Script Frenzy Was An Epic Fail, Ready For NaNo 10′?

I don’t know how many pages I actually ended up writing, but I know I didn’t get past scene two. Burying myself in my school musical production isn’t healthy for my writing career, but something that I’m passionate about none the less, and something to get me into college, therefore that’s priority number one.

NaNoWriMo once again falls during oneacts at my school. I survived last time, but barely. I’m hoping to have a bit more flexibility this year since I shall be the one directing, but we’ll see how that theory goes. I’m also writing my extended essay for the IB program, so that’s an extra 4000 words, plus my classes tacked on.

Can anyone say busy?

But I might bring my friend into it this year. It’s taken some convincing, but since she’s already written (or should I say writing) a novel, I think she’ll be more easily persuaded to write another one.

Either way, I’m going to try to think about plot very, very early on so I don’t have OMG PLOT writers block… hopefully.
And also to wish anyone who might read this a very, very early goodluck! I hope you do well with NaNo 10′ and I hope your scripts from Script Frenzy were more awesome than mine.

Why Do Things Always Happen During That Time of the Month?

and no, I’m not talking about my period.

Just like I found November to be busy with the one acts, it seems like a whirlwind of stuff is cropping up to impede me on my script frenzy journey, but none the less, I have faith in myself.

I have also figured out that it’s very difficult to write a musical. Cranking out lyrics to songs is fairly difficult, but, it must be done. It’s actually quite enjoyable, but I don’t really have any music. I just know the type of beat (ie: fast, slow) that I want various verses to have.

Here’s one of my songs (actually the first one I wrote):

GOMEZ

YOU SEE EVER SINCE I WAS A YOUNGIN’
I PLAYED TROMBONE FOR ALL THE LAND
WITH PASSION YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND

BUT LAST AFTERNOON I FELT A TUGGIN’
DOWN THE ALLEY AS I WALKED
A THUG CAME AND RAPIDLY BLOCKED

MY PATH AND THEN HE STARTED MUGGIN’
MY TROMBONE HE TOOK
THEN HE BOOKED RIGHT OUT OF THIS LAND

I SUPPOSE IT WAS A VERY GRAND PLAN
BUT YOU SEE THAT’S NOT ALL HE DID
I’M SURE HE NEVER REALIZED
WHO AM I TO KID
HOW WOULD HE KNOW

THAT THAT TROMBONE I HAD
HAD DEFEATED MY FOE ONCE BEFORE
AND NOW THAT IT’S GONE HE HAS RELEASED EVIL
MUCH MUCH MORE
FROM THE DARKEST OF LORE

MARIKA

(spoken)

THERE THERE NOW
IT CAN’T BE THAT BAD

(sung)

IT’S ONLY AN INSTRUMENT
WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO DO
PLAY THE THREAT AWAY

IT’S ONLY A WORRY
WIPE IT FROM YOUR MIND
WE’LL BUY ANOTHER ONE
WHAT HARM CAN COME

IT’S ONLY A SENTIMENTAL OBJECT
IT HOLDS NO ACTUAL WORTH
THIS TALK ABOUT EVIL AND LORE
IT’S SILLY PETTY AND UNREALISTIC
INSTEAD FILL YOURSELF WITH MIRTH

GOMEZ

NO YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND
THAT’S NOT HOW IT IS
THIS WASN’T A DREAM
IT WILL AFFECT ALL THE LAND

IT’S A MAGICAL INSTRUMENT

MARIKA

(spoken)

THAT’S SILLY

GOMEZ

NO, IT’S TRUE

MARIKA

IT’S IN YOUR HEAD

GOMEZ

I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP

MARIKA

COULD HAVE FOOLED ME
ARE YOU ON DRUGS

GOMEZ

NO

MARIKA

WOULD YOU PEE IN A CUP

SAMMY

(spoken)

ENOUGH

(sung)

MARIKA YOU’RE CLUELESS
PLEASE DON’T TAKE OFFENSE
ARE YOU LISTENING TO YOURSELF
YOU’RE NOT MAKING MUCH SENSE

(at GOMEZ)

BUT THE SAME GOES FOR YOU
A MAGIC TROMBONE
BUT I’M TRUSTING YOUR WORD
AFTER ALL YOU’RE A GNOME

SO LET’S STOP THIS PETTY FIGHTING
AND FIND A GOOD SOLUTION

(at GOMEZ)

PLEASE EXPLAIN SOME MORE

(at MARIKA)

AND WE’LL LISTEN

Copy + Paste from Celtx doesn’t format pretty in the blog but it will have to do. Gomez, Marika, and Sammy are the characters singing if you couldn’t figure it out.

So, back to the script Have fun, and good luck to everyone.

More Software For The Cool Cats

There’s a forum on the official Script Frenzy site where people are listing out their  choices for script writing software they’re going to use. It’s very helpful and you should check it out. It has many options for people wanting to pay and people who might be strapped on cash and are taking the free option.

In another post I mentioned Scripped, which is an amazing site. Similar to is is Zhura which in my opinion offers more features and is nicer to use, but I know some people prefer the simper format of Scripped.

What I’ve now converted to is Celtx. Yes, you have to download it, but I would highly recommend it. I downloaded it for test, not actually expecting to use it, and I fell in love.
You can use Celtx to format stageplays, films, comic books, and other forms of media. It’s simple (it’s free) and they provide many means of organization within it. If you decide to use Celtx I would recommend looking at the example of whatever you’re writing that they give you. I was able to find out about many features using this.

So I’m just going to link Celtx on the side since that’s what I’m using, but the other sites mentioned are linked in this post, and you can always check out the software thread at Script Frenzy.

Script Frenzy? April? Are You Crazy?

Has anyone heard of Script Frenzy? It’s NaNoWriMo’s sister site. It follows a similar structure, a.k.a. writing madly for a month so no one knows you exist. This time your goal is not 50,000 words, it’s 100 pages or action packed (or not, maybe it’s a drama or a comedy) fun.

I actually wasn’t planning on doing Script Frenzy, although I had signed up for it just to follow along, the decision was purely coincidental.
I was with friends and I jokingly said I was going to write a musical for Sammy. Well Script Frenzy is coming up, I like writing, so, there you have it. I am again departing on the ship: CRAZY and sailing off for an adventure. I have a (very basic) plot, and have found an amazing and free script writing software. It takes a bit getting used to, but it’s automatically formatting my script and it’s free, so I’m not complaining.

Anywhoo. I encourage people of all sizes and ages to join me in another adventure (hopefully one that I will be a little more consistent about blogging about) and write a script in April!

Finishing Up NaNo

The month is coming to an end. I’ve done most of my writing over the holiday break.

It has not gone as I planned it to. I haven’t gone to any write-ins and I’m not planning on attending the TGIO party. I was sick when the kickoff parties were planned and going on, and the combination of the theatre performances going on at school with the obvious novel I’m writing, prevented me from having much of an online life, both on this blog, and on the NaNoWriMo forums.

So, as I finish the last few words of my novel, pack up this month and head in to December, I just want to say: I can’t wait for next year!

1000 Mark

So as I troll the NaNoWriMo Portland forums, I find myself surrounded by word-counting threads. The highest I’ve seen is the 20,000 word mark.

I’ve just broken the 1000 word mark, and officially have 1001 letters at the end of a sentence. Who knew that juggling one-acts and NaNoWriMo would be so hard. Between the performances and homework, guess what takes precedence. Not my novel.

But I’m hoping that the beginning of this week will yield some better results since performances don’t pick up ’till Thurs, and I will finally be able to make it to the Wed. write in at the SE Grind.

As of now I will continue writing until my conversation with my friend online has stopped. We’re talking about very important teenage matters at the moment, so I’m switching between my novel and e-mailing her. It’s one-thirty at night, so one we’re done talking, it’s see ya tomorrow computer, hello bed.

First and Second Day, Word Count: Below A Lot

For anyone interested, my word count is 273. That’s right, less than a page and far below the 4,000 I’m supposed to already have. Hey, I have a life (or considering that it’s taken up by homework a lack thereof).

My school’s one-act productions are starting this week, and that means I’m getting home at 6, just enough time for dinner and homework. Obviously I’m not doing to hot with my organization of time.

Tomorrow I’m taking my lap-top to school with me, so I will have access to it after school, both to write for NaNoWriMo and to do various other homework assignments. Wed. is an official write in at the Southeast Grind and those few hours of concentrated writing will help me get my word count up.

Meet and Greet-A-Go-Go

Portland is officially kicking off its east side meet and greet party. Finally I’ll get to meet the people who are crazy enough to attempt this.  For anyone in the Portland area that’s curious, it’s at the Luck Lab Pub.

And for anyone interested in more information about Portland’s NaNoWriMo community and to get details on the meet and greet (and the write-ins going on), you should check out our community forums. Not sure what NaNoWriMo is? See previous post, or just log on to their site: nanowrimo.org. There’s still plenty of time to join, and start cranking out the words.

This will probably be my last post before November, so tata till’ then, see you at 50,000!

October Comes, and NaNoWriMo Takes Off

The hustle bustle around the forums at nanowrimo.org start to liven up. The goal: 50,000 words in one month. The month: November. The story: wherever it takes you.

For proper introductions sake, I’m Marika. I transferred over here from Xanga after getting fed up with how they’re running things. If you have followed me from there, hooray, if not, a vast scape of unknown is sitting before me, and welcome.

This blog is centered around writing and publishing process. This will be my first year partaking in National Novel Writing Month (which is what NaNoWriMo stands for) and I’m very excited. This blog will also be a personal blog, although less so than a normal personal blog would be… That might be the stupidest sentence ever.

October starts, and as promised my region’s boards have taken off with introductions at every turn. I still haven’t posted mine yet but plan to by the end of the weekend. Even so, I still enjoy reading who everyone else is. We seem to have a strong community and I can’t wait to get crackin’ at some write-ins.

It’s free to join, so you might as well, you have nothing to lose. Accomplish that novel you’ve always had an idea for but have never written! Feed your inner tiger!

If you want to contact me on NaNo, my account is liquid-time.