I've never tried to review a book before. The English journals I've been posting are the closest I come. But I just figured out how to work my dad's camera, and I've been wanting to make a more professional youtube account, and it all just sort of happened. Apparently I do video book reviews now.
There's only one up, for Girl, Stolen by April Henry. Wonderful book. If you want to know why, well, you have to go watch the review.
I hope this works...
I wonder how long I'll keep this up. I have one more video waiting to be edited and a few more books I already know I want to review, and I'm having way more fun than I should with this. So, we'll see where it goes.
Sincerely (deranged),
Day
Teen writer succumbs to the devastating wiles of fiction. Also available: opinions, blabbering, author-worship.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Writing Class, Scripts, and Classics
My writing elective for this semester began today. Because my teacher is awsome, we spent most of our hour-and-a-half watching and discussing clips from Knight Rider and movie trailers. This could partly due to our writing scripts this year, or it could be my teacher's idolization of talking cars and The Hoff. Anyway. I had a novel I've been dying to try writing out as a script, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. And at the end of the class the guy who wrote the script for Buried (the movie that won Sundance where the entire film takes place inside a coffin) is going to come in and talk to us. We're connected like that. (Sort of. His cousin attends our school.)
Any writers who've tried this before, what's it like trying to switch a story from novel to script? Hopefully at the end of the summer I'll be able to answer this myself!
Also, while my mom's copies of A Seperate Peace and The Great Gatsby (assigned reading, yay~) seem to have dropped into some black abyss, I located a very dusty Catcher in the Rye and started reading it. I have never felt so inundated by swearwords in my life. But by golly if it's not some of the best characterization I've ever read. Things don't get to be "classics" for no reason, I guess. I will eventually finish the six-thousand books on my pile, but Holden might come first...
I missed journals on Sunday. There will be some this weekend, unless the snow decides I'm not allowed to have power.
God bless us, every one.
Any writers who've tried this before, what's it like trying to switch a story from novel to script? Hopefully at the end of the summer I'll be able to answer this myself!
Also, while my mom's copies of A Seperate Peace and The Great Gatsby (assigned reading, yay~) seem to have dropped into some black abyss, I located a very dusty Catcher in the Rye and started reading it. I have never felt so inundated by swearwords in my life. But by golly if it's not some of the best characterization I've ever read. Things don't get to be "classics" for no reason, I guess. I will eventually finish the six-thousand books on my pile, but Holden might come first...
I missed journals on Sunday. There will be some this weekend, unless the snow decides I'm not allowed to have power.
God bless us, every one.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
English Journal and Baby Rant
I finally have my journal back. So the first one for Living Dead Girl goes up today, but before I get into all that sadness and amazingity, I figure I can rant about this because this blog is supposed to be about being a writer and a minor, and it's semi-related, so humor me.
I've never entered a writing contest. I probably should, but they make me incredibly nervous for no good reason. Then sometimes, like today, in my case, you'll stumble across a contest that looks really fantastic -- free edits from editors or agents, chances of publication, money, the good stuff. And then, just as you're thinking, "Maybe it'd be worth it," you see the clause: must be over eighteen years of age. Gahburgahhhh. Whatever. I'll just have to go out and find a good one without the clause (like this one over at Coming Down The Mountain: http://karenjonesgowen.blogspot.com/2011/01/here-it-is-as-promised-submissions.html). It's my own fault for not being a proactive contest-enterer.
Anyway, enough of my frustration. In two years I'll be able to enter whatever contests I want (by the way, I've been worrying recently what I'm going to do with this blog when I'm not a minor anymore. I suppose I could keep the name under the idea of writing for minors, which I still plan to do.) Here's some ramblings about a wonderful book.
Living Dead Girl -- Elizabeth Scott
I'm not sure what I'm going to say about this book. I don't suppose saying, "It's indescribable" would win me any points? Maybe I'll start on the writing style and see if I'm up to the plot as I get on.
It would not be inaccurate to say the book was brilliantly written, though well written might be a bit of a stretch. The author has given up convention and 'literary excellence,' offering instead a first-person narrative whose heart beats between each syllable. The simplicity of the language juxtaposes interestingly with the depth of concept, reflecting realistically (or at least I think so) the voice of a teenager who, though only educated up to fifth grade, spends a lot of time experiencing and thinking about difficult things. It's an immediate voice, with flashbacks that feel like real, powerful memories and a cold, disenchanted life that's strangely enrapturing. The author didn't have to go into the gory details to whip your heart around like a kite in a hurricane. It's a journey-taking book. I read most of it in one sitting, and was disappointed to be interrupted.
I've never entered a writing contest. I probably should, but they make me incredibly nervous for no good reason. Then sometimes, like today, in my case, you'll stumble across a contest that looks really fantastic -- free edits from editors or agents, chances of publication, money, the good stuff. And then, just as you're thinking, "Maybe it'd be worth it," you see the clause: must be over eighteen years of age. Gahburgahhhh. Whatever. I'll just have to go out and find a good one without the clause (like this one over at Coming Down The Mountain: http://karenjonesgowen.blogspot.com/2011/01/here-it-is-as-promised-submissions.html). It's my own fault for not being a proactive contest-enterer.
Anyway, enough of my frustration. In two years I'll be able to enter whatever contests I want (by the way, I've been worrying recently what I'm going to do with this blog when I'm not a minor anymore. I suppose I could keep the name under the idea of writing for minors, which I still plan to do.) Here's some ramblings about a wonderful book.
Living Dead Girl -- Elizabeth Scott
I'm not sure what I'm going to say about this book. I don't suppose saying, "It's indescribable" would win me any points? Maybe I'll start on the writing style and see if I'm up to the plot as I get on.
It would not be inaccurate to say the book was brilliantly written, though well written might be a bit of a stretch. The author has given up convention and 'literary excellence,' offering instead a first-person narrative whose heart beats between each syllable. The simplicity of the language juxtaposes interestingly with the depth of concept, reflecting realistically (or at least I think so) the voice of a teenager who, though only educated up to fifth grade, spends a lot of time experiencing and thinking about difficult things. It's an immediate voice, with flashbacks that feel like real, powerful memories and a cold, disenchanted life that's strangely enrapturing. The author didn't have to go into the gory details to whip your heart around like a kite in a hurricane. It's a journey-taking book. I read most of it in one sitting, and was disappointed to be interrupted.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
It's a New Year...
I should get some sort of award. "Latest New Year Post". Isn't there a wall of shame somewhere for people like me?
Anyway.
I'm not gonna do a list of resolutions, because I don't like to be disappointed or disappoint others. However there are a few things I'm planning. Tentatively.
1. I would like to blog twice or thrice a week. Because my current level of suck here is just ridiculous.
2. I want to read all the classics on my TBR list (To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, some Shakespeare, and finish Huck Finn and Dorian Gray).
3. I want to be more outgoing; comment more, interact, etc.
4. I want to query for Accidents and complete at least two first drafts.
That's all. At least, all the interweb related ones.
In other news, I finally found a beta partner. Her name is Writein and we met on Absolute Write (wonderful forums, an awesome query workshop and lively discussions) on a third party's beta reader request thread. I'll see if I can scrounge up a post about betas and editing after we've finished each others books.
And, with a B&N giftcard graciously given by my aunt, I've read Personal Demons, Ink Exchange, House of Many Ways, and am about a third through with Dorian Gray (I also bought Danger Days, new album of awesome, but I can't start talking about that or I swear I will gush). House of Many Ways was wonderful; even better than Castle in the Air, but not quite as good as Howl's Moving Castle, I thought. Ink Exchange was really neat, and I'll probably be reading more Melissa Marr soon. Personal Demons was great, but dunno if I'm gonna read Original Sin. Got a few funny looks carrying that book around, but it's worth it. Dorian Gray is an example of why I don't need drugs - a future favorite, I think. Probably all of these will show up in the English Journals posts eventually, but my journal is now being graded for the last quarter, which is why I didn't post one tonight. When I get it back, the next two will be for Pegasus by Robin McKinley. (Edit: I lied. They're actually about Living Dead Girl. I'll get to Pegasus eventually.)
Happy New Year. Anyone have any fun resolutions (or tentative plans) for 2011?
Anyway.
I'm not gonna do a list of resolutions, because I don't like to be disappointed or disappoint others. However there are a few things I'm planning. Tentatively.
1. I would like to blog twice or thrice a week. Because my current level of suck here is just ridiculous.
2. I want to read all the classics on my TBR list (To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, some Shakespeare, and finish Huck Finn and Dorian Gray).
3. I want to be more outgoing; comment more, interact, etc.
4. I want to query for Accidents and complete at least two first drafts.
That's all. At least, all the interweb related ones.
In other news, I finally found a beta partner. Her name is Writein and we met on Absolute Write (wonderful forums, an awesome query workshop and lively discussions) on a third party's beta reader request thread. I'll see if I can scrounge up a post about betas and editing after we've finished each others books.
And, with a B&N giftcard graciously given by my aunt, I've read Personal Demons, Ink Exchange, House of Many Ways, and am about a third through with Dorian Gray (I also bought Danger Days, new album of awesome, but I can't start talking about that or I swear I will gush). House of Many Ways was wonderful; even better than Castle in the Air, but not quite as good as Howl's Moving Castle, I thought. Ink Exchange was really neat, and I'll probably be reading more Melissa Marr soon. Personal Demons was great, but dunno if I'm gonna read Original Sin. Got a few funny looks carrying that book around, but it's worth it. Dorian Gray is an example of why I don't need drugs - a future favorite, I think. Probably all of these will show up in the English Journals posts eventually, but my journal is now being graded for the last quarter, which is why I didn't post one tonight. When I get it back, the next two will be for Pegasus by Robin McKinley. (Edit: I lied. They're actually about Living Dead Girl. I'll get to Pegasus eventually.)
Happy New Year. Anyone have any fun resolutions (or tentative plans) for 2011?
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