Sunday, February 10, 2008

Money Is Best Spent On Books

Which is why I never have any money. But that may change, as I have a job interview tomorrow at Barnes & Noble (a different one from the last one, obviously.) It's tedious, mind-numbing soul-crushing idiot work, but it will give me money, and benefits, and it will keep me busy and surrounded by books, and I DO get a meager discount. It should tide me over until I get my dreamed-of job as an editorial assistant (my REAL dream job, as a writer, is still just a dream.

Haven't heard back on my short story submission (I keep promising to send it to people, then chickening out because I worry it isn't that good, and rejection by strangers is much easier to deal with than by those I love and respect.) And I know that I said I would post some writing. And I will. I just don't know WHAT to post. I could post an article, a paper for school, a short story, a poem, or an excerpt from a longer piece. It's really hard to decide. I also don't want to be told I'm a bad writer on my own blog, because that would be kind of tragic on a massive scale. But I promise, as soon as I figure out what to post, it shall be posted. Some time this week. Honest.

My outline for my novel, which is having a hard time deciding how funny vs. morbid it wants to be, is getting pretty damn long (six pages at this count, on the computer, and estimated nearly thirty chapters, although I need to add some stuff to it or other bits won't make sense). I've decided to write the actual story in notebooks, because it's hard for me to write creatively on the laptop (I spend way too much time editing typos).

I just worry my story is WAY too much like other authors, although I've never heard of an idea like this. I'm not even sure how good it is. The idea, I mean. I haven't written the story yet, so who knows if that will be good. But I already feel very fond of the characters, which I consider a good start. Especially David, who gets the short stick and poor Thanatos, who may be the nicest evil demon out there.

Anyone know any good books/websites on old gods and magic? This story has gotten way more fantastical since its original conception (I originally envisioned it as a dark, sad short story. Now it's a full-length book with a heavy dose of humor and the ridiculous).

Incidentally, can a book that involves serial killers, Death himself, and the demise of a major character still be funny? And can it still say something (about life, and the afterlife, and finding a meaning in your world) while making you laugh?

I'm just worried I won't do the story justice, that I'll chicken out on the darker stuff and make it ridiculous, or become ponderous and Deep when I should be poking fun at what I'm talking about.

It's an issue. I'll figure it out.

Anyway. Going to a reading of a friend's play tonight with people. Went to the gym earlier and took out my frustrations on a punching bag. It's been a fairly nice day.
- LV

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