A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

book writing

Script to book — pushing a writing project forward

Well, that was an unintended break from the blog.

Little did I realize that I hadn’t posted for several days.

My bad.

I have been having a hard time blogging lately, though. Here and at my disc golf blog. Writing — like many other things — goes through cycles. Sometimes I have ideas and I just can’t get myself to pound out the words to make them make sense.

Such is life, eh?

I still don’t have much to say, in all honesty.

But I want to share something about writing.

For the past few years, I’ve been enamored with writing a book. Whether it be fiction or real, I want to write a book. In a perfect world, I’ll write a few during my lifetime. I have a couple I’ve been trying to push through in regard to real-life people. Doing books like this require a lot of time and research and interviews. So, it’s not so easy to set up the times to do these things. One of these could be a decent-sized book. The other I think would be more of something I’d look to publish on Amazon as a Kindle Single, if they accepted it.

I’ve also been trying to work a few ideas around in my head for some fiction books. For one of them, I have a basic idea, but I can’t get the meat all figured out. It’s an overcoming odds sort of story, so I need to get things all fixed in my head before I really get writing it.

Being I’ve never written a book, I needed to do some research on the process. I’ve written lengthy stories before and, in college, I did research papers. But going beyond that to book form is a total different world.

Talk about re-writes and edits and revisions and layout and …

You get the idea.

It’s no easy process to start and finish writing a book, let along getting it published and (gasp) trying to make a few bucks.

Either way, I have a hard time going into a project like this without having a good outline in my head. Then it hit me — a few years ago, I had written a screenplay. I think this was in 2004 or 2005. I did it, at the time, all by hand and then typed it in. I went and found that file and got it printed out last night.

My idea? Turn it into a book. I realize there’s going to have to be a lot of work to turn this into a novel. More description, more details and all that good stuff. But at least I have an outline, right?

I read the first 10 or 12 pages of the script last night before heading off to bed.

Sheesh!

I’d love to see this on the big screen one day, but it would require some serious re-writing. The idea is there and all, but the things that would need to be done to fix it up would be quite intense.

That being said, as I read that short snippet of this screenplay, I realized a book can come out of this. The story line is there. The characters are there (though a couple may need to be slashed) and there’s the premise of a book. There will still need to be research. And development of the characters. And details added.

But I could see this being a book.

It’s going to take time, that’s for sure. And, I’m sure, several re-writes and reads. But in the end, I might have something here. And maybe if I can plow through this, the other books and the ideas behind them could take shape, too.

Who knows?

I’ve never been this dreamer where I believed a book I write would get me millions of dollars, but it would be cool to write this book and see what happens. Maybe I can break even. Maybe I can self-publish and then get a look. Who knows? But in the end, this isn’t about making millions. It’s about doing something I’ve always wanted to do — write a book. And from there, we’ll see what happens.

Now to start going through this script and cringing some more…

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

 

Notes from my noodle: September 25 edition

“Get busy living or get busy dying…”

I’m sure many of you may remember that quote from the Shawshank Redemption, said by Red, portrayed by Morgan Freeman.

I write this post as I listen to some big-band era swing music. It’s some pretty sweet stuff. It can get you in the mood to be creative. Though I’ll readily admit not being a fan of a lot of jazz music, there’s something about the big-band era that really works for me.

Especially the songs with the faster pace and beat. Songs like “Sing, sing, sing” by Benny Goodman. Excellent stuff. Makes me thing of the 1920s and 1930s. Gangsters. Prohibition. Suits. Cigars.

Ahhh… talk about a time in history.

Recently, I was at a friend’s wedding. During the dinner portion, the DJ played some swing music. A couple people got out and danced. It was kind of fun to watch.

I was then chatting to a friend about this era of music and noted if I could go and live in a different era, this would be the one.

Back when Zoot Suits were the norm.

And I’m not a supporter or advocate for organized crime, but there’s something about the gangsters from that era. The suits. The cars. The Tommy Guns — AKA a Chicago typewriter.

And, of course, swing music.

I’m not sure what I would have been. Maybe I’d still have been a scribe. I could see covering the Yankees or something back then for one of the many New York papers. Maybe I’d have been on the crime beat.

Heck, maybe I’d have been a gangster. Chewing a cigar and rat-a-tatting with the Tommy Gun.

Who knows.

But what an era.

I know a lot of people don’t listen to music when they write. And, for the most part, I can’t listen to music with words when writing. But tunes such as classical pieces or the swing band era can keep my mind rolling as I write.

And with the jazzy stuff I have playing tonight, it’s got me thinking of old cars (Like the Ford Model Ts and As) and the prohibition era of time. Black and white.

That’s the era I’d definitely love to be in if not for now.

And while you read the rest of this post, have a listen to a little Benny Goodman:

****

As many of you know, I’m still working on finding a job. The resumes keep going out and I can’t seem to find much. I’ve thankfully landed something on a part-time basis, but it’s basically once a week and it’s not even every week. Still, it’s something to help me along and get something more recent on the resume.

So, I’ve been looking at career changes. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned that here before.

I recently visited a school for a program I’m highly interested in. I’m not going to spill all the beans here because I hate putting things out there until I know for sure if I’m going to do it or not. Some friends already know as I needed to see what some people thought.

My issue?

I don’t want to fail — again.

Though I realize I didn’t fail in newspapers and journalism, the industry failed me. And I don’t think it’s getting any better. And with barely anything in a retirement fund, I need something different.

I’ve watched others go the route of changing careers during the mid-life years and do well. Heck, take a peek at my brother who fully changed directions and went into teaching and now he’s a tenured teacher at a good school.

Might as well give it a go, yeah?

So, I’ve e-mailed one other school today in hopes of being able to compare the two programs. There’s a significant price differential in the program, as well as hours needed and the time frame to finish. The end result would likely be me going into business for myself. It’s something I’m thinking long and hard about.

Once I decide, believe me, I’ll share with the readers of the blog. For now, I’ll leave it with my seriously considering a massive change in career direction.

****

Speaking of writing and career things, I’ve also finally sat down to work on a couple of fictional books. These likely won’t be huge books, but I’m hoping to write them and see where it takes me.

I don’t fathom any riches here.

I need to get working on my book ideas so I can one day have a book like this!

The reality is, I’ll likely publish them on myself. If any money is made, it will basically just be a bonus. My thing is just getting it done. Then seeing about shaping it and all from there. If something bigger comes out of one of these, awesome. If not, it’s more of a goal to just do it.

My big issue with fiction is shaping the story.

I have a couple of real-life things I’m working on, too. I’m not sure if they will be full-blown books, a series here on the blog or something along the lines of an Amazon Kindle Single. But, I am hoping to work on those, too.

I need to push forward. I’ve applied and applied for things to get squashed. I guess it’s time to take the bull by the horns…

****

I went on a small trip Sunday, heading up to Ithaca to hike a bit, find some waterfalls and take a few photos.

But I also got to play disc golf for the first time since early June.

Taughannock Falls just outside of Ithaca. I took this shot Sunday during a day trip to the Ithaca area.

It was nice to get out and flip a few discs on an actual course. To be fair, it was just a nine-hole course, but it was so nice. It’s also good because I’m playing in an Ace Race in a couple of weeks. While I don’t expect to do anything major in that Ace Race, I’d at least like to know I can throw a disc well enough to get it close to baskets!

As for the day overall, it was nice.

For those of you who have never been to Ithaca, it’s a wonderful little city. The city’s motto is “Ithaca is Gorges.” There are many gorges and waterfalls to explore throughout the area, so it makes for a nice day trip.

In total, I got to see several awesome waterfalls and hiked — including the disc golf — upward of 3.5-4 miles, which is always nice to do.

I had been worried about the waterfalls and how much water would be coming off them, considering the lack of rain we’ve had all summer. Alas, recent rains made most of them vibrant falls. All but one were fun to check out and take photos of — in all their glory.

And yes, there were a few geocaches mixed in as well.

In the end, it was a good getaway from the real-world issues going on in my life. Nature can do that to you.

**** 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the passing of a well-known local person.

Sid Levine died Sunday at the age of 99. I only knew Levine in his later years as he owned part of the Oneonta Tigers, the minor-league team I covered for six years. A quiet man, Levine was one of the nicest people I dealt with. He also was a no-nonsense person. He didn’t worry about what people though, he told you how it was.

And that’s how it should be.

He, along with co-owner Sam Nader, ran the local team up until selling in 2008. The team then left the area before the 2010 season.

I dealt with and developed a stronger relationship with Nader, now 93, but toward the end of the run of the Tigers, I also got to know Levine. He was always a gentleman and had an infectious smile. And he knew his baseball.

Nader and Levine were close friends for more than 75 years and when I visited with Nader one afternoon earlier this year, I had to come after a certain time as he and Levine still met nearly every day to chat.

Levine’s legacy in the Oneonta area will live on for a long time. But he’ll be missed, that’s for sure — for many more reasons than baseball.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

The world of writing — and blocking

As far back as I can remember, I’ve been somewhat of a writer.

Rumor is, I used to do it at a young age and slid it under a door to my aunt when she was once visiting. I don’t remember that, but she once told me that.

When I was in high school, writing and English classes were always my strong point. Science and math? I was awful. But I could do very well in the English and writing classes. In fact, by the time I graduated from high school, I was already working and writing for the local weekly newspaper. One of my favorite teachers gave me a leather portfolio to store stories for future use.

Writing was in the future, it appeared.

That continued in college, where getting through basic algebra classes required me utilizing some others in class to try and explain things on a more simple level. Thankfully, I did well enough to allow those grades to transfer from the two-year school I first attended to my eventual four-year school.

When I got to my second college, five years or so later, I was told I needed to take four semesters of a foreign language. I never had to do it in high school, so I was a bit worried. Those four classes were some of the hardest I ever took. I went with French because I enjoy traveling to Montreal and thought it would come in handy.

You know what I found out?

I read and wrote it better than I spoke or understood it. Go figure.

If you check out the archives on this site, you’ll see it dates to 2005. And when checking that drop-down menu, you’ll see months and such with a number after in parentheses. That number shows the amount of posts for that certain month. Over the years, the posts go up and down and such. But I’ve always found a way to write. And it’s come naturally.

Obviously, there needs to be a point to all of this, right?

Kind of.

Part of the reason of this post is to write. I’ve recently — likely because of having this site and the Rattling Chains blog — been hitting a roadblock with writing. I’ve struggled. But it’s also in part because I have a few writing projects I’m slowly working on that I am really excited about. And that’s been in my mind.

See, I have the chance to write a few in-depth pieces on some people I’ve met over the past couple of years.

One of those will easily make a book if I do it right. The other I’m hoping to turn into a Kindle Single or something along those lines. It will take a lot of work, dedication and time. But I look forward to it.

Here’s the thing — I don’t expect to get rich off any of it. As a writer, like many others, my dream has been to write a book. I’m not concerned about making millions. I’m concerned about doing it right, telling the full story and, in the end, having something I’m proud to call my own. Will it get picked up by a publisher? Will I self-publish? Who knows. But the goal, truthfully, would be just to do it and then go from there.

See, I write because it’s what I do. I watch as people I graduated with have successful careers and do other things in this world. I’m an out-of-work journalist who sees more and more from my field be in the same position each week. It’s a tough market and it’s tougher by the day.

But I write. No matter why I was one who got this “skill,” I did. And though riches won’t likely follow, it’s what I do. But I write because it’s what I do. And it is who I am.

Of course, during all of this, I am still taking a lot of time to apply for jobs, interview when I get to that point, and search for more jobs. That is a full-time job in its own right.

Add all of these together and it can lead for a lot of writing things going through my mind!

I guess the point of this post is to let the readers of this blog know what’s up. That’s why, sometimes, you’ll see me go a day or two extra without a post. The readership of this blog isn’t through the roof, but those of you who do come and visit, I appreciate and want to keep in the “loop,” per say.

The two projects I want to do likely won’t start for a little while. I need to make sure I have everything lined up. But you can bet that during the process, I’ll be giving clips and such here on the blog. Why wouldn’t I, right?

Now to the final reason for this post.

It may seem like it was a random post full of nothing but ideas and such. But in the end, it was also a way for me to put everything out there. To get my thoughts on paper. As you can see, I have a lot of things rolling around in my melon. So hopefully this will help me organize those things, get a plan and attack.

The reality is, I have time to do a lot of these things. I just need to make it work. It doesn’t have to be a full-time job to have side writing projects — as I’ve proved (I’ve done blogs while employed and my job hunt is a full-time job now, so I do the writing when done with those things each day). And, I just need to figure out how to get my thoughts out there on one subject and get through this whole blocking thing.

So the reality was this post is hopefully therapeutic. And I thank you for getting through this and “listening!”

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! 

What’s next with the pen and paper?

Since getting laid off back in February, I’ve really embraced my blog. I’ve made an effort to write something every day with the idea that I want to keep writing — to keep sharp and to be able to have ideas flow.

At times (such as today), it’s been tough.

Though I have a list of ideas I keep and check in on at times, there are just times I don’t feel like writing. Or I start and can’t flow (again, such as today. I wiped three posts out earlier as it didn’t work for me).

But one of the main reasons I’ve been doing this is to force myself to write everyday to try and get myself ready for a bigger project — writing a book.

I don’t plan on having the next New York Times best seller by any chance. But I’ve always wanted to write a book. I have the idea and I’ve written down a rough copy of an outline. I’m going to tweak that some and soon start on the big project.

But…

When writing a book, everything I have read points to making sure you write every day. It make sense, too. You don’t want to get flowing for a couple of days and then have a block and put it aside only to have that continue. Forcing yourself to write every day makes sure you get something down on paper, even if you decide to get rid of parts as you continue to write.

That being said, I’ve had a harder time with the outline and the basis of the story. I know the beginning. I know the characters. I know the ending. It’s the middle that’s screwing with me. I have ideas, but I just can’t seem to get things right in my head on shaping the story. I think it will come, however. I don’t really want to start the project until I know what direction I can go with it.

I do know I can handle this project. Several years ago, I wrote a full screenplay (still hidden away, re-written twice and one day possibly an attempt to sell it…). In the end, I want to self-publish my book and probably submit it to Amazon to be used on the Kindle. I don’t expect to make a lot, if any, of money on this book, but I want to do this as it’s something I’ve wanted to do.

That’s my next step.

But for now, I need to keep finding ideas for this blog. It’s giving me my daily writing, which is much needed!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com.