1. if i had one writing wish...
i'd really like to improve my prose writing. that may seem kinda vague, since "prose" is a pretty broad category. specifically, i'd like to improve the flow of my writing.
i grew up reading a lot of action-adventure series. percy jackson, artemis fowl, 39 clues... the list goes on and on. at some point, i was inspired to write my own original series and even completed a very short rough draft of the first entry. however, no matter how hard i tried, i could never seem to emulate the writing skill of my favorite authors.
it kinda bummed me out. but looking back on it, i guess it's something that takes a while to master. not that i've gotten much better at it since then. heck, just look at my first storytime post. i'm not exactly joseph heller, ya feel?
i guess part of it stems from my inability to properly articulate myself when i talk. from my blog posts, you might assume that i'm some linguistic whiz. but blogging is pretty different from talking. i take a lot of time to write these. i've been working on this one since this morning and it's not even that long. i use thesaurus.com a lot, which is also something i do when i write essays. words that i want to use are frequently at the tip of my tongue, and i'm very particular about syntax. with blog posts, i can take my sweet time formulating my thoughts. but with talking, wham! convos happen in real time!! what am i gonna say next?? oops, now i'm tripping over my words!!
anyway, back to writing. does being a better speaker make you a better writer? i'm not sure. i wanna be a better speaker either way. but that's not really something that blogging helps you practice...
to cap off this post, i'm gonna rewrite a section from my novel, just for funsies. i haven't touched this for at least 5 years, so i'm very interested to see what i have to work with. i'll post the original verbatim, and then post the updated version below.
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2013-ish version:
Keep it safe. The only thought running through the lone man's head as another blade whizzed past him. The man took a quick glance behind him. Sure enough, the pack of assassins and their fleet of war machines were close behind. One of the machines spat out a red energy projectile that shot through the air and slammed into the man's leg. The man toppled to the ground, clutching his hurt leg in agony. The attacking fleet suddenly paused and shifted, allowing a tall, cloaked figure to pass them by. The cloaked figure slowly walked up to the fallen man and smiled.
2018 remaster:
Keep it safe.
Another blade whizzed past the lone man's head as he ran through the darkness, his feet pounding into the muddy ground. He glanced quickly over his shoulder, bristling in fear of the assassins and sinister-looking war machines not too far behind.
The pilot of one of the war machines began to prime his turret, which emitted a low hum and began to crackle with red energy. The man weaved to the side in anticipation, but slipped in the mud and lost his balance. A projectile erupted from the pilot's cannon with an earsplitting BOOM, spiraling through the air and piercing through the man's leg with brutal force. The man cried out in agony and fell to the ground, sending mud flying into the air.
The assassins swiftly circled the man, pointing an assortment of sharp blades at him. The man braced himself for the attack, but the fleet suddenly stopped without a word. A pitch-black portal materialized in front of the man, allowing a tall, cloaked figure to pass through. The cloaked figure took slow strides forward, waving the assassins aside.
He crouched by the fallen man, and a vicious smile spread across his face.
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so there you have it! i'm quite proud of it. it's not perfect of course, but i think it's one heck of an improvement.
this was actually pretty fun. maybe i should tackle this novel again sometime...
in any case, this writing wish is pretty achievable. it'll just take some hard work and dedication. that's doable. and motivation. that's harder.
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