Another way to tell a story

The NaNoWriMo ‘08 forums are up and somehow, it had me marked for the 50+ forum instead of the 30s forum. That isn’t funny, NaNo!

(I have all the love for 50 year olds, but I’d like to really live those 20 years first, tyvm)

Did I mention NaNo is coming? I’ve decided to write Seshat’s story next, called Seducing Seshat (well that was easy). She’s my record keeper and all around organized sister, and her story is really back story, so I figure that is a good plan all around. Except for the whole research thing, since her story is set during World War II. Research+speed writing=uh oh.

All of a sudden, my heart beats when I consider writing. I get excited about it. Good to know that didn’t totally disappear on me. In fact, I feel incredibly grateful to have some enjoyment about writing reappear. NaNo for the win.

There is something very, very erotic about Angel tying Jin to a chair.

There’s some weird world meshing I didn’t see coming. But mrrrrrroooooowwwwww.

Most people who feel the chill in the air, smell the change of weather, note the lengthening of the nights, think of fall.

Me?

I think NaNoWriMo is coming.

Also, holy crap I’d better finish last year’s novel. So close to the end!

My man is out of town and I’m sad. I’m totally spoiled when he’s here and when he’s gone it is like my better half flew away with the dishwasher and the fun sex. Suck. And possibly TMI, hee hee.

So here are some recent yarny projects to pass my time, and now yours by proxy:
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(And while all the angst about writing, the business of writing, and cheese goes on in the back of my mind, don’t think I have forgotten the stories. Because them I still love. A lot. Even if I wind up podcasting them for free or some other subversive thing…)

This week’s topic is the undead. You know, weres, vamps, zombies.

I don’t write about the undead, as such.

But here I will muse about a possible undead person I want to write about. I have a character, Jason Bell. In his last adventure, he met with some unfortunate circumstances. But seeing as how Jason is entirely fictional, even within his fictional stories, I think I can get around the whole death thing. The question is how to do it?

Elaborate resurrection ceremony? Some intervention by Suki the wise woman?

My favorite idea so far, actually, is fan fiction (sadly not my idea, but still a good one)! Jason exists because authors write about him existing. His universe is because someone made it so. Questions remain unanswered–who wrote his death scene? Is he actually dead if no one wrote it? Was Katya actually writing the entire exchange to rescue Jen? Nothing was made clear at the end of Bell Curve, apart from the very real fact that Jen would probably not encounter Jason Bell in that particular guise again.

Thus Jason is, for now, dead. But you know how those fan fic writers can be. They decide something in the canon is not to their liking, they just change it. And add a lot of boy on boy action, but we’ll leave that out for now. Why not have a couple of overhorny young but of age folks write a story about their favorite dead bounty hunter, magically returned to life thanks to some quirk they wrote? And why not have him show up in their world?

I don’t just break the fourth wall. I break ALL the walls.

Jason Bell, not your usual kind of zombie. But he’ll do.

I missed you, but dang if I haven’t had much to say.

I have a lot of angst about writing, which I’m not sure a bunch of authors are really interested in reading about. The business of getting published scares the crap out of me, is basically the bottom line. Those of you who are willing to jump in are brave and amazing people.

I’m not sure it is the business for me anymore. I’ve done a lot of work, hours and hours and hours of work on my writing and I do believe I have improved. I believe I write a readable story, and at this point no one is bothering to read them. This isn’t woe as me as much as, why on earth should I put that much effort in for little to no return on the investment. I did what I could, advertising wise, and I also think the thing is that I need a wider pool to swim in than I’m in now. That takes me back to NY publishing, or shooting for the bigger epublishers. One of them, I don’t want to write for. The other, well it’s still on the table. I still feel excited about that option, even.

As for NY, I’m not sure I have the stamina. I’ve watched my friends go through it, ups and downs and ups, and again I question the payoff. Perhaps I’m not committed enough to the dream of being a Real Writer ™. I would prefer to be honest about that then complain about NY being sooooo haaaaaaard or whatever. I think I could do it–not necessarily get published but I could chase the dream. I have a couple manuscripts I believe could at least have a fighting chance. I’m just not sure I want to. My passion took a vacation.

Don’t get me wrong here–I love writing. I love the process of getting the characters down, the magical moments that come from Elsewhere ™, the thrill you get when someone does read and enjoy your work. The very idea that someone would pick up a story by me and enjoy their time with my characters and my world is super uber cool in theory.

So far, in practice, that just hasn’t really happened. I’m not crying and moaning about this, I’m being realistic. I’m trying to see outside the romantic idea of writing into the real business aspect. Business is bad for me, for a host of reasons that are mostly related to my choices. All kinds of choices.

How do you know when you want it? How do you know when it is important enough, outside the romantic fantasy, to be willing to sacrifice two years of your life to a story that might not make it?

Reality is an ugly business, maybe I should just stay inside my fantasy worlds.

Today’s Wicked Whisper post was on hearing, so I grabbed some random auditory amusements for your perusal.

I’ve been scarce from the internets with not much to talk about that doesn’t involve lunch boxes and 1000 forms to sign and carpools to arrange. Not the glamorous lifestyle I intended to have

(that isn’t really true, I never planned to do anything glamorous with my life. I wanted to be a scientist or something equally boring)

On the other hand, I have a multitude of free time now, more than ever, and I’m very excited to find ways to fill it! I think bon bons and soaps. Hee.