I thought I'd post a few links in case anyone is interested in the magazine world of writing or a discussion about business skills needed by journalism students.
There appears to be a Tampa chapter too for the Ed2010 blog.
http://www.ed2010.com/about
I didn't spend too much time on the site, but it looked as if the advice page had some interesting posts.
Also, here is the link to MediaShift, a blog I check daily, if not hourly. Mark Glaser, the host, has written a post about business skills needed by journalism students.
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/01/digging_deeperin_digital_age_j.html
Just a FYI.
-Ryan
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wait...What?!?!?!
Today my Grandma took charge of my two year old, Noah, to let me have the afternoon to write. So I went to Pita's, got a chicken melt and opened up the laptop. About an hour and half later I stopped typing and realized I had just finished my first draft. I had actually written the last chapter during a writing class in my last semester at USF so today, when I finished the *second* to last chapter, it took me a second to realize I had just completed the draft.
I am still a little bit in shock. Excited, but still in shock.
There's a lot of work left to be done. A LOOOOT. However, as this is the very first draft I have ever completed I am still feeling very accomplished at the moment. We'll see how I feel in six months when I'm still wading through cut scenes and sloppy sentences. :)
I am still a little bit in shock. Excited, but still in shock.
There's a lot of work left to be done. A LOOOOT. However, as this is the very first draft I have ever completed I am still feeling very accomplished at the moment. We'll see how I feel in six months when I'm still wading through cut scenes and sloppy sentences. :)
I posted this on my blog
It's my Top 10 Myspace Bloggers list.
www.conversationswithjenn.com
There are a lot of amazing writers on Myspace so I figured I'd let you all know who my ten faves are!
Happy reading!
www.conversationswithjenn.com
There are a lot of amazing writers on Myspace so I figured I'd let you all know who my ten faves are!
Happy reading!
First time poster, long time member!
I was going to do the survey, but it wouldn't let me copy and paste.
Therefore you get my thoughts off the top of the dome.
I always loved language. When I was little I felt as though the ability to read and write was this big secret that was being kept from me. All I wanted to do was be let in on the secret. I would stare at pages and pretend I could read until I actually could. After I got reading down pat I began to write.
It started off as something I was good at, but it grew into a love. I keep two journals. One is just day-to-day thoughts and emotions and the other one is my spiritual journal. I don't neccessarily have a ritual wiht my writing, but I like to write in mypersonal journal either in my room or at a bookstore. I like being an island in a sea of people. I think that's where I get the best self relflection. As far as my spiritual journal I like to be in my room by myself or at Bible study or church taking notes.
I used to think that my purpose for this gift was to write for Vibe and live in the City in a Brownstone and lead this somewhat superficial existence. As I mature and grow I feel like I'm supposed to be doing something else with this gift. I just don't know what.
Therefore you get my thoughts off the top of the dome.
I always loved language. When I was little I felt as though the ability to read and write was this big secret that was being kept from me. All I wanted to do was be let in on the secret. I would stare at pages and pretend I could read until I actually could. After I got reading down pat I began to write.
It started off as something I was good at, but it grew into a love. I keep two journals. One is just day-to-day thoughts and emotions and the other one is my spiritual journal. I don't neccessarily have a ritual wiht my writing, but I like to write in mypersonal journal either in my room or at a bookstore. I like being an island in a sea of people. I think that's where I get the best self relflection. As far as my spiritual journal I like to be in my room by myself or at Bible study or church taking notes.
I used to think that my purpose for this gift was to write for Vibe and live in the City in a Brownstone and lead this somewhat superficial existence. As I mature and grow I feel like I'm supposed to be doing something else with this gift. I just don't know what.
Friday, January 18, 2008
It's a great feeling.
Back in November, I participated in NaNoWriMo, a one month long writing challenge in which we were all trying to write 50,000 words. Besides reaching that goal, and having 50,000 more words towards my novel, I came away with something that has changed my writing: Discipline.
I'm not talking about discipline in the sense of forcing myself to sit down and write each day. I'm talking about having the discipline to push forward--to keep writing--and to leave what I've already written alone. My biggest problem before the contest was that i kept going back to what I had already written, deciding it was crap and starting over. I've been writing the same book for about two years now and have started over four times.
Now, its a different story. I'm approaching the end of my first draft, which amazes me. I have maybe six more chapters or so to write. Granted, the draft is a terrible mess. I have a point of view change about a third of the way into the story, I have characters who change personalities half way through, sub-plots that were either suddenly abandoned or started without set up. And of course there is the overal suckiness of my descriptions and sentences. But all of that is stuff I can fix and polish. I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoys the revision process (which is probably why I kept getting into trouble before) so I am really looking forward to finishing this draft. I've been averaging a chapter every couple of days so I'm hoping to have my first draft done before summer.
I know this is basic to a lot of you guys, but to me it has been a break through!
I'm also learning to let go of my rigid outline form of writing. I used to write out every scene--who would be there, what would happen, what I wanted to accomplish--before I even started going into the scene. Now I am just sitting down at the computer and going forward with the characters, thinking: how would they react to what just happened? And when they intereact with other characters, I try to imagine on the spot what would happen from both sides of the characters. Its really given me a new source of freedom and inspiration.
So that is what I ahve to report lately. Hope you guys are doing great!!
I'm not talking about discipline in the sense of forcing myself to sit down and write each day. I'm talking about having the discipline to push forward--to keep writing--and to leave what I've already written alone. My biggest problem before the contest was that i kept going back to what I had already written, deciding it was crap and starting over. I've been writing the same book for about two years now and have started over four times.
Now, its a different story. I'm approaching the end of my first draft, which amazes me. I have maybe six more chapters or so to write. Granted, the draft is a terrible mess. I have a point of view change about a third of the way into the story, I have characters who change personalities half way through, sub-plots that were either suddenly abandoned or started without set up. And of course there is the overal suckiness of my descriptions and sentences. But all of that is stuff I can fix and polish. I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoys the revision process (which is probably why I kept getting into trouble before) so I am really looking forward to finishing this draft. I've been averaging a chapter every couple of days so I'm hoping to have my first draft done before summer.
I know this is basic to a lot of you guys, but to me it has been a break through!
I'm also learning to let go of my rigid outline form of writing. I used to write out every scene--who would be there, what would happen, what I wanted to accomplish--before I even started going into the scene. Now I am just sitting down at the computer and going forward with the characters, thinking: how would they react to what just happened? And when they intereact with other characters, I try to imagine on the spot what would happen from both sides of the characters. Its really given me a new source of freedom and inspiration.
So that is what I ahve to report lately. Hope you guys are doing great!!
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