Monday, 21 September 2015

DAY 08: Illness... pain and nanowrimo prep

Hi guys,
 
So I've had three days where I've been ill as hell, been trapped in my bed pondering over different story ideas and directions for NaNoWriMo.
 
Okay so I haven't written anything on my computer for two days (a bit about the first day in a moment), but I have penned a few ideas into the dream notepad I keep securely hidden near my pillow (okay inside my pillow where they wouldn't take it from). These include a dragon story idea (full novel) and a few additional books for after nanowrimo book is complete (think additional characters and combining storylines).
 
But that first day something magical happened, I completed a chapter by chapter breakdown of my NaNoWriMo novel and started breaking this down into scenes with points of view (because I randomly decided at 3am that I wanted three main points of view and an occasional extra point of view) and some kickass assassins and an extra main character... who is now getting slightly more page time than Cinderella herself (need to fix that).
 
So guys, I haven't forgotten my challenge, I'm just focusing on my NaNoWriMo prep for a little while because I'm in 'that kind of zone'.
 
Helen x  

Thursday, 17 September 2015

Day 005: NaNoWriMo Prepping!

Hello my lovely readers,

Well today I don't bring you a crappy little clipping of a story/ scene/ random collaboration of sentences and bring you the first instalment of my NaNoWriMo 2015 prep.

Okay, today isn't the first time I have worked on this particular idea in the past couple of days... its basically all I've worked on, hence the crappy start to Challenge 100. But it will not be in vein.

I have drafted out a plan. This plan is of epic proportions and will hopefully produce a heaping pile of 50,000 half usable words by the end of November. Well to tell you the truth there is already 1000 words of prep (on storyline only... a lot more if you include character prep... but more on that in a later post!), which you will (hopefully) know, that I wont be counting towards NaNoWriMo word goal!

So I have started my idea, I got the basic outline ready and today I started using two outlining methods... because I be crazy like that. Firstly the snow-flaking method and secondly a 3 act, 9 block, 27 chapter set-up. There are loads of really useful explanations out there on youtube, in particular check out Katytastic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ryXJ18eUp8) for the 3 Act set-up using Scrivner and Catrina of The Little Book Owl (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvVz6R0_UzE) for the snowflake method.

They work surprisingly well together!

More about this later next month.

So my little synopsis of what to expect of my novel during the month of November:

Introducing Princess Cinderella, who when faced with marrying Prince Chaldry in order to ensure peace between two kingdoms, refuses. After always feeling weak because of her amputation, Cinderella decides that it is about time she stood her ground and says that she is not marrying for anything but love. She didn't expect to be kidnapped for saying no... nor did she expect to be turned into a slave for the Prince's twin sisters; one of whom Cinderella begins to feel more emotions than she had ever felt before. However, a beautiful face doesn't mean a beautiful heart and the sisters have something in stall for Cinderella; unless someone can get her away in time... that's if she even wants to leave.

*** Obviously names and other details are subject to change and I would really appreciate respect for my idea and for no-one to use this for their novel (common courtesy and all that jazz) ***

If you would like to here more about my fairy-tale retelling then don't forget to hit the follow button, let me know you like it with the +1 button and pop me a comment below.

I would love to hear about your ideas for NaNoWriMo, if your brave enough to share.

Loves, Helen x

Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Day 004: Aftermath

My knees buckled beneath me, heaving me down onto the sticky concrete. My muscles gave in to the burn seeping from my veins. The flames consuming my lungs licked at my throat begging for the contents of my stomach to cool them.

But now wasn't the time for tears and sickness.

Now was the time to get up and run.

Run against the burn.

Run away from the six bodies that now flooded the concrete with their blood.

I could suddenly feel every ounce of weight within my hand, every crease of the handle; suddenly I could feel the ripples in the air as the blade pushed against the cold damp air. Through the rivulets of blood covering the blade, the dance of the moonlight flickered up onto my face.

I pushed further, it wasn't far until I got there.

Sliding the doors open, everyone in the station stopped and stared. With single glances at the blade in my hand, several reach for the guns strapped to their waists but paused as my fingers gave in to the weight.

The clank of metal rang like church bells, drawing me from the shocked faces staring at me.

"Help me." I panted through the burn.

"I just killed six people."




Today's inspiration:

While I was lying in the gym after a gruelling 45 minutes of hell I took time to take in the moment and suddenly this scene came to.

Monday, 14 September 2015

Day 003: Dream Catchers

Work was never 'boring'.

I never left work thinking ugh.
 
I never left work period.
 
That's the problem being a dream catcher, they all think that everyone only dreams while they are asleep. They are all wrong.
 
I hear every thought, by every person. Every moment. Every day.
 
Scanning, watching, waiting for someone to think something prohibited; you see after the rebellion of 3015 the government wanted to make sure no-one could start one again. So many deaths.
 
There's only one mind they couldn't read... mine.
 
They didn't know I had been slowly hacking into each server, one by one, slowly over the last ten years. Slight disruptions that only I could see. That I would notice.
 
And how did I know that I was the only one who noticed?
 
They pay me to make sure. Someone thinks it, I change it to a thought of rebellion and 'goodbye'.
 
Until I was ready to press the master button.
 
Then they would shut up for good.

Sunday, 13 September 2015

Day 002: The seductive flicker (Challenge100)

The fire was getting closer, licking away at the fuse, creeping closer to the stores of explosives bottled nearby.
The crowd rallied, they had been waiting for the moment of explosion for months. They had rallied and screamed, and they had organised everything, all we practically did was turn up.
Some members panicked last minute and hadn’t stayed to see it through, giving one excuse or another why they didn’t want to be here.
Of course it was a big thing but that’s what we wanted really, something big… something to remember.
Seconds passed, the damp autumnal air had slowed the fuse; the usual fast flick of light now crawled along the line, seducing the damp concrete as it danced towards the dirt.
The flame disappeared; a breath was all we had to wait until the sound of the drum-splitting explosion escaped through the clinging air. We watched.
Partners grabbed each other’s arms.
Parents held their children close.
A chorus of gasps, orchestrated by the dance of the colours overhead.
Once the colours stopped, the crowd erupted for more.
A bonfire night to remember.

Saturday, 12 September 2015

DAY 001: Mr Lego


Hiding behind some of the rust covered machinery, the pain didn’t appear for a minute at least; it was the swell of oozing warmth that drew his attention to the hole which had formed in his stomach. How did he get here?

They came in the middle of the night, all in black, professional and hired.

Answer phone was all he received after glancing at the blood covered images of his Abbey that now filled his phone. It had to be a joke he begged myself.

His house phone rang with clarity.

“You want her alive yes.” The voice was cloaked with the familiar hum of a voice changer; he could almost make out the brand.

“Of course.” Hands shaking but his voice remained calm.

“Bring the drive.” What the hell was he on about? What drive?

“Is she okay?” She was kidnapped by psychotic monsters, of course she wasn’t okay.

Abbey’s voice echoed through the phone. “Mr Lego, McGee.” Her voice muffled against the sound of restraint once more.

“Where?” They rung off the address of some warehouse where they’d both be shortly killed. 

He toyed with the Lego key-ring before realising which key it held. The key to the gun box hidden in the wardrobe, only Abbey new it was there. Now he knew.

He was expected, so of course they didn’t lock anything. Sneaking in through a back window McGee could see everything, everything except Abbey. The glock fit his hand well, only Abbey knew that he had taken a lesson or two on how to use it.

He didn’t want to kill any of them, but he wasn’t about to let them kill Abbey, his Abbey. One at a time they fell, kicking their semi-automatics out of reach before moving on to the next; years of playing spy games were finally making themselves useful. Pausing only to reload. Often. Apparently his aim was better in the game, but still.

So now he stood, with a hole in his stomach staring at the man who took his Abbey; his face rougher than his voice sounded. Nothing about him looked like a hit-man, he wanted to be professional but he knew this was a game for bigger fish and was regretting every move.

“Braver than I thought.” He started, going on about his stupidity, McGee couldn’t focus on a word he said as the moment sank in, Abbey was tied to a chair but the gun pointed at her temple wasn’t. He talked for too long. As he turned his back, McGee fired.

As McGee reached his Abbey, stumbling and bloody; without even untying her, he grabbed her face between his hands and planted his lips on hers. Her shaking stopped, and even with her hands bound behind her, she reached for him. Now she really was his Abbey.

Mr Lego wasn’t even the drive.

100 day writing challenge

Hello my lovely readers,

I know I was a bad blogger and disappeared (again!) but it wasn't for long this time, we all know that work can get a little hectic sometimes and its just been one of those times. But I'm back with a personal challenge!

Recently I have found myself writing more and more, from novels (more about these in a later post) to articles, to short stories. I've even started dabbling in flash fiction (for those unaware, this is the art of telling a story in less than 500 words, sometimes with less than 100; you get the picture). Scribbling potential storylines on pieces of paper, drafting out random scenes with the hope of gathering enough that I can pull together a publishable novel or anthology of short stories.

But never consistency!

So here's the plan, for the next 100 days [Today being September 12th 2015, ending on December 20th 2015] I plan on writing a minimum of 100 words a day. These 100 words can be on anything I want, (once my Master's Degree has begun, words written for assignment and/or revision will not count) majority of which will consist of random scenes, flash fiction and extremely short stories.

I have got a few longer short stories I want to work on in this time also, so rewrites are permitted, however words only count if they are totally new elements (not just changing a sentence around or sorting punctuation, but adding sections or replacing sections count towards daily word goal).

I may even try my hand at poetry (and everyone laugh... I'm as poetic as a stinky old boot... truly).

Now within this time scale a very happy (if not totally bonkers, stressful and slightly homicide inducing) time period is found... NaNoWriMo!!!



I do plan on participating in NaNoWriMo this year, and so towards the end of October plans about the Novel will be creeping into my word goals. Obviously during the month long event, my daily word goal will be slightly higher than 100 words... try 1,667 words to be precise (but like a lot of people participating, my goal will be 2000 as its a slightly more round number...if not still insane).



How will this effect my blog I hear you all cry... buzz goes the computer... for these 100 days I plan on posting my writing on here EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! Yes that's right ladies and gentlemen. You're getting commitment to one post a day for 100 days!

I will be posting every piece of writing I complete during this challenge... with the exception of NaNoWriMo, during November I will be summarising the contents of what I completed each day with the addition of revealing more about the Novel, its characters, feelings, plans... the works; you'll see me win or lose, but you will see me to the very end.

Now I know that this is a lot of writing... but all I ask of you my lovely readers; is that you read, if you can think of improvements please pop them in the comment section below. I do take all suggestions (good, bad and ugly) into consideration and they do help shape each piece I work on (remember the 'running shoes' post apocalyptic short story... its currently being reworked, extended and honed using the feedback I received after posting it on here!). Share the bahgebbers out of each one and don't forget to click the little follow button over there so you get them straight away.

So will you take up the challenge (obviously change the rules to what suits your current situation)? Pop a link to your blogs below this post so I can follow and we can keep each other supported!

Day 001 writing to follow shortly!

Loves you all,
Helen x