Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
Snippet #1
“Alright Ada,†I pushed myself up so I was leaning against the cold wall of my room and Ada jumped lightly to the floor, the three clawed toes on each of her feet finding easy purchase in the carpet. “Breakfast time.†Ada rustled her feathers in satisfaction. Pulling aside the blankets, I swung my legs out of bed, and after nudging Ada from my path, passed my hand over the pale blue square to the right of the door. A seam appeared in the centre of the light green door of my bedroom, and the two halves silently split and disappeared sideways into the walls. As usual, Ada was ahead of me in her rush to the kitchen and her enthusiastic claws clicking on the tiled floor induced a groan from my brother’s room. This groan was Corin’s traditional way of greeting the new day. In the kitchen, Ada was already bouncing on her feet in front of the fridge, performing the occasional spirited three-sixty with her wings outspread. I opened the fridge as Ada jumped onto the kitchen counter and then up onto my shoulder. She nuzzled my cheek, her cold beak and the warm softness of her feathered crest creating an unusual sensation on my skin. She started to keen quietly, swaying her head back and forth with her eyes half closed. The appearance of the vegetables she ate for breakfast and the blender which processed them sent her once again into a clattering mess of claws on the floor. Corin would be loving this.
The creature scrabbling around on the kitchen tiles was an archaeopteryx, a doctored animal created by GEIA, the organisation by which I was currently employed. GEIA, a company that hadn’t existed before The Storms, was responsible for the myriad of previously extinct animals now alive and kicking in the zoos of the cities. Genetic Engineering Involving Animals had originally been set up after The Storms in an attempt to reverse the horrific impact that humans had had on the earth. Unsurprisingly, their priorities had now changed and the departments creating creatures for zoos and the tourism industry, as well as domesticated pets for the general public, were the aspects of the company commonly identified by the average person. I scooped Ada’s now pulverised breakfast into her bowl, set it on the tiles, then turned my attention to a brochure on the bench. The sound of Ada eating formed a familiar background noise as I flipped open the brightly coloured paper.
13 years ago
Mon Dec 06 2010, 10:54am
You're doing an amazing job, Kaede! Your snippet of writing sounds fascinating (and not just because the archaeopteryx was my favourite dinosaur/prehistoric creature in primary school).
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
Last night after writing a mere 250 words, I was planning to give up and meander about Ober.net instead. Then my internet wouldn't connect! After many frustrated attempts, pretty much all entailing the same thing convinced as I was that if I kept pushing the round peg into the square hole, it would go in, the internet remained unconnectable. After a minor tantrum which I'm proud to say included only a minor amount of huffing, I started writing again. I think the spirit of Ober.net was saying, "Don't come on the computer here until you've written your daily quota!" Anyway, thanks to my faulty net connection, I did end up writing 1594 words.
Right, enough of that waffle. Last night I realised that I need to do some serious research. I've been able to avoid it so far, thinking that I can come back and perfect things during editing, but I have hit some major snags. I'm off to the library today to commandeer books on dinosaurs and endangered animals, and probably anything else that tickles my fancy. I really hope that research doesn't cut into my writing time! Hopefully I'll break 10 000 today :D
Hah, that's awesome! I used to try to write without the internet going in the background, but it turned out I got on better if I could pop onto LJ or Ober.net, or chat with people, while I was writing.
Are you going to reward yourself in some way once you reach 10,000 words? That sounds like something that should be celebrated. :D
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
Typical! On the one day of the year I actually decided to visit the library, it's closed! Ahh well, I'll amuse myself by scrounging around the random books located throughout the house and hope I find something helpful.
I think I'll probably just perform a little jig when I reach 10 000. And then have a sleep :P
13 years ago
Tue Dec 07 2010, 08:38pm
Well done so far Kaede! I'm liking the story so far, hope you keep up the amazing work. Don't you strongly dislike it when the internet barrs your research time? [act]shakes head[/act] Oh well, have a great time doing your successful jig at the big 10 000! :D
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
Thanks Ashta! I didn't know about that list. It seems really comprehensive :D And Fate, I had a great time doing my jig! :P
I kind of bombed out yesterday and only wrote 809 words. I've done a fair bit today so far, and am currently 634 words off target, but I intend to write more tonight and catch up completely. Yesterday I discovered a rather major flaw in my plot! I have this military department, but when I came to writing them into the story, I discovered that the way my world was at the moment, there was absolutely no need for there to even be a military! I fiddled around a bit so it all fits now, and I think made the plot more interesting overall, but I could have kicked myself at such a large oversight |facepalm|
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
So today I made 13 037, but I feel like things are only just starting to happen in the story. I can sum up what has happened so far in one thirteen word sentence. Obviously not quite as descriptive as the whole 13 037, but I'm starting to think I may be full of waffle. That is what my high school English teacher constantly wrote on my essays. I'm hoping that creative writing waffle is slightly more acceptable :-?
Dreamweavers' Guilden
13 years ago
Dreamweavers' Guilden
Rebel
I like your story so far Kaede! When may we have the next snippet?? :P
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I'm writing it on my laptop and I keep forgetting to USB bits over to this computer (which is the only one in the house that connects to the internet) |facepalm| I will most certainly post some more tomorrow morning :)
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
Snippet #2
Tavian grinned at me, the charade over. “Hey Ru, you thinking of adopting a new look?†I tore my eyes away from examining the mixed bags of fruit on display in front of me and drew my eyebrows together in puzzlement.
“Not that I know of. Has Corin been messing with my uniform?†It wouldn’t be the first time either. Corin, ever the crafty one in the family (once he’d rubbed the sleep from his eyes), was forever trying out new pranks on me. His latest had been to wash my work uniform in a dye that was only visible in full sunlight. Every time I had walked outside that day, I had turned a delightful shade of pink, complete with lime green polka dots. Visiting the market was the first time I’d been outdoors today, and the forcefield didn’t fully block the small trickle of sunlight available, despite the continuing spattering of fire rain. I looked down at my uniform in apprehension.
“No, it’s not that,†Tavian assured me hastily. He had been a witness of the pink and green dye debacle. “You’ve got a pretty healthy layer of dirt on you. I thought I was the farmer here.â€
“Oh!†I thought dirt was far better than the Corin alternative. “Adie and I have been working in one of the Rehab Rooms this morning.†I flicked up the collar of my green work shirt and felt for the auto-cleaning tab. Slightly thicker than the material surrounding it, one press of the cleaning tab sent a pulse through the fibres of the material, eradicating any dirt and resetting the threads to make it appear as though it had been ironed moments ago. I reached inside the waist of my work pants, found the tab, and pressed it, causing my pants to undergo the same treatment.
“Lyra should pay more attention to your appearance before you enter a public place,†Tavian said teasingly as I picked out two bags of fruit. “She always was the more fashion conscious of you two.â€
[ligne][/ligne]
This snippet isn't crucial to the story, but I thought I'd show it anyway :)
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I've completely bombed out the last few days. Yesterday I only did 328 words, and today was 680. I'm currently 2346 words behind my running target (22 400), but I'm hopeful that I can catch up. I really want to get to my goal of 50 000 within the month, so maybe after some reflection on the plot and such I'll be able to plough ahead again.
I like the second snippet Kaede, I don't care if it's not integral to the story :)
I'm having a similar problem with my writing, but I'm more like 10,000 words behind my running total. I'm sure you can totally catch up 2,346!
I can't wait to read more :D
-Ashta
I love the detail of the dye that's only visible in sunlight. Awesome.
I think you're doing an amazing job, Kaede. And really, you're not that far behind on your target at all. You just never know when you'll hit a day where you're inspired and you just keep going and going. :D
I agree with Bunne. The detail in the last snippet was very nice. Your word count is also very impressive, even if you are behind what you originally intended. Looking forward to reading more. :)
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I think fail whale is a good term to descibe how December went. I suppose I did write a lot, but I ended up only just over halfway to my goal. Maybe I should cut myself some slack considering my current circumstances, but I still wish I'd done more. I'm not sure what my goal for January or February is going to be, but once I work something out (hopefully this something will be manageable), I'll update my goal and start writing again.
Mystic Ward
13 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
You did great Kaede. Stop being so hard on yourself.
You've done brilliant, Kaede! Just see where your writing takes you - it doesn't have to reach x number of words by y date if time doesn't permit. Your story is also great, so have fun writing the rest! :)
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
Thanks guys :) I think as I'm having trouble getting back into it (I opened my laptop to try to write something yesterday, but I ended up staring into space for an hour instead ::) ) I'm going to start on another idea. IWhilst I was writing in December, I came up with a lot of ideas for other stories I'd like to write, but I tried telling them they had to wait their turn and I wanted to finish the one I was working on first. As that's not really happening, I think I'll give one of these other ideas a chance. It's typical that I'd have a flood of ideas when I'm trying to focus on developing one!
This new idea is aimed at readers younger than the intended audience for the work I did in December. You know what, I'm just going to call that one Chimaera - even though that probably won't be the final title, it's easier than "The writing I did in December" :P This new idea will be set in the present and I think is kind of inspired by Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic books. Anyway, I'm going to try to set out the entire plot before I start writing as I'll probably get halfway, then fall into a rut like I did with Chimaera if I don't. Hopefully I'll be up and writing in the next few days!
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I successfully wrote something today! I only did 1075 words, but hopefully this means I'm feeling a bit more motivated and will be able to continue. After saying that I was going to start working on another idea, I did nothing for quite a few days. The writing I did today is on the original story I wanted to write, so hopefully I'll be able to stick to it and get it all out. I go back to uni in mid-Feb, but I'm kind og hoping I'll get to roughly 40 000 words by then. I'm not sure whether I'll be able to write much once I'm there. Perhaps I should force myself to and just make sure I'm more organised to deal with study. Doing this OberNoWriSu has been great. Although I flopped out there for a while, I'm actually started to believe it may be possible for me to be an actual author rather than someone who just dreams of it. It's still a long way off if it does happen, but just that fact that the possibility feels more real makes me more motivated! :D
And thankyou so much for the Word Weaver Award! :D
Mystic Guilden
12 years ago
Mystic Guilden
Mage
Firstly- good luck with the summer job :)
I'm in the same boat in regards to work/writing balance, but you can only do what you can do. At least with OberNo there's no pressure, just a nice gentle prod :)
Good luck, Kaede! :D It's great that you're sitting down to plan it all out (it's still words on a page :P) even with your new work schedule. You've got a great goal for the summer, hope you have fun with the writing and the job :D