Treeland is Planted

That's right, I did it.

Three and a half pages deep, and Treeland is planted with its first plot. Now, I am an outliner. I also write quite a lot of description for my outlining. It's not just 'Character A goes to bar and meets Character B' as the chapter, but what really happens. I need to know what I want to go on, because it is much easier that way to keep track of what I want in the chapter.

I am still behind in the October Prep of NaNo that I am using, courtesy of Dawn Embers by two days, but I feel that I can pick it up quickly because I have worked with these characters before in an initial draft and plot that turned out not to be what I wanted. I know that I have left some plot points out, but for now, I am proud of myself. I know in the next few days I'm going to have to draft it again and expand and see what I really think of everything a few days after, but as long as I do not hate the plot suddenly during November, I am good. I am aiming to complete the novel in November, and I have a good feeling it will be going over 50K easily. But I would like to say that I finally have written a book, and that I did it in 30 days.

I am also doing it in secret. I have one writer friend who I am great friends with, and she does not know that I am doing Treeland now, as she's always been frustrated with me and not really being a true writer (since she has completed two novels already) and I would like to surprise her once I am done with it.

I think that would really be awesome. That is my goal.

New NaNo Idea -- Treeland

So, after attempting to make a plot for the short story, I decided to scrap the steampunk NaNo idea, as the plots were not doing it for me. It just didn't feel like they were good enough. My ideas usually come through some sort of idea or theme. Like time or dreams, for instance. So, I have fallen back onto one of my projects that will finally be pushed forward with NaNo to make a complete first draft. With that, I have figured out the plot, finally, to make some sort of complete sense. And I like it. And that is the most important thing. With this month of October getting ready to prep, and doing something on a day by day work schedule (once I catch up to today's date on that schedule), I believe I will have a fully fleshed out outline before I begin, and I believe that is just what I need.

I will name this NaNo novel "Treeland" here, to speak about how I am doing on it. Today, I am proud to have come up with a complete, basic outline. There are a few subplots that I have not worked into it yet, but perhaps they may not arise so quickly, and for now, I am liking the simplicity.

Time to Learn about Ships

I believe I have figured out, at least for the basics, what my NaNoWriMo novel may be about. For a class, I had to write my first full short story. I have named it "Atlantis and the Kraken." It is steampunk, and the first thing I realized was that I need to know a lot more about ships if I am going to write this steampunk novel.

But it was great to write something that I would not normally write about. I am a alternate world fantasy writer. Steampunk is something that I even have not read much of. This is a way for me to learn to become better in writing, better in my craft. I will revise this "short" (it's nearly 2,000 words) story tomorrow, as well as work on the NaNo full novel part of it. Plot will be first. I will struggle with it, but the plot must be done. I will get it done.

NaNoWriMo '10

I have decided today that I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month this year. I have thought and attempted it a few times before, but have never been truly serious about it. I am determined to win this year, if nothing else to get a good first draft on a story I will be creating today and writing on November 1st. So, as this blog also needs to become a bit more active, I will be posting my journey through NaNoWriMo, as I attempt a novel outside of my normal genres.

So here's for NaNoWriMo '10. Time to plot.

The necessity of liking the classics

You need to like or appreciate the classics. At least for a time. This is particularly true while you're still in some type of schooling, particularly different schools.

These books that you likely had to read in your high school English class or your gen. ed. English class at college are there for a reason. They are important pieces of history. It could be because it was from a famous author at the time (oh so many), the author was different from the norm (I think of the slave narratives, such as Frederick Douglass), or the writing style or subject was unique (Woolf and Faulkner come to mind for me). Of course, there are many other reasons why these books are chosen to be read over and over. This also includes my high school reason of "We're only reading them for the 'symbolism' and 'hidden messages,' even though I can't find them at all." But many of the classics do have a story behind the story, which is less found today in contemporary and genre fiction (in my opinion, unless I'm still not picking up the hidden story).

But there are some classics I simply cannot stand. This coming semester where I will be reading upwards of 20 novels, there are some that I have read before in high school classes, including The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, and my dreaded The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Now, it would be good to read these books again now that my brain has grown to understand a bit more. But, I read Huck Finn already in a different college class, as well as in high school. The problem both times was that I had to read the book in a matter of days, and get past the dialect. Perhaps that was what cemented it into my memory as a book I wish never to read again.

I doubt that reading it again will change my opinion of it, but the others I may enjoy much more this time than the first time, as I strive to keep an open mind for any book I read.

So, what about you? Do you enjoy reading the classics? Why or why not? Is there a certain one you simply cannot stand?

I found out why they call it a Kindle

I've got to say, I am very much impressed with the Kindle DX I received today! Though it is much bigger than I had anticipated to be, after reading on it today, I don't mind how big it is. After learning how to use it, and downloading my first few books onto it, I am sure that I will be reading a good portion of my books on it. Though it will never be able to replace a real book.

I will simply gush over this mysterious thing. I don't know how they make the screen, as the screensaver mode gives a lovely picture of a well known art or author and it remains up there with ease. The font is adjustable and I like setting mine at the second smallest level, though I could read from the smallest as well. The fonts get just huge though, where not even a sentence can fit on it sometimes.

The orientation is nice as well, though I do find the placing of the usb port and the headphones to be silly. I definitely think they should be reverse with the headphones at the bottom and the usb port at the top. When my kindle is charging, I will be using it upside down, as it will change to fit that format as well with the text. The page buttons are both on the right, and it seems that inevitably, someone will complain about it. As most people are right handed (which I am not) it make the most sense to put it on that side. As well as because most items will be read with the page turning right. But the backpage button is also on the right, albeit smaller and above the right page button. It works for people who use only one hand to hold the kindle, but I will always say that the backpage button is on the wrong side. Seeing as how the button is used much less, it really isn't much of a problem. Only if the page is inverted, as in my situation with charging, does the reader have to remember to pres the now pointing left button to turn to the right page.

I tried out the voice option, but will rarely, if never use it. The voice is good for automated, yet it is still automated. I have to set it onto the slowest setting in order to understand what it is saying, and it still may pronounce words wrong. It also will flip the pages for you when you get to the end of the page, which is truly nice. The choice between male and female voices is a nice touch, and for print-to-voice, it is a good program, but not for me. I like to read my books, rather than hear them.

An aspect I do not like is the fact that when I have to type in my password, the letter I type in is shown and any others before it are the standard bullet. If my password is cats, I type 'c' '*a' '**t' '***s' which still allows anyone looking over my shoulder to read what I type, even if I am going fast, and log in. It is essential that they fix that. My password does not happen to be cats in actuality.

Though it touts it as 'being able to read without straining your eyes' I like the idea of a backlit screen, as a computer or laptop screen has never given me trouble over long periods of time. I am also one who likes to do things with only just enough light, though again I hear that hurts my eyes as well. In all, I do really like the screen.

My only fears are for it breaking or snapping, though I am sure it is a durable little thing. It is just simply so thin and I am afraid for it. I have gotten a case for it, and shall be happy when I get it. It is a deep burgundy red, which just happens to be my favorite color. We'll see if it is as true a burgundy as they say.

Other than that, I shall be reading plenty of books, especially the out-of-copyright books that I've been wanting to read for so long. Come classes with many older books, I will be in luck, particularly a Shakespeare class.

Expect more updates about the kindle as I test it out even more as school starts up again soon. I also completed reading The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin just these past couple of days and will be writing up on them soon.

Why is it called a Kindle anyway?

Yesterday, I went and ordered a kindle. While the initial expense is up there, I figure that I will be able to save in the long run, especially on out-of-copyright books. A class I must take for my English major that will use the Kindle particularly is a Shakespeare class. I am sure that in the class we will be reading plenty of them, and having a kindle will definitely help, as opposed to finding either physical book copies, or reading them on the web. It will also save my poor back from having to carry around all of my books, which may be even better than anything else.

Will be updating soon on my first impressions of the Kindle DX Graphite.