My writing process

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Like I have said previously, writing has always been a huge interest of mine. My imagination has pretty much never run dry, except when it was in ‘power save mode’ when I was at Chalmers and was busy with other stuff. I have never taken a creative writing class, nor any similar classes on how to write and without knowing anything at all about the “official” way to write a book, I have chosen my own path and created my very own writing process. And so far so good!

I started to actually write on June 12th this year, but that was after some planning and thinking. I can’t tell exactly for how long I had been thinking about the plot and environment, but at least a month. I wrote down everything that came to my mind in a document, and when that document was 8 pages or so long, I couldn’t keep myself from starting to write.

I still use the note document, there are many many things I haven’t thought of yet. I even have a small physical notebook always in my pocket so that I can write down things as soon as they come to me, wherever I might be.

My note document is divided in different parts.

  • Plot
  • Environment
  • Characters
  • General thoughts

Under Plot I have both a short short version of the whole plot, no details, just the major steps in the story. I also have started on a more descriptive version of the plot where I write a paragraph on all the things that will happen. I haven’t made it too far on that and probably should spend some time on it so I don’t write more than I have planned for. I want this to be a well-thought story where everything is connected and makes sense.

Under Environment I have written descriptions of all the different territories and their potential names. Names are hard! I have also used some references for this part so the climates make sense.

The part about Characters are pretty short right now. I have no idea what the main character’s name should be, but I know that character so it has been easy to just write it as it happens. Up until this point she has been alone so I have to work more on that part now. I have written down several names, I have thought of themes that the different tribes’ names will have, but those names are not live persons in my head right now unfortunately… This is a fantasy story, so there has to be some magic in it, and here comes a minor spoiler perhaps, but all characters will have a power and a determined destiny so I have written lists of potential powers and destinies as well.

Under General Thoughts I have written down my yeses and noes. What things have I previously read and loved or hated? What things should be in the story and what should not. What do I enjoy to read? That is also the part in which I write questions I ask myself on stuff that I am unsure of and need some time to figure out.

 

As of now, I have the major plot all figured out. Now it is time for the minor details that will make the whole book great! I have been thinking a lot about one part and I really want to write it, but it is at the end, or at least very far ahead, and I don’t want to write outside of the order. The characters will develop and it will be weird to write stuff that will happen, even if it will be super cool, before I have written what will happen until then.

 

I honestly don’t think that there is a right or wrong way to write a book. My way probably could use some improvements, but I am having fun and it is exciting to figure something out all on your own!

10 000 words

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A milestone was just reached: 10 000 written words!

I don’t know if I have a goal. What is a normal book? 150k maybe? If I write in this pace, and write that many words, it might be done in 15 months, haha. That is so far away!

I started writing on June 12th, and 10 000 words in one month doesn’t seem too bad. I do feel however, that I would have come further if I wasn’t so distracted at home. I don’t know why, but whenever my boyfriend is home, Netflix is always on, even if he is doing something on his computer. It is very hard to concentrate with something on in the background… I might try to find a place somewhere where I can sit and write, undisturbed. Best would be to get a two bedroom apartment soon so I can have a whole room to myself, but with the housing shortage, I wouldn’t count on it happening anytime soon.

Downside of writing

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It is super fun to come up with your very own story, but it takes time to write and make sure that there are no loose ends or plot holes anywhere. Because of this, I don’t have time to read as much anymore. Priorities.

I don’t know if I will make my Goodreads challenge this year. I am two books behind schedule already. We will see how it goes. I might even cheat a little and read a few very short books, like Goosebumps, haha!

If you want to read, let me know!

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I haven’t made it too far yet in my book (18 pages in Word, which I guess equals to around 30 printed?), but since I am completely new to this whole author thing, I would gladly continuously give out what I have written for people to read.

So if you are interested in reading, either just for your own entertainment or to actually give me constructive criticism, let me know and I will send it to you! 🙂

Description of my book

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This is a hard task, to write an intriguing description of my book, without spoiling anything. I think I have kind of a complicated story (Well, I don’t think so, everything is very clear and well-connected in my head, not leaving any loose threads anywhere, but my boyfriend says otherwise everytime I try to explain something).

Anyway, here comes the first official description of my book:

The main character wakes up on a tropical island. She remembers nothing about who she was before the day she woke up on the beach. As she settles in and lives in harmony among the innocent wildlife that the island offers, the question to who she used to be is not bothering her as much. Months later, on one very clear day, she discovers a hazy line on the horizon. Land. That view triggers her dormant curiosity and she believes that if she reaches that land, she will finally get answers to all of her questions.

Her journey takes her to all the territories this world consists of, each one more magical and dangerous than the last. She is encouraged to always keep on going north, never skip an obstacle and to follow her heart. No matter what.

I am a lucky person

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I am very restrictive with how many showers I take per week. That kind of sounds bad, haha. Of course I shower when I need it, every couple of days or three or more often when needed, but I have learned through the years that if I shower too often my hair actually gets greasier.

Today was an exception, I actually had two showers. Both Jesper and I were off work today so we went on a long walk downtown, playing Pokemon Go. We are both exhausted now after walking for so many hours and even walking home over the bridge. Just before going home, when finishing off a Raid, standing on the middle of the square in front of the train station I felt something heavy hit my head. A fucking bird pooped on my head!! And not little either! Soooooo nasty. It’s crazy how good they are at aiming.

This reminded me of 2013 when I lived in San Diego and always got pooped on by the pelicans. One day even three times! I must be a crazy lucky person, right? Jesper told me he had never been pooped on ever in his life. I have lost count. The earliest I can remember was in middle school when I was waiting to go through the door to the wood carving class and I got a poop on my shoulder. Ew.

I actually bought a lottery ticket today, but I think I made the mistake of paying for it with our card which we have in common. I didn’t win anything. I think you say people who get pooped on by birds are lucky so they won’t feel so bad…

Five chapters

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The last few days I have written so much. Three days ago I was home alone for the evening and wrote 4 pages in word! Up to a total of 14 written pages. I went to bed pretty late, but I was in such a good flow, words just came flowing out of my fingers and I finally wrote an end to chapter three, which I yesterday changed to chapter four (I divided it, it made more sense). I sent it to my mom and am awaiting her response if the suspense at the end is good or not. It feels decent at least.

And yesterday I wrote chapter five in one go, it was a short one, but it is fitting, there are some mystique, leaving some unanswered questions to caption the interest of the reader.

Total page number in Word: 16
Printed pages: ~25

I will post a description of the plot, without spoilers, eventually. It is hard to try to make it sound interesting without telling the whole thing. Not much will be revealed during the story, but will come at the end. I will think about it, and get back to you with it!

A summer day

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Summer in Sweden can be amazing. But honestly, it has sucked so far! The weather has been horrible and there has only been one good thing about it so far, and that can’t be taken away. That the sun is up until 11pm.

It has been extremely windy for several weeks now. Jeans and a jacket is neccessary. The rides at Liseberg are not functioning properly. I don’t care about being tan anymore, but I do care about feeling the warmth of the sun. This summer has made me miss California more than usually.

Yesterday we got a glimpse of the Swedish summer. Both Jesper and I had a day off work so we borrowed my mom’s car and drove out to his mom in Lerum. It was sunny, but hazy, barely no wind. They have a house right next to the forest and a woodland lake. We played games, kubb and krockett. We had the “Swedish fika” out on their porch. Jespers younger sister even went swimming in another big lake nearby. We didn’t bring any swimwear so we watched and enjoyed the calm and beautiful view. We ended the evening with barbecue. It was a nice day!

Here is a link to a 360 picture I took of the woodland lake right behind their house.

New eReader

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Like I wrote in my previous post, the warranty did not cover the supposed self-inflicted pressure-related damage to my Kobo Glo HD so they would not fix it nor give me a new one. So I had to buy one. And the only one similar was Kobo Aura ed. 2. Yesterday it was delivered to the store and I picked it up.

It looks very similar and the case is really nice. If I hold my boyfriends Glo HD up next to Aura ed. 2 it looks a little bit more grainy, but not too much. It actually also feels faster. Maybe my Kobo Glo HD was old and slow, but I had to press turn a page when I was about half a row away from being finished with the page. This one goes almost instantanously. And that’sgood! I miss the Glo, but I think I will be satisfied with Aura too.

It is a leathery-looking/feeling case which holds together with magnets. It also instantaneously goes from sleep mode and vice versa when you close and open it. Super convenient.

It is obviously already full of cat hair, can’t be avoided with two furballs spreading their love everywhere.

Kobo Aura 2nd ed.

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Today I got the verdict from the store where I bought my Kobo Glo HD. They claimed that it was a pressure-related self-inflicted damage so the warranty was not covering it. I honestly got really upset and spent a lot of time in that store complaining and explaining that it had worked just fine until I plugged it in to my computer when the screen divided itself into four.

I have seen different types of screens crack before, and usually if there is some pressure on it, the damage happens instanenously, it seems to go outside the laws of physics if it all of a sudden had an incubation time!

I feel robbed. I did nothing wrong but took great care of it after accidently drowing my previous one, it still looked new after 1.5 years. Now I have to buy a new one just because the warranty does not cover extraordinary things. The only e-reader similar in size and prize and technical aspects is Kobo Aura 2nd ed, but it is not HD and I am afraid that it will look grainy when reading on it.

The guy in the store felt some sympathy I guess, since he gave me 230:- discount out of good will. I feel bad for my bad temper, I know what it is like to work in service and I am embarassed, but it is stupid that I won’t get shit for this, when I have no idea what happened.

It was not available in the store, so he ordered it for me, I guess it will take a couple of days. Too bad for my reading stats, since I haven’t checked in forever I have no idea what it can be. Too bad.