I’d just like to say, GO ME!
Even with a burned out mother board, breaking up with a boyfriend, dentist appointments, therapy appointments, and all the little sundry’s of the world:
73,000 of 80,000 complete on Mermaids Curse
91% Completion!
Go Me!
If having my USBs randomly stop working wasn’t enough, my motherboard blew out last week. I’ve been computer-less for the last seven days.
But, hopefully that will end today. I bought a new motherboard, processor, and some ram which will double my computers speed and make my games so much better to play.
Going down to Fry’s and picking out all the parts with my techy friend made me feel like a fish out of water. There I was, surrounded by pieces of computers. The insides, the guts of what makes the most important appliance in my house work, and I might be able to tell you what each of those pieces were, but there is no way that I could tell you which ones fit together, how how to fit them in the right order or slot.
Cue my tech friend who pointed out which ones were good brands, which ones were faster then what I currently had (all of them since my computer wasn’t working at all, of course, but you know what I mean) and which ones were the best fit for what I wanted. $400 later, I had all the parts we thought we needed. That was at least $200 cheaper then buying a comparable PC off the shelf. (It helps to have a techy friend who knows what all the numbers on the boxes mean.)
We also spent $5 to have Fry’s techs install the processor on the motherboard and make sure everything worked.
Hint: It didn’t.
They installed the processor, and the ram on the motherboard and hooked it up to a power supply and screen. A text box that says “no OS available” should have popped up on the screen. But there was nothing.
So I ran back and grabbed a different motherboard since it is usually a faulty motherboard that causes that problem. They hooked it all up again, and nothing happened.
The next step was to test the processor. At Fry’s they keep really expencive, small items like processors inside a cage to reduce shrinkage. So the tech had to take the processor to the cage, and test it out. It is very rare for a processor not to work, so I’m told. Lucky me, we were given the one processor in the lot that did not work.
But the tech couldn’t just take the new, working, processor out of the cage. Nope, we had to take the old one back up there, and do an exchange. Again, shrinkage. Then back to the tech area where they, again, tried to install the processor onto the motherboard.
By this point they have also checked this motherboard against another processor, and he motherboard does, indeed, work. When they install the processor I bought though… nothing.
Turned out the motherboard was a year old. A year, in computer terms, is a long time. During that year the bios (the simple programing that is pre-installed on a motherboard) had been updated five times. Same motherboard, different bios, which meant the older version couldn’t comunicate with the newer processor. And the only way to update the bios was to install an older processor and connect it to the internet, or a driver, something the techs at Fry’s were not allowed to do.
So, back to the motherboard section to pick out a newer model. I scanned the shelves and all of them said $130 or more. The one we picked out had only been $70. That meant I’d have to pay the difference. Le sigh.
Then my tech friend picks up a smaller box right above a sign that says “$40”.
“Isn’t that for a mini computer? That wouldn’t fit.”
“Actually, it will. It’s got the same screw configuration so it will pop right into the case you’ve got. This one has two less slots, but were you going to fill those slots anyway?”
We discuss it. $80 a piece for ram, and the one I picked out was already an 8 gig stick. No, I probably wouldn’t be able to get three more any time soon, but I could probably buy one more later, which meant this new, smaller motherboard would save me $20, and I’d still have room to upgrade. PLUS, when/if I feel like it I can get a smaller case (about $60) and make a mini PC that will fit on the corner of my desk. I like how this sounds.
We go back to the tech area and they test out the mini board and the processor before we bother with the exchange. Couple minutes later the light comes on the screen. “No OS detected.” IT WORKS!
Only thing left was the exchange, which actually meant refunding the original mother board and getting store credit, taking he store credit back to the cashier who used the store credit to buy the new mother board, and then putting the rest of the store credit back on my credit card. A bit of a circuitous route, but I still got $20 back, and all the parts I needed for a new, faster machine. YAY.
All in all, I’d say that $5 service charge to have Fry’s techs install the processor was well worth the money. Ya, we were there for two hours going back and forth and figuring out what was wrong, but it would have been so much more trouble if we had left with a broken processor that didn’t even speak the same language as the motherboard we got.
For the first time I can say I really like a big box stores tech support. Go Fry’s!
Not very long ago, Neil Gaiman gave a beautiful speech which boiled down to one thing: Make Good Art.
Well, Adam Savage just gave another wonderful, and really short speech at Maker Fair on the ten commandments of making, and they are great commandments. Not only for making physical items, as they do a Maker Fair, but for making anything that takes imagination and creativity. Art, books, paintings, music… anything.
I’ll give you the list, along with my thoughts on each, but you should also go listen to his speech and what he has to say.
Here is the short version of the commandments according to Adam, with my commentary.
1. Make something
Anything. But I will add something to what Adam said, and that is ‘don’t stick to one kind of making.’ If you’re a writer then dabble in photography. If you are a painter try your hand at sculpting. Mix it up, learn something new, because when you go back to your usual making then you will have a fresh perspective to work with.
2. Make something useful
I love his description of making a pull knob and using it every day, watching the patina and wear from your own hands making it something more. He’s right. Making something you can use will encourage you to make more.
But what do you make when you’re a writer, or a painter that you can use all the time? This goes back to the first point and dabbling in new things. Print your poem and add it to a frame, decorate and put it on the wall. Or get a short story illustrated and hand it out. Or take your book covers and make them into posters that you see all the time. I love seeing, and touching and giving away my paperbacks. It’s wonderful.
3. Start right now
Get out your pen, and paper, and start NOW! Make a plan of attack. This is so important. So many people get bogged down in learning how to do the thing, and never get to doing the thing. Most people learn much more from DOING then they do from reading about or being told. Go. Do it!
4. Find a project
Ever notice that when you’re completing one project you often get ideas for another? While writing “Mermaid’s Curse” I came up with six or seven new ideas. Some were good, some not as good, but they all went into my story file for later.
My first novel was bad. It was so bad I am now glad it died in a computer crash. But while writing it I got a lot of new ideas. Some of which I’ve since published.
Finding that first project, even if it’s a TERRIBLE project, is important, because it will lead you to other projects.
5. Ask for help, advice, and feedback
No man is an island. We were all novices at one point or another. And looking up tutorials online only goes so far. Don’t be afraid to ask for some help. Someone might say no, but someone else is going to say yes.
6. Share
Join a writers group, get beta readers, or find a critique group. Give things away, and make efforts to just share.
But also share what you know. Share you’re expertise. Help someone get that cover right. Offer your opinion (when they want it.) Share yourself, as well as your projects.
7.Recognize that discouragement and failure is part of the project
This May I had one book sale. My computer broke for a month, and now the mother board blew out. I’ve had so much discouragement, and had every excuse to just not write for a while. But I’m writing anyway, because failure is an option. Writing sucky things, or awful dialog is absolutely allowed. That’s what editing is for. But keep moving forward regardless.
8. Measure carefully
For writing there isn’t a lot of measuring. There is a word count, and keeping track of my word count has encouraged me to keep writing. And the word count also makes the difference between short story, novella, and novel.
But there is another way of looking at this “rule”. Measuring is about having the right fit. Does your work fit? Do you have the right tools? Do you have the right genre and feeling? Does it work?
This is all about the details, and making sure your details are all in the right order so that when you are done everything works out.
9. Make things for other people
If the only audience you have for your book or photo, or drawing is you, then does it matter? Well, yes, to you. But when you start putting your work out there, either by publishing or giving it away, and you start seeing what people really think of your work (good or bad) that gives you more opportunity for growth.
So now, go make something!
10. Use more cooling fluid
Cooling fluid doesn’t have to literally be cooling fluid. It can be a drink, or a walk through a park, or a nice long shower. Cooling fluid, in this case, is time to relax and sit back. Time to just have fun and enjoy life. Yes, enjoy making and creating, but take a moment to smell the roses too. Some time to live. And then use that cooling off period as more inspiration to write/paint/draw/and make.
Simon Canton asked me to be part of the Writing Process Blog Tour. I said yes, how could I not?
I’ve been working on “Mermaid’s Curse” since October. It’s my third novel length book, but the fist one I’ll be publishing. An epic fantasy, with some romantic overtones, it’s set in the same world as “Osiren’s Tears”, but is a stand alone novel tracking the making and breaking of a curse on Okira, a half mermaid witch.
My stories, though set in fantasy and paranormal worlds, are more about the characters and their struggles then about the magic and mayhem (though it does play a big part). You couldn’t really take the magic or sci-fi elements out, as they are integral parts of the story, but more importantly: how do the characters react to demons chasing them, cyborgs crushing them, or a curse denying them love? It’s the human struggle I find interesting and compelling.
Though magic is really fun.
I’m fascinated by people. What makes them tick? What drives them? Why do they do such terrible or wonderful things? How will they react when I throw something new at them?
Every time my characters surprise me it thrills me just a little more.
I do something in between pantsing and plotting. I start with a very general idea, like “Sleeping dragon awakens after 1000 years to find a city built on his back.” Then I find the first scene. Add a few people, and a little bit of mayhem. Once I have those basics down I can start writing a general outline. One or two sentences for a each chapter.
The outline is never the end. I’m constantly tweeking and discovering new things. New people, and problems. Sometimes I will decide the ending is general, like “The hero saves the day by killing the bad guy”, but I always end up tweeking and refining it as I get to the end. The HOW is more important then the what by then. And sometime the how can get… complicated.
Nominations
For this weeks Blog Tour I nominate a great writer, a podcaster, and a friend. The fantastic Buddy Gott and his fantabulouse beard!
Buddy Gott is a writer of humorous fiction. His first novel, I WAS A TEENAGE AMISH VAMPIRE, will be released in early Summer, 2014. Buddy is also the host or co-host of a ridiculously large number of shows on the internet. To find out more about him, his writing, and his shows, please visit his site at www.buddygott.com.
Net Neutrality is STILL one of the most important things on the agenda right now. The FCC said yes to the internet fast lane idea. Even libraries have stepped into the fray. In their words, the death of net neutrality could KILL Libraries. Here are some ways you can still fight against it.
And also, a video that shows what Net Neutrality vrs the FCC’s “Open Internet” plan is.
Now… on to our regularly scheduled web news.
Author Earnings will have another report up in 25 hours.
Publishing is more then books.
The ISS gets and HD cam directed at earth.
Reddit answers the best way to start a new hobby, from fencing to glass blowing, and much much more.
Time to Reform Copyright. While he has a point, copyright is a little messed up, I might not agree with everything he says. Google books did start uploading out of print books for free on google books a long time ago. Some of them are still under copyright, but they aren’t available ANYWHERE else, so they’ve made a case for adding them to their library (as long as they don’t sell them.) The Internet Archive started adding loads of video to their archive, saving things that might otherwise disappear forever. Copyright isn’t always good. It causes things to be forgotten over time. Ignored. Lost. And what good does that do anyone?
Some days it feels like you’re not making any progress, when in fact you are.
Take today. I wrote a messily little 130 words so far. I’m probably going to write a little bit more, but it won’t be a lot since it’s already past midnight. However, I did go through my entire manuscript and clean up a lot of the grammar errors. Changed the then’s to than’s. Got rid of double spacing. Made all the “…” uniform. Took out all the double words.
It wasn’t a major edit, just a superficial one, but one much needed. From here on out I will be going through each chapter and doing a major cleaning up of word usage. Not a true edit, since I still need someone else to correct the spelling and grammar errors, but just making the words read smoother. This basic once over to clean up all the really easy to spot things will make that go through a little easier.
Progress is more in how you see things then how you measure them. I usually measure progress by word count, but some days I do an awful lot of editing, formatting, and cover design. This leaves no time for actual words on page. I know I should set at least one hour aside every day to just write, but sometimes your brain is so overloaded with everything else that you just can’t write. That’s when you have to measure progress in another way.
I’m going to be adding other accomplishments to my word count sheet. Maybe it will just be a note that says “marketing” or “art” for the day. Maybe it will be something more specific. But it feels a lot better to look at the spreadsheet and see “I didn’t waste my time playing video games that day, I actually did something productive before I played them.” (Because a girl has to have her video games, right?)
How do you measure your progress? What do you do on days that you feel like you’ve done nothing, even though you know you did a lot?
This month has been eventful. Lots of people up in arms over the Comcast/TWB merger, and the threat to net neutrality. Lots of interesting developments in science and technology. And an ancient book that was 100 years ahead of its time.
CGP Grey and a simple, easy to understand explanation of Net Neutrality and what it means for you, the user.
Because it’s all over my twitter feed: Watch two authors write a book LIVE in 30 days (and change how the world thinks about storytelling!) #fictionunboxed
5 hilariously bad first drafts of classic books.
Cosmos is free to stream online!
An album of scientific discoveries for the month of April.
Thanks to Melissa Donovan and Simon Canton…. I got it!
Here is the link to sign up for the newsletter.
Sign up to hear about upcoming books, or freebies sent out.
What kind of freebies would people be interested in? Definitely a short story now and then that isn’t available anywhere else. Any other ideas?
Also, I’ve got some posters available. If you’d like one you should send me a note. I’d love to send a few to people. They are 17″x11″.
I’ve been trying to figure out Mailchimp for a while, and I just don’t understand it at all. It’s not incredibly intuitive. I mean, I created a template. I added a “list” but the list has no emails in it. And I can not, for the life of me, find a button anywhere that says “create a sign up link” or something like that.
If anyone can walk me through it, or link me to a good tutorial that would be great. Until then… It’s blog posts or nothin folks.
Well then… The FCC asked for comments from the general public regarding net neutrality, and I sent them a letter. Here is their reply:
Thank you very much for contacting us about the ongoing Open Internet proceeding. We’re hoping to hear from as many people as possible about this critical issue, and so I’m very glad that we can include your thoughts and opinions.
I’m a strong supporter of the Open Internet, and I will fight to keep the internet open. Thanks again for sharing your views with me.
Tom Wheeler
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
Tom Wheeler. The guy who use to be a lobbyist for Comcast. The guy who has consistently been working for the ISPs to let them do exactly what they wanted to do. And he has “always been a strong supporter of the Open Internet”?
There was another article not that long ago that said this same Tom Wheeler wanted to just give the ISPs their way, and if that didn’t work out, THEN they would finally reinstate net neutrality. That’s what they are calling the Open Internet. The ISPs idea of the Open Internet means they can do basically whatever they want.
*Insert Expletive Here*.
Author Crissy Moss 