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139 Days

Only 139 days until I get married.  We were at the hotel this week sorting out the bits and bobs – menu, timing etc.  We’re quite well organised I think, we only really have the priest to meet up with.  Though admittedly that is quite a big one.  As an atheist, the pressure is on me not to say something I shouldn’t, like perhaps suggesting that the sheer logistics behind the creation of an ark big enough to contain two of every animal in the world, not to mention the acquisition of two of every animal in the world, would make it an impossible endeavour for one man to undertake.  I should stay away from this line of conversation.  Though obviously, it would be quite funny.

Went to see Valkyrie and Seven Pounds.  Valkyrie I liked, though it wasn’t brilliant and Tom Cruise as a Nazi talking in an American accent just didn’t work for me.  I can’t think of a film where Cruise ever does an accent.  He must be quite bad at them.  Seven Pounds was a bit rubbish.  It’s hard to talk about it without giving the entire thing away, but realistically you ought to be able to figure it out within the first two minutes.

Finally finished the chapter I’ve been on for what seems like months now (because it probably is).  Granted it was a long chapter, possibly the longest in the book, but it shouldn’t have taken this long.  I’m reasonaly happy with it though.  I think it’s a lot better than the first draft, mainly because it’s written from the viewpoint of another character.  This approach so far seems to be working with the novel.  It’s much easier to flesh out the central character when seen through the eyes of the people she’s affecting.  There are still a few chapters where I’m not quite certain how they will work yet and I also go back and forward on how many other characters viewpoints I can get away with telling the story from but overall things seem to be coming together.  Though slowly, obviously.

One year old

No writing done. Pathetic. I just can’t motivate myself to write. And my XBox 360 is reeeeally addictive. It’s not a good combination.

I’m reading Bad Science by Ben Goldacre. It’s fascinating and also extremely frightening. It’s about how science is so often misrepresented by those in the media. I’d definitely recommend it but honestly it’s terrifying how easily people can get away with convincing the world of complete and utter rubbish.
I’m reading quite a lot these days, far more than usual it feels like. If only I could write as much as I could read. Starting to feel the pinch in my pocket. It’s my birthday next month so I think I’m just going to ask for books. It means I get to make a big list of books I want to read. Time to logon to amazon.
Speaking of birthdays I’ve just realised that I’ve been doing this blog for a year now. That went quick. Seriously. If you’re still reading this… well done. I wonder if it’ll have a second.

Wrestling and Mice

Had a totally lazy week this week, even by my own standards. Spent much of my time watching tv, films, online or playing the XBox. No writing. Haven’t even thought up a decent excuse why not, it’s been that bad. Although, saying that, I was busier than normal at work this week so that might offer some justification. Nah, it doesn’t.

Saw The Wrestler at the cinema. Excellent film. Even if you don’t like wrestling this is worth going out of your way to see as the themes involved are pretty universal. In fact, you may actually get more out of it by not being a wrestling fan as a lot of what the film talks about are things wrestling fans are unfortunately far too familiar with, like guys killing themselves in part to make a living, but more often than not for gratification from a public who really don’t care about them. I used to be a wrestling fan, a big one as it went, but the more you learn about the business, the more tragic you realise it is. Guys dying before forty through drugs and everyone turning a blind eye to it – the wrestlers, the promoters, the public. It’s a sleazy business and the wrestler portrays that, but it also portrays wrestlers as real people, which unfortunately often seems to be forgotten. Go see it.

In other news, I think there’s a mouse in my house. I don’t want to kill him but how do you peacefully negotiate with a mouse? I don’t see any other way.

Things I’ve seen and things I’m reading

Well, back to work this week.  It’s not so bad.  I actually really like my job.  A career as a writer is probably the only thing I would give it up for.  That and a King of The World.

Went to see Role Models yesterday at the cinema.  It’s got Paul Rudd and Stifler from American Pie in it.  It was quite good.  I like Paul Rudd, he’s been in a lot of really funny stuff over the last few years.

Got back into the writing this week.  Broke through a part I had been writing for a while but I think I’m happy with it.  I could be writing more, of course, but I’m relatively satisfied with the work I’ve done this week.

Also started reading Watchmen.  I was never a comic book nerd as a kid but I liked reading the odd graphic novel or two that I would loan from the library.  Usually Batman.  But everyone says that Watchmen is the best there is so I decided to give it a bash.  It’s pretty damn good so far.  I’m about half way through but I’m really enjoying it.  I also ordred Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns because that’s meant to be good too and I don’t think i ever read it, though I did read Batman: Year One also by Miller and I always remember that as my favourite one.  And just to complete the whole getting in touch with my inner child, I bought the latest Adrian Mole book.  I’m taking recommendations for what I read after that so let me know what you’re reading.

2009: Another year without food in pill form

Happy new year!  Hope you all had a good time.  We had a quiet one, which was good.  So it’s another year.  This year my goal, other than to get married (which my fiance will pretty much ensure happens), is to start submitting my finished novel to agents.  Of course, keener readers will be aware that fulfilling this goal requires me actually finishing it first.  So I’m going to put that one down as a priority.

2009 by the way.  I remember when I was little the idea of living in the 2000′s was pretty exciting, fueled by the promise of hoverboards and flying cars.  We have neither of those and it’s hard not to feel screwed over.  And don’t even get me started about not living on the moon.

Year End Lists

Hope everyone had a nice time over Christmas.  We did.  Had my family over, got some ace presents (Guitar Hero ftw) and ate lots of good food.  Haven’t done any writing recently.  Too busy watching DVDs and playing the XBox.  So serious business then.  The new year will soon be here though and hopefully I can use that to propel myself into my writing again.

I think looking back over the year, the first half was certainly more productive than the second.  I completed the first draft, which was a pretty big thing I think.  In 2009 I want to get the thing finished and start submitting it to agents.  That’s my target.

Now for some top 3s of 2008.

The top 3 books I read this year*:

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
2. The Outcast by Sadie Jones.
3. Then we came to the end by Joshua Ferris.

* not necessarily books first published this year.

Top 3 films of 2008 that I can actually remember:

1. The Dark Knight.
2. Wall-E.
3. In Bruges.

Top 3 songs of 2008:

1. Paper Planes – M.I.A.
2. A & E – Goldfrapp.
3. Lights Out – Santogold.

Top 3 Albums:

1. Santogold – Santogold.
2. I Know You’re Married, But I’ve Got Feelings Too – Martha Wainwright.
3. The Hollow of Morning – Gemma Hayes.

Top TV Shows:

1. Dead Set.
2. Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles.
3. Heroes.

Top Stand Up Acts:

1. Daniel Kitson (The Impotent Fury of The Privileged & 66a Church Road – A Lament Made of Memories and Kept in Suitcases).
2. Stewart Lee  (Scrambled Egg)
3. Richard Herring (The Headmaster’s Son)

So there you go.  Have a good new year.  See you in 2009.

So this is (almost) Christmas

And what have I done?  Not much this week.  All but one present is wrapped and under the tree.  Just waiting for something to be delivered to my work.  I received an email saying that it had been dispatched last week but it looks like it’s going to come down to the wire.  I’m just glad it’s not a big present or I’d be a bit more worried.

I’m pretty excited now.  Only four sleeps to go.  We watched some Christmas films yesterday to get us in the mood, specifically Miracle on 34th Street (1994 remake), Home Alone and Elf.  We both agreed that at some point in our lives we would have to make the trip to New York at Christmas time.  Watching Home Alone is a bit depressing though when you release that it came out eighteen years ago.  Almost nineteen.

Saw Changeling on Friday with Angelina Jolie.  I mean she was in the film itself, not that I went to watch it with her.  I did ask her but she had already seen it.  It was quite good.  Clint Eastwood seems to like making really depressing films though.  Million Dollar Baby was really good, but if like us, you go in watching it thinking this is just Rocky with a girl then you’re not going to be prepared for the ending.

I’ve asked for Guitar Hero for Christmas, so if I get that I’ll be more than happy.  And if I don’t I’ll just buy it myself in the sales.  Sweet.  Have a good Christmas everyone.

Weeeeeeeeell tonight thank god it’s them, insteaaad of you

I was all geared up to do my Christmas wrapping this weekend.  I get the presents together, get the wrapping paper and the tags.  Only the cellotape left to find.  I can’t find it.  I look everywhere but it’s not there.  So I have to wait till my fiance gets home to find where the cellotape is at.  “Yeah, we don’t have any.  I told you that the other night.”  Brilliant.  I nip to the shops today to get some, but they don’t have any.  Brilliant.  I contemplate taking the train into Edinburgh just to get some, but decide not to because I can’t be bothered and besides I’ll be there tomorrow anyway.

And as opening paragraphs go, that’s a pretty dull one.  I could just delete it I suppose, but again, can’t be arsed.  I’m looking forward to Christmas.  I usually find the buildup the best thing, with the day itself always being a little dissapointing.  But that never stops me from getting excited all over again next year.  I had been a little worried up till this point though as I had somehow yet to hear Band Aid’s Do they know it’s Christmas? (1984, not the crappy remakes).  How is that possible?  Anyway, I heard it this morning and all is right with the world again.  I need my annual fix of the bit that Bono sings (undoubtedly the greatest thing he has ever done or will do).

In other news I bought the Santogold album (off amazonmp3).  It’s brilliant, probably my favourite album of this year (Martha Wainwright, Goldfrapp and Gemma Hayes all had good ones though).  You might not necessarily know the name but you will have heard Say Aha, Creator and probably L.E.S. Artistes from adverts.  I love it because every track on the album I can fit to a scene in my novel.  If it ever made it to a screenplay I would almost have to insist on the inclusion of certain tracks if not every one.  If I can be bothered.

Who put that wall there?

I pimped Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe last week, and for good reason because it’s brilliant.  This week’s show was a complete departure from the normal format of dissecting (read: taking the piss out of) television shows.  This week, Brooker interviewed a number of successful television writers, discussing a range of topics related to the writing of television shows.  As you can imagine, the appeal of this week’s show was limited to those interested in such things.  Luckily I am, so I enjoyed it.  And if you are, take a look on iplayer.

One of the interesting things discussed that seemed to be common for a number of writers was the feeling that, despite their successes, they always felt like at any moment they would be found out for not being that good at all.  This is something that I’m always feeling, be it working in IT or writing.  That sooner of later I’m going to be rumbled and politely asked to stop, for the good of everyone.  It’s reassuring to know that even established writers feel that way.  Although of course, just because they feel that way too, doesn’t mean it’s not actually going to happen to me…

Still pushing on with the writing, though I hit a pretty massive block last night.  I realised a pretty important part of the plot doesn’t actually make sense when you think about it.  It’s such a big logic hole that I don’t know how I managed to miss it.  So now I have to rethink it.  The problem is that changing one part of it has knock on effects elsewhere in the story, as in if this doesn’t happen this way, characters who need to meet, won’t.  I think I have a solution but I’m still thinking it over.  I don’t want to risk it coming off as contrived in trying to connect strands together.  If this were Prison Break, I would just leave it as it is and hope no one notices.  But sadly it’s not Prison Break.

Happy St Andrews Day!

With a month left in the year it seems pretty unlikely that I will have the novel finished by then.  Not unless I write at a rate of around 2000 words a day every day for the whole of December.  Anyone keeping score will appreciate that that probably won’t happen.  I am still writing, but at a rate that is not really helping myself.  I will finish the thing next year though.  Promise.

It’s been a bit of a trying week to be honest, glad it’s over.  It’s St Andrews day of course.  You knew that.  I quite like how the Scottish Government are really trying to push the day as a big deal in Scotland, in the same way St Patricks day is in Ireland.  Getting more money coming into the country can only be a good thing, even if it does mean avoiding more and more tourists taking pictures during my lunch hour.

Oh yeah, if you’re not watching Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe (BBC4, 10.30pm Tuesday) already then make sure you give it a look this week.  Never seen it before?  Youtube is your friend.