Saved! (or not)

After not writing for about a week, and only picking at it from then on, Morbid Curiosity has been saved sacked. I re-worked the ending into something that actually yields clues (and doesn't upset me). Actually, the ending I came up with was total crap and the whole thing is going in the trash. However, the 50,000 word challenge is pretty well in the toilet -- but that's okay, because at least I'll come out of it with an outline. I'll probably tackle the prose in a month or two and do my own 50k challenge (which I've done twice).

I'm also very excited about my other projects: still working on my short story for Generations, which I hope will be nice and light after writing mysteries for so long. I also remembered I started on a graphic novel of Metropolis, which, after watching the newly restored version on TV the other night, really deserves to be finished.

After all the drama that's kept me away from writing this month, I'm eager to get back to it. Also eager for a pause in drama.

(edited 3:49pm)

~sigh~

So NaNoWriMo is kind of a bust this year. I couldn't get my story to work with me -- nevermind the fact that I didn't think I wanted to write it in the first place. I got about 9,000 words into it before I dropped the thing. I guess I didn't have enough material to get me through when the murder victim was murdered to when they catch the murderer. And it's even more upsetting because I had such a good time writing those 9,000 words, which ultimately got me nowhere. (Practice makes perfect?)

... So I moved on

In addition to spending lots of time on Photoshop, I got an idea for a short story thanks to a project my dad thought of: three people from the same family, but different generations writing about a common theme and posting their stories on a blog. Sounded like a good idea to me!

And so, the short, non-mystery idea was born. All my other stories have dealt in some way with crime, kidnapping or death (which is all well and good as long as you're standing in the Mystery section at the bookstore!), but this one will have none of that, despite the sort of sinister cover I came up with. In the spirit of not spoiling my story for those of you who will read it on Generations when it's done, I won't tell you what it's about - but I will tell you the group topic has to do with keeping my characters away from home.

1904, here I come!

One of my scene settings is an abandoned subway station in Toronto (pictured above), LITTLE KNOWING that the day after I chose this place, a "secret subway stop" in New York was revealed. While it wouldn't make a good place for my characters to stop, I think I'll be going next time I'm in town. Just take the 6 and stay on past the Brooklyn Bridge stop, and you're freakin' time traveling!

NaNoWriMo Eve!

Alright, you guys, it's NaNoWriMo Eve. If I lived in Australia, I'd be furiously writing right now. But to be honest, when we reach 12am Eastern Time, I'll probably be asleep because November 1st also marks the official end of my vacation.

My novel this year will deal with a time-delayed murder and a possible ghost. It'll also be my first story set in Philadelphia.

While I should have been working on my outline for this coming month, I've been trying to get Awake edited (my Wrimo project from last year - only 2/3rds through it). I'd like to say it's going well, but I guess I'm having my doubts. Regardless, writing helps me escape other stuff, so I've already accomplished something very big for myself.

Keep an eye on the wordcount widget to your right and chart my progress. Feel free to cheer/laugh as needed.