K.D. Sarge's Blog, page 29

Wall Status: Destroyed

I got through! Head met wall and head won. I wrote the damn story.

And I actually like it lots.

Worked all freaking weekend on it, but it was worth it. Even if now I have to write my Spanish 202 research paper in one night.

That night being tomorrow.

*falls the hell over*

(also having to mightily resist the urge to ask the marvelous Anna Landin to draw a cover for Guardian. Maybe I’ll have her do it eventually, but I should not ask tonight.)

Note to self: conlangs are awesome. DO NOT CONLANG AN ENT...

How to Write a Book

Long ago I was an avowed pantser. I didn’t have a plan, didn’t want a plan, having a plan killed the story for me. Just dive in and go, that was the only way I could write.

Through the course of a few book-length drafts, I discovered what so many had before me: that way of writing is a ton of work in just the place I dislike it most–the editing process. And my plots didn’t hold the shape they should, being at least three parts kitchen-sink plot* every darn time. Try fixing that in a quick edit...

The Main Benefit of Experience

There’s one big benefit to experience, actually. One main reason I tell beginning writers who ask (and some who don’t) to carry on to the end.

Leaving out all the others (because they are there) here’s the biggie.

Once you’ve done it, you know you can do it.

There it is. The reason I almost have a story after bashing my head on the wall for several weeks. The reason I didn’t give up three weeks ago and tell everyone that I was a sham, not a writer.

I have finished stories. I knew I could finish t...

Lost in Translation: Momentum

I’m beating my head against another story. It just. does not. want to. GO.

Part of the problem is that I didn’t have quite enough in the story to make me eager to write it. I mean, I started out wanting to, but then there was EFFORT, and there was RESEARCH (and not the fun kind) and then there was LIFE, and …meh. I couldn’t make any progress. I’ve tried and tried, but I’ve tossed more than I’ve kept and the deadline is looming.

More of the problem, though, is just how in hades to deal with a ch...

Where’s My Damn Ark?

I lived for five years at the last house, and ONCE had water all over my back porch due to a washing machine issue. Two years at the place before that (same washing machine) and not a single problem.

So why is it, now that my washing machine is inside my house for the first time since I moved to Arizona twenty some years ago, I keep having washing machine floods? Just because the damn water can get to my carpet now, it thinks it should!

ARGH. Effing argh, I say. Just when I was nearly about to...

Busy, Busy, Busy

I wish I had more to show for how busy I’ve been. Would you like a picture of how the “maintenance required” light no longer shows up on my dash, since I took my car for an oil change? How about a shot of the herbs I bought at Home Depot but haven’t planted yet?

Honestly, though, it’s mainly work. And then more work. I don’t really know what to do about it, but I’m going to have to figure it out. Deadlines are approaching!

Sorry not to have anything intelligent to say. In lieu of intelligence,...

Fighting Inertia

So I’ve been awfully tired lately. Since moving, we’ve been settling in, working late, having an awful lot of appointments…and so on and so forth. To illustrate how tired I’ve been–last week the kid went to respite. Dropped her off Friday afternoon, didn’t have to pick her up till Sunday afternoon. I had a million and one things I wanted to get done while I didn’t have to worry about her.

What did I get done? A lot of sleeping, and that’s about it. Almost the whole weekend. Grr!

This weekend, I...

Seeking Inspiration

That’s what I’m doing today. Totally not wasting time farting about on the internet, nope. I am seeking inspiration because I am an artist, dammit.

Also I already did my homework.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I’m looking at today. Not really to give me ideas on what to write, but to get my fantasy muses chomping at the bit.

For starters, I like Pixdaus. I like to go and look at random things. Like this. And also this.

Those are pretty cool, but I really want to ge...

Coming Soon(ish): A Fantasy Story!

I’m both excited and amused. Last week I posted about my writing process, and mentioned that I write fantasy too, though I haven’t published any of that yet. I said I might share those universes soon.

Then it was decided that I’ll write fantasy for an upcoming [redacted 'cause I'm not sure we're talking about it yet.]†

So yeah. Swords, creatures, magic, wonder, coming right up! If I can just remember where I put my worldbuilding notes…

On a slightly related note, WTAF is up with women warriors‘...

Blog Hop: My Writing Process

So the marvelous Siri Paulson tagged me to answer four questions, and I took a bit longer than a week because reasons. But here I am, and here we go!

What am I working on?

Currently I’m editing a Taro and Rafe novel, Damsel in Distress. It’s a big wonderful mess because I’d always wanted to write a locked room (of sorts) mystery, and I decided to do it with Taro and Rafe in the wilderness, and also as my first NaNovel.

Hey, the easy way is not my style, okay?

Taro and Rafe are of the Dream’verse,...