It's not actually half bad...

Well I braced myself to read some terrible writing last night. You wanna know what I did? I printed out my entire NaNaNoWriMo 08 book (okay, so only half of it because the printer got stuck and I choose to ignore that it needs to be fixed until I really really need it again) to have a read. Why was I sure this was going to be such a bad read?

Cos it TOTALLY changed throughout NaNo. It was supposed to be all bloggy, about a girl who's blog turns into an agony aunt situation with kids from her school, and soon she finds she's being accosted by kids in the bathroom wanting help with problems when really, she's 15 years old and a lot of the time is giving really bad advice.

So yeah, that was the premise but then it took this huge tangent and the whole blogging thing was forgotten and it all sounded like too much work so it took me 5 months to get up the courage to read it. I decided that it would be more interesting to read, god help me, than stupid academic books for my assignment due in 2 weeks.

A couple of weeks ago I had a bit of a think about this book I was afraid to read because of the sheer enormity of editing that would be involved, and I realised that the tangent it went on, well I kinda liked that. So it wasn't really going to be a case of fixing the end, but maybe bringing the START in line with what happens later.

Well I had a NEW revelation when I started reading it last night. The blogs she writes? Totally awesome. I really have a strong character voice in there. I'll post her first blog - which isn't going to be part of the finished product - below. The regular narrative though, seems really weak in comparison. So I've decided to keep the TANGENT plot, but do it through a diary format, blogs and emails between her friends, which will hopefully help me keep her voice.

MJ, the main character has been bugging me lately. Every story I've been trying to write she's popped up in, in disguise. Like underneath the character of Ruby Vega was MJ playing dress ups. So it's good that I'm keeping her original story. Plus she gets two sequels which I'm sure she's happy about.

Wow. I sound like a crazy writer lady.

On another note, my Screnzy is going well, even though I'm totally cheating and not writing a WHOLE hundred pages in the 30 days, but writing the final 52 to make a 100 page screenplay, it feels good to be nearing the deadline. I've done 9 pages so far and it's coming along fairly well.

What's my Script Frenzy about?

This:

See that? Parents fighting? Little girl telling Santa what she wants...? My Santa shouldn't be that old, but whatevs. Okay so I've made better mock ups and it's not exactly how I picture it but anyhoo. That's what it's about.

I can't really remember what else I was going to say now. Which leads me to think I may have to get up and go do some research for my journalism article, or ee gads read something that I can hopefully reference in my writing assignment. And get ready to go to my Psychology lecture.

Oh! Before I do that, guess what I've been reading this past week and got completely hooked on? I didn't think it was going to happen because yes, I love Meg Cabot but didn't think I'd get into her younger stuff. I wanted to give them ago, because my next BOOK (as opposed to movie which I'm writing now) is about an 11 year old.

Gotta say, they may be for the youngin's but Allie Finkle can teach us all a few lessons. Well done Meg for some great books. I read all three.

Okay well that's it from me.

Below is MJ's first blog entry so you'll get to see what she's all about. She's being little miss agony aunt. Which in the actual book, I've decided she won't be.

Hope you enjoy!

Subject: Boys. AGAIN

Okay guys and gurlz, Miss Jem here, ready and willing to answer all your questions about life and love. I don’t know why you ask me but you do so here I am answering away. No refunds if you don’t like the answer. My opinion is my opinion and I really don’t care if you disagree. Why no refunds, you ask? Cos you’re not paying me! Cheapskates. But whatever. Here we go.

Today’s q:

Dear Miss Jem,
My boyfriend and I have been together like a month, and he’s so nice and sweet when we’re alone but when we’re at school and around his friends he blows me off and treats me like any other girl. What am I doing wrong?
From Sad Girl

Well Sad Girl, I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. I think your boyfriend has a disease that lots of boys get. It’s called buttfacedom. When boys are around their friends they turn into complete morons, have you ever noticed that? But because girls mature at a much, much faster rate than boys (I learned that in Health yesterday – it makes so much sense!) when you’re alone he’s probably overcome with your aura of maturity and adjusts his behaviour accordingly.

So I say just ride it out until it becomes so annoying that you have to go up to him while he’s in the middle of his friends and yell in his face to either grow up and acknowledge you, or dump him HARD in front of all of his friends, preferably the whole school or shopping centre or wherever you are. That way there’s no doubting whether you were the dumper or dumpee. God it’s horrible being the dumpee. Especially when they don’t actually do it but move onto slutty girls without even a ‘it was fun while it lasted’. Don’t be the dumpee!

But back to your problem - I see it all the time at school, girls wondering why after hooking up at a party, the boy isn’t talking to them, like at ALL at school. People can be totally two-faced. Like the Ho Bag (the evil boy stealing whore), she’s all giggly and cuddly and cute as a button when she’s with Cam but as soon as he’s gone she’s all squinty eyed and snarling and throwing the basketball at my face or back, rather than my hands, in P.E. She’s such a cow. But she has to be nice to Cam because he wouldn’t be with her otherwise, would he?

They’re so stupid. I hate them both.
I don’t know why you people ask me these questions about your boyfriends and why he hasn’t called you yet because I’ve never had what I would consider a good proper relationship and if you’ve been reading this blog at all you would know that. I live a truly sad, pathetic life in which I have a thing with a guy last year, where we’re hanging out but not dating but there is a bit of making out and then the next day he’s gone off to be with the Ho Bag. Probably because she’s a slutty McSlut-slut. But is that really what guys want in a girl? Someone experienced who’ll do whatever? Clearly it isn’t cos I’m so not a slutty McSlut-Slut but Cam still wanted to patch things up for a bit when he and Ho Bag were having a fight. But I didn’t fall for that. Well, not very much anyway. Being a place holder sucks.

Regardless, my boy experience is hardly worth mentioning and I say the Ho Bag and her play thing can go puck themselves. They’re both dead to me and that’s my final word. Actually I guess I have had a little more experience but it so doesn’t count.

Hope that answered your question,
MJ
Posted by Miss Jem @ 8:43PM

Sairz's note - so yeah. That's MJ for ya. What a pain in the arse.