I LOVE DAYS LIKE THESE

Today was a very special day for me and I enjoyed it even more because I spent it with my wonderful family. They do give me a lot of crap and they do drive me crazy but they are always there for me when it counts. Not to mention that they are always ready and willing to pick up the pieces when I fall apart.

I feel really blessed and I am ashamed to say that I do at times take them for granted.

I am also starting a new job on Tuesday. I will be working at a college, at the bursary department. I am not sure what the job entails, but I start training on Tuesday and it is only for a month, so yeah, good day all round.

DIFFERANCE IN WHO I WRITE FOR

Last night was unbearably hot. I couldn’t sleep and while I was tossing and turning I realized something. I am amateur at writing! It is not a bad thing. Because I know why I say that.

Every aspiring writer has to answer one basic question. Who is your target audience?

What do I mean by that? Well simply stated, do you write for yourself or do you write to one day be a published author, thus writing for others?

I am an amateur writer because even though I have been writing for more than 10 years, I only started writing for other people, 1 year ago. All my previous work had been written by me—for me. I never intended for anybody else to read it and I surely never thought about ever publishing my work.

In December 2009 I finished writing the first draft of my first novel. I thought that it was good and that I wanted to publish it. My one sister insisted that I should think of pursuing publishing. I spent most of 2010 editing and writing up more drafts of the same book. I thought I was doing splendidly and when it was time for the querying process I learned how far I was off the pace.

When you write for yourself there are fewer rules. The only rule is to follow your own rules. Therefore, I always wrote long hand, thus, I never bothered to check spelling and grammar. I never needed to worry about the type of font or font size I was using. There was no need to know which genre I was writing for or who my target audience was. My goal was to write the stories I wanted to—how I wanted to—anyway I wanted to. So I guess I sacrificed a lot of technique and finer details in the end.

When I finally decided I wanted to write to be published, I thought I could get away with my previous approach of writing and as you know I didn’t. Writing novels fit for publication is hard. It basically pushes everything you did while writing for yourself, right out of the window.

Here are a few differences I noted:

I started writing my manuscripts on the computer.

I had to learn to add 1 inch margins to my entire manuscript.

Did I mention double spacing my manuscript for submission?

I had to know that I had to indent every first sentence of every paragraph ( go to Microsoft word—right click—go to paragraph—Go to indentation—Go to special and select first line).

I had to reintroduce myself to the rules of grammar and spelling.

I had to learn to edit and edit some more and when I thought I had edited enough, I had to edit again.

I had to learn more about the actual art of writing because till very recently I discovered I didn’t know much. I still have a problem with things like showing and telling, not to mention keeping in mind the different writing styles.

I had to learn to write a synopsis and query letter.


The good thing is that I now know what I did wrong before and I can make changes. I can seek out ways to improve my skill level of writing. That, I think, is the best part about life. You are consistently learning new things all the time. Everything is constantly changing.

I am even trying to find out more about publishing. I would like to educate myself. Before I just thought ''all I have to do is submit my novel, because surely someone will love it and then they will publish it! I will be a writer and I can live happily ever after.'' Man, was I wrong!

So basically, if you want to be published you have to abide by the rules of the publishing world. And basically everyone is looking for well written ( polished and ready to go to print as is) manuscripts.

And if you just want to write for yourself—not caring about all the publishing stuff...then good for you! Keep up what you are doing. Enjoy it and don't stop, not matter what.

HELL ON EARTH!

It is fiery hot here people! Seriously, it is 32 ◦C inside the house and no I am not joking. What makes it bad is that it is a very dry heat . It is like the very air you breath is warm and there is not even a hint of a cool summer breeze. I have been living in the same town all my life and every summer, I swear, it just gets hotter and hotter.

Why is the heat relevant you ask? Well, I can't seem to think in this heat. I am just sitting in front of the fan and drinking cold water. I can't imagine how the reproduction rate here—could be so high, honestly. It is scorching and you are sweating like a pig on a hot plate. The last thing I want is another hot sweaty body anywhere near me. But I guess where there is a will, there is a way. And no, contrary to what people believe about South Africa, we are not primitive people running around in loin cloths with wild animals running around. Our wildlife are in wildlife reserves and believe it or not, most of the species are endangered at the moment. So you will be very lucky if you see any wildlife that isn't a springbok, zebra or any other form of a four legged herbivore, walking around anywhere in South Africa.

We have busy cities and towns just like anywhere else in the world. And like most of the world we also have very rural areas where people prefer a more primitive kind of lifestyle. I personally think the Western Cape is the best part of the country, yes because I was born and raised here, but also because even though we have big cities and stuff, it is not as fast paced as other provinces in the country. Besides, it is beautiful here and everyone else in South Africa, comes here for a holiday. The Western Cape is just the place to be. And yes, it can be very hot in the summer.

I guess if any other South Africans from other provinces read this, I will be getting a lot of hate mail. There is a constant rivalry between the people of different parts of South Africa. Because each province thinks they are the best and well...you get the picture. But it's not a violent type of rivalry, just a verbal one, so don't worry.

Anyway, I am going to try and resume my guitar lessons. I quite after my brother was hospitalized last year, so I am finally resuming my lessons, a year later. I am embracing my creativity and driving my brother crazy while doing it (big smile). My brother once told me, right before starting college, ''You can be anything you want, but just don't come to me one day and tell me you are an artist type person''. Ha! Ha! Ha! I am sure you can put aspiring writer under a artist type person.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of your day. And Unfortunately for some...I will be back soon. HA! HA! Ha!

DE-BULKING IS DONE!

I finally finished the reshaping of my novel. I started out with 145 000 words and I am proud to say that I brought it down to 106 000 words.

I had to end the novel at a very earlier stage but seeing that it is the first book of a planned series, I guess it is ok. There will just be a lot more editing for the second book, seeing that the book will continue where the first one ended.

I kept the first one light and it only has romantic elements, where the second one is more of a love story. So I am not sure if I can classify something as a paranormal romance novel if it only has romantic elements. But I will figure that out.

I am not sure what my New approach is for my blog. Everyone is either spicing up or changing their blogs. I am aiming to get a few more followers on my blog this year. But first I have to think of ways to make my blog interesting or worth reading. I don't think my blog is very good and my small following, I think, is kind of proof of that.

So if the posts are a bit dreary, don't worry I am thinking of ways to make it better.

FIRST CHAPTER

Here is my first chapter of my first novel Immortal: New Beginning. It is the novel I have spent most of last year editing. I am still not completely happy with it but I thought I will put myself out there and hear what you all have to say.

Please, be nice. I hope you enjoy. Sorry about the weird formatting.

Chapter 1
I spent 23 years…searching. That’s how long I have been alive. Never really knowing what it is I am looking for—just trying to fill the empty hole on the inside of me which felt as if it was getting bigger as I got older. It feels as if something or someone is missing. And it didn’t help that I was dumped on an orphanages doorstep when I was only 3 month’s old either.
I was walking to work this morning. It was my way to de-stress before a hard day of work.
Oak Tree city was just like any other city—lots of skyscrapers and no sign of green foliage anywhere, along with millions of people rushing to get to work on time.
I reached my office building a lot faster than I wanted. On my way to my office I walked past my boss, Anna. She pretended not to see me and I was rather happy about it.
My mood changed as soon as I walked into my office.
I noticed that there were close to 50 files that needed to be organized and the information needed to be updated. But as usual, everything was shuffled together. Someone’s idea of a practical joke. But I wasn’t laughing.
Sometimes I felt capable of terrible things like I could commit murder. Not that I ever would.
As I was reaching for the first file I heard the clicking of high heels coming my way. I knew exactly who it was. Only one person could sound as uncoordinated as her. Petra!
‘’Think happy thoughts’’ I told myself.
I had to psyche myself up to talk to her. My job was tolerable, but the people around me made me feel like an undercover serial killer.
Petra always has a smug smile on her face which already ticks me off. She always pops into my office without knocking and then there’s the meaning less conversations.
Suddenly my office door yanks open and I knew who it was. The office troll Petra, right on time like I thought.
She had the smug smile I despised spread across her ridiculously over made-up face.
Then she spoke, her voice sounding even more annoying and arrogant than her face ‘’Anna needs those 50 files before 16:00 today’’.
I felt like screaming, ‘’I quit bitch!’’. But I had to fight especially hard to restrain myself today and I needed the money. Besides this was a good job. Another good job like this might be hard to come by if not impossible.
“I will have them by then’’ I spoke as calm as I could muster for the moment.
She was glaring at me now, keeping that smug grin on her face and pissing me of by the second.
‘’Have them ready by 15:00 instead. You know if you quit you can daydream everyday on your own time’’ she said in that smug arrogant tone she always had to her voice.
“Slap her Claire!” that’s what the little voice in my head said.
“Maybe tomorrow’’ I spoke through my teeth, answering both the voice in my head and Petra at the same time.
‘’Did you hear? I might get promoted’’ she said smiling
‘’Hah’’ I replied not interested in this conversation in the least.
I felt like stapling her mouth shut with my stapler.
Out of nowhere the smell of cotton candy filled my office. I closed my eyes and took in the smell. I suddenly felt calm, not agitated at all. The scent was sweet but still sort of masculine smelling. My mind felt as if it was standing still as if I couldn’t think at all.
I opened my eyes to find Petra staring at me totally bewildered. Why wasn’t she appreciating the smell the way I was?
‘’Do you smell that? It’s…’’ I stopped short of speaking any further.
“There is nothing to smell except the smell of pen ink. You are so odd. Sometimes you give me the creeps you psycho’’ she responded storming out of my office.
I just sat there smiling, taking in the wonderful aroma. She seemed unsettled by my reaction. Maybe I should creep her out more often.
I stood up trying to find out where the scent was coming from but as quickly as it appeared it disappeared.
When the scent was gone I could focus again. I could let my mind kick start.
I immediately went to work.
* * *
I put the files on Anna’s desk at 14:40.
As I was leaving her office the smell hit me again. It wasn’t as assaulting and aggressive on my senses as the first time I smelled it, yet still absurdly appealing.
The smell was coming from the reception area. I walked over to the reception area, but nobody besides our surly receptionist was there and I knew instantly she wasn’t the source.
I walked back to my office feeling like I was losing my mind. Nobody seemed to be bothered by the smell except for me.
‘’Pull yourself together Claire. You can’t become crazy now. Not yet’’ I told myself.
It was finally 17:00. It was time to go home!
I couldn’t help but smile as I left. I had 2 days of rest. No work, no wonderful but strange scents driving me crazy—just relaxation. It was weekend!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION

The 1st of January has come and gone. My personal deadline of 31 December 2010 (for my editing deadline) has also past and no, I did not finish. But we are heading full swing into a new year.

I spent most of my day sleeping and watching movies like Ghostbusters and Cry baby with my family and just enjoying a good laugh with my loved ones. Usually we make a big affair about going into the new year but not this year.

I was so relaxed that I didn't make a single new years resolution. All of my family members named at least one. My only answer, when they prompted me, was that I was not going to make any new years resolutions. Instead I was going to take each day as it came. I have made lists of goals and dreams my whole life and in truth, I am done making lists of which I only achieve one or maybe even two of those items on my lists.

This year I am not making any plans or writing down any dreams or goals. This year I will try my hardest instead to make them a reality. To live for the here and now or simply to just live! I know what I want and I know who I am. I might not know what my future or tomorrow holds and I might not know exactly how I might make my dreams a reality yet but I am not worried about it. I have noticed that in my case...things have a odd way of working out. Not in the manner in which I wanted or hoped but I get steered in a good direction regardless.

I hope all of you had a wonderful day and that the year holds nothing but wonderful things for you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2011 brings you all nothing but good-luck and that all your wishes do come true!

Just finished ending the old year and welcoming a new year with my wonderful family. I have truly been blessed in 2010 and I can only hope to have at least a tiny bit of it's blessings in 2011.

May your year ahead be blessed!