Marissa De Luna's Blog, page 13

I Paint my own Reality

I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration. - Frida Kahlo

Great so I got my first two star review- on good reads. Well it was bound to happen wasn’t it?! It was just a star rating not an actual review- I would have liked some words to see what exactly they didn’t like. It is good though in a year I have only had one bad review. I expeceted more when the kindle sales started to ri...

Treat every chapter as a short story

Treat every chapter as a short story – that’s what I keep telling myself and its working I think my writing is clearer and I am cutting down on the pointless info too. So I wonder how many words I will end up knocking out of The Bittersweet. It currently stands at approximately 82,000 words. I’m happy with that.
It’s odd I look back on when I first started writing. Googling ‘how to write a novel’  when I was in Goa, scribbling in a little notepad my words – that were soon to be edited so...

When writing a novel a writer should create living people;

When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature. Ernest Hemingway
Well, well, well let it be known that my punctuation is appalling. Well it is already known but I read out in writing group ( when ever I say that I feel like a toddler) - and several people offered to punctuate my submission for me. I have to get the comma placing sorted. Why didnt I pay attention in English? someone else read out my work because I am hopeless a...

Dying is like coming to the end of a long novel...

Dying is like coming to the end of a long novel--you only regret it if the ride was enjoyable and left you wanting more.JEROME P. CRABB,
well... what to say Max died this morning. RIP Max. Cinderella is left on her own but looking much better if a little weak. I hope she picks up. Anyway I wont bore you with the fish saga - however I have noticed that I have more followers on twitter since tweeting about them. Maybe it is more exciting tahn my writing.
I had a pretty productive day yeste...

If today were a fish I'd throw it back

If today were a fish I'd throw it back.

Oh the drama. I havent been on here in a while as I have been busy with my synopsis - constructive comments from Abingdon Wrietrs and I am polishing it ready for submissions. I have to of course work on my first trhee chapters amd I need to do that stat.

The issue I have had has been with my pet goldfish - Max and Cinderella. They are not well after three weeks. H has been to the pet store and the nitrate level in the water is too high... They also have...

His soul was just a sink of filth

His soul was just a sink of filth - Larkin

So last night I was looking through Twitter and I came across @LarkinQuotes - definitely worth a follow if you are on the periphery of reading poetry. I didn't think I was remotely interested in it until I read some Auden and Larkin quotes.

The amount poetry I have read in my lifetime is just not worth talking about. I'll be honest I just didn't 'get' it. I studied Wilfred Owens War poetry in school and enjoyed it but I cant say that I ever thought ab...

There are two kinds of writer:

There are two kinds of writer: those that make you think, and those that make you wonder. - Brian Aldiss
So as I mentioned I have taken a break from The Bittersweet Vine but I couldn't help but look at my pitch/query letter that I put together one day haphazardly in the car -  it was bad but I have improved it. It may be ready to show my writing group for their critique- but not yet. I want to get the full package together before I show them the final package. I feel that it has all come...

It is perfectly okay to write garbage...

It is perfectly okay to write garbage--as long as you edit brilliantly. - C. J. CherryhI haven't been on here for a while and for that I apologise... life has taken over as it does sometimes. Work is super busy so much so I don't know whether I am coming or going and in between this all I am down to the last 30 pages to edit on The Bittersweet Vine. so I didn't meet my April deadline but I am determined to finish it this week. Now that I have a kindle as well I can email it over to myself an...

When a man publishes a book, there are so many stupid things...

When a man publishes a book, there are so many stupid things said that he declares he'll never do it again. The praise is almost always worse than the criticism.
- Sherwood Anderson I like this quote it reminds me somethimes of my feelings for Goa Traffic. Well I had a writing holiday - went to Amsterdam- it was interesting and Devon was so relaxing - there is something peaceful about being near the water. So I re-read Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith to give me some ins...

If I were a medical man, I should prescribe...

If I were a medical man, I should prescribe a holiday to any patient who considered his work important.
-- Bertrand Russell


Okay just a quick blog to let you know about this great blog post from fellow Abingdon writer Gabby. Check out a new way to draft and re-draft : http://gabrielleaquilina.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/creative-drafting.html

Anyway that's it from me for a week I am taking a break from writing for one week only to enjoy Easter and eat all that chocolate I couldn't eat over lent.....