Just in time (almost) for my birthday, comes this entry into the AW Blog Chain for December. In this case, the subject is a wrap-up of the year 2009.
Financially, this year has been harder than I hoped. Big surprise, I know. In terms of writing, my biggest disappointment was a planned play adaptation of Sheridan LeFanu's Carmilla. Honestly, I was just dabbling with that idea but then someone all-but-offered a venue for the thing! Naturally enough, I got to scribbling! Until...it became obvious that he was offering absolutely nothing else by way of support, even though this would have been part of his event. Neither I nor any other "staff member" would receive air fare to New Orleans, nor room when we got there, etc. In other words all I'd have to do is spend a few thousand dollars I didn't and don't have.
Live and learn.
But I've made major headway on two other near-time projects. One is part of a projected series, tentatively titled (pretty firmly to be honest) Deep As Blood. Those who know me will not feel surprise to learn it a vampire fantasy set in the modern day. That is still in the outline stage, especially after (to my considerable shock) a secondary character went and grabbed center stage for the whole thing!
More advanced is my effort (chronicled earlier this year) in re-writing a 19th century potboiler (Varney The Vampyre) into an erotic gothic romance titled Baneworth. I'm showing three or four friends each chapter as I get it into the "acceptable first draft" phase, and their comments have been fascinating to say the least. (*waves* Thanks Monica, Lola, Rowan!!!) Don't know about the rest of you, but an emotional support system is vital in my writing. Really. Right now I'm working on a rough draft of Chapter Six, which has already presented a bit of a quandry. One of my characters is already so much more interesting than the "leads"! Hmm. Methinks I sense a pattern. So I'll need to bring certain aspects of the other characters into sharper relief then.
For the record, this year also saw my starting up this blog and the creation of my writer's website (still pretty basic, but growing--I quite like the design and how it matches this blog's). Likewise I joined AW this year, which is something of a godsend. Cannot tell you how long I searched for a message board like that one. Plus made excellent friends with Francesca Miller, whose website I designed.
A few weeks back was the anniversary of my beloved Colleen's passing. Last year I went to work that day and came apart for the next couple of weeks. This year, I stayed home and slept. And I feel better. Strategy? Time? Both? I dunno.
Lost Wanderer - http://www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com/
Claire Crossdale - http://theromanticqueryletter.blogspot.com/
coryleslie - http://corrinejackson.wordpress.com/
bsolah - http://benjaminsolah.com/blog (PREVIOUS)
DavidZahir - http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/ (MOI!)
RavenCorinnCarluk http://ravencorinncarluk.blogspot.com/ (NEXT!)
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/
shethinkstoomuch - http://shethinkstoomuch.wordpress.com/
Lady Cat - http://www.randomwriterlythoughts.blogspot.com/
truelyana - http://expressiveworld.com/
misaditas - http://misaditas-novels.blogspot.com/
collectonian -
laharrison - http://lesleyharrison.wordpress.com/
beawhiz - http://beawrites.wordpress.com/
razibahmed - http://www.blogging37.com/
FreshHell - http://freshhell.wordpress.com/
AlissaC - http://alissacarleton.blogspot.com/
Aimee - http://writing.aimeelaine.com/
Financially, this year has been harder than I hoped. Big surprise, I know. In terms of writing, my biggest disappointment was a planned play adaptation of Sheridan LeFanu's Carmilla. Honestly, I was just dabbling with that idea but then someone all-but-offered a venue for the thing! Naturally enough, I got to scribbling! Until...it became obvious that he was offering absolutely nothing else by way of support, even though this would have been part of his event. Neither I nor any other "staff member" would receive air fare to New Orleans, nor room when we got there, etc. In other words all I'd have to do is spend a few thousand dollars I didn't and don't have.
Live and learn.
But I've made major headway on two other near-time projects. One is part of a projected series, tentatively titled (pretty firmly to be honest) Deep As Blood. Those who know me will not feel surprise to learn it a vampire fantasy set in the modern day. That is still in the outline stage, especially after (to my considerable shock) a secondary character went and grabbed center stage for the whole thing!
More advanced is my effort (chronicled earlier this year) in re-writing a 19th century potboiler (Varney The Vampyre) into an erotic gothic romance titled Baneworth. I'm showing three or four friends each chapter as I get it into the "acceptable first draft" phase, and their comments have been fascinating to say the least. (*waves* Thanks Monica, Lola, Rowan!!!) Don't know about the rest of you, but an emotional support system is vital in my writing. Really. Right now I'm working on a rough draft of Chapter Six, which has already presented a bit of a quandry. One of my characters is already so much more interesting than the "leads"! Hmm. Methinks I sense a pattern. So I'll need to bring certain aspects of the other characters into sharper relief then.
For the record, this year also saw my starting up this blog and the creation of my writer's website (still pretty basic, but growing--I quite like the design and how it matches this blog's). Likewise I joined AW this year, which is something of a godsend. Cannot tell you how long I searched for a message board like that one. Plus made excellent friends with Francesca Miller, whose website I designed.
A few weeks back was the anniversary of my beloved Colleen's passing. Last year I went to work that day and came apart for the next couple of weeks. This year, I stayed home and slept. And I feel better. Strategy? Time? Both? I dunno.
Lost Wanderer - http://www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com/
Claire Crossdale - http://theromanticqueryletter.blogspot.com/
coryleslie - http://corrinejackson.wordpress.com/
bsolah - http://benjaminsolah.com/blog (PREVIOUS)
DavidZahir - http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/ (MOI!)
RavenCorinnCarluk http://ravencorinncarluk.blogspot.com/ (NEXT!)
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/
shethinkstoomuch - http://shethinkstoomuch.wordpress.com/
Lady Cat - http://www.randomwriterlythoughts.blogspot.com/
truelyana - http://expressiveworld.com/
misaditas - http://misaditas-novels.blogspot.com/
collectonian -
laharrison - http://lesleyharrison.wordpress.com/
beawhiz - http://beawrites.wordpress.com/
razibahmed - http://www.blogging37.com/
FreshHell - http://freshhell.wordpress.com/
AlissaC - http://alissacarleton.blogspot.com/
Aimee - http://writing.aimeelaine.com/
Good post David. Live and Learn! Yes, that is so true. If not for mistakes, there would be no progress. Here is to the better 2010 for all of us.
ReplyDeleteYour wrap up reads to like optimistic melancholy. Very emotional. I can almost hear you smiling in between the lines and I felt in earnest your lost and was very sorry. I love your open honest approach and wish you well in the year to come.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Claire
I can agree with both Lost Wanderer and Claire your wrap up says so much, whilst at the same time points out the truth among experiences and that is why it is positive in such a way.
ReplyDeleteA very Happy New Year to you when it comes.
Sometimes it's one step forward and two back. But the important thing is just to keep on writing. Now, I just need to take my own advice! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy almost birthday! Don't you just hate those kinds of offers? It seems 2009 was frought with them -- you aren't the only one to be gifted something only to find out the gift isn't worth the words that presented it. :( Hang in there, maybe in 2010? :)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday. I hope that 2010 will be better for you and all of us.
ReplyDeleteI second Razib. I hope your 2010 is far better. I'm glad you found AW. It was a great find for me in 2009, too!
ReplyDeleteBelated birthday greetings! I'm relatively new to AW too - it's a great resource, isn't it! May the next decade be successful for you.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that, in 2009, I started my own blog and through that, found yours. You have a very deep and insightful way of presenting your thoughts, which I enjoy immensely. Sometimes things don't quite work out the way we intend, which is disappointing. I wish you health and happiness in 2010
ReplyDelete