Call me Ishmael...

or don't, but please don't tell my Honors writing class teacher (Fred Pinegar) that I really didn't much care for Moby Dick. Sure, some parts were okay, but I really didn't get too tied up in the knot chapters.

Ehe. Hehe. You got the pun there?

Actually, aside from Moby Dick, I really got a lot out of that writing class. It was a class I took during my very first semester as an undergrad. In fact, I believe it was my second class (on my schedule) of that semester.

Consider:

• I met my wife in that class.
• I gained a true appreciation for the craft of writing.
• I fell more in love with Shakespeare.

That's pretty okay, eh?

Anyway.

Here's the report:

I've spent a lot of time lately looking for a full-time job. I'm still scooting after that dream and all, but money is required. The family needs to eat and a mortgage payment needs to be paid... sometime.

However, I have done some work on adjusting some passages so that they are more suited to higher level readers. That's been fun. I've also completed a large amount of data entry for a professor I've known for some years. This has equalled some $, which is much appreciated.

I've begun research on another personal finance article for LDS Living. I am confident that will come out well.

And I've been working hard on improving the quality of my blogs. Making them more interesting and such. I recently launched my gardening blog: http://theprovidentgarden.wordpress.com, and am working on getting a massive pile of existing content up over there. I should make progress on that today.

But today I need to work on data entry, as well as do some work with those higher-level passages. So since those both pay and they are high priority, I will do them first.

Oh yeah, I put together my first advertorial this week. It was fun. I bet you can guess what an advertorial is by the creative way that word has been invented. Putting one together is like a cross between doing some graphics work along with composing content. Man I need to learn graphic design. Hmm, better not forget to bill those guys.

I'm also creating a brochure for a chiropractor. This work is being done in trade.

So I'm keeping busy, but I can see the other side of this work... and it looks pretty empty of the old cash thing.

Onward into the dark.

I'll do a writing exercise on Friday.

carpe somnium

Crap

Here's the text of the e-mail I just got:

Thanks so much again for sharing your revised manuscript with me. As you know, I've been on the lookout for a cult-themed literary novel, so I was excited to dive into The Cabin. While I found elements of the cult fascinating, I didn't feel that Josh and many of the secondary characters would be relatable enough to the average teen reader. Also, I worried that the third person narration felt overly removed, at time, and that the pacing wasn’t quite quick enough for our readership.

Given these concerns, I don’t feel that I'm the right editor for this project. I do wish you the best of luck in finding a publishing home for The Cabin.

So I give up.

Just kidding, although it's hard to stay motivated.

No, scratch that. Trying to stay motivated is like pushing through a pool filled with sticky, tepid oatmeal. Hmmm, maybe that still doesn't capture the feeling here.

How about: Rejections are nails that are being hammered by my self-doubt into the coffin of me as a writer. Yeah, that's more like it.

It's particularly disappointing because I had found a back door to get this manuscript off to this editor. Plus, she was looking for a YA book with my subject matter. Plus, I'm naive and probably don't do enough work before I send things off.

Oh well.

No, not 'oh well.'

Bring it on.

I can write. I can tell stories. I just had two story ideas come to me this week. I have stories to tell and I can tell them well. I can learn to tell them better and I can sell them and live as a writer. I can and I freaking, ever-loving, darn-tooting, for the love of all that's good and right WILL!

If I said swear words, that previous sentence would have read like a sailor who just stepped on the crustiest, sharpest barnacle.

I have to do some work now, but that's my update. I am going to put together a concrete writing schedule.

Do you realize (all six of you reading this (hey, that's up from 3)) how hard it is to make time to write? Five kids, all of them fun, my wife translating, bread needing to be made along with other household chores, and then exercising... not to mention a job that sucks the energy out of me... all combine to make it tough. Just thought I'd mention that. Just so... you know... pity.

No, keep your pity. Let it turn into fury and turn that fury and passion into a kick-a## story.

Lay off my somnium.

Holy smoke...

I'm 3 for 3.

Okay, so if you've read many of my earlier posts, you will know that I have been writing for a company called ChartedCourse part time to keep some bills at bay. Of late I have been working primarily in my office at their corporate offices, actually doing my fiction writing there as well.

Anyway, I am the National Sales Director's Assistant, in that he and I hit around ideas regarding training and sales development. We're also good friends. I am also now functioning as a sales team leader and am actively recruiting sales people who want to make some good $$ while helping people get their finances figured out.

So today I led the corporate overviews for three prospective recruits to the sales team. All three committed to a second interview. Not bad eh? The reason this is so good is that as I get this team going I can actually get a commission percentage increase, which will be a healthy thing for my bank accounts.

This is supposed to be a writing blog, though, so enough of that. Should I sell my soul a little?

Nah.

The Mars Betrayal is at 6042 words. I will do a tiny bit now, then some more later. I need to run an errand or two, stop at home, then come back to the office tonight at 6PM for another overview. Of course, this one is with a guy who has scheduled twice before, so I'm winding up for his last strike basically.

If you haven't read How to Win Friends and Influence People, I recommend it.

I am still planning on sending two chapters of The Mars Betrayal to my editor on Friday. The thing is that I would like to have the whole new version done. This may be because I am a masochist and want to have my editor come back again saying it sucks so that I have to do it all over again.

Maybe I ought to work on those first two chapters a little more before sending them... but then my internal editor is being allowed to run amok before the story is done.

What to do?

No clue. I'll think of something.

I've added links to some blogs of new friends. Check them out.

carpe somnium

Game over...?

Or game beginning?

Starting right now, this very second, I am the man I am supposed to be. Not perfect yet, but not as unbelievably imperfect as I was fifteen seconds ago.

carpe somnium

And my somnium is the fact that I will be a bestselling author.

See you tomorrow.

Sheesh, been a while eh?

It's Monday night and it's been a tough day. Heck, a tough couple of days really.

I'll start at the beginning, sort of.

I had that interview on Thursday of last week, and it went more or less well. I fear I came off as inexperienced and unprofessional and unprepared. That's because I was unprepared, kind of. I had looked at the company's website and such, but the info I gleaned completely slipped my mind in the interview. It was laughable.

Anyway, I have no doubt that they will contact me this week, saying, "We've decided to go in another direction" or some such feather rejection.

Ahhh, Green Day just came on my Internet Radio. Nice.

Moving on. I had gotten a job from a client on Wednesday night but got pretty much nothing of it done until Friday. Then I finished it today. Friday was an interesting day. I spent my time on Helium, writing a few articles and then looking at jobs. It was kind of a blah day, unfortunately. I've been wanting to move back to Alaska lately, and it's kind of depressing because it's so expensive to live up there. We saw some lots for sale in Wasilla, one of which we might want to explore buying so we can build later, and that made me even more eager to get up there. Ugh.

So then Saturday was incredibly busy, with gardening work and other stuff, topped off by a last minute request to move somebody. I gathered some guys and we showed up, but it turned out the dude wasn't able to move. I have since been trying to help this fellow get his feet under him.

Sunday was busy as well, with Church meetings and several visits which went really well.

Today I had this client's project to do, but I woke up feeling sick, with a sore throat and running a slight fever. I hadn't slept all that well either, so it took me a while to get going. But get going I did and finally churned out the work.

Now I'm done. Tomorrow I will write 3-5 articles for Helium, rate for thirty minutes (this will take me two hours), then I will work up a newsletter for ChartedCourse.

I will then have the rest of the week to work on The Cabin, although I expect to get another job from this new client. If I do, I'll bash it out fast. Unless it's some esoteric topic like Medieval Minstrel Songs or something...

I got a call from a company I applied to a little while ago, which is called Pearson. They are an education company and I applied to be a technical writer with their SLC office. Anyway, I imagine that today's call was a preliminary interview. The guy I talked to said he would send my resume off to the hiring director in Salt Lake City.

So I should hear back from Spillman and Pearson this week. I'm also headed to Austin on Friday for an interview thing that lasts six hours. This is what they call an 'Interview Event' for all Texas Teaching Fellows candidates. See, the lame thing is that they just e-mailed me saying that they no longer have openings in my field of preference: ESL. But I already bought my tickets and I am excited to see what Austin's like. And it'll be neat to see Jena again, of course! The plan is to do the interview and get my name on a waiting list, even though teaching is not my first choice.

What this all adds up to is that I am feeling a little stressed (little... ha!). But I get to see mountains out my office window, I get hugs from kids during the day, smooches from Annemarie whenever she's around and I feel the need, so stress is a minor irritant when all is said and done.

Am I aiming too high as I try to get into a job as a technical writer? The truth is that I would prefer to be a copywriter or editor at a journalistic publication, but I'm having trouble finding openings for those anywhere that we want to live.

But in conclusion, on Friday I found a job that I could get as excited about as I am about The Friend. It's at Challenger School, which is a worldwide school for primary and grammar school. They are a great company and they want an educator who is a writer, or a writer who is an educator. I am both, so I really have to fight the hope that always seems to boil up when I find a choice job.

Why fight hope? That's dumb. Okay, I'm not going to fight the hope. If I compare hope and despair, hope comes out looking like a good cup of tea. So I figure I'll take it.

That's why I know I'm going to be a bestselling author, even if at the same time I write that doubt comes knocking.

carpe somnium

If you can't feel the determination, I can. In my bones, the corners of my eyes and the set of my jaw; I feel it.

Thursday night... she's home!

Back again. Tonight we went and picked up Annemarie from the airport. She had a good trip it sounds like.

My writing report:

I have written two articles today, maybe one yesterday, for http://www.helium.com/ That's all! I've also rated a bit, which is a good thing. I was not a chosen winner in the Pulitzer Center's Citizen Journalism contest, which is lame, but the author who won deserved it. Her writing was flat, but she had some impressive inside perspective that was useful.

But I am in the top 3 of the contests I was fighting in last week. It should be finalized tomorrow, and right now I am only two points off the leader. One of my articles is not being rated very kindly, which is odd, because it is quite good.

I am going for the win in another contest this week as well, so wish me luck.

For tomorrow I plan on writing for Helium after the dentist (yes, one more time... sheesh) and then rating for a bit. Thereafter I shall work on The Cabin. Finally! I am not so sure I'll get it done this month.. okay, probably not, but I am going to get it done in the next couple of weeks. All of these plans are contingent on whether I hear back from the editorial team about The Mars Betrayal. So we will see.

Also, I got a call from the company I interviewed with last week. I had a feeling about what they were going to say. They didn't offer me the job. Surprising, but not, if you know what I mean. That's okay. I actually have been invited to an interview for a Teaching Fellows job in Austin, so that's interesting. I accepted, but it is on April 26th, so we will see what happens before then.

I just really need to work hard on my fiction. I have to learn this art and I have to do it well.

That's my writing report. Here's the etcetera:
For the last few days, I've not been getting enough sleep, which has translated into my being quite tired. I've also been refurbishing the lower level of our kitchen cupboards. They looked old and run down, so I sanded them, painted them a satin, ashy black and then reinforced the hinges. They look totally brand new and they actually look really good. I really wanted to get this done while Annemarie was gone so I could surprise her with it.

So when she got back tonight, she was surprised and very pleased. She, like me, loves the color and thinks they look amazing. Oh, I also rebuilt a corner which had been a problem. I think it looks almost pro, which sort of surprises me as I had to do it with a skilsaw (handheld jittery thing), a hand saw, my pocket knife, and no clamps or straight edges. Nor am I good at detail work. But this task was clearly blessed! It looks really good and very nicely finished.

We just watched August Rush, which is now one of my all-time favorite movies. Guess who's not a cynic? Yes, I am an unabashed sap. Annemarie hadn't seen it before, and I was anxious (dumb eh) to see what she would think. She liked it as much as I did. For many of the same reasons. It's pretty silly how self-conscious I am about how much I love that flick.

Anyway, it's late and my dentist appointment is early. I must to bed.

I'm gonna write a bestseller.

carpe somnium

Tasty Tuesday!

Look! Two days in a row! Tomorrow I will try to make it three, although it is set to be a beast of a day... More on that later.

Today I wrote three or four articles for Helium. I rated a pile of mostly okay stuff also. I also finished re-writing Chapter 4 of The Mars Betrayal. It's feeling good so far. Tomorrow's Wednesday, and if I get any writing done it will be a miracle. So I am going to shoot for finishing this rewrite on Thursday. I will exercise that morning, come home and eat, and then get right to The Mars Betrayal.

Anyway, I am trying to place high in a contest at Helium right now. It is the in the Real Estate category and I have a few things to say about that, so I've written three articles for it. I would really like to get one more written tomorrow before I head up to Salt Lake City.

Okay, so tomorrow, here's what's on the plate: Exercise in the morning, but only if Annemarie gets to bed at a reasonable hour. She's burning midnight oil like mad these last two days, trying to get a translating job done on time. So if she's up as late as she was last night, I will need to stay home and exercise here. If she goes to bed earlier, I will head to the Rec Center.

Then I will print out two resumes and one cover letter.

I have a dentist appointment at 11 AM for a cavity to be filled, then I will get home and try to churn out one more article for the http://www.helium.com/ contest.

Thereafter, I will head up to Salt Lake City. This is because I have an appointment for an interview with a company up there. The job is a content and copywriter position. I, obviously, think I can do the job well.

But I decided to take advantage of being in Salt Lake and I am going to drop off a resume and cover letter at the Church office building up there. I have applied again for the Assistant Editor job at The Friend magazine. This is the third time they've posted the spot, and I don't aim to give up. So the first thing I'm going to do in SLC is drop off a resume and hope to meet someone face to face. That is my dream job (if I'm going to work for anybody other than myself) so I am going to get after it.

Then I have my interview at 3PM. After that, I have, I kid you not, an audition at 5PM. I sent off for some info on a talent management agency and they have called me twice to schedule auditions to see if they want to represent me. You see, I must think I have talent. Actually I probably do, not that I want to 'make it' in Hollywood or anything. I wouldn't mind doing some ad spots though. Those babies pay the bills well.

So the audition is supposed to be about a half-hour. I will jet out of there as fast as I can and come screaming back down to Provo. This is because I have two visits to make as part of my work in my church. My first visit is set for 7PM.

Big day? Yes. I hope it goes well. I believe it will, as long as I keep my wits about me and remember to enjoy it.

So that's the plan. It's late and I really ought to go to bed. Maybe I can get some writing done tomorrow.

To anybody who is actually reading this, please know that I really appreciate the support and well-wishes. So far this has been a great experiment.

I'm gonna be a best-selling author.

Carpe somnium

Not a Manic Monday

It's late, but I need to record my writing work for the day.

I had to start my day, after exercising, with a jaunt out to the DMV, Driver License division so I could do a road test on my scooter. That took about an hour and a half, maybe two, because I had to wait forever. The test itself took less than five minutes and I passed with only three points off (I hit a cone a titch... watch out for the dangerous driver!). But I was at that place for an hour-- all for only a five minute test thingy. Yeesh.

Anyway, I then took the older boys out to Spanish School. Usually Annemarie does that but she is getting close to a deadline with her translation and she has a lot to do. Plus, I needed to go to the herb shop and resupply with some things. I really mean herbs, not anything illegal!

So when I finally got home, with lunch for Annemarie and I in hand, we ate together. I fiddled around with some applications for jobs, surfed a bit and did e-mail. Then I got to work. I wrote five articles for Helium and rated quite a bit. These articles were specifically to replace some lame ones that I wrote early on in my career at Helium. The lame ones were deleted, so I redid them and lengthened them. I am now at 810 articles there. By the way, tomorrow is the day that the Pulitzer Center decides who will become citizen journalists. So cross your fingers. I really don't know at all if I will be accepted, but I think I have a chance. My writing style is accessible and I used plenty of information in my piece.

By the time I got done with Helium, it was actually dinner time.

After the kids got to bed, I finished chapter 4, which is a big, important one, of The Mars Betrayal. It went well. This chapter is supposed to ramp things up. I may need to shorten it some, though, because the word count is getting up there and there is still a fair amount to go.

Anyway, I really have to get this book done! Tomorrow I think I will be able to spend most of my day on it. I will do some Helium in the morning, but then I think I can devote at least four hours to The Mars Betrayal. Gotta get it done as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow!

I actually got a response from one of the jobs I applied for. This one is in SLC. The lady who I imagine runs the recruiting/marketing show would like to meet with me on Wednesday or Thursday, so that is hopeful! I may have to take the van and strand Annemarie and the kids at home one of those days in order to make this meeting though. But Annemarie said that will be fine. The thing is, if I need to meet her in SLC, I really can't take my scooter.

That's all for the day. I have to get to bed. See you tomorrow.

Carpe somnium and I am going to be a bestselling author.