bored with boredom?

I keep revisiting Halo, adding a line or two, polishing here and there...

The part I've arrived to is when the protagonist is at his daytime, 'normal' job - which he finds completely boring. He finds no meaning in commuting to and fro and in working in general.

I am now at around 900 words, which rate perhaps sounds ridiculous to those who spit the same amount half a day - but this is just how I seem to write.

When the kids are at home they sometimes wish to grab the computer and play games with it. Sometimes they just wish some attention from their mother, that is me, which I surely must give them. I cook, I clean the house, I shop firewood, tend the chicken and so on...

When they are at home, writing is hard.

When I'm alone, writing is hard, too.

I like when they are at home, providing me some fading family background. When they are at home but leave me alone - those are the best times for writing.

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The short story was originally 250 words and I, upon the suggestion of my readers, wanted to expand it.

This is what I do now - expanding.

I'm planning to have it around 1500-2000 words.

I like finding out more detail about the interesting elements of the story around Hail, the main character. I like getting involved in his actions. I like describing the way he feels when he's actually DOING something interesting.

But when he's doing something he DISLIKES -

I think I have written most of that part, too.

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(not) surprisingly enough, those parts came out sort of dull.

It's rather telling and not showing.

Don't you worry, my dear potential readers, it is not a long part, it's less than a few lines.

Yet -

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Question

when your hero is faced with a problem/situation/person s/he gets bored with/dislikes to the point of ignorance - does your style changes? do YOU get bored writing it, too?

Merry Christmas!

Dear Readers,

now get back to your families and stop sitting by the computer!

Get absorbed by the spirit of Christmas, will ya!

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This applies to me as well.

I tend to watch the monitor endlessly and it tears me away from the family.

At Christmas time it is less than tolerated :)

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Does your family like when the Muse strikes and enforces you to hit the keyboard endlessly? What's their reaction? Do they witdraw, letting you create? Do they whine about not seeing and having you? When you're alone in an ordinary it's all right, but when it's Christmas....?

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I'm planning to return to Halo once I can.

at the same time -UPDATED

Some great NEWS:

After having finished writing a less than 250-word piece into that contest, I returned to writing the longer version of Halo.

I'm so glad I've found that work again :)

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You know I've started this blog to monitor my (not) writing a story.

Then I've decided to write the expansion of Halo before finishing my original idea.

Later still I've seen that photo and decided to write a shorty short for the competition as well.

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Which meant I had three works in progress - and instead of writing a little bit of this here and a nother bit there, I wrote none, nowhere.

I was sad and confused, until I forced myself to finish that competition entry first.

As soon as I've finished that I was able to add some new paragraphs to the Halo as well...

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Was this burst of energy due to the completed work?

Was it the Muse?

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Question # 1.

What effect does an uncompleted task have on your working efficiency/enthusiasm/inspiration?

If you had an unfinished WIP, can you totally and wholeheartedly work on another?

Question # 2.

Can you write two different types of piece simultaneously?

UPDATE:

If I had to answer questions like these, I'd say:

Basically, I like to finish a job before getting started with another. I am quite an organized person.

But now it's about writing.

And when it comes to writing I don't have as much control.

It is a very interesting experience, though.

UPDATE # 2:

As a conclusion it seems that noone can write/work properly on two different things at the same time. As Billy pointed out, even Stephen King can not do that. I wonder about Chuck Norris, though....

Guys, I'm sorry for the totally ridiculous link. I was unable to resist :)

now or never? or ever?

It's Bernita time again.

She has that wonderful picture up on her site. The lovely tree is a must see and a true inspiration, as I gather from the number of entries.

Yes, it is contest time again, this time, by her.

When I first saw the photo thousand blurs occupied my mind, all asking for being written down.

Which was exactly what I wanted to do.

They were not solid ideas, just blurs, but still - the photo did speak and it still does.

take a look at it and enter the contest, it's open until 14 December.

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I promised her to enter, and so did I for my own self.

I added that I had to wait until family is asleep or away at schools (DH also works at a school, well, a university is a school, isn't it?)

I waited until everyone went asleep; only to realize I had some other things to do, which I duly did.

The next two days were weekend days, and my family needed me.

Monday has come and gone.

I realized I had some other things to do, which I, with clinching fists and tight jaws, duly have done again.

I've been waiting for Tuesday. So Tuesday came and I realized...

Plus my daughter is at home with some virus induced disease.
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So, here I am, wondering whether I will have the precious time to work out those original ideas.

Which are barely audible now. The first striking voice I seemed to have heard is but a silent whisper. I don't know whether I have lost it alltogether or not...

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Do you always carve out the time when the Muse strikes?

or can you call it back later on?

I don't want to mess up with her*, you know.

*I'm referring to the Muse, not to Bernita :)))

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Fear the fear

Bernita says that the worst moment of the hero in fiction writing should not come unexpected. It should be well planned.

Perhaps, to make the scene more real, perhaps, to get the reader ready to the experience.


Bernita and I have at least one thing in common: ursophobia, or fear of bears.

I can't imagine any of my heroes facing a bear, either.

Is it because I would be unable to handle the situation?

One day I might expose a hero of mine to it. When *I* am ready to overcome the fear.

I think many authors keep giving abilities to their heroes way far beyond their own.

What dou you think?

It is more realistic to write out of your own experience OR one can leave his/her own restrictions behind?

If someone posess an abnormal fear of bears for example, can one make a fighting scene between the character and the bear believable?

for better or worse

If you recall a film you saw, a novel you read, which characters lurk on in your mind for longer? Which characters made you think more?

The better ones or the more evil ones?

How come that according to a popular belief, evil characters in a play/movie are easier to master for the actor/actress?

If you gave your hand nand heart a try at writing a poem - what did you find easier to verbalize?

Your loss/pain/depression/anger OR faith/joy/love?

How's that?

We all yearn for harmony, peace and quiet situations, for being loved and giving love - aren't we all? The occassional spur of adrenalin is all right and is necessary, too - but if you look into your heart the desire is there for relaxation, calmness and love, again, the quiet love.

How come that positive feelings are so difficult to convey...?

Are they?