Tuesday's Beckonings

Now that I look back, I already wasn't feeling all that well during that day. But I kept writing stuff for Lands Of Mist as best as I could. I think this was the day I introduced (or at least started to explore a bit more) a new character called Fathiya, one whose role has been increasingly important as these days have passed. I wonder where it will all lead...

This was also the day my brother went back to portugal. I actually woke up at 7am and took him to the train station and so forth but, I was back home around 8 something and I went back to bed...

Schedule:
12-13, 1h - Breakfast
13-15, 2h - Lands Of Mist
15-15.30, 0.5h - Emails
15.30-16.30, 1h - Lands Of Mist
16.30-17.30, 1h - Lands Of Mist
17.30-18.30, 1h - chat + guitar (free falling)
18.30-19.30, 1h - Food
19.30-20.30, 1h - Lands Of Mist
20.30-21, 0.5h - Emails
21-22, 1h - Lands Of Mist
22-00, 2h - Curb Your Enthusiasm + guitar
00-0.30, 0.5h - Lands Of Mist
0.30-01, 0.5h - Meditation

This day kind of blurs with the rest of the week because I've spent most of my time at home writing. Everything becomes a blur - even if keeping a schedule does make you feel you've accomplished something at least...

Peace!

Monday's Lost

Monday was again another day where I didn't manage to write.
And the pressure was building.
I could feel those 12 thousand words tugging me...

07.30-22, 14,5h - Work
22-00, 2h - Rent + Family

After spending most of my day at work I still had to go out and sort out the (overdue) rent for my flat. I didn't really do much after this and I remember thinking since I wasn't going to be able to write anything I might as well have an early night.

Which was what I did...

Peace.

Lazy Sundays

Well, lazy in term of writing...

09-22.30 - Family
22.30-23.30 - Travel Arrangements
23.30-01.30 - FILM, You're Welcome America

Most of sunday was spent with my cousins, crazy as usual but good. Always good to be around so much energy even if sometimes there's just so much noise one can't even hear oneself.
(guess that would be a blessing for many - and for me it is)

When we got home I had to help my brother figure out how he was going to go some place close to Northampton the following day and, honestly, the thing I wanted the most after a busy weekend was some alone time which would enable me to write a little.
Because I couldn't get that I decided I'd see a film instead.
Will Ferrell's You're Welcome America, which was good fun but, being standup wasn't as great as most of his stuff. The extras were extremely funny though and, if just for his amazing performance playing ex-president George W. Bush, it's worthwhile watching.

peace.

One day and no writing...

Yep. That was saturday. A lot happened but little had to do with writing...

7.30-17, 9.5h - Work
17-23, 6h - Family
23-23.30, 05h - Lands Of Mist

After a good but hectic day at work (lately they all seem to be that way) I went my brother to visit my cousins in Billericay and we stayed there for the night - always good fun!
Then, when everybody went to bed I still managed half an hour of writing... but I fell asleep. On the floor.

And that was that...

Peace...

Time Takes Focusing

Here's the schedule for the 5th of November:
10-10.30, 0.5h - Meditation
10.30-11.30, 1h - Food + Hate Bearers
11.30-12.30, 1h - House Cleaning
12.30-13, 0.5h - Blog Post
13-14, 1h - Lands Of Mist
14-15, 1h - Food + House Cleaning
15-17, 2h - Lands Of Mist
17-18, 1h - House Cleaning
18-23, 5h - Travel
23-01, 2h - FILM, Bronson

This was last friday, the day my brother came to see me from Portugal. Therefore I didn't have as much time as usual to write. After cleaning the flat somewhat (it was my turn anyway) I went on the bus to meet with him in Marble Arch. I did write a bit on the way there though not much. After that it was really get ready for work next day and watch the weird Bronson film. It was one of those that I still don't know if I enjoyed or not. And, to complicate things further, it's based on a true story. About England's most violent prisoner.

Peace! Indeed!

Focusing Takes Time

Yesterday was a very productive day. It was one of those days where the writing happens slowly but keeps building some speed throughout the day.

8.30-09, 0.5h - Meditation
09-10, 1h - Food + Wizard Knight
10-10.30, 0.5h - Emails
10.30-11.30, 1h -Lands Of Mist + Royal Mail Claim Form
11.30-120.5h - Guitar playing
12-12.30, 0.5h - Lands Of Mist + Short story
12.30-15, 2.5h - Lands Of Mist
15-16.30, 1.5h - Shopping + Washing
16.30-18, 1.5h - Lands Of Mist
18-19, 1h -Book buying + chat
19-20, 1h - The Hate Bearers Plot + Story + Food
20-23, 3h - The Hate Bearers + Food
23-01.30, 2.5h - FILM - The Blind Side
01.30-02.30, 1h - The Hate Bearers

I wrote quite a bit on both stories and still managed to watch what is now my favourite Sandra Bullock film. The Blind Side. I never thought much of her as an actress but she really comes through on this one. The fact that it's based on a true story helps but, in any case, it's not just her, it's the rest of the cast and it's the script, quite clever, well paced and packing more punches than I'd ever expected.

It felt very good to write some more of The Hate Bearers. My initial intention was to type up most of the stuff I still have scattered around, longhand, in sheets of paper but, as soon as I began typing it, the ideas started flowing and I put the sheets aside and let the story lead me.

In a way I'm trying to have a very different approach to these two stories. In fact something which I think is crucial when writing two books at the same time. Personally I think it's easier if they are different rather than similar. If they're similar one easily tends to repeat things - or at least feel that way. It's easier for things to blur into one another. But, if you're writing a fantastical drama and a sci-fi comedy then you're pretty much safe...

Besides I wanted to have some sense of direction in Lands Of Mist, particularly because I know where it's supposed to end. Whilst in The Hate Bearers, even though I know where it's going to end, I wanted the free floating feeling one has whilst reading much of Kurt Vonnegut's prose and, to a certain extent, Ray Bradbury's. I really want the story to lead this one as much as I am able. And, so far, it's been good fun. A couple of crazy characters have showed up so far and it looks like that most of what I had planned to do may not be necessary at all...

We'll see...

I also read some more of The Wizard Knight which is simply a beautiful book.

And THIS IS what I'm talking about...

Peace!

Weird Writs

My Wednesday was a strange day.

Here's the schedule:
02-03, 1h - Lands Of Mist
03-07, 4h - Sleep
07-19, 12h - WORK
19-22, 3h - Food + The Hate Bearers + Lands Of Mist
22-01.30 - FILM - Dumplings + chat
01.30-02 - Meditation

Somehow I managed to wake up at 1.30 in the morning. I couldn't go to sleep. So I decided to write. So I worked on Lands Of Mist for a while - until I felt tired, really and went back to sleep.

Somehow I woke up - only later realising that I'd forgotten to set the alarm. I was supposed to be at work at nine so I rushed out believing myself late...

Somehow I got to work at 8am, not 9 as I'd intended...

Somehow I managed to have a longer day at work than I'd expected...

Finally I got home and ate and typed some more for The Hate Bearers and some more on Lands Of Mist.

Then I watched Fruit Chan's Dumplings. A really good film. It was labelled Horror but it isn't really. It deals with some scary stuff but the blood and guts is minimal and really done in a way to impress more psychologically than visually. He implies much more than he shows. I found it a very poignant film, a great social critique/parable of our times. As in the previous film I'd seen of his Made In Hong-Kong, he subtly deals with social conditions, the gap between the rich and the poor.

Throughout the film I was also chatting with a friend on skype - that's how these things go...
I still managed to meditate for a bit before going to sleep.

I'm a bit behind my personal schedule but starts do tend to be a bit slow - and it takes a bit of time to build enough momentum...

peace.

NaNoWriMonthing

Yep. Two days have gone and what do I have to show for it?!

Well, my schedule for one:
07.30-08, 0.5h - Meditation
08-09, 1h - Food + Wizard Knight
09-10.30, 1.5h - Lands Of Mist
10.30-11, 0.5h - Chat
11-12, 1h - Lands Of Mist + Emails
12-13, 1h - Lands Of Mist + The Hate Bearers
13-22, 9h - WORK
22-23, 1h - Food + Lands Of Mist

I was really with a good momentum on tuesday. I think it was one of those days that I would've just kept on writing. Not one of those where words just seem to pour and you write 5000 words practically non-stop, but one of those where you pause in between paragraphs and lines, just for a few seconds or a couple of minutes to try and envision where the story was gonna go next and it felt I could just keep on doing it. These days can be a bit frustrating initially, when you just want to write everything in one go, in a powerful torrent of words. But these days in fact enable to write more carefully, with more attention to what you are doing. we become conscious of the passing of time and all the little decisions and moments of awareness that add up to where the story is going.

I did chat quite a bit throughout part of the day with a couple of friends: life, contrary to what you might think, is not NaNoWriMo based. In fact, it seems to continue pretty well without it.

On my way to work I had a couple of ideas for last year's NaNoWriMo. What can I say, that's how the mind works... I also had an idea for the Hate Bearers. So, after the usual initial chaos of information after getting to work, I did manage to jot all I could remember down. It wasn't as clear and sharp and smooth as when you're cycling and everything just flows out in your mind so naturally (beware of traffic!) but it was good enough. At least the ideas and some of the twists in the dialogue were noted. It can all be refined and worked out at a later stage - revision!

I got home feeling really knackered. After some initial moments of questions and chitchat with my flatmates I was able to reach the relative safety of my room and engage with the age old process of eating spring rolls.
(yes, I know you thought I was going to say writing... I still have a few tricks up my sleeve - even if usually I wear t-shirts: just shows you how really skilled I am...)

After my belly was full (and full is the word) I began typing away at Lands Of Mists.

Soon after I was asleep.
Lights on.
As usual.
Music on.
Not as usual.

Peace!

Lands Of Mist Plotting...

Monday was a good day for writing. I did manage to do (with some ease - which was great to see happening) something that I'd wanted to try for a while now: if I could map out a whole book in one go (ie, under a day).

And I did! It took me only a few hours!

Here's the schedule:
8.30-9.30, 1h - Meditation
9.30-10.30, 1h - Emails + Food
10.30-11.30, 1h - tracks recording
11.30-12, 0.5h - Emails
12-15, 3h - NaNoWriM: Lands Of Mist prep + Food
15-19, 4h - Lands Of Mist Plotting
19-20.30, 1.5h - Food + Plotting part 2
20.30-21.30, 1h - Lands Of Mist writing
21.30-00, 2.5h - FILM Land Of The Lost
00-01, 1h - Lands Of Mist + The Hate Bearers

What can I say? Monday was also a good day! I spent a good part of the day typing up the stuff I'd found the previous night (for Lands Of Mist) and then I used up most of the afternoon to type up a semi-detailed chronology of events for the whole book. Some 34 chapters so far - which I aim to keep relatively short.

I am still amazed at how smooth the whole plotting process went. Of course it helped that I already had 9 pages of notes of things I'd like to see on that book - even if most of that was already bits of chapters/dialogue. But I managed to map it all out and insert some new scenes, chapters whenever needed. And, along the way, a couple of nice ideas for the story (to round things more) came through.

That was some 7 pages long so, roughly 3500 words. Then I think I wrote some 2000 afterwards. Still a bit low word count for what I'd like but I think it was a good start - and I can see that the first chapter is already going to be broken up in several others... oh well...

The first chapter deals with Anne-Marie and Thomas going to visit a guy that lives in a swamp on the north pole (don't ask... it works in the book though...), in an area called the Permanent Darkness.

If I recall correctly, this title came about because of Radiohead's track Permanent Daylight. Which, for a period, I was trying to learn how to play and singalong. So, there is also another chapter towards the end of the book (but not really the end) called Permanent Daylight - but that's a whole other journey.

What I didn't know was how those two chapters (in which something is given to the people living there - and yes, I won't tell you what it is...) related to the rest of the book. Now I do a bit more. But I suspect that will become clearer still after I get to that second part of the story.

It's all about building layers and layers and making things reflect one another like in a hall of mirrors (and there's gonna be quite a few things about mirrors on this one as well...) and create so much creative momentum that, hopefully, the reader will take a leap of faith and trust his/hers intuition and see the story for what it is on the big themes: be inspired and feel a sense of wonder, of the cosmic universe looming at each moment all around us.

That's pretty much the main objective of the series. In fact, the whole plot can be seen as simply a device to create this experience (hopefully - I'm still not there yet!). A series of devices created to help the mind transcend the four walls of our rooms and simultaneously perceive ourselves as in our own human space but also as a part of the Big-Bang.

Land Of The Lost was a great comedy - for those of us that love Will Ferrell.

I know, I know, lots of people don't - but the guy's expressions just crack me up. He's so pointlessly obnoxious you gotta yield... The script was probably one of the worst ever but he and Danny McBride amply made up for that. Some really good comedy moments - who cares about continuity?!

Afterwards I wrote a little more but managed to fall asleep lights on and so forth without meditating at all.

The NaNoChaos begins...

Peace!

Big Days Coming

The last few days have been quite busy with the whole NaNoWriMo thingamajig and my planned schedules have more or less been thrown out the window - even though I'm still keeping track of what I'm doing...

Sunday 31st
09-10, 1h - Meditation
10-11, 1h - Food
11-12, 1h - Blog posts
12-14, 2h - Guitar
14-16, 2h - The Great Temple
16-19, 3h - Tracks recording
19-20, 1h - Food
20-21, 1h - The Great Temple
21-00, 3h - FILM You Can't Take It With You
00-01, 1h - NaNoWriMo Hate Bearers
01-2.30, 1.5h - NaNoWriMo tidying up
2.30-3, 0.5h - Meditation

Sunday was pretty much a full day and I did spend a lot of time playing guitar and recording a few tracks - it was one of those days...
But I did finish the idea I'd had for a story for the Great Temple. The funny thing was that the firts tale in that story was supposed to be the short one and the second one the longest one. Turns out it was the other way around... They still need work but I think that they're an enjoyable read.

After midnight I started writing some things for my sci-fi spoof, The Hate Bearers. Two intergalactic mercenaries come to planet Earth to settle an old score. And even before they arrive they're already making trouble for the rest of us...
This one is going to be a patchwork of crazy, often impossible, situations. I don't really know where I'm going with it for the most part. I only know how it ends... the bits in the middle, and even the beginning - I keep writing a new beginnings with different scenes... - is a bit hazy...

After I'd writen a mighty 300 words... I spent quite a bit of time going through old paperwork and notes for ideas trying to scrounge up all the notes about the three projects I'd like to resolve this month...

And then I meditated. Of course my head was pretty much in the clouds but, there you have it...

One last thing, Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You is an incredible film! I think it's from 1938 and it's so true to the American spirit that I don't think it could be made today...

I'll leave you with that one!

Peace!