SILVER LINING #1
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A Day in the Clouds has officially started and I, for one, cannot wait to see what difference its earnings make to the lives of its recipients. If you haven't read the first chapter, now's your chance to do so. Go on, I'll wait.
Done? Great! On to brass tax. Did you ... Did you like it? Hate it? Feel free to leave a comment there regarding your thoughts. Whether it's positive or negative, it's alright. I won't take offense. If anything, non-comments are more offensive. While you're at it, if you want an extra 5 STEEM (WOW Much Money Such Big Spender!) in your wallet, just vote on the chapter and re-steem it, then mention it in your comment alongside your thoughts. I know it's not much now, but hopefully it'll increase in time. Since I'm not taking any money from the project, I'd have to get it from my own pocket. The price of publicity.
As you may have noticed, the title consists of a time range, specifically 0500 and 0600. Spoiler alert: That's a trend that's going to persist throughout the series. Get it? A Day in the Clouds. The whole book is going to consist of 24 chapters, each spanning the length of an hour.
Oh, like that series '24'? The one with Kiefer Sutherland. You f*cking copycat.
Yes, like that series, and no, Kiefer, this wasn't an intentional copy of the concept. First of all, I did not watch that show, and secondly, I had thought about writing something like this since I first imagined ever becoming a writer. Does that really qualify as copying something? It's not for me to say but, no, it does not.
Anyway, so yeah, on to a (hopefully) brief discussion about the chapter. I decided to start it off as a dream because that's what big ambitious projects usually begin with, right? I don't want to give too much away, but I tried my best to not use chapter-wide dream sequences too much, even though children 3-5 years usually sleep from 8 to 14 hours (!!).
As I mentioned in the introduction/preface, the events that will transpire in this book are based on real events, which I observed roughly over 2 years ago during my stay in my father's province. Some events happened during different days, but I tried to fit them all together in the context of one day.
It was a very interesting exercise to constrain a story into one day, as there are a lot of factors to consider like the energy level at a given time, what events happen during that time, and, since my nephew has not demonstrated the ability to express his emotions accurately, different interpretations of the actions he is conveying. I had to take note of nap times, movement patterns, placement of objects, and the like. It was such a fun process, and it took me quite a while to fully realize what I had. That was the Data Scientist in me having fun collecting data, while the writer part of me is busy thinking of different spins on mundane actions.
The protagonist's name is Ledd, because my nephew's name is Zeppelin. Get it? Led Zeppelin. I added the extra 'd' because my name is Jed, and Ledd is kind of an amalgamation of my childhood with his. Mostly his though. I don't want to fall into my habit of over-explaining things so I'll leave the other stuff up for debate.
Also, I'm not quite sure if I've mentioned this before, but I just wanted to emphasize it: this is the first time I've ever written a story in the first-person. So, you know, please be kind? Whenever I write, I try to act out the scenes, playing as different characters in my head. It gets really tense when I write psychologically-disturbed characters, so I try to avoid them. Kind of like "method acting," but for writing. Method writing. I've never really been fond of first-person stories because of the strict narrative perspective, but I've mellowed out in recent years.
Way to keep it brief, huh? I love experimenting when I write, so let me know if this was too short or this needs a little more meat in it. Even though A Day in the Clouds has basically been finished during NaNoWriMo, Silver Lining is being written weekly, without any plan whatsoever. Let me know if you have any suggestions of what you might want to read here. The next posts in this series would have more meat. I promise.
Profile Progress
My cousin and her husband are really busy, what with raising three kids and managing a remote business. They haven't really found the time to create a Steemit account yet, but I'm periodically reminding them to do so. That's why I'm dedicating this small section of this series for that update. Meanwhile, you can just leave messages of motivation or well wishes in the comments section for A Day in the Clouds or Silver Lining. I'll make sure that it reaches them.
I'm keeping a tally of the earnings on a spreadsheet, and I've stopped my power down (which I started way back when it just paid out 2 STEEM per week) so that the earnings remain intact.
Thanks for reading! Follow me @jedau for stories, solutions and other stuff that begin with 'S'!
So one part of me wonders if your cousin and her husband were able to set up SteemIt accounts. And, another part of me yells, "Spoiler Alert." Not that knowing if they're now on SteemIt would change the story or the blog about it. :D
Wish I could read it faster. But, the good things are worth spacing out and imbibing slowly. Cheers @jedau! Off to read the next part of the story. :D
Haha! As a matter of fact, they were able to :D I'll mention it in a future SILVER LINING but since it won't affect the reading experience, it's alright to divulge it here. It's @zeppelin :D They haven't posted a lot though since they're busy with life stuff as you might imagine.
As someone who likes his stories spaced out, I fully support you pacing yourself, my friend :D
I've just followed and will catch up soon. :D Must run some errands, so I'll have to catch the next installment when I get back!!
That's awesome! Thank you for sticking with the story, my friend :D
I was sneaking peeks at steemit all night so I upvoted this hours ago, but with family time I had to wait until all (including my husband which is why it's so late now, haha) were asleep to sneak back on here and read.
I think it's a very bold and difficult task you undertook to write a book about one single day! I think it's funny that mine has a 'groundhogs day' premise while you compared yours to 24.
All I can say is that I'm really excited to read it and I'm absolutely certain you will not disappoint, you are a natural writer.
Have you been writing since you were little? I started writing stories...God, I think the earliest one I remember was in the first grade. I made a 'book' out of construction paper, the primary pages were red and then I wrote the story on white paper and cut it out in squares, pasting it on each page. I also drew pictures for the tops of the pages and did the same thing, on white cutting it out and pasting it. It was a Christmas story about Rainbow Brite hahaha!
I started keeping a journal not long after that too. Unfortunately the early writings got lost when we moved from Long Island (about an hour from Manhattan) to upstate NY when I was ten. Then when I was about twelve we got one of those first home p.c.'s, the ones that had the white text on the black background and huge floppy discs. I wrote my first 'book' on that thing from ages twelve to thirteen, it was about 120 pages long about a seventeen year old girl who was at the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed a shooting, then got kidnapped and developed friendships with some of her captors, LOL. The only person who ever read it was my best friend Maria (still one of my closest friends now) and she loved it, which was good enough for me! Anyway, it was my first lesson in BACKUP YOUR WORK, because the computer crashed and was thrown away and my story was thrown away with it. I really wish I could read it now!
Okay, so I'm totally doing the overtired babbling thing. I'll talk to you soon!
Oh wow! That's such a cool backstory! :D Who knew Rainbow Brite had the potential to be a star of a Christmas tale! Backing up your work is like the measles -- a harsh lesson that is better learned while you're younger. You should try to remember that and write it up! The plot already sounds compelling as it is!
I started "writing" when I was 6 years old (which is about the first grade as well!), though I enclosed it in quotes because I mostly did comics. I would fold oslo papers in half and stapled them, much like what you did haha I added characters to pre-existing comics at first, before moving on to create my own universes. I really wish my mother kept them, but alas they were thrown away. After that, I moved on to imagining them up and acting the scenes out (which is the foundation of A Day in the Clouds), but I didn't write them. I had such a bad penmanship that's why I was discouraged to put my thoughts on paper. My characters and worlds intersected and interacted with one another. I remembered every tiny detail. This was the part where people thought I had ADHD.
It was only during highschool when I first realized that I had a knack for words. An English teacher noticed it and urged me to cultivate it. Really though, I think I'm more of a natural storyteller than a writer :D
I got on again briefly because of someone I forgot and your message popped up:) When you say story teller, do you mean verbal? Because that is one thing I have never been good at, the words just do not flow from brain to mouth like they do through my fingertips.
I had terrible penmanship as well, in fact all through elementary school I had straight A's in every subject except Penmanship where I consistently received an angry C. They didn't start the whole add or adhd thing until I was much older, I'm sure they would have attempted to label me add at the very least. I took my kids out of school when they started pushing me to get my son diagnosed, talking about drugs, hell no! And he's no such thing, just a very bright, inquisitive mind who like any normal five year old (at the time) did not enjoy sitting still for long lengths of time.
I was fortunate with the whole penmanship thing though, my dad said it was "A sign of genius" as his handwriting was always poor, haha!!
Well I am definitely going to hit the hay now, talk later!
I meant storytelling in every sense of the word, a combination of all the media available. Speaking has never been (and will never be) my strong suit, but I consider it an integral part of storytelling, in the sense that taking a photo is telling a story or poetry doing the same thing.
We of the inquisitive variety would always be ostracized. I long for the day when that's not the case. When no one should ever be afraid to show off what they have in their beautiful minds. Kudos to you for not caving in to what society deems as "correct."
I suffered through the same thing! I was an honor student, but my penmanship almost held me back! After that was sorted out, Mathematics became the thorn that prevented me from getting any honors haha So I went on to take up Engineering in college haha! More on that next time. Have a good night's rest, my friend!
Engineering, wow! I also struggled with math...well actually not basic math, I excelled in that during the younger years, it wasn't until it took actual time and effort that I began to lag. Mostly for lack of interest, figuring out complex mathematical problems? Yawnnn. I could do it, but I didn't want to, haha! However when I went to college it was for Computer Science and programming, hahaha!! Kind of ironic for both of us. Though I didn't end up finishing. In fact I had enough credits for an associate's in humanities/social science and basically stopped there for a variety of life related reasons. It had initially been my intention to go back but other life related reasons changed my course, mostly helping my husband take over his uncle's businesses and then I found I preferred working in nature and writing on the side.
I started out in Engineering, finished all the basic stuff but shifted to ... Computer Science (!!!) just before I took the thesis, and I rolled with it into my professional career. I never grew into the role, and the math just became more confusing. Programming has always been a favorite hobby of mine ever since I was a kid and, even though I wouldn't say it comes naturally to me, I found it easy to understand algorithms and such. Since I was already doing everyone else's coding assignments, I thought why not make it a profession. I specialized in artificial intelligence, that's why I'm so attached to @ezzy's The Symbiotic Protocol! haha!
Nested, must write here ;) Okay, now we're getting downright spooky, haha! Although the path veered far off that course for me. Timing in life is such an odd thing, I think about it a lot. If his uncle had waited several years to retire, if we had already launched our careers (my husband had just finished the Pre-Chiropractic program and was heading to a Chiropractic college when we jumped off the academia ship) would we have chosen differently? Does it matter? Was it always going to turn out this way? -This is why I sleep so little, lol :)
Haha! The wandering mind is sleep's greatest nemesis. Yeah, timing really is everything. Had I not returned to Steemit when I did, I might not have stumbled upon @ezzy, which in turn would've led to us not stumbling upon each other in his epic's comments section. There's some merits about destiny and "what's meant to be will be," but the delicate balance that timing provides is so much more compelling! Chaos theory at its finest.
It's a bit further off but I actually studied (and practice) acupuncture, which is mentioned in the same breath as chiropractic here. But, that came way after my career in the corporate world stagnated.
Hey friends! So so sorry for the late reply.
Man, you guys are using the time motif. That's fantastic and a great concept to use! I find your premise mysterious and intriguing. I really don't think I've read a "real-time" book before (however, did love 24 - the series, lol).
Well, with you at the helm, I'm sure it will be a smash hit as you've already displayed your incredible writing talents! It's funny, because when I read your work and @dreemit, I find I'm learning so much from your unique styles. I mean, nobody writes exactly the same, right? The different expressions, the descriptive wording, the narrative. I just love it so much and that's indirectly helping my work too.
I used to be a big kindle reader previously but now with you guys running the show, I think I'll choose @jedau and @dreemit instead. Am a big fan already and find the artistic style in your words, true beauty.
Good luck with your project. I'm so glad both you and @dreemmit have been picked up by curie and you getting the recognition you so thoroughly deserve. The stars await and they have your names written all over them.
Bless you, my top brother! Eagerly waiting for the continuation of Ledd's adventures.
I feel the same way, I've barely picked up my kindle since I started on steemit, ha! I also learn a great deal from you guys, it's true we all have our own techniques. @ezzy, you inspired me to write this book for steemit, I was so impressed with you taking on the daunting task of writing a novel for the platform...it's a great deal of pressure without the time to do a lot of re-writing, having to move the story line forward toward a climax and conclusion...I'm not sure if I would have attempted it if not for you, so thank you! (Unless of course I totally botch it, than a pox on you...KIDDING haha!) Actually it's fun, I refuse to overthink it, just let the story take me where it will, which I definitely see you doing :)
@jedau, I already said this, but I wanted to reiterate because I don't think there's a more difficult concept you could have chosen than a book about one day. And your first chapter captured it beautifully, I felt the hour in his life and the dream like quality.
Ultimately one of the biggest reasons I love both of your styles is probably the same as why I love you both as people, I get a sense of your spirits flowing through your words. I have read authors that can write really well, their language and grammar is impeccable, their sentence structure is flawless, but it somehow isn't genuine. Maybe they were just writing for a paycheck and that came across, but there's a disconnect between me and their characters and scenes that I believe stems from a their own disconnect from their work. If the author is emotionally invested, the readers tend to be as well I guess is what I'm trying to say :)
I'm not sure if you already know, but English isn't my first language. Heck, I barely use it while speaking :) I just have such a huge respect at how it was constructed. All its quirks and structures really fascinate me. I just paid very close attention to following its rules when I began using it, until it just became second nature. I can't speak for @ezzy, even though I know he puts his heart and soul in his writing, but for me, personally, I inject every fiber of my being to every word I write. That's why I don't think I can be a full-time writer, because I would just lose myself. Maybe that's why I don't write as often as I could. A part of my soul is wedged in every chapter, and I'm glad that you've noticed that :D
Um, no, I definitely did not know English wasn't your first language. Wow. That is a level of impressive I can't begin to describe. You write it so naturally!! I couldn't even begin to guess what your first language is. Usually I can tell if it's not someone's native tongue, even if they're extremely fluent, there are a lot of give-aways, small tells. Not with you. Incredible. Especially that you 'barely use it while speaking' ?? My uncle is from Germany but he's lived here since he was thirty and is now seventy-five. He only speaks English for the most part, other than when he's on the phone with some of his German relatives and maybe I wouldn't be able to tell it wasn't his native tongue if I read what he wrote. He still has a fairly strong accent and difficulty pronouncing certain letters after forty-five years!!
There is basically zero focus on foreign language in the public fool system here. (Just one of its many, many flaws) The classes they did offer were a joke, you might have come out of it knowing how to say colors and numbers in Spanish or French, but that's about it.
Thank you :D Maybe because I'm just so fascinated with languages (Linguistics was my second choice to Engineering) that learning other languages came easily. I'm almost always confused as an American when I write, which may have been detrimental at times (?) I mean, not as a slight to anyone, but it took away that "wow" factor that is elicited by the realization that I don't speak English at all on a daily basis. The confusion ends when people hear the way I speak, my native tongue rears its head that way, hence why speaking is never my strong suit haha! :D
You haven't just mastered English, you've mastered American English, seriously that's amazing, the rules of this language are ridiculous, with all of the exceptions. I once thought people just started making up words and assigned them to things and that's how it came about. Now I know that there were reasons, though none they ever intended to share with the 'commoners'. My husband's study of law is what led to a number of realizations. I don't know if it's the case in other countries, but the 'common' tongue here is truly a private joke for the elite, and the reason our courts seem to make no sense. Law books have definitions for words that are entirely different than what were taught. But that's a discussion for another time, I must attempt to sleep now :)
Really though, I just try to adapt to the 'common tongue' wherever I converse. Like a chameleon blending in to the background. It surely has its disadvantages, but it's fun looking at things where I stand. I wouldn't say I've "mastered" anything, I'm just an advanced beginner :D Have a good night's rest, my friend!
Thanks so much for the sweet and humbling comment. Wow, you guys really go for it with the conversations! That's so awesome, I can't tell you! I'm privileged to have been a possible catalyst in you starting a novel of your own. Just wait till you get a few chapters in, any pensiveness you may feel will diminish completely (if you feel any at all, lol)!
Personally, I have changed my writing style quite a bit since I first start. Being exposition heavy was holding me up a lot, I felt. Finding the right balance with narrative and description is a fine balance, but one that's so rewarding once found.
When I finish up on this novel, I will have to go through it once more with a fine toothcomb, picking out and editing sentences here and there to give it a better flow. They say when you actually complete the first draft of your book, the easy bit is out of the way, lol. I can kinda see what they mean.
But yeah, I've definitely toned down on the heavy descriptions (that in some cases can actually prove a distraction to the reader) and just say what needs to be said, as concisely as I can. If it means I missed out on a few, it's no problem. I can edit them back in when creating the second draft. When we write, it's hard to place ourselves in the shoes of the reader, as we already have so much knowledge about the characters, setting, story. It can be tricky separating ourselves away from that to see things more subjectively. That's why @jedau is a treasure and such a necessity for us as his comments are brimming with advice and extremely helpful insights that we may miss as writers of our of work. That is truly mind-blowing and writing wouldn't be the same without him there.
But this is primarily a platform based on writing (pictures ad videos are stored third party) so we are literally a part of the blockchain! And having such talent as your great self and the amazing @jedau is something that can never be underestimated. New comers to Steemit will read your work and realise that content on here can be of that high a standard. Good for our morale plus good for promoting the platform.
Two awesome writers that I am honoured to know and lucky enough to help me through my book. Respect and love forever! :)
I guess when you find people who actively converse in the comments, it's hard to let it go haha! @dreemit's such a gifted conversationalist, so I'm glad we have her to bounce stories and ideas with. It's been a blast writing side-by-side with you guys! The Symbiotic Protocol is already great enough as it is, but I trust that your modifications will only improve it. I'm just happy that I was able to contribute with what I did, and I can't thank you enough for recognizing the effort. You're probably the first one who ever did! That is, in terms of saying that my comments are an asset. It really means so much, and I shall forever treasure that praise. :D
Oh, man, I feel the same way when I read both of your masterpieces. I learn so much from the way you guys write, and I'm thankful that I get to pick up cues on how to tell stories. There's merit to that saying about standing in the shoulder of giants. It's just so fascinating to see the differences in how narratives are written, and it influences the way I write and tell stories. This circle of writers that we've established is just so beneficial for everyone.
It's a scary thing thinking about when I'll be unqualified for #curie though. I just realized that I could get only 40 votes at best without their support, and I'm almost at the brink of being unqualified. Yikes. Whatever happens though, I'm just happy from the support from my friends. It definitely cushions the coming blow. Ledd will soldier on even with $0 posts, you can count on that!