Into the Void

So, I decided I definitely could not wait even another day to start this novel.

The idea was rattling around in my head so much I just had to open a Word doc and start. Man did it flow! It felt good too. After such a long break from writing anything new it was like coming home again. I was more ready than I thought. All it takes is a good idea I guess. I'm at almost 5,000 words and paused for now. I was hoping to reach 5,000 so I may take one more trip into novel-world before the day is officially over.

I titled this post the way I did for a reason. The way I write, it really is like throwing yourself into some chasm with no visible bottom. You dive in and you don't reach the bottom and head back up to surface until you're completely done with what you went in for. Or until you're genuinely suffocating. That's called failure though, and I don't want to talk about that just now.

So, I'm in the void now. Its coming along so far. The inspiration is all there at my fingertips. I can feel the creativity flowing. We'll see how I feel in a week or so, but I can't see how I'll be unable to write less than half of what I did earlier every day from now on. My pacing is fast because I read in No Plot? No Problem! that the second week is the hardest. I want to get ahead early so if I do hit that wall, the caffeine and cojones will get me through.

For now, though, its all flowing. Here's to the present, its all we have!

In Earnest,

- Adam King -

Networking

So, I'm sitting in my Information Systems (basic) Networking class and I'm bored. We're covering things I taught myself a few years back. Still, I guess its important to be somewhat present, I mean, that's what networks are all about. If a host isn't connected, it can't reap the benefits of being jacked into the network.

This is a parallel with human interactions. Much has been said of the similarities between the brain and a computer over the years. I agree with this analysis. Connecting with other human beings is networking and its more similar to computer networking than many people realize. A group conversation is like a token-ring, star, bus, or other network style. We sit in a circle and have a conversation, generally speaking, two people cannot speak to the same person at exactly the same time and expect a correct response. This is like data collision in a network.

We have to be "logged in" to truly experience life. Sure, sometimes its nice to disconnect and refresh oneself as an individual. To be completely fulfilled as a human being, however, we must take part in social interactions.

So, think of yourself as a computer on an ethernet connection. Make sure you're plugged in!

Trying to stretch my creative muscles

I've been thinking it might be best to at least write a couple short stories before I dive into a novel. The idea is to get my creative juices moving prior to taking on such a challenge as writing 50,000 words in 30 days. My problem is simply this: I don't know what to write about.

Now, many people would say, quite simply, "you have writer's block." I don't believe this. In fact, I don't even believe in "writer's block." I know, I know, all the writers out there are going to take affront to this, but let me explain. To me, writer's block is self-inflicted and doesn't really exist. Writer's block occurs when one convinces themselves they've run out of ideas for the time being. It is a sham and one that is so widely reported that its hard not to believe in it. The best way to get over perceived writer's block is simply to write.

So, I'm going to do just that. Its more easily said than done, I suppose, but all one has to do is take the first idea that shoots into one's mind and run with it. Its not so different, really, from writing a blog. Sure, fiction needs to be made up and not just a reflection of what you're thinking, but that's not so hard for a writer. For many of us, fiction is more real than the world around us. I know when I'm working feverishly on a story of mine it feels much more like I'm working IN that world. Its almost as if I'm Aslan at the creation of Narnia. Every touch, every whim I have, becomes a new creation. My worlds often seem like a better place to live than our mundane world. 

In any  case, I need to finish this up so I can work on some fiction. Wish me luck and I'll wish you luck as well! Have a fine day and happy writing! 

A (Not So) Triumphant Return

Recently, I decided to make my return from hiatus as a writer by publishing a book of my short stories, a new non-fiction piece, and poetry. It is entitled Fragments of Reality and is available for sale in the Kindle Store as well as in a CreateSpace paperback copy. Perhaps its because I didn't write entirely new material for it or that it wasn't a novel, but I find myself strangely unfulfilled. Sure, the first couple days were filled with the heady delight of publishing my first book (self-published or not), but now I'm feeling a bit empty.

Its partly to do with the fact that people don't seem too interested in the piece. I won't lie and say I wasn't looking forward to that royalty check, but I think that its more than that. Perhaps my creative powers want to flow and they weren't satisfied with simply compiling the works into a (semi-)coherent whole. Yes, people that have read it so far, those happy few, have said they enjoy it, but I'm still a bit down in the dumps about it. I find myself looking forward to my next project, something I haven't felt in a long time.

I've committed (somewhat tentatively so far) to participating in NaNoWriMo 2013 this November. For those of you who do not know, this is National Novel Writing Month. It takes place every November and thousands of authors, both amateur and professional, accept the ambitious challenge. The challenge is to write at least 50,000 words in the thirty days from the first of November to the thirtieth. This is, to be sure, an epic challenge considering I have yet to finish a novel. I'm hoping that the fast pace and challenging nature will push me through the hump to finally complete one. Another motivational factor should be the horrible embarrassment of failing after boasting of my commitment so far and wide on the blogosphere and social networking world.

Keep checking back for updates as the days click forward to November! For now, I'm working hard on preparing material for the pre-writing stage of my NaNoWriMo piece. Wish me luck!

In Earnest,

Adam King AKA Lykeios

P.S. If you want to take a look at my book its located here in the Amazon Kindle store and in paperback format: Fragments of Reality