The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities. The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.
I’m so excited to be taking a writing class this winter through Mediabistro. My instructor is Jill Santopolo, a Senior Editor at Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Jill started us out with writing an outline. This is to be our ‘road map’ for our novel. I’ve always drafted up a rough outline before I write and done character sketches, but she took us a step further. My outline ended up being 10 pages single spaced! She then went through it giving me detailed suggestions of what was working and what didn’t.
This pushed me to think about my plot’s flow as well as all of my characters’ development. It was tough work, but I’ll never go back. When I sit down to write my next scene or need to add foreshadowing, hello outline!
We are now into the 3rd week of the course and each week, minus the first for our outlines, we submit up to 15 pages of our novel. Jill’s notes and thoughts have pushed me to look at the details of my writing.
The class is a heap of work though. Not only am I trying to write a full novel, make edits as Jill and my class members suggest, but I also have to keep up with 11 other people’s stories in the class as well. It’s daunting but I’ve found that I’m learning when I read other people’s stories and Jill’s critique’s of their work as well.
I’m excited about my novel- of course!- but I’m also thrilled to see my growth as a writer. I’ll keep you updated how the class is going throughout the semester.
Here’s Jill’s bio if you’re interested: Jill has worked on critically-acclaimed, award-winning, and New York Times best-selling titles. Jill holds a BA in English literature from Columbia University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. She is also the author of Alec Flint, Super Sleuth: The Nina, The Pinta and the Vanishing Treasure, published by Scholastic’s Orchard Books imprint.
Inspired by Carrie as well as my fast draft of my WIP where my MC travels by the Immortal’s secret channels to Japan, I’ve decided to do a post on Nijo Castle in Kyoto, Japan.
Last year, my family and I went to visit my sister in Tokyo as well as took a jaunt down to Kyoto. Here’s a little history and fun stuff we learned along the way.
Nijo Castle stands strong and proud. Built in 1602 to protect the Shogun of Kyoto, Japan, it portrays power and beauty. Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, took great care to ensure that not even a Ninja could get inside.
How did he do this?
1. Two moats the length of a semi truck
2. An outer and inner wall with turrets designed to barrage an incoming attack with arrows
3. The nightingale warning system built within the floors of the Hanmarn Palace. This ancient day alarm system was designed to creak and squeak like a cooing bird as you walk.
4. If the ninja’s feet are softer than a feather, he might reach the First Grand Room. But behind tasseled doors lies ninjas in the service to the Shogun who can leap out at a moment’s notice.
Think rice cakes, family time and traditional hanboks. Yesterday and today we had the day off from work because its the New Year Holiday here in Korea!
Korean families have been busy cooking and making preparations for a big feast of meats, cakes, fruit, side dishes, fish and spicy kimchi. After all the shopping and cooking, it will be time to travel to their family hometowns.
Everyone dresses up in their hanboks (traditional Korean clothing) and eats a huge feast. But before the feast, the family will perform the charye, which is the ancestral rite of remembering and honoring the ancestors by giving them food. They will also perform the sabae, the bowing ceremony.
But unlike the Koreans, we’ve been eating out, relaxing and just enjoying the emptiness of Seoul since most everyone has left the city to the countryside. We did all get the flu on Sunday night and that wasn’t too fun. So since we missed a day of vacation in bed, does that mean we don’t have to go to work tomorrow?
In honor of my historical middle grade novel, tentatively named Chosen Warrior, I’m posting some pictures of my recent visit to the War Museum in Seoul.
I wanted to do some research on the dress of the Hwarang warriors as well as view the famous turtle ship.
A little history about the Hwarang. The Hwarang warriors use the ancient martial art of Tae Kwon. This originated nearly 2,000 years ago in Korea. It wasn’t until the United Shilla Dynasty (660-935 A.D.) that it grew popular.
When the Japanese invaded Korea, a group of warriors called the Hwarang, defended their people. They fought using subak, now known as Taekwondo. Chosen students were taught this art in the secret. The Koreans didn’t want their enemies to learn these special skills.
Later, the Hwarang warriors became famous for their flying kick that could knock men off horses. These great warriors inspired the Japanese to create the Samurai Warriors.
So at the War Museum I was having way too much fun and my husband had to drag me out. Of course that was after he took all these pictures for me while I scribbled furiously in my notebook. I really can’t complain!
I’ve been nominated by Brenda for the “Kreativ Blogger Award.” Wow! I’m excited. But more than that, I’m new to this whole blogging thing and I’m loving it! It’s fun getting to know people through blogger and sharing all the good parts of life together. Thanks Brenda!
So, for this award, I need to think of 7 things that I love. Not in any particular order!
1. Chocolate- obviously. My blog isn’t named for ‘Chocolate for Inspiration’ without a reason. But dark is my poison. 2. My boys- I love, love, love my boys
3. My husband- always my helper, a great kisser, and for his yummy grilled salmon
4. My sister-my muse and who’s there for me no matter what. Hugs!
5. My mom and dad- for their wisdom and love. They are on the other side of the world right now and that’s not too great sometimes.
6. My brother- who understand me
7. Traveling- What a world we live in! Some many beautiful places and people that God created.
Now I’m supposed to pass the love to other bloggers who deserve this award too:
The Korean Fan Dance is my favorite of all their dances. It’s not only beautiful in its steps but it creates the gorgeous scenes within nature that can be seen in Korea. This dance originated in the Chosen Period, about 600 years ago.
These are pictures I took when a Korean middle school group came to dance for our students. This school is special in that all the kids who go there have a focus in art.
Can you figure out which scenes these girls are creating?
So my paranormal romance needs a title. I’m not ready to spill the beans on the plot yet, although I’m totally psyched over it, I’ve been brainstorming ideas.
But the problem is I’m terrible at coming up with good titles. Then I went on NaNoWriMo and they had a link for Title-o-Matic that generates random titles for you. I got a kick out of it, but no title yet.
This weekend we finally made it to see the lights of downtown Seoul. We strolled along the river that has been recently restored while listening to Korean singers along the way. It was a cold, chilly night but the colors and excitement in the air made it all worth while.
Fast drafting has left me little time to do anything but write like a madwoman. I’m so into this novel, I forget about everything else.
My son was asking for pants to wear, my husband has been scrounging the refrigerator for food, and the cat stares bleakly at her empty food bowl (thank goodness I don’t have a cat that meows incessantly). Oh! And I almost forgot. I’m supposed to actually go to work because I have a job!
(FYI, don’t visit without a giving me enough time to stash the dirty dishes in the bathtub and toss the piles of toys under the beds.)
I’ve been thinking of ways to make my life easier and ideas to give me more time to appease this writing obsession.
My list so far:
1. TV- instant babysitting but also guilt
2. Fast food- except its too difficult to get here in Korea
3. No sleep, chocolate and extra doses of caffeine- effective so far
4. Pretending laundry is a fun game and cross my fingers my three year old thinks so too
5. Yeah, that’s about it.
Love to hear your ideas of survival tips for the writing maniac!
