Reviews, Recipes, and Random Slices of Life

08/10/2008 - Sunday, no work
* Posted writing log
* penthius freewriting, a really neat magic realism take on Ukrainian Easter eggs.
* Typed up the story idea Phil mused for me and deposited a placeholder in penthius.
* Updated market list from Critters, Ralan newsletter, and notes I've left myself.
* Then the internets were cranky, so instead of my usual Sunday work, I did a few more pages of redmarking Vicesteed.
* Processed "Dining on a Dead Girl's Dime" non-win of Weird Tales spam-inspired story contest.
* Processed crit of "And the Dog Died." Oops. Yeah, I guess I only explained some parts in my own mind.
* Processed Les Bonnes Fees personal rejection of "The Radiator Burped" - "not quite right for us. Of course, I can't really tell you what is right for us, because I don't know until I see it. That said, your work is wonderful, and I'd love to see more." Moderately encouraging.

08/11/2008 - Monday, 1/2 work at IDS, but saw movie in the PM instead of writing.
* Read FFW Small Markets, FundforWriters newsletters
* Downloaded files to crit from TCSFWNetc and posted my intro. Maybe I should have done that *before* putting my story up for critique!
* Started doing crit of "The Delivery" for writers group.
* Processed todfox's crit of "And the Dog Died"

Vicesteed Chapter 2 - Deletions

1,367 / 4,279 (31.9%)

Original chapter length: 4,279 words.
Words deleted: 1,367
Deleted scene du jour:

As she stared into the mirror, she wondered why her father had summoned her. Previously, he had always respected the recommendation of Dr. Portsmouth and left her alone for a time after her treatments. She had welcomed the peace. When she was alone, she was free. When she was in polite company, she had to guard herself against what they termed her unladylike inclinations.

When she was alone, she could wear only a loose dressing gown that did not constrict her movements. When she was alone, she could put aside her dreary watercolors for pencil sketches of various apparatuses she had conceived. When she was alone, she did not need to restrain herself from expressing interest in intellectual matters that belonged in man's domain alone. She knew it was improper, and she didn't wish to embarrass herself by intruding into gentlemen's conversations, but sometimes she just couldn't help herself.

"Miss Rosemary, your father is waiting in the parlor. He has poured himself a drink, and I estimate he will finish it in eight point nine minutes. From past observation, I believe that your discussion with him will proceed more smoothly if you arrive before he is three-quarters finished with his port." The housekeeper's voice intruded on Rosemary's thoughts.

She was never truly alone.

"Thank you, Matilda."

Reason for deletion: Look! It's a "stare into the mirror and have a very long thought explaining a situation" scene! Kill it!

( Lists and details of writing tasks )

"Tree of Life" Writing Log

8,990 / 80,000 (11.2%)

Words: 207 (on Tree of Life)
Total words: 8,990
Overused word: tunnel (yes, again)
Gratuitous obsolescence: dial watches
Type of scene: Transition and somebody-knows-my-minor-secret
Challenge(s): Giving directions in a zero-G, unlabeled warren. I could only make them subjective.
Which line is it anyways?A picture of the guard's eyes widening in surprise as Leander's fist smashed his face to a bloody pulp exploded in Leander's mind.
Notes: Directions, yuck. Describing going through tunnels, double-yuck. I'm about to the point where I'll only need to do that for new and interesting ways, at least.
Excuses: elfdope was home and constantly distracting me. Plus he started to nap and emitted such strong sleep pheromones I ended up falling asleep for a couple of hours and not getting more writing done--or house-cleaning, making dinner, etc. All his fault.
Other writingy stuff:
* Posted writing log
* penthius freewriting, based on elfdope's musing up a dead mining planet for me, and also more extensive notes documented on the idea.
* Wrote new ending for "And the Dog Died," beg. 2:15 PM, 1,137 words - end 1,072 words, 3:00 PM.