Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving and End of NaNoWriMo!

Hello, everyone!

Today's Thanksgiving, or to those not from America, November 28th, two days from the end of the NaNoWriMo. I'm currently doing my novel 20% for NaNo, this year, and it's going great! I'm really proud of it and am looking forward to finishing it within the next few days so that I can begin edits.

Speaking of edits, Sparrow is currently almost done being edited! I currently have 88, 091 words! My friend has agreed to read and provide feedback within the next few weeks so I'm really, really excited!

As for Sparrow's publishing status. That's pending, depending on how soon I finish it's final edits (after my friend reads it). And then I'll be sending it to DAW books, or another company I find that does unsolicited manuscripts. If it's rejected from DAW, then I'll start contacting some agents!

It's exciting, I promise you. I've also created a booktube! A link will be posted in the tabs, so stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Ana

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Portfolio Day 10

Hey, guys!

So, I haven't written on here in a while, but I was just thinking about writing a brief update!

College essays are drowning me right now, on top of my Senior Project, but I've miraculously still found time for writing. So, I've dedicated the entire month of October to writing my writing portfolio for college. It's really great and has been a learning experience for me, keeping the deadlines of each day for each work of flash-fiction/short story.

So, today is Day 10 - also known as On Our Way day.

I will be finishing On Our Way shortly and  posting it onto my portfolio. I still haven't finished any of my scripts, so that's a problem - my most complete is Neverland right now. Edits for Sparrow are still underway, and I've contacted a few people about revising it with me.

I have a friend of mine painting the cover of Sparrow, as well. That's super exciting and I hope he does an amazing job with it!!

So far this month, I've memorized three monologues for Drama, started my Russian classes, and have finished a research paper that consumed my life. So, now that it's over, for the most part, I have so much free time.

NaNoWriMo is starting next month, and I have my outlines all done and I'm so excited! I've decided to work on 20%, completely redoing the entire novel so that nothing's the same as it was before. On the side of that, I will also be finishing my fanfiction story that's Dudley Dursley/OC, Expecto Patronum. It's currently at about 80,000 words, but my outline has it ending up at around 450,000 words. Yeah, it's a pretty big story...

(Links to these stories can be found on my fanfiction site - myfanfictionsite.blogspot.com )

Also, good news! I've joined Writing Club today! I had no idea my school even had one, so I was like freaking out because I wanted to create one myself, but a friend informed me that yes, it does exist. So I ate chicken nuggets and wrote for an hour. And then I went to AP World, where I did some epic poetry on the Vikings...

Be a Viking, or be square,
Anastasia Beck

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Set Backs

I've been going through a bit of a writers block lately, with Broken. So I've been editing Sparrow on the side as I write and rewrite a few pieces of fanfiction I did a few years ago ... They're pretty bad and need some immediate medical work. A few face lifts and a whole lot of reverse liposuction (if that even exists, which I'm pretty sure it doesn't).

I've been brainstorming ideas for 20% as well, and the good news is that I have the first 5 chapters done (though they aren't posted, for the most part) on Wattpad yet. I need to critique them and change them, and then redo it again. They're far from internet ready.

But if you shall have a sneak peak:

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Important Announcements!

Hey, guys!

So my month has been borderline insane this last month. After the whole holiday season was over, HAPPY HOLIDAYS GUYS!, I've been non-stop studying for tests and exams and it's just been a nightmare.

There was some amazing news I've received over break, however. My flash-fiction story, Library, won an Interlochen flash-fiction contest. You guys cannot fathom how excited this made me! It was the best Christmas present in the world. So you can check it out here.

On another note, Prowl: Silver Foundations, has been added to Wattpad. I just posted it about five minutes ago, so it's really fresh. There are only two chapters up, as well, but I do hope you enjoy it!

I'm off to take an AP Psych test... Wish me luck!

(I'm pretty sure I'll fail it)

:)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Sparrow - Update

Thanks to NaNoWriMo, I've got 60,000 words of Sparrow complete! Exciting, I know!

Around 7,000 of those words, however, are apart of the sequel. The chapters just came to me in that moment and I had to write them down... So, yes, Sparrow is looking significantly brighter now:) I have a direction, a good idea of what's left (mainly fillers in the middle) and then I'll have my first completed original novel!

It's been a rocky and long journey, but I'm glad NaNoWriMo has really motivated me to complete it. I won't finish the novel this month, most likely sometime in December. On that note, I'm really close!

My next project?

Prowl
20%
Perfection
The Angel

They're all sort of going on at the same time as new ideas come to me. Today's been mostly a trial period of getting the plot sorted out for most of them. The real writing begins soon... Muahahahaha

Lots of love to my readers,
Ana xoxo

Also, idk if you've ever tried it, but Yarny is the best website ever! Totally check it out!

Watercolor Collage

Watercolor Collage

Watercolor Collage by anastaesija on Polyvore

The Cover for 20%, a new novel that I'm working on! More details soon

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Happy NaNoWriMo!

So, it's National Novel Writing Month! (And No-shave November...)

How far are you on your novels?

I'm still in the same place, having a few essays to do for school, but I'm back and rolling now! I have about fifteen different chapter outlines to get started on and I've placed little notes in the rough draft so I know where to add! I'm super excited for it, and that's what I'm doing all Thanksgiving Break! Hopefully I'll get to 60,000 by then, yeah?

So, how's your nanowrimo going?

Happy writing!
Ana xoxo

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Astra Ryans

Astra Ryans is probably... a key player in the plot, but perhaps not in the way one would picture.

Astra is a flirtatious, bubbly, and outgoing redhead that seriously demands to be in the center of attention. She is the main character, Lyra's, best friend, and has been such since they were little girls. Astra grew up on her family's farm, always practicing her guardian training as she cleaned the barns.


Astra Ryans is desperate for any male attention, and even though she's young, desperately wants to get married. All of the guys she's interested in never take her seriously, and so she doesn't understand what she's doing wrong. She began training to be a guardian with Lyra, around the age of seven. 


That's the character of the week!

Happy Imaginations,
Ana xoxo

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Harry Potter Analysis

So it's that time of year, you guys.

We shall mourn the death of Lily and James Potter, yet rejoice the defeat of the Dark Lord, for the first time.

However, I must admit that I feel the need to annotate Harry Potter, just because... it's been a long time since I've reread the books and I'm in such a Potter mood these past few months that it is time. . .

So, stay tuned for a very Harry analysis in the coming months, starting from Chapter 1, Philosopher's Stone, to the Epilogue of Death Hallows... Read as I sob to my heart's content over character deaths, cheer on the Champions, and hex those I oppose.

And if you've never heard of the HP series before, that's okay too! I hope this will introduce you to the story, and you can even read along with me! (:

It is absolutely necessary to give this series at least one shot in your lifetime. If you do not like it, that's fine and you may take your peace, but if you do love it, welcome to the massive family(:

Ana xoxo

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Sparrow Update #2?

Hey!

I've kinda lost count of how many Sparrow updates I've done for you guys, so let's just start counting now. This is number two! Woooah!

So, between two AP classes, ACTs and SATs, I've come up with... well, about a chapter and a half and three whole pages of one sentence ideas to incorporate into future chapters.

So here's a little diagram to show you how far I've gotten:

23251 - 100000

Yeah! So about 1/4 of the way there! Exciting, innit?

Some character sneak peaks to come!

Ana(:

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Sparrow Update

Sparrow now has 15488 words! 54 pages (sized margins 5"x8")!

Excerpt:
(Subject to change)

I was about to scold him for speaking so loudly when the blackness of the alleyway I was in decided it wasn't shadows anymore. The darkness turned and glowing green eyes stared at me. My breath caught in my throat and I backed up hastily, my grip painful on my rapier.
"N-Nitro?" I breathed. I dared a glance to my left to see a white wolf coming out of the alley Nitro had been checking. Nitro's dagger was raised in a defensive position. We nearly bumped backs, which was safer than having our backs exposed. A third wolf, this one salt and pepper, emerged from the alley behind the black wolf. Outnumbered. "What do we do?" I whispered.
"Stay alive?" he suggested wryly.
"And after that?" I asked.
"Kill the beast before it kills you," he added.


Enjoy, yeah? I'm off to write Annaleise's story now!
Anastasia xoxo 

Friday, June 22, 2012

Deceiving Fate

Sparrow

The Reason We Are So Different.

I do not mean you or I.

I mean the fanfiction story I wrote called 'The Reason We Are So Different'. I'm in the works of making it Quinn's first book.

The POV will be made from Scarlett into Quinn's... and a lot of things will dramatically change... For instance, no Death Eaters or Order members.... Harry Potter will be obsolete when I finish it.

Progress:



100 / 117297 (0.09%)


Quinn

Let's get a little background on Quinn Huntra, shall we?


Minka Kelly

I picture Minka Kelly as Quinn for a few reasons.

One: She's got that 'I could be hiding things from you look'.

Two: She looks like one of those girls that it's hard to judge what they like to do on their free time. It's not necessarily a bad thing, at all, I'm just saying she has the mystery quality to her.

Third:  She looks like she can get a job done, with her braid pushing her hair out of her face, and her secretive smile like she knows something you don't.

While she may have dark hair, whereas Quinn Huntra has dark blonde, the looks are about the same, as is the age. Also, she plays a street racer, Eve French, in the Charlie's Angels tv show. So she's got some tough-grit jobs before.

Anyways, just a visual reference:P


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

'Tis Official!

So guess what I did today?!

...

A word count check. Only three chapters in and guess what!?!?

8645 words, 30 pages, and tearful eyes! I'm so proud of myself!

This is for the Lyra Book 1: Which I've decided to name Sparrow.

In celebration, I present to you....



- Anastasia

Source: Tumblr.com

Decisions, Decisions

So... EL James wrote a piece of Twilight fanfiction that suddenly turned into 50 Shades of Grey.

Cassandra Clare, fans claim, uses pieces of fan fiction she wrote in the olden days (i.e. 2000ish) in her books.

Meg Cabot used to write fan fiction as well, when she was a young-en.

So me?

Ah, that is where the trick comes... I'm thinking of turning Werewolf's Cry into a novel. Or possible, The Reason We Are So Different. I don't know how I could take the Harry Potter out of The Reason We Are So Different, but a few ideas are up my sleeve. Any progress made, and any progress unmade, will be posted here (though not the actual story itself... for obvious reasons)

Obviously I need to fix grammar mistakes as well, as they will be done perfectly in the end(:

Happy writing,
Anastasia

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Chapter 5

Hello, my lovelies!

What are you going to see in Chapter 5? Oh... well I have some videos I found on youtube that will explain it rather well.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Phase .5 Complete

Hello, again,

Good news! I have completed Chapter Two and am now on Chapter Three! I've taken to using a program called Celtx, which is magnificent and I totally recommend it! I can keep a log of every character used, where I used them, and even locations, upload pictures of what I visualize them as.

It's very useful for a scatterbrain like me.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Introductions are in order, I believe

Hello, fellow bloggers, and blog readers!

My name is Anastasia! I grew up just about... everywhere really. Experienced cultures from extremely inviting to extremely cold, climates seasonal and tropical year round, and traveled pretty well (with hopes to travel a lot more), I consider myself very grateful to know and to have seen what I do. I hope one day to be an accomplished author, historian, and archaeologist. Currently fluent in only English, I am studying the French and Russian languages, with bits and pieces of Italian and Swedish thrown in. My absolute dream would be to live in the hills of Scotland or on the cliffs of Ireland (or maybe even in my ancient and nearly forgotten home of one of my ancestors). I've never really written a blog before, as you may be able to tell, but I do love writing. It's all I do all summer, winter, spring, and autumn long! I've known I wanted to be a writer since... well, since I've known how to write! Over the years, I've watched my writing improve, and although I know it's not the best, I know it's better than before. I've been posting stories of my own - well, if you can call fanfiction that, as it's really the original author's work - for about three years now on the internet and it's a small step towards being closer to my goal.

Well, today is the official day I began writing my first book.