Soundtracks

Whenever I write, I see what I'm writing like a movie.

Not only that, but I cast my stories like movies and I make playlists on my iPod for the soundtracks.  Call me crazy, but it makes me feel like I'm rounding out my stories a little better.

For the Alex story, I have a 162 song playlist for writing and a 16 song playlist for what I really think fits the plot.

I used to be worse.  I used to make playlists for each character, and then it was each chapter, and then I just gave up and made it for the whole book.  If I feel like not being lazy, I might post the 16 song list, but no one would really care.

TTFN

M.K Wissler

Author Talks

Author talks are probably some of my favorite things to do in the wide world.

I had an author talk with my actress friend on Thursday last week. She's working on a fantasy/medieval/renaissance story and we had to develop a horse theft.  My little silver voice recorder really came in handy for that, because all you have to do is talk and then you can take as long as you want to write the conversation down, and pause and replay etc.

My bubbly friend and I are attempting to write a comic book, which isn't the best idea because we both have so much more stuff to do, but I'm game.  It's a sort of alternate universe weird, Gotham city thing with a bunch of underage criminals and a psychic poker player.

And lastly, my ukulele-playing friend and I did some short story critiquing.  She was very brave to do this with me because last time we did critiquing, I threw a laptop at her.  She just churns out short stories like...a machine, and they are all fantastic.  Very dark, very real subject matter.  And fairies.  Quite well written fairies.

While I was at chez ukulele fille, I started another series.  Don't worry, it isn't a book series.  I'm trying my hand at short stories.  Not what I used to call short stories (23 pages, min) but really short things, like 2 pages long.  So I'm drawing inspiration from this album:

For those who listen to music, listen to this.  Yes, yes.

*Insert Spy Music Here*

Along with taking the novel intensive, I just got back from a week long trip to Washington DC, where I encountered walls of hot, humid air, museums that felt like meat freezers, and museums upon museums filled with interesting things.

And these interesting things definitely sparked my creativity.

I saw the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian, and some other lovely sparkly things.

I also went to the International Spy Museum and the Crime and Punishment Museum, and let me tell you, I was taking notes right and left.

Did you know there's this thing called a gas tank pill that you drop into an enemy car (for sabotage) and it expands and they can't go anywhere?

I need to use that...

Highly recommended even if it is a bit childish...hey, we all like being kids, right?

TTFN

M.K. Wissler

Novel Intensive

Recently, I did a novel intensive class with the lovely Katherine Grace Bond.

It might have been the best thing I ever did for Alex.

Period.

I learned how to structure the plot better, and how to convey more emotion (which I seem to have trouble doing) and I got critiques from the other students.

I need to find myself a critique group...

TTFN

M.K. Wissler