Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Winners and Losers

A hearty hello to my very small audience!

I have emerged victorious from my NaNoWriMo adventure. Although I was able to reach 50,000 words, my story remains incomplete, sitting quietly in my Scrivener, waiting for me to return to it. This, I shall do over the holidays.

When I was not posting to this blog, and when I was supposed to be working on my story, I spent a good amount of time thinking about how I might be able to leverage this blog into fame and fortune for me and my work. I am working toward eventually making creativity the focus of my life, instead of having to squeeze it into the corners.

So, starting in 2009, this blog will change. I will still be posting my experiments, but I will also be posting on the following topics:

1. Writing in general
2. Creativity
3. News articles and other useful/fascinating information for writers
4. Writing and new media
5. (possibly) Publishing

I'll keep you posted whenever I get a rejection letter, which will be often, I imagine.

I will be saving up my money for a digital video camera. When that happens (or if I find someone to collaborate with), I hope to also post a YouTube dramedy serial that I am in the process of writing. The current plan is to cast my talented actor-friends to be in it, but shh! I haven't told them yet.

In general, readers of this blog will be seeing more of me, and less of the sometimes-raw/sometimes-polished writerly persona I have been projecting here in the past. I hope to create a resource for frustrated creative writers like me, whether it's a community or just a place to learn something or get inspired.

So, readers that I currently do have, I thank you for your indulgence. I hope you find the new Critical Drinking as compelling as The Ambiguity of Truth. And future readers...welcome.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome back!

Your sense of adventure and hope for the upcoming year is absolutely inspirational!

I don't know you yet but I am already proud of you for your 50,000 words! The writer's marathon and you actually completed it with story to spare. Be impressed with yourself but don't let that story go unfinished. Please.

Best to you!

Seth

tinku said...

Congratulations on writing the novel. A friend of mine in the UK also did this.

It is so hard to get the balance right between making money and making meaning and I hope you will have time to nurture your creative spirit more and more. It's taken me a while to get there but now that I am, there's no turning back!

Anonymous said...

I shall follow!

My reading adoration will concentrate on law yet you will provide to me the welcome relief of non-legal reading. Seth prompted me to check out this blog and it will be an inspiration to me.

50,000 words...HOLY smoke. Go woman, go! That's such an incredible accomplishment even for a writer who is used to the written word. Complete the story and provide me with wonder.

Blessings,

Sharon

Anonymous said...

Congrats for being a NaNoWriMo winner. I crapped out this year and haven't quite forgiven myself. It's a huge accomplishment. I look forward to checking back in on you and seeing what you're up to.

Anonymous said...

stopped by upon prompting by Seth. I enjoy reading good writing and have found some tremendous writers through twitter. Your goals are encouraging and I wanted you to know that you are well on your way. I will be stopping back by to see how you are doing!

Melanie said...

Seth: Thank you again for the readers! I have to say that my "sense of adventure" was inspired by reading your twitter bio..."my life is about writing." That's how I want to be!

Tinku: Right now, I am making loads of meaning and no money (as far as my creative concerns go...I'm otherwise gainfully employed). I certainly have no interest in "selling out" or anything of the sort, rather, I would love to create a nice little niche for myself where I can do what I do and share it with people and also, maybe, make a little money with it. The money is secondary to the goal, though, which is to free up more of my time for my creative pursuits...though I can see that as a gallery owner, you surely understand this! :)

Sharon: Thank you!

SINgleGIRL: At least you tried! It's the sort of task that seems so daunting at the outset that many people don't even attempt it. Once you've done it once, though, it's not so hard. This is actually my third year participating and my third win, and I definitely found it easier this year.

@Katbron: Thank you! There's no motivator like having people count on you to get it done! That's why NaNoWriMo works, when it works.

Anonymous said...

Do your actor friends have to be talented to get a cameo? :-)