Showing posts with label September Portfolio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label September Portfolio. Show all posts

Saturday, August 10, 2013

September Portfolio Project: Process of Editing

cellar_door_films on Flickr

As I title my posts, I imply that each passing "day" is a day of actually doing things. There was one day before the first post where I got my ideas, and I've procrastinated most of the week after the first post. As a refresher, my September Portfolio Project is for the common case of people asking what I write. I have also decided to enter my story in the Bainbridge Student Writing Contest under a realer name (Cos, you know, there is a realer life when you power down the computer.).
Yesterday, I finished my zero draft. Being a teenage writer, the very thought of going through an entire draft and ripping it up sounded (and still sounds) horrendous, but I have powered through 1/4 of the three-page "zero draft".

...okay, so that means about 3/4 of a page, but that doesn't mean that's all I did! I drew a TARDIS on my desk, too.

At this point, to cater to contest rules, I have greatly shortened my plot and draft length to three pages. Condensing it all was probably one of the hardest things I've done. Still, I got to the point where all the characters were introduced after the first page, tension rose, and action ensued. There is still quite a bit that I am working on (as in the rising action - so hard in short pieces) and that I'm refining. (Are those things on butterflies' wings...scales?) I'll be sure to get some more to you guys later. However, there's no excerpt today...now that I've edited, everything sounds horrible...


Wednesday, July 31, 2013

September Portfolio Project: Day Two

As an aspiring writer, I have always loved sharing my creations with friends and family. However, it's when I'm prompted for a sample that I cannot provide. With school just around the corner, I have decided to make myself prepared for such a situation by writing a short story of my own to present. This is one of the first pieces that I will "pour my heart into" as I attempt to draft, edit, and finalize all ten thousand words of it. To make sure that I don't dawdle in the process of this piece, I have decided to post its entirety here as I work on it, as well as show off any other bits of it that I have on hand. Today is the plot and about 450 words. Tomorrow, I'm hoping for another update and some analysis on my work.


Scene 01
I dared myself to close my eyes for the slightest moment, as if in attempt to feel the breeze which had slipped into the halls when I had walked inside. In the hilarity of it all, it was almost fun to pretend that I couldn't hear the sound of the moth's antennae browsing the creases in Terrence's face. Just outside of the sound of my pounding heart, I could barely make out the smallest moan escape Terrence's lips, winding its way into my ears and bouncing off of my skull from the inside. 
"Shh," I said quietly, feeling the soft sh send shivers down my own spine. Terrence's fingers stuck together like glue, bending at the tips in the way that only he was capable of. I could see them quivering. I repeated my note of calm, unable to move my own self. The memories of the horrid moths crawling up my neck, their unmistakeale hissing at one another, but more importantly the feeling of letting go – I knew that all I could do for Terrence was watch and wait my turn. 
"Ashley, we have to go." In her ever-Valerie mocking tone, the trickster who had come to be my best friend poked her head around the corner, unphased by the monster dominating Terrence's entire being. 
"Val," I started, not sure what to do with my words  next, "Val, can't we-" 
"No, Ash," Val said insistently, her tone growing harsher, "We have to get out of here." I stared back at Terrence, watching his pink lips quiveer. 
"Gabriel's here, Terrence," Valerie whispered, "Gabriel's here, we're going to get him out, alright?" Valerie kept silent for a moment, as if she knew how long an echo of her words would last in the increasngly mothed-up mind. "Goodbye, Terrence." 
"Bye," Terrence whispered, using his hand to gesture us out the door, "Ash, you looked beautiful in those jeans. Can't say the same now,  Ash. Everything is brown. It's all brown, Ashley. You've got to help me. It's all brown." Valerie clasped my hand and started to pull me away. 
"Terrence!" I yelled out one last time before the doors slid to a close.As Valerie folded one arm protectively over my gut, I began my unique style of thrashing, that infamous for escaping even the most buff of the street-crawling pedophiles . Valerie was strong, though – stronger than I had recollected – and held me fast. It took one uncontrolled spasm, though, to tear me out of her grasp. I thought about beating my hands on the doors and screaming, but the grave gaze on Valerie's face kept me from running into the corner. Sighing away a tear, I bolted in the opposite direction.  

I wanted to extend a warm thank-you to Oliver, owner of Overville, for the kind words on Sunday's post. Thanks for stopping by!