If it would only just fly to May I'd be super ecstatic!
This past month has been the epitome of crazy. Crazy for breakfast, crazy for lunch, crazy for dinner, crazy day by day. I'm currently in a Masters of Arts in Teaching program and, as professors are wont to do, have had about five different huge projects all due in the same week. Some I was able to get an extension on, others I've been forced to write over 50 pages worth of work. Unfortunately that writing wasn't designated to my current writing project. I can't wait until I'm able to get back into that.
So much to do...
However, 6,000+ words into the novel is a great start! I'm working on chapter 4 at the moment and, thankfully, have managed to work my way through the drudgery that is exposition. Introducing characters and settings without being absolutely dull is difficult at best! For a first draft, though, I feel as if I've done a pretty good job. Hopefully that means that during re-write and editing I'll be able to make it "freaking awesome," hahaha.
Speaking of exposition, my 6th graders are currently learning about Point of View and the Stages of Plot. Because of this, I've gone through my story outline and added labels to when each stage begins and end. I've labeled the exposition (introduction of setting and characters), rising action (introduction and evolution of the conflict), climax (most exciting part of the conflict, usually right before the problem is solved), falling action (coming down from the climax), and the resolution (the end! Conflict solved!). I know, I know, who does that?
I do!
Maybe I'll be able to make my work into a teachable moment in the classroom :)
Now, although school is very time consuming, you might be thinking that it's not nearly a big enough issue to warrant little to no writing of the novel! Well, you are absolutely right! To be completely honest, I've been doing other things as well that have taken up a nice chunk of my time!
What, you might ask?
The Baltimore Half-Marathon!
Thanks right, folks! I am a 13.1 finisher as of October 16th, 2010! I've been training for this race since about May of this year (I've been running for a few years now, but never any
thing much more than a 5k) and finally was able to go out and defeat it! I finished in 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 40 seconds and now I'm hoping to run another this coming summer in Seattle, Washington with a close friend! I've become addicted! I have a few pictures of the race, but this one is by far my favorite! It's the last half mile of the race on Eutaw Street through Camden Yards. Absolutely amazing :)Now, of course, I don't have a race anytime soon to take up my time so hopefully I'll get back to writing. Ha! What am I saying? Of course I'll write!
Maybe I'll post up the first chapter. I'd love the feedback!
Until next time!
