The Grand Master Plan

As a writer- No, as a person it is important to have goals. As the old CHS cross country coach liked to say "A person without goals is like a tree..." The team spent ages trying to figure this out, but in the end just pretended to be insightful and put it on our t-shirts.

I'd like to think that quote means that without goals you won't go anywhere, much like a tree doesn't move from where it is planted. Though, a tree does grow upward and that is certainly an accomplishment if you think about it so maybe it's just a bad quote.

Goals are nevertheless important. Because without goals we are likely to squander our lives in events and tasks that don't take us to where we most desire to go. They don't add up to The Grand Master Plan.

The Grand Master Plan, for me, is the somewhat vague and oh-so-flexible plan I have for my life. It encompasses my future career, personal life, writing life, and family life. It's not something I spent hours contemplating and it's really not something I'll hold myself to forever (plans change, of course), but it's a basic outline of where I'd like to go in my life.

Now in order to fulfill the desires in my Grand Master Plan, I have to set goals for myself which will advance me along the path of the Plan. Currently I'm thinking a lot about the writing part of that Plan, and since this is my writing blog I'll share a bit of that plan.

Mostly I'm focused on Eventide, with the occasional side project (mostly short stories) to break up my focus (I find it difficult to stay interested in one thing for a long time if I try to focus solely on that one thing). I've been doing a lot of thinking about Eventide and my previous goals. These goals more or less failed, more or less because I keep changing up plot related items.

So now, ladies and gentlemen, here is where Eventide fits in on The Grand Master Plan:

- Finish the entire first draft of Eventide (which I'm imagining will end up somewhere around 100,000 words) by June.
- Spend the summer as a camp counselor at a church camp I attended when I was younger (making money to finance study abroad adventures).
- Get busy on editing and have a shiny second draft within six months of returning to the world of computers, internet, and writing.
- Post it up on YWS, either in the Advanced Critiques or chapter-by-chapter in the Fantasy Fiction Novel forum (an alternative to this would be to get several beta readers).
- Edit some more with the advice of YWS/beta readers and come up with a shiny third draft.
- Get a handful of beta readers to read for different purposes. One to read for grammer/spelling mistakes, one to read for content, one to read for pure enjoyment.
- Make a few more edits based on the advice of these new beta readers to come up with shiny fourth draft.
- Query agents/publishers
Now this is where the plan becomes tricky. There are two ways to go from here. Either A: the manuscript is loved and I make a deal or B: I'm rejected and need to work on the story more.
- In case of B (see further down for A). Do some hard core editing, find another beta reader, Query, rinse and repeat (this step is repeated as many times as possible).
- In case of A. Rejoice in the splendor that is making a book deal and go through all that is involved with publishing a book.
- Get on to a new project (there are several waiting patiently).

So that's basically it. Looks like a lot, but it isn't so much. And if I really get to work on it I should get through a lot of these items rather quickly. Editing is easier (for me) than the initial writing process and goes a lot faster. If all goes well, I'd love to get Eventide published by the time I graduate from college.

That's about it. This blog mainly fell into my musings and ramblings and goal-settings that are mostly for my own benefit. Oh well. It's my blog, I'll do what I want.

-Lauren-

Frabols-licious!

Very recently, I reached a massive milestone in my life: adulthood. It's lovely to be eighteen, and it was a lovely birthday. But the day really isn't the point. The point is that I recieved Frabols: The Bubblegum Ball from two of my best friends.

Now, I love them both deeply, but they must have lost it. These Frabols are probably the least satisfying things I've ever had. If you've ever spent twenty-five cents on a bubblegum machine at the supermarket, you know what I'm talking about. They're the exact same thing.

While I tend to be someone who enjoys and appreciates bubblegum, I can't seem to appreciate these. For one, only a few flavors (or, colors I suppose) are even good. (I've found purple to be my favorite, and orange is just nasty). But what really is the problem is that the flavor (color) only lasts for about thirty seconds before the Frabols descends into a pit of bland yuck.

So I'm left popping an unsatisfying Frabols into my mouth, chewing it for a minute at most, and then spitting it out into a tissue only to grab for another Frabols in the next motion. I don't know why I do this, it just happens. It's like the Frabols control my life now.

In (completely un)related news, I woke up this morning with the fabulous intention to spend a lot of time writing Eventide today. Unfortunately I did noth-

Dear God, the yellow Frabols are the worst yet! They taste like nail polish!

-ing of the sort. I did chores, and university-prep stuff, but no writing. Actually, I take that back. I wrote... a grand total of thirty words today. Well, I never was one to make deadlines or achieve goals anyway.

-Lauren-

Long Time, No Blog

Well it has been a while hasn't it? Not only did life seem to get in the way of my blogging experience, but I needed some time to actually figure out what I want from this thing.

What I've pretty much decided is that I want to focus on writing and my career as a writer with this blog. A bit of shameless self promotion here and there, as well as my own exploration into the world of literature and creative writing. I'm starting university as an english-creative writing major so I should kind of know what I'm rambling about here in a month or so.

I'm going to try and focus my blog posts on something writing related, since when I blog about life in general I tend to rant and that's never as interesting as I imagine it will be. Though, since writing is a major part of my life it will still get in there somewhere. ;)

That's pretty much all the updating I have right now. I'm going to work on spiffing things up a bit more around here, getting a few quality posts up, and then getting the word around my writing community so I'm not just talking to myself here.

-Lauren-

D'awww

So, basically, I'm a romantic fool.

Yeah, yeah, I know that's extraordinarily girly of me but I'm a girl and I reserve the right to be at least a little bit girly from time to time. ;)

Someone posted on their YWS blog this incredibly adorable story about their brother and his wife-to-be. One of those, they were best friends and inseperable but never dated back then but later in life they realized their love for eachother kind of things. Yeah.

I adore those sorts of things. Love stories, big romantic gestures, they make me all happy and fuzzy inside. But, strangely enough, I don't go for uber-romantic guys. I think it's sweeter when a not-really-romantic person does something unexpectedly-romantic.

Alright, this blog is becoming immensely full of my teenager girliness. I apologize, but I can't seem to help it. I have a crush, it tends to do that to me. Even if he did make me get really bad poison ivy.

-Lauren-

P.S. I promise I'll get back to more interesting blogging soon.

I'm In Love With This Feeling

Song of the moment: Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap

I can't quite explain it, but I feel really good right now. Really really good.

There's something about the kids in my bit of the world that I'm in love with. I don't mean kids, really, I mean the people I associate myself with around here. They're all fantastic, crazy people that I love to death. I know I'm not going to find these kinds of people anywhere else, and if I do they couldn't possibly mean the same to me. I'm leaving them all in a months time, but that's okay. These people are home, and they make home feel good.

There's something about my taste in music that wows me every time I put my ipod on shuffle. And there's just something about the effect really fanastic music has on me... From rock to classical to pop, there are just those songs that really make you feel. Being a writer, those feelings translate into stories and those stories are my heart. My heart beats the life of a thousand untold stories, and the thoughts and emotions of a thousand unborn characters. Maybe no one else will really understand this, but that feeling... It's more than words can describe.

There's something about this feeling of grown-upishness and independence. University is right around the corner, and that terrifies and fills me with this insane feeling of greatness all at the same time. I know I want to be a writer, a literary agent, a publisher. I know it's not the same as teaching less fortunate kids, being a missionary in a dirt-poor country, or saving lives as a doctor but I really feel like I'm going to make a difference in my life. Writing distributes ideas and emotions; that can really influence a lot of things. And I have to say, I'm in love with it. Head over heels.

There's something about a crush that can really make you feel great. Maybe there are a lot of issues that come with this puppy love, but there are issues with anything. There's a time to worry over problems and a time to accept that certain things are out of your control and to just let those things not matter so much anymore. When you have a crush, the littlest things make a bigger difference than the issues. Oh, he looked at me, he's talking to me, he texted me. I'm spending time with this person who seems to be something really special to me right now, and that sort of feeling is really beautiful. I wish I could treat everyone I know with that same sort of attention. When just talking to someone, being close to someone, holding hands, when those little things really matter it's just awesome. And I really liked holding his hand and falling asleep on his shoulder last night. Sure, this is coming at the most inopportune time in our lives, but certain things are out of our control right? The heart wants what the heart wants.

There's something... There's something about my dear sisters. No, I don't have any biological sisters but I got lucky in my life. I have four amazing women I call sisters. To you four beautiful ladies, you have made me the person I am and you continue to shape my life. I would be nowhere without any of you. I only hope I have affected your lives in the way you have affected mine.

There's just something about this feeling of good that I have tonight. So many times do I focus on what's wrong and how I've failed or been let down. When I think about those things, I sink quickly. I'm not sure if I struggle with depression or if I just fixate a bit too much on things but when I get down I get really down. When I feel good like this, it's an amazing feeling. I never want to take this feeling for granted. This love for my life, for my friends, my family, for silly crushes that make you feel pretty inside.

I never want it to end.

-Lauren-

P.S. Excuse the excessive use of adjectives relating to beauty, happiness, and love. Like I said, I feel really really good tonight.

I Promise I Haven't Forgotten!

I'm on vacations a lot about this time of the summer! I'm on my last one for a while, so I'll be back around soon. I'm also going to probably put my blog out there more (advertising on YWS perhaps?).

I've also been toying with creating a different blog for more writing focused things, and one for life focused things. But then, that doesn't make much sense to me. Most of my writing coincides with my life. And I don't write more about life than writing.

We'll just stick with this one for now. :)

I'll be back around soon!

-Lauren-

TEASER TUESDAY OH MA GAWD

Sorry, I've been in a really great mood lately. A somewhat hyper mood, really.

Anywho, today's teaser is again from Eventide. Natura and Grena discover than Ina has not been completely truthful with them, and that this whole Guardian thing is really up to question. This is very recently written, and crappy first draft edition. Though, it is quite decent for my usual first draft material.

Teaser Time

“Ina suspects we may not be the true descendants of the Guardians of Icarthia and Rivalon,” Natura said, her voice quiet. She felt…betrayed almost, but also a small bit relieved. If she wasn’t a Guardian, then there was nothing holding her here. Natura pushed the thought away; what would she do if she wasn’t a Guardian? Go home, and leave Ina to handle this on her own? No, she couldn’t do that.

“The amulets,” Ina said. “They may be copies, or stolen from the true family, sold, handed down the wrong family line, anything. Possessing an amulet is not a definite sign of a Guardian of the Light.”

“But you found us,” Grena said. “You sought us out. Why would you have done so if we weren’t descendants. And how do you know you’re a descendant? Maybe we’re all fakes!”

Ina’s already pale complexion whitened even more. She stared back down at the book in her lap, her silver-blonde hair falling over her face. She was retreating, and if she did there was no telling when they would get any more information out of her.

“Grena calm down,” Natura said.

“Calm down?” Grena asked, jumping down from the windowsill. “How can you tell me to calm down? I left two helpless little girls back in Rivalon who needed me for this! And now I may not even be the right woman? What if something has happened to my sisters when I was gone? I could have protected them, and this will have been for nothing!”

“Grena calm down!” Natura said, getting up from her bed and approaching her. “This isn’t helping!”

“I can’t believe you’re not as angry as I am about this!” Grena shouted. “You didn’t even want to come; we had to force you here. You could have stayed back in your perfect little life in your perfect little village, but no. Ina dragged you here, and now your life back home might never be the same!”

Natura stopped, like she’d hit a stone wall. She turned slowly to Ina, who was staring over at her and Grena. “Ina, do you really doubt us?”

“I do not want to doubt either of you,” she said. “Facts are facts, though. I know that I am truly descended; I possess the power of Knowing. The fact that I sought you two, out of anyone else in Ascensia, is reassuring but never definite. Unless you show anything that proves…” She stopped and sighed, looking back down at the book in front of her for a moment. “I am sorry, but I doubt.”

“This is just great,” Grena said. She sat back on the windowsill, her hands clutching the edge of it, her knuckles turning white. “Couldn’t you have told us this before we followed you across the continent?”

“It is said that each of the Guardians of the Light possessed a form of magic that is no longer known to the people of our world,” Ina explained. “In the time of the earliest known Guardians, those who forged the amulets, magic was a well known thing. Elemental magic was not the only power that roamed this land.

“Then the Great War rampaged Ascensia, pitting not only our countries against outside nations, but against each other. It was a great, evil thing; many, many honorable men and women lost their lives to this evil of war. The Guardians of the Light came forth, and of course you know the legend. When they forged the amulets, they placed their acute magical abilities in these amulets.

“When they pushed the evil from this land, and ended the Great War, they also eradicated much of the magic from this land. In some places as punishment – as with Senai – and in some places as a safeguard against future war. Only weakened elemental magic remained, as well as the magic held in the amulets; though, only a true descendent of the Guardians of the Light would have the ability to unlock this magic and wield it.”

“You keep talking in circles, Ina,” Grena said, resting her head in one of her hands where she sat on the windowsill. “What do you mean by all this?”

“She means,” Natura said, “that unless we show we can use the magic in the amulets, there is no way of knowing we are true Guardians.”

“Alright,” Grena said, standing up. “Tell me what I’m supposed to be able to do and I’ll prove it to you.”

Ina frowned and looked back at the book in her lap. “Not every country keeps the detailed records of the past as Fearn and Tundarus keep,” she said. “Even then, no country keeps more recorded than it must, so only the history of that country will be recorded. I am doing the best that I can to find out, to know…”

Natura looked from Ina to Grena. Ina’s face was still as white as snow, and she looked almost like she was shaking. Grena, on the other hand, was glaring at Ina and Natura suspected that if she could, she would be growling like a wolf facing its prey. She clenched and unclenched her fists as she stared Ina down, and it would only be a matter of moments before she would go as far as to attack poor Ina.

“Grena,” Natura said softly, going to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. “Calm down–”

“I thought we already went through this!” she barked. “I’m not going to calm down!”
“Grena,” Natura said again. “You need to leave; you need time to let this sink in before you do anything.”

She wrenched her shoulder from under Natura’s hand. “Don’t you feel betrayed?” she demanded. “Look what she’s done to us! Look at all that has happened. We shouldn’t have had to go through it, and now we might not even be descendants!”

Natura took a daring step between Grena and Ina, hoping she would be enough to stop Grena from tearing Ina apart if she felt like it. “But we still might be descendants; it’ll just take time to be sure. Now you’ve been protecting me, and now I’m protecting you. Go and think about this before you do something you’ll regret.”

“I don’t appreciate being lied to,” she said through gritted teeth. “And you shouldn’t either.” She went back to the window and pulled herself all the way through this time.

Natura went straight to Ina’s bed and started picking up the books scattered over it and placing them in neat piles on the floor, as well as straightening the other piles already on the floor. She took the book from Ina’s lap – Ina was still yet to budge from her frozen position, staring fearfully at where Grena had been only moments ago

“Hey,” she said softly. She sat down on the bed next to Ina. “She doesn’t mean it; just give her a little time to cool off. Get some rest, now.”

Ina nodded slowly and inched her way down on her bed until she was lying flat. Natura went to her own bed but kept looking back to Ina, checking on her. Every time she looked, it was always the same: Ina lying motionless, staring into the empty space beside her bed, unblinking, unflinching.

End Tease

I'm really pleased with this bit. It throws a big pile of rocks in the middle of the road for Ina and the Guardian hunt, but it also gives Natura an opportunity to grow up a bit. Plus it's going to make it easier to bring Grena back in a way that settles her relationship with Natura. They need to get along better in order to help a much later plot point.

Hope it was an enjoyable read, and not too atrocious.

-Lauren-