NaNoWriMo

November is just around the corner, and so is National Novel Writing month. I placed a link on the side bar. Last year, I took the challenge set forth by NaNoWrimo and tried to write a 50,000 word novel in only one month. I did not make it to 50 last year, and I am still debating on whether to try again this year. I had set a personal deadline for myself to finish at least one manuscript before November, to free myself up to participate in NaNoWrimo again. I'm still not anywhere near where I need to be on either of my novels in progress. So the verdict is still out.

I've come to the realization that I need to adjust my writing schedule. As it stands now, I usually only write on Sundays and I loose my momentum between each week. I've tried writing a bit during lunch breaks at work, but that doesn't leave me enough time to get immersed in the story. So last week, I decided to try to get up early and write before work. The days I succeed in dragging myself out of bed are great, and hopefully I can make a habit of it. Otherwise, it's going to take me forever to get a first draft finished.

Illustration Friday

Caged

I saw the most ridiculous fashion trends while researching for work the other day. One of them happened to be men's ties made out of feathers. They looked rather creepy. When I saw that the word for Illustration Friday this week was "caged," this image popped into my head. Bird cage headdress anyone??

Shut Up!

At least, that's what I'm trying to tell myself. Just shut up and write! I have had a couple of good writing days since my last post, but only a couple. More often, I sit down to write and start to question everything. It usually goes like this: is that the right direction for this story? Is it any good? Maybe I'm just kidding myself and I am meant to only be a reader. You see, mean. Shut up, right?

I am capable of writing a novel. I have written novels in the past. I do have good ideas that make good stories. The first draft does not have to be perfect. I can do this. These are the things I should be telling myself, what I will start telling myself. And hopefully, the mean little voice will go away.

My advice to myself is this: Writing is what you love, so let the characters take you on this journey and enjoy the ride. Stop worrying about doing it wrong. Remember that art is subjective.

Just write.

Progress Report

See those little bars on the right side of the page. They are there to help me track the progress of my novel writing, and also as a visible reminder to WRITE! Writing fiction is something I started many years ago in the 9th grade, and I continued to write for many years after that. Around the time I decided to go to Art College, my ideas and confidence in my writing fizzled. This only got worse after graduation and especially after I went to work as a corporate artist, where creativity is highly important yet at the same time is easily squashed by the Uncreatives. For a time, I was stuck in a rut questioning my talent and feeling burnt out. But the experience only made me stronger, and I came through it better than I could have hoped for. In a way, it helped me "grow up" and put on a much thicker skin. It's now been eight years since I left art college, dreaming of a fantastic JOB. Now that I've had the JOB (and still do), it's time to take on the dream of writing that has been eating away at me all these years. Even if I never have a book published, it feels wonderful to have characters telling me their stories after all these years.

Linger

I've recently discovered a new author and wanted to share her with you all. Her name is Maggie Stiefvater. She writes YA, she is a musician, and an artist. Her new book LINGER comes out July 20th, 2010 and I am impatiently waiting. LINGER is book two in the Wolves of Mercy Falls Series, a love story between a girl and a boy (who happens to turn into a wolf during the winter). Book one is SHIVER, so make sure you read this one first. I read SHIVER fairly quickly, unable to put it down. I don't want to give too much away, cause I really hate spoilers, so that's all the details I'm going to reveal. Go read the book! Here is a link to the beautiful trailer that Maggie created for the release of LINGER. Yep, created, as in cut out all the shapes, shot the photos to create stop motion animation, and wrote and recorded the music. She is truly amazing and super talented.

Painter Sketch

Wow! It's been quite awhile since I've posted anything to this blog. The truth is, it's also been awhile since I've actually drawn anything for fun. Life as a professional (corporate) artist really does take the joy out of drawing for oneself sometimes. Well, maybe that's not the right way to say it. It doesn't take the joy out of drawing, but working full time definitely steals most, if not all, my allotment of daily energy. But enough of the excuses! Here is a little sketch I did today on my Modbook using Corel Painter. The more I use this program on the Modbook, the more I fall in love with it. I'm also still searching for my own personal style. Something to separate me from what I do at my full time job, which is purely Adobe Illustrator and very flat. Painter is opening a wide range of possibilities for me.

Illustration Friday

Welcome

Al was upset when his new wife Peggy did not receive the welcome into the family he thought she deserved.

I downloaded a free trial of Corel Painter and decided to try it out for Illustration Friday this week. I'm still getting used to the program; however, using it on the Modbook is pretty awesome. I've been working in Adobe Illustrator for so long now, it's refreshing to use a program that simulates traditional media.

I was planning on adding much more to this illustration, especially the alien family and their reactions to the wife. Eventually, I'll get back to it, some day, hopefully.