A novel, nonsense and shattered dreams!

Okay here's what's been up in the world of me. First, I actually got an interesting assignment for the Lookout this week. So hopefully that article rocks because I really want it to.

I think now that I'm writing for the paper, I might not write the reviews anymore. I have enjoyed it but the site has been sometimes only publishing one review I send each week, instead of two, which I'm not sure if it's because of space. It could be because they don't like my writing, choice of small independent books or my pointing out how the women look trashy for no reason. No hard feelings though, it wasn't really my thing. I don't think many people read it anyway and I don't want to stress my self out by doing all this stuff like reviews and the paper, because they're not the kind of work I love to do. Besides the paper is a better publishing credit and I get experience working with an editor. Not to mention that I feel like I say the same thing every week. For now though, I am still doing them but I'll probably stop soon.

So I finally finished the second installment of Double Take the story I wrote that got published in Pandora's Gate. I think I'll send it to them and then wait to see if anyone else picks up the first part before I send out the second part to other places.

In my creative writing class we're working on poetry which isn't my favorite form of writing. It's been interesting learning that you can pretty much do whatever you want and people are like 'that's deep'. It doesn't have to rhyme, or tell a story. It doesn't have to make any sense and someone will still make sense of it. Fabulous!

I think tomorrow being the first of the month, I am going to start a novel. What? I know but I have a really good idea for one and I think it's important to explore all my options. I don't just want to say things that can fit into a comic book or short story. So I'm going to give it a whirl. And all the books I've read say I need to have a schedule and if I follow it I can be done in three months. Don't worry, I'll be writing other things while I work on it too.

And finally on a lighter note (not that any of this was that serious), two of my dreams were shattered this week when Wizard the comic magazine came out. First of all I will not be the first woman listed on the Wizard's top 10 current hottest writer's list, but Yippee! for Gail Simmone who did get that. (And actually there might have been someone before her but none that I'm aware.) Secondly, I was not named Comic's hottest fan girl ever, which went to some model who's dad writes comics. Oh what will I work for now?

It's not my thing

Something occurred to me early yesterday morning, as I sat at the college's financial budget planning seminar. Journalism is really not my thing. I love to write, don't get me wrong, but I don't really care for doing interviews or getting up early on my day off to cover meetings about understanding the model of a community college's budget or their return on investment. Sure I don't like doing comic book reviews either, critiquing isn't really my thing. At least then I'm writing about something I'm interested in.

Of course I'll keeping writing for the paper because it's about the only thing I can get published in. Also be cause it's editing and writing experience. So yeah! It doesn't mean I have to enjoy it though. So now I'll just complain about it.

Exhausted and loving it!

I have to say that I was more than a little stressed this week and I was actually excited about it. This week has had a lot to do with my writing. So let me tell you all the things that have caused me to be exhausted but pleased with myself.

First I'll mention that since the Lookout was published on Monday, a new article must be written this week. So I had to meet with my editor, figure out what I could cover, get all the details, reserve a seat for the seminar and buy a tape recorder.

Then my next problem was my creative writing class. Our first big paper was due today and I basically started it last night and finished a half an hour before class. The reason I waited so long was because I seriously had talked myself out of going to the class. I don't want to follow the rules of fiction and I don't want to read aloud to my peers, which is what today consisted of. Why did I go? Because I can't break a commitment, especially one to myself. I'm glad I went though, we were in small groups and only had to read our first paragraph out loud. Besides that my peers didn't really evaluate me on how I followed the rules but on the creative aspects of the story. The best part was they liked it and my professor even sat in and made a few comments about what she liked. So it was pretty cool.

I got another rejection letter and took forever opening it. I was happy that they said it was just a bit too long for their publication, not "it sucked, don't submit another story ever!"

I got my reviews done too and I didn't think I'd get a chance to. I even fit in a few submissions. I also got up the nerve to give my comic script to someone for some input.

It was a crazy week but I loved it.

My first article(s)!

Well, I was going to show you my first bit of publicity, but I can't get the image to down load so you're just out of luck. (If someone actually wants to see it leave a comment and I'll send it in an e-mail) Sorry! My first article for the Lansing Community College paper, The Lookout, was also published in the same issue as the article about me.

Aside from that, I have been working on a short story for my creative writing class. That's due Thursday and I've got one out of at least eight pages done.

I also started a sequel to my previously published story "Double Take", since it was about two college freshmen super heroes, now they are sophomores. I will probably send it to Pandora's Gate, which published the first. We'll see when it's finished.

Now I'm having some readers take a look at my comic script so I can edit it. I also start my next article for the paper this week and will keep writing reviews, which have fortunately gotten somewhat easier. Of course, I will keep sending out my minimum of five submissions a day.

I am still waiting to hear back on my movie script and my sci-fi/western. That's not unusual though. It's artists trying to make a living have to put the paying job first.

Keep your thoughts in the box!

I hate to seem like I'm ranting or complaining but I am becoming a little frustrated with one of my classes. We haven't been graded on anything yet so don't think I'm making excuses because I'm not doing well. My problem is with my creative writing class, which you think would be my favorite since that's what I love. I just find that the class isn't what I expected. I thought I would get some input on my writing, what interests other's, what's boring, stuff like that. Instead the class is like this big lecture about rules of writing. You can't have a story that tells and reveals, it's one or the other. You cannot switch points of view, ever. No second person, ever. You must have a round character and a flat character. The story should be told by the round character. You must have a plot that sets up a problem, then fixes it. WHAT THE HELL?

I understand these are basic guidelines and generally good to follow, but this is creative writing. CREATIVE! Why can't I do what I want to do? Why can't I be creative? So what if it's not what everybody else has done before? No one wants to keep reading the same old crap. I'd bet money, if I had any, that most if not all renowned writers did not sit down with a check list to make sure they followed every rule. So why should I not get a good grade if I decide be creative in creative writing?

Maybe I'm not giving my professor enough credit. I guess we'll wait and see.

'Lookout' for the next issue!

Last Thursday, I had an interview with a fellow Lookout reporter about my interest in writing comics. Today, I also had my photo taken to accompany that article in the next issue. The same issue that should feature my first article that I wrote for the Lookout. So needless to say I'm a little excited and as always a little worried about how things will turn out for me.

Now I'm just spending a lot of time editing and sending out submissions trying to figure out what my next project should be. I definitely think I want to write something in the comic book genres. I'm just not sure what. Do I start another comic or write some super-hero, sci-fi stories? I'll keep you posted.

One down

Okay, let me tell you that I successfully completed my first article and the editor did not find everything wrong with it. I got my reviews done and my homework, all just barely in time and well that's really all I've done since the last time I pushed the keys to get words to appear on my blog. Sorry if I sound crazy, but this week's been crazy and I think it might have been contagious.

So what's next you ask? More of the same old, boring stuff. Sorry nothing too on the edge-of-your seat. I will tell you, because I love you, that I have started a live journal that is full of some more fun stuff. Here I try only to talk about my work, I know it can get boring when I don't make much progress or I'm on the same task for so long. Never worry this is always priority, the lj is just a chance to write more. It will mostly be about what I read and watch, so don't get too excited. Stop by if you want. www.livejournal/users/ashlucsha/.

By the way, does anyone else think it's funny that blogspot's spell check thinks that blog is a misspelled word?