02.29.08
Posted in Writing, Photography, Sea of Dreams, Second Chances at 3:22 pm by Bryan
Yeah, I know. I tease you into thinking that I’m going to start keeping up with the blog and then I disappear again. Well, I’m back, and I’ll try to do better.
I’ve been working quite a bit at getting the photography business up and running, as well as writing when I need a change of pace. I just started up a new site for online photo sales. Getting that started was a huge hassle since it was done under severe time pressures. I had to have things ready by this weekend. I just made it. I’m doing the photo upload even as I write to you now (and will be for another two hours).
It is not ready for “public” sales yet, just existing clients, but it will be soon. You can find it at http://bjwcreations.lifepics.com/ though at the moment you need an event code to access any photos. The nice thing about this site is that I can sort the images by client, giving each client access to only their photos, and I can accept orders and payments, the images are automatically transfered to my photo lab when the order is submitted, confirmation e-mails are automatically sent to my client when the order is placed, printed, and shipped (though at the moment I don’t have the shipping option ready). Eventually, if I wanted to, I could do a photographic road trip and be able to get images to clients around the country with very little hassle.
Other than the photography, I’ve been doing some writing… though not on “Sea of Dreams”. I’ve been working on “Second Chances” instead. I’m not sure why, other than it seems to be the one that is coming through easier. I actually have a complete story outline now and am working on replacing notes like “stuff happens here” with actual stuff. With “Sea of Dreams” I’m still not sure about where things are going… especially with Gabby. My main problem is that Gabby doesn’t really have much of an arc other than her adjustment to living without Steve. She’s fairly well put together and her adjustment is remarkably easy, which helps her deal with Ian’s issues but makes you wonder about how real she really is.
So, until I figure out how to screw her up without ruining her, I’ve put it on the back burner.
There you have it.
There it is.
I’ll try not to make you wait so long until the next update.
One hour twenty-nine minutes left. I guess I’ll go read the news.
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01.22.07
Posted in Writing, Method, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 8:00 am by Bryan
With an antagonist comes plot.
My eureka moment has forced me to reconsider a few things. First of all, I can’t really continue much further without taking a look at the plot. This is new for me and, truthfully, something that I previously found destructive to the story. And I’m not sure what’s changed.
So here’s the deal:
The basic story line is the same as it was. It’s about the relationship between Ian and Gabby. But now I have an antagonist to keep them apart, and in doing so, puts Ian’s life in danger. So now my story line is more intricate. It requires some planning.
And actually, it requires a question: have I chosen the correct antagonist?
If I continue down this path, the plot may require the pace to be faster, which throws the romance into the realm of whirlwind. I have a backup antagonist who would allow a more leisurly exploration, but I’ve already dumped her from the story once. I’m not sure I want to write her back in.
Questions.
I’m off to seek answers.
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01.19.07
Posted in Writing, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 10:50 am by Bryan
As I’ve been virtually attending an online writing workshop hosted by Bob Mayer and Jenny Crusie, I’ve run into a bit of a problem while trying to assimilate this week’s lesson regarding the protagonist and antagonist. You see, I don’t have an antagonist.
When I was in school, the three forms of conflict were Man against Man, Man against Nature, and Man against Himself. The problem is that most people want to read about Man against Man, otherwise it’s too much like Real Life in that events are generally beyond the control of your protagonist. He simply reacts, or in the case of Man against Himself, it’s an internal battle, and it’s very difficult to show an internal battle through action. Internal battles involve thinking, lots and lots of thinking.
So I’ve been stuggling with my story. I have internal battles. Ian does in fact have to change himself in order to be happy and I want to keep that aspect of his journey. The realationship between Ian and Gabby is a battle because they each need to convince themselves and each other that it is okay to love each other; that it’s not a betrayal of Steve’s memory. But aside from the inherent difficulties of changing a relationship from friends to lovers, there is nothing keeping them apart.
Well, last night I had a “Eureka” moment.
I now have an antagonist. I don’t know all the details of the character yet, but I know how he fits into the story. And the cool thing about it is that I’ve set the stage already as early as the first chapter. I don’t even need to change anything.
Kinda makes you want to dance like Grover, doesn’t it?
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11.22.06
Posted in Writing, Acheivments, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 8:00 am by Bryan
I’d resolved not to fret over it. I wasn’t going to touch it. Honest. Then I took a day off work to deal with some photography issues (pricing prints and framing among them) and by the time I was home I think I thought of a better way to do it. Maybe.
So the good news is that Chapter 2 isn’t as bad as I thought it was. The bad news is that I’m no longer just shy of 8,000 words. Now it’s just over 5,000. And Chapter 2 isn’t done yet. I hope to finish it tonight so I can concentrate on Chapter 3 while I’m out of town for the holiday weekend.
By the way, in case you haven’t figured it out, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be anywhere near my NaNoWriMo goal. Right now, I’ll be happy if I get the first draft done before 2009.
Sea of Dreams
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11.20.06
Posted in Writing, Acheivments, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 8:00 am by Bryan
I think I’ve just written the most boring chapter since James Michener imitated Henry James’ drunken drug-induced spoof of Herman Melville. I didn’t think it was possible, but I now have twenty pages where nothing interesting happens. I mean it. And not in that “nothing happened, it was really rather boring” way that guys use to describe bachelor parties, either.
I’m unbelievably frustrated right now.
How the hell can it take 4,000 words to “be sad” and “go to the airport”? See, I just did it in six. Allowing for some adjectives and nouns and stuff, I might be able to stretch that into a dozen, but 4,000? Oh sure, there’s like some emotional avoidance crap that Ian goes through, but this is Chapter 2. I can’t afford to lose the reader here. I’m losing myself. How do I expect to keep the reader?
Excuse me while I bang my head against the wall.
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11.02.06
Posted in Writing, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 12:00 pm by Bryan
November is National Novel Writer’s Month and the 50,000 word challenge. I’m sort of unoffically participating. You’re supposed to start a new Work in Progress from scratch, and I’ve had enough trouble getting distracted from my novel that I’m not going to start another one. So I’m just dedicating myself to trying to write 50,000 words for Sea of Dreams. So my goal for the end of November is to have 53,696 words or more.
Of course, I’m already behind schedule, since I didn’t write the 1700 words I needed to last night. Wednesdays and Thursdays are my worst writing days because I work until 9pm. By the time I eat and get myself in the writing zone, I don’t have that many good hours left. I’ll have to make up for it on weekends.
If you are participating, good luck to you. If not, wish me luck. I’ll need it.
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10.27.06
Posted in Writing, Method, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 8:00 am by Bryan
And probably within thirty minutes of having eaten, too.
I think I’m ready to tackle chapter two this weekend. The plan is to jump right in and spew until it’s done. I’ve thought about it. I’ve written up some notes. I know what I want to happen in the chapter and I know how it’s going to end. So now it’s time to write it.
Last weekend was something new for me. It was still the same contemplative approach to writing, where I stew on things until they gel. But this time I set a time limit for the stewing part. And then I just let things fly and didn’t stop (even though common sense says when you have to work at eight-thirty you can’t write until four, I was willing to do an all-nighter in order to finish each scene). I’ve justified the change by telling myself that I’m not really changing the process, I’m just speeding it up a little. And Gabby still seems happy, so all is good in my world.
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10.24.06
Posted in Writing, Acheivments, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 8:00 am by Bryan
The rewrite for Chapter 1 is complete and, I think, much better.
I’ve reduced the time scale for the book from about ten years to less than a year and a half. The beginning now contains only two scenes, though each spans a full day, and only two POVs. Ian is now much darker in the beginning, but manages to give Gabby a kick in the pants and remind her about what is important in life.
Steve, sadly, is dead.
I’ve just sent it to one of my critique partners, and will probably send the first half of the Chapter to the other two on Monday of next week. Then it’s just a matter of waiting for feedback to see if things start better than they did the first time through.
And I am unbelievably tired. I’ve been up until 4am two nights in a row. 8am comes surprisingly early when you’re old.
Sea of Dreams
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10.16.06
Posted in Writing, Acheivments, Sea of Dreams at 8:00 am by Bryan
Okay, I don’t live in The River City anymore, but I still have trouble. Big trouble. Well, maybe not trouble, but things have not proceeded according to plan. What’s up, you ask? Well, let me tell you.
First of all, my word count for Sea of Dreams is now zero of 100,000.
Well, no not really. I haven’t lost it, and I haven’t deleted it, but I do need to rethink just about everything about it. I started the story in the wrong place. So now I have to decide what needs to go, what I can salvage, and what I’m still missing. And this is just for the beginning. Then I need to figure out how to get Ian and Gabby from the beginning to the end. The nice thing about writing a romance is that you know where the end is.
So what brought me to this conclussion? Two things really. The critiques I’ve gotten back, and looking at the story fresh, as if I were doing a critique.
So what’s wrong? Nobody likes Steve, including me. I think I was not developing his character enough, because he was going to die anyway. I was treating him as a throw away character. Which means he really shouldn’t be in the book in the first place. And because I was treating him this way, his marriage with Gabby wasn’t that good either. Which had the unintended side-effect of making it hard to like Gabby in the beginning. And since nobody really liked Gabby, they didn’t want her to wind up with Ian because they did like him.
So what am I going to do? I’m going to kill Steve right away.
::thump::
Yeah, we didn’t like him anyway. Seriously, we do like him. He was great for Gabby and he quite literally saved Ian’s life. But by the time the story begins, we don’t need him anymore.
I’m not dead yet.
Shut up Steve. This isn’t a Monty Python movie.
So there it is. I’m starting from scratch, sort of. And Steve’s dead, whether he wants to be or not. And Gabby’s grieving. Well, actually she’s talking a mile a minute telling me about her trip to New Jersey and a little visit to Canada… but inside she’s grieving. And so is Ian. And Steve’s dead, so he’s grieving too.
UPDATE
Some people didn’t believe me when I said the word count was zero. Look at the graph below. That’s proof!
Sea of Dreams
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10.02.06
Posted in Writing, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 2:44 pm by Bryan
See, I’m posting, I’m posting.
I don’t know what I’m posting about, but anything’s got to be better than rumors of being arrested on a golf course wearing a pink thong. You people. And trying to corrupt my muse and take her off to New Jersey, too!
Let’s see, I’m working diligently (regardless what Gabby’s been telling you). I got a critique posted for one of my partners on Saturday. I’m working on another, and I’ll have one more to do in the next day or two. After that I get a couple weeks to just think about my stuff and to try to get it ready for critique. I should be able to post word count updates by Wednesday or Thursday.
While I’m not going to start a new WIP for the November competition, I will “unofficially” track my progress and try to churn out 50,000 words. That would just about take Sea of Dreams to completion and allow December for polishing, and shopping it out by January. We’ll see how that goes.
Okay, you satisfied? I’m putting my head down now… nose to the grindstone so to speak (wouldn’t that hurt?). Try not to keep my muse up too late while you’re in NJ… and don’t interrogate her. I’m sure she’ll tell you anything you want to know if you ask nicely.
I can’t believe I’m going to have a hungover muse when she gets back.
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09.15.06
Posted in Writing, Sea of Dreams, Second Chances at 8:00 am by Bryan
I’ve joined a small critique group.
This is going to be very helpful, yet there is a possible problem, too. You see, my most active manuscript is Second Chances, but it’s not yet ready for public consumption. Even the private helpful kind like a critique group would provide. This means that I will most likely post scenes from Sea of Dreams, which is further along. Which also means that once the critique has caught up to my progress, I’ll need to start paying more attention to Sea of Dreams than I do now. Which in turn means that I will have less time for Second Chances.
But the good news is something will always be getting worked on.
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08.14.06
Posted in Writing, Method, Sea of Dreams, Current Projects at 8:00 am by Bryan
I was reading over The Big Seduction scene last night and came to an uncomfortable realization. The seduction was very close to what happened in Real Life between me and TK several years ago. To this day, she and I have very different views on how it happened, and neither of us has any regrets (well, as of the last time I talked to her; it’s been a few years now). Suffice it to say that I think she seduced me and she insists it was the other way around.
I actually like that aspect of it, and I’d like to keep that same sense in the scene I wrote. But in order to keep a healthy distance between me and my characters, I think it would be best to change some of the details. Besides, TK might not want to have her mother reading about that night. Or me, mine, for that matter.
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07.13.06
Posted in Writing, Sea of Dreams, Angel in Disguise, Current Projects, Second Chances at 8:00 am by Bryan
Well, crap.
Look at this. Look at this mess I’ve made. Because I listened to my muse (Gabby, I still love you, so please don’t leave me), I’ve been working hard on Second Chances… writing, plotting, character sheets (!?!)… even thinking about the perfect cover and the perfect model to cover the cover with. So you’d think that Second Chances is my Number One manuscript, wouldn’t you?
Well, it’s not.
Number Two?
Nope.
I have been working like hell to make my Number Three manuscript the most awesomest piece of literary accomplishment of my entire authorhoodness. Do you remember me telling you that Sea of Dreams has a self-imposed deadline of August 15th? Have you noticed lately how many times I’ve been posting about progress bars and word counts?
I’m so screwed.
I want to be a published writer (or at least an about to be published writer) by the end of the year. I’ve got to make some choices, and either move Second Chances to the top of the pile officially, or concentrate on Sea of Dreams.
Oh, and Gabby’s reminding me not to forget about Angel in Disguise or LM might get upset.
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06.29.06
Posted in Uncategorized, Writing, Photography, Modeling, Sea of Dreams, Angel in Disguise, Current Projects, Second Chances at 8:00 am by Bryan
1. Science Fiction writer/publisher Jim Baen died yesterday.
2. This weekend will be fairly busy and I’m not sure how much blogging I will get done, much less writing. Friday, I’m helping a friend set up an above-ground pool, then Saturday a trampoline. Sunday should be a Starbuck’s day if everything works out, just me and my muse.
3. I’ve got a photoshoot with a new model the following weekend. I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit the last week or so, preparing my mind for it. She’s very inexperienced and unsure exactly what types of work she wants to get, so it is probably going to be a shoot where we talk almost as much as we actually shoot. There are so many things she needs to learn about the business, what to expect, what sorts of conduct to expect from photographers and art directors, etc. I like these shoots more than I’m letting on here. They’re actually quite relaxing because there are no time pressures and no set agenda. I’ve made some wardrobe recommendations, and I have a few things for her to try out, but nothing is written in stone. I have no idea what we will actually be doing. Fun.
4. I received an email from a model I worked with in DC about 6 years ago. She wants to shoot again when I am there at the end of August. I was planning to sneak away from family for a couple day trips here and there to do some architectural photography anyway, so we will probably try to slip in some casual and lifestyle shots on one of those days… if it ever stops raining, that is.
5. I actually found myself doing research again for Second Chances. I needed an accurate feel as to recovery periods and medical prognosis after particular injuries. It’s already been emotionally investing. I barely have any character developement done at all, and it still hurts to feel what Amber Marie has gone through. This is the story that that Gabby is responsible for.
6. I think Gabby Carruthers will be my nom de plum for those stories that I think might benefit by being written by a woman (or at least be a harder sell if written by a man). For this reason, Angel in Disguise will probably also be credited to Gabby. The other stories will remain mine for the time being, especially Sea of Dreams since Gabby is in that one.
7. Martina Hingis won her second round match at Wimbledon yesterday. She’s currently ranked at #15 in the world after starting her comeback this year. As of January 7th she was unranked, so she’s been doing well.
8. I’m not sure what’s going on with Team USA in soccer. They were ranked #5 in the world by FIFA but they can’t get out of the first round? I think we’ve been second class for so long that the team gets nervous as they step onto the pitch in the World Cup. It’s the only explanation I can think of, because we’re better than we showed in Germany this year. Oh, well. We get to try again in four more years.
9. I’m listening to Lisa Gerrard right now. Mellow.
10. Believe it or not, vanilla really is my favorite flavor.
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06.23.06
Posted in Writing, Acheivments, Sea of Dreams, Angel in Disguise, Current Projects, Second Chances at 10:00 am by Bryan
I’ve caught up on all my typing.
For the next several days, I’ll be going into serious polish mode on Angel in Disguise and Second Chances. Once that is done and the edits keyed, I will be returning to Sea of Dreams to hit that hard and heavy. I am way behind schedule for August 15th, so I need to try to make some progress.
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