Well here we are and I am glad to say I’ve Done it. I’ve completed my challenge tonight with thirty one short stories in thirty one days.
But what’s more, I confess to being a procrastinator and admit to having done almost two thirds of that total in the last week. I know and believe me I’m sorry for that little foible of mine that made that happen. I look back at it and really wonder that if in the last week I could do two days of more than seven thousand words each, what could I have done with that kind of effort from the start.
But I have done what I said I would and I have over the course of thirty one days written thirty one short stories… weeeell that’s not exactly true. On a whim I wrote a little story that I just finished to post on here for you all. It is story number thirty two (32). I don’t know that it’s spectacular but I sort of like it. It’s new and just came off the top of my head. Ideally with the rest of them I will be editing them and redrafting, which I won’t with this one. So be forgiving. Also be polite and don’t reprint the story without my permission, if you are interested just send me a comment or e-mail and we’ll talk about it.
So the thirty second story will be a part of the closing ceremonies. I will do what I can to post it after midnight so that it marks the first post of a new month.
One of the other things to share with you all is the fact that on my way here today I paid a visit to a place that did something for me that was a long time coming. I’ve had my first hair cut in over five years, we cut nearly a foot off and I’ll be sending that ponytail to locks of love. The Hair Dresser who cut my hair said that she just knew some little girl was going to love having those lovely curls. I hope she’s right. There is a part of me that really would love to see that moment. I hope it makes somebody feel even a tiny bit better.
I’ve had an interesting and wild ride this month and it still puzzles me to think back and realize that this has all taken place in the time frame of one month.
From the great convention of connecticon, where I ran and attended panels almost the whole time and spent spare moments talking with the greatest people, to getting inspired and creative at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s fair. Drawing Hand drawn mazes each night and finding homes for some of my old books at yard sales. Donating hair to somebody I have never met. writing 31 short stories in thirty one days, to test my limits, build a portfolio of work to try and sell, create universes that will be playgrounds for my mind, and all geared towards benefitting the good people at Child and Family Services of New Hampshire (you can still donate until the end of September so don’t despair).
I’ve made minor inroads to some of the things on my master list and can’t wait to finish that list and new novels by the end of November so that I can start forward on a whole new year of goals and adventures.
Really I feel amazed that looking back only one month has passed. I feel like it’s been a whole season at least. And if I can live a quarter of a year in a month’s time, how many lives can I live?
Thank you for joining me on this month long quest and hopefully you won’t wander off and miss what happens next. It’s sure to be at least in some part crazy and fun.
I’ve no idea for sure but I suspect that I will be sleeping through a good portion of tomorrow, and maybe Tuesday as well. But fear not I shall return by Wodens day (that’s Wednesday to most of you out there) and have something to talk about, even if it is just the comedown from this wild ride of a month.
Until then, take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
The end is nigh
Well we are coming into the home stretch and looking forward to some down time with the writing before we face NaNoWriMo in November. But strangely I’m going to miss some of this as well. Not the back log of things that need to be taken care of or the putting more on my plate then I should do in one go (some of my months goals are going to run into next month because I failed to get them done in time) but oddly enough the coming up with new stories and seeing where they go. Even the mush for brains feeling at the end of the night when I’m practically falling asleep with a pen in one hand and paper in the other.
I’ve gotten to test my limits on some of these nights, and I’ve explored new territory for my writing experiences. I’ve even created a few settings that I’m antsy to get back to. Does this character ever gain her memories back and discover what happened to her? Does this characters power come from an alien artifact or a magical device? Do two time crossed lovers ever meet again in the same lifetime? Is he crazy or is he divine? Will a common enemy unite two incompatible races, and how do they reconcile their differences?
One of the other things I came across, while worrying about getting enough story ideas to do them all this month, was old stories long forgotten are now closer to the surface then they have been in a long time. Some had been shuffled to the back of my mind, hard drive or notebooks to waste away. I hadn’t played with the ideas in so long they need a good airing out and to be revitalized again. They look a little clumsier then my more recent ideas but as new ways of playing with them come along they’ll become just as interesting I’m sure.
It’s going to feel weird to wake up and not have to figure out what I’ve got to write today, on top of what other projects I have to schedule in. It will be nice to not have to stress about these things when work starts on Wednesday though. I still have a fair number of projects to tend to before November, but they are a different kind of stretching of myself.
But enough of that, I’d also like to share with you something that occurred last night. As I sat down to write a story idea that I’ve had since April I had done my usual prep. Also known as absolutely nothing. I had the basic idea of the setting and the fact that the character would have to be gritty and sort of noir but also supernatural in some way. That is it. That’s all I had to go with.
This is how I often work. Sometimes I have an emotionally powerful scene that I build a story around to support, sometimes I have a goal or message to express but they usually all start out this vague. The story comes into focus as I write and it fits the place I started from. But not last night.
I started writing and had a character that was just a normal working class guy on a construction site, not noir, not gritty. Ordinary. He has an encounter with the not so ordinary and so does his best friend and coworker. Short story shorter he ends up having an origin incident. The story is not anything related to what the intention was and it doesn’t even take place in the same setting. It’s good and I’m keeping it but that wasn’t what I was trying to write. So I tried starting my original idea again.
This one was just as rebellious. The thing that gets me about this is that both are viable stories that I’d never even thought of until after I read what I wrote. It’s weird and fun at the same time. I never did get the intended story to show up on the paper. Maybe I’ll do it again tonight and see if the situation repeats.
This has been an amazing month for me and I keep finding it hard to imagine that this has in fact only been a month since I started this project down at the convention. It seems like months have passed. And while the writing and events of this month took up so much of the time that I never did get to some of my goals I think that when I spend some time looking back at it tomorrow it will be interesting to see the things I have managed to achieve, and the new directions I’ll be venturing into from now on.
I’m not sure how blog updates will be done after this; I’m not sure how a lot of things will be going after this to be honest. I’ve been mainly focused on getting to midnight tomorrow. But at that time I’ll give you all a heads up to what will be happening. I know I’m working Wednesday and that I should be able to get here to the labs after work. So look for posts at least tomorrow and Wednesday.
Until then Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
I’ve gotten to test my limits on some of these nights, and I’ve explored new territory for my writing experiences. I’ve even created a few settings that I’m antsy to get back to. Does this character ever gain her memories back and discover what happened to her? Does this characters power come from an alien artifact or a magical device? Do two time crossed lovers ever meet again in the same lifetime? Is he crazy or is he divine? Will a common enemy unite two incompatible races, and how do they reconcile their differences?
One of the other things I came across, while worrying about getting enough story ideas to do them all this month, was old stories long forgotten are now closer to the surface then they have been in a long time. Some had been shuffled to the back of my mind, hard drive or notebooks to waste away. I hadn’t played with the ideas in so long they need a good airing out and to be revitalized again. They look a little clumsier then my more recent ideas but as new ways of playing with them come along they’ll become just as interesting I’m sure.
It’s going to feel weird to wake up and not have to figure out what I’ve got to write today, on top of what other projects I have to schedule in. It will be nice to not have to stress about these things when work starts on Wednesday though. I still have a fair number of projects to tend to before November, but they are a different kind of stretching of myself.
But enough of that, I’d also like to share with you something that occurred last night. As I sat down to write a story idea that I’ve had since April I had done my usual prep. Also known as absolutely nothing. I had the basic idea of the setting and the fact that the character would have to be gritty and sort of noir but also supernatural in some way. That is it. That’s all I had to go with.
This is how I often work. Sometimes I have an emotionally powerful scene that I build a story around to support, sometimes I have a goal or message to express but they usually all start out this vague. The story comes into focus as I write and it fits the place I started from. But not last night.
I started writing and had a character that was just a normal working class guy on a construction site, not noir, not gritty. Ordinary. He has an encounter with the not so ordinary and so does his best friend and coworker. Short story shorter he ends up having an origin incident. The story is not anything related to what the intention was and it doesn’t even take place in the same setting. It’s good and I’m keeping it but that wasn’t what I was trying to write. So I tried starting my original idea again.
This one was just as rebellious. The thing that gets me about this is that both are viable stories that I’d never even thought of until after I read what I wrote. It’s weird and fun at the same time. I never did get the intended story to show up on the paper. Maybe I’ll do it again tonight and see if the situation repeats.
This has been an amazing month for me and I keep finding it hard to imagine that this has in fact only been a month since I started this project down at the convention. It seems like months have passed. And while the writing and events of this month took up so much of the time that I never did get to some of my goals I think that when I spend some time looking back at it tomorrow it will be interesting to see the things I have managed to achieve, and the new directions I’ll be venturing into from now on.
I’m not sure how blog updates will be done after this; I’m not sure how a lot of things will be going after this to be honest. I’ve been mainly focused on getting to midnight tomorrow. But at that time I’ll give you all a heads up to what will be happening. I know I’m working Wednesday and that I should be able to get here to the labs after work. So look for posts at least tomorrow and Wednesday.
Until then Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
Friday, August 29, 2008
Jell-O for brains
Jell-O for brains,
You ever get this feeling after you spend two sixteen hour days producing creative works all over the board.
I’m amazed I’ve got any ideas left. But I have more then I need to finish up my writing by Sunday night, provided I get to work and don’t get behind.
I’m scrambling to keep up with some of my other projects though. As it stands I’m not likely to complete my goal of selling something, I created by hand, online though. Unless somebody would like to pay a dollar for an exclusive chance at the first pair of Verdant treasures earrings (made from natural objects) by Sunday at midnight. Sight unseen.
Or buy a custom hand painted map commission, or a custom hand drawn maze. Ultra low prices ($5 for the maps and 10 cents for a custom maze of 5x7 inches).
Yeah, it’s not likely. I’m not really pitching something through my blog though, that’s not what it’s for. On other fronts I’m likely to miss the boat on my line of cards too. But hopefully I’ll get something done on them soon. Even if it’s a few rushed works. Some of my best work has been rushed.
I’ve enjoyed the writing project immensely and learned a great deal. But I won’t do it like this again. It leaves me creatively depleted and physically tired. I may do novels or a short story a week or even a month of word count total, but to struggle to come up with 31 different and original stories is hard.
But hard or not at the end of the month I will have something like 21 story universes worth revisiting for more stories. Many of them came out in ways that ask for sequels, some created entire settings that beg for exploration in completely different characters and even time frames.
And one of the best things is that even at the very end here there have been surprises. I had one story idea laid out from a few years back and preceded to work on it last night only to be shocked at the twist it pulled in the end. There was a death that hadn’t been planned and a dark turn of events that was a change from the original intent. It will make the later stories in this setting grittier and deeper as the dark aspect forms barriers between people who are supposed to be allies.
I love that sort of thing.
I may try to write for charity during November, I don’t know if I’ll use the same site for donations but I’ll keep you posted. I’ve got two novel ideas, and I’ll be working on them both, with the intent that only one has to reach the desired word total of 50000 by the end of the month. I’m better at the word totals and longer works of fiction.
But Between then and now I’ve got to work on some of those things on my master list (in my previous posts) and some monthly goals. I have at least 6 more novel ideas I can use toward future writing marathons, and I’m interested in doing something more visual too. Maybe painting.
Well, I’ve got some work ahead of me tonight on my list of things to do; I’ll be back tomorrow night with a post for how we are coming in to the finish. Sunday night I will post my success (or unlikely failure) at meeting my writing goals and how my other monthly goals went. A sort of closing ceremonies for the event.
But don’t let that stop you all from donating (it’s open to donations until October) or telling friends about how to support me and my charity.
So until tomorrow night, Take care of yourselves;
Roving Jack.
You ever get this feeling after you spend two sixteen hour days producing creative works all over the board.
I’m amazed I’ve got any ideas left. But I have more then I need to finish up my writing by Sunday night, provided I get to work and don’t get behind.
I’m scrambling to keep up with some of my other projects though. As it stands I’m not likely to complete my goal of selling something, I created by hand, online though. Unless somebody would like to pay a dollar for an exclusive chance at the first pair of Verdant treasures earrings (made from natural objects) by Sunday at midnight. Sight unseen.
Or buy a custom hand painted map commission, or a custom hand drawn maze. Ultra low prices ($5 for the maps and 10 cents for a custom maze of 5x7 inches).
Yeah, it’s not likely. I’m not really pitching something through my blog though, that’s not what it’s for. On other fronts I’m likely to miss the boat on my line of cards too. But hopefully I’ll get something done on them soon. Even if it’s a few rushed works. Some of my best work has been rushed.
I’ve enjoyed the writing project immensely and learned a great deal. But I won’t do it like this again. It leaves me creatively depleted and physically tired. I may do novels or a short story a week or even a month of word count total, but to struggle to come up with 31 different and original stories is hard.
But hard or not at the end of the month I will have something like 21 story universes worth revisiting for more stories. Many of them came out in ways that ask for sequels, some created entire settings that beg for exploration in completely different characters and even time frames.
And one of the best things is that even at the very end here there have been surprises. I had one story idea laid out from a few years back and preceded to work on it last night only to be shocked at the twist it pulled in the end. There was a death that hadn’t been planned and a dark turn of events that was a change from the original intent. It will make the later stories in this setting grittier and deeper as the dark aspect forms barriers between people who are supposed to be allies.
I love that sort of thing.
I may try to write for charity during November, I don’t know if I’ll use the same site for donations but I’ll keep you posted. I’ve got two novel ideas, and I’ll be working on them both, with the intent that only one has to reach the desired word total of 50000 by the end of the month. I’m better at the word totals and longer works of fiction.
But Between then and now I’ve got to work on some of those things on my master list (in my previous posts) and some monthly goals. I have at least 6 more novel ideas I can use toward future writing marathons, and I’m interested in doing something more visual too. Maybe painting.
Well, I’ve got some work ahead of me tonight on my list of things to do; I’ll be back tomorrow night with a post for how we are coming in to the finish. Sunday night I will post my success (or unlikely failure) at meeting my writing goals and how my other monthly goals went. A sort of closing ceremonies for the event.
But don’t let that stop you all from donating (it’s open to donations until October) or telling friends about how to support me and my charity.
So until tomorrow night, Take care of yourselves;
Roving Jack.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
coming down to the wire
Well here we go, I’ll get this one off to you all while I can. I’ve fallen seriously behind on many tasks that need tending and I have other errands to run tonight and over the next week. Time is going to be at a premium.
I have to admit that the seeming impossibility of the list facing me has me excited about trying to do it. The past year has shown me what desperate and fought for impossibilities are like when you achieve them. There is an exhilaration that carries you on to the next goal you set yourself.
I also have to admit that there is a real risk of failing on several fronts. It’s stressful and right now what I really need is to get some order into my life, not stress myself unnecessarily.
Well anyway I’m going to hole up over the next day and dig myself out as much as possible.
Then Tuesday I’ll try to get some more done but I have a number of errands and activities planned for that day. Then wend. I may try to make a group meeting then for the first time but more likely I will hole up and work on my goals some more. I’d really like to make this meeting wend. But it would be a one time shot anyway. I work wends and won’t make any more for a while. That is provided that work is happening or scheduled at some point. I’m going to try to figure that out tonight or tomorrow (in person or by phone).
Tuesday is going to be errand day and help me get supplies toward completing some of my goals for the month. I know there is one I am unlikely to succeed at given that I have one week and haven’t started on it.
That upsets me a little but it also helps me realize that despite all of these things being goals that are achievable, that together they equal a lot; and I have to figure for some down time or else I’m going to fail. It’s an important lesson to learn. It also helps me rethink some of my year long goal scheduling that puts some of my list so close to the wire. I might want to pick up the pace and use opportunities now to get ahead on some of those.
So there is going to be a lot of holing up over the next week and a lot less of me to be seen. But I promise that you will get a post before the end of the week and then a closing ceremony of sorts from me by Sunday night. I will want to do a celebration of my months work. And just as likely the monumental amount of effort I’m sure to put forth over the next four days at least.
Until then though, Take Care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
I have to admit that the seeming impossibility of the list facing me has me excited about trying to do it. The past year has shown me what desperate and fought for impossibilities are like when you achieve them. There is an exhilaration that carries you on to the next goal you set yourself.
I also have to admit that there is a real risk of failing on several fronts. It’s stressful and right now what I really need is to get some order into my life, not stress myself unnecessarily.
Well anyway I’m going to hole up over the next day and dig myself out as much as possible.
Then Tuesday I’ll try to get some more done but I have a number of errands and activities planned for that day. Then wend. I may try to make a group meeting then for the first time but more likely I will hole up and work on my goals some more. I’d really like to make this meeting wend. But it would be a one time shot anyway. I work wends and won’t make any more for a while. That is provided that work is happening or scheduled at some point. I’m going to try to figure that out tonight or tomorrow (in person or by phone).
Tuesday is going to be errand day and help me get supplies toward completing some of my goals for the month. I know there is one I am unlikely to succeed at given that I have one week and haven’t started on it.
That upsets me a little but it also helps me realize that despite all of these things being goals that are achievable, that together they equal a lot; and I have to figure for some down time or else I’m going to fail. It’s an important lesson to learn. It also helps me rethink some of my year long goal scheduling that puts some of my list so close to the wire. I might want to pick up the pace and use opportunities now to get ahead on some of those.
So there is going to be a lot of holing up over the next week and a lot less of me to be seen. But I promise that you will get a post before the end of the week and then a closing ceremony of sorts from me by Sunday night. I will want to do a celebration of my months work. And just as likely the monumental amount of effort I’m sure to put forth over the next four days at least.
Until then though, Take Care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Is that all?
I’ve decided on a compromise. I will tell you a bit about my writing lately and then I will cover some of my goals that I’ve been working at and some that I’ve finished this past seven or eight months.
To the story writing first. I’m less the thrilled with my level of writing on some of this so far, and I need to really apply myself better to it, but at the same time some of my work is really interesting and fun. The fairy tale format is wonderful to work in and I have a feeling that it is something I will revisit even after the few I’ve started for this venture. I think part of me is disheartened by the number of projects I’ve started and yet find little myself wanting more feedback to. I would really love to see more donations go to http://www.firstgiving.com/rovingjack . As it stands now I have one donation from a person in an online community. He has my great thanks for it.
On top of that I posted some sample hand drawn mazes as reward for donations and advertising for an e-book of mazes I plan to release online for sale in the future and that too has gone with no comment.
So part of my struggle right now is that this entire thing is like laughing in an empty room. Fun at first but then you just seem crazy.
But Part of the up side of these writings is I’m getting practice, and testing new directions for myself. Growing as an artist. Also I am finding several story settings that appeal to me as worthy of revisiting in new stories, sequels and further world building.
I think my muses are enjoying the new playgrounds. Maybe I should build one solely for them or at least one where they can take up residence when they like. I don’t know are muses like house elves, let go when presented with a gift?
Well anyway the long and short of it is that it’s hard and a struggle but a fun struggle. At times that seems to be building a road to a future for my writings.
As to the other list of things I’m doing…
Shortly after starting my list of goals at the big fun scary challenge I rediscovered a site I’d forgotten about some months before. It seemed like a compatible site with what I was doing with my life, so I joined a site called http://www.43things.com where you build a list of 43 things you want to do and mark them off when you have completed them. You can search goals and find others doing the same things and post updates on your progress.
So far I’ve been able to mark off as completed:
Attend a lecture on Renaissance medicine. (That was an easy and enjoyable one)
Designed and crafted my own signet ring. (I used it to stamp the top of my message in a bottle)
Make a set of runes (similar to my signet ring, and lead me to thing of a new line of jewelry that I really must get to work on sometime soon, I’m not much of a business man though)
Make a star wars lightsaber out of simple cheap materials that I might be able to turn into a workshop at the next convention.
Wrote a letter to my future self. (This was someoneelses idea but I loved it).
Make a blog (if you can’t find it …)
Run my panel at connecticon. (I ran four and enjoy all of the rest I could get to)
Create a website (http://www.minisite.com/rovingjack)
Message in a bottle (I’m hoping to see this project grow)
Make dorodango (shiny mud balls, a Japanese thing, really kind of fun, google it.)
And while it ran I participated in something called art challenge. Where members would post a one sentence or word topic and the challenge was to create something in a form of art to do with the topic. I hadn’t done any poetry in years and so I picked that as my format, and we managed to get three topics I think before everybody got too busy to keep up.
I had rather enjoyed the challenge. But I marked it done so that I could move on when no more topics came up. I’ve been thinking for some time on another type of challenge. I like creating art and items from found materials and thought it might be fun to set a container out or invite mailed in entries. People send me random things and I create art or jewelry from them, post up the pictures and sell the item online. The final sale price being part of the challenge. Those that donate get credit toward buying anything I create.
I did sort of start a request for some stuff. I posted that I wanted to get people to donate cleaned and dried fruit pits. You know like peaches and plums and apricots and dates. I’d even take certain seeds like apple and citrus. Basically anything stony (avocado is like a giant nut and not good for much, but if challenged I could work with that too). No takers yet. Maybe I’ll post a separate blog post just detailing that idea.
Anyway, that’s just what I’ve completed, I have thirty some odd others I’m still working on. More about those some other time. Tonight I’ve got some things to do to prep for the yard sale tomorrow.
Look for a post by Monday. Until then…
Take care of yourselves,Roving Jack
To the story writing first. I’m less the thrilled with my level of writing on some of this so far, and I need to really apply myself better to it, but at the same time some of my work is really interesting and fun. The fairy tale format is wonderful to work in and I have a feeling that it is something I will revisit even after the few I’ve started for this venture. I think part of me is disheartened by the number of projects I’ve started and yet find little myself wanting more feedback to. I would really love to see more donations go to http://www.firstgiving.com/rovingjack . As it stands now I have one donation from a person in an online community. He has my great thanks for it.
On top of that I posted some sample hand drawn mazes as reward for donations and advertising for an e-book of mazes I plan to release online for sale in the future and that too has gone with no comment.
So part of my struggle right now is that this entire thing is like laughing in an empty room. Fun at first but then you just seem crazy.
But Part of the up side of these writings is I’m getting practice, and testing new directions for myself. Growing as an artist. Also I am finding several story settings that appeal to me as worthy of revisiting in new stories, sequels and further world building.
I think my muses are enjoying the new playgrounds. Maybe I should build one solely for them or at least one where they can take up residence when they like. I don’t know are muses like house elves, let go when presented with a gift?
Well anyway the long and short of it is that it’s hard and a struggle but a fun struggle. At times that seems to be building a road to a future for my writings.
As to the other list of things I’m doing…
Shortly after starting my list of goals at the big fun scary challenge I rediscovered a site I’d forgotten about some months before. It seemed like a compatible site with what I was doing with my life, so I joined a site called http://www.43things.com where you build a list of 43 things you want to do and mark them off when you have completed them. You can search goals and find others doing the same things and post updates on your progress.
So far I’ve been able to mark off as completed:
Attend a lecture on Renaissance medicine. (That was an easy and enjoyable one)
Designed and crafted my own signet ring. (I used it to stamp the top of my message in a bottle)
Make a set of runes (similar to my signet ring, and lead me to thing of a new line of jewelry that I really must get to work on sometime soon, I’m not much of a business man though)
Make a star wars lightsaber out of simple cheap materials that I might be able to turn into a workshop at the next convention.
Wrote a letter to my future self. (This was someoneelses idea but I loved it).
Make a blog (if you can’t find it …)
Run my panel at connecticon. (I ran four and enjoy all of the rest I could get to)
Create a website (http://www.minisite.com/rovingjack)
Message in a bottle (I’m hoping to see this project grow)
Make dorodango (shiny mud balls, a Japanese thing, really kind of fun, google it.)
And while it ran I participated in something called art challenge. Where members would post a one sentence or word topic and the challenge was to create something in a form of art to do with the topic. I hadn’t done any poetry in years and so I picked that as my format, and we managed to get three topics I think before everybody got too busy to keep up.
I had rather enjoyed the challenge. But I marked it done so that I could move on when no more topics came up. I’ve been thinking for some time on another type of challenge. I like creating art and items from found materials and thought it might be fun to set a container out or invite mailed in entries. People send me random things and I create art or jewelry from them, post up the pictures and sell the item online. The final sale price being part of the challenge. Those that donate get credit toward buying anything I create.
I did sort of start a request for some stuff. I posted that I wanted to get people to donate cleaned and dried fruit pits. You know like peaches and plums and apricots and dates. I’d even take certain seeds like apple and citrus. Basically anything stony (avocado is like a giant nut and not good for much, but if challenged I could work with that too). No takers yet. Maybe I’ll post a separate blog post just detailing that idea.
Anyway, that’s just what I’ve completed, I have thirty some odd others I’m still working on. More about those some other time. Tonight I’ve got some things to do to prep for the yard sale tomorrow.
Look for a post by Monday. Until then…
Take care of yourselves,Roving Jack
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The master list
Well here it is a list of the goals I set myself for the year starting on January first and aiming to complete by November first. As it is part of the Big Fun Scary challenge at NaNoWriMo (a November event). I think I walked into it a bit later then most so I have a bit less time than a year on these but here it is, with notes on level of completion.
1 - Write the rest of my 2007 script frenzy, which had to be dropped due to medical problems.
This was my first adventure in the marathon writing, and I’d set myself a great pace. I would have finished in a week’s time. I had started late in the month and rethought the whole plot. It was going well and then…
Attack of the evil illness. I ended up dealing with an illness that really knocked me for a loop over the following 6 months. Needless to say getting to public net access was really out of the question, I was out of a job, and in a good deal of pain for most of that time.
Since then I have looked at this project as something important for me to return to and finish. I hope to be able to do that during the coming month of September which I have set aside as editing and completing time for past writings.
2)In 2008 rovingjack went nutters and convinced himself that not only would he write a script frenzy idea he had passed on but that he was going to try his best to get 5 script frenzy scripts written. Operative term is try. He wants to try one each of graphic novel/manga script, Movie script, TV, Radio and Stage play.
This was a project for April, which I am happy to say I succeeded at. Though much of these works reached their qualifying goal some are in need of an ending and all need editing.
3) Return to my previous nano writings and finish, expand and edit them.
As noted above this should be something I can do in September.
4) Submit one or more of the above writings to some form of public (published, or web posted).
This is going to be hard for me, I have certain anxieties on this that make this quiet a leap for me to make, but I will do it.
I have thought that simply posting one of my charity stories to the web would work but it’s not in the spirit of the goal and would feel like cheating. So I have to look to my scripts and my previous NaNoWriMo writings and edit them before mailing copies to publishers. If they fail at multiple editors I may list them up online but the goal is to get my writing career started.
5) Design a greeting card a month, and see about printing them through an on demand publishing company.
I’ve done some of this each month and feel I can claim a bit of reasonable success. Though I have yet to actually post one up online through the store I opened expressly for that purpose. Recently I’ve been considering doing a complete line of cards for adoptees to family (something I wish I could find in stores to send to the family I’ve gained contact with over the last few years). I’ve adended that to this topic as a monthly goal for august. I plan to make a few cards that express these things I wish were available to me, and list them at my webstore. I’ll be sure to post a link.
6) draw a map to be used in a piece of fiction of mine. (Actually mostly done at this time)
This too is a completed goal, and it has been expanded due to enthusiastic support of some friends. My addition is that I would like to complete several generic maps, compile them into downloadable formats. Make a flier and offer the generics at a cheap rate while advertising my map making skills to gamers and publishers through online fliers.
7) Learn some of the basics of the Sumerian language system.
Who would have thought this would be so difficult… I’m kidding. I’ve found a bit of online information and unfortunately the only book I can find online as a reference runs a bit more then my monthly food budget. I might be able to work Babylonian and am already playing with Egyptian but again it’s about the spirit of the goal not the quickest approximation. I’ve set myself some time in October, currently set as my study month, to pursue this more aggressively.
8) Use knowledge of English, Mandarin, and Sumerian (among others like Latin and Gaelic) to devise a fictional language for a setting.
I’m already setting the foundations on this and I may not need any real expertise in any of the above to do this, and I fully expect that as a first attempt there will be flaws, but I never committed to being perfect.
9) Learn a computer programming language.
I’ve actually got everything I need to start this except the time, which is split up among other projects right now. As October study month comes to me I will be able to work on this more aggressively.
10) Illustrate and write a picture book that conveys a deeply powerful message (this idea came to me a few years back and is something I have to do).
This project is very important to me, and is a bit of a secret baby. I’m going to need some time, a few models, and some simple supplies. I don’t know if my mortal being can actually meet my expectations on this one but I will give it my best shot and then share it with the world.
11) Make a project from Make Magazine. (Have one idea for this one)
An idea that fell through, but I have a new idea, and am interested in seeing where I can take it. I should get a shot at this over the next month.
12) Build and use a pinhole camera.
This is half done. I made an awkward camera and I want to refine it before I give it a try. This may be just a matter of giving myself one day to finish this up.
13) Take a Lampwork glass, or stained glass class.
I did in fact take a stained glass class in April while writing 5 scripts. I enjoyed it and think that I may return to it when time and space can be found.
14) Make a possible action figure for another project.
I’m trying to get the things I need for this so that I can complete this by the end of the month. It’s the little things that keep getting in my way.
15) Grow a bonsai tree. (Might have the start of this one)
I had planned to use a small series of certain herbs that should do the job, but a series of faltering steps have left me with little more than sprouts in late august and it’s not looking hopeful. I’ve decided to try taking some cuttings and see if I can keep them going through the winter as I train them. I hope I have better success with established plants then I have had with sprouts.
16) Relearn mathematics in a way that works for me (I've started this one)
I learned a great deal about how I learn thing since graduating high school. One of which is that I can learn some pretty advanced topics in a matter of hours, where a full school year failed to make some of the basics stick. I want to repair that breech in my understanding and learning.
17) Design a new origami object each month
This of all things has proven to be one that will haunt me. I managed for three months to do exactly as stated, before hitting a wall. I’ve since then had to amend this into folding a new pattern each month, meaning that I simply fold one I’ve never folded before from diagrams rather than create from scratch which is much more difficult.
That compromise will likely taint the feel of victory at the end, but it’s my own fault for setting my sites too high.
18) Design One hand drawn maze a day.
I’ve got a small horde of these things that I do intend to scan into a pdf and sell off a website in e-book format. It’s making the final step that is slowing me up. Again it’s something I should be able to achieve in a day’s time; I just have to make the leap.
19) Water color paint again. This was something brought on by my niece seeing something I painted and seeming awed by the fact that I had done it with watercolors like hers, I then realized I hadn't touched a brush since years before she was born.
I’ve done this and continue to play with this a bit from time to time.
20) Send a message in a bottle, but my message will be art, and my method will get it to people and make sure I'm not littering.
http://groups.google.com/group/mess-n-bot
21) Generate three hundred dollars through some creative project before June. Use the money to get a wireless laptop and repeat for investable/savable money.
Something that may also haunt me as I failed the June deadline, but I have hopes of pulling it off before the end of the year and that is more important than worrying about being a bit late on the success.
22) Integrate my spiritual world and my day to day together better.
I’ve done this to some degree, and I won’t go slinging it around as some big important story, it’s enough that I took some steps and continue to walk my path.
23) Bring into being a community benefitting project.
http://firstgiving.com/rovingjack
24) Look into getting a house of my own
All I have to do is talk with somebody to see what it would take. It’s not about getting the home, though that would be nice. Simply learning what would be required is enough. It should take no more than an hour or two of my time.
Well there you have the master list and its progress. Next time I’ll fill you in on side projects without the yearend deadline and a few that I’ve managed to do in the mean time. That is if I don’t decide to tell you about some of the most recent writings instead.
I’m not sure when but before Saturday for sure. Until then Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack.
1 - Write the rest of my 2007 script frenzy, which had to be dropped due to medical problems.
This was my first adventure in the marathon writing, and I’d set myself a great pace. I would have finished in a week’s time. I had started late in the month and rethought the whole plot. It was going well and then…
Attack of the evil illness. I ended up dealing with an illness that really knocked me for a loop over the following 6 months. Needless to say getting to public net access was really out of the question, I was out of a job, and in a good deal of pain for most of that time.
Since then I have looked at this project as something important for me to return to and finish. I hope to be able to do that during the coming month of September which I have set aside as editing and completing time for past writings.
2)In 2008 rovingjack went nutters and convinced himself that not only would he write a script frenzy idea he had passed on but that he was going to try his best to get 5 script frenzy scripts written. Operative term is try. He wants to try one each of graphic novel/manga script, Movie script, TV, Radio and Stage play.
This was a project for April, which I am happy to say I succeeded at. Though much of these works reached their qualifying goal some are in need of an ending and all need editing.
3) Return to my previous nano writings and finish, expand and edit them.
As noted above this should be something I can do in September.
4) Submit one or more of the above writings to some form of public (published, or web posted).
This is going to be hard for me, I have certain anxieties on this that make this quiet a leap for me to make, but I will do it.
I have thought that simply posting one of my charity stories to the web would work but it’s not in the spirit of the goal and would feel like cheating. So I have to look to my scripts and my previous NaNoWriMo writings and edit them before mailing copies to publishers. If they fail at multiple editors I may list them up online but the goal is to get my writing career started.
5) Design a greeting card a month, and see about printing them through an on demand publishing company.
I’ve done some of this each month and feel I can claim a bit of reasonable success. Though I have yet to actually post one up online through the store I opened expressly for that purpose. Recently I’ve been considering doing a complete line of cards for adoptees to family (something I wish I could find in stores to send to the family I’ve gained contact with over the last few years). I’ve adended that to this topic as a monthly goal for august. I plan to make a few cards that express these things I wish were available to me, and list them at my webstore. I’ll be sure to post a link.
6) draw a map to be used in a piece of fiction of mine. (Actually mostly done at this time)
This too is a completed goal, and it has been expanded due to enthusiastic support of some friends. My addition is that I would like to complete several generic maps, compile them into downloadable formats. Make a flier and offer the generics at a cheap rate while advertising my map making skills to gamers and publishers through online fliers.
7) Learn some of the basics of the Sumerian language system.
Who would have thought this would be so difficult… I’m kidding. I’ve found a bit of online information and unfortunately the only book I can find online as a reference runs a bit more then my monthly food budget. I might be able to work Babylonian and am already playing with Egyptian but again it’s about the spirit of the goal not the quickest approximation. I’ve set myself some time in October, currently set as my study month, to pursue this more aggressively.
8) Use knowledge of English, Mandarin, and Sumerian (among others like Latin and Gaelic) to devise a fictional language for a setting.
I’m already setting the foundations on this and I may not need any real expertise in any of the above to do this, and I fully expect that as a first attempt there will be flaws, but I never committed to being perfect.
9) Learn a computer programming language.
I’ve actually got everything I need to start this except the time, which is split up among other projects right now. As October study month comes to me I will be able to work on this more aggressively.
10) Illustrate and write a picture book that conveys a deeply powerful message (this idea came to me a few years back and is something I have to do).
This project is very important to me, and is a bit of a secret baby. I’m going to need some time, a few models, and some simple supplies. I don’t know if my mortal being can actually meet my expectations on this one but I will give it my best shot and then share it with the world.
11) Make a project from Make Magazine. (Have one idea for this one)
An idea that fell through, but I have a new idea, and am interested in seeing where I can take it. I should get a shot at this over the next month.
12) Build and use a pinhole camera.
This is half done. I made an awkward camera and I want to refine it before I give it a try. This may be just a matter of giving myself one day to finish this up.
13) Take a Lampwork glass, or stained glass class.
I did in fact take a stained glass class in April while writing 5 scripts. I enjoyed it and think that I may return to it when time and space can be found.
14) Make a possible action figure for another project.
I’m trying to get the things I need for this so that I can complete this by the end of the month. It’s the little things that keep getting in my way.
15) Grow a bonsai tree. (Might have the start of this one)
I had planned to use a small series of certain herbs that should do the job, but a series of faltering steps have left me with little more than sprouts in late august and it’s not looking hopeful. I’ve decided to try taking some cuttings and see if I can keep them going through the winter as I train them. I hope I have better success with established plants then I have had with sprouts.
16) Relearn mathematics in a way that works for me (I've started this one)
I learned a great deal about how I learn thing since graduating high school. One of which is that I can learn some pretty advanced topics in a matter of hours, where a full school year failed to make some of the basics stick. I want to repair that breech in my understanding and learning.
17) Design a new origami object each month
This of all things has proven to be one that will haunt me. I managed for three months to do exactly as stated, before hitting a wall. I’ve since then had to amend this into folding a new pattern each month, meaning that I simply fold one I’ve never folded before from diagrams rather than create from scratch which is much more difficult.
That compromise will likely taint the feel of victory at the end, but it’s my own fault for setting my sites too high.
18) Design One hand drawn maze a day.
I’ve got a small horde of these things that I do intend to scan into a pdf and sell off a website in e-book format. It’s making the final step that is slowing me up. Again it’s something I should be able to achieve in a day’s time; I just have to make the leap.
19) Water color paint again. This was something brought on by my niece seeing something I painted and seeming awed by the fact that I had done it with watercolors like hers, I then realized I hadn't touched a brush since years before she was born.
I’ve done this and continue to play with this a bit from time to time.
20) Send a message in a bottle, but my message will be art, and my method will get it to people and make sure I'm not littering.
http://groups.google.com/group/mess-n-bot
21) Generate three hundred dollars through some creative project before June. Use the money to get a wireless laptop and repeat for investable/savable money.
Something that may also haunt me as I failed the June deadline, but I have hopes of pulling it off before the end of the year and that is more important than worrying about being a bit late on the success.
22) Integrate my spiritual world and my day to day together better.
I’ve done this to some degree, and I won’t go slinging it around as some big important story, it’s enough that I took some steps and continue to walk my path.
23) Bring into being a community benefitting project.
http://firstgiving.com/rovingjack
24) Look into getting a house of my own
All I have to do is talk with somebody to see what it would take. It’s not about getting the home, though that would be nice. Simply learning what would be required is enough. It should take no more than an hour or two of my time.
Well there you have the master list and its progress. Next time I’ll fill you in on side projects without the yearend deadline and a few that I’ve managed to do in the mean time. That is if I don’t decide to tell you about some of the most recent writings instead.
I’m not sure when but before Saturday for sure. Until then Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Stormy seas, wild ride.
I have returned. Somewhat more weathered then I left. There are things afoot in my life that have my tension level running a bit higher than usual.
You see the creative and artistic Jack here makes his miniscule income by working in a kitchen at an educational facility. But the kitchen just got bought by a food service contractor. So I was sold during the summer, and news of late is that my new owners are inviting spiders of a tangled web sort. So while it’s not something I’ve been passionate about for a while, it was something that supplied certain comforts to me.
Now I am faced with the task of rethinking my employment. Which is not always bad, but generally not something done lightly either.
As much as I would like to think that some or all of the projects I am participating in currently could grow to fill the gap and I could leave the regular world of low wage jobs for self supporting creativity, I am not nearly so delusional as to think I am up to that task just yet.
I do hope to get there in a few years, or if I can make some really good ideas pay off within a years’ time, but for now building a stable base from which to create is a goal I need to add to the list. I will not let it derail the rest of the list though.
My creativity and enjoyment of the world, as well as my spiritual self have expanded a great deal over the last year and I will do what it takes to assure that continued growth. In the past something like this would have caused me to drop everything and clutch for dear life to a sinking ship. Then I’d have to struggle to surface from the problems and try to salvage what I could and start over.
Right now what I am shooting for involves not dropping anything, watching the ship to see which way to go, and taking myself to where I need to be to move safely forward. Perhaps the things that I will not drop may be of help in that or maybe they will be a pleasant diversion in times of stress ahead. But come a farther day in the future they will be a point of pride in my abilities to survive, and be creative and simple enjoyment of life.
That’s the plan anyway.
Well I think perhaps that should do for this post. Sometime before late night wend. I’ll run up another post. I think it’s about time I ran a tally of the projects I am working on this year and specifically this month.
Until then, take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
You see the creative and artistic Jack here makes his miniscule income by working in a kitchen at an educational facility. But the kitchen just got bought by a food service contractor. So I was sold during the summer, and news of late is that my new owners are inviting spiders of a tangled web sort. So while it’s not something I’ve been passionate about for a while, it was something that supplied certain comforts to me.
Now I am faced with the task of rethinking my employment. Which is not always bad, but generally not something done lightly either.
As much as I would like to think that some or all of the projects I am participating in currently could grow to fill the gap and I could leave the regular world of low wage jobs for self supporting creativity, I am not nearly so delusional as to think I am up to that task just yet.
I do hope to get there in a few years, or if I can make some really good ideas pay off within a years’ time, but for now building a stable base from which to create is a goal I need to add to the list. I will not let it derail the rest of the list though.
My creativity and enjoyment of the world, as well as my spiritual self have expanded a great deal over the last year and I will do what it takes to assure that continued growth. In the past something like this would have caused me to drop everything and clutch for dear life to a sinking ship. Then I’d have to struggle to surface from the problems and try to salvage what I could and start over.
Right now what I am shooting for involves not dropping anything, watching the ship to see which way to go, and taking myself to where I need to be to move safely forward. Perhaps the things that I will not drop may be of help in that or maybe they will be a pleasant diversion in times of stress ahead. But come a farther day in the future they will be a point of pride in my abilities to survive, and be creative and simple enjoyment of life.
That’s the plan anyway.
Well I think perhaps that should do for this post. Sometime before late night wend. I’ll run up another post. I think it’s about time I ran a tally of the projects I am working on this year and specifically this month.
Until then, take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
Friday, August 15, 2008
So much to discuss
Well I thought about a few different things to write about today. But really I’m going to discuss my writing for now and reserve my feelings on some of the news of Olympic sportsmanship and international politics of late for another set of posts and some time for my feelings on the topic to get mulled over a bit more. I’ll just say that some things in this world disappoint me, and reinforce my disinclination to plug the silly TV back into the wall. I might watch videos but that’s about it. Which I’m proud to say is a policy I’ve held fairly well to over the last year, and it’s served me well in starting working on and completing many of my projects.
Now to one of those projects, the write-a-thon:
Well I’m not panicking yet about the pace I have set for myself. But if I don’t crack down and releive some of the pressure soon I might. The back log of things and the last of my free summer moments put a premium on my time and so it’s not as easy as it should be.
I have however discovered something. That while I’m not generally a romance or horror writer
I can in fact come up with ideas in those areas that I can write. I’ve also discovered however that in the middle of a write-a-thon of 31 short stories, which in themselves are a new format for me, in 31 days is not the ideal time to try it out.
Fantasy and science fiction are my genres of greatest familiarity and deepest creativity. If I stick to those now it makes it a great deal easier to achieve my goals for the month and not lose ground on some of the rest of my life too.
The ideas come more easily and the stories are more satisfying to me, which helps maintain momentum and doesn’t leave me second guessing my work and beating myself up over failures.
I think it’s important to stretch myself but perhaps now is not the time to stretch myself in so many directions at once.
As to the short story format; it can be quite interesting to write in and teaches me a bit about techniques that are applicable in other formats too, but it is a bit of a struggle too.
I found myself writing one story last night that detailed a character in a situation that was interesting for the story. The story made it close to two thousand words and I clipped it to an end of sorts. The problem is that the story was meant to be able a crazy day of a character at a crazy job. Which it did do, but then it filled itself up with the intent to be the opening sequence of a longer story about a character and his family and the struggles he faces in a world where things are mystically and historically different than ours.
Something similar happened with the romance, where as a story it was okay, but as an introduction to a more in depth setting and character driven story it works so much better.
I’m finding I’m much more suited to longer fiction. So instead of fight it I will embrace it and as time goes by I will do some stretching exercises with other types of writing, but they will be the exercises not the basis of my writing.
The final thing about this topic for now is my struggles to find ways to drum up donations for the charity aspect of it. I’m learning that above all I have more to learn about that. I’ve a few ideas to pursue in the next few weeks that I hope will help some, but it’s a new way of thinking for me.
It’s selling myself and believing in my goals, two things I’ve struggled with in the past. I can find value in anything, but it seems so arrogant to place value on my ventures, as if I’m bragging. To top it off there are the questions of whether my pride is justifiable and whether I should expect anything for my efforts.
A friend of mine helped me some with this aspect the other day by mentioning that customers decide if something is worth buying. I need to let them decide if my efforts are worth investing in, and not worry and waste time trying to predict that part of things. I also have to be responsive to what is being asked for. If I intend to turn any of this into a living I do anyway. If I’m just writing or creating on the small scale for myself and family then intent and the act of creation would be enough.
So I’m learning and growing for my adventures, as it should always be, and hope that this is part of a pattern I follow for personal growth.
I’m going to be rather busy for a few days after this but my next post should be up by Monday.
Until then take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
Now to one of those projects, the write-a-thon:
Well I’m not panicking yet about the pace I have set for myself. But if I don’t crack down and releive some of the pressure soon I might. The back log of things and the last of my free summer moments put a premium on my time and so it’s not as easy as it should be.
I have however discovered something. That while I’m not generally a romance or horror writer
I can in fact come up with ideas in those areas that I can write. I’ve also discovered however that in the middle of a write-a-thon of 31 short stories, which in themselves are a new format for me, in 31 days is not the ideal time to try it out.
Fantasy and science fiction are my genres of greatest familiarity and deepest creativity. If I stick to those now it makes it a great deal easier to achieve my goals for the month and not lose ground on some of the rest of my life too.
The ideas come more easily and the stories are more satisfying to me, which helps maintain momentum and doesn’t leave me second guessing my work and beating myself up over failures.
I think it’s important to stretch myself but perhaps now is not the time to stretch myself in so many directions at once.
As to the short story format; it can be quite interesting to write in and teaches me a bit about techniques that are applicable in other formats too, but it is a bit of a struggle too.
I found myself writing one story last night that detailed a character in a situation that was interesting for the story. The story made it close to two thousand words and I clipped it to an end of sorts. The problem is that the story was meant to be able a crazy day of a character at a crazy job. Which it did do, but then it filled itself up with the intent to be the opening sequence of a longer story about a character and his family and the struggles he faces in a world where things are mystically and historically different than ours.
Something similar happened with the romance, where as a story it was okay, but as an introduction to a more in depth setting and character driven story it works so much better.
I’m finding I’m much more suited to longer fiction. So instead of fight it I will embrace it and as time goes by I will do some stretching exercises with other types of writing, but they will be the exercises not the basis of my writing.
The final thing about this topic for now is my struggles to find ways to drum up donations for the charity aspect of it. I’m learning that above all I have more to learn about that. I’ve a few ideas to pursue in the next few weeks that I hope will help some, but it’s a new way of thinking for me.
It’s selling myself and believing in my goals, two things I’ve struggled with in the past. I can find value in anything, but it seems so arrogant to place value on my ventures, as if I’m bragging. To top it off there are the questions of whether my pride is justifiable and whether I should expect anything for my efforts.
A friend of mine helped me some with this aspect the other day by mentioning that customers decide if something is worth buying. I need to let them decide if my efforts are worth investing in, and not worry and waste time trying to predict that part of things. I also have to be responsive to what is being asked for. If I intend to turn any of this into a living I do anyway. If I’m just writing or creating on the small scale for myself and family then intent and the act of creation would be enough.
So I’m learning and growing for my adventures, as it should always be, and hope that this is part of a pattern I follow for personal growth.
I’m going to be rather busy for a few days after this but my next post should be up by Monday.
Until then take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Yay,
I can’t tell you how much my mood has changed in the last twenty minutes. I just got some exciting news.
But first… I’d been deeply inspired to creative thinking once again since the crafts fair. Not only do I look at many of the crafts and think, I want to try that, but many of them get me thinking, I can do that. Still others get my mind thinking about what I could do if I did this or that slightly differently, combined two unrelated ideas ect.
I always walk out of that fair with a mind that has been kick started with ideas. But that doesn’t always mean much. As this past day or two can show, I may be inspired and come up with gobs of ideas and still face the trouble of the current of inspiration failing to jump the gap towards action. It’s sort of like a conscious marionette with cut strings. I talked with a friend at a local group get together Monday night and that helped me a bit to overcome the inertia holding me still. But still for some reason the momentum was failing to build.
That’s where the last twenty minutes come in to play. Apparently at least part of the problem was that I’d dumped some energy into several projects in a row and was getting little or no feedback to keep my motivation going. Well I just got word from one.
http://groups.google.com/group/mess-n-bot The message in a bottle project was sent on its way and I have heard the first answer to the call. You should be able to follow the link and see where it’s going from here. That’s a really great feeling.
Soon I think I will upload some images of the bottle I took the day before it left my hands, I might make a few buttons and t-shirts and such, that people could buy. You don’t have to but I think it would be cool. There are three more bottles to be sent on their way eventually.
Now If I could only figure out how to get my write-a-thon to gather a little more, it would be wonderful feedback and send me through a high in momentum that with my creative high should give me a month of achievements that will inspire me ever higher. (I feel like I’m making myself sound like a coin operated device that needs to be fed in order to do anything, which isn’t the case).
For those who are already participating in one of my projects, message in a bottle, write-a-thon, or anything else; feel free to visit my site and go into the folder to download a free hand drawn maze. They are samples of the material I will be releasing as an eBook some time during the next month. As always you are welcome to leave comments and feedback with me.
I’ll likely swing by here tomorrow but may not post again until Saturday. I’m in desperate need of time to tear through some of the projects I’ve let backlog in my fog since the end of the convention.
Until then, Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
I can’t tell you how much my mood has changed in the last twenty minutes. I just got some exciting news.
But first… I’d been deeply inspired to creative thinking once again since the crafts fair. Not only do I look at many of the crafts and think, I want to try that, but many of them get me thinking, I can do that. Still others get my mind thinking about what I could do if I did this or that slightly differently, combined two unrelated ideas ect.
I always walk out of that fair with a mind that has been kick started with ideas. But that doesn’t always mean much. As this past day or two can show, I may be inspired and come up with gobs of ideas and still face the trouble of the current of inspiration failing to jump the gap towards action. It’s sort of like a conscious marionette with cut strings. I talked with a friend at a local group get together Monday night and that helped me a bit to overcome the inertia holding me still. But still for some reason the momentum was failing to build.
That’s where the last twenty minutes come in to play. Apparently at least part of the problem was that I’d dumped some energy into several projects in a row and was getting little or no feedback to keep my motivation going. Well I just got word from one.
http://groups.google.com/group/mess-n-bot The message in a bottle project was sent on its way and I have heard the first answer to the call. You should be able to follow the link and see where it’s going from here. That’s a really great feeling.
Soon I think I will upload some images of the bottle I took the day before it left my hands, I might make a few buttons and t-shirts and such, that people could buy. You don’t have to but I think it would be cool. There are three more bottles to be sent on their way eventually.
Now If I could only figure out how to get my write-a-thon to gather a little more, it would be wonderful feedback and send me through a high in momentum that with my creative high should give me a month of achievements that will inspire me ever higher. (I feel like I’m making myself sound like a coin operated device that needs to be fed in order to do anything, which isn’t the case).
For those who are already participating in one of my projects, message in a bottle, write-a-thon, or anything else; feel free to visit my site and go into the folder to download a free hand drawn maze. They are samples of the material I will be releasing as an eBook some time during the next month. As always you are welcome to leave comments and feedback with me.
I’ll likely swing by here tomorrow but may not post again until Saturday. I’m in desperate need of time to tear through some of the projects I’ve let backlog in my fog since the end of the convention.
Until then, Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack
Monday, August 11, 2008
I must be distracted.
I didn't even sign off with my usual take care of yourselves, I didn't even sign it.
I've got another get together tonight, and I'll be able to get some feedback and ideas, but then I just need to use the rest of the week to sort through some of this and get myself more organises. If I let myself get like this too much I get to scrambled and my efforts are to dispersed to actually get anything done.
This coming weekend, and the following one I have to try to empty out some storage space and closets of old stuff at a few yard sales and maybe through online sales. Maybe get some info from realtors, and talk to somebody about donating my hair. Then I have to figure out when my work wants me back. Once I get that all sorted out I'll spend a fair amount of my free time just relaxing a bit from this bussy few weeks and systematically going through my personal goals.
So I'll probably be in and out a bit as I get through this all but I will try to at least post on Wedn. and saturdays.
Until this wedn. take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
I've got another get together tonight, and I'll be able to get some feedback and ideas, but then I just need to use the rest of the week to sort through some of this and get myself more organises. If I let myself get like this too much I get to scrambled and my efforts are to dispersed to actually get anything done.
This coming weekend, and the following one I have to try to empty out some storage space and closets of old stuff at a few yard sales and maybe through online sales. Maybe get some info from realtors, and talk to somebody about donating my hair. Then I have to figure out when my work wants me back. Once I get that all sorted out I'll spend a fair amount of my free time just relaxing a bit from this bussy few weeks and systematically going through my personal goals.
So I'll probably be in and out a bit as I get through this all but I will try to at least post on Wedn. and saturdays.
Until this wedn. take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
Struggles
I know that while I'm struggling a bit with the writing I can bring it back and recover, even to the point that I might have fun and exceed my goals personally. But the lack of donations is a disappointment I can't do anything about right now. And the message in a bottle is out of my hands but gone from the world as near as I can tell. There is no sign it's gone anywhere.
I've not heard feedback on my maps that I posted to show to others online. I'd hoped to make some for gamers and novelists, as a start of a commission based arts idea.
My first try at having one of my panels outside of the convention netted me two hours by myself in a book store, good reading time but I could have been doing other things, saved the gas and not had to make the trip.
I have some ideas on what went wrong but it still doesn't help the feeling of failure. I need a pick me up of some kind.
That's partly why I came back to the Craftsmens fair today. Yesterday I had some fun talking and watching and getting ideas, I took a paper making class. So that has helped. Creating things, learning new skills, and getting new creative ideas are soothing but it doesn't completely salve the feeling of struggle and failure on my part. Hopefully I can turn this around in the next few days, and get some things done.
I've not heard feedback on my maps that I posted to show to others online. I'd hoped to make some for gamers and novelists, as a start of a commission based arts idea.
My first try at having one of my panels outside of the convention netted me two hours by myself in a book store, good reading time but I could have been doing other things, saved the gas and not had to make the trip.
I have some ideas on what went wrong but it still doesn't help the feeling of failure. I need a pick me up of some kind.
That's partly why I came back to the Craftsmens fair today. Yesterday I had some fun talking and watching and getting ideas, I took a paper making class. So that has helped. Creating things, learning new skills, and getting new creative ideas are soothing but it doesn't completely salve the feeling of struggle and failure on my part. Hopefully I can turn this around in the next few days, and get some things done.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Athletics
All right now I want to be a world-class athlete J
I’ve been thinking about the concepts of the renaissance universal man, the Renaissance man if you will. While in this day and age it’s not really feasible to be broad-minded and learned enough to constitute such a title anymore, it is something of an idea I can appreciate.
Being a jack-of-all-trades is something I appreciate, and related to how I chose my name. But the striving to the renaissance ideal (and the implications in the references of the jack of all trades) is not just solely intellectual and vocational, but also striving for some physical prowess and mastery. A good idea and given some of my changing and complicated physical health of late I see an opportunity to try to improve an area of my life that I feel I’ve been less then diligent with.
Perhaps it’s in response to the Olympics and the idea of challenging oneself to achieve something requiring physical disciplining yourself. Perhaps it’s just my nature of getting interested in a new ways and ideas in what I can be in the world and lifetime.
Perhaps when I get some more ideas about how the current things in my life will settle out over the next few months, I will set goals for myself toward some form of athletic discipline as well.
I have a fair number of things on my plate right now and I’m looking at some busy activity for a bit coming up and some uncertainties after that, but I think the course I have set for my adventures is proving to be most rewarding and challenging.
Well I’m having a bit of a struggle getting some things I need to get done and it’s distracting me right now so I think This will likely have to be it in the way of updates tonight and likely tomorrow as well. I should be able to post something on Sunday.
Until then, Take Care of Yourselves,
Roving Jack
I’ve been thinking about the concepts of the renaissance universal man, the Renaissance man if you will. While in this day and age it’s not really feasible to be broad-minded and learned enough to constitute such a title anymore, it is something of an idea I can appreciate.
Being a jack-of-all-trades is something I appreciate, and related to how I chose my name. But the striving to the renaissance ideal (and the implications in the references of the jack of all trades) is not just solely intellectual and vocational, but also striving for some physical prowess and mastery. A good idea and given some of my changing and complicated physical health of late I see an opportunity to try to improve an area of my life that I feel I’ve been less then diligent with.
Perhaps it’s in response to the Olympics and the idea of challenging oneself to achieve something requiring physical disciplining yourself. Perhaps it’s just my nature of getting interested in a new ways and ideas in what I can be in the world and lifetime.
Perhaps when I get some more ideas about how the current things in my life will settle out over the next few months, I will set goals for myself toward some form of athletic discipline as well.
I have a fair number of things on my plate right now and I’m looking at some busy activity for a bit coming up and some uncertainties after that, but I think the course I have set for my adventures is proving to be most rewarding and challenging.
Well I’m having a bit of a struggle getting some things I need to get done and it’s distracting me right now so I think This will likely have to be it in the way of updates tonight and likely tomorrow as well. I should be able to post something on Sunday.
Until then, Take Care of Yourselves,
Roving Jack
Friday, August 8, 2008
Interesting
The romance was a little awkward and clumbsy but the idea is sound, and even seems to be leading to the idea of recurring versions of it. Sort of like a series of mini romances. I even see an over arching pattern to them. I just don't know if I have the genre feel right just yet. I think I'm going to have to do a bit of reading to get the feel, but once I figure out how to polish it all up they should turn out nicely.
On another note I figured another way in which to use the second person future narative in a completely differant genre, sort of a spooky sci-fi, twilight zoney way. That's sort of fun too. It's not something I can see doing again or carrying into some over arching storyline but it's kind of fun.
Next after those two I think I'm going to play a little with non conventional fairytales.
Few. I have to admit I was getting pretty down there for a bit. I had ideas, and time and access, but the magic, the inspiration was missing, I was really worried that I would be able to create anything. I don't know what it was that floored me like that but it was rough.
I just had to get up and moving, warm up a bit from the cold rainy weather and get something (though admittedly with my illness not much, and hardly intresting) in my stomache. Plus once I got going on it it worked itself out a bit. Though I did do the cardinal no-no of any writing work, I let the inner editor use backspace and chage things around. The point is supposed to be to just get the work out and fix it all later. The more you let hook you from behind the less forward progress you make.
So on that note onward and upward.
until next time (should be tomorrow or saturday, but between travel and events going on might be as late as sunday, I'll try not to let that happen though).
Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack.
On another note I figured another way in which to use the second person future narative in a completely differant genre, sort of a spooky sci-fi, twilight zoney way. That's sort of fun too. It's not something I can see doing again or carrying into some over arching storyline but it's kind of fun.
Next after those two I think I'm going to play a little with non conventional fairytales.
Few. I have to admit I was getting pretty down there for a bit. I had ideas, and time and access, but the magic, the inspiration was missing, I was really worried that I would be able to create anything. I don't know what it was that floored me like that but it was rough.
I just had to get up and moving, warm up a bit from the cold rainy weather and get something (though admittedly with my illness not much, and hardly intresting) in my stomache. Plus once I got going on it it worked itself out a bit. Though I did do the cardinal no-no of any writing work, I let the inner editor use backspace and chage things around. The point is supposed to be to just get the work out and fix it all later. The more you let hook you from behind the less forward progress you make.
So on that note onward and upward.
until next time (should be tomorrow or saturday, but between travel and events going on might be as late as sunday, I'll try not to let that happen though).
Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Where I am at the moment.
Well I made it back here today, though I’m feeling mighty tired; like some left over from the con.
An update on some of the things going one for me right now:
My writing project is going along nicely, more on that in a bit.
I’m planning out a line of cards for adoptees to sell in a cafepress store, it’s just so hard to find a card these days to send to a sister you’ve never met in person.
My message in a bottle project was started at the connecticon artist alley, for more on that you can check out http://groups.google.com/group/mess-n-bot . I’ve got a photo of the bottle before it left and I made photo copies of the contents to show off in case it gets lost on the way to its destination.
I’ve posted up some mazes on my minisite ( http://www.minisite.com/rovingjack ) for preview. They are meant to be rewards for those that donate to the write-a-thon. I just didn’t feel like restricting them with a password. So it’s sort of on the honor system right now.
I’ve got a trip to the crafts fair this weekend coming, and hope to take a paper making class, as well as talk to a lampwork glass maker and some wood workers about some ideas I have.
I’m going to make up some more of my hand painted maps for a portfolio and generic map folio for download off a site. Then use one to make up a flier to post in local gaming, comic stores for commission work. I hope that I can get enough together to pay for artist alley at next year’s connecticon. It looks like a good chance too, seeing some of the prices people charge for generating maps on their computers. I can charge less then that by 2/3 and offer a bit more customization and a different style then anything I see out there right now.
Then this weekend I have a repeat of my panel on alchemy from the con to offer to a local spiritual group in the book store near where I live. This is simply a trial to see if I might be able to take my con panels to a bigger audience and a new line to thinking about where I want to end up career wise. I used to dislike the very idea of speaking in public, now the idea of teaching and lecturing on certain topics as a way to make living sounds interesting enough to try.
As for the writing… Well I’ve had a few experiments so far. One of which is a horror story of sorts, as I look at it now it needs a rewrite badly, and I think I’m going to change it over from third person limited to first person. It wasn’t really supposed to be a horror story just a comment on a thought I had in story form. So using that as a model for how to venture into a new genre I think I’ll use the techniques again.
But the one I’m interested in tonight is the one I’m doing now. I was reading a bit and came across an idea. A writer was explaining the ways in which most authors use person and perspective in story and I realized something. There was mention of first person and third, and unsaid was the fact of present and past tense, and perverse mind that I have I immediately decided I needed to find a way to do a story in the future tense. But even more I needed to try to do something in the second person. Five minutes later I found a way that not only might satisfy that desire to experiment but also to let me venture into the area of romance writing. An area I was dreading, I’m not a fan of that type of writing, and it promises to be uncomfortable, but that is why I’m doing it.
As a writer I feel the need to test my boundaries in my writing style, to see where I can take myself, and to be able to say I tried and learned something from these areas I might not have otherwise explored.
So I am looking forward to that experiment and to see how the techniques might later be adapted to use in other formats.
Well I’m off again. Expect a post in the next day or two,
Until then, Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
An update on some of the things going one for me right now:
My writing project is going along nicely, more on that in a bit.
I’m planning out a line of cards for adoptees to sell in a cafepress store, it’s just so hard to find a card these days to send to a sister you’ve never met in person.
My message in a bottle project was started at the connecticon artist alley, for more on that you can check out http://groups.google.com/group/mess-n-bot . I’ve got a photo of the bottle before it left and I made photo copies of the contents to show off in case it gets lost on the way to its destination.
I’ve posted up some mazes on my minisite ( http://www.minisite.com/rovingjack ) for preview. They are meant to be rewards for those that donate to the write-a-thon. I just didn’t feel like restricting them with a password. So it’s sort of on the honor system right now.
I’ve got a trip to the crafts fair this weekend coming, and hope to take a paper making class, as well as talk to a lampwork glass maker and some wood workers about some ideas I have.
I’m going to make up some more of my hand painted maps for a portfolio and generic map folio for download off a site. Then use one to make up a flier to post in local gaming, comic stores for commission work. I hope that I can get enough together to pay for artist alley at next year’s connecticon. It looks like a good chance too, seeing some of the prices people charge for generating maps on their computers. I can charge less then that by 2/3 and offer a bit more customization and a different style then anything I see out there right now.
Then this weekend I have a repeat of my panel on alchemy from the con to offer to a local spiritual group in the book store near where I live. This is simply a trial to see if I might be able to take my con panels to a bigger audience and a new line to thinking about where I want to end up career wise. I used to dislike the very idea of speaking in public, now the idea of teaching and lecturing on certain topics as a way to make living sounds interesting enough to try.
As for the writing… Well I’ve had a few experiments so far. One of which is a horror story of sorts, as I look at it now it needs a rewrite badly, and I think I’m going to change it over from third person limited to first person. It wasn’t really supposed to be a horror story just a comment on a thought I had in story form. So using that as a model for how to venture into a new genre I think I’ll use the techniques again.
But the one I’m interested in tonight is the one I’m doing now. I was reading a bit and came across an idea. A writer was explaining the ways in which most authors use person and perspective in story and I realized something. There was mention of first person and third, and unsaid was the fact of present and past tense, and perverse mind that I have I immediately decided I needed to find a way to do a story in the future tense. But even more I needed to try to do something in the second person. Five minutes later I found a way that not only might satisfy that desire to experiment but also to let me venture into the area of romance writing. An area I was dreading, I’m not a fan of that type of writing, and it promises to be uncomfortable, but that is why I’m doing it.
As a writer I feel the need to test my boundaries in my writing style, to see where I can take myself, and to be able to say I tried and learned something from these areas I might not have otherwise explored.
So I am looking forward to that experiment and to see how the techniques might later be adapted to use in other formats.
Well I’m off again. Expect a post in the next day or two,
Until then, Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
Just a short post
I'm keeping it short tonight because I'm running out of time. I'm headed up to my mums house on thursday night I think, and will visit with her for a day before attending the Leauge of NH craftsmens fair for the weekend.
I'll be using the time there to take some classes in certain crafts that they offer, and watching demos and visit with crafters that I've gotten freindly with over the years.
While visiting with my mother I will continue with my writing project but also hope to at least plan out step in a few other projects I have to accomplish by the end of the month to meet some personal goals of mine.
I'm excited and optimistic about some of my projects becoming salable goods online if I get things set up right.
I'll try and post more tomorrow.
Until then,
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
I'll be using the time there to take some classes in certain crafts that they offer, and watching demos and visit with crafters that I've gotten freindly with over the years.
While visiting with my mother I will continue with my writing project but also hope to at least plan out step in a few other projects I have to accomplish by the end of the month to meet some personal goals of mine.
I'm excited and optimistic about some of my projects becoming salable goods online if I get things set up right.
I'll try and post more tomorrow.
Until then,
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
Monday, August 4, 2008
Carrying on.
Well, I’m back in the real world again, but I’m keeping one foot in the con world. I’m going to start getting ready for next year’s con and keep the spirit of the fun and events alive through projects and working to help them get things set up for next year.
But before I start doing much of that let me just say that while I’m doing fine with my writing goal the idea of giving you a working title and a basic premise of the story is not working for me. I think the more valuable use of this blog will be about the experience of writing and the way it plays a role in my life. Additionally I would like to include more than just the writing event in this blog.
So to start the new way of doing this. I’m enjoying the new style of writing, I may have more flubs by the end of it but the task of writing such short and to the point fiction is interesting. It challenges me to communicate a character that you can get a feel for and then put them in a situation that you want to observe, all in the space of a few pages. It’s entirely new to me; I prefer deep contemplative characters in epic and layered stories, which just don’t fit the format. I think by the end of the month I will have learned ways to tighten my writing up no matter the style, and I’ll have gained a valuable tool for writing.
I can already see advantages to story pacing that can be used for longer works. By simply shifting to the tighter 1000-3000 word format you can create sequences of fast or slowed time and moments of intensity in a longer deeper story.
So I’m quite pleased with the experience and look forward to more.
In the other news department, I made it to the casino and played a little, I’m such a tight wad though that I set a limit on myself. I was not going to spend more then 25$, and I stuck to it. Though, it was hard at the end when I used the last of my 25... And won 40. I felt like I could get more if I just kept at it. I just had to keep telling myself that the ability to walk away when you are ahead is a skill that’s worth more than being lucky.
I also got a 20 minute shiatsu from one of those chairs in one of the casino stores, for free. So all told I feel like it was well worth it. Some flashy casino entertainment, a massage, and fifteen buck profit for an hour or so of play. It’s sort of like getting 8 dollars pay for a few hours without having to work for it.
Hope you all have a few good days like this yourselves.
Until next time,
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
But before I start doing much of that let me just say that while I’m doing fine with my writing goal the idea of giving you a working title and a basic premise of the story is not working for me. I think the more valuable use of this blog will be about the experience of writing and the way it plays a role in my life. Additionally I would like to include more than just the writing event in this blog.
So to start the new way of doing this. I’m enjoying the new style of writing, I may have more flubs by the end of it but the task of writing such short and to the point fiction is interesting. It challenges me to communicate a character that you can get a feel for and then put them in a situation that you want to observe, all in the space of a few pages. It’s entirely new to me; I prefer deep contemplative characters in epic and layered stories, which just don’t fit the format. I think by the end of the month I will have learned ways to tighten my writing up no matter the style, and I’ll have gained a valuable tool for writing.
I can already see advantages to story pacing that can be used for longer works. By simply shifting to the tighter 1000-3000 word format you can create sequences of fast or slowed time and moments of intensity in a longer deeper story.
So I’m quite pleased with the experience and look forward to more.
In the other news department, I made it to the casino and played a little, I’m such a tight wad though that I set a limit on myself. I was not going to spend more then 25$, and I stuck to it. Though, it was hard at the end when I used the last of my 25... And won 40. I felt like I could get more if I just kept at it. I just had to keep telling myself that the ability to walk away when you are ahead is a skill that’s worth more than being lucky.
I also got a 20 minute shiatsu from one of those chairs in one of the casino stores, for free. So all told I feel like it was well worth it. Some flashy casino entertainment, a massage, and fifteen buck profit for an hour or so of play. It’s sort of like getting 8 dollars pay for a few hours without having to work for it.
Hope you all have a few good days like this yourselves.
Until next time,
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Sigh
It's over and now I must once more venture out into the rest of my life leaving behind the wonderful experiance of another year at connecticon. It leaves me feeling a little sad. So to solve that problem I think I'm going to see if I can visit a casino before departing my journey through this magical realm. I figure I close enough now that there isn't much reason not to. I don't have much of any money left in my pockets anyway so I won't be losing anything significant. then it's back to my crumby little room, in the house I can't stand and the work season again.
It's really two differant worlds, and I miss this one already.
Tonight I will be writing my third story about, I think (inspiration of another sort may strike), time travel. But for now I'm off and running. So until my next post,
Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack.
It's really two differant worlds, and I miss this one already.
Tonight I will be writing my third story about, I think (inspiration of another sort may strike), time travel. But for now I'm off and running. So until my next post,
Take care of yourselves.
Roving Jack.
I love Connecticon
These people are truely my people. A day that started with over an hour of pain and illness, easily turned around as I went to join the other people here. I spoke with a writer who was a great person with an impressive body of work, he was more then generous with offers of discount on the works I was eager to buy though unequipped monitarily to do so. He was very understanding and accepted my statements of likely looking through his website at a leter date when money was more freely available to me.
I turn and spoke to a skille artisan whos sculptures had first brought to the first connecticon years back (Joe Callaway). I enjoy talking to him each year and we take as one artist (and one buyer when I can spare the money) to another and he was very supportive and seemed very enthusiastic aboutsome of my ideas that are coming up in the next year. At that moment a young woman who had also been nearby admiring the other things around us came up and said that she had seen some f my discussions of panels and had enjoyed them 'and here...' she handed me two great books one which I had been very intersested in at the previous table. She simply gave them to me because she saw I liked them and could not afford them.
That's one of the great things about this place, there are truely caring extended families that form between us at these events.
Bothe my panles were very full and fully enjoyed by both my audiance and myself, and I had the opportunity to attend several panels myself today, enjoying it from the other side.
I got back to my rooom way later then anticipated but still managed to write out a story I'm useing the working title of Killers remorese. about a man who blames himself for a death of someone he's never truely even encountered and is infact not real. It's a bit of a horror but also a surprise twist type story that's based on an old idea of mine. I'm only now getting the chance to fill this out in reguards to this nice day.
Though it started in pain and worry it came out wonderfully and I can't wait for tomorrow, but I fear it as well. Because tommorrow I have to face the end to this trip and the return to the rest of the world. I count the days until I can come once more to meet my people at connecticon.
Tommorrow (or is it later today at this point?) I'll get my story done earlier I hope and write up my post before leaving, hopefully I can do that after checking out of my room. but You may not get a post for tomorrow. just a freindly heads up.
But Until the next post,
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack.
I turn and spoke to a skille artisan whos sculptures had first brought to the first connecticon years back (Joe Callaway). I enjoy talking to him each year and we take as one artist (and one buyer when I can spare the money) to another and he was very supportive and seemed very enthusiastic aboutsome of my ideas that are coming up in the next year. At that moment a young woman who had also been nearby admiring the other things around us came up and said that she had seen some f my discussions of panels and had enjoyed them 'and here...' she handed me two great books one which I had been very intersested in at the previous table. She simply gave them to me because she saw I liked them and could not afford them.
That's one of the great things about this place, there are truely caring extended families that form between us at these events.
Bothe my panles were very full and fully enjoyed by both my audiance and myself, and I had the opportunity to attend several panels myself today, enjoying it from the other side.
I got back to my rooom way later then anticipated but still managed to write out a story I'm useing the working title of Killers remorese. about a man who blames himself for a death of someone he's never truely even encountered and is infact not real. It's a bit of a horror but also a surprise twist type story that's based on an old idea of mine. I'm only now getting the chance to fill this out in reguards to this nice day.
Though it started in pain and worry it came out wonderfully and I can't wait for tomorrow, but I fear it as well. Because tommorrow I have to face the end to this trip and the return to the rest of the world. I count the days until I can come once more to meet my people at connecticon.
Tommorrow (or is it later today at this point?) I'll get my story done earlier I hope and write up my post before leaving, hopefully I can do that after checking out of my room. but You may not get a post for tomorrow. just a freindly heads up.
But Until the next post,
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
My first story
Well Here I am exhausted at the con and finally able to get to a computer to post about how it all is going.
It's not helped by a severe lack of sleep over the last three days. Five hours wends night, two last night and up since 4am friday morning. But I'm here and have had a decent day. My herbalism panel went really well, and I enjoyed the several panels I had the chance to attend today. Met and talked with a few great people. And participated in something I hope to be able to report as a succeess in a few weeks (if not I may pretend I never mentioned it).
But as to my goal for myself this month, my first story is done, and I think it's decent. Not my personal best an it doesn't quite fit the vission I had for it but it works. with an edit and a second draft or so it could be a powerful and salable story I think.
It's under the working title 'Heros End' and ultimately is about a superheros humanity and vulnerability.
Now if you will excuse me, my tired brain needs sleep before I do it all again tomorrow. and please forgive the horrible mistakes I'm sure I made in spelling, grammar and formatting.
I'll wrte to ya all tommorrow, until then;
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack.
It's not helped by a severe lack of sleep over the last three days. Five hours wends night, two last night and up since 4am friday morning. But I'm here and have had a decent day. My herbalism panel went really well, and I enjoyed the several panels I had the chance to attend today. Met and talked with a few great people. And participated in something I hope to be able to report as a succeess in a few weeks (if not I may pretend I never mentioned it).
But as to my goal for myself this month, my first story is done, and I think it's decent. Not my personal best an it doesn't quite fit the vission I had for it but it works. with an edit and a second draft or so it could be a powerful and salable story I think.
It's under the working title 'Heros End' and ultimately is about a superheros humanity and vulnerability.
Now if you will excuse me, my tired brain needs sleep before I do it all again tomorrow. and please forgive the horrible mistakes I'm sure I made in spelling, grammar and formatting.
I'll wrte to ya all tommorrow, until then;
Take care of yourselves,
Roving Jack.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
