The Pen of a Ready Writer

     I had some more time to spend with Dungeon today.  I am now over 11k words.  It does not appear this will be a full-size novel -- at least not in its 1st-draft form.  My final conflict is in sight, as soon as my characters figure out what is going on...although that may take them a chapter or two. ;)      I am looking forward to finishing Dungeon so I can read it and edit it and share it.  Exciting days!      Writing, for me, sometimes feels like I am reading a book that I don't want to put down.      But, I must.  Chores await...

     Inspired to learn writing tips from great authors, I scanned the internet for brief tutorial videos.  I found a lot of unhelpful things, a few helpful things, and many more things to think about for a little bit (to see whether they are any good or not).      Writers had different tips for plot structures.  One that I watched a video on was the "W".  The teacher had a W drawn on a large board.  At the beginning of the story (the top left of the W), everything is fine.  Then the conflicts pull the story down, down, down.  There may be multiple bumps in the road, but then the main character hits what they believe to be the lowest point.  This is the first dip in your W.  Fighting their way out of this, the plot begins to look up a little bit.  It makes it to a stable-ish place in the middle peak of the W.  Then everything falls apart and looks worse than it ever looked before.  This i...

     A while back, I had this random idea about a princess' discovery of a dungeon in her own castle.  It didn't seem like much of a story, but I typed up the first chapter to make myself feel better.  Then I shelved the project away -- not intending to ever come back to it.      But, in the past 7 days, the dungeon came alive to me.  Strands of storylines and characters wound through my head.  Yesterday, I had the chance to sit down and type, and I wrote nearly 5k words.      I'm at a little bit of a block today.  Yesterday, after many failed attempts, the princess made it down into the dungeon.  Today, she is trying to return to the dungeon, but the door is locked...again.  I am not sure why the door is locked and I am working hard to find a way to get her down there.  I'd really like her to be able to go down at will now.  If only she could find a secret door...or maybe find the...

     Writers will tell you how much it means to them to be left alone while they are writing.  We have to be able to concentrate as we weave our tales.  And people trying to talk to you can make that difficult.      I tend to get very involved in my writing.  When I am telling a story, I am there.  I can see it, I can feel it.  The emotions of the moment are strong inside me as I write.      And my dog notices.      Whenever I am writing an intense scene, when I am deep in that moment, when I am far, far away from real life..., this is when my dog feels the need to bring me back.  He props his front feet on my knee and howls.      Yes, he howls.       And then, as I quickly fall out of my story and back to earth, he wags his tail furiously.       Now, how am I supposed to concentrate?

Hi, all!      I have introduced a number of writing projects on this blog.  Which things would you like to hear about next? - Alexander - Bella and Gerard - Caleb the horse - Dungeon - horses in general - other inspiring writers - about me - Reagan's Island - Scooter the horse - The Journey - The Ultimate Stand - veterinarian stories - WhiteStar the horse - writing tips, ideas, adventures

Merry Christmas!!!

     Thousands of years ago, the earth was beautiful and perfect.  There was no death, no evil, no pain.  In a special paradise garden named "Eden", there lived a man and woman.  Their task was to tend the garden, and with them was the Creator of all this beauty and perfection, helping them, loving them, talking with them.      At some time before this, there was a rebel among those who served the Creator.  One, Satan, committed treason, trying to exalt himself above the Creator.  He was promptly banished...but that was not the end of his tale, not yet.      Taking the form of a serpent, Satan pursued the man and woman as an opportunity for revenge and possibly a restoration of the power that he craved.  With twisted words, he coaxed the woman into disobedience to the very Creator who had placed her in this beautiful and perfect place.  And through her, Satan coaxed the m...