I've been thinking that perhaps I should try getting my five-or-more pages a day of novel work done on a laptop, rather than on the aging desktop computer. I think it would simply be more comfortable for me, and that's honestly kind of a big deal. It's one thing that keeps me in bed early in the morning instead of getting up earlier than usual just to fit in my five pages. I stay up late, so sometimes I just can't get myself up, and I'm unwilling to sit in front of that computer, in the cold room, on a cold chair. Maybe all I need is a change of scenery when attempting to get my work done.
Also been thinking about Looking Glass. Part of the reason I haven't been working on it is that, again, I've been spending a lot more time working on the laptop than on the desktop, where the story is located. I'm going to reread it tonight to get myself back into the mood/mindset, and then pound out chapter six... seven? Six... I think. Wow, I can't even remember where I left off, that's sad. I think it's chapter seven, actually, and it's a doozy, so that's probably why I took my little break in the first place (long, detailed chapters can be exhausting). Shame on me.
The only thing I'm concerned about is backing my work up. We've got an external drive set up, but it's connected to the desktop computer (and for a good reason; our desktop could stop working any time now). But I like having an external drive to back my stuff onto immediately, and I don't think I can do that with the configuration we've got set up now. It'd be a pain getting this PC laptop hooked up to that thing, and what if there are weird compatibility issues with the copies I do save? What if I find myself unable to open them in the future, on another computer?
I guess I'd have the same thing to worry about with the copies saved via our desktop, but the desktop is a G4, and I'm planning on buying a Macbook Pro in the future, so on some weird level that makes me less worried.
At the end of the day though, I really just need to get this thing written. I'm desperate at this point. If typing the whole thing up on this laptop is what it'll take, I'll do it.
In other news: New crown caps! I'll post pics later. :)
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Fiction Update: Stalling...
Things are slow. I've gotten back into my old habit of telling myself that I'll get up early and pound out my five daily pages of novel, and then failing to do so. I have, however, received all my books in the mail (finally) and will continue to read them for inspiration.
I've also gone back to reread a little of what I've written recently, not just within this novel, but all of my fiction. As usual, this gets me really motivated. I am reminded that these works are worth finishing.
When things get more interesting, these fiction updates will be less boring. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the delicious chocolate cake I spontaneously baked tonight.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Fiction Update: Slowing Down to Read
Whoops, bit of a delay there in the updating. Anyway, here to discuss the latest in my novel attempt.
I've slowed down a bit, which is unlikely to surprise anyone that really knows me. I know myself, and I'm not surprised by it either. However, I'm not discouraged. My reasons for slowing down are actually related to my endeavor--I stopped to do some reading.
It's interesting that around the same time I began to have difficulty writing with confidence, that I also stopped reading as regularly as I once had. It's probably not a coincidence, either. This isn't to say that I haven't read a book in years, it just means I'm not always in the process of reading one book or another, and starting a new one once I've finished the previous one. This is tragic. If there's ever a way to gain confidence in your writing capabilities, it's by stopping to read literature and learning via osmosis. When reading books you begin to develop a feel for the language, the pacing, the way themes weave in and out. Reading is invaluable. I began to feel like I'd wasted valuable studying time, with my final exam date looming ominously in the distance.
I've slowed down a bit, which is unlikely to surprise anyone that really knows me. I know myself, and I'm not surprised by it either. However, I'm not discouraged. My reasons for slowing down are actually related to my endeavor--I stopped to do some reading.
It's interesting that around the same time I began to have difficulty writing with confidence, that I also stopped reading as regularly as I once had. It's probably not a coincidence, either. This isn't to say that I haven't read a book in years, it just means I'm not always in the process of reading one book or another, and starting a new one once I've finished the previous one. This is tragic. If there's ever a way to gain confidence in your writing capabilities, it's by stopping to read literature and learning via osmosis. When reading books you begin to develop a feel for the language, the pacing, the way themes weave in and out. Reading is invaluable. I began to feel like I'd wasted valuable studying time, with my final exam date looming ominously in the distance.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Fiction Update: Catalyst
Progress report time!
Tremendous progress, I'm proud to say! I've finally, finally, finally been making headway with SJL! Yes, that's the novel project, yesyesyes!
There was something about the way I was feeling during the last update that made me feel particularly frustrated with myself. I realized that for years I have been over-thinking things. Aiming high and so hung up on the potential for failure that I get nowhere. On Monday, I sat down for hours in front of the computer and simply wrote, without thinking.
And man, it felt good.
So over the course of the week, I'm just making it a point to sit down every day and do a little bit on SJL, something, anything. I remind myself that right now my focus is just to get it all out. I can refine it all later, that's what editing's for. It may all be a bit discombobulated right now, but it won't always be that way. If I don't sit and write something, then I'll never have anything to edit.
So having said that, I'm off to get in my required time spent with the project.
Tremendous progress, I'm proud to say! I've finally, finally, finally been making headway with SJL! Yes, that's the novel project, yesyesyes!
There was something about the way I was feeling during the last update that made me feel particularly frustrated with myself. I realized that for years I have been over-thinking things. Aiming high and so hung up on the potential for failure that I get nowhere. On Monday, I sat down for hours in front of the computer and simply wrote, without thinking.
And man, it felt good.
So over the course of the week, I'm just making it a point to sit down every day and do a little bit on SJL, something, anything. I remind myself that right now my focus is just to get it all out. I can refine it all later, that's what editing's for. It may all be a bit discombobulated right now, but it won't always be that way. If I don't sit and write something, then I'll never have anything to edit.
So having said that, I'm off to get in my required time spent with the project.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Fiction Update: Fic Overload/Delving into Ideas
Progress report time again.
So, I've got to admit, I'm a little overwhelmed. I'm finding myself really itching to finish some fics I started a while back. There are four I have in mind-- that's a lot of fiction to be working on all at once! I have a lot of unfinished work, and after going back to reread them, I've gotten completely excited about them all over again. They really deserve to be finished, if not just for the sake of finishing them. There are so many of them though, that I kind of don't know where to begin. All these fanfics, on top of a screenplay and a novel. I'm spreading myself a little too thin. You might be thinking, "Considering the trouble you have with sitting down and actually writing, why waste your time with fics when you could be working on career-building work?"
...That's a good question, actually.
Well here's why I do it, regardless of whether I should or not:
1) Actually finishing any work is really satisfying.
2) I want to write, gosh darn it. And somehow, when I'm writing fanfics, I manage to do that. I feel so much more capable and liberated when I'm playing in someone other writer's sandbox, as contradictory as that sounds.
3) My finished fanfics could very easily be adapted into something else. Grouped into a collection of short stories, maybe? Some of them are long enough to be novellas. So who knows?
I want it all. That's something I've learned about myself over the last couple of years. I want to do it all. This applies to me in a lot of situations, now that I think about it. In this case though, I want to write a novel, I want to write a screenplay, I want to write fanfics to share with close friends. I want it all, even though these things take time, effort.
You know something though? I don't see anything wrong with that.
So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to try to finish all my projects over the next, eh, I don't know. Six months, tarting tonight. Really. I mean it. Don't look at me like that, I mean it. I'll keep a running report right here. Here's the roster:
So, I've got to admit, I'm a little overwhelmed. I'm finding myself really itching to finish some fics I started a while back. There are four I have in mind-- that's a lot of fiction to be working on all at once! I have a lot of unfinished work, and after going back to reread them, I've gotten completely excited about them all over again. They really deserve to be finished, if not just for the sake of finishing them. There are so many of them though, that I kind of don't know where to begin. All these fanfics, on top of a screenplay and a novel. I'm spreading myself a little too thin. You might be thinking, "Considering the trouble you have with sitting down and actually writing, why waste your time with fics when you could be working on career-building work?"
...That's a good question, actually.
Well here's why I do it, regardless of whether I should or not:
1) Actually finishing any work is really satisfying.
2) I want to write, gosh darn it. And somehow, when I'm writing fanfics, I manage to do that. I feel so much more capable and liberated when I'm playing in someone other writer's sandbox, as contradictory as that sounds.
3) My finished fanfics could very easily be adapted into something else. Grouped into a collection of short stories, maybe? Some of them are long enough to be novellas. So who knows?
I want it all. That's something I've learned about myself over the last couple of years. I want to do it all. This applies to me in a lot of situations, now that I think about it. In this case though, I want to write a novel, I want to write a screenplay, I want to write fanfics to share with close friends. I want it all, even though these things take time, effort.
You know something though? I don't see anything wrong with that.
So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to try to finish all my projects over the next, eh, I don't know. Six months, tarting tonight. Really. I mean it. Don't look at me like that, I mean it. I'll keep a running report right here. Here's the roster:
Monday, April 12, 2010
Fiction Update/A Brief History of My Writing Background
Perhaps the most exciting thing I’ve been doing in regards to my novel as of late is to actually think about it. Okay, I take that back. I think about writing SJL all. The friggin’. Time. What I really mean to say is now I’m actually sitting in front of a computer screen and words are actually forming. All together, now: Wooowwww!
I just realized that I haven’t really gotten into any of my history with my attempts at novel writing. I guess I’ll write an entry about it. Like to hear it? Here it goes.
The first time I set out to write a novel, I was about ten. It was a mystery novel featuring a kid detective. I still have it saved somewhere in my labyrinth of folders, one of the last remnants of my childhood works of fiction. I actually wrote a lot of stories about this girl and her friends, but this was the only one I was pushing toward novel length. I treasure it more than I could express. This is writing of mine from when writing was just an uncomplicated pleasure. I got about… *runs to check* 27,180 words and 144 pages in, double-spaced.
Then I got older, reread it, hated it, and stopped.
Okay, maybe “hated it” is a bit strong. “Outgrew it” might be more accurate. I still reread it for kicks. Most of it is amusing, but occasionally I surprise myself with a fairly interesting moment of descriptive language. I sit there and wonder, “How’d I learn to do that and when did I forget how?”
I found myself trying again when I was in middle school, around twelve. I gave up the formulaic mystery set up and aimed for an epic fantasy, chock full of some of the tastiest fantasy food groups: magic, a faraway kingdom with a corrupt royal family, a brave (and precognitive!) young female protagonist, a handsome prince, war, outlaws, badass evil-slaying swords, monsters, *throws arm over forehead and sways* oh, t’was a fantasy tale indeed. That one was 35,024 words and 107 pages long (smaller font?) double spaced, and nowhere near finished.
Then I got older, reread it, was embarrassed by my writing, and stopped.
And that made all the difference.
I had dramatically changed as a person and a writer by that point. By fourteen, I realized that I’d been writing it like a twelve year old. Which is understandable, considering the fact that I had at the time been, well, twelve. But at fourteen? *Pshaw* No. No, no, no. Wouldn’t tolerate it. And I don’t think I ever recovered from the shock of hearing my own writer’s voice for the first time. I think it sort of traumatized me, like I couldn’t trust myself with my own words, I couldn’t trust that I wasn’t making myself out to be… unskilled? Immature? I don’t know where to pinpoint that fear. It’s a scar I still bear today, as I sit around wondering all the time if my writing is simply good enough.
I told myself I’d come back to it when I was older, that I’d give my epic fantasy series another shot once I figured I was old enough to wield that kind of behemoth. I still haven’t gotten around to it, but that of course is due to two reasons: 1) I obviously have other projects on my plate, and 2) J.K. Rowling. She kind of had the fantasy thing on lock.
I’ve pretty much been thinking about my current endeavor since I was sixteen, and really working to write it since I was seventeen. I already know what you’re thinking. “Hm, well that sounds like a recipe for disaster. I mean, I’m sure you’ve changed by leaps and bounds from when you were seventeen.” I guess so. Still, this story has remained largely the same, and I don’t know if there’s a surefire way to tell if that’s a good thing or not.
For some reason, this project has been the hardest thing I’ve ever put my mind to-- other than your typical math class, but that’s another story *cue lame ass rim shot*. With my previous attempt, I discovered the humbling truth: that absolutely anything I’ve written at any given time is susceptible to being completely, tragically flawed. It might be due to lack of skill (which I may or may not be able to help), or it might be a manifestation of my naivete (which I could never help on my own accord). Either way, it’s possible, and I worry about it even as I type this sentence.
What about your fanfiction, you ask? Well actually, maybe you don’t ask that at all, but it’s something worth mentioning. For one reason or another, my fanfics are some of my most complete work. Strange, but true. I think it might be because the pressure’s off when I’m writing fics—it doesn’t have to be anything, it doesn’t have to be finished by any particular point in time, or at all if I so choose. I play around with chronology and get creative with the way I present information to the reader. I have fun with my interpretation of an already established character, or real life person. I incorporate real life places and events. It’s a really relaxing way to write. One of them, as I’ve mentioned, is even novel-length already.
It seems kind of a waste to just write them and leave them to sit aimlessly on my computer, so I’ve done some thinking about what I might do with them once I have a hefty-enough number of them. I might collect them, rework some surnames here or there (to remove the fandomy elements), and treat them as a collection of short stories. Or since they’re so long, treat them as individual novellas. I’m not really sure what I might do with them, but I’ll type along, and I’ll find out soon enough.
I just realized that I haven’t really gotten into any of my history with my attempts at novel writing. I guess I’ll write an entry about it. Like to hear it? Here it goes.
The first time I set out to write a novel, I was about ten. It was a mystery novel featuring a kid detective. I still have it saved somewhere in my labyrinth of folders, one of the last remnants of my childhood works of fiction. I actually wrote a lot of stories about this girl and her friends, but this was the only one I was pushing toward novel length. I treasure it more than I could express. This is writing of mine from when writing was just an uncomplicated pleasure. I got about… *runs to check* 27,180 words and 144 pages in, double-spaced.
Then I got older, reread it, hated it, and stopped.
Okay, maybe “hated it” is a bit strong. “Outgrew it” might be more accurate. I still reread it for kicks. Most of it is amusing, but occasionally I surprise myself with a fairly interesting moment of descriptive language. I sit there and wonder, “How’d I learn to do that and when did I forget how?”
I found myself trying again when I was in middle school, around twelve. I gave up the formulaic mystery set up and aimed for an epic fantasy, chock full of some of the tastiest fantasy food groups: magic, a faraway kingdom with a corrupt royal family, a brave (and precognitive!) young female protagonist, a handsome prince, war, outlaws, badass evil-slaying swords, monsters, *throws arm over forehead and sways* oh, t’was a fantasy tale indeed. That one was 35,024 words and 107 pages long (smaller font?) double spaced, and nowhere near finished.
Then I got older, reread it, was embarrassed by my writing, and stopped.
And that made all the difference.
I had dramatically changed as a person and a writer by that point. By fourteen, I realized that I’d been writing it like a twelve year old. Which is understandable, considering the fact that I had at the time been, well, twelve. But at fourteen? *Pshaw* No. No, no, no. Wouldn’t tolerate it. And I don’t think I ever recovered from the shock of hearing my own writer’s voice for the first time. I think it sort of traumatized me, like I couldn’t trust myself with my own words, I couldn’t trust that I wasn’t making myself out to be… unskilled? Immature? I don’t know where to pinpoint that fear. It’s a scar I still bear today, as I sit around wondering all the time if my writing is simply good enough.
I told myself I’d come back to it when I was older, that I’d give my epic fantasy series another shot once I figured I was old enough to wield that kind of behemoth. I still haven’t gotten around to it, but that of course is due to two reasons: 1) I obviously have other projects on my plate, and 2) J.K. Rowling. She kind of had the fantasy thing on lock.
I’ve pretty much been thinking about my current endeavor since I was sixteen, and really working to write it since I was seventeen. I already know what you’re thinking. “Hm, well that sounds like a recipe for disaster. I mean, I’m sure you’ve changed by leaps and bounds from when you were seventeen.” I guess so. Still, this story has remained largely the same, and I don’t know if there’s a surefire way to tell if that’s a good thing or not.
For some reason, this project has been the hardest thing I’ve ever put my mind to-- other than your typical math class, but that’s another story *cue lame ass rim shot*. With my previous attempt, I discovered the humbling truth: that absolutely anything I’ve written at any given time is susceptible to being completely, tragically flawed. It might be due to lack of skill (which I may or may not be able to help), or it might be a manifestation of my naivete (which I could never help on my own accord). Either way, it’s possible, and I worry about it even as I type this sentence.
What about your fanfiction, you ask? Well actually, maybe you don’t ask that at all, but it’s something worth mentioning. For one reason or another, my fanfics are some of my most complete work. Strange, but true. I think it might be because the pressure’s off when I’m writing fics—it doesn’t have to be anything, it doesn’t have to be finished by any particular point in time, or at all if I so choose. I play around with chronology and get creative with the way I present information to the reader. I have fun with my interpretation of an already established character, or real life person. I incorporate real life places and events. It’s a really relaxing way to write. One of them, as I’ve mentioned, is even novel-length already.
It seems kind of a waste to just write them and leave them to sit aimlessly on my computer, so I’ve done some thinking about what I might do with them once I have a hefty-enough number of them. I might collect them, rework some surnames here or there (to remove the fandomy elements), and treat them as a collection of short stories. Or since they’re so long, treat them as individual novellas. I’m not really sure what I might do with them, but I’ll type along, and I’ll find out soon enough.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Fiction Update
Made wonderful progress on "Looking Glass", the fic I post on an MJ fanboard I frequent (actually, it's one of very few I visit these days, and the only one I post at). I posted chapter five, which finally takes a look at the life of one of the three main characters (Brynne, the one caught between her fiance and closest friend).
It took me a little over three months to get that chapter up. At first, I just wasn't working on it. For some reason, it wasn't flowing as freely as the first four chapters (which I wrote and posted immediately between October and December-- a turnover rate that's rare for me). Now that I look back that chapter, I can see why-- it's massive! There is so much information and time covered in that chapter that I think to myself, "no wonder I was so reluctant to dive in right away, and no wonder it took me so long to finish once I got started."
Next chapters are only going to get more complex, so I hope this slowdown isn't permanent. Months spent between each chapter would be a total pain. Though, I'm pretty sure most of the remaining chapters won't be quite as long.
In other writing news, I'm working on developing a new idea for a novel. I know that's strange since I'm still working on my other novel, but this feels like a great idea-- it came from a dream. A coherent one, of course. I'm also wondering if it might make a better screenplay, but I haven't really decided where I'm going with that.
I don't really know why, but my camera doesn't seem to like cooperating with iPhoto. I tried to add some recently taken photos and things didn't quite work out the way I planned. This is actually a completely separate issue from the previous one I was having with iPhoto. I guess I just have to chalk it up the age of this computer. It's a dinosaur! ...Great, hope I didn't jinx anything... Anyway, I'm going to try the upload again and see if things work better.
It took me a little over three months to get that chapter up. At first, I just wasn't working on it. For some reason, it wasn't flowing as freely as the first four chapters (which I wrote and posted immediately between October and December-- a turnover rate that's rare for me). Now that I look back that chapter, I can see why-- it's massive! There is so much information and time covered in that chapter that I think to myself, "no wonder I was so reluctant to dive in right away, and no wonder it took me so long to finish once I got started."
Next chapters are only going to get more complex, so I hope this slowdown isn't permanent. Months spent between each chapter would be a total pain. Though, I'm pretty sure most of the remaining chapters won't be quite as long.
In other writing news, I'm working on developing a new idea for a novel. I know that's strange since I'm still working on my other novel, but this feels like a great idea-- it came from a dream. A coherent one, of course. I'm also wondering if it might make a better screenplay, but I haven't really decided where I'm going with that.
I don't really know why, but my camera doesn't seem to like cooperating with iPhoto. I tried to add some recently taken photos and things didn't quite work out the way I planned. This is actually a completely separate issue from the previous one I was having with iPhoto. I guess I just have to chalk it up the age of this computer. It's a dinosaur! ...Great, hope I didn't jinx anything... Anyway, I'm going to try the upload again and see if things work better.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Fiction Update
Did some writing this week-- joy! Although interestingly, none of it was for SJL or "Looking Glass". I actually wrote three skits for the show I'm working to produce for my college tv station. I'm proud of myself-- that's a pretty prolific week, for someone like me. I still have plenty more to go, too, so let's hope I can keep it up.
I've been getting to sleep earlier these days, which I'm hoping will open up the opportunity for me to squeeze some writing in early in the morning. I mean, check it out-- it's already February, and I haven't done any of the things I said I would. Heck, if I'd followed my plans, I'd be just starting the editing stages for SJL by now. Change takes time, I know, but it's nice to know that I'm actually starting to get there.
This post was mostly for the sake of making sure I keep up with this blog. I've got to admit, I'm slightly disappointed that it's not turning out the way I want it to. I'm not really discouraged, though-- again, these things take time.
Well, that's all for now. I really hope I manage to get iPhoto figured out! Peace and love.
I've been getting to sleep earlier these days, which I'm hoping will open up the opportunity for me to squeeze some writing in early in the morning. I mean, check it out-- it's already February, and I haven't done any of the things I said I would. Heck, if I'd followed my plans, I'd be just starting the editing stages for SJL by now. Change takes time, I know, but it's nice to know that I'm actually starting to get there.
This post was mostly for the sake of making sure I keep up with this blog. I've got to admit, I'm slightly disappointed that it's not turning out the way I want it to. I'm not really discouraged, though-- again, these things take time.
Well, that's all for now. I really hope I manage to get iPhoto figured out! Peace and love.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Fiction Update
Purposefully spent a little time away this time. I don't know what's wrong with iPhoto, but the pictures I wanted to put up for the entries I wound up skipping are no longer working. This upsets me greatly. Until I figure out how to fix that problem, I'm going to be largely limited to my Fiction Update posts-- which is really what I'm supposed to be doing anyway, so let's hop to it...
...Making some progress with the fanfic... not so much with the novel. That's pretty typical of me, actually. I've fleshed out the fifth chapter of "Looking Glass", and have been making some headway with actually composing it, as well. I also ironed out some details pertaining to the story's plot and universe. Feeling pretty good about it. So much so, that when I'm done here I'm going to keep working on it.
Hm. Motivation, motivation, motivation. I really need to spend more time with that manuscript. I don't know why some things come with so much more difficulty than others. In the coming weeks, I'm going to make a point to try to figure that out.
Well, I'm super excited about working on "Looking Glass", so I'm going to take off for now. Peace!
...Making some progress with the fanfic... not so much with the novel. That's pretty typical of me, actually. I've fleshed out the fifth chapter of "Looking Glass", and have been making some headway with actually composing it, as well. I also ironed out some details pertaining to the story's plot and universe. Feeling pretty good about it. So much so, that when I'm done here I'm going to keep working on it.
Hm. Motivation, motivation, motivation. I really need to spend more time with that manuscript. I don't know why some things come with so much more difficulty than others. In the coming weeks, I'm going to make a point to try to figure that out.
Well, I'm super excited about working on "Looking Glass", so I'm going to take off for now. Peace!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Fiction Update/Babblings
I don't know how I missed posting on Sunday, weird. I wasn't busy or anything. Though, I have had a whole lot of stuff on my mind over the last few weeks. Things more serious than I care to go into detail about.
So the writing. I told myself I'd post about how my writing is going once every week, but I guess the fact that I haven't at all sums up my current progress (or lack thereof) rather appropriately. All my work on my novel and my fanfics has screeched to a halt. No progress, no posts.
I'm not proud of this though, especially since it's now well into January and I told myself I'd get a move on right about now. Now sure, I've promised myself a lot of things that I've wound up failing to fulfill, but right about now, a part of me feels closer than I've ever been before. Closer, like I'm on the tip of a breaking point. I can't continue on the way things are at this point in my life-- sleepless, anxious, brimming with self-doubt, tired of life with so much of it still to go. I feel like I'm going to do it this time, because if I don't make some headway and achieve a goal or two, I'm going to implode.
Admittedly... this isn't the first time I've felt "close". But I do think this is the first time I've felt like I was actually going to do something about it.
Anyway, here's the most completely uninteresting thing I've done this week: Bake brownies. I found a good brownie recipe on vegweb.com a few months ago. They're all chewy and delicious with the perfect crust and everything. Unfortunately, they stuck pretty fiercely to the pan the first time around, so this time, I oiled the mess out of the pan. I also doubled the recipe, because the first time around there simply wasn't enough gooey chocolate goodness for my liking. ;)
Unfortunately, I doubled every ingredient in the recipe except the sugar, since the cocoa I purchased happens to be sweetened. Biiiig mistake. It tastes alright, I suppose, but it's dry and crumbly and not at all chewy as the first time around. The only thing I can think to attribute this problem to is the reduced sugar-- I did everything else the same way I had before. In my most recent experiments with baking I've grown a new respect for the saying that baking is an exact science. 'Tis absolute TRUTH.
Anyway, off to linger on message boards. Peace.
So the writing. I told myself I'd post about how my writing is going once every week, but I guess the fact that I haven't at all sums up my current progress (or lack thereof) rather appropriately. All my work on my novel and my fanfics has screeched to a halt. No progress, no posts.
I'm not proud of this though, especially since it's now well into January and I told myself I'd get a move on right about now. Now sure, I've promised myself a lot of things that I've wound up failing to fulfill, but right about now, a part of me feels closer than I've ever been before. Closer, like I'm on the tip of a breaking point. I can't continue on the way things are at this point in my life-- sleepless, anxious, brimming with self-doubt, tired of life with so much of it still to go. I feel like I'm going to do it this time, because if I don't make some headway and achieve a goal or two, I'm going to implode.
Admittedly... this isn't the first time I've felt "close". But I do think this is the first time I've felt like I was actually going to do something about it.
Anyway, here's the most completely uninteresting thing I've done this week: Bake brownies. I found a good brownie recipe on vegweb.com a few months ago. They're all chewy and delicious with the perfect crust and everything. Unfortunately, they stuck pretty fiercely to the pan the first time around, so this time, I oiled the mess out of the pan. I also doubled the recipe, because the first time around there simply wasn't enough gooey chocolate goodness for my liking. ;)
Unfortunately, I doubled every ingredient in the recipe except the sugar, since the cocoa I purchased happens to be sweetened. Biiiig mistake. It tastes alright, I suppose, but it's dry and crumbly and not at all chewy as the first time around. The only thing I can think to attribute this problem to is the reduced sugar-- I did everything else the same way I had before. In my most recent experiments with baking I've grown a new respect for the saying that baking is an exact science. 'Tis absolute TRUTH.
Anyway, off to linger on message boards. Peace.
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