Tag: Writing

New – Last – Semester of Classes

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

In just under two weeks, I start my last two classes.  When this semester is done, I will have earned my second degree.  I’m both excited for this and a little sad.  I won’t be crazy busy all the time once I’m done with this degree. 

I looked at master’s programs and none of them sold me.  I think the next thing for me will be to spend a lot of time writing.  Whether I get the grant I put in for or not, I have two books ready for publishing.  I am in the process of editing two other books.  I have a third one I’m working on writing – whether it will finish the story or not I don’t know. 

My writing has been on the back burner since I started school again.  I never feel like I have time to just sit at the computer and write.  Once I get started, the words just flow so I am looking forward to spending more time writing. 

One of my goals after I graduate is to spend more time submitting my work for publication and contests.  It is always good to put my work out there to see who likes what and what needs more work.

This semester I have a grammar class.  I know many of you are groaning over that but I’m actually looking forward to it.  I have already started reading the book.  My second class is a publications class.  It is with my favorite instructor so I’m sure I’ll get something out of it. 

Before classes start, I am going to enjoy a short visit from Stephanie, crochet time, and as much down time as I can cram into the next few days.  Stephanie will be home for a long weekend.  We are going to get two very short visits from her this fall.  It will be fun to have her here by herself and get a bit of one on one time.

One more semester and then on to other things.  It will be good to move forward and focus back on my writing but I’m going to get the most out of the last semester.   

Editing

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing
This summer I had a long list of things to get done.  I’ve done almost none of them.  My only excuse is I got distracted and overwhelmed by the moves going on in my life.  Now at this stage I just want a bit of peace before the next semester begins.  I have about three weeks before work becomes totally crazy. 
My romance novel I got some of the prep work done for self-publishing but I also found one more place I may submit it to.  I will have to read through carefully to see if it fits the guidelines.  If it fits the guidelines, I’ll submit one more time before I attempt to self publish. 
Moon Affirmations I’ve submitted to one more publisher as well.  I’m hoping to hear sooner rather than later on it to see if they are interested.  I hope so if not I will be going the self-publishing route on that one too. 
My Magic series (working title – fantasy novel series) – I finish editing what I think will be the first novel.  This story I started in November 2010 and I’ve been working on sporadically since.  The story in its entirety is 600 pages plus and I’m not done with the story.  In the last two weeks I’ve edited the first 200 pages.  As I read I thought what was I thinking and rewrote about ten pages of material to make it better adding in a couple of scenes and filling out other scenes.  I think total page count now is just over 200.  I’ve got all these edits in the computer (need to make a back up of these edits – soonest possible). 
Next I’m moving on to the second book in this series (or the second 200 pages).  I am going to edit it while I let the first book sit and stew for a bit.  Ideally I’d like to edit the second book quickly (maybe a week) and then read through the rest to see if I can work on the tail end to finish the story.  I think this is too much to hope for before the semester starts though.  It may have to wait until January. 
Each time I come back to this story, I fall in love with it.  I enjoy the characters, the plots, the world I’ve created.  It is one of my favorites right now.  I haven’t decided whether I will try the traditional publishing route with this or just do self-publishing.  I do know that I’m going to be very protective of it.  Right now it feels like a new born baby (yup almost three years old but still newborn to me). 

Hopefully I will continue to make progress for the next three weeks.  After that all bets are off as I will be in SUPER busy mode with two classes.  Oh and one other thing I want to get done in the next three weeks – read the four books I bought for my two classes – should be fun huh?  I’m actually looking forward to the grammar book – yup geek I know.  I found another book I really like too.  It is The Emotion Thesaurus:  A writers Guide to Character Expressionby Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi.  It gives a definition of an emotion, physical signals, internals sensations, mental responses, cues of acute emotion, cues of suppressed emotion.  It will help in editing to liven up stale description – so if I say a character was shocked – instead of saying shocked I could say they character suddenly stiffened – it sounds simple but when you are doing an initial writing saying the simple term is easy and then making it better as you edit is not always easy so this gives a list for the emotions.  I think it will be a good reference book.  

Slipping Away…

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing
This summer is slipping away.  I mean to write here and tell all that is going on and then I look and time has passed. 
Work move is done – mostly.  They are still doing finishing touches but all of the offices are moved.  Most of the faculty are set up.  They still have to set up the mail boxes and paint the hall before they can hang all the bulletin boards.  For the most part though, the frustration and craziness of the move is done. 
Now it is time to settle into the new office and get used to the changes (though minor) that have happened in my office.  There are a few more organizational things in the office and there are definitely different office numbers to remember but overall I think we are in good shape.
Writing has been sporadic at the best.  I have gone through several steps for creating a clean file to e-publish.  I still have three or four more steps to go through.  I also need to buy some ISBNs.  At $125 each or 10 for $250, this is a big purchase for me.  Now if I had $1000 they would be a dollar each but that isn’t going to happen plus I don’t think I need that many. 
It is a business expense but at the same time it is an expense.  I know – it is an investment in my writing.  I should just do it.  I’ll have to see how the budget goes this next month. My hope is to have the files prepped and ready so that when I do finally purchase my own ISBNs I’ll be able to publish and start making money.  Then of course I have to deal with the marketing plan. 
This weekend I’m hoping to get my office cleaned and maybe even submit some writing to different publications.  I’m not making great progress on that yet today – still sitting in my jammies and writing… and waiting on a call to see if there is power in the office. 
I am alone in the house and it is wonderful to have the music I want on (perhaps a bit loud) and doing mostly what I want.  It is just nice to be ALONE.  I’ve missed the quiet that comes with hearing my own thoughts. 

Well no more stalling – time for a shower and cleaning the office.

Summer Slipping Away

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

This summer I have a long list of writing projects to get done.  I have not worked on them at all.  I submitted one article for a contest but aside from that nothing.  I need to get focused.  It just seems like there is so much going on I have no time to consider my writing tasks. 

At work, my department is moving.  This week is filled with finishing the packing process and prepping for the movers.  They are coming on Monday to take all of our stuff upstairs.  It may be a bit of a crazy week plus for myself and the student workers.  Of course there are some things that can be packed in my office now and other things that have to wait for the last minute.  The problem is making the judgement call on each item. 

Last weekend I visited Vicki which was great.  I also discovered a less expensive way to travel to visit the other two girls in Georgia – that is SUPER exciting.  The cost savings means instead of going down every other year we may be able to go down every year and possibly more often then that.

This weekend I am hoping to get some of my craft room and office organized.  I have a number of tasks to get done and hopefully can make some good progress.  Hopefully I can work on a system for keeping track of my writing projects – where they are, leads, and so on.  I’ve got ideas in my head but at the same time I haven’t solidified what I want done.  One of the things I want to do this weekend is to sort through all my available yarn and put it into the bins that Ken set up for me (it is a wire crate type set of shelves).  This will make it easier for me to see what I have which will lead to me not buying yarn unless I need it rather than guessing that I might need it.  The crafter in my head is saying you always need more yarn – there can never be enough yarn, but I’m gagging her (or trying to) and being a responsible adult. 

I have a friend coming out to have lunch and chat.  I’m looking forward to her visit as we always have a good time together.  Ken will be off with his brother cutting up wood.  It will be just us girls.  I’m excited for this as I don’t often get time with friends just to hang out. 

Hopefully all of the activities this weekend will be multiple steps towards getting some of these writing projects and tasks done.  My biggest obstacle at this point is my messy office and that will be my focus this weekend.  Then I can hopefully post (somewhere) a list of things to get done and start crossing them off. 

Shots done… and other random news

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

For the last three weeks I’ve been getting shots of goo in my knees and yesterday was my last shot.  Now I just have to go back for a final check up.  I’ve noticed a decrease of pain in my knees though I still have pain and problems but it is a decided improvement.

Last weekend we went to Vicki’s place in Indiana and Gin and Stephanie came there from Georgia.  My nephew and our friend also joined us so we had seven in Vicki’s apartment.  Considering there were so many we did really well.  The time flew by but I think we all had a good time.  Except maybe Sasha who was not happy that Moo shoo from Georgia (Gin and Steph’s cat) came to visit too.  He was all about love me and she was all about get the hell away from me.  By Monday when they were getting ready to leave she was not having hissy fits every time she saw him.

Circle Magazine has one of my articles in it.  I was pleased to see they printed one after they had contacted me for a few to use.  This is the next thing on my list – get back to writing.  I’m supposed to take it easy this weekend (because of the shots) so I’ll work on the grad gift I still have to make.  However, once this weekend is done I’m going to switch to writing mode.  I, of course, have a to-do list.  There is a grant to write, articles for Circle, a contest, and a few other things I want to work on.

I have vacation to use up so I’ll likely be taking a few days – after my department moves – to have writing time at home ALONE.  I’m very much looking forward to having this time and being very productive.  One thing I have to tackle is cleaning my office.  It is a wreck and I need to handle it – sooner rather than later.

No kids and no pets – it has been nice in the house with just Ken and I.  I have my moments where I miss my kids but mostly, I’m quite content to be without extra people in my house.  Ken and I are figuring out how to deal with each other which is always interesting.  At least there hasn’t been any bloodshed – yet…

Done…

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

The semester is done.  I think I’ll end up with one A and one B.  If I’m lucky the B might be an A-.  I’m glad it is done and I learned nothing from my science class that I will use or remember and some good things from my Prose Stylistics which I’ll use when I’m editing.

Yesterday was a busy day with errands and running around.  Ken helped Dominic unload from his move up from Indiana and I hung out.  I wrote in my journal for the first time in forever – that felt really good.  I have to type up a poem I wrote while I was waiting. 

One of my essays was published in Circle Magazine.  They contacted me for some they could use so I sent them in a few.  It was a one page essay that I wrote a while ago. 

I have to make a list of deadlines I don’t want to miss for writing.  There is a grant I want to write for and a few competitions I want to enter.  There is also a few publications I want to look at their guidelines.  Yup – there is definitely a to-do list for the summer.  It should keep me busy and out of trouble…well at least busy.

Vicki has made a very successful start to her job.  She is busy from the moment she steps in the door until she leaves.  She is even taking work home with her already. 

Now that Ken and I are on our own, we have a few things to get done – like rearranging things in the house, the basement fixed and so on.  It is nice to settle into a schedule with him and getting used to there being no buffer between us. 

I’m getting shots in my knees for the next two weeks.  I started last week and it was interesting to say the least.  I nearly passed out on the nurses – I guess I should actually drink water before I go to these appointments.  Fortunately, I’ve noticed a decrease in pain this week for my knees and I’m hoping the other two shots will keep that going in the right direction. 

The next couple of weekends will be busy with a visit to Vicki – Gin and Stephanie are coming up from Georgia so they can see her new place – and helping Kelly and Dominic move to their new house.  I’m excited for both.  We haven’t seen the girls in a while and it will be a quick visit but we aren’t going to do a lot of running around but just hang out at Vicki’s apartment and be together.  Kelly and Dominic will be moving into the next stage for them.  While I’ll miss them living near us, I’m happy for them to be on the same page and moving forward.

After that I’m hoping for a slower pace so my weekends will be less hectic and more about writing and relaxing…

One Down – One To Go

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Just finished my last science test, I’m done with one class.  Next I need to finish my paper – have all the data; now I just need to write.  I can take my school books back to the book rental.  I am half done and will work on the other one tomorrow night.
The end of this semester hasn’t been as bad as last semester when I was laid up.  It has in many ways been stressful and variable.  I sure didn’t expect to have to move Vicki just before the end of the semester.  I also didn’t expect to have to prep for the department to move either. 
Next I just have to write – this is never a hardship.  I already know at least two to four differences I want to talk about for my final project.  It is just a matter of sitting down and writing.  This will happen tomorrow night when Ken has gone to bed.  I can spend time writing about the sliding scale and so on.  I have a good section of it in my head – it is just a matter of getting it on paper.
Funny how it is a ten page paper that is due Thursday and I’ve not written a word about it.  I have it all in my head and I think once I start writing it will go quickly.  I’d love more time to develop more of my comparison, include more examples, research different genres, and so on but that isn’t going to happen.  I’m just going to have to be happy with what I have and get it done. 

Then I can take a week off and just do fun stuff like reading and crocheting.  After that a brief slacking period, I have to start my to-do list.  Although I will try to keep my to-do list in a more manageable size, unlike I’ve done in the past

End of Semester Craze Plus….

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Vicki is moved and settled in to her new place.  She will start her new job Monday.  It was a long weekend of a lot of stress and work.  She has organizational things to do with her books and dishes but I think everything (or nearly) is unpacked.
This week has been crazy with move stuff at work and end of semester work stuff in addition to the culmination of my own classes.  Tuesday after a long work day I came home and finished off my last chapter of science.  I just have the last exam to do.  Wednesday I read part of the book and picked out stylistic things to write my paper on.  I wrote the rough draft and put it away.  Thursday morning I asked my chair if he had time to read it – he took the time.  He gave me GREAT feedback that I was able to use to refine my writing.  I turned in the paper on Thursday.  Now I just have to do my final project, which is a ten-page paper. 
This weekend will be working on that paper, bills, and sleeping.  I also have to finish a baby gift and work on the afghan for the grad gift.  I’m hoping to have a rough draft by mid-day on Sunday and then revise, revise, revise until Thursday when I have to go to class and turn it in. 
Once my classes are done, I’ll turn my free time to self-publishing the romance and meditations book.  I’ll also go back to working on my novel.  However, this summer I have a long list of things to crochet and write. 
If you’ve read my blog before you know my to-do list always outreaches my ability to get stuff done.  I plan to get a lot done including rearranging the house now that we no longer have kids or pets.  (pause to enjoy the thought)  I’m looking forward to having a quiet peaceful house.  No idea whether I’ll actually get that or not. 
I just have to get through the end of semester stuff and the move at work – then some of my sanity will return (if I had any to begin with). 

Content vs Style vs Context

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

What is more important your content or the style in which it is written?  This has been an ongoing debate in my Prose Stylistics class.  I say content is primary, with style playing a secondary role and context coming in third – this is a photo finish fall these three. 
Style involves things like sentence structure, tropes and schemes (like alliteration, metaphors, syllepsis etc.), word choice, punctuation and so on.  It is how you write your content.  Content of course is what you are saying.   
As an author I know I don’t take style into consideration at all (at least not consciously) when I’m writing for the first time.  If I’m doing a rough draft of fiction, I just write.  I don’t’ think about my word choices, sentence structure, or anything else – it is just a matter of getting the story out of my head and onto the paper. 
When I’m editing, I make all those tough choices.  It is then I look at my metaphors and similes to see if they are tired.  I look at the structure of the sentence – does it sound right?  Often I will read it out loud to see how it sounds.  This is when style comes into play. 
If I’m writing for a particular publication, I look at their writing guidelines and issues to see what has been successful.  Depending on what it is – an essay or fiction or ??? – I will model my work after what has already made it into the publication.  The one caution about this though is that you have to remember to keep your approach fresh.  Following someone else’s format too closely may make your own piece seem a bit stilted and tired. 
For me, I just want to write a good story, essay, directions, or whatever it is I’m writing.  I want it to entertain, instruct, or persuade.  You do that with great content and great editing to adjust the style to the context you want the piece to fit.

Action!

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

In my Prose Stylistics class, we had to write a paragraph using only active verbs and no passive verbs.  In case you don’t know passive verbs are the “be” verbs like is, are, was, were, will, have been, had been, etc.  Here is a good link for passive voice if you want to learn more:

The instructor wanted us to watch a pitcher or jockey or some other sports event.  You all know me I am so not a sports person.  Instead I wrote about Vicki cooking.  Here is the sample:

            With a jerk, she flipped the onion, peppers, and garlic in the pan.  The smell invaded the entire house as she stirred the fry pan filled with fresh herbs and vegetables.   The chicken breasts sizzled as she added them to the mix adding another layer of scent lingering in the house.  Steam billows from the pan of noodles bubbling next to her mixture of deliciousness.  With an experienced hand, she spills in cream for the sauce.  She tilts the spices in with a practiced air, knowing the exact amount to add without getting a measuring spoon.  The food simmers burbling and expelling tantalizing fragrance that makes the mouth water.  With a gush, she empties the noodles into a strainer and then plops them back into the pan.  She scoops out the noodles and tops them with the chicken and sauce for a delicious plateful of sustenance.    

There is no passive voice in this paragraph at all.  I used all action verbs as requested in the assignment.  Passive voice shouldn’t be completely driven out of our writing but there is a time and place for it.  Here is the different between two sentences

Active

With an experienced hand, she spills in cream for the sauce.

Passive

With an experienced hand, the cream was spilled by her for the sauce.

As you can see active voice is more direct and interesting.  It keeps the reader’s attention by keeping the action going.  My professor was not happy in class because no one was talking about the use of passive voice.  She slammed down the stapler on the table and made us write about it using no passive verbs.  I hate busy work and this was definitely busy work.  Many of those who wrote about it in class described the stapler but I took a little different tone.  Here it is:

            It waits silently, prepared for the next invasion.  Flat and thin, they slip between the guard posts.  The general slams down and the sentries impale the invaders.  The invaders escape embedded with two spikes and a rail. 

I will concede you can’t really tell that I’m talking about a stapler but at least it amused me while I did the busy work.  The professor seemed to enjoy my little bit of fantasy.