Editing Process
Words: 3 chapters
Time: 12:30 4:30 (15 min break)
Mood: Good
Impression: It's good
I finished the 1st edit yesterday. But I finished it so late that I couldn't write the blog entry. My overall impression is that the book is interesting to read, at times very funny, very informative, and you walk away with something. This is the book that people should buy if they're thinking about doing penis enlargement.
This was a little tricky to write because my basic penis enlargement technique is already posted online for free. So the book had to contain something that wasn't in the video. I accomplished that. Yes there is a little more about the jelqing process that I didn't mention in the video. But more than that is a perspective that the video by itself doesn't offer.
So as an analogy I would use is that my videos are like being given a gun. If someone hands you a gun, you automatically know that you can use it to shoot your enemies which you think will make you happier. The book is like giving you a gun with a silencer, but also an instruction manual that teaches you how to handle the gun so that it doesn't go off accidental.
Many people won't want to buy a safety manual. But a lot of those same people will have one of there kids die because they were playing with their parent's gun that wasn't safely secured. It's a rough metaphor, but accurate.
A number of people will try jelqing and completely wreck their penis. One guy emailed me saying that he wrecked his and now he's a 19 year old that might have permanent erectile dysfunction. That might have been avoided if he read this book. Seriously!
What's left for the book is a 2nd edit. After that it goes to the publisher. I will probably start on that next week. After that I need to design the cover and I'm done. And it would be about time. :-)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Hot Sex
Editing Process
Words: 2 Chapters
Time: 12:30 - 2:30pm
Mood: Pretty good
Impression: Arousing
The story moves along nicely and the sex scenes are pretty hot. The second half isn't as funny as the first half, but there are still funny moments there. I like the story, and I like the book. I think others will enjoy it to.
I think that I'm going to create a Billy Mays styled infomercial to sell this book. I think that there would be a lot of guys up late at night that might be interested in buying the book. That is still a few weeks away, but I think it's a great idea. There will of course be those that buy it because of all of my videos, but an infomercial could reach people that weren't as proactive at trying to find a solution to their problem. It could reach a much larger audience. I will think a little more about it.
Words: 2 Chapters
Time: 12:30 - 2:30pm
Mood: Pretty good
Impression: Arousing
The story moves along nicely and the sex scenes are pretty hot. The second half isn't as funny as the first half, but there are still funny moments there. I like the story, and I like the book. I think others will enjoy it to.
I think that I'm going to create a Billy Mays styled infomercial to sell this book. I think that there would be a lot of guys up late at night that might be interested in buying the book. That is still a few weeks away, but I think it's a great idea. There will of course be those that buy it because of all of my videos, but an infomercial could reach people that weren't as proactive at trying to find a solution to their problem. It could reach a much larger audience. I will think a little more about it.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
It moves along quickly
Editing Process
Words: 2 chapters
Time: 2 - 5:45pm (1hr break)
Mood: Tired
Impression: Fine
In the back of mind sits the idea that the stakes in my story aren't very high. It is simply about one man's happiness... even though that one man is supposed to represent every man. But even with that being the case, it moves along pretty quickly. I had forgotten about the first sex scene in the book. I had based the sex on an actual encounter that I had with my muse for this book. It was a little weird to read those things said by the character that says it. I have since lost contact with my muse, but I wonder what she would say about the person that says her words.
Also, I'm not going to lie to you all, I see a lot of myself in the main character. Clearly the main character isn't me, and that is probably why I feel the similarity. If it were me I would feel something else. Instead I read the situation and I relate to what's going on. I can understand what the writer is intending, and I can relate to the character as a man. I wonder if other guys would be able to relate or if it will just be me?
I have to say, although I'm not overwhelmed by my schedule right now. I certainly am juggling a few balls at once. This morning I didn't start until 2 because I was giving notes a potential illustrator for the kid's book I completed. And after that I was dealing with emails and other stuff with my online store at RememberTheBahamas.com.
We recently started selling a Bahamas soda called Goombay Punch. Because it is so extremely popular we sold 200 cans in the first day and a half. But I had calculated the costs incorrectly and we lost money on every sale. I spent Monday and Tuesday dealing with that.
Today, it was more dealing with the sodas and also dealing with the printer that is printing the postcards that I designed. It feels good to be so creatively productive, and to have so many balls in the air, but that doesn't change the fact that there are a lot of them to keep track of.
Words: 2 chapters
Time: 2 - 5:45pm (1hr break)
Mood: Tired
Impression: Fine
In the back of mind sits the idea that the stakes in my story aren't very high. It is simply about one man's happiness... even though that one man is supposed to represent every man. But even with that being the case, it moves along pretty quickly. I had forgotten about the first sex scene in the book. I had based the sex on an actual encounter that I had with my muse for this book. It was a little weird to read those things said by the character that says it. I have since lost contact with my muse, but I wonder what she would say about the person that says her words.
Also, I'm not going to lie to you all, I see a lot of myself in the main character. Clearly the main character isn't me, and that is probably why I feel the similarity. If it were me I would feel something else. Instead I read the situation and I relate to what's going on. I can understand what the writer is intending, and I can relate to the character as a man. I wonder if other guys would be able to relate or if it will just be me?
I have to say, although I'm not overwhelmed by my schedule right now. I certainly am juggling a few balls at once. This morning I didn't start until 2 because I was giving notes a potential illustrator for the kid's book I completed. And after that I was dealing with emails and other stuff with my online store at RememberTheBahamas.com.
We recently started selling a Bahamas soda called Goombay Punch. Because it is so extremely popular we sold 200 cans in the first day and a half. But I had calculated the costs incorrectly and we lost money on every sale. I spent Monday and Tuesday dealing with that.
Today, it was more dealing with the sodas and also dealing with the printer that is printing the postcards that I designed. It feels good to be so creatively productive, and to have so many balls in the air, but that doesn't change the fact that there are a lot of them to keep track of.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Long day of editing
Editing Process
Words: 1 long chapter
Time: 12:15 5:15pm (30 min break)
Mood: tired
Impression: It did what it was supposed to do
Today I edited the chapter that described the jelqing process. It was as longer than any 2 of the other chapters put together. It was light on story, but long on process. I think that it did what it was supposed to do and it explained it clearly.
I also put some thought into how I will get this book to readers. On that point, I haven't quite decided. I could try to get it published or I could just self publish. The advantage of self-publishing is that I would make more money per book. The potential advantage of going though a publisher is that I might sell more copies. But the question is how many more copies and will the search for a publisher end up being a big waste of time.
From everything that readers of my blog have told me, I know that I will have book buyers. But could a publisher expand that base further than I could on my own. It's a big question.
Words: 1 long chapter
Time: 12:15 5:15pm (30 min break)
Mood: tired
Impression: It did what it was supposed to do
Today I edited the chapter that described the jelqing process. It was as longer than any 2 of the other chapters put together. It was light on story, but long on process. I think that it did what it was supposed to do and it explained it clearly.
I also put some thought into how I will get this book to readers. On that point, I haven't quite decided. I could try to get it published or I could just self publish. The advantage of self-publishing is that I would make more money per book. The potential advantage of going though a publisher is that I might sell more copies. But the question is how many more copies and will the search for a publisher end up being a big waste of time.
From everything that readers of my blog have told me, I know that I will have book buyers. But could a publisher expand that base further than I could on my own. It's a big question.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
It isn't what I expected
Editing Process
Words: 2 Chapters
Time: 11:30 4:15 (1hr break)
Mood: A little groggy
Impression: It's both light-hearted and heavy
I didn't edit yesterday because like when I started writing, I think I need to ease my way into it. Writing a book takes a lot of energy. And where as I had enough energy to write and edit the first book last year and the kid's book this year, I guess I'm running out of energy for this one.
But I have to say that this book is very different than I thought it would be when I started editing it. I have a certain voice and style when I write and this one definitely deviates for that voice and style. The writing style is very casual. The main character doesn't feel that familiar to me. He doesn't even feel like anyone I've ever knew. I don't know if I would even be friends with this guy. He's just very different from me in fundamental ways.
Having said that, I find this guy and his world very interesting. I never know what's coming out of his mouth and it makes me cringe as much as it makes me laugh. It's an interesting experience. It's a little hard to believe that I wrote this. I can only imagine what mindset I was in when I wrote this. Man! :-)
Words: 2 Chapters
Time: 11:30 4:15 (1hr break)
Mood: A little groggy
Impression: It's both light-hearted and heavy
I didn't edit yesterday because like when I started writing, I think I need to ease my way into it. Writing a book takes a lot of energy. And where as I had enough energy to write and edit the first book last year and the kid's book this year, I guess I'm running out of energy for this one.
But I have to say that this book is very different than I thought it would be when I started editing it. I have a certain voice and style when I write and this one definitely deviates for that voice and style. The writing style is very casual. The main character doesn't feel that familiar to me. He doesn't even feel like anyone I've ever knew. I don't know if I would even be friends with this guy. He's just very different from me in fundamental ways.
Having said that, I find this guy and his world very interesting. I never know what's coming out of his mouth and it makes me cringe as much as it makes me laugh. It's an interesting experience. It's a little hard to believe that I wrote this. I can only imagine what mindset I was in when I wrote this. Man! :-)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
First day of Editing
Editing Process
Words: 2 Chapters
Time: Noon - 2pm
Mood: Hesitant
Impression: Very funny!
I'm not going to lie to you, I was not looking forward to editing the book. It was my intention to give my self enough time to forget what I had written. This time is necessary because often a writer will look at a word they wrote and see the word they intended to write and not what's on the page. So during the break I designed 5 postcards for the island of Freeport, Bahamas. I arranged for products from my RememberTheBahamas.com store to be sent to my new Amazon.com store. And I wrote a kids book. There were other small projects that I did, but these were the big ones.
And here's the truth about me. I think of myself as a good writing while I'm writing. But I think of myself as a bad writer after I've forgotten what I've written. So the more time I gave myself between writing and editing, the more concerned I got about whether what I wrote was any good. I was almost trying to find things that I could do instead of editing the book.
But yesterday after I finished sending my kid's book to agents, I knew that there no more escaping it. I had to get back to it whether I wanted to or not. And I have to say that it was frickin' funny! I can't tell whether others would think it's funny, but I laughed really hard starting at the third sentence of the book. Man I enjoyed it.
It was a pretty interesting experience reading it. I guess it is like when you reread a book that you enjoyed a few years earlier. I had an idea of where the story's going, but I don't know how it's going to get there. And how it got there was pretty good. There were more than a few sentences that I had to clean up, but overall there weren't that many changes necessary during this round.
What I also noticed was that things that I remembered as being funny when I wrote it wasn't upon reading it. These were things that I told friends about and they couldn't stop laughing. I the difference happened because I wrote sections each day, forgetting what came before it. In isolation it's a funny concept. But when everything flows together, it's not as funny. But on the other hand, things that I didn't think was funny when I wrote it, gave me a chuckle this time around.
Overall, my first impression is that even though this is about a guy with a talking, alcoholic, penis, it's a mature story. The first chapter is an introduction into this guy's life and the second is about his childhood. The childhood section kind of made me sad. Maybe it's because I know the details of why things happened to him. But whatever the reason, the chapter made me feel something.
Overall, I like what I have read so far.
Words: 2 Chapters
Time: Noon - 2pm
Mood: Hesitant
Impression: Very funny!
I'm not going to lie to you, I was not looking forward to editing the book. It was my intention to give my self enough time to forget what I had written. This time is necessary because often a writer will look at a word they wrote and see the word they intended to write and not what's on the page. So during the break I designed 5 postcards for the island of Freeport, Bahamas. I arranged for products from my RememberTheBahamas.com store to be sent to my new Amazon.com store. And I wrote a kids book. There were other small projects that I did, but these were the big ones.
And here's the truth about me. I think of myself as a good writing while I'm writing. But I think of myself as a bad writer after I've forgotten what I've written. So the more time I gave myself between writing and editing, the more concerned I got about whether what I wrote was any good. I was almost trying to find things that I could do instead of editing the book.
But yesterday after I finished sending my kid's book to agents, I knew that there no more escaping it. I had to get back to it whether I wanted to or not. And I have to say that it was frickin' funny! I can't tell whether others would think it's funny, but I laughed really hard starting at the third sentence of the book. Man I enjoyed it.
It was a pretty interesting experience reading it. I guess it is like when you reread a book that you enjoyed a few years earlier. I had an idea of where the story's going, but I don't know how it's going to get there. And how it got there was pretty good. There were more than a few sentences that I had to clean up, but overall there weren't that many changes necessary during this round.
What I also noticed was that things that I remembered as being funny when I wrote it wasn't upon reading it. These were things that I told friends about and they couldn't stop laughing. I the difference happened because I wrote sections each day, forgetting what came before it. In isolation it's a funny concept. But when everything flows together, it's not as funny. But on the other hand, things that I didn't think was funny when I wrote it, gave me a chuckle this time around.
Overall, my first impression is that even though this is about a guy with a talking, alcoholic, penis, it's a mature story. The first chapter is an introduction into this guy's life and the second is about his childhood. The childhood section kind of made me sad. Maybe it's because I know the details of why things happened to him. But whatever the reason, the chapter made me feel something.
Overall, I like what I have read so far.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Oh My God, I'm DONE!
Words: 4,162
Time: 7:45 – 12 (1/2hr break)
Mood: Happy
Impression: The book is everything I wanted it to be
My god, I’m finished! I’M FINISHED! It feels so good to be done. I didn’t end up writing on Christmas so instead I decided to put my jet lag to good use. When I got up at 5 am I decided that I would do my best to finish the book today. I was going to start at 6am, but I made eggs and bacon for breakfast and that took a little time.
But I have to say that the book says everything that I wanted it to say. Before I knew what it would be about, I talked to a lot of people about it. I had of course mentioned only the most insightful things. That was fully my intention when I sat down to write it, but I started to lose faith that that was where the story would end up. But I can now say that the book is everything that I wanted it to be.
The book is a novel for men. Yes I give detailed instructions on how to enlarge your penis within it. And I talk about other things also. But that isn’t what the book is about. The book is about happiness and what makes a person happy. And the story is told from a guy’s perspective. And the guy whose perspective it’s told through is a guy’s guy. He’s not a 2000’s guy, he’s not metrosexual, and he’s not a successful guy. He’s a guy that works, lives and strives. And although there are similarities between me and this guy, it is not me. I’m proud of this book.
So now the next step, I’m going to have to walk away from it for a little bit and then come back and edit it. In the meantime though, I have to work on getting a few of the TV shows that I’ve created on the air. That’s not going to require a lot of work. My contact just needs some more info on the ones he likes. Also, I’m going to focus on creating a few more of my RateABull videos. There are a number of topics on my white board which I can do. Some have already been shot and just need editing together.
So will I keep blogging about the process? Definitely. I found this process helpful. I probably would have snapped if I wasn’t doing it. And thanks to everyone that’s been following along. Feel free to post a comment. I would love to hear from you. Check back soon. There’s more to come.
Sincerely,
Cristian YoungMiller
author of "Happiness thru the Art of Penis Enlargement: A Novel Guide to Jelqing, the G-spot, How to Last Longer in Bed, and other Sexual Secrets"
Time: 7:45 – 12 (1/2hr break)
Mood: Happy
Impression: The book is everything I wanted it to be
My god, I’m finished! I’M FINISHED! It feels so good to be done. I didn’t end up writing on Christmas so instead I decided to put my jet lag to good use. When I got up at 5 am I decided that I would do my best to finish the book today. I was going to start at 6am, but I made eggs and bacon for breakfast and that took a little time.
But I have to say that the book says everything that I wanted it to say. Before I knew what it would be about, I talked to a lot of people about it. I had of course mentioned only the most insightful things. That was fully my intention when I sat down to write it, but I started to lose faith that that was where the story would end up. But I can now say that the book is everything that I wanted it to be.
The book is a novel for men. Yes I give detailed instructions on how to enlarge your penis within it. And I talk about other things also. But that isn’t what the book is about. The book is about happiness and what makes a person happy. And the story is told from a guy’s perspective. And the guy whose perspective it’s told through is a guy’s guy. He’s not a 2000’s guy, he’s not metrosexual, and he’s not a successful guy. He’s a guy that works, lives and strives. And although there are similarities between me and this guy, it is not me. I’m proud of this book.
So now the next step, I’m going to have to walk away from it for a little bit and then come back and edit it. In the meantime though, I have to work on getting a few of the TV shows that I’ve created on the air. That’s not going to require a lot of work. My contact just needs some more info on the ones he likes. Also, I’m going to focus on creating a few more of my RateABull videos. There are a number of topics on my white board which I can do. Some have already been shot and just need editing together.
So will I keep blogging about the process? Definitely. I found this process helpful. I probably would have snapped if I wasn’t doing it. And thanks to everyone that’s been following along. Feel free to post a comment. I would love to hear from you. Check back soon. There’s more to come.
Sincerely,
Cristian YoungMiller
author of "Happiness thru the Art of Penis Enlargement: A Novel Guide to Jelqing, the G-spot, How to Last Longer in Bed, and other Sexual Secrets"
Thursday, December 24, 2009
I think I need 2 more days to finish it
Words: 2,169
Time: 10:15 - 1:30 (1hr break)
Mood: Tired
Impression: Good enough
I am definitely winding the book down now. It is possible that I could finish tomorrow, but it would have to be a longer day. More likely I will finish the book 2 days from now.
I have to say that even at this point I'm surprised how much the activities of my life and my mood affect what I write. I used to believe that there was some divine writer living inside of me and all I had to do was get out of his way. But even today I know that because I fell asleep early last night and then didn't get enough sleep the tone of what I wrote changed. It wasn't that I wrote something dark today. It was just heavy. The writing felt like how I feel.
Also, at the very end of my writing process about a lonely guy that meets someone, I might have met someone today. I do online dating, and for the first time, I wrote someone, and within hours she wrote me back. And the kicker is that she's really hot. There's always the chance that she's not real, but I don't think so. Wouldn't me meeting someone be the perfect end to my story about writing a book about a lonely guy. :-)
Time: 10:15 - 1:30 (1hr break)
Mood: Tired
Impression: Good enough
I am definitely winding the book down now. It is possible that I could finish tomorrow, but it would have to be a longer day. More likely I will finish the book 2 days from now.
I have to say that even at this point I'm surprised how much the activities of my life and my mood affect what I write. I used to believe that there was some divine writer living inside of me and all I had to do was get out of his way. But even today I know that because I fell asleep early last night and then didn't get enough sleep the tone of what I wrote changed. It wasn't that I wrote something dark today. It was just heavy. The writing felt like how I feel.
Also, at the very end of my writing process about a lonely guy that meets someone, I might have met someone today. I do online dating, and for the first time, I wrote someone, and within hours she wrote me back. And the kicker is that she's really hot. There's always the chance that she's not real, but I don't think so. Wouldn't me meeting someone be the perfect end to my story about writing a book about a lonely guy. :-)
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
I'm days away from finishing the book
Words: 3,910
Time: 10 - 2:15 (1/2 hr break)
Mood: Relaxed
Impression: I'm not sure about it
First let me say that the Bahamas was absolutely great! If anyone wants to go to the Bahamas for a very quiet get-away. I highly recommend going to Eden Cottage http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p269928. My god it was soothing to my soul. I was feeling really crazy before I left. I even had to get my mohawk back.
But after 2 weeks there, life seems a little sweeter. I had all of my meals made for me and it was great to be around family again. I thought that it would be bad, but it was very good.
So when it comes to the book, there was a day that I wrote but didn't blog about it. My mother and I have a website called www.RememberTheBahamas.com . And the most popular item that we sell there is a cologne called Sand Cologne. Just a few days before I left I decided that we would start selling it through Amazon and I had to do all of the things that could only be done while I was there. I figured that I could finish the book once I got back to LA.
And now that I'm back, I think I'm days away from finishing the book. It's possible that I could finish tomorrow. And if not tomorrow, I could finish on Christmas day. I don't think I have any plans for Christmas, so that might be what I do. Merry Christmas to me.
I have to say though, my vacation really took me out of the mind set of the book. I was using my angst to drive the book. But I am now angst free. That is one of the reasons I'm trying so hard to bring the book to its end. It's like I'm trying to get out of the class before anyone realized I'm sporting a big hard one if you know what I mean.
But we'll see where I'm at tomorrow. I think that I have the climax of the book down. Act 3 is the culmination of the darkest before the dawn. And like I mentioned weeks ago, the book is not about a fight for the safety of the galaxy, so it feels less compelling. But I guess that if you care about the characters, then the universe doesn't have to be threatened for you to care how it ends. At least that's what I'm hoping.
Time: 10 - 2:15 (1/2 hr break)
Mood: Relaxed
Impression: I'm not sure about it
First let me say that the Bahamas was absolutely great! If anyone wants to go to the Bahamas for a very quiet get-away. I highly recommend going to Eden Cottage http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p269928. My god it was soothing to my soul. I was feeling really crazy before I left. I even had to get my mohawk back.
But after 2 weeks there, life seems a little sweeter. I had all of my meals made for me and it was great to be around family again. I thought that it would be bad, but it was very good.
So when it comes to the book, there was a day that I wrote but didn't blog about it. My mother and I have a website called www.RememberTheBahamas.com . And the most popular item that we sell there is a cologne called Sand Cologne. Just a few days before I left I decided that we would start selling it through Amazon and I had to do all of the things that could only be done while I was there. I figured that I could finish the book once I got back to LA.
And now that I'm back, I think I'm days away from finishing the book. It's possible that I could finish tomorrow. And if not tomorrow, I could finish on Christmas day. I don't think I have any plans for Christmas, so that might be what I do. Merry Christmas to me.
I have to say though, my vacation really took me out of the mind set of the book. I was using my angst to drive the book. But I am now angst free. That is one of the reasons I'm trying so hard to bring the book to its end. It's like I'm trying to get out of the class before anyone realized I'm sporting a big hard one if you know what I mean.
But we'll see where I'm at tomorrow. I think that I have the climax of the book down. Act 3 is the culmination of the darkest before the dawn. And like I mentioned weeks ago, the book is not about a fight for the safety of the galaxy, so it feels less compelling. But I guess that if you care about the characters, then the universe doesn't have to be threatened for you to care how it ends. At least that's what I'm hoping.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Yet another sex scene
Words: 3,275
Time: 10:30 - 12 & 2:30 - 4
Mood: Relaxed
Impression: It's ok, but the sex was good
I got to write another sex scene today. That was good. It turned me on. But now what I'm thinking about is how much longer until the end. I know that the book is now over 200 pages and quickly approaching 250. I was hoping that the book would be less than 84, 000 words and now I'm at 77,700 and counting.
I know how it's going to end, but i don't know how long until I can get there. I don't know. i could be surprised and end up there quicker than I think. There really isn't much more story to tell. But we'll see. The other side effect is that me writing this story is making me think of the woman that I am basing the one of the characters on. I probably should think about here. It isn't a healthy relationship. I should probably think of someone else.
It seems that it's easier to write in the Bahamas than back in LA. I think that my place in LA is to dark. I feel trapped in my apt in LA. My life seems trapping in LA. I hadn't realized how revitalizing it is to be around family. And i guess that I feel that I am being of help to my nieces and nephews, and that feels good as well.
Time: 10:30 - 12 & 2:30 - 4
Mood: Relaxed
Impression: It's ok, but the sex was good
I got to write another sex scene today. That was good. It turned me on. But now what I'm thinking about is how much longer until the end. I know that the book is now over 200 pages and quickly approaching 250. I was hoping that the book would be less than 84, 000 words and now I'm at 77,700 and counting.
I know how it's going to end, but i don't know how long until I can get there. I don't know. i could be surprised and end up there quicker than I think. There really isn't much more story to tell. But we'll see. The other side effect is that me writing this story is making me think of the woman that I am basing the one of the characters on. I probably should think about here. It isn't a healthy relationship. I should probably think of someone else.
It seems that it's easier to write in the Bahamas than back in LA. I think that my place in LA is to dark. I feel trapped in my apt in LA. My life seems trapping in LA. I hadn't realized how revitalizing it is to be around family. And i guess that I feel that I am being of help to my nieces and nephews, and that feels good as well.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Writing overlooking the Ocean
Words: 2,207 & 1,735
Time: Thurs afternoon & Fri morning
Mood: Relaxed
Impression: It's fine
I was able to write yesterday, but I wasn't able to blog about it because I didn't have access to the Internet until later in the day. And when I came back I had to go to the wedding rehearsal. Then there were a few drinks and talking of course. I don't drink much, but I had to join in because my brother was getting married.
But let me say that it has always been a fantasy of mine to write somewhere that has a beautiful view. And one of the places that I always imagined was on the porch of my mother's beach house. Well, I got that chance yesterday. I wrote a little, looked up from the screen, allowed my mind to drift as I figured out how to phrase something. Got a glimpse of the beach shrubs and ocean, then continued writing. Heavenly!
And another great thing was that I finally figured out what act 3 of the book is going to be about. For about a week or so, i have been trying to figure out what leads to the climax. Yesterday I figured it out. It turns out that the answer was always in the story, but just took a bit to get there.
And today I wrote in front of the window in my mom's office. And actually one of the pictures of my nieces and nephews inspired one of the character's actions in the book. A story that one of them told me about their experiences ended up in the book.
Also, the book is what I thought the book was going to be about when I sat down to write it. Way back then I said that the book was about how society teaches us to want things that we don't need and that can sometimes bring us more pain than pleasure. But as I wrote, I didn't really see that coming up. But today, out of the blue, there the theme appeared. I figured that if I just remained patient it would come up.
I think that if I really crank it out, I could finish it by the end of next week. But cranking out words is not something that I'm likely to do here. There are beaches that need to swam on, family that needs counseling, postcards that need designing and relaxation that needs to be completed. So hopefully I will be done before Christmas.
Time: Thurs afternoon & Fri morning
Mood: Relaxed
Impression: It's fine
I was able to write yesterday, but I wasn't able to blog about it because I didn't have access to the Internet until later in the day. And when I came back I had to go to the wedding rehearsal. Then there were a few drinks and talking of course. I don't drink much, but I had to join in because my brother was getting married.
But let me say that it has always been a fantasy of mine to write somewhere that has a beautiful view. And one of the places that I always imagined was on the porch of my mother's beach house. Well, I got that chance yesterday. I wrote a little, looked up from the screen, allowed my mind to drift as I figured out how to phrase something. Got a glimpse of the beach shrubs and ocean, then continued writing. Heavenly!
And another great thing was that I finally figured out what act 3 of the book is going to be about. For about a week or so, i have been trying to figure out what leads to the climax. Yesterday I figured it out. It turns out that the answer was always in the story, but just took a bit to get there.
And today I wrote in front of the window in my mom's office. And actually one of the pictures of my nieces and nephews inspired one of the character's actions in the book. A story that one of them told me about their experiences ended up in the book.
Also, the book is what I thought the book was going to be about when I sat down to write it. Way back then I said that the book was about how society teaches us to want things that we don't need and that can sometimes bring us more pain than pleasure. But as I wrote, I didn't really see that coming up. But today, out of the blue, there the theme appeared. I figured that if I just remained patient it would come up.
I think that if I really crank it out, I could finish it by the end of next week. But cranking out words is not something that I'm likely to do here. There are beaches that need to swam on, family that needs counseling, postcards that need designing and relaxation that needs to be completed. So hopefully I will be done before Christmas.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
It's weird writing here
Words: 1,385
Time: 10:15 - Noon
Mood: Easing down
Impression: Not sure
I am now at my mother's house in the Bahamas and I have to say that it's weird writing here. My computer is on her desk and if I look up, I see a picture of my nephews and nieces. I can't help but think how nephew-and-niece-unfriendly my book is. They are between 18 and 13 so they aren't young. And I've given basic sex advice to 14 and 15 year olds, but they are definitely different.
Other than that, I think that this trip is going to be good for me. My mother's place is very calming. I was definitely in a much more irritated state before. But here, all of the stuff that was making me nuts melts away. Today, I dropped my mother to work, sat down in her office and wrote. Her desk faces the window and there is a Poinciana tree outside that's swaying in the breeze. There's a little yellow bird in the tree that's hopping from branch to branch. It's nice.
Clearly this setting is going to have an affect on the story. I'm not exactly sure how yet, but it is. In a way my agitation was fueling the story. Without it, I would be driving with the wrong type of gas. I guess I'll see though. I only wrote a little today because I hit the end of the chapter. Tomorrow will be the test. We'll see.
Time: 10:15 - Noon
Mood: Easing down
Impression: Not sure
I am now at my mother's house in the Bahamas and I have to say that it's weird writing here. My computer is on her desk and if I look up, I see a picture of my nephews and nieces. I can't help but think how nephew-and-niece-unfriendly my book is. They are between 18 and 13 so they aren't young. And I've given basic sex advice to 14 and 15 year olds, but they are definitely different.
Other than that, I think that this trip is going to be good for me. My mother's place is very calming. I was definitely in a much more irritated state before. But here, all of the stuff that was making me nuts melts away. Today, I dropped my mother to work, sat down in her office and wrote. Her desk faces the window and there is a Poinciana tree outside that's swaying in the breeze. There's a little yellow bird in the tree that's hopping from branch to branch. It's nice.
Clearly this setting is going to have an affect on the story. I'm not exactly sure how yet, but it is. In a way my agitation was fueling the story. Without it, I would be driving with the wrong type of gas. I guess I'll see though. I only wrote a little today because I hit the end of the chapter. Tomorrow will be the test. We'll see.
Friday, December 4, 2009
I'm a little tired
Words: 4,086
Time: 12:30 - 4:30 (1/4hr break)
Mood: Sad
Impression: I think my mood has shaped what I wrote
I had a late morning appointment and I didn't expect to write today. But when I got home at noon, I grabbed food and rested. Afterwards I figured that a few hundred would be better than nothing so I gave writing a shot.
Today turned out to be the latest I have ever started and the most I have ever written in one day. Since I didn't write the first 3 days of the week and because I wouldn't be able to write on Monday because of traveling, I figured I should do as much as I could.
As I think about it though, I don't know if my mood shaped what I wrote, or what I wrote shaped my mood. Either way I'm feeling like I need to connect with humans tonight. Writing is a very lonely thing. And so much alone contemplative time can do bad things to me.
Anyway, on Monday I'm traveling to the Bahamas for my brother's wedding. I can't seem to write at airports or on planes so hopefully I can get back to the story by Tuesday or Wednesday. We'll see. I'm close to the end of the book. And I know that I could finish it while I'm there, but I don't know if I'll be able to string enough days together during my 2 weeks.
I hit 70,000 words today which is past my original goal, so I know I'm close. And I want to be able to say that I wrote 2 books in 2009 so even if I pull an 8 hour writing session on New Years eve, I will get this done. And what's more I think that it's best if I get my mind out of this world as soon as I can. It's an interesting place to visit, but I can no longer take living there.
Time: 12:30 - 4:30 (1/4hr break)
Mood: Sad
Impression: I think my mood has shaped what I wrote
I had a late morning appointment and I didn't expect to write today. But when I got home at noon, I grabbed food and rested. Afterwards I figured that a few hundred would be better than nothing so I gave writing a shot.
Today turned out to be the latest I have ever started and the most I have ever written in one day. Since I didn't write the first 3 days of the week and because I wouldn't be able to write on Monday because of traveling, I figured I should do as much as I could.
As I think about it though, I don't know if my mood shaped what I wrote, or what I wrote shaped my mood. Either way I'm feeling like I need to connect with humans tonight. Writing is a very lonely thing. And so much alone contemplative time can do bad things to me.
Anyway, on Monday I'm traveling to the Bahamas for my brother's wedding. I can't seem to write at airports or on planes so hopefully I can get back to the story by Tuesday or Wednesday. We'll see. I'm close to the end of the book. And I know that I could finish it while I'm there, but I don't know if I'll be able to string enough days together during my 2 weeks.
I hit 70,000 words today which is past my original goal, so I know I'm close. And I want to be able to say that I wrote 2 books in 2009 so even if I pull an 8 hour writing session on New Years eve, I will get this done. And what's more I think that it's best if I get my mind out of this world as soon as I can. It's an interesting place to visit, but I can no longer take living there.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Ok, I'm back
Words: 3,122
Time: 11:15 - 2 (1/4hr break)
Mood: Not great
Impression: It's fine
Ok, I'm not going to lie to you. I considered not finishing the book. I have been going through a little bit of psychological hell over the last couple of days. That EMDR thing that my shrink did, really messed with my head.
What it did was make me think that the only thing that I will have in life is my work. And because neither of my readers have gotten back to me about my last book, I had began to assume that it was because I was a crap writer. I could barely think.
What always helps me in this situation is playing racquetball but because of an unexplainable leg injury I can't do that either. And to top it off, someone came out of the blue and teased me with a really great job at NBC directing. But just as quickly as they mentioned it, they pulled it away. Honestly, I didn't know whether I would make it to the end of the week. For days I couldn't do more than sleep and watch TV. It was not good.
But mercifully someone who I don't know got a hold of the first chapter of my last book and read it. He gave me 4 out of 5 stars on it and with it some of my hope had returned. I can't say how I'm doing right now, but the fact that I was able to write today should say something.
And guys, I can't tell you how much your encouragement has made to me during this process. I have never had such a hard time writing anything before. They usually slip out of me like a wet pickle out of a whore. But this time has just been hell.
Time: 11:15 - 2 (1/4hr break)
Mood: Not great
Impression: It's fine
Ok, I'm not going to lie to you. I considered not finishing the book. I have been going through a little bit of psychological hell over the last couple of days. That EMDR thing that my shrink did, really messed with my head.
What it did was make me think that the only thing that I will have in life is my work. And because neither of my readers have gotten back to me about my last book, I had began to assume that it was because I was a crap writer. I could barely think.
What always helps me in this situation is playing racquetball but because of an unexplainable leg injury I can't do that either. And to top it off, someone came out of the blue and teased me with a really great job at NBC directing. But just as quickly as they mentioned it, they pulled it away. Honestly, I didn't know whether I would make it to the end of the week. For days I couldn't do more than sleep and watch TV. It was not good.
But mercifully someone who I don't know got a hold of the first chapter of my last book and read it. He gave me 4 out of 5 stars on it and with it some of my hope had returned. I can't say how I'm doing right now, but the fact that I was able to write today should say something.
And guys, I can't tell you how much your encouragement has made to me during this process. I have never had such a hard time writing anything before. They usually slip out of me like a wet pickle out of a whore. But this time has just been hell.
Friday, November 27, 2009
5 writing days in a row
Words: 1,909
Time: 12:15 - 3:45
Mood: Good
Impression: It is very good
I woke up late and started writing the latest I have ever started writing. But even when I was laying in bed at 11:30 I knew that I was going to write today. And I have to say that I played all of the keys on the piano today.
I really thought today would just be one of those writing filler days that are common in dramatic works. But I started and then wrote what I think is the funny thing so far in the book. I then wrote some thing that will eventually allow me to end the book. I have been wondering how I was going to justify certain things, but today allowed for it. I really wrote some great stuff today. I'm kind of proud. :-)
Time: 12:15 - 3:45
Mood: Good
Impression: It is very good
I woke up late and started writing the latest I have ever started writing. But even when I was laying in bed at 11:30 I knew that I was going to write today. And I have to say that I played all of the keys on the piano today.
I really thought today would just be one of those writing filler days that are common in dramatic works. But I started and then wrote what I think is the funny thing so far in the book. I then wrote some thing that will eventually allow me to end the book. I have been wondering how I was going to justify certain things, but today allowed for it. I really wrote some great stuff today. I'm kind of proud. :-)
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Writing on Thanksgiving day
Words: 3,470
Time: 11:40 - 3:40 (1hr break)
Mood: relaxed
Impression: It's pretty good
Since it's thanksgiving day, I thought that I would start off with what I'm thankful for. I am thankful that for the past year I have been given the privilege of being able to spend my days writing and coming up with TV show ideas. It really is a privilege and this has been the most creatively productive year of my life.
I am also thankful for the fact that because of all of the people that I met this year, I have become a better, smarter, wiser person. I have also made great friends and had great experiences.
This morning I had to run and get the things that I am bringing to the thanksgiving dinner, so I didn't start writing until much later. But it seems that for the first time since I started writing this book, I will write all 5 days this week. It was assumed with my last book, but not so here. It's funny 2 days ago I was telling a friend how this will probably be the last book I write because of how hard it's been. But yesterday I woke up and asked myself the question 'what happens when a vampire dies?' Does he travel the afterlife looking for his soul?
My last book was about what happens when we die, so I think that is an interesting question to ask. I'm not into vampires, but it would be an interesting angle to explore. I had wanted this book to be 68,000 words. It is now 61,000 but it still has a little ways to go. But at this rate, I could be done in 2 weeks. That might not happen because I have to travel to the Bahamas for my brother's wedding, but it will be before the end of the year. Should I just quit writing afterwards? I don't know. It doesn't sound like me. :-)
Time: 11:40 - 3:40 (1hr break)
Mood: relaxed
Impression: It's pretty good
Since it's thanksgiving day, I thought that I would start off with what I'm thankful for. I am thankful that for the past year I have been given the privilege of being able to spend my days writing and coming up with TV show ideas. It really is a privilege and this has been the most creatively productive year of my life.
I am also thankful for the fact that because of all of the people that I met this year, I have become a better, smarter, wiser person. I have also made great friends and had great experiences.
This morning I had to run and get the things that I am bringing to the thanksgiving dinner, so I didn't start writing until much later. But it seems that for the first time since I started writing this book, I will write all 5 days this week. It was assumed with my last book, but not so here. It's funny 2 days ago I was telling a friend how this will probably be the last book I write because of how hard it's been. But yesterday I woke up and asked myself the question 'what happens when a vampire dies?' Does he travel the afterlife looking for his soul?
My last book was about what happens when we die, so I think that is an interesting question to ask. I'm not into vampires, but it would be an interesting angle to explore. I had wanted this book to be 68,000 words. It is now 61,000 but it still has a little ways to go. But at this rate, I could be done in 2 weeks. That might not happen because I have to travel to the Bahamas for my brother's wedding, but it will be before the end of the year. Should I just quit writing afterwards? I don't know. It doesn't sound like me. :-)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
What have I become
Words: 2,841
Time: 11 - 3 (1hr break)
Mood: Mixed
Impression: It's fine
I have to say that during by lunch break I lay in my bed thinking about what I was writing and my life. I was very sad. What saddened me was that when I decided to write a book about happiness and love, this was the world that I created. And it isn't that I can't come up with a Disney story. It's that when I let the story that's in me come out, this is what I automatically wrote.
I have no doubt that the book's readers will find it interesting. It's the same way that Flannery O'Connor's readers find her racist, angry books interesting. But what's sad about Flannery is if you think of the type of person it took to write such a book. It's sad when you think of the type of life she had to live to make her that miserable. The same is true for me. It saddens me to think of the life I had to live to come up with a story like this.
However, after lunch I got to write a couple of basic sex scenes and it made me feel better. Ya know, there was a time when it took having sex to make me feel better. Now it just takes writing about sex to make me feel better. I don't know, is that an improvement. Haha!
Time: 11 - 3 (1hr break)
Mood: Mixed
Impression: It's fine
I have to say that during by lunch break I lay in my bed thinking about what I was writing and my life. I was very sad. What saddened me was that when I decided to write a book about happiness and love, this was the world that I created. And it isn't that I can't come up with a Disney story. It's that when I let the story that's in me come out, this is what I automatically wrote.
I have no doubt that the book's readers will find it interesting. It's the same way that Flannery O'Connor's readers find her racist, angry books interesting. But what's sad about Flannery is if you think of the type of person it took to write such a book. It's sad when you think of the type of life she had to live to make her that miserable. The same is true for me. It saddens me to think of the life I had to live to come up with a story like this.
However, after lunch I got to write a couple of basic sex scenes and it made me feel better. Ya know, there was a time when it took having sex to make me feel better. Now it just takes writing about sex to make me feel better. I don't know, is that an improvement. Haha!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The end of another chapter
Words: 1,573
Time: 11:15 - 1:15 (1/4hr break)
Mood: A little sad
Impression: It was fine
What I wrote yesterday kind of put me into a mental tailspin. On top of that it so happened that yesterday Oprah had a show on sex addicts that hit too close to home. And on top of that, I had to do a lot of home for my next 2 therapy sessions. It was too much. I was up until 4:30 am trying to unravel the knot that is my sexual history in preparation for therapy.
After only getting 5 hours of sleep I can at least say that I now understand it. I now understand why I have made the choices that I did as it pertains to sex and why I fell for the people that I did. And now I also understand why Happiness thru the Art of Penis Enlargement is turning out the way that it is. The characters are all manifestations of my subconscious. The main character, though not like me in a lot of ways, represents me in this psycho-dynamic. The talking penis... well, I'm not going to say what the talking penis represents.
In either case, on Wednesday I'm going to do this psychologically intensive process called EMDR. It is something that is supposedly going to change the way I look at life. The question is, how is it going to effect the story. If this book is a crazy representation of my own psycho-drama what happens if my personal psycho-drama dramatically changes. Hmmm... My god I feel nuts right now.
Time: 11:15 - 1:15 (1/4hr break)
Mood: A little sad
Impression: It was fine
What I wrote yesterday kind of put me into a mental tailspin. On top of that it so happened that yesterday Oprah had a show on sex addicts that hit too close to home. And on top of that, I had to do a lot of home for my next 2 therapy sessions. It was too much. I was up until 4:30 am trying to unravel the knot that is my sexual history in preparation for therapy.
After only getting 5 hours of sleep I can at least say that I now understand it. I now understand why I have made the choices that I did as it pertains to sex and why I fell for the people that I did. And now I also understand why Happiness thru the Art of Penis Enlargement is turning out the way that it is. The characters are all manifestations of my subconscious. The main character, though not like me in a lot of ways, represents me in this psycho-dynamic. The talking penis... well, I'm not going to say what the talking penis represents.
In either case, on Wednesday I'm going to do this psychologically intensive process called EMDR. It is something that is supposedly going to change the way I look at life. The question is, how is it going to effect the story. If this book is a crazy representation of my own psycho-drama what happens if my personal psycho-drama dramatically changes. Hmmm... My god I feel nuts right now.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The story's going rogue
Words: 3,182
Time: 11:15 - 3:15 (1 1/2hr break)
Mood: Sad
Impression: Disappointed
The story has now gone rogue. I think what happened was that after I realized that I was no longer writing the book for others, I no longer felt the need to constrain myself. Ever since then my daily word count has been up. Hell, today I past 3,000 words.
But now the book isn't what I imagined the book to be when I sat down to write it. I guess the truth is that you can't live half your life making questionable decisions and then write a book and not expect the recces of your mind to feed the story. Never in my life did I try to be like everyone else. In high school we had to wear uniforms to school. And where as everyone tried to also wear the same shoes, I had to find a pair that no one else wore. I tried to think like no one else thought.
But crap, what has been the result? What I have written today disturbs me. What it says about me as a person rattles me. There is no other interpretation in what I'm writing accept for the fact that I hate a part of myself. But not only do hate a part of myself but I'm writing it in a book that others will read. This is fucked up! This story is a freak show... or maybe it can be better said that the book is fine, there is just something seriously wrong with the author.
Time: 11:15 - 3:15 (1 1/2hr break)
Mood: Sad
Impression: Disappointed
The story has now gone rogue. I think what happened was that after I realized that I was no longer writing the book for others, I no longer felt the need to constrain myself. Ever since then my daily word count has been up. Hell, today I past 3,000 words.
But now the book isn't what I imagined the book to be when I sat down to write it. I guess the truth is that you can't live half your life making questionable decisions and then write a book and not expect the recces of your mind to feed the story. Never in my life did I try to be like everyone else. In high school we had to wear uniforms to school. And where as everyone tried to also wear the same shoes, I had to find a pair that no one else wore. I tried to think like no one else thought.
But crap, what has been the result? What I have written today disturbs me. What it says about me as a person rattles me. There is no other interpretation in what I'm writing accept for the fact that I hate a part of myself. But not only do hate a part of myself but I'm writing it in a book that others will read. This is fucked up! This story is a freak show... or maybe it can be better said that the book is fine, there is just something seriously wrong with the author.
Friday, November 20, 2009
It's moving along now
Words: 2,038
Time: 11:30 - 2:00 (1/2 hr break)
Mood: Good
Impression: I think it's good...
Here's an interesting fact about me. When I was in the 2nd grade, I got an 'F' in writing. Oh course, back then it was about the physical ability to write. My elementary school used to split the kids up into 2 different classes. I was in the class with all of the smarter kids. But even though I was in that class I was also a very poor reader.
I can remember the dread I would feel whenever we had reading time in class. The teacher would go around the class and have a student read a couple of paragraphs aloud. And when he would get to me I would just become embarrassed. The truth was that I could barely read. It wasn't that I didn't know the words, it was that I would stare at a word and I couldn't remember which word it was.
My reading was so bad that my parents had me tested to make sure that everything was "ok" with me. I can remember the day that the results came back. It was the night that we would always go out for our family night out. My mother walked around glamorously dressed and I kept saying "can we go". But my mother kept saying that she was waiting on a call.
When the call came in my father got next to my mother as she spoke to the person on the other end. When the call was over she turned to my father and said "everything is fine". She then walked over to me, bent down, gave me a big kiss and said "I knew you were normal."
After that I attended a special after school program to improve my reading. In the 5th grade I attended a reading program at another school, and in the 7th grade at my high school, I was placed in a special reading program there. It wasn't until I was taking a college psychology class about learning disorders that I realized that I had a special form of dyslexia. It was such an incredible revelation to me. It make me feel so much better that it had a name. So with all of that being my history I now find it very ironic now that I have made more money as a writer than I have in any other field.
I say all of that to say that I I never really took a class on how to write books. I learned how to write long form by learning how to write movie scripts. In scripts the stakes have to be very high all the time. That is what gets people to watch the movie. But that's not the case with books.
With scripts being my foundation for long form writing, I still have my doubts that the stakes for the book are high enough. All my characters want, is to be happy. There's penis enlargement, sex, a funny talking alcoholic penis and a ton of information in the book. But I can't help but ask myself is trying to be happy a high enough stake? It's certainly isn't as high as trying to save the universe from the evil Darth Vader. But I'm still hoping that it is.
Time: 11:30 - 2:00 (1/2 hr break)
Mood: Good
Impression: I think it's good...
Here's an interesting fact about me. When I was in the 2nd grade, I got an 'F' in writing. Oh course, back then it was about the physical ability to write. My elementary school used to split the kids up into 2 different classes. I was in the class with all of the smarter kids. But even though I was in that class I was also a very poor reader.
I can remember the dread I would feel whenever we had reading time in class. The teacher would go around the class and have a student read a couple of paragraphs aloud. And when he would get to me I would just become embarrassed. The truth was that I could barely read. It wasn't that I didn't know the words, it was that I would stare at a word and I couldn't remember which word it was.
My reading was so bad that my parents had me tested to make sure that everything was "ok" with me. I can remember the day that the results came back. It was the night that we would always go out for our family night out. My mother walked around glamorously dressed and I kept saying "can we go". But my mother kept saying that she was waiting on a call.
When the call came in my father got next to my mother as she spoke to the person on the other end. When the call was over she turned to my father and said "everything is fine". She then walked over to me, bent down, gave me a big kiss and said "I knew you were normal."
After that I attended a special after school program to improve my reading. In the 5th grade I attended a reading program at another school, and in the 7th grade at my high school, I was placed in a special reading program there. It wasn't until I was taking a college psychology class about learning disorders that I realized that I had a special form of dyslexia. It was such an incredible revelation to me. It make me feel so much better that it had a name. So with all of that being my history I now find it very ironic now that I have made more money as a writer than I have in any other field.
I say all of that to say that I I never really took a class on how to write books. I learned how to write long form by learning how to write movie scripts. In scripts the stakes have to be very high all the time. That is what gets people to watch the movie. But that's not the case with books.
With scripts being my foundation for long form writing, I still have my doubts that the stakes for the book are high enough. All my characters want, is to be happy. There's penis enlargement, sex, a funny talking alcoholic penis and a ton of information in the book. But I can't help but ask myself is trying to be happy a high enough stake? It's certainly isn't as high as trying to save the universe from the evil Darth Vader. But I'm still hoping that it is.
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