Justine and I have spent the last six weeks traveling in the US, which is why there have been zero postings here. Apologies! I realize that this hasn’t been a very bloggy year for me, but it has been a writey year, and which would you rather have, really?
Let me take you on a slideshow of various things I did while in the States:
Shortly after I first arrived, I was greeted by the sight of my latest publication on bookstore shelves. It’s an essay in a collection called Breakfast on Mars, edited by Rebecca Stern and Brad Wolfe. Basically, it’s a bunch of YA writers taking on the dreaded essay, many teen’s least favorite form of writing.
My essay, for reasons you might guess, is all about illustrations in books.
If you’re a teacher or librarian, or anyone interested in non-fiction writing, you should check it out. If you ask me, Stern (a former fifth-grade English teacher) and Wolfe have helped fill a huge gap in the world of YA and middle-grade letters.
The next cool thing to happen on my trip was Manhattan Henge, a twice yearly astronomical event in which sundown lines up with the crosstown streets of Manhattan. It looks like this:
What were the ancient peoples who built Manhattan trying to tell us about May 28 and July 12? We may never know.
The third thing I did was have an amazing dinner with respected private citizen Maureen Johnson and her English offsider, Oscar Gingersnort. This was at 11 Madison, and included crazy-ass dishes like this one:
The courses were many and wondrous, and gave us the opportunity to plot the destruction of all other YA authors what to do at Leaky Con next year.
Nextly, I had a meeting with my excellent publishers about how to market my next book, Afterworlds. The ideas were many and wondrous, and will be revealed in due time. I can’t wait to see what you guys think of this book, which has been three years in the writing. (Because it’s really two books in one.)
Afterworlds will come out late next year, probably on October 28. (This date is a clue to the book’s subject matter! Spin on that one, fannish brains!)
One of my other projects for this trip was to start gathering my “papers,” all the editorial, artistic, and business flotsam that I’ve collected over the last two decades. I’ll be donating them to an as-yet-undetermined institute of higher learning as a huge tax dodge boon to future scholars.
The first step was to collect exactly one first printing of each of my foreign editions, a project which, even in its opening stages, ate my living room floor:
I also found my very first (incomplete) novel, the least embarrassing page of which looks like this:
And that’s all you will ever see of that novel, unless you travel to the as-yet-undetermined institute of higher learning personally. (It’ll be in the box with the big padlock encrusted with contact poison.)
I just realized that this piece of juvenilia is called Keeps, only one letter away from a somewhat more recent (and less appalling) novel of mine. I wonder what the ancient peoples who made me become a writer were trying to tell us about the letters “-eeps.”
In mid-July, Justine and I also had the great pleasure of teaching at Alpha, a residential sf, fantasy, and horror writing workshop for teenagers (basically, a week-and-a-half-long genre writing camp). The young writers and the staff there were smart, committed, and tremendously stylish, as you can see here:
We had a great time. The awesomeness of the students makes me think we’ll do more teaching of this kind in the future. Watch this space for details.
Also, there was a waffle tower. I haz proof:
From there, I traveled onward to San Diego Comic Con, the premier geekfest of our time. There I had many and wondrous business meetings, which you will see the fruits of soon right here. Also many costumes were witnessed. The best of which was Sharknado Hat:
I also enjoyed this shirtless steampunk dinosaur hunter (based on a Greg Broadmoor comic, I think):
Also witnessed were a cavalcade of capitalism aimed directly at the geek dollar, like these bathrobes:
And these leggings:
So let me get this straight. These are Dr Who-themed leggings in the style of van Gogh. In the words of Tally Youngblood, isn’t that one thing too many? (Nah. It’s probably one thing too few. And, yes, I know the reference from the show.)
After SDCC, Justine and I spent a week in LA, where various meetings were had. Some of these shall be the subject of my next blog post. But no, there is no fresh movie news of consequence. The usual movie options are afoot, but the feet in question are slow moving. Sorry to disappoint you. The wheel of Hollywood turns slowly, but it grinds exceedingly fine. (Not really. It usually grinds pretty crappily. But it does grind onward in the case of Uglies and Leviathan. We shall see.)
______
Okay, more about the trip in a week or so. I’ll be blogging here more often, because I’m almost done with Afterworlds. Thanks to all of you who’ve stuck around and enlivened the comments section while I’ve been writing.
Caio for now.
First comment!! 🙂
Scott’s blogging again!
Yay! He’s still alive! And he was at Comic con. I wish I was… 🙁
Thanks for blogging, Scott! I hope your new book is going well. Comic Con seems like a pretty crazy event to me. It looks fun.
Wait, the Hollywood wheel grinds onward in the case of Uglies AND Leviathan? That sounds great. I hope they both turn out and excellently, but it’d be fine if they didn’t.
THERE’S AN ACTUAL POSSIBILITY FOR A LEVIATHAN MOVIE?!?!!?!?!? :O I’M SO FRIGGIN’ EXCITED!!!! 😀 (assuming they do it right, which I’m afraid they won’t *sob*)
@Middy Miles: Hey! I don’t know your name! That’s so not fair. You never introduced yourself as Middy Miles on the E-mail loop! (If you introduced yourself at all.) 🙂
Alright, Middy Miles and Midshipman K, time to fess up! Which ones are you in the Alpha picture? I wanna know! (You can even say where you are in relation to one of the second years [I know them all but Sam] so your identity is still a secret to non-Alphans 😉 )
And lastly: *sigh* The waffle tower. I can’t believe I missed it. I can’t believe I missed any of Alpha. 🙁
Oh, and I like “Leviafans,” too! That’s cute. 🙂
OMGapostatlastIexploded…
LEVIATHAN MOVIE!?!? *spazz*
DATE FOR AFTERWORLDS!?!? *spazz*
Ahhhh… Much spazz 😀
Can I just ask why your new book won’t be out for over a year if you’ve already finished it???
There needs to be an Uglies movie!!! Please give us all the details on this subject! (How much of a chance it will be made, what stage of development it’s in right now, who’s interested in it, etc.)
Zac-la: I know, right? It take a long time to make a first draft into a book. The steps are as follows:
1) My editor writes me an editorial letter (big-scale changes).
2) I do rewrites.
3) Maybe repeat 1 and 2.
4) Copyeditor goes through the manuscript (smaller-scale changes).
5) I check the copy edits.
6) Book is typeset (now it looks like a book, not a manuscript).
7) All this time, the cover is being created.
8) Advanced readers’ copies are printed, sent out to librarians, booksellers, etc., and given out at Book Expo America (in late May, 2014).
9) The book is cataloged, and bookstores decide how many copies they want.
10) Proofreader goes through the book (micro-scale changes).
11) I check the proofreader’s changes.
12) Final book is printed and distributed.
I’m missing steps, and some of these are kind of out of order, but basically that’s the way it works. And yes, it CAN be done in less than a year. But it works better if you take the whole time, especially the parts that help you sell into the bookstores.
Oh, I forgot my pre-pub tour, where I travel around explaining the book to store owners and generally schmoozing.
@ Scott: HI SCOTT! (I am spazzy…)
Did Scott-la actually just tell us that Leviathan might actually become an actual movie?
I can’t even.
Also, I think October 28 was the original day for All Saints Day, what became Halloween, so Afterworlds is probably about that.
Happy to have you back blogging, although it looks as though you’ve been using your time in many delightful ways.
@12: Really? That’s interesting; I didn’t know that. But he already did a Halloween-y type thing in Midnighters, so that might be repetitive. I figured it was the zodiac for October 28, Scorpio. I looked it up, and October 28 is like the most in that zodiac. Aaaaaaahh! Over a year! :'(
I’d love to see what more you have to say about Comic Con. Especially with the rise in obsession over combining steampunk with literally everything now. Also, are you planning on doing anything in the Chicago area any time soon? I’m still dying to meet you.
@12 & 14 – it might have something to do with Halloween. I think I remember Scott saying something about a paranormal romance, so……..ghosts in love?? Dunno 🙂 😛
Leviathan Movie AND another book?!? Yesh! Ahem, excuse my outburst. You made me sad though, I don’t think I can wait another year… Oh well, since there’s going to be another book, are you going on tour again? If so, please come to Kansas City!
Excuse me while I scream about the fact Scott replied to me. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Ok, @Scott I always see writers saying that editing (which I guess is the stage you’re at..?) is the worst part of writing a book? And all those steps take over a year? Wow. I learned something today!
Glad to see you guys taking up the Oct 28 Challenge! Just to help you along, no, it has nothing to do with Halloween.
October 28th, 1962 was when Soviet missiles were removed from Cuba, ending the Cuban Missile Crisis. Maybe it’s an alternate ending to that? The title, Afterworlds, could be about the aftermath of a nuclear war.
October 28th was also the day that the only British satellite from a British rocket was launched, in 1971. Maybe it has something to do with space?
OK, I cheated just a little, and went to the Wikipedia page for Oct. 28. It’s turns out a whole host of interesting things have happened on that day. The one that stood out to me, for some reason, was that Harvard was established.
the Halloween thing just seemed so perfect…. 🙁
@20 The space thing kind of makes sense with the title “Afterworlds” …
@21 – so did I! That is one big list of events.
@20 – in 2009 there was another space thing! A NASA rocket launch for a program called Constellation. Maybe the book could be about space, we know Scott likes things that fly 🙂 (LBG)
Afterworlds….. I can’t wait!
@22/23 – I like the space idea. Space is cool.
Now for my proper comment about Scott’s blog post. (Yay btw, I love reading these long posts!)
Breakfast on Mars looks interesting but I doubt it’ll ever reach bookshops here 🙁
This isn’t the first time you’ve said Afterworlds is two books in one… I wonder what that means o.O is it two different stories together in one book? Or is it a book and then the sequel packaged together in one book?
I’m seeing a lot of Uglies references in your first novel! Were Cutters still the same thing as they are in Uglies?
@Midshipman (when you finally return!) you HAVE to identify yourself in that photo! I’m sure you’ve said somewhere that your sister was with you at Alpha? I’m trying to look for sisters… I’m probably way off haha..
Comic Con… WHY WHY WHY. One day I will go and experiences its awesomeness!
The possibility of a Leviathan movie is intriguing! I didn’t even think we were getting an Uglies movie anymore! 😀
Is anyone else still on here?
MidK? Roxanne?
AAAAAAND you guys have to spill what Midshipman K’s real name is!!!! Me and Roxanne have kindly shared our names (if your actual names is Roxanne otherwise awkies…) so ‘fess up 😉
@28: Actually, it’s not. Well, it is my middle name, but I go by my first irl. Sorry. It’s a secret. And as for MidK’s…it’s not my name to tell. (Yours is just Zac, right? Otherwise I don’t remember you telling us…)
MIDK, ANSWER US! 😉
@28 GAH. I feel dumb now… haha
Yeeeeeeeeep, you’re right there 😛 well kind of… you see my actual name is something different but my nickname is Zac and that’s what I’ve been called since I was young (by my family and friends at least). I’ll give you a clue though, the second part of my name sounds like ‘zac’. Wait, with your accent it might sound different? 😛 anywaaaaaay.
Where’s MidK gone???
@30: Is it Isaac? I think that was the name on that Goodreads review you posted, which fits with your clue. *super smart 😉 *
I dunno. She still frequents the Alpha loop. I’ll tell you miss her. 😛
@29- 🙂 I thought that was your name too, well your first name.
I actually went by my real name here some time ago, but then I changed it 😛
@30 – it does seem weird MidK has not commented
Hi
October 28th is after the 27th… (????) but the upcoming October 27 is not only my birthday but the 300th anniversary of the Gregorian calendar… Maybe like you guys said its an apocalyptic story?
Bwah, hah, hah, hah, hah . . .
Another clue: all books with the potential to make the bestseller list are released on Tuesdays, because that’s the first day of the “bestseller week.” (In other words, they count up all the books sold from Tuesday morning Monday to Monday night.)
Aye… Ya got me there
Mr westerfeld. I’ve always wanted to become a writer, and i was just wonder how you went about doing that? Is there a college or school that really helped you become who you are? Or did you force destiny’s hand with a natural talent for writing? 😉
@Zac-la: MidK says she doesn’t have the best internet connection right now and will be back ASAP.
@Middy Me: I don’t suppose you’d tell us what that name is??? Hm??
@Middy Gietzen: I know you were asking Scott, a published author, but the only key to writing is to, well, write. There’s not really a specific secret (which is not only my personal belief but statements from numerous authors I’ve read).
Now, if you already have a novel (or short story or poem or whatever) and you’re wondering about getting published, then I guess I have no place in this conversation. I’ll only say that “becoming a writer” might not be the best choice of words. Anyone who writes is a writer, so if that’s what you want to be all you have to do is write. “Published author” on the other hand…
Your right of course. I would like to write a novel, if that’s a bit more specific.
@40 Middy Gietzen – I think you might need to learn how to properly use ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ before you can become a writer… sorry that was mean but the misuse of those words is my biggest pet peeve >:O
@Roxanne & Middy Me – yup, you’ve got me 😛 can I just thank you for spelling Isaac right! My second biggest pet peeve is when people spell it ‘Issac’ -_- when I got my drivers licence the lady spelt (or spelled… hm) my name wrong and nearly printed it as Issac on the actual licence!
So wait is MidK still at Alpha? Or do you mean the Alpha website…?
@38 – well I can’t really give you any hints because I don’t suppose you know the name, as it’s a Mexican sort of name. Or just a name in Spanish….hmmm, I don’t know what to call it. I’ll think about it…..perhaps I will tell 😛 😉
@Middy Gietzen- Roxanne is right. If you want to write the key is to take your pen/pencil/computer/whatever you write with and just do it. What I think is all you gotta do is believe you can do it, even when other people don’t like your story. Just being able to write a complete story is an achievement in itself. So yeah, “becoming a writer” is not so hard. Just write.
Correction: You’re… My apologies
And thank you for the advice.
OHMYGOSH ALPHA PICTURE AFTERWORLDS AND COMIC CON I CHOSE THE RIGHT TIME TO TURN MY COMPUTER BACK ON
I have a bookmark with that TARDIS design on it. 😀
And I am back! Roxanne wasn’t lying, you guys were looking for me….Reminder of why you guys are my friends. ^^
As to where I am in the picture, I’m on the left side of the railing (from the viewer’s perspective) and am four down. I have short, fluffy, blonde hair and dogtags….*hides*
And as for my sister, she’s sort of hiding behind the brunette girl by Scott. (That’s my suitemate, Lauren.)
I know where Middy Miles is, too, and in answer to whether she introduced herself on the Alpha Crits thread, Roxanne, she didn’t. She hasn’t even been back to the Alpha 2013 group. I know she had a job and stuff back home, but I don’t know why she seems to be internet dead….
And I know what Afterworlds is about….hehehehe
And as for my real name, it has four letters. 😀
ZOMG SHARKNADOOOO!!! I freaking love that movie. SyFy is the best.
I went on vacation to Nebraska, and we drove into Kansas and went to the National World War 1 Museum!!! I was probably the most excited person in the whole building and I kept squalling like a crazy fangirl…wait a minute, I AM a crazy fangirl!
((And they had stuff from Prussia…kesese, Prussia, you are so awesome…//shot for talking about Hetalia))
*squealing, not squalling
God, I am the master of typos. AND it took me so long to notice…
@MidK: In front of Abby and Getty, you mean? Ya know, if you got a FB you’d be able to see what I look like too…
As for Middy Miles, she seems to be kinda fickle when it comes to the blog…and apparently the loop.
@Zac-la: I meant the E-mail loop. And maybe English isn’t Middy Gietzen’s first language, like Middy Me. Sounds kinda German…but of course, usernames aren’t exactly gospel.
@Middy Me: I’m half-Mexican myself (though I’m white as snow in complexion), my dad grew up in Mexico like you, so I might have heard of it. Try me. 😀
Also, I would say that my name has 7 letters, but Roxanne does too, so that’s not very helpful… (In fact, all three of my names have seven letters – I’m a perfect jackpot! 😉 )
To answer your question, Roxanne (I think it was a questionish statement) I am Germen, but Ich spreche kein Deutsch
Do you guys think that a midevil zombie movie/book would be good? Cause I’ve never heard of one before
@Roxanne – okay. I don’t think you wrote so much on this blog when I was using my real name (well not as much as you do now 😛 ), but MidK did, perhaps she could guess too 🙂
My name starts with C and has 6 letters. I was actually named after my great grandfather only obviously he had the masculine version of the name. I don’t know why that would be a hint but I just feel like rambling, I’ve been stuck in the house ALL DAY LONG!!!!!!!!
@Middy Gietzen – it’s so cool you’re German!!! I’m learning German myself you know, but I’d probably sound stupid to you, I don’t really know that much 😛
You speak/write English really well, by the way 🙂
And the medieval zombie ting sounds interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a story like that.
@Middy Gietzen – ok that was weird. Sorry, I wrote the comment without reading what you said that you don’t speak German. Sorry!!!!!!
Haha! That’s awesome that you speak German! I wish I did! We mostly just use it o say please and thank you around the table. 😛
*to not o… Silly me…. And yes english is my first language
Well I don’t really speak it, I just know a few of the basic words, and questions like “what does this mean?” or “how do you say this in German/Spanish?” because the teacher insists on always explaining words in German, so most of the class I just guess at what he’s saying. It’s pretty funny, though. It’s a really cool language, also 🙂
@Middy Me: Uuuuuuuh….Cabela? Catena? Chaila? I dunno how “Mexican” those names are, but they kind of sounded like it to me.
@Middy Gietzen: Yeah, as a native English-speaker (and writer, no less), I can affirm Middy Me’s statement: your English is great. Sure you make a few small mistakes, but goodness knows I would make a heck of a lot more in a different language! 😉 (Plus, it’s always harder to speak/write a new language than it is to understand/read one, so double kudos!) I’m assuming if you wrote a book it’d be in your native language, right? (Gosh, I can’t imagine attempting to write a novel in a different language!)
All you bilingual people make me feel so bad about myself! I should at least know Spanish! (I just know a handful’s worth of Spanish and Latin. I fail.)
@Middy Gietzen: Oh, wow… I wrote that big long post before I saw the new comments… I feel like a fool. :\
@Roxanne – well you’re kind of on the right track. The second letter is an A.
On the other hand, I have not heard of any of the names you say, so I wouldn’t be able to tell you if they’re Mexican.
Another clue: the last letter is an A too 🙂
And I felt like a fool too 🙂
It happens.
Haha! That’s the second time that happened! And no worries! We all make mistakes especially me with spelling! 😛
what do you think of my AP History paragraph?
For three thousand years Egyptian embalmers worked to preserve the dead through a process called mummification. Although the Egyptians themselves never wrote about this practice in their own recordings, a Greek historian recorded a little about in himself. First, they scrape the brain out of the bodies using a hooked peace of metal through their nostrils. (just imagine the scraping sound) They then proceed to make a cut in the side of the abdomen; tearing out every organ with a satisfying rip. After that’s done with, they take the bloodied organs and wash them in palm wine giving them a milky sheen. Next, the embalmers put the organs in a stone vessel which serves as a lovely air scent to those who visit the deceased. Then, with the smell of deteriorating organs in the air, they wash out the body. When they’ve finished that chore, they stuff the body full of spices. Later the embalmer comes back and covers the body with natron. (BEAR WITH ME!) For the next to months the embalmer covers the body with natron, taking full advantage of the air scenters. After the natron has worked it’s wonders, the embalmers return to a dried out body with brittle skin that would remind you of the average chip. The embalmer continues his work; he washes it and covers it with fine linen. To finish off the beautifying process they decorate the dead’s final home… his coffin. This special ritual was reserved for Rulers, Aristocrats, and wealthier commoners. It also served as a great way to get away from stress. Just have a relaxing picnic! Food, wine, and the sweet smell of putrefaction will make for a relaxing evening!
I’m not crazy or creepy… they asked me to write this.
Well that’s something….it’s a weird take on mummification, but it’s nicely written. You are a good writer, let me tell you that 🙂
Just some small spelling mistakes, I think. “Greek historian….about IT himself”, “hooked PIECE of metal”, and I think that’s it.
It’s quite good 😛
AH! Spelling will be the death of me! Imagine how scary that would be! Being killed by spelling… Or maybe that’s deaths middle name….
“For the next TWO months,” is what I’m assuming you meant. Also, the period should be on the other side of the parentheses in “nostrils. (just imagine the scraping sound)”. Otherwise, the sentence within the parentheses should be capitalized and punctuated appropriately. I think that’s about it.
@61: Have you seen the trailer for The ABCs of Death? 😉
Hmmm….killed by spelling……sounds like an interesting idea for a story 😉
So does the zombie apocalypse in midevil time
Wow, so many people are on! I leave for like six hours, and boom! This makes me happy.
@Middy Gietzen: That paragraph seriously had my eyes bugging out. I had to learn that, then promptly forgot it (because me and those kinds of things equal blue faces….literally my teacher told me I was turning blue), and the way you wrote it was so detailed! With sensory details! My English teach would be very proud of you. She used to rant about sensory details. Anyway, didn’t the guy who pulled out some organ (I’m not actually sure which one it is) get chased away with rocks thrown at him? Like, as a tradition, or something? I remember something about that….Wait, maybe it was the guy who made the initial cut to remove all the organs?
@Roxanne: Yes, in front of Getty. I freaked out when I read that, because I was like “How do you know him?!” then Facebook haha. The chances of me getting one are slim…. But you know Abby, right? I asked about you on the first night there, when we waited until like ten to pick up Abby from the airport. (A lot of flights got delayed and Abby’s was diverted because of a huge thunder storm and tornado warning; we got there literally right when the warning went up.) I was with Middy Miles (she was the first person I met, other than my sister and the friend that I traveled with) and then Mara came. Abby and Mara were second-years, so I asked….All I had was your middle name, though, so they weren’t sure. But you know them, right?
@51 (Middy Me): I remember when you changed your name….Did you just use your real name before? It was so long ago, but it might take only….ten posts to find? Maybe fifteen? I don’t know….but Scott doesn’t blog a lot anymore….
And I feel like I like I still missed half the conversation, but there you go. I got really drowsy all of a sudden in my second ballet class tonight, so the computer screen is swimming. And I just looked at my laptop’s clock….and it’s one a.m. But then I realized that Bovril is still on Pittsburgh time. XD That’s just shows how long I’ve been away from my computer since Alpha.
It’s so funny how you guys are continuing like five different conversations!
@midshipman k: that means a lot to me. And everyone else is sooo nice. The propinquity (YES I got to use that word!) of this chat room amazes me!
SO MANY COMMENTS. I’ll reply properly soon (or tomorrow because I have orchestra tonight 🙁 )
@Middy Gietzen/Roxanne – you can always write books in your native language and then if it’s successful someone could translate it!
@Middy Gietzen: Yeah, we have REALLY long conversations here. Scott stopped blogging a lot and we just talked…. I haven’t been here as long as some of the others (about a year and half for me now), but this is basically what we do. I’m happy to count you as one of us now! 😉
Seriously, sometimes, I used to sit in front of my computer refreshing the page going “Talk to me, frieeeendssss!” Well, not aloud, but you know.
@Zac-la: You have orchestra? You mean, like a class? That’s so cool!
@Middy Gietzen – yeah, the zombies too 😉
@MidK – yes, I started commenting here using only my real name but then I changed it. It’s pretty weird why, see: I told the guy I have a crush on about this blog, told him maybe he could check it out, because he likes Scott’s books too. Then that was the day I found out he liked someone else, so I changed my name here in case he ever did check it out, because I said something about that (him liking someone else) here.
Now that I’ve written all that, it sounds kinda foolish, because I think he never has been on this blog…….and I ramble again!!!
Does “Afterworlds” have to do with a future after the Mayan calendar end date of 10/28?
@midshipman K: Hate that feeling… But it always shows you something about that person you didn’t realize originally. It’s worse when they like one of your friends. 😛
An observation:
Scott-la mentioned how books are always released on Tuesdays, which apparently has some significance to our novel, but Oct. 28 of this year is on a Monday. It WILL be on a Tuesday in 2014…..
I’m flummoxed. I have no idea.
wait…. paranormal, Oct. 28th, two books in one,
my official guess is time travel…
*refresh refresh refresh*
Wait, sorry if I’m being oblivious, but is everyone’s first language English?
@Middy Gietzen – it is worse! It’s actually one of my best friends he likes.
And no, actually my first language is Spanish. Viva México!
But I read much more in English, so that’s how I came to be here 🙂
… That stinks. I know how that feels first hand! Makes you feel terrible.:P
@46 Um, actually the museum is in Missouri… It’s in Kansas City so lots of people get mixed up. Anywaaay… I went there right after I finished Goliath and they had a bunch of flight suits and things, and all those silly helmets Alek wore… Yeah, I annoyed my parents that day…
Are all of you guys writers?
Well I try. Most of the time I can’t get past the first two chapters, but I think I’m getting better, though I still can’t complete a story longer than six pages, haha.
Though I have one now that’s a bit longer, hopefully this one I’ll finish 🙂
That’s awesome! Could I sample a wee bit?
Well the thing is, I’m writing it in Spanish. I kept writing in English but then realized I kept comparing it to other books and that didn’t work, so I thought I’d try in Spanish, see if that worked out, and it sort of has 🙂
I can tell you what it’s about, though:
It’s set in the present, in this world where suddenly these digital glasses appear and everyone starts buying them. The glasses, they’re like Iron Man’s helmet, they sort of give you information on everything you see, breaking it down to pure information. Everyone’s pretty psyched about them but one girl, whose glasses break. She’s the one that starts thinking that perhaps the glasses aren’t so cool, because people aren’t paying attention anymore to the meanings of things, and only to the information they can get from it. I don’t really know what else to say because that’s as far as I’ve gotten 🙂
It’s a weird idea, and I still haven’t decided what it’s about, but it’s the longest story I’ve written so far.
That’s a cool idea…. Kinda reminds me of how everyone now adays always has an iphone or some technology on them
Here’s a snipit of mine:
Cameron Gietzen
August 8th 2013
1
?A load snap made Shane yelp, as his former hand hold became a useless twig.
“Blazes!” he whispered to himself. Luckily for him he had gotten another hand hold before gravity could get a hold of him. He looked down as the stick bounced around the branches, and finally to the floor in one piece. The Stick was in way better condition than he would’ve been from this height.
?He wiped his hands on his pants, one at a time, slowly and carefully, then started to look for a path up the towering tree. He had been climbing for more time then he would care to think about and was hardly near the top.
?Again he started climbing. One foot here, one hand here, one foot here, one hand here, until the branches were too weak to hold his small body. From here he could see to the corners of his world. The forest, the fields, and the main road that split the village into two and led straight to the castle walls were all easy to spot from his perch in the tree’s branches.
?He watched the villagers going about their business, the field hands slaving in the fields, and a couple of castle guards walking back and forth on the rampart. It was so perfect, so unrealistic that Shane had to squash the feeling of longing rising up in his chest. For 11 years of his life he lived in that village, with his father. It’s funny to think he would give everything he owned, which wasn’t much, to hear one more annoying chastisement from his father. He glared angrily at the castle; it was them after all who took his father away in the first place. The only thing they ever gave him was the news.
?Tearing his eyes away from the castle and the village in its shadow he scanned the woods for game. His father had started to teach him how to draw back the string of the bow before he could write, in secret of course. Teaching your children to use weapons wasn’t exactly encouraged in the village, but his father would teach him anyways. Every chance they got, his father would take him to their cabin in the woods, and shot arrows with him for hours, until Shane could learn nothing more from his father.
?A slight movement in the forest caught his eye. Curious, he made his way down the tree, one branch at a time as to not scare the what-ever-it-was away. As he dropped quietly to the forest floor, he realized that it wasn’t an animal, but a human. Not just any human either… it was Count Sargon! A Knight who’s bloodline could be traced back to the King himself! He was amazing in battle, and known for being one of the best tacticians in the whole kingdom! Not only was he related to the king but he was the advisor to Baron Cadeph, the man who sent his father off to be killed.
?Just watching this important Count walking through the woods alone made him curious, and he quickly slipped into the foliage to follow him. Shane watched this man as he walked through the forest acting as if a red carpet had been laid down in front of him. Back and neck straight, slow, even step. He was obviously a noble, even without his uniform and armor on. Watching this man march through the forest, made Shane wonder how close this man had been to his father. Sargon could’ve worked along side his father during the war; he could’ve seen him fall in battle! At this thought Shane decided to have some fun with him.
Nobody noticed Shane disappear after his father died, and just assumed he was dead when they finally did notice. He was a nobody, dismissed and forgotten. Nobody would ever accuse him of making a fool of this stuffed up pigeon, walking around like he owned the world.
Slipping his bow off his shoulder, he silently extracted an arrow from his quiver. TWANG! Shane quickly ducked and somersaulted away from the spot of the noise. He peaked from the bushes to observe his handy work. Sure enough, his arrow protruded from the tree directly to the left of the Count, who was staring in the direction from which it had come from. ?Working quickly, Shane released another arrow from quarter way round the clearing landing it on the same tree. Again Shane ducked and rolled away from the sound. This time, though, he went back the way he came, thinking to confuse the Count.
The Counts face was priceless; confused and surprised as he assumed he was surrounded by multiple people. Shane had to stop himself from laughing as he let go another arrow that snagged Sargon’s cape, pinning it against the tree. This time, the Counts face flashed with irritation.
“Come out in the open!” The Count demanded. Shane answered with silence, snickering to himself. This was the most fun he had, had in a long time!
Looking in no particular direction the Count addressed him; “The Baron has summoned you.” He said simply, tearing his cape from the tree, spun on his heel and did his little bird walk back towards the castle.
Shane held his breath as the Count passed by within easy reach, his torn cape fluttering pitifully behind him. Shane watched him disappear into the blend of trees that he knew so well.
“What does the Baron want with me?” he wondered aload.
Opps! That was a wee but much 😛
Excuse my spelling errs and grammar I overlooked
Well that was the main thing I got my inspiration from, how sometimes people barely even notice you’re there cause they have a screen glued to their faces.
Only the thing is, I haven’t worked out how the story will unfold.
Your story seems pretty cool!! You are a very good writer.
I would really love to read more of it, is it a complete story or are you still writing it?
Just one thing I didn’t understand, was Shane’s dad killed by the Baron, or did he die in the war?
Hey was killed in the war… But that character blames it on the baron. As for your other question, this is what I’ve completed so far.
*he… Not hey. My bad
In my defense, I’m using a tiny little keyboard with fingers that are twice the size of the keys… (I’m using my phone)
@65: I know Abby, Mara, Lauren, Marina, and Tiera. Getty just seems to be one of those people who friend-requests everyone, and we talked once on AlphaChat (which we both need to go on more frequently!), and guess what? WE LIVE 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM EACH OTHER! What are the odds? No one seems to be from Dallas! So I wanna get together with him, but we haven’t gotten around to it yet. (Of course now is when I’m gonna move away to Colorado for 4ish months.) Did you hang out with him a lot at Alpha? I know we all pretty much hang out together as a mob, but was he one of the people you knew better?
Gosh, I hope we can all go to Alpha together next year!!!!
@84: That’s really good! There weren’t many mistakes either. You’re very descriptive. Is this the story about the medieval apocalypse? (Also, August 8th??? It’s only the 6th here in the States…)
As for your other question. I am a writer, yes. I currently working on my first novel, a comedic fairytale about two maidens created by a wizard and their “adventures.” I have 9 chapters so far, and 47,654 words! 😀 *happy dance*
And MidK’s a writer, too. We’ve both attended the aforementioned “Alpha: the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Workshop for Young Writers.”
Oh. So that’s what this alpha is? Very interesting…. I’ve never heard of it before
@Middy Gietzen – oh right. Now that’s cleared up 🙂 I hope you finish it, it’s looks like a really cool story!
Thanks middy me. And it’s August 8th right?? Where are you guys?? Jk
And as for the story Ill try to keep you guys posted… as long as you promise not to copy! 🙂
Well it’s about 9 PM of August 6 where I am…
It’s only 7pm where I am. Which happens to be sunny California!
But what did you mean that it’s August 8??
Naw! I was just joking! I must’ve gotten the date wrong! I think I got into a habit of putting incorrect dates during the school year; I would always put the date of the day it was assigned so that the teacher assumed I worked on it right away! 🙂 pretty petty, but I think I earned some browny points
that’s cool 🙂 (I suspected you were joking, but wasn’t sure)
It’s 10:16pm on the 7th of August here 😉
You people keep commenting too fast and I can’t be bothered to write a reply tonight haha so tomorrow… Scott will probably do a new blog post tonight of all nights and then we’ll have to move to the new post! Hey, we should stay on this post for this random 5-some (or more) convo we’re having so it doesn’t disturb everyone else? Or maybe they like reading it 😛 idk
where do you people live? It’s only 10:50am on the 7th where I am…. I feel so behind.
@101 I do creep on other people’s comments but they always reference tv shows and stuff I don’t understand 🙁
It’s only nine were I am, so I’m guessing you guys live east of ca.
Does that make sense?
I wish it made cents! 🙂
I live in New Zealand 🙂 The city I live in is the first to see the sun every morning!
@Midshipman K @45 I still can’t find you… haha. WHAT IS AFTERWORLDS ABOUT?!?! You have an obligation to share all your Westerfeld related secrets to the rest of us on here 😉 and your name… uh… four letters? You’ll need to be a wee bit more specific!
You guys are all so safe on the Internet, not giving out real names and such 😛 I feel like I should be more safety conscious!
@Roxanne – you’ve got Facebook? Have you liked the Scott Westerfeld page? (which he NEVER posts on). I would say do you want to add me but that sounds extremely creepy so I’ll just leave it at that 😛
I’m jealous of all you people speaking different languages! Ahhhh, Alpha sounds like so much fun and it’d be awesome to meet you guys! But it’s a heck of a long way to get to the US from here..
@Midk @68 well it’s not really a class. It’s out of school I mean and I’m probably the youngest there by 40 years 🙁
And MidK did you name your laptop Bovril? Hahaha
When I have spare time I’m gonna go back and try and find your guys original names on here 😛
English is my first and only language!
You guys are all such talented writers! I love writing but I haven’t got much further than a 2000+ word story. I’m such a slow writer so I never have the time it takes to write anything 🙁 it’s on my list of things to spend more time doing though!
Hey, does anyone remember than review I posted on here awhile ago? I finally got the results for that today! I only just passed :/ I know it wasn’t that well written but I was hoping for something higher. I think I might not have been perceptive enough or provided enough insight into the story? Who knows..
zac-la: let me introduce myself then! I’m Cameron Gietzen, a fifteen year-old male up and coming writer (hopefully 🙂 ), who spends his days with 3 brothers and 1 sister in California.
Zac-la: Don’t ever feel discouraged about writing! I used to have trouble getting past the first few paragraphs because i was always thinking way to far ahead. Like which publisher it would go to! 😛 I found it helped a lot to set short term goals and working a little at a time, yet all the while working towards your main goal. Which for me was publishing the book.
@Zac-la – that’s my problem too! Only I get ahead in terms of the story, like I’m just starting the first page and I’m already thnking about the ending.
What usually works is that I block all thoughts that have to do with the next page of the story, concentrating only on what I’m writing right now. Usually I get much better ideas than when working the story back from
a fixed ending 🙂
I just finished a book a few weeks ago, and I wrote the first 1/3 all in linear order, scene by scene. But then, I had good ideas for later scenes, so I started writing all out of order. As long as I had a timeline of when the scenes happen in the story, I could write scenes that are weeks apart in the novel-time. it’s nearly 95,000 words so I’d say it was pretty successful. I just wrote whatever I felt about the story on a particular day, sometimes things got cut.
AHHH Did any of you see the Thor 2 trailer!?!? 😀
AHHHHHHH LOKKIIIII MARRY ME
I like writing ^.^ I’ve done a few short stories, one longer story, and lots of fanfiction. I agree with mist everybody, always have a story line!!! It doesn’t have to be fancy, you can fill in the details later. And FINISH YOUR STORY!! Always finish it! 🙂
*most everybody
English IS my first language (I don’t know any others >.<) and yet I am horrible at spelling.
I want to learn German. I know a teensy bit….
..___
/…….\\>–? EXTERMINATE!!
=-=–=
=–=-=
|.|.|.|.|.\\>—C
|?…?…?\\
|?…?….?\\
|?….?….?\\
???????
I didn’t make this. I wish I did.
It’s pretty weird looking…it looked cooler when I found it!!! D:
I officially have LBG on my iPod! I’m so excited to start listening! 😀
107@ yay final another guy is on here! Are you related to Middy Gietzen or is that just a strange coincidence…?
Thanks for the advice guys! Yes, that’s my problem, I never finish my stories 😛 so that’s something I need to work on!
I dunno how old the rest of you are but are anyone of you planning to study English/Writing once you leave school? And you should post links to some of your writing! I’d love to read them 🙂
@Roxanne – LBG… on your iPod? Oh right the audio version! *slaps forehead* GUESS WHAT?! My friend has started reading the Leviathan series after I suggested it! Why do I feel so proud of this? Hahah
@116: Haha, you should feel proud! I’m gonna make my mom listen to them on our excursion to Colorado. Gold stars for everyone!
I’ve never finished a novel. Of course, I’ve only attempted maybe once? But I’m determined to finish this one! I’ve got pretty much everything planned out and my audience demands it of me. I do have some short stories though, mostly because of Alpha. I don’t have any links to them, though. I’ll tell you what, if I finish my book and get it published, I’ll send you a link to Goodreads, and that’ll give you my name too (cause at that point I won’t care who knows!), unless I use a pen name… 😉
@117 but your mum (MUM NOT MOM 😛 ) won’t be able to enjoy the drawings with only listening to the audio version! Tbh, I’ve never listened to an entire audio book instead of reading the actual book! Personally I don’t think it can be anywhere near as good as reading it…
Your audience demands it of you? Can I ask who your audience is? 😛 at least tell us the plot of your story-to-be-novel?!
*groans* -.- that’ll be years away!
Hahaha! Do people even still use pen names these days?
@116: no their both me :/
@119 Hahaha oh right!
Hey everyone, do any of you people who have been on this blog for awhile remember what it used to look like BEFORE Leviathan was published? Surely it wasn’t all steampunk-ish? And that lizard probably didn’t come out announcing that The Manual of Aeronautics was now available 😛
Any thoughts?
@118: Don’t worry, I’ll have my hard copies of them right there to shove the appropriate pictures in her face at the appropriate times. That’s not a driving hazard, right? 😉
My audience is my family and a few friends.
Gosh, I feel like I’ve said this a million times now: it’s a comedic fairytale about this wizard who creates two maidens and one of them is gorgeous but evil, and the other one is plain-looking but super kind and good. And then they have adventures and meet a prince and stuff. (It always sound SO tacky when I try to blurb it…I swear it’s not as cheesy as it seems!)
Years from now??? Well, that’s encouraging…
People still use them, but it doesn’t take long for the internet to find their true identity, so it’s kinda useless to try and keep secret.
@120: I only came to Scott’s blog because of LBG, so I wouldn’t know.
Hahaha yes that totally is a driving hazard! BUUUUUT the LBG story cannot be properly told or enjoyed without them so you’ll have to take that risk 😉
Oh sorry! I just remembered that you’d already told us after I’d posted that message! It sounds like a really interesting and funny idea 😀 can you PLEASE post some excerpts from it?!
Hahaha again sorry, months from now. Is that better? 😉
Ugghh! I think most of us regular posters only came here since LBG. SCOTT! HELP ME OUT HERE?!?!
@Middy Me: Don’t think I’ve forgotten! C A _ _ _ A Hmm… Cailla? Anyone else have any ideas???
Carona? Calida? Camila?
Cassia?
Always a pleasure to read your blog posts! More writing? YEEEESSSSSS. But, the daily/weekly/monthly/(hopefully not)yearly posts are always a wonderful way to pass time.
@Roxanne – you got it on one of your guesses!!! 🙂 took you shorter than I would have thought!! it’s Camila.
Nice to meet you.
😛
And yeah that’s a good idea for spending time on a trip (@121). Myself, I would probably start reading the book and finish it right there (cause my mom would kill me if I so much as put a pencil in front of her face while she’s driving, haha)
For some reason I can never just leaf through a book, I just end up reading and next time I look up I’ve already done like 5 chapters!! That happens a lot with Scott-la’s books 🙂
@Middy Me: AHA! I did it! 😀
Camilla isn’t really an outlandish name, though. And spelling it with one L makes sense because of you Mexicans’ nonsensical insistence on turning “ll” into “y.” 😉 (I jest; like English makes any sense!)
And nice to meet you too! It’s so weird putting real names to you guys!
Well, I don’t really have anything else to do on the trip except hold the dog, so I’ll probably read along to Alan’s voice. Then I’ll know when to assault my mom with pictures. 😉
@126: Haha, nice pun with your username, there. 🙂
@128 you’re so lucky not to get car sick from reading! I would love to spend all long car trips reading but after looking at a page of words for a few minutes while driving makes me feel sick! 🙁
Guys! (guyzettes? since most of you are actually girls 😛 ) I just realised me and Scott share the same middle name! Help I’m giving away my whole identity :O you won’t get my last name though 😉
@130: Wait…what’s Scott’s middle name? I can’t find it!
@Roxanne – yeah, I guess it’s not really a strange name, but everyone in the US spells it with two L’s, so for me that doesn’t really sound like my name. Still, I guess it’s fine with the LL, because most of the time when I’m in the US no one really understands me when I say it, haha 🙂
And it does seem weird knowing real names here, I still think of everyone with their screen names (or is it blog names, or what??) 😛
I’d like to say that the man with the steampunk gun is a Saxton Hale, a very manly Australian from supplemental material of Team Fortress 2.
On an different note, that waffle tower looks delicious.