Writing Fiction

One of the classes I'm taking is Fiction Writing 1, English 351. I hope to learn something about the craft in the class. Since we're not allowed to write genre fiction in this particular class, I'm can't write anything set in the world of Violet Skies. So, I'm using an idea set in the modern world, Chicago, specifically. It's about two young lovers when they first meet. I'll post the story here when I have the first draft finished.

Our textbook for the class is "Writing Fiction" by Janet Burroway, and I like it so far. She disagrees with Stephen King on the usefulness of writing workshops, but I'm hoping that she's right, because if not then the class might not be very helpful.

I do recommend the book if you're in the market for a how-to on fiction writing and you've already read "On Writing" by Stephen King. It's got exercises that you can do at the end of each chapter, and it's written in an accessible style. Some of the quotes in the book are amusing.

Happy Returns

It's been a long time since I've updated this blog. Too long. In that time, I've gotten a new job in a regional grocery store and that's going well for now. I've also started going to church again after years away. Tuesday I go back to school, more than 15 years after I dropped out. I think I'm more mature now than I was back then, and I should be able to handle it better. We'll see how much I remember. I'll be majoring in English, with an emphasis on creative writing. I should graduate in May of 2014. I'm excited, though a little concerned.

I haven't forgotten about Violet Skies. I hope to publish it in the fall, probably September. I'll continue to work on it, possibly with some direction from my professors at the University of Kansas. I could afford to publish it now, but I feel it still needs some work. I can think of specific things that I want to change.

That's it for now. I'll try to post here much more often. I might write something about my church next.

A little more work

I did a little editing work on Violet Skies today. Just so you know I haven't forgotten about the project.

The Holding Pattern

It's been awhile since I've posted here. Unfortunately, there isn't much to report. I'm still looking for a job and until I get one I can't afford to publish Violet Skies. In the meantime, I should work on the second book, but I've had writer's block for these past two months. I'll try again to work on it tomorrow.

5th Draft Complete

I just finished the new scene that I mentioned in an earlier post, so the 5th draft of Violet Skies is done. I just sent it to my editor. I'll see what he thinks. After that, it's just a matter of expenses like getting an artist to do a cover.

Still, it feels good to have it done.

Appendices

At this point, I just need to finish the appendices and then there's only one more thing to do. I want to add a scene in which Taya confronts the spirits of the wind over her mother's fate.

I have been thinking that in addition to getting a cover, I should also have an artist make a map of Aeovas.

50%

My edit of the 5th draft is just over half done.

One of the things I'm looking at is to make sure that there are no references to "silver coins", or "coppers", etc. and that I'm referring to the coins by their actual names. There is an appendix in the book that explains the coinage system, among other things.

I don't think it's too much of a rough patch in the story to see the names of the coins. They're all decimal and pretty straightforward. It's pretty clear that ten aurons is a lot more than one auron, for example, and a "bit" is clearly a small amount. Nor do I think that the worth of an auron is any less clear than the worth of a "silver coin". So I really do prefer it this way. I think it adds some depth to the setting.