Release by Patrick Ness

I need to just talk about this book quickly because it is driving me MAD and none of my friends have read it so I'm going to say what little I have to say here right now.

Look at it — there's the cover — it's a beautiful book, no doubt, and an ever more beautiful hardback. Ness' writing is also beautiful — and so clear. Adam's story in this book is fantastic, powerful, hard-hitting, all that. It's just so real. 

BUT.

There's another story running throughout this book with a different character, and it focuses on the mythic and fantasy. But get this — it has nothing to do with the other plot. You could just cut all those italic chapters from the book (and, I know, I'm not a published writer who may even slightly know how to write a powerful story) and I think it would be better.

The story follows Adam struggling through all these tragic events in a day that could all be real. He struggles with his family, his friends, his love. And when one of those powerful moments happen we — cut, to a chapter about a ghost and a god-damned FAUN.

Now, don't read me wrong here — I think this other book inside the book is great (the faun was a cool character) — but it shouldn't be a part of Release. It feels so out of place and random. It feels like it doesn't suit the story at all. But I'm sure it could work well as its own thing, maybe throw in other stuff I-don't-know-it's-Patrick-Ness-I'll-read-it-anyway.

Maybe I'm just not getting it. I'm sure there's a message and themes going on in there, perhaps a certain deepness that is lost on me. But regardless, as a reader, I felt like it took away from the amazing story that is of Adam Thorne.

Okay. Wanted to get that out.

Rad.

A Feast for the Wolf

It's been a while since I posted anything — there aren't any of you there reading, I don't think, to care too much, so that's a good thing there.

Anyway, every Halloween I usually post a story with a theme relating to the holiday: my first one was a clown (which turned out to be kinda a copy of Stephen King's It, the more I think about it — but I read that book after I wrote that particular story, so I feel as though I can excuse myself); and then the next year it was ghosts. Both were quite predictable, but I was more or less happy with them both (more so the second one, I'd say).

Alas, I missed this year, but I did have a story prepared. I just found myself not getting round to posting it, and — bam — before you know it, it may as well have been another year since Halloween.

It's just my college, I feel like I don't have any time to write anymore, considering I'm now doing chemistry and double maths. And, while double maths is great, it is certainly absorbing much of my time, and sadly my writing is yielding spectacularly.

However, I did prepare you whoever readers a story, and while it is very short, I'm very happy with it. I present, a most excellent tail of woe and wonder:

A Feast for the Wolf.

Thankfully Writing

So, thankfully, as the post title would suggest, I have been writing.

The plot for my story has been completed, and now I have entered the best stage: waffling onto a page of paper.

Looking back at it, the first two chapters are shoddy — but apart from that, I think I have only one word to describe it with: AMAZING. (Which is a word, I'd like to point out, I know how to say in sign language. Yes, I know, I know, it's impressive).

I know, I know. How vain. Well, that's just the way you* gotta be in this industry. It's tough stuff.

So far, I've written about 20,000 words, which is an amazing TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT of how much I hope to write. You* see what that is in action right there? That's my maths A-Level.

Now, of course, I'm probably NOT going to write 80,000 words for this story — but that doesn't matter. What matters is that the story is as long as it needs to be. Adding filler to that will just make it boring. And I don't want to write a BORING book, dammit.

As for the title, of which I know all of you* are very excited about, I have yet remained undecided. I DO have one for the story at the moment, but I don't know if that's the one I want to end up with. It's a pretty cool title, but it's only one word long, and I read somewhere that that might be a little pretentious.

This is concerning.

But that's not the main reason I've non-titled it — I'm wondering whether or not I want a super-interesting title or not? You* know, something ... something ENGAGING, or perhaps even — might I say — charming?

Anyway, I think it's probably time I started talking about more interesting stuff on this blog than just my endless musings into trying to write a book.

That'll be the next post.

For now, you'll* just have to read this one.

goodbye.

* my many many readers 

Absolute Progress

Don't believe the title. It's lying to you.

There's been little progress this week on the fabled story I'm trying to write this year. While — yes — I've written out most of the plot by now, I've decided to rewrite that up so that I can make it smoother, less messy. There were WAY too many POV characters going on in a story I want to write simple.

So yes, I want to write a nice, simple, 80,000 word long story this year (I've been saying that for a year now, so so far 100% of my attempts have failed) because I feel like I need to START with something simple. Something I SHOULD be proud of.

Because, that's how I feel: I feel like I can't write a story that I'm not proud of; if I'm not enjoying the plot of what I'm writing, why would anyone enjoying reading it? They WON'T. So that's what I've got to fix — a nice, simple, plot, that's gripping, and has a nice little twist near the end, and then the most INCREDIBLE ending in the world that you'll demand all of the books from me that I'll have no choice by to keep writing, to keep you all asking what's going to happen next.

You see? That's what I want. I want to be able to entice you into a story, love my characters, and desperately ask me what's going to happen. I want you to not be able to wait for the next instalment to a series that I might be writing — to be gutted when there's a cliffhanger ending — to come up with your own theories to what's going on in this world I've created!

And there's so quick way to getting to this. I just need to keep writing little things, and building up to the big things. Simple stories now, brilliantly MAD stories later. Patience, patience ...

The only sad thing about all this is that these days I feel like I don't have enough time to write anything; these A-Level things are rather time consuming. A factor I need to work on.

Somehow, I need to juggle revision and work with some of my own time and writing. And then a load of reading on the side.

To the many viewers of this blog, I wish you a good day! I'll be back whenever.

Review

WELL. Looking back at the year, I defiantly did NOT manage to write an 80,000 word long book.

Damn.

I'll tell you what happened: GCSEs, and a lack of interest.

I know, HOW could the story I was writing become boring to ME? I don't know. I just didn't like it. And if I didn't like it — why would anyone else reading it like it?

Maybe I'll revisit it some time next year.

BUT — this means I can go full speed ahead on a different story that's picked my fancy. I'm writing out the plot as we speak and by the looks of it, it's defiantly gonna be a book-sized book.

This year, I really do feel like I could have done a LOT more writing. I've let myself down. It's sad, I know.

And to make up for this, well, I'll obviously be doing a lot more writing next year.

And biology,

and chemistry ...

and ... maths.

Happy New Year whoever reads this!

The Distant Winds

At last!

We're here!

I tell you, I thought I wasn't going to get it finished in time but I did it!

I was still editing this thing TODAY. I KNOW. I need to plan it out better. I thought that I DID plan it out fine, but no. But yes actually because it's done?

Well, it's now been a YEAR since I Remember the Clown, and so I bring you The Distant Winds.

When I first told my dad about this story, he immediately made a joke about farting and named it The Passing Winds. Thanks, dad.

Alright, HERE WE GO READ HERE READ HERE READ HERE GO GO GO GO!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

(Alright, I know there isn't much written here, but that's mainly because I linked a short story here. Don't wanna overload the webpage words. Okay cool.)

The Shoes Are Off

Since I wrote the last blog post, I have not had a chance to edit The Distant Winds.

I know.

I'm sorry.

I've been EDUCATIONING.

And so, because of this, I've had no time to edit the story, and TODAY marks the first day I would have edited it.

There's a lot I need to change.

So I thought I'd come here first to get me back into the writing mood and enjoy it, which would mean I'd need something to RAMBLE about on here. But I've got nothing as I'm writing this sentence, so I don't think it's going to go very well. Maybe I'll have something in the next sentence, or even paragraph.

I don't.

So this may just mark the end of the blog post. Maybe I'll just jump straight into writing the story then.

After all, it's nearly HALLOWEEN. That's when it's due by.

So, I'm home, the jacket's off, the shoes are off, let's get writing.

I hope you took notes from this post. I'll test you on it later.