Yacht
"What a stupid language," the writer said. He said it out loud as he tried to think up a story about yachts. On a whim he looked it up on a Google image search and then Google definitions. And a yacht is a large luxurious ship or a smaller vessel that requires a high degree of physicality to operate.
Another idea came to his mind. A Captain's yacht. Perhaps that is just a Star Trek invention!
The idea for a story did not come. Perhaps he was thinking to hard. He close this eyes and decided to write what came to mind.
Peter set foot aboard the yacht. It was grand. He had a beautiful cabin overlooking the sea. It was positioned just below the bridge. He stretched out on the sofa and watched as the ship set off. He had been awaiting this cruise for sometime. He had been saving his money. Now the time had come. His novel had sold millions and he owned a beautiful boat.
The author realised he had no ideas. He was sitting on a rowing boat on a small lake. But he could dream.
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Dictionary Stories 2010-12-05
Xenoglossia
Once again the imagination fails to be sparked by this word. Ironically I've just been watching a Stargate SG-1 episode, 'The Fifth Race', where Colonel O'Neill has this ability.
'Xenoglossia is the putative paranormal phenomenon in which a person is able to speak or write a language he or she could not have acquired by natural means.' - is the definition according to faithful Wikipedia.
Wouldn't that be a great thing? I'd love to be able to just innately pick up a language like that. However as I proved the other day I even seem to have problems with English!
I had some work read out in class last week and there were, unfortunately, a lot of mistakes in it. Most of these were centered around speech. Somehow language changes around speech. Maybe I'm just being dense but it does seem like the rules of punctuation are changed when speech marks are involved. Well I've edited the chapter now and will actually get back to writing. As any writer will know editing is bad and boring.
Here is a picture of me holding magazines.
This is writing magazine. As you can see they are still in their cellophane wrapping. Don't let that fool you. These have very good articles for the budding writer. Advice, interviews; the works. I just don't always get around to reading them. However one interesting thing I read in the previous issue was a way to get round getting stuck. Basically it said to meander. To describe more thoroughly. Or even to kill a character. This allows for something to be written, rather than giving up, and in the process the path of the novel become clear.
Well once again this hasn't been a story. However I have high hopes for the next world which is - Yacht. I am sure to think of something for that.
Bye.
Once again the imagination fails to be sparked by this word. Ironically I've just been watching a Stargate SG-1 episode, 'The Fifth Race', where Colonel O'Neill has this ability.
'Xenoglossia is the putative paranormal phenomenon in which a person is able to speak or write a language he or she could not have acquired by natural means.' - is the definition according to faithful Wikipedia.
Wouldn't that be a great thing? I'd love to be able to just innately pick up a language like that. However as I proved the other day I even seem to have problems with English!
I had some work read out in class last week and there were, unfortunately, a lot of mistakes in it. Most of these were centered around speech. Somehow language changes around speech. Maybe I'm just being dense but it does seem like the rules of punctuation are changed when speech marks are involved. Well I've edited the chapter now and will actually get back to writing. As any writer will know editing is bad and boring.
Here is a picture of me holding magazines.
This is writing magazine. As you can see they are still in their cellophane wrapping. Don't let that fool you. These have very good articles for the budding writer. Advice, interviews; the works. I just don't always get around to reading them. However one interesting thing I read in the previous issue was a way to get round getting stuck. Basically it said to meander. To describe more thoroughly. Or even to kill a character. This allows for something to be written, rather than giving up, and in the process the path of the novel become clear.
Well once again this hasn't been a story. However I have high hopes for the next world which is - Yacht. I am sure to think of something for that.
Bye.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-12-02
Happy December!
The countdown to Christmas has begun. I know I'm an adult now because that thought more produces fear rather than excitement! I used to count the days - not so any more. Now Christmas seems far too close. I still have university to think about.
Speaking of which the cold weather, we've had snow in this par of Wales, has caused problems at university. The servers have been down and hence printing has been a problem. The story is that the pipe bust and crapped out the server. They're predicting that it could be a couple of weeks before its all up and running again.
How quickly we come to rely on technology! Luckily the Atrium, the Cardiff site for the University of Glamorgan, was working - well sort of. Printing was possible - just, just not in the way it usually is. To be honest I don't completely understand the technical issues involved. Anyway the long and short of it is that I was able to print my timed assignment and hand it in - woo whoo!
It was nice though to see the comradery between the students. Information was posted on Facebook and we were able to discuss the situation. However there was little information to give out as we couldn't email our tutors!
I'll be back later in the well with a dictionary story.
Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don't read the lines. -Margaret Millar, novelist (1915-1994) Wordsmith.org
The countdown to Christmas has begun. I know I'm an adult now because that thought more produces fear rather than excitement! I used to count the days - not so any more. Now Christmas seems far too close. I still have university to think about.
Speaking of which the cold weather, we've had snow in this par of Wales, has caused problems at university. The servers have been down and hence printing has been a problem. The story is that the pipe bust and crapped out the server. They're predicting that it could be a couple of weeks before its all up and running again.
How quickly we come to rely on technology! Luckily the Atrium, the Cardiff site for the University of Glamorgan, was working - well sort of. Printing was possible - just, just not in the way it usually is. To be honest I don't completely understand the technical issues involved. Anyway the long and short of it is that I was able to print my timed assignment and hand it in - woo whoo!
It was nice though to see the comradery between the students. Information was posted on Facebook and we were able to discuss the situation. However there was little information to give out as we couldn't email our tutors!
I'll be back later in the well with a dictionary story.
Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don't read the lines. -Margaret Millar, novelist (1915-1994) Wordsmith.org
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Dictionary Storise 2010-11-27
Wacky
Wacky, wild and zany.
Some words in the dictionary fail to inspire any idea! I know some wacky people but would call them bubbly. This is a ramble and an unproductive ramble. So let me share with you some wacky people from Rocketboom.
This is a web show about all sorts of interesting things. Without Rocketboom I might actually have to give careful consideration to getting a life.
Speaking of which I am meeting some friends this evening. Its for a Christmas party (ish thing) my friend had the very good idea of having it now! So that we avoid the Christmas madness!
So I better get ready.
Maybe I'll upload some pictures afterwards.
The next dictionary story will be about xanthoma - a skin discolouration - err! Might skip that one.
Wacky, wild and zany.
Some words in the dictionary fail to inspire any idea! I know some wacky people but would call them bubbly. This is a ramble and an unproductive ramble. So let me share with you some wacky people from Rocketboom.
This is a web show about all sorts of interesting things. Without Rocketboom I might actually have to give careful consideration to getting a life.
Speaking of which I am meeting some friends this evening. Its for a Christmas party (ish thing) my friend had the very good idea of having it now! So that we avoid the Christmas madness!
So I better get ready.
Maybe I'll upload some pictures afterwards.
The next dictionary story will be about xanthoma - a skin discolouration - err! Might skip that one.
Monday, 22 November 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-11-22
Happy Thanksgiving.
Being British I don't know much about the celebration. I understand that a lot of turkey is involved. So that's always good! And looking up Thanksgiving I've found that Canada has a thanksgiving as well. This I never knew so a very belated happy thanksgiving to you as well.
Are presents given at thanksgiving? Not according to Yahoo answers. Which I suppose is a relief as Christmas already costs a lot - not to mention that some people are difficult to buy for. I've started to get my presents and should be ready for the big day.
Around this time last year, actually the week before Christmas day, I was in Nepal.
This was for a pilgrimage. Is this getting more confusing? I'm a Buddhist and while it may sound like a contradiction to be celebrating Christmas, and not meaning to offend anyone, there has been a celebration at this time of year long before Christmas.
Spending time in Nepal last year, though I didn't necessarily think so at the time, was good. It was good in its self but also I missed the crazy frenzy inducing advertisements! I doubt I'll be going again soon as mum and dad paid last year - I am horribly poor.
Last night as I walked down to my parents house I took this picture of the moon.
Annoyingly the clouds kept hiding it. Pictures make the blog and I'm beginning to see why my brother likes to take his camera wherever he goes. As time goes on I will find more interesting pictures and maybe even ones for the Dictionary Stories - which haven't been done in a while.
Tomorrow I'm back in Uni tomorrow. I'm reading out another chapter of Heliopolis.
There will be another post soon.
Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. ~E.L. Doctorow
Being British I don't know much about the celebration. I understand that a lot of turkey is involved. So that's always good! And looking up Thanksgiving I've found that Canada has a thanksgiving as well. This I never knew so a very belated happy thanksgiving to you as well.
Are presents given at thanksgiving? Not according to Yahoo answers. Which I suppose is a relief as Christmas already costs a lot - not to mention that some people are difficult to buy for. I've started to get my presents and should be ready for the big day.
Around this time last year, actually the week before Christmas day, I was in Nepal.
This was for a pilgrimage. Is this getting more confusing? I'm a Buddhist and while it may sound like a contradiction to be celebrating Christmas, and not meaning to offend anyone, there has been a celebration at this time of year long before Christmas.
Spending time in Nepal last year, though I didn't necessarily think so at the time, was good. It was good in its self but also I missed the crazy frenzy inducing advertisements! I doubt I'll be going again soon as mum and dad paid last year - I am horribly poor.
Last night as I walked down to my parents house I took this picture of the moon.
Annoyingly the clouds kept hiding it. Pictures make the blog and I'm beginning to see why my brother likes to take his camera wherever he goes. As time goes on I will find more interesting pictures and maybe even ones for the Dictionary Stories - which haven't been done in a while.
Tomorrow I'm back in Uni tomorrow. I'm reading out another chapter of Heliopolis.
There will be another post soon.
Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. ~E.L. Doctorow
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-11-16
Hello!
Okay so its not Sunday. Somehow I knew that my plan to post every week would fail. By way of an apology here is an image of Kathmandu.
One of these days the image will have something to do with the post. And one day pigs might fly.
University is going well and Christmas is scarily close. Happily their are no deadlines this side of Christmas! Tomorrow I will take my plan (final hopefully) for my script to my tutor. In theory I'll get the green light and all will be right with the world - or my small corner of it - okay scratch that - one thing will be right with my world. I have a tendency to go on. The idea of this was that I would get talking to people. Actually its just me sitting at my computer.
Darn.
Also for university I'm working on a critical essay. It'll be on Across the Wall by Garth Nix. If you like fantasy and haven't read any of his books I can recommend him as an author. He is easily as good as JK Rowling and Philip Pullman and actually I'd say better.
Here's another random picture in case the first didn't work.
The essay will be about the idea of world building. As I write fantasy it can be difficult establishing the world for one simple reason: those in the world know about it and are not going to go around discussing every day things. Some conversations actually say nothing...
"Did you get the...doodad?"
"Yes," I'll say, "I put it in the..." then I'll click my fingers. No the words don't come, "the oogemawhatsit."
That is not a verbatim conversation I've had but its close. Obviously a silly example but suppose you'd invented the car for a novel. You can't say 'he got into the car.' and 'he got into the box on wheels sounds silly'!
That essay might actually be fun to write. Like I said deadlines are a long way off!
'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams.
Okay so its not Sunday. Somehow I knew that my plan to post every week would fail. By way of an apology here is an image of Kathmandu.
One of these days the image will have something to do with the post. And one day pigs might fly.
University is going well and Christmas is scarily close. Happily their are no deadlines this side of Christmas! Tomorrow I will take my plan (final hopefully) for my script to my tutor. In theory I'll get the green light and all will be right with the world - or my small corner of it - okay scratch that - one thing will be right with my world. I have a tendency to go on. The idea of this was that I would get talking to people. Actually its just me sitting at my computer.
Darn.
Also for university I'm working on a critical essay. It'll be on Across the Wall by Garth Nix. If you like fantasy and haven't read any of his books I can recommend him as an author. He is easily as good as JK Rowling and Philip Pullman and actually I'd say better.
Here's another random picture in case the first didn't work.
The essay will be about the idea of world building. As I write fantasy it can be difficult establishing the world for one simple reason: those in the world know about it and are not going to go around discussing every day things. Some conversations actually say nothing...
"Did you get the...doodad?"
"Yes," I'll say, "I put it in the..." then I'll click my fingers. No the words don't come, "the oogemawhatsit."
That is not a verbatim conversation I've had but its close. Obviously a silly example but suppose you'd invented the car for a novel. You can't say 'he got into the car.' and 'he got into the box on wheels sounds silly'!
That essay might actually be fun to write. Like I said deadlines are a long way off!
'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Writer's Blog 2010-11-01 & 2010-11-07
The other day I submitted a novel synopsis to Penguin. They have had an open submission for the September-October period. As is typical of me I waited to the last moment to submit but it is now done.
I must thank dad for telling me about it, and oddly not the university, and thank mum for spending two hours going over the work with me!
On another subject the results to the Bridport prize are being announced this month. As I haven't been contacted I shall submit that story, called Itchy, to a magazine. If I'm successful I'll post the information hear. Unfortunately I can't upload it now because magazines often ask for exclusivity.
Moving on...
I'm not so good at the writing and posting in one go thing. However I'm sure my reader would like more regular posts - and more interesting posts but you can't expect miracles!
So I will try my best to post once a week from now on, we'll see how long that goes on for, and make it interesting.
Recently I've been writing a script with a race called Stegoraptors. I used this name, rather than Griptogoday, which was the original, as it is more easily pronounced. Also it has the advantage of 'realism' because after all we can't speak dog! The problem it creates is that how in dialogue do you refer to them. Or do you just give them random human names like Shepard, Stargate Atlantis, does for the Wraith.
I must thank dad for telling me about it, and oddly not the university, and thank mum for spending two hours going over the work with me!
On another subject the results to the Bridport prize are being announced this month. As I haven't been contacted I shall submit that story, called Itchy, to a magazine. If I'm successful I'll post the information hear. Unfortunately I can't upload it now because magazines often ask for exclusivity.
Moving on...
I'm not so good at the writing and posting in one go thing. However I'm sure my reader would like more regular posts - and more interesting posts but you can't expect miracles!
So I will try my best to post once a week from now on, we'll see how long that goes on for, and make it interesting.
Recently I've been writing a script with a race called Stegoraptors. I used this name, rather than Griptogoday, which was the original, as it is more easily pronounced. Also it has the advantage of 'realism' because after all we can't speak dog! The problem it creates is that how in dialogue do you refer to them. Or do you just give them random human names like Shepard, Stargate Atlantis, does for the Wraith.
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