Has anyone ever had one of those ‘wow’ moments? A moment where an idea for a novel flashes through your mind? I had one tonight. Granted, I may have been a bit stoned… okay, very stoned, but on my way home from a friend’s house I had this idea just hit me out of no where. I’d completed the whole plot in my head by the time I got home, so I decided to write everything down in a word document. Within the last hour, I’ve written 3,000 words of plot, and I now have the whole thing ready for starting.
It’s going to be loosely based on an experience I went through in my younger teenage years, which means the emotions are going to hit close to home on this one. I just hope I can do it justice.
It’s going to be full of sex, drugs, and a very slutty girl in a school uniform… did I mention that one of those sex scenes is going to be between two girls?
*wipes mouth*
And thus, meeting Kayla was born.
Until next time,
Nia
Tuesday 16 March 2010
Saturday 6 March 2010
How I Outline
Since I’m starting a new novel from scratch today, I decided it would be a good idea to write a post about how I outline.
First Things First
Usually I’ll get an idea from a picture, a piece of music, a conversation, a newspaper article, or even a dream. I’ll keep all these different ideas stored in a notebook and start piecing things together. For example, with Mirror Room I’m using a subplot that I came up with for a different novel I never started, and I’m using a character that popped into my head months ago but never wrote about.
Then…
I’ll open a word document, put on some music, and let any idea flow from my fingers -- even if it makes no sense. For example, this is what a part of my plan looks like at the moment:
Pilot study of the trials -- Population becoming too great so a new coming of age. Ruled by an organisation.
Drowning
A tattoo which binds them all together.
A uniform
Eyes start bleeding
Have medical kits
Have to get into a hole to stop self from being burned alive -- radioactive. Pulls the girl out by the leg and takes.
Yes, that does all make sense to me.
Next…
I’ll actually start creating a plot and characters. At this point I’ll come up with names and give them backgrounds.
Chapters
Then I’ll start thinking about chapters. I’ll outline each one, but I know I’ll probably stray from it a bit, so I give myself enough leeway to do that.
And finally, after all that, I'll begin writing. I'm a real plot whore. I can't just write without knowing where the story is going.
Until next time,
Nia
x
First Things First
Usually I’ll get an idea from a picture, a piece of music, a conversation, a newspaper article, or even a dream. I’ll keep all these different ideas stored in a notebook and start piecing things together. For example, with Mirror Room I’m using a subplot that I came up with for a different novel I never started, and I’m using a character that popped into my head months ago but never wrote about.
Then…
I’ll open a word document, put on some music, and let any idea flow from my fingers -- even if it makes no sense. For example, this is what a part of my plan looks like at the moment:
Pilot study of the trials -- Population becoming too great so a new coming of age. Ruled by an organisation.
Drowning
A tattoo which binds them all together.
A uniform
Eyes start bleeding
Have medical kits
Have to get into a hole to stop self from being burned alive -- radioactive. Pulls the girl out by the leg and takes.
Yes, that does all make sense to me.
Next…
I’ll actually start creating a plot and characters. At this point I’ll come up with names and give them backgrounds.
Chapters
Then I’ll start thinking about chapters. I’ll outline each one, but I know I’ll probably stray from it a bit, so I give myself enough leeway to do that.
And finally, after all that, I'll begin writing. I'm a real plot whore. I can't just write without knowing where the story is going.
Until next time,
Nia
x
How I Outline
Since I’m starting a new novel from scratch today, I decided it would be a good idea to write a post about how I outline.
First Things First
Usually I’ll get an idea from a picture, a piece of music, a conversation, a newspaper article, or even a dream. I’ll keep all these different ideas stored in a notebook and start piecing things together. For example, with Mirror Room I’m using a subplot that I came up with for a different novel I never started, and I’m using a character that popped into my head months ago but never wrote about.
Then…
I’ll open a word document, put on some music, and let any idea flow from my fingers -- even if it makes no sense. For example, this is what a part of my plan looks like at the moment:
Pilot study of the trials -- Population becoming too great so a new coming of age. Ruled by an organisation.
Drowning
A tattoo which binds them all together.
A uniform
Eyes start bleeding
Have medical kits
Have to get into a hole to stop self from being burned alive -- radioactive. Pulls the girl out by the leg and takes.
Yes, that does all make sense to me.
Next…
I’ll actually start creating a plot and characters. At this point I’ll come up with names and give them backgrounds.
Chapters
Then I’ll start thinking about chapters. I’ll outline each one, but I know I’ll probably stray from it a bit, so I give myself enough leeway to do that.
And finally, after all that, I'll begin writing. I'm a real plot whore. I can't just write without knowing where the story is going.
Until next time,
Nia
x
First Things First
Usually I’ll get an idea from a picture, a piece of music, a conversation, a newspaper article, or even a dream. I’ll keep all these different ideas stored in a notebook and start piecing things together. For example, with Mirror Room I’m using a subplot that I came up with for a different novel I never started, and I’m using a character that popped into my head months ago but never wrote about.
Then…
I’ll open a word document, put on some music, and let any idea flow from my fingers -- even if it makes no sense. For example, this is what a part of my plan looks like at the moment:
Pilot study of the trials -- Population becoming too great so a new coming of age. Ruled by an organisation.
Drowning
A tattoo which binds them all together.
A uniform
Eyes start bleeding
Have medical kits
Have to get into a hole to stop self from being burned alive -- radioactive. Pulls the girl out by the leg and takes.
Yes, that does all make sense to me.
Next…
I’ll actually start creating a plot and characters. At this point I’ll come up with names and give them backgrounds.
Chapters
Then I’ll start thinking about chapters. I’ll outline each one, but I know I’ll probably stray from it a bit, so I give myself enough leeway to do that.
And finally, after all that, I'll begin writing. I'm a real plot whore. I can't just write without knowing where the story is going.
Until next time,
Nia
x
I Had a Dream
I’ve never really had ideas come to me within a dream before. Hell, it’s hard enough creating ideas when I’m awake. But this dream was so vivid, and it just grabbed me.
I was standing in a room with TV sets all over the ceiling, walls and floor. And within this dream I was holding a hatchet. Both the hatchet and I were dripping with blood, and I was about to pass through onto the next round of trials.
Thus, Mirror Room was born. I’m really excited about this one. I’ve never written anything like it before, and I’ve never before attempted writing something which is going to be so long. So far it’s outlined to be 80 - 90K words. This is kinda scary. No. This is VERY scary. What if I can’t do it? What if I waste months and months writing and editing something that’s crap?
Oh, well. I won’t know until I try… I don’t even know what genre Mirror Room is. Fantasy? Urban Fantasy? Dystopian? (Is that a genre? XD)
Either way, I can’t really start this until I’ve finished my English coursework for college. Damn it, I only have until Friday to get it finished and handed in otherwise I fail my A-Level -- I don’t want that.
I’m going to outline each chapter and hopefully have the first draft completed in one or two months. I’ll still be finishing Camp Queen, but it will be more of a side project until the first draft for Mirror Room is done.
Until next time,
Nia
x
I was standing in a room with TV sets all over the ceiling, walls and floor. And within this dream I was holding a hatchet. Both the hatchet and I were dripping with blood, and I was about to pass through onto the next round of trials.
Thus, Mirror Room was born. I’m really excited about this one. I’ve never written anything like it before, and I’ve never before attempted writing something which is going to be so long. So far it’s outlined to be 80 - 90K words. This is kinda scary. No. This is VERY scary. What if I can’t do it? What if I waste months and months writing and editing something that’s crap?
Oh, well. I won’t know until I try… I don’t even know what genre Mirror Room is. Fantasy? Urban Fantasy? Dystopian? (Is that a genre? XD)
Either way, I can’t really start this until I’ve finished my English coursework for college. Damn it, I only have until Friday to get it finished and handed in otherwise I fail my A-Level -- I don’t want that.
I’m going to outline each chapter and hopefully have the first draft completed in one or two months. I’ll still be finishing Camp Queen, but it will be more of a side project until the first draft for Mirror Room is done.
Until next time,
Nia
x
Thursday 4 March 2010
Teaser Thursday
Since my Teaser Tuesday is late, I’ll do a Teaser Thursday!
Warning: This is a first draft and may not even make it past the first round of edits, so don’t be too critical.
From Camp Queen
I dumped my last bag in the back of my red Chevrolet Aveo and slammed the car boot’s door shut. It was typical that I was leaving on the same day Trevor was having a party at his parents’ beach house. I sighed, thinking about all the drink and chicks I was missing out on. The little demon Adam on my shoulder was beginning to think that grassing on Trevor and John wasn’t such a bad thing. At least I’d have had them to keep me company at this damn camp. I’d pick beer and babes over little, snotty kids any day.
“Is that everything?” Susie asked, sucking on the straw in her slushy. The frozen cherry liquid moved up the clear plastic and entered her mouth.
I leaned on my car and stuff my hands in my pant’s pocket to pull the keys out. “Yeah, that’s everything.”
She nodded, passing the slushy to Sam. I wasn’t lying when I said that boy was at our house most the time. I didn’t think he’d even gone home since school finished for summer vacation two days ago.
“Now, we’ve been through the rules, right?” I asked, giving a sceptical look to the both of them.
The two nodded in unison and recited the rules which I’d stuck to the fridge with a magnet. “No parties. No alcohol. No staying up all night. And no making the house a mess.”
I gave a pointed look at Sam. “And?”
He rolled eyes. “No guys around.”
“That means you, too, Susie.”
She raised a hand to her head in mock-salute. “Yes, captain buzz-kill.”
I pushed myself off the car and circled it to open the driver’s door. “I know you’re going to break every rule on that list just to spite me.” They grinned. “So I took the liberty of asking our neighbours to check up on you when you least expect it.” Their grins turned upside-down. “I knew that would please you.” I flicked a hand in a little wave. “Catch you in two weeks.”
Just a small one this week.
Warning: This is a first draft and may not even make it past the first round of edits, so don’t be too critical.
From Camp Queen
I dumped my last bag in the back of my red Chevrolet Aveo and slammed the car boot’s door shut. It was typical that I was leaving on the same day Trevor was having a party at his parents’ beach house. I sighed, thinking about all the drink and chicks I was missing out on. The little demon Adam on my shoulder was beginning to think that grassing on Trevor and John wasn’t such a bad thing. At least I’d have had them to keep me company at this damn camp. I’d pick beer and babes over little, snotty kids any day.
“Is that everything?” Susie asked, sucking on the straw in her slushy. The frozen cherry liquid moved up the clear plastic and entered her mouth.
I leaned on my car and stuff my hands in my pant’s pocket to pull the keys out. “Yeah, that’s everything.”
She nodded, passing the slushy to Sam. I wasn’t lying when I said that boy was at our house most the time. I didn’t think he’d even gone home since school finished for summer vacation two days ago.
“Now, we’ve been through the rules, right?” I asked, giving a sceptical look to the both of them.
The two nodded in unison and recited the rules which I’d stuck to the fridge with a magnet. “No parties. No alcohol. No staying up all night. And no making the house a mess.”
I gave a pointed look at Sam. “And?”
He rolled eyes. “No guys around.”
“That means you, too, Susie.”
She raised a hand to her head in mock-salute. “Yes, captain buzz-kill.”
I pushed myself off the car and circled it to open the driver’s door. “I know you’re going to break every rule on that list just to spite me.” They grinned. “So I took the liberty of asking our neighbours to check up on you when you least expect it.” Their grins turned upside-down. “I knew that would please you.” I flicked a hand in a little wave. “Catch you in two weeks.”
Just a small one this week.
Saturday 13 February 2010
Bad Experiences Can Be Twisted
Emotions can be tricky little things to put into words. If you haven’t had a certain experience, how are you supposed to know how your characters are feeling? Sure, you can easily guess and do a damn good job at it, but you’ll never really know that gut wrenching pain or how a tingle runs up your spine so fast that you want to collapse on the floor and stay there.
And eventually, when you do have that experience, no matter how painful, your writing will benefit from it.
My gay characters have always been strong. They’ve always had the right comeback when bullies have been on their case, they’ve always known just what to do to keep on top of everything. These characters have always been based slightly on one of my friends who came out while in school. He was bullied so badly and at first his self-esteem hit rock bottom. But then he picked himself up and eventually was able to snap his fingers at those bullies and laugh -- well, maybe not snap his fingers, but you get what I’m trying to say.
Personal story time. *Hands out popcorn*
Last night I went clubbing, and while in one club some girl came up to me and was a real bi-atch. She didn’t really say that much, ’So you’re the one who thinks she’s gay’-- cue turned up nose -- but it was the way she said it. Plus, she outed me to my girl best friend who didn’t know about my sexuality.
I just broke down. I had to leave. And the emotions that were running through me were something I’d never felt before. I cried all the way home, and then I locked myself in the bathroom and cried for three hours. It didn’t help that it was bloody freezing in that bathroom and I was still in my miniskirt and top.
So, what I’m trying to say is, bad experiences can be twisted into good. Now that I’ve had that experience, I’m able to show it realistically in my writing. And I plan to do so in my next WIP. So, I guess something good came out of last night.
Until next time.
And eventually, when you do have that experience, no matter how painful, your writing will benefit from it.
My gay characters have always been strong. They’ve always had the right comeback when bullies have been on their case, they’ve always known just what to do to keep on top of everything. These characters have always been based slightly on one of my friends who came out while in school. He was bullied so badly and at first his self-esteem hit rock bottom. But then he picked himself up and eventually was able to snap his fingers at those bullies and laugh -- well, maybe not snap his fingers, but you get what I’m trying to say.
Personal story time. *Hands out popcorn*
Last night I went clubbing, and while in one club some girl came up to me and was a real bi-atch. She didn’t really say that much, ’So you’re the one who thinks she’s gay’-- cue turned up nose -- but it was the way she said it. Plus, she outed me to my girl best friend who didn’t know about my sexuality.
I just broke down. I had to leave. And the emotions that were running through me were something I’d never felt before. I cried all the way home, and then I locked myself in the bathroom and cried for three hours. It didn’t help that it was bloody freezing in that bathroom and I was still in my miniskirt and top.
So, what I’m trying to say is, bad experiences can be twisted into good. Now that I’ve had that experience, I’m able to show it realistically in my writing. And I plan to do so in my next WIP. So, I guess something good came out of last night.
Until next time.
Tuesday 9 February 2010
My First Teaser Tuesday
“Callum?” I noticed an almost empty vodka bottle hanging loosely from his hand. Holy shit. He said he hardly ever drank alcohol, but I guessed whenever he did he went full out. “Are you okay?” I asked, stepping closer.
His eyebrows furrowed, and the liquid swashed around the bottle as he tilted it to down the last few drops. He was absolutely wasted.
“I didn’t think you were a big drinker?” I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and the silence was becoming more than uncomfortable.
His unfocused eyes wandered to my face. “mm not,” he slurred.
I nodded while tugging at my red tie slightly. “Shouldn’t you be at James’s party?”
“Didn’ wanna stay. I just… grabbed a bottle. Walked… clear my head.” He slumped forward to stand, and the light from the moon lit the side of his face as he almost stumbled over.
“Where’re you going?” I asked when he’d straightened himself enough to walk.
He stopped to shrug and tossed the empty bottle away. “Somewhere… else.”
I followed behind him silently until we made it out the park. He attempted to pull a set of keys from his pocket a few times, before dropping them and having to get onto his knees to pick them up again.
“Oh, no.” I snatched the keys from his grip. “There is no way you’re driving tonight.”
He tried to grab them back and almost tripped over his own feet. “mm fine.”
“Yeah, sure.” I put the keys in my pocket. “You’re not getting them back, so there’s no point giving me that look. Wait. Now where are you going?”
“Home,” Callum mumbled as he stumbled in the opposite direction.
“Callum.”
“What?”
“You live that way.” I pointed behind myself with a thumb. “Listen, come back to my place, and I’ll give you some water or something. I live closer.” He looked as if he were trying to decipher a hidden agenda in my words -- which probably wasn’t an easy task after all the alcohol he’d consumed. “Really.” I held my hands up. “If you end up getting hit by a car or something then it’d be my fault for letting you walk off in this state.”
He shook his head.
“Callum, you don’t have to worry.” I looked away into a dark corner between two trees. “I’m not going to do anything.”
“You’re not the one… mm worried ‘bout.” Blond locks swept his eyes as he looked down.
My head tilted to the side, and I let out a breath through my nose. “Callum, I’m here to listen if you ever need someone to talk to.”
A fake smile graced his turned-down features.
“Come on.”
His eyebrows furrowed, and the liquid swashed around the bottle as he tilted it to down the last few drops. He was absolutely wasted.
“I didn’t think you were a big drinker?” I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and the silence was becoming more than uncomfortable.
His unfocused eyes wandered to my face. “mm not,” he slurred.
I nodded while tugging at my red tie slightly. “Shouldn’t you be at James’s party?”
“Didn’ wanna stay. I just… grabbed a bottle. Walked… clear my head.” He slumped forward to stand, and the light from the moon lit the side of his face as he almost stumbled over.
“Where’re you going?” I asked when he’d straightened himself enough to walk.
He stopped to shrug and tossed the empty bottle away. “Somewhere… else.”
I followed behind him silently until we made it out the park. He attempted to pull a set of keys from his pocket a few times, before dropping them and having to get onto his knees to pick them up again.
“Oh, no.” I snatched the keys from his grip. “There is no way you’re driving tonight.”
He tried to grab them back and almost tripped over his own feet. “mm fine.”
“Yeah, sure.” I put the keys in my pocket. “You’re not getting them back, so there’s no point giving me that look. Wait. Now where are you going?”
“Home,” Callum mumbled as he stumbled in the opposite direction.
“Callum.”
“What?”
“You live that way.” I pointed behind myself with a thumb. “Listen, come back to my place, and I’ll give you some water or something. I live closer.” He looked as if he were trying to decipher a hidden agenda in my words -- which probably wasn’t an easy task after all the alcohol he’d consumed. “Really.” I held my hands up. “If you end up getting hit by a car or something then it’d be my fault for letting you walk off in this state.”
He shook his head.
“Callum, you don’t have to worry.” I looked away into a dark corner between two trees. “I’m not going to do anything.”
“You’re not the one… mm worried ‘bout.” Blond locks swept his eyes as he looked down.
My head tilted to the side, and I let out a breath through my nose. “Callum, I’m here to listen if you ever need someone to talk to.”
A fake smile graced his turned-down features.
“Come on.”
Monday 8 February 2010
Could I Actually Have a Chance?
I’m jumping around the house!
This has definitely been one of the best weeks of my life!
I received a rejection the other day from one agent who had a full on the manuscript Mr. In-The-Closet. Even though it was a ‘no’, the email she sent me was so lovely.
Thank you for sharing your work with me. This is an absolutely
wonderful concept—it's original, fun, and I can see a lot of young
readers liking this--but I’m afraid that this is not quite right for
me.
Then I received another full request on Saturday from a new agent.
Your sample pages are fantastic. I'd like to take a look at the complete ms.
And now, after opening my email, I have another full request from a very VERY good agency. I don’t know if I’m allowed to put the agency’s name, but it was #1 on my agency list. I’m soo happy!
Thanks so much for sending a sample of MR. IN-THE-CLOSET. If you could please attach the full as a Word doc file, I'd love to keep reading.
I’m actually starting to believe that I might have a chance with this. I really REALLY hope that one of these agents like the manuscript. I have 3 partials out as well at the moment, but they seem to be in limbo.
This has definitely been one of the best weeks of my life!
I received a rejection the other day from one agent who had a full on the manuscript Mr. In-The-Closet. Even though it was a ‘no’, the email she sent me was so lovely.
Thank you for sharing your work with me. This is an absolutely
wonderful concept—it's original, fun, and I can see a lot of young
readers liking this--but I’m afraid that this is not quite right for
me.
Then I received another full request on Saturday from a new agent.
Your sample pages are fantastic. I'd like to take a look at the complete ms.
And now, after opening my email, I have another full request from a very VERY good agency. I don’t know if I’m allowed to put the agency’s name, but it was #1 on my agency list. I’m soo happy!
Thanks so much for sending a sample of MR. IN-THE-CLOSET. If you could please attach the full as a Word doc file, I'd love to keep reading.
I’m actually starting to believe that I might have a chance with this. I really REALLY hope that one of these agents like the manuscript. I have 3 partials out as well at the moment, but they seem to be in limbo.
Book Review : My Side of the Story
Here goes my first book review.
My Side of the Story. Well, what can I say about this novel? It is an amazing read. It draws you in with the first paragraph and tickles your sides with each turn of the page. This light-hearted story focuses on the main character, Jaz, who is a young gay dude who spends most of his time sneaking into gay bars, dealing with his religious sister and ‘whacked-out’ parents, and putting up with bullies at school. Listening to him whine about everything can start to get annoying after a while, but he does it in such a humorous way that you can’t really take anything he says too seriously.
His best friend, Al, who could earn a degree in fag-haggery, has Jaz’s back the whole way through this novel -- even when they have a little falling out. And once Jaz has enough of everything at home, he and Al decide to run away together. While on their short-lived adventure, they get into trouble with the police on more than one occasion, and when Jaz loses his virginity to some hairy dude, he has an epiphany -- while having sex, may I add (I sympathise with him here. I mean, if you’re thinking about life while having sex, then you know it’s time to bail.). And what’s even worse, while he’s being pounded by Big, Hairy Fat Dude, he hallucinates (he’s drugged up) and sees his dead ex-friend (If I were Jaz, I’d be feeling kinda violated by now).
Most of the issues in this novel are sorted out by the end, but, of course, since it’s supposed to be realistic, not everything is tied into a neat little bundle.
I’d give this one 3/5
Sunday 7 February 2010
This is a Guy!
Okay, so this doesn't have much to do with writing, but I just wanted to write about it.
Anyone heard of the band Tokio Hotel? Yes? No? Either way, I found -- even though it wasn't lost -- this band on youtube. The singer looks AND sounds like a girl. When I first watched this video, I was so enchanted by 'her'. 'She' became my new inspiration -- I'm even getting prickles running down my spin writing this -- 'she' was going to be my new main character. Together we were going to create a beautiful piece of art. We were going to storm the LGBT world together. We were going to-- to--
But then I scrolled down and read a comment saying that the singer's name is Bill.
... Wait a second... Bill isn't a girls' name...
How disappointed I was when I realized that this chick was a dude. But in my defense, he looks AND sounds like a friggin' girl! It has to be illegal for a guy to look so feminine and sexy.
Aw, hell. Who says he has to be a guy in my mind? So, I'm sorry, Bill, but I will continue my deluded fantasy that you're a girl, and you WILL be my inspiration next time I write a lesbian YA novel. But for now, you'll have to wait, because I'm writing a gay YA which has GUYS in. And, my pretty, you're not male. But, you do have a twin brother who looks like a guy, perhaps I could use him in Camp Queen?
Man, that isn't supposed to sound so creepy.
Bill when he was 15. Wasn't he-- she just a little cutie? (The Japanese version was the only one I could embed. The chorus is in German, though.)
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