Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Pleh*

I need your help.

I'm plugging along on After the Fall and I'm really happy with the edits so far (aside from the fact that it takes 2-3 hours to get through 5-6 pages). I'd like to increase my daily pages so I can hurry up and get to the part where I have to start the real writing again, but I don't want to rush what seems to be working.

I've also figured out the motivation question that was hanging over me.

At home, we're getting the condo ready for the puppy. Ibis built the crate yesterday and we've put screens to keep a teeny puppy from falling off the balcony or escaping out the gated front door. Other than that, not much has been going on.

And that's the problem.

I can't think of new blog topics! I have a blockage. I've been going out more, which usually gives me plenty of blog ideas, but unless you want to hear about the inappropriate clothing choices of the residents here, I got nothing. My writing seems to be moving along and, therefore, I have no questions or ponderings for you.

I did this last year so I figure it's time to open it up again.

What do you want to know about me?

I'll do my best to answer all your questions (at my discretion -- it is my blog after all) and if I've already covered a topic I may just supply links to past posts.

Bring 'em on!






* This is a Friends reference. Two-point to the first person who can tell me the specifics.

21 comments:

Janna Leadbetter said...

Oh, I don't know that Friends reference! But I can't wait to hear what it is.

I think I know everything there is to know. Ha ha. ;) I'm intrigued by your work at the ad agency. What more could you tell us?

And don't forget you could always take a break from blogging.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Janna, that's something I've never been asked by online friends. Nice. :)

I know I could take a break. Every time I think about reducing how many days per week I post, a flurry of ideas come to me. At the very least, I should drop Saturdays.

Spy Scribbler said...

Janna! Hush! I don't know if I could bear it!

I was just thinking of a question I wanted to ask you the other day, and now I'm drawing a blank. I'm a little bit tried. The old ticker just isn't working. *sigh*

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Spy, I'll be here all day. Just come back when you think of it. :P

Jenna said...

These are mainly for the fun of it...

If you had to pick one genre to write in for the rest of your life what would it be? And you can't say mainstream or contemporary...you have to be specific :).

What's your next idea? And if you don't have one in the ol' idea bank think of one on the the fly...right now ;).

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Jenna, I almost answered you right here, but I want to save these for posts. Ha!

My gut answer WAS mainstream, so for the sake of your question I'll say I'm torn between writing humor and stories that make people cry. Hmm. Is that a genre? I don't think in terms of genre, even though I've tried. I really have.

I have an idea to write a story about a group of salsa dancers -- the community and all that -- but the main thing holding me back is trying to figure out how to WRITE dance.

Allen said...

This is just too much for a single blog.
First, you wrote, "but unless you want to hear about the inappropriate clothing choices of the residents here"

well, that would be the choice to wear clothes in that environment.

Second, and I realize that you warned against this:

Pickles, feeling sick in the morning and overall disjointed feelings: Face it, the rabbit died. {que the soap opera music}

Third: I want to know when you are going to write the great pron novel, "The Salsa Dancer, the woman who moves to Mexico to work in a factory making Salsa while dancing naked on the veggies.

Did anyone else see the flying pink elephant?

Sorry. I've been stuck in the office for two weeks with a sprained ankle. These things just come to me when the effects of the Vicodin wear off.

Anonymous said...

Maybe just letting your creative mind ramble and particularly where your head is on the future vs the present which you seem to be stuck with!

JLC said...

You could always post a poem. (nudge nudge) :D

What do you plan to name the new pooch? (Or you could post a blog poll or competition for your readers to name him/her)

erica m. chapman said...

Wow- Questions for Melanie... hmmm... okay I have one. Let's go back to the first story you wrote. What was the biggest problem you had with it reading through it the first time? I'm curious what other people start out good at, versus what they learn.

I'm exhausted today- our puppy is in heat- so sorry if this doesn't make sense :)

You know- I've seen every episode of Friends and can't place that... can I get a hint? Was it an earlier one or a later one?

Glad to hear the puppy crate is coming along well!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Good questions... keep 'em coming.

Erica, it's an older episode and it involves Joey.

Jenna said...

Ok Mel if you're going to make a post out of it pick one, or at least pick which one you'd lean to, from the main genres...

Romance
Literary
Mystery
Crime/Detective
Thriller/Suspense
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Urban Fantasy
Paranormal
Horror
Young Adult
Middle Grade

As for the other, you could totally do something with a salsa dancing backdrop, you could start a whole trend of 'dance' novels...like Step Up in book form :).

Jenna said...

And I think I got it...

Is 'PLEH' from the episode where they are all at the beach, when Monica gets stung by a jellyfish and Joey and Chandler have to pee on her foot...doesn't Joey write PLEH in the sand...HELP backwards????

I may be totally off base.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Jenna, from that list I choose literary, even though I don't think I'm literary. :P

And you are SO CLOSE! It is Joey and he does spell it out backwards, but that's not the episode. It's an earlier one. Another hint: Ross and Rachel are broken up and still fight whenever they're together.

Robin said...

Oh, Oh, Oh! I want to hear about you and your mom when your mom ran nursing homes. That is such a cool fact!

erica m. chapman said...

I know what one it is!! They get stranded somewhere- I think a ski thing and runs out of gas- Phoebe has the cab. and Joey spells PLEH in the sand... am I right? or close?

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Yes! That's the one! They are going skiing, stop to go to the bathroom, and the cab gets locked, so Joey spells HELP with sticks so the rescue helicopters can see, but he spells it backwards for them. PLEH.

erica m. chapman said...

Cool! I love that show. I could quote it all day long- and often do... lol.

"Could I be wearing any more clothes?"
"Maybe if I wasn't going Commando."

"My sandwich. MY SANDWICH!"

"How you doin?" I had to.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

I DO quote it all day. It's definitely more fun when the other person knows what I'm talking about. :P

Janna Leadbetter said...

My all-time favorite:

"PIVOT!"

Melanie Hooyenga said...

OMG Janna I am CRACKING UP!

PIVOT!