avocado_love

1) Write original novel.
2) Send original novel to as many agents as I can google.
3) Receive countless rejection letters because, knowing me, my novel will be chock full 'o gay porn.
4) Self-publish original novel.
5) Create an iPhone/Droid app in which to give away the original novel.
6) Create a free website (perhaps on fourtunecity.com) to advertise my novel, complete with author "bio".
7) Call myself a published writer. Put it on business cards.
8) PROFIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!




:P

So the xmas tree is finally cut down and hauled home. While it's drip-drying in the garage I thought I would tackle some fanfiction. Unfortunately, I've come to a part where I need to get the characters to a certain head-space... but the idea I got from Ellie won't work (I think) and now I'm at a loss.

Anyone care to brainstorm with me?

( Cut for spoilers for the next two chapters or so of Another Brother. If anyone cares. Lol. )

Suggestions?

I'm doing some editing in critique circle and I'm coming across a lot of sentences that start with an action, like this:


Stumbling over the bodies, she tripped and fell.

Looking back over her shoulder, Melissa ran faster.

Gasping for breath, Yolanda looked around.

Hitting her head on the desk, Avocado Love wondered why so many people start their sentences this way.



So, fellow writers and people who are smarter than me. What the heck is this called? I want to put a name to it so I can tell people never, EVER to do it. It's quickly becoming a pet peeve. ;D Thanks!

I really love writing Jeong Jeong. He's just so full of mystical knowledge that only makes sense to him. Seriously, he's been cut off from society for faaaar too long. He reminds me of some of the guys I knew back at my home town. There were a few that lived up in the mountains and would come down every once in awhile for supplies or for a movie or whatever, but they turned really odd up there all by themselves. They'd sort of ramble on a touch too fast and mention things that are sort of inside jokes to themselves because, hey, they've only had themselves for company. Also there's a sort of arrogance about them; they're number one in their mind and the rest of society can sort of go to hell. I'm not writing Jeong Jeong like that, but it's what he's reminding me of.

Also, he makes for a pretty shitty teacher. Could you imagine trying to learn piano from a guy who only has wanted to be a guitarist all of his life?  Poor Aang, poor Zuko.

Nothing much going on in the past few days. I went on a crazy shopping spree and blew a lot of money on clothing, which was needed. My wardrobe was looking really ratty. I was feeling like those kids in school -- you know the ones, that wear the same thing over and over and over -- so drastic action had to be taken. I went with my sister to Victoria's Secret. I never went there before, and got sized... turns out I'm a cup size bigger than I thought I was. I'm waaaay past puberty but it seems like every five years or so I grow another size. I would brag, but now I'm a little afraid if I ever have children I'll look like Beth Chapman from Dog The Bounty Hunter. You know, like size F.

The next day me and one of my friend's went to Ikea for some much needed dicking around and shopping. She's a photo-major so of course she had to take the camera and of course she had to stop every few minutes and snap a picture. *grin*

On the writing front, things have been fairly sparatic. To be honest, this shift at work is killing me. I'm dead tired when I get home and it's hard to get up the will to write. Another shift change is coming in a few months, and I might go back to late nights. That way I can do chores, shopping, writing and crap done in the morning and then go to work. (Good for scheduling job interviews, too.)

I just need to finish one last part in Another Brother -- I was bad. I have like a quarter of the next chapter after that already written, so now I want to focus on that instead of finishing the last bit of the current chapter. :D

A shitload of people have reviewed on Rampage, the Stargate/Avatar crossover. Most of them are asking me to continue, and I've gotten two or three PM's on it with some very good ideas. I dunno, though. It's not that I don't have ideas for it -- I do, but I'm really not sure I want to tackle the whole Science VS Avatar Magic theme, which would have to be tackled. Frankly, I don't like science losing out, which it would have to do. And I don't want Avatar magic to be explained logically away. Sigh. Whatever. I'll figure it out or I won't.

Speaking of job interviews (which I was a few paragraphs ago) I had one today. It was lame. I aced it, of course, because if there's one thing this job has taught me it's to fucking nail interviews. Nothing is scarier or more demanding than an interview at my company. The one just to get my job took an hour and a half. I'm not even exaggerating. People have come out of those interview rooms crying. (Okay, just one guy I knew about, and hey, he got the job, so it's okay right?).

Anyway, this job I interviewed for today is another call center job. I don't even know why I applied for it. I would rather put a bullet in my brain than work in another call center. Worse, it's for customer care for a garbage collection agency. So basically I would be fielding complaints about people's trash not being picked up on time. Sounds like a blast. So I have another interview and if I pass that then they'll offer me the job. I plan on waiting to see how much money they'll offer me, and then 98% sure I'll decline (although the bullet option is on the table too. *grin*). This economy stinks -- I would rather keep my brainless job and let someone else have that other one.

Last night I had a Margaretta and then woke up in the middle of the night hiccuping. Classy.

... And that's all I have.

I've seen a couple people on my flist list their thoughts on Avatar and shipping today, and I thought I would join the party. *Baaaah goes the sheep*. Considering my shipping preferences are quite convoluted, this should be fun. ;D

Sokka -- Lot's of people have Zuko listed as their fandom bicycle, Sokka is mine. I could pair him up with almost anyone and be happy. I think Toph/Sokka could work well in theory, although I haven't really seen any good fanfic about it. (Recs, flist?). Of course I'm a hard-core Sokka/Zuko fan with Discoverys, The One Where The Fire Nation Clearly Loses and anything by Scuttlebutt Inc as my favorites. These two just go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Something about their personalities just works. I could totally get behind Sokka/Mai (goofy and gloomy also attract) or Sokka/Azula (yum). Hell, I could even go for some Sokka/Aang... although I haven't seen any, and I could imagine it would really be only a result of a drunken night and/or a dare. But... I just can't go for Sokka/Suki. I tried. Oh man, how I tried. Maybe I just don't like how goofy and early season 1 Sokka became when they hooked up. Maybe I don't like how it seemed like the writers smooshed the two non-benders together, or maybe I think Sokka still harbors a great love for Yue and Suki is the rebound chick. Whatever. There's plenty of other pairings I like to make up for it.

Zuko - My OTHER fandom bicycle. But while Sokka is more of the mountain bike (all terrain and good just about everywhere) Zuko's a sporty racing bike: he fits in most situations, but not everywhere. Firstly, of course, there's Zutara. It's a popular pairing (See the plethora of fanfictions including my personal favorites: Guide Me Home and What I Don't Like About You), and one I enjoy when both Zuko and Katara are in character. As a pairing, I could see the two of them challenging each other and coming out the better for it. Katara would never let Zuko slip. She would force him to continue to be the best human being he can be, and Zuko could provide an equal partner and someone who could reign her in when she becomes over enthusiastic. I also enjoy the thought of Zuko/Suki (Why is there no fan fiction? Sob.) because they are both warriors at heart, and their first meeting would be a good story for the kids y/y?. Toko has to be my other het favorite (Check out Just The Girl and The Mark of True Love). Like Zutara, I could see them challenging each other and coming out the better for it. Plus, they have a lot in common -- both high borns with parent issues, and warriors who like to fight. But my favorite has to be the slashing pairings: Sokka/Zuko (as said above) and Jetko. What a dark, maddening, intriguing pairing that could be. Check out Crossing and it's AU Float for some of the best I've read. Unfortunately I can't really get behind Zuko/Aang... I can see where people are going with the total Foe-Yay between the two, but I don't catch the tension. Or maybe Aang's just young. And I hate to say it, but although I tried even harder to like it than Sokka/Suki... I'm not a big fan of Maiko. I spent most of season 3 distrusting Mai's intentions. It didn't feel real to me. Plus, while she loves Zuko she wouldn't have the Fire Nation's new path to peace as a driving force. I wouldn't want her to be Fire Lady.

Katara - Oh Katara, you are so lovly and that gets you in so much trouble.... :D As said before, I like Zutara. But I'm just as big of a fan of Kataang. There's something cute, something wholesome, and something just right with that pairing. With those two working together, I feel they could take on the world and heal it. Unfortunately, I haven't really come across any good fan fiction with this pairing ( with a subplot of Comedy of Errors being the only exception. Recs please?) But here's some art! I wasn't unhappy that they got together in the end. Not at all. I guess that's it for her... Zutara and Kataang. She's almost a one-trick pony. :D

Toph - Yeah I know she's 12, but when I pair her I age her up a bit. So there. :P As said before: Toko and Tokka are my top picks... I can't really see her with The Duke, although that might be his age. I could see her with Aang in the right situation, with the right plot. I have even seen her with Iroh... although I think they're better off as friends. I could also see her with Suki, you know, when she and Sokka break up. :D

Aang - He's a tricky one. I like him with Katara (of course), and can see him with Toph... but more than anything else, I can also see him alone. He is The Last Airbender, after all. Poor Aang. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride... Actually, I could totally see him with Ty Lee. It would be adorable and he could totally bring out the airbender in her that we all know is there. ;) Or, in a cracky situation, he could totally have an affair with Mai. C'mon, you know you would want to see it.

I just read this article:

http://www.bookspotcentral.com/2009/03/on-ghostwriting-by-scott-westerfield/

And it about made my head explode with "Whhaaa?!" I mean, I know that K.A. Applegate used ghost writers for the later half of her Animorph series. She credited the writers with 'assisting with the outline'. Right. That was when the series declined. I also knew that celebs do it for their biographies, but I had no idea that apparently well respected authors hired ghost writers on the sly. Just... wow. It makes me wonder how much I've read that I've really enjoyed was actually written by who I thought it was.

I betcha the Redwall series is partially ghost written. It all seems a little too canned.

Also, Anne Mccaffrey's style changed drastically through her series (ignoring the ones she "wrote" with her son. I mean, compare the use of language in 'Dragonflight' with 'All The Weyrs of Pern' and tell me they were they same person. Hrumph.

OHHHH! I BET MERCEDES LACKEY HIRES GHOSTWRITERS!!!!!!!!!! IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW! No one can published four books a year (one a quarter) year after year. She is either a machine, ghost writing, or a whole lot better than I think she is. (Probably the last choice.)

I wonder if King has ghostwriters?

Also, I want this job. :P

I've been reading a decent fan fiction (Rough Seas, if anyone is interested in a pirate-themed Zutara) and in one of the author notes, dutchesscourtney mentioned that she is a published writer. I followed the link back to her book-site, checked the publisher and saw that she used iuniverse, a self publishing company.

In her website, the author has a bio-article talking about how she "broke into the publishing world" at 26. Yet this was self published.

I've never really considered self publishing. Mostly 1) because I thought it was looked down on. And 2) I never really had anything worth publishing, anyway.

But I'm seeing authors going out and self publishing more and more, and becoming self promoters instead of relying on agents. I can see how this can be a smart move for trying to get your work out there in a famously tight market. I can appreciate the need to see your own name in print.

But at the same time, can it backfire? Maybe I'm being snobbish, but it sort of feels like cheating to me. Once you self-publish is there any hope of being picked up by a publishing house? I can't think of one book (other than Eragon, maybe, but that was a bizarre circumstance) who successfully went from self-publishing to mass-market.

I guess my questions are these: Is self-publishing becoming more acceptable? Will a writer become blacklisted once a self-publish is done? Has anyone read a good self-published book, or published one themselves?

Advice? Opinions? Helpful websites you know about?

Just because I haven't updated in a few days and nothing particularly interesting is going on in RL, let me update my writing:

Another Brother: 80% done with chapter -- probably going to send it off to my lovely and talented beta soonish. For some reason, Zuko has decided to channel canon!Iroh in my last edit which may or may not have to be cut out.
In His Shoes: Eh... 30% done. This chapter is going backwards. I have the ending written out (and I think it's going to cause me to be hit with some heavy blunt objects by all sorts of people) but the start of it is giving me problems. (Hey, it's hard writing Zuko in Sokka's body paling around the earth kingdom pretending to be Toph's brother.) Not to mention Sokka's normal hijinks...
Order of the Lotus competition: Got the plot worked out and the first scene finished. I'm pleasently excited about this one. I just hope it doesn't take over my brain too much, you know? 


Seriously, nothing of interest to report..... OHHHHHH except that I got a new Blackberry!!!!!! I haven't decided if this makes me less or more productive at work. hehe. I have thirty days to find out before I can't send it back.