hope to join. It better not be some exclusive club for english/creative writing majors grrrr.)
Now I honestly have something to look forward to after class. Having an awesome story to work on is like having a puppy or kitty waiting at home for you lol. Lame, but true. Unless that story starts acting up and making a mess and it won't leave me alone with all its problems.
Then I'll have to put it outside for awhile, let it feel lonely and sad and then come back in when it's ready to behave again.
So here's the short story I wrote for Sparknotes along with the introduction that MissMarm(the blogger who posts the winners) wrote :D
When you're writing a story, ask yourself, Have I really imagined this scene? Have I pictured it in my mind? Do I know how hot the room is, what the characters are wearing, what the air smells like, what time of day it is? Only if you do the imaginative work of visualizing each moment of your fiction can you write convincingly.
The writer who hasn't done this imaginative work writes sentences like "I have my coworker." Nothing wrong with those four words, but they don't do any work. They don't invite us into the story, and they don't suggest the writer knows what he's doing. The writer who HAS done this imaginative work writes sentences like "I have Mrs. Chen, the cashier lady who loves zebra nail tips." These words are earning their place on the page. They're showing us a vivid, specific character, and they're convincing us that the writer knows exactly what she's doing.
Zebra nail tips are just the beginning of this cafeteria tale. Enjoy!
Lunch is Served
My name is Zachariah Daniels and I have the greatest seat in our school cafeteria-behind the lunch counter of Express Munch Line. Yes, I am one of those student workers who gets free meals for working during lunch and simultaneously doesn't have to worry about whom to sit with. I have Mrs. Chen, the cashier lady who loves zebra nail tips.
On top of getting to serve the charming inhabitants of Ben Franklin High, I do it while wearing a stupid chef's hat, despite not actually cooking anything. But whatever. I stopped caring about what people think of me after the first month of freshman year—I'm a junior now. Everyone knows it's not what's on the outside that counts. It's what's on the inside. Seriously. I've found what people eat is much better reflection of who they are. If more of us paid careful attention to the lunch hour (that for some reason is scheduled three hours after breakfast), we would get to know each other much better.
I, for example, know a ridiculous amount of info about my fellow high school students just by checking out their lunch orders four out of five school days. (Fridays, I go to AV Club meetings.)
The bell rings and the cafeteria begins to fill with the buzzing sound of hundreds of conversations and rumbling stomachs and screeching girls. I pull on my saran wrap gloves, slap on my cream puff hat and prepare to serve.
My first customer is a scrawny boy, freshman I bet, who orders a footlong with the works, two bags of Doritos Nacho Cheese, a Dr. Pepper and a chocolate cookie. This kid is either overcome with joy of high school food or he iss certainly deprived of junk food at home. I want to break it to him that by week two he is going to despise the cafeteria food as much as gym, but his toothy smile is so refreshingly innocent, I simply hand him his food with a nod.
The next group jumps to the counter with smug faces that scream " We just cut in front of the whole line. What you gonna do 'bout it."
Nothing, of course. They've been line cutters since birth. I've no doubt when the nurses were scheduled to deliver in the next room, these wise guys forced their ways out of their moms early just to a pain.
As the dudes shout out their orders, I'm forced to pick up and put items back as one guy chastises them in questionable language that he can't afford to pay for all their crap. They laugh as if I'm some poor pawn in their game and take several more minutes wasting my time and the rest of the people in line. Their final order turns out to be fried chicken boxes and Gatorades. Greasy and neon-colored. And that's why they're such slimeballs.
Following them is Phil, who orders every carb and protein packed item we have. I noticed he's been recently trying to bulk up for wrestling. Plus, he's been trying to impress this girl, Shelby.
" Want a try this new granola bar?"
I hold it up over the glass. He grabs it and scans the nutrition facts.
"Sure."
He scoots to the cashier station. His unenthusiastic tone worries me. I wish he hung out with more encouraging athletes that didn't see their diet as a miserable punishment. But who am I kidding? I would sooner down a dozen donuts than a salad.
More students order lunch, nothing special. Which explains why I don't know anything about them. It's the people that like mustard and vinegar on their sandwiches like Victoria or nachos with ketchup and jalapenos like Mark that are worth remembering.
The next customer is my history teacher, Mr. Wahlberg. Instead of being like the normal teachers who collectively put in an order at Wally's Taco Stand and eat in the lounge, Mr. Wahlberg insists on "rubbing shoulders with his pupils" and "dining with the masses." There should be a rule against this.
" Zachariah, my main man," he says, putting his hand up for a high five.
"I touch food,sir."
" Right," he mutters. "So I'll have an iced tea... Uh, a cheeseburger and ... some Cheetos."
He acts like it's a tough choice, but he has the same order every day. The iced tea is his weak attempt at a caffeine source, the cheeseburger a soggy excuse for manliness and the Cheetos-so he can "look cool" licking orange fingers.
I glance at the clock and then she's standing in front of me. She stole my heart when she ordered a salami and swiss cheese sandwich, milk and Double-stuffed Oreos- my favorite snack. I've been taking Katie's order for over a year. She says she doesn't like bringing lunch because she enjoys the spontaneity of cafeteria food. Gosh I love her.
"Hi Katie," I say in my most suave manner.
"Hey Zac." She runs her fingers through her amber hair.
"So I got a great one for you today. How about a teriyaki chicken—"
" I'll have a water and some crackers,please," Katie interrupts.
I laugh.
"Sorry, we're out of the Nurse's Office Special. How about chow mein? Onion rings and relish?"
Katie sighs.
"I don't eat that stuff anymore."
Suddenly a ridiculously skinny girl strolls up.
"Helloo, we're waiting."
Katie eyes me nervously. I look at her, trying to bring her back to me with my stare.
"I'll get right on it," I say finally.
I open the fridge to get a bottle of water, grab a packet of crackers, then slam them on the counter.
"Enjoy," I say lamely.
As they link arms, I remember not to judge Katie by her new fake friend, but by my lunch philosophy. I'm sad to report my soulmate is barely holding on, floating on little salty lifeboats in the choppy waters of peer pressure. I wish I could save her, but from where I sit, I'm not close enough.
It's been awhile since I've written anything, due to all the traveling and get togethers I've had this summer. So this is going to be a long post to make up for it.
I've also been reading a lot this summer which is soo nice for a change. I've read some great books including the House of Night series, The Interpreter of Maladies, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, The Last Olympian, and I'm currently reading Impossible. As you can see, it's a nice mix between YA, children's and literary reads, which I'm trying to do. I want to broaden my viewpoints and influences in hopes that they will all help my writing.
After reading the Interpreter of Maladies, an amazing short story collection by Jhumpa Lahiri that chronicles the lives of Indian American immigrants and their families, I realized that I could do the same thing with my Muslim American characters. I was having such a hard time coming up with one plot and focus, because there are so many stories to tell that writing short stories solves that problem. It also breaks up the plot lines and allows me to write in pieces instead of a humongous novel, which at my age and attention span, is seriously hard to finish.
I feel bad for steering away from Ambrosia, but I think it's better to channel my energy and time into something I'm passionate about instead of waiting around and hitting dead ends with another story. I will get back to it eventually. I know that there are problems that some distance should solve. That's what usually happens.
I have ideas for 4 different short stories so far and they are all soo different that I'm excited to explore those sides of me. I want to do a bit of research too, so I can accurately depict the character's lives and not sound too stereotypical or melodramatic. I don't want to pity the Muslim characters, but I want to show the range in emotions and humanize their experiences to people who have never met or heard of them before.
Outside of that project, I found out that the ambrosia short story I wrote for 17 fiction contest eons ago didn't make it. I was supposed to hear something in August, but I found out that in the September issue that's out in stores now, they have the winning story. I am disappointed, because I really loved that story and felt that it was really special. I though that maybe it might have a chance at even making it as a runner up on their website, but nope. I'm anxious to read the winning story and compare. No hard feelings though. I have to get used to rejection:(
But what made me feel much better is the fact that another short story I wrote was chosen on Sparknotes Fiction Contest! The comments by readers so far are so amazing and positive and they say it's their favorite one so far. How's that to boost your confidence? I thought the story was really strange, considering it was from a guy's point of view and it takes place in a high school cafeteria, but I had so much fun telling this strange story that wasn't going to be big. I guess when I don't take myself too seriously, my stories take care of themselves and the humor and details spill out.
Writing is so strange, sometimes....
Well, I'm hoping I can still get my writing done when school starts in 2 weeks. I'm going to try again with the 17 fiction contest. It's good thing I have 3 more tries until I am no longer eligible haha. I also plan to write each short story in my new Muslim-American collection. We'll see how well my goals play out. It's a new school year, new experiences (dorming anyone?) and lots of new writing to do.
"Disappointments are to the soul what the thunderstorm is to the air"
-Friedrich von Schiller
pic from firstcoastal.com
so i came back from California last night, ready for a long sleep, dinner with the fam and my writing class the next day. Instead I found out that my class had been canceled due to low enrollment. They called my mom the day before.Low enrollment? Who cares? This is a summer class for writers. We work better with less people, hello. I wouldn't mind a private session. More focus for me:]
So all this time, I planned my trip around my class in order to not miss it, when I could have stayed longer in California with no worries. And thanks for the advance notice a day before....
Great. Wonderful. I guess I'm still in it alone after all. Maybe it's a sign? It doesn't help that I'm now torn between ambrosia and Amirah Hassen. With all this ample time to write, how do I choose between two extremely different stories? They are both in serious danger right now, since the plots are crumbling apart and I can't find the real meaning, the real thoroughline to get to the end of the tunnel. They're just a jumble of characters, scenes and dialogue. No one wants to sit down and tell me it straight or create a visible journey to follow. It's amazing and scary how easily one little doubt can quickly erase the credibility of months and months of hard work....
I did accomplish some writing during my vacation though. I did a phone interview with Seth, the lead singer of The Higher, a pop, R&B band from Vegas. I also got a free CD to review:]Here's the finished interview.
Seth is the lead vocalist for the hot Las Vegas band The Higher. Their newest album, It’s Only Natural, debuts June 23rd. I got a chance to talk with Seth about the band’s journey, unique sound and more.
1.What does your band name mean?
When we were young when we first started the band in high school, we were called September Star. The name never really fit us; it was a name that was put to us. Once we got signed and had a record, we listened to songs we were writing and at the time they related to lots of metaphors, lots of sky. We were trying to keep doing what we love and get higher up on the food chain to become a bigger and better band. We felt like the name, The Higher, fit so many different aspects. And even now, it means more and more to us.
2.How do you feel about your new tour?
Really excited. We’ve been waiting patiently for the record to drop, to leave home and go back. We were touring for two and a half years, had a break these past six months working on the record, now we’re excited for the road.
3.When do you decide you wanted to be a professional musician?
I never really decided, it kind of decided me. I was doing it to have fun in high school, playing shows and loving music. The fans responded more and more and as things went on, that was what we needed to. Little did I know not many boys could sing. We started to work and got bigger. Now I know that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
4.What do you think are the main ingredients for a successful band?
You’ve got to have the right guys.Everyone has to get along. Everyone has opinions, but you have to agree to disagree and find people that accept you. You have to be able to work together, in a non-hostile environment. And of course, you need the right songs. Well written songs speak for themselves. You’ve got to respect talent.
5. Can you describe your songwriting process?
Sometimes we start with riffs or the bass. Sometimes we get an idea and then write lyrics or we form the notes that sound best around them. We never write the song the same way, it’s always different.
6.What inspires The Higher’s original look and sound?
All of us are different musicians. We listen to different stuff, but we have the same common interests. We take style from rock, pop, R&B, funk, ballads, guitar driven, or lyrically driven music. Not a lot of bands have the same sound, so we’re adding a little more. I think, especially in our latest album, we did a great job tying it all together.
7.Choose one word to describe each band member.
Doug is passionate. He looks like tough guy, but he loves music and his girlfriend, Dunkin Donuts and Boston Celtics.
Jason is emotional. He’s the guy who can jump from different personalities, from emo to life of party. He’s one of the oldest guys, but he’s like an emotional baby.
Reggie is the partier, the socializer. He’s the networker who’s out every night, in hot clubs in Vegas. He’s really friendly and easy to get along with. He’s just fun to have around.
8.Outside of music, what are you into?
All of us are really active and into sports, which is weird, because not many bands are into sports. Most of them play videogames but we don’t. After a show, we’ll be up watching Sports Center and we can’t wait to get off stage to see what the scores are. I’m actually going to watch the NBA finals after this interview.
9.What artists do you look up to?
Justin Timberlake is a big influence. When around 50% of the songs we cover are N*Sync and Justin Timberlake, you can tell we’re all fans. A lot of people say we sound very similar and I can see why. I’m like the voice of Justin, but we collectively put the aspects together. I also like Michael Jackson and Billy Joel, which is the blast from the past. There’s a lot of influence from rock and old Queen tunes. I listen to a lot of R&B. I just love the melody and style. R Kelly records are great. If our band could work with any producer, we would love to work with the Dream.
10.What are your favorite songs on the album and what inspired them?
“It’s Only Natural” is a great song. I love it. It’s also our single so it’s going to be the most played out.
“Undertaker” is the most diverse change to our band on this record. It’s more rock and hip hop with a little funk vibe and more R&B. It’s a song all about Vegas, it reps Vegas.
“Play with Fire” has a Michael Jackson influence. It’s a soul song, our version of “Dirty Diana.” It’s about a girl who thinks she can get whatever she wants.
“Lady in the Black Dress” is about hitting on a girl because you’re both going through hard times, grieving someone who’s dead. It’s about finding life and living it to the fullest. It’s very different from our usual sound, more swing ballad and a very powerful pop song.
11.What do you like/dislike about becoming a celebrity?
I like that people can appreciate good music. I enjoy playing music for a living. It’s a dream and a blessing. Every day, I feel so lucky to have supportive fans loving our music. Sometimes, it’s not so great with a long treacherous tour away from family and friends. The show time is great, those three hours are awesome, but the six to seven hours driving to next town isn’t always fun. But we keep a positive head on our shoulders, stay busy in van, and watch every TV show possible.
12.What’s something you won’t do for fame?
Never give up writing our songs. We would be open to writing songs with other people, though we mostly write all the music ourselves, other than covers which are fun. I don’t think we’ll ever be band that just does songs by other people. We always strive to make original songs by The Higher. That’s what makes us special.
13.What advice do you have for teens interested in the music business or what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Stop worrying where you are. Keep practicing and writing songs that you think will make you better. What makes you get noticed is writing a good song that people hear. Always keep practicing, writing, making music, and eventually you’ll make something that will bring out who you are. It’s all about the company you keep, so make sure you and your band get along.
14.If you could be a superhero, who would you be?
I would want to be like Spiderman. Spiderman is one of my favorite comics. He may not be most dominating or coolest, but he can practically fly with his web. He’s almost indestructible and can do whatever he wants, but he’s still human and a normal guy. I would want to be able to still be normal and powerful.
15.Is there anything else you want to say to your fans?
Come out June 23 and pick up It’s Only Natural. We can’t wait to start our tour and hope you come see us wherever we play. Thanks!
so in 2 weeks, school will be over and i will be free, with high school behind me and my whole life ahead of me. i'm most excited for not just vacation(california!!), but I'm taking a summer writing course "How to Write a YA Novel."
I'm so ready to be serious about my novel after having spent a year of plotting, character sketches and thinking, thinking, thinking. Now I can finally be around people who will give be me feedback and test my story in the world. Once again, I'll probably be the youngest person in the class, just like in 8th grade when I went to a free workshop on publishing at the library. I was surrounded by women and men 30-40 years older. It was an enlightening and weird feeling:)
With other news, I won 2nd place in a city wide poetry contest! I used a poem i wrote for my senior project. it's nice to know homework can actually be put to good use after it's graded. I won a free copy of the latest of TeenInk and a new notebook(used by Hemingway, which therefore guarantees it's coolness.)
things are definitely looking up. i just need to bear the next weeks of finals, yearbook signings, nostalgia, impatience, crying, graduation practices and parties. i'll have plenty to write about, i'm sure.
