Where Did March Go?

I hope that March was hugely productive for all of you, especially those participating in NaNoEdMo. Although I didn't do any revision or any writing I think I did go some way to achieving calm.

I’ve noticed is that if you ask for something like a character trait – the universe sends you situations that are designed to help you develop and grow into that characteristic.

So if you ask for peace, the Universe facilitates conflict into your life so that you learn to face the conflict and create peace from within.

- surething, 462: Thank You, Dr Susan from Lucy March blog

This little piece of insight from a wonderful Betty brought out the stubborn streak in me. If all of this crap was all a test so that I can be that calm person I want to be then bring it on!

I have big plans for Easter to help me get back on the writing track, wrap up EdMo, finish off the new Kiwi Writers functionality and make some Easter Eggs too.

Word Games, Typing Games

Writers love words, writers do a lot of typing and writers are expert procrastinators. I know you'll probably end up hating me for this but here are some free online games to improve your typing, expand your vocabulary, distract you from actually writing and give you a whole lot of fun.

• Typer Shark - You're a diver and sharks and piranhas are going to eat you and cut your oxygen line unless you type the words tattooed on their sides.
• Bookworm Adventures - Lex the Bookworm needs your help to save the Great Library by creating words from random letters you allow Lex to attack his opponent, but his enemies have their own tricks.
• Typing Maniac - A lonely librarian will get buried in pages if you don't type the words on them in quick order.
  

Letter to my WIP

Dear Brigid,

I know we haven't seen each other in a while and I know you've been waiting for me. It's just that we've been together for so long sometimes I need to work on me for a bit, away from you.

I know it's not fair. You've been so patient with me, always there for me when I'm ready. You've got so much going on and yet you put it all on hold for me. You know that I want to get through it as much as you do. It's been and will continue to be such a learning experience for both of us.

You're dealing with such a new world and you need all the support you can get but it seems like everyone around you is consumed by their own problems, including me.

Your Aunt has this mysterious other life and you can't trust her to have the family or town's best interests at heart. Your father's business partner has been a great help but he won't be around to help forever. Your best friend has entered a new stage of her own life and can hardly listen to your problems. The best she can do is be your eyes and ears in the community that aren't sure who you're becoming. Heck, you don't know who you're becoming. It's not just changing for you, it's changing for all of them. I know that you would never have suspected the men could go to such drastic measures. I know, even now, you can believe that Justin could be involved. It doesn't matter if you've lost what you once had with him because this is bigger than both of you. But then who would believe that it's Daniel who is looking out for you? He's confusing, frustating, annoying and you don't need any added complications.

You're in this limbo and to make it worse the only person who can get you out of it, this person calling themselves a writers, is not writing!

I'm having a crisis of confidence just as you are and we know that the only way either of us can move forward and get past this is to do it together. We have to believe in each other, trust in each other and together we can make the good times happen.

Your writer,
Me.

P.S. We needed that. I feel better, do you?

Evil Wishes - The Idea

When I first decided to write a story for the Search Term Challenge I read through the search terms a few times, rolling the words around in my head and mentally passed the challenge to my muse. She didn't disappoint and soon forced me to start taking notes.

sideshow fable - circus of sorts where the sideshows are themed after fables
give one to me - addict demanding an unusual drug
bellowing bastard brothers - name of the circus

I had a setting and soon a main character. The other search term that caught my imagination was stillborn but I couldn't get any idea that stuck. I made a note of the other two search terms (writes longhand, dirty house) to keep them in play.

With my main character as an actress in one of the sideshow fables I needed a fable for her. Conveniently, one of the few books I brought with me to the UK is a collection of Aesop's Fables. I began randomly reading through the fables and slowly a structure for the story came to me. The fable would be acted out, it's message clear and the same fable would be echoed in the life of my main character. This criteria narrowed the searcha nd I chose The Bee & Jupiter.

A queen bee from Hymettus flew up to Olympus with some fresh honey from the hive as a present to Jupiter, who was so pleased with the gift that he promised to give her anything she like to asked for. She said she would be very grateful if he would give stings to the bees, to kill people who robbed them of their honey. Jupiter was greatly displeased with this request, for he loved mankind: but he had given his word, so he said that stings they should have. The sting he gave them, however, were of such a kind that whenever a bee stings a man the sting is left in the wound and the bee dies.

Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to roost.

Now I had a structure and the fable it was mostly plug and play. I cast my main character as the bee and set about brainstorming her Jupiter, honey and sting. It became a matter of questioning my muse.


Me: What is her sting? What does she ask for?

Muse: Her sting is a drug to make someone miscarry.

Me: Why would someone want to miscarry?

Muse: Pregnancy is not allowed in the circus and her best friend has become pregnant by one of the brother's who owns the circus and is terrified of being abandoned.

Me: How does she know about the drug?

Muse: The brothers sleep with anyone in the circus they want but contraception is not widely available so they keep possession of the drug to give to the girls they want to keep around and abandon those they don't. This is widely known and embedded in the culture of the circus. Her friend has asked for the drug but the brother refused her.

Me: How does she get the drug?

Muse: She goes to another brother and gives herself to him knowing he has wanted her. Later, after hearing the brother take advantage of her friend she goes to the other brother pretending she is pregnant to get the drug. Then she discovers that she is pregnant and leaves the circus.

Me: Oh, okay. Thanks.


This exchange also gave me something of a timeframe so I began to outline and develop scenes.

Next... Evil Wishes - The Outline

Script Frenzy!

My Script Frenzy attempts and plans have not yet come to fruition and unfortunately it will be the same this year. I have no excuses, just other projects that take priority and things like my sanity to consider. But that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the fun! And there's great info on the website and in the forums even if you're not participating.

The 5 Basic Rules of Script Frenzy

1) To be crowned an official Script Frenzy winner, you must write a script (or multiple scripts) of at least 100 total pages and verify this tally on ScriptFrenzy.org.

2) You may write individually or with a partner. Writing teams will have a 100-page total goal for their co-written script or scripts.

3) Script writing may begin no earlier than 12:00:01 AM on April 1 and must cease no later than 11:59:59 PM on April 30, local time.

4) You may write screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, comic book and graphic novel scripts, adaptations of novels, or any other type of script your heart desires.

5) You must, at some point, have ridiculous amounts of fun.

There is so much scope that I think everyone can find something to write, adapt or collaborate on.

Need A Short Challenge?

The results of the Search Term Challenge are in and Ruskin was King enough to knock Merrilee off her perch, though she only dropped to Queen In Waiting at number 2. This also means that the authors have been revealed and I can point you at my story, Evil Wishes.

If all this talk of challenges as wet your writing tastebuds check out these offers from Kiwi Writers:

• One quick challenge from our twitter feed: "Quick challenge, write a flash short story, on the theme of changes. Post it on our forum for all to read. 24hr time limit starts now :)"
  
• Darcy Mister in 90s Chick Lit with a nun, wet socks and a frisbee. What else could it be but a Zing Thing challenge next weekend.
• If you need to do some spring or autumn cleaning then make the most of the rest of March with the 2009 Project Revivial Challenge.
  

Kiwi Writers 2.0

And the reason I've been MIA can now be revealed! Kiwi Writers 2.0 in all it's glory is live and we've already had 50 members log in to check it out. It's got so many cool new things, a lot of which members asked for in our survey from last year. Here's just a snapshot of what's new.

• Members only Critique & Review forum
• Profile pictures
• Site Help including 10 Tips for New Members
• Excerpts and WIP info in profiles
• Revamped Resources
• Slimmed down forums

And do you know what? This is just the beginning. We're working on getting the Challenges area up asap but I've also heard whispers of a Kiwi Writers chat room. It's a fun time for Kiwi Writers so make sure you visit us!

Calm - Let's Try That Again... Again

February has followed in the same vein as January. Everything was going along, if not swimmingly, then normally at the beginning of the month. Then wham! Just like in the old Batman TV series. Wham! Bam! Kapow!

The challenge? To rebuild the Kiwi Writers website in two weeks. Well, heck. Give me a week and I'll have it almost there. Now that the frantic nature of my days is wearing off I can start to appreciate the achievement but boy, oh boy! That does not help me have a calm year. I'm now pretty darn competent in Drupal and can't wait for the new site to be revealed so we can all have fun in it together.

I think I may have revised 2 scenes of Family Trust this month. I think the most annoying thing was that the Kiwi Writers challenge came just after I had a break through with the next section of story. I'll be blogging about it in the coming days and I'm hoping that it will drag me back into the revision.

I surprised myself this month by writing a short story for the Search Term Challenge over at ErgoFiction. From idea to first draft in one day and then another couple hours for revision. I have to admit that there wasn't a whole lot of revision that was needed but even from a scene outline to first draft the story shifted. I'll be posting about that it a couple weeks time once the voting has taken places and authors revealed.

When life throws you a curve ball or two it's difficult to return to a state of calm and even harder to find it if you never had it. I've found huge inspiration in Lucy March's journey. She talks about how you can and can't affect the happiness of those you love which is the theme for my next novel. That's just the tip of the iceberg and her posts will get you thinking about all aspects of your life.

And let's not forget about NaNoEdMo! I had hoped to participate and get the revision of Family Trust completed. I think the best I can commit to is a frantic two weeks in the second half of the month. I'd really love to make some solid progress so that idea is very enticing.

I haven't given up on Calm. I'm just going for third time lucky!