People were refusing to go out for New Year’s Eve this year – or at least some people were. Parties were being kept to small groups of friends, safe indoors, with candles and bottled water, canned goods and books to read. Maybe it was a bit silly, but I took note. I knew where our flashlights were, and yes, we had plenty of batteries. Some of those fat Ds our flashlights needed, and piles of the AAs that ran everything else. I even changed that stupid little 9-volt in the smoke alarm (with all those lit candles, who knows what might happen). And since it couldn’t have been any more than twelve degrees outside, I went shopping for extra blankets, in case we lost heat. And while I was at Target, I saw some Duracells on sale. And I had a coupon too – buy one get one free – so I bought four packs and got four free. Four free packs of batteries!

“Maybe we should stock up on ice and coolers,” Danny said. “So we can keep our beer cold when the power goes out.” His smart-ass grin spread cheek to cheek.

Really. No one was ever hurt by being adequately prepared for something. I don’t think anyone had serious regrets about knowing where their batteries were when the power didn’t go out.

- Lexi, chapter 4.5, Paper Birds

week 3: this is not an advertisement for Duracell or anything, lol!

(Might also be useful to note that this story takes place around Y2K-time, not sure if you could guess that from this excerpt alone.)

I almost went with another photo for the “official” week 3 shot – the slanted one in the outtakes below – but in the end, I just didn’t. It was, I don’t know, a little too off-putting? Lexi is clearly too much of a control freak for such a skewed photo, lol! Maybe that’s it.

A question, which I’ll need to know for my real project when it’s time: If I were to take a picture with a product brand in it like this, can I publish it in my story (for money)? Are there permissions needed for something like that?

outtakes:

And bonus, pics of the snowLADY we made too

Sunlight came through the blinds of our bedroom window, splitting her skin into slats of light and shadow. It reminded me of the first time we kissed, in her parents’ living room, wet from the pool, late afternoon sun beaming through tall windows, my hands on her wet, cold skin. Our bedroom now was not very much unlike the one she grew up in, with its yellow walls and white bedding. She even brought her cork boards, pinned up with old movie tickets, prom pictures, and one of those paper origami birds I used to fold for her.

- Danny, chapter 1, Paper Birds

week 1: and so the project begins?

The idea here, and for the next 52 weeks, will be to see if I can capture a piece of my stories in images. And further, to see if I can illustrate a variety of different story subjects, and continue to do so every week for 52 weeks. Because the idea for my novel series will require one well-planned (and hopefully interesting) image almost every week.

The second idea here is to practice my photography skills. To take better, more interesting, and more adventurous (= less lazy) pictures.

So this one was tricky because it required a very particular time of day, and sunlight, which was much harder to come by (being January) than I assumed. It was mostly cloudy all morning with only these occasional bursts of sunlight that I had to run and grab quickly when they happened. That, and my camera works for bunk in low lighting, and I’m still trying to figure that out.

I ended up taking over 400 shots through the morning (burst mode, people!), and this was the one I narrowed it down to. I chose it for the light versus shadow, and that the birds managed to face each other. I felt it reflected the intimacy of the story excerpt

So there – week 1 down!

I’m expecting these next 52 weeks to be very eye-opening for me. Either I’ll learn a lot and be well-prepared to start my novel series… or I’ll be ready to pull my hair out and run screaming

I’ll still write the novel series even if the photography thing doesn’t work out, but I do hope I can keep this up.

Feedback/advice is welcome.

Some outtakes in my Flickr stream:

My book is about a lot of things. On the very first page of my notebook, I have a list of all the things my novel is about. Some of them are vague and abstract (fragility and unexpected strength?), and some are less vague (a young marriage rooted in friendship?). It’s also a story about some birds. Really, it is. But nowhere on my list is the [big topical subject, or two] that happens to also come up in the book. It isn’t a story about “that” at all.

Or at least I hope it isn’t.

For a while, I was worried it would end up being “one of those kind of books” about [insert your favorite big topical subject matter here]. Not that there’s anything wrong with “those kind of books”. People love them. They sell well. They make people think and they make people talk, and the author gets invited to morning shows and Oprah to talk about [big topical subjects]. Jodi Picoult writes “those kind of books”, and I’ve read some of them before, and they’re interesting. You can tell when she talks about them that they’re “those kind of books”, because when she talks about them, she talks about the [big topical subject] they’re about. But I don’t think I’ll ever want to talk on a morning show, and that’s not the kind of book I want to write either.

The Cider House Rules is a good example (one of my favorite books ever!). If any book could be tagged as being “about abortion” I think that would be it. But in truth, it’s not about abortion at all. It’s about people, and what a person is entitled to do with his life, and what’s right or not right, what’s fair or not fair. It’s about love, and family, and sacrifice, and standing up for what you believe in. But no, it’s not really about abortion. Or I’d say, if you think it’s just about abortion, then you’re clearly not reading it deeply enough.

What is the difference then, and how do you make that difference stand out? I think one difference I see is in the characters. I imagine that when you sit down to write “one of those kind of books”, you start with an idea, a story about [big topical subject], and then you insert some characters.

Then the stories I like to write, and love to read, are ones where the story is so organic to these particular characters that no other characters could possibly take their place, because the story just wouldn’t work anymore. The story is the characters. Maybe that’s the difference? I love stories about people, not stories about [big topical subjects]. Though often people will run into these big topical subjects in their lives. It’s kind of unavoidable sometimes.

So I know what I want my book to be, and what I don’t want it to be. And I think I have one point to start with. Does anyone else see other differences, between “those kind of books” and the other kind, which somehow manage to be about much more than you’ll find at the surface level?

almost like a job (that I don’t get paid for yet):

14 hours a week. D is in preschool, and I have dedicated writing time now. I wonder if this will make me any more efficient? It’s too early to tell this week. First day, I was all nerves. Second day, I was stressed out about D having a wonky limp in his knee. Third day, hubby missed his train and I had to drive him to the metro (don’t make a habit of that, darling!) Day four went well (despite spending 20 minutes to travel a mile into Fairfax at 9:30 am – aren’t you people supposed to *already* be in work?), and I even managed to pick at some stuff. First week doesn’t count, I know this.

Most importantly, this time, 14 hours every week, is ALL mine. (Unless my husband keeps missing his morning train…) And I have no excuse anymore not to finish this novel, get back to work on my neglected short stories, submit things and get them published! I had excuses before (even some valid ones), but not any more. It’s time to put on the serious hat. I’m 30 now! No, I don’t feel any different as a person, but being 30 is different. I had the serious hat in my possession before, but I wasn’t expected to wear it – now I feel like it suits me, or something.

(Now watch me get knocked up, lol! Yes, I do in fact know how that happens – and I also do know how to prevent it. But really, this is the way my life works.)

And I actually did do some work on the novel this summer. Though not as much as I deluded myself into thinking I’d accomplish. We took a couple big vacations, and did some fun stuff. Hey, that’s what’s summer is for, right? It’s currently sitting at about 33% (don’t ask me how I calculate that – probably wouldn’t make sense, lol!) through the second-ish draft. Have 7-ish chapters polished, plenty more drafted, and full speed ahead!

I’m also blessed to have some wonderful ladies cheerleading/beta-reading for me as I work through this second-ish draft. And if they’re not lying to me, then maybe this thing is not actually petty and stupid after all. And I even finally talked the hubby through it, all the way through the ending. And he agreed that it was not stupid and petty, but maybe even okay (my words, not his).

I’m not gonna claim that it’s good, but from what I hear, it is in fact not stupid and petty. At least there’s that.

No really, this is novel research, lol!

Try it out!

A conversation with the real live people in my head.

[Note: If you are not a writer, this post may be disturbing for you. But don't be alarmed. In some professions, it is quite normal to converse with the voices in your head.]

Danny, to me: What the hell? You haven’t written about us in over two weeks!

Lexi: I know, I was about to win an argument over here.

Me: Sorry guys, things were getting a little juicy over in LH Land.

Danny: Corbin’s nothing special, I can spew out some philosophical bullshit and be all quiet and brooding.

Lexi: He can!

Me: But Daniel, my dear, can you do tai chi shirtless?

Danny: Uhh…

Lexi: Oooh, who’s Corbin?

Me: Eh, don’t worry about him – it’s probably better you two live in different dimensions.

*makes note that Lexi and Corbin should never meet*

Me: So you guys are so hot to get back to work, what do you have for me?

Lexi: Isn’t that your job?

Danny, to me: Do you see what I have to put up with?

Me: Oh, I know it. Don’t forget, I kind of made her. But I gave her nice boobs for you.

*Lexi crosses her arms over her chest*

Me: So Danny, your dad is dead, and your mother is lecturing you about your sister’s religion (or lack thereof).

Danny: Oh, for Christ! Not that part. Still? Haven’t you finished that yet?

Me: Sorry, no. But I’ll try to make it quick and painless.

Lexi: Do I have to be there for that?

Me: No, you’ll be doing laundry.

Lexi: Oh, joy!

Danny: Can we do a sex scene instead?

Me: Maybe later. Okay, back to work you two.

Oh sheesh, I think I have book #2 brewing in my head! Can I finish book #1 first, please? Take a number, ideas, get in line, single file, and no cutsies!

(I assure myself this time, book #1 will not be abandoned for book #2, no matter how it begs! I am too far emotionally invested in book #1, and it will be my firstborn! It will forever hold that place in my heart!)

But it’s helpful, I think, to see trends starting to take shape in the scope of my stories. I’m starting to notice some similarities, based on what book #1 is about, compared to what book #2 is about – life and death, marriage and relationships, trying not to become your parents…

I still don’t know if I’m writing YA or not. Upper YA maybe. Maybe not. The protags from novel #1 are 20 years old. But I’m thinking the protag for the second novel is going to be about 25.

There are also many strong women’s themes in my writing, so maybe chick lit? Whoa, crap, am I a chick lit writer??? But without the shoes, or publishing jobs in NYC? Is that allowed in chick lit? Midwestern quirky chick lit, with snow boots instead of stilettos? Come to think of it, my website is pink, lol!

I don’t know why I’m so dead-set on finding myself a niche to belong to. My very favorite authors – John Irving, Lorrie Moore, T.C. Boyle – don’t really seem to belong to any niche except just good, engrossing, quirky, literary fiction. Maybe that is a niche itself?

progress report for the week of 11/30:

I’m easing myself out of the turkey coma this week. I accomplished more plotty stuff than actual plumping of word counts (parts 2 and 3 are developing!), but I’ve enjoyed looking over what I have so far. I’ve found that the first part of the novel (chapters 1-7) is pretty much sketched, so now just to plump and polish and move forward. That’s exciting news, for me at least, because the plumping and polishing part is the easiest, for me. Once I have the bones down, and I know what’s happening and who’s saying what, and such, the flesh usually falls right into place (ha, bones and flesh, lol!).

Favorite line of the week, Danny and Hannah’s mom:

“Birds? Your father left you birds? I’m not surprised though. I didn’t know much about your father, and I was married to the man for twelve years.”

Hope everyone’s writing projects are going well!

Can we call them “no thank yous” rather than rejections?

Anyway, got a “no thank you” on the story I sent out a couple weeks ago. The editor was generous to offer his reasons, and said, “I liked much of the description in your story, but I rarely see a need for the second-person narration.”

Hmmm… really? Is second person not a valid narrative choice? I mean, I wouldn’t use it for every story, but I certainly feel it has its place. And I have to love this particular story in second person, versus what it would feel like in first or third. Maybe I’m wrong. (Anybody feel like taking a quick peek at a 4-page story?) It’s touchy though, because I know a lot of people don’t like it. But then, some people do, don’t they? Any thoughts?

progress report for the week of 11/16:

Let’s try not to let the “no thank you” detract us from what was actually a productive week.

Chapter 4 was born yesterday. It’s a Lexi chapter and she’s freaking hilarious in it. I think one of my favorite things about Lexi is her honesty, and the way she just owns herself, so that she can let these hilarious failures just roll right off of her back. And she needs to, since Danny and Hannah tend to poke fun a bit much. Anyway, chapter 4 was a blast to write and I’m so glad to have it in my novel!

A good bit of chapter 10 was born this week too, which I had to indulge myself and write because it’s one of those “when they fell in love” chapters, and I just can’t resist “when they fell in love” stories.

And if you could see how much of this novel is written, it would look like: chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 19. Yeah, okay, out of order much?

So with a pretty solid framework for chapter 4 and 10, and some random plumping elsewhere, I added about 2000 words to the novel this week. Better than last week!

I actually, finally, went and got my Virginia drivers license and plates! *cues confetti, lol!*

For this week:

- I’d like to walk three times, but it’s going to be pretty rainy… excuses…
- If I decide to stand by my second-person narration choice, then I’ll send that short story straight back out again. I already have somewhere else in mind for it.
- I have another short story (not in second person, lol!) that I’d like to get reacquainted with, now that I’m easing myself out of NaNoWriMo mode and into normal, everyday, writer mode.
- No specific chapter goals, since they quite obviously just come out as they please. I’ll gladly take another 2000 words this week. Sheesh, that sounds so tiny, considering some people (especially in NaNo month) are cranking out 2000 words or more each day. It’s looking like it’s going to be my average though, considering my current situation.

I’m telling you though, once I’m a big-name author, on contract ‘n stuff (we’re allowed to dream around here!), I’m totally getting a part-time nanny!

progress report for the week of 11/2:

I think I’ll move my progress reports from Friday to Monday, since I do a lot of my writing on the weekends. And I’ll keep them separate from any other random posts I do. Gotta have some structure up in here!

I’m giving myself an B+ for last week, because it was pretty okay! I could have walked more… but you know, I didn’t.

novel:

One week into NaNoWriMo, and I’ve only done 2200 of my projected 20,000 words. I don’t feel badly about it though, because the words I’ve been getting are good ones! My novel in total is sitting at almost 10,000 words, with most of the whole first section (ch. 1-7) sketched out and/or written. I’m well on track to finish part one this month, and should likely get some work done on part two as well!

I sent the boys out to see a movie this weekend, and I took some solid writing time to focus on my novel. I used to spend Sunday afternoons with my writers group back in Michigan. But since we moved, I haven’t done anything with my Sunday afternoons, so it was great to reclaim that time for myself. Sunday afternoons = MINE!

So in my writing time, I sat down to get some solid work done on chapters 4 or 5, hoping for some framework to fill out during the week. And BOOM, hello, chapter 6 pours out of my fingers instead! Four pages, and over a thousand words, and a good sketchy rough draft of it! Okay, well we’ll take it!

Welcome to the world chapter 6! You’re thoughtful and endearing and a little bit funny, and I thank you for existing

validation:

I went browsing through some old, old drafts of my first couple novel attempts. Oh my poor, poor writers group who had to read that nonsense! (Nonsense isn’t nice, I know – it did have spirit. But it was a mess, and it was going nowhere important.)

I feel a thousand times grateful I scrapped that novel and moved onto this one. Some of the characters have the same names, but they’re not even the same people. They have a story now, where things happen, where they make choices and life has consequences. This novel is a thousand times better. A thousand times more important.

I think I’ve just “found my voice,” as they say. I used to think that was bullshit, but it’s not. I didn’t have it then, but I have it now. And I’ve found something to say. (Whose quote is that? I read that somewhere recently – somebody clever said it, “Don’t just find your voice, but find something to say.”)

But anyway, I’ve found my story, and I can’t wait to share it, I love it so much! When I wrote The Short Story That Killed My Novel, I was so afraid to start all over again, and mad almost, because of all the work I’d put into my first attempts. But now I’m just grateful.

playing this week:

“Disarm” by the Smashing Pumpkins, inspired by my chapter 3 and a great love for some Pumpkins! Such a great song! And quite easy to play, or at least easier than the last time I tried

not a photographer:

I’m still endlessly amused that there’s a ravine outside my apartment

and finally, to do this week:

Chapters 4 or 5, plump up and polish the existing chapters. Other stuff I’ve been putting off for a really long time… More walking than I did this week (blah!).