Posts Tagged: words

Journal Entry – Nov 9, 2015

My novel is moving along.  I am always impressed with people who can actually complete the National Novel Writing Month (or whatever it is called).  50,000 words in 30 days is no small feat.  I don’t think I could do it – and not have it turn out into anything worth reading (or editing).  That… Read more »

Journal Entry – Nov 1, 2015

In writing (or reading), imagine how boring a character would be if they were just angry or only sad.  A purely evil or good character is not only unrealistic, but also quite dull.  Yet, think of how interesting a murderer would be if he/she also always visited his grandmother with flowers.

Journal Entry – Oct 30, 2015

The novel I am working on, fitfully for far too long, keeps changing underneath my very well laid out plans.  This is a good thing, as it seems that the characters are more fleshed out, more real, have stronger personalities that can move about on their own, while I am desperately try to keep up… Read more »

Journal Entry – October 25, 2015

I have been making strong, steady progress on my longer piece of fiction.  It has taken me quite some time to get to this point, a lot of frustration and self-doubt, but the story is finally coming together.

Journal Entry – Oct 20, 2015

In the past, I have read that one should always “stay hungry.”  I have generally taken that to mean that one should always be ambitious, never to rest on one’s laurels, etc.  But it seems that there is a more literal truth to this – being hungry is not only good for me to lose… Read more »

Journal Entry – Oct. 16, 2015

For me, the activity itself is not enough.  When I go for a walk, I want to have a purpose for the walk beyond itself (e.g., seeing a sight, finding a clue on a treasure hunt, etc.).  If I exercise, it is not just to lose weight and get healthier, but rather to develop a… Read more »

Journal Entry – October 14, 2015

Watching bad B-movies makes me wonder if my own writing is as stilled and one dimensional.  I suppose many authors (aspiring or otherwise) feel this way.  But the goal for me is to create something enveloping, but how does one know if it is so?  If a story is not enveloping, not immersive, if it… Read more »

Journal Entry – Oct 13, 2015

I am making strong progress on my longer piece, will probably be about as long as Neil Gaiman’s Coraline.     I have to be careful about the tone of the story.  I find that when I force it, it comes off as distracting to the moment described.  Yet, I want the story to be fun –… Read more »

Must all Debts be Repaid?

Debt is a very confusing topic, mixed up with economics, politics, morality, and religion, not to mention a wide spectrum of emotions from grief and apathy to anger.  The book Debt by David Graeber delves into several of these aspects in his history, and opens for discussion a key question: What role and to what… Read more »

Devil’s Advocate

Playing “devil’s advocate” is a lazy way to seem intelligent because it has guaranteed success.  If there is likely no such thing as an objective truth (link), i.e., something that is true regardless of time and place, then any statement or thought will have exceptions.