Journal Report#10

I just finished watching the second Twilight movie New Moon.  I think that line will suffice without any further description.  On a happier note,  I finished watching the second season of Community and the paintball episodes are epic.  The characters in that show prove that if you can get your audience to love your characters they will follow your main character through his/her journey.  I guess that is enough about me for now.  Let us move towards the rest of the post.  I hope you weren't too disgusted with me watching the Twilight movies.

Reading:

I finished reading Crossed by Ally Condie.  I really liked it.  I love the way she uses both characters points of view, it allows the reader to know more about what is going on than either of the two characters which helps build tension and move the story forward.  Like most middles, it leaves a lot to be desired, and I am looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

I also read an interview with Wendy Toliver on creating authentic teen character and voice.  Some of my favorites things from the interview.  When asked how do you write with an authentically teen voice she responded, "To be honest, I don't do anything scintific or fancy; I jus write like I believe my character "sounds"".   She also talks about how it is important to know where your character is coming from, especially if they have major flaws,  give your character quirks and interesting personality traits, and believes you should only use swearing if it is authentic to your character.

Writing:

Fun, fun, fun!  I have been mostly working on my short story for class, as well as, bits and pieces of an individual project.  To be honest, writing has been extra hard for me this last week.  I keep finding excuses not write, which makes me upset and then I use the excuse that I'm upset to not write and it becomes an endless cycle of spiraling madness like a fighter plane that has been shot out of the sky.

Here is a small section of something.

When the next car approaches, I try getting it to stop by waving my arms up and down.  They slow down.  Look out the window at me, laugh, and then speed back up.  The next two cars don’t even slow down.  I stop walking and rest against the wall of the canyon.  I check my phone.  One bar.  I call mom and wait as the phone rings.  Once.  Twice. Three times.  

“Hello… who is this?”

“Mom, I need your help.”

“Honey, where are you?  Do you know what time it is?”

“Mom, please.  I’m in the Weber canyon, and its cold and I’m alone.”  The phone is pressed up hard against my face.  “Victor left me.  We had a fight, and I told him to leave, and so he got in the car and drove away.”

“I told you he wasn’t worth a grain of salt.”

“It doesn’t matter now mom, can you come get me?”  I’m crying now.  The words keep getting caught in my throat like I’m coughing up hairballs or something.  

“We’ll be there, okay.  Don’t worry.  We will be there.” She hangs up.  

I sit down and cover my head.  My eyes close.  

My Crazy Life:

I like putting off homework until the last minute.  I enjoy cooking, for example, the other day I made Twix Caramel brownies.  They were as good as they sound.  What else is there to talk about.  Oh yeah.  I'm really tired right now.  Goodnight.