Tag: Marjorie Quinn

NaNoWriMo, Timing Is Everything

I always, seriously, consider participating in the National Novel Writing Month then It’s a few days into November and I realize how my world count is behind. As of today I’m short 10,002 words from being on track to writing my novella. It seems to be a thing a wannabe writer must try once and this year is not my month. I have learned that many who join the NaNoWriMo club prepare character profiles, and outlines before the start of November 1st. It would help to have a jumping off point but I was not prepared. I know you shouldn’t use a project you’ve been working on and should start fresh so I don’t have anyway to start. With my new job I am still trying to organize my time to make sure I get in daily writing time. Did I miss a learning opportunity? With a 50,000 word count goal I think I have waited to long and I’m out. I guess I can consider it next year.

Have you attempted NaNoWriMo? What has been your experience?

Work Halloween Costume

I am allowed to dress up for work. I thought this was some freshman prank like the pool on the roof but more co-workers have been talking about their costume and ask if I plan to dress up. I wasn’t originally. I thought since it is a store with a business causal type of dress code I would be festive with some orange, black, and some themed earrings. I am nervous about going all out in a costume. I purchased this Doctor Who dress about two weeks ago but it is back-ordered. I’m disappointed because I was excited about this dress. It’s the 10th Doctor’s suit as an image on the dress. I thought I could looked dressed up without being uncomfortable. I think I should have bought the 9th Doctor’s dress. Maybe he wouldn’t have been back-ordered. So my other option is pirate gear. I could wear a dress shirt under my corset, black dress pants or my ruffled black skirt, maybe a few scarfs and black eyeliner. I don’t feel this will fit in with the business casual dress code. The other’s talk about being mimes, and Arthur characters. I wish I knew sooner so I could plan another costume. Maybe a book/author themed costumed like Jane Austen, Belle, or Some childhood character. Wish I still had my Wednesday Addams’ costume. I rocked that back in the day. Why couldn’t I do Wednesday Addams now. I have checked my closet and I have a black dress. It won’t be a completely Wednesday dress because it has short shelves and I don’t have a white collar. I’ve been thinking I could make one before tomorrow. How authentic do I have to be? I can have the pale skin, red nail polish, and braided hair tomorrow but most important I’ll be comfortable. Will people see Wednesday without the collar? I’ll be sarcastic and if people don’t like it I’ll blame it on the character. (Wink, wink.) Do you get to dress up at work on Halloween? If so what do you plan to be?

Happy Halloween!

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Wednesday Addams

Don’t Wake Me To Fade Away

I had a dream I was writing a paragraph about fire, ash, and ice but when I woke it faded away. If I had a notebook and pen next to me would I have written it down before I drifted back to sleep. I would probably write in the dark but I don’t think I could read it the next day. Turning on the light could mean not going back to sleep. Staying awake until early morning. dragging my feet until the sun sets and having an unexplained surge of energy. I always argue with the muse. It strikes at the wrong times. I’ve been trying to train it to come when I’m ready. When I have pen/paper or keyboard/screen. Yet, the muse still likes to punish me with inspiration.

I missed the exact words in my dreams but I’ll be playing with those images in my next writing section.  I could find that spark that is hidden in my subconscious. Here is to hard work.

So, You’re a Writer

“You’re a writer? What do you plan on writing?” The dreaded question almost every writer hates. This line of questioning usually starts with the fact that I majored in Creative Writing in college but strangers really expect a detailed answer. Leave out how many people tell me what a useless degree I got, I have recently taken up the belief that I will not talk about the stories I’m writing. I find some people want the outline to the story you’re writing and to know the publishers release date. Just talking about my story can lead me to doubts or hesitations. If you don’t like the genre I’m writing than say I don’t read that genre but good luck. Don’t say something negative that is based on only your taste. There are many people in this world, you may not like it but the woman sitting across from you on the train may think it’s just the piece of fiction she needed to shake off her hardships of work or life. Also, your suggestions on how I can write my story doesn’t help. If you think you can take my idea and direct me how it should be written you’re wrong. Thanks for the help but I didn’t ask for help. Remember you asked me what I was writing. If you don’t like what I’m doing with my idea then write it yourself. One of my favorite lesson in fiction class was when the teacher would tell everyone to write a page story based on a topic, theme, genre, or scene. No one wrote the same story.

I’m not saying I don’t mind talking to strangers all the time. I’ve met some really interesting people from some friendly, polite conversation. I’ve just learned to expect the questioning but I don’t take everything said to me to heart. Since I’ve been insulted, and praised I will just keep quiet on my future writing plans. I know some will try their best to pry answers out of me but I don’t know you and I owe you nothing.

Free Writing

I don’t know what to write about this week. Sometimes this blog seems so easy. I know what the topic of the week will be and the words come easy. Other times, like now, I can’t seem to fine a theme. When I find myself at this wall I just start free writing. Write anything that comes to mind and see where it leads. It may not advance the story I was hoping to work on that day but I’m writing. Writing and reaching my goal seems to be the only thing that matters. I use pen and paper instead of a computer. I can feel the wall crumble. I may never use what I wrote but never can I say it didn’t help. I have found free writing a great way to get over writer’s block but I still couldn’t think of a blog topic this week.

How do you find your blog ideas?

 

Series Finale Feels

It’s hard to accept when a show you enjoyed watching announces it’s coming to an end. It’s sad when characters and a world you loved will no longer play out in front of you weekly. Like books, you have laughed and cried with these character’s world. Begged characters not to make a certain choice or cheered at their successes. You’re not expecting them to hear you and change their minds but you know what comes can mean so much from story-line characters development, or the chow crumbling from it’s authenticity. Even clique narratives can have viewers running. Even the ending can have us disappointed. How many series had a build up that ruined everything with the last episode?

As a writer I see many benefits to wrapping up a series on their own terms. No characters are left with cliffhangers unlike most canceled shows. Maybe it can even leave before it becomes stagnate, silly, or “jumps the shark”. I’m sure all of us can name a dozen shows we watched that ended to soon and frustrated you thinking about the closure that never happened. Even when we are later given closure in a movie feature we can feel cheated, angry, or satisfied. Although, there have been few shows that have left me satisfied, I have felt cheated with some series knowing I could never have more time with some characters. I remember a past show I thought destroyed the past series and left me angry. It was as if the writers never watched the show. They threw away rules build into the world over the years making the theme of the show obsolete. For me, it almost ruined the reruns.

I guess I’m trying to say it’s unfortunate to say goodbye but silver lining, there is always fan fiction or spin offs. Maybe.

Lost Inspiration

Here is an oldie but goodie. It’s tough to loss inspiration but I was still able to find a writing piece after the unfinished moment. Enjoy.

Marjorie Quinn's avatarRandom Thoughts

May 18, 2012

I was writing. This night in this car a moment of inspiration struck and I was typing it down on my phone, thumbs moving around the small smooth screen mixing in neighbor letter bringing red lines until my phone died. My inner voice still talked. I took out a pen from my bag but I had no paper. In a moment I started gliding the words out on my hand.

The driver broke in and asked, “why I was writing on my hand?”
I continued to write. “I had all these thoughts in my head and I just felt I had to get them down.” 
The driver smirked, “Why don’t you write on paper.” 
If I wasn’t in the car I probably would have made a sarcastic comment but all that was said, “I don’t have any and in this moment I hate I have relied on my phone…

View original post 213 more words

Just A Drive By Insult

I’m wearing shorts, tank top, and these boots today. Nothing fancy. An outfit I thought was low-key. They’re my new boots and I love them. I already have a plan to wear them not only with jeans but shorts and dresses. Seriously, they are bad ass.

Walking home from the store today and crossing a street a car stops at that street’s stop sign. The man is maybe in his late fifties. He waves the fingers on both hands while his thumbs stay rapped around the steering wheel. I guess this is him waving me on so I walk with a slight wave of thanks. I hit the corner and keep walking. I hear the man’s car roll up to the pedestrian cross walk just before turning on to the intersection and he says snarky, “Boots in Summer! Really. Okay.”

I didn’t turn around, just kept walking and ignored him as he drove away but I did think, “The better to kick your ass.” Maybe I should have delivered the burn but I don’t think I would feel less annoyed. Tired of rude people that don’t know me and feel the need to make comments. Why is it important to yell at a total stranger not bothering you? You can say it put a damper on my mood but I’m letting it go. I do think his momma should have taught him better manners.

 

White Mountain Fido Boots

 

Trials Over Social Anxiety

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the day I stood up a lab partner. Why would I do such a mean thing? Anxiety, nerves, and fear. I can still picture him sitting in the Hunter Library at a table against the window. He had his book out and he would glance out the window while he waited for me to show. I hid behind a library stack. I would pace away and walk back ready to show. The moment before I would reach his line of sight I would stop and take my stand back behind the bookcase. If others walk by I would stare at the shelves of books. I can’t tell you what books that section held because I never read the bindings. I just thought about how I would walk up to him, sit down, and study.
I thought about making some silly slip up. It was a study section which meant I would have to talk about a subject we took together. Talking meant he may find out he was partnered with a mute, limited vocabulary, or studding spaz. What happens if we started studying and he realized I was just a dumb broad who didn’t really belong in college. I panic at the though of what if he liked me. It’s amazing how the brain can just keep thinking of situations. The situations become more outlandish and anxiety becomes bigger. This kid just wanted to study with his lab partner and in that library I was making up fictitious scenarios psyching myself out.
I forgot the lame excuse I gave him the next time we met in class but we never rescheduled that section (probably my doing). I am not in touch with that lab partner anymore but sometimes I wish I was. I would explain and give him a proper apology. I’m not over my social anxieties but I never did this again. Just have to learn to grow up and get over the fact meeting people is not a big deal. Actually, it can be a lot of fun.