Category: Writing

Disillusion

Geek, Social Media, Writing

I thought it would be fun to write for another website. More articles to write, more entertainment news to cover. I’m quickly realizing, however, that this new website is nothing about actual article writing. All they’re after is website clicks, and they don’t even want any original material. That’s right–I’ve become one of those click-bait writers. So demeaning.

It’s hellishly mind-numbing. Take one of the articles they select for you to source from, paraphrase/quote, source, photo credit, tag it, bag it, post, and repeat. Nothing even newsworthy, because it’s all information that other websites have already covered. No interviews, no original reviews, nothing thought-provoking. Just regurgitated information.

I hate to quit anything, but this new site just isn’t working out for me. I’m creatively stifled. There is nothing inventive, nothing entertaining, nothing worthwhile to what I am doing. At least with Talk Nerdy With Us there’s more freedom, more creativity. If I come up with a great idea for a post, I’m free to write it. I don’t have to copy other websites, which frankly makes me feel like a plagiarist (despite the fact that with this new site we credit all of our sources).

Talk Nerdy With Us is an amazing family. This other site? Nope. They’re just about the number of website views and interactions. I’ve not even been writing for them a week and I’m already over it. Give me my Talk Nerdy With Us. Give me my freedom. Give me my originality.

Give me liberty or gtfo.

Night and Day

Writing

Writing for this new website is definitely different from writing for Talk Nerdy With Us. TNWU has a more family feel, with more relaxed rules for posting. The new site? Rules, rules, rules.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing. Naming sources is important, as is giving photo credit where credit is due. Grammar and punctuation are also important; you must present a professional face when creating a professional site.

I’ll admit that I haven’t read all of the posts on either site; I simply don’t have the time! (Both are very prolific sites.) However, in excerpts from TNWU I have noticed some grammatical errors that could easily have been avoided. Sure, there’s longer content and more original thought, but without the foundation of proper grammar some of the articles may turn out seeming unprofessional and more bloggy than the news posts on the new site.

Switching styles between sites can be jarring, but I can do it. I just need to remember to keep to all the rules of the new site.

Busy little bee

#nerd, Geek, Social Media, Writing

As if I hadn’t gotten myself involved in enough projects lately, I just signed on to start writing for another entertainment/geek website (in addition to Talk Nerdy With Us). It’ll make me busy, but also will give me something to do in the mornings when I can’t focus on writing my WIP.

This one has a little different structure than Talk Nerdy With Us, and the goal is different so I don’t think there will be any conflict of interest. The Cosplay Closet Essentials will still be a completely Talk Nerdy With Us thing, and I can just write short articles on the side for GeekFeed. Win-win.

Also, the team on GeekFeed has a lot of people in England, so they’re more active when I’m up early in the morning. That will be nice (seeing as how I get up ridiculously early and usually have few people to talk to), and now I can have an excuse to be up at 0300 😉

I’m excited to expand my writing opportunities, and I’m glad I answered the call for writers. Onward and upward 🙂

Little Red Dress

Flash Fiction, Writing

Rosalinda twirled in front of the mirror, reveling in the beauty of her new dress. The light glistened off of it, sparkling like rubies.

A lot of work went into that dress. Rosalinda made it herself; the materials alone were worth an immeasurable amount. No monetary price could be put on her work of art. It was the culmination of five years of searching for just the right fabric, from just the right source.

Following the curves of her body like a second skin, the dress was the epitome of comfort. She felt no seams, and the weight was perfection: heavy enough to be comforting, but light enough to allow total freedom of movement.

Rosalinda turned to her date for the night and said, “Well, Francisco, what do you think?”

His head lolled at an angle and his mouth hung wide open. A grin split his face from ear to ear. Francisco had never seen such a beautiful dress.

And he never would see it. His dead eyes stared at the little red dress made from his blood.

Rosalinda had made the perfect little red dress … Such a shame that it would be dry, brown, and flaking in a matter of hours.

Ooh, shiny….

Cosplay, Novel, Sewing, Social Media, Writing

Yeah, I know. I should be writing. Not writing a blog, but writing-writing. Today has been one of those distraction-filled days, where Facebook and Twitter and Google Play and staring into space (and this blog, I guess) all keep me from making any progress on my work-in-progress.

Okay, so maybe I made a little progress. Regressive progress. I did some more work on strengthening my main character, but in order to do so I took out a few hundred words. Granted, the words I took out weren’t necessary anymore (and not really necessary to begin with, I found out), but it’s still a step backwards.

Maybe this weekend I’ll get more done. Or at least Saturday. Sunday I need to get back cracking at finishing up the minor final details on our cosplays. That’s another thing I keep getting distracted away from.

At least the commission art project I spent so much time on is done. It was fun, but it’s a weight off my shoulders to have it completed. One less distraction.

Tonight will be a live tweet of the 100th episode of Grimm for Talk Nerdy With Us. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve live tweeted because I’ve been caught up in stupid adulting, but I think tonight I’m going to take some time to focus on the show and getting a good live tweet done. It’ll be good practice for getting back in the swing of live tweeting, because next week I’m back on Pacific time so I can tweet alongside the people who are watching the West coast feed (so few people live tweet during the Mountain time zone! No one interacting, which makes it less fun).

Aaaaand I got distracted. Again. Well, since it’s almost time to go to work I guess I’ll leave my poor neglected WIP off to the side for a while. Until the morrow!

In Deeper Waters

Novel, Writing

I ended up revising my first few chapters–again–because my main character was falling flat. She was whiny and skittish and just too scared of EVERYTHING. Too neurotic to be likable. Who wants a candy-ass heroine? Not me.

So far the male protagonist seems likable and believable. Okay, it’s a sci-fi type story, which means some of the stuff isn’t necessarily going to be believable. That’s the fiction part of sci-fi.

^^Wow, I got distracted by something… I started this post a day ago & forgot to finish typing it up.

Anywho, much revising left to do to ensure that my female protagonist doesn’t end up a flat, whiny brat.

Potty Humor

Writing

So remember the charity anthology I have been writing for since … well, over a year? Probably not. Anywho, the whole thing is about bullying and the consequences it can have. The organizer of the charity suggested to me that we have some pieces in the anthology that had a bit of humor to them, since most–okay, practically all–of the pieces are quite dark.

Where did my deep, poetic author’s mind go to?

Potty humor. I went straight for the poop joke.

What can I say? I’m a product of my surroundings. Today’s society, at least the ‘Murican society, is full of fart jokes and general lavatory-related levity.

I don’t know if the other authors collaborating on the anthology will like my story; maybe they’ll think it’s too gross or crude. If they do, guess who’s posting the story right here on this blog? That’s right. Win-win. 😉

The Journey Continues

Novel, Sci-fi, Writing

Things are moving right along with the new manuscript. I’m not writing as quickly as some authors might, but I’m getting a lot accomplished for my personal pace. Less than 9 months left in the year for me to finish the first draft, but I’m still optimistic that I can do it.

My protagonists are out of the city where they were being hunted by the authorities and have now reached another city where their arrival will cause something of a stir.

I’ve noticed that I could be more descriptive. I kind of lack in that department, so during revisions I will probably bump up the verbal painting until the pictures are more vibrant. I can envision my characters clearly, but will the reader be able to?

As is, probably not. But I’ll make it better. I’ll learn and adapt. I’ll create a world that people can step into to escape their own.

In the dark

Insomnia, Sleep, Writing

Here it is: another morning awoken early for no apparent reason. I’m torn between going back to sleep–and only getting another two and a half hours max–or just staying up to write. Sure, sleep sounds nice, but let’s be honest…I’m not going to get back to sleep right away. Too many thoughts running around inside this head.

The apartment seems strange since my husband unplugged the nightlights I had been using to help me navigate in the dark (they were bothering him and he couldn’t sleep with them on). Not that I’m bothered by the dark; it’s just strange to look around and see no lights on except for my laptop screen, the clocks, and, for whatever reason, my husband’s tablet screen. (Why is that screen on, anyway?)

I suppose since I’m not really tired enough to get back to sleep I should be writing. But I should be trying to get back to sleep. Two and a half hours? Might as well write.