Tag: writing

I Have No One To Tell Me ‘No’

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Things are going really well — so far — with this now six novel project I’m working on. Though, I have to admit that obviously Serious Writers can not bring themselves to take me seriously given that I can’t even get an hour of their time if I pay them.

If that’s not sad, I don’t know what is.

But anyway, I working on the second draft of the first novel and seriously contemplating the development of the second. I know this huge universe I’ve come up with really well and it’s a lot of fun to bounce around it as necessary

And yet.

I know if I had a wife or a girlfriend, she probably would suggest that my ambition is far exceeding my actual ability. She would say, “Honey, maybe work on a scifi novel just in case? Or find a real job so you can afford to buy the photographic equipment you want so bad?”

In short, she would tell me “no.”

But I have no one to tell me no. So I can keep working on a six novel project, not knowing if I’m going to make a massive fool out of myself or not. But, in all honesty, I have to admit that I wouldn’t listen to a wife or girlfriend even if I had one.

I’m just too stubborn.

Which, maybe, is why I’m alone in the first place.

Sick Sad World

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I really love zines. I’ve done a number of them over the years and I love the process of thinking them up and putting them out each month. And I know that under the right circumstances, I would probably have done well at the old Gawker.

Or, put another way — if there was some way for me to magically live in NYC, I probably would find myself making a name for myself one way or another because of what an extrovert I am. And, in all honesty, if I was in LA instead of NYC, then THAT would probably be a place where I would make a name for myself.

But now I’m old.

And I find myself thinking about what would actually happen if I became a success. I probably would be canceled for various things I’ve done and said while drunk. But whenever I think about that, I remember, “It is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all.”

So, I suppose I would rather suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune than lie in my bed and stare at the ceiling all day because I knew I am probably going to get canceled anyway.

Transitioning To The Second Draft

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

This is the farthest I’ve ever gotten when it comes to writing a novel. As such, I have no idea what I’m doing. Should I rewrite everything, or can I just repurpose everything as much as possible?

These are things I just don’t know.

But the point is to just finish something, anything that I can call a second draft and go from there. I have a number of other novels I want to write in this same universe and I need to get to that as well.

Now that I know how *I* develop and write a novel, things should go a lot quicker with the other novels. But we’ll see. I am enjoying all this hard work.

Anyway. It will be interesting to see how things work out long-term. I love the process of developing and writing a novel. I probably would be a lot more productive if I had a wife or a girlfriend to talk to about all of this.

As it stands, I’m doing all of this in a vacuume.

‘Be My Kim K’ — #lyrics to a #pop R&B Song

Be My Kim K
lyrics by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
please give credit if you produce or perform

some want to call you a threat
while others want to call you
voluptuous
with a big ass
but in my heart and in my soul
whenever I see you I want more
because it is you I adore
when you make me roar

be my Kim K
and I’ll be your Skete
and in the middle we’ll meet
be my Kim K
and I’l be your Skete
and in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet

not need for reality
when you give me my peace
I’d rather live in your eyes
and in your fantasies
than have to deal with the bills
and shit
I can be broke as they think
but I know I’m rich in your love
just be my Kim K

be my Kim K
and I’ll be your Skete
and in the middle we’ll meet
be my Kim K
and I’ll be your Skete
and in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet

(bridge)
I could ask
I could request
that you be my Yoko
yet that would be corny its true
what is a man to do
but ask for your love
be my Kim K

be my Kim K
and I’ll be your Skete
and in the middle we’ll meet
be my Kim K
and I’l be your Skete
and in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet
in the middle we’ll meet

Oh, To Be Young In The City

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I hate to inform you that I’m no longer young. As such, even if I get what I want, which is to become a successful novelist / screenwriter / photographer and I turn into one of those insufferable wealthy liberals who can afford Blue Apron meals — I will never get to enjoy my youth in New York City or LA.

The only way I can console myself is by accepting that I did get to have some sort of youthful fun in Seoul a long time ago. That was pretty cool. But I really long to live in either NYC or LA.

I visit NYC every once in a while and I love it. I love it because of its energy and how much it reminds me of Seoul. In Seoul, however, people won’t talk to you because they can’t speak English while in NYC they won’t talk to you because they are too busy and they don’t care.

I think if I ever get a little extra money that my best shot is to go to LA because I’m a good enough schmoozer that I could probably talk myself into a three picture deal just by getting drunk and having a very interesting conversation with a producer.

But there comes a moment when I have to measure those expectations some. Unless I win the fucking lottery — which I suppose is possible — any success I have from this point on will be framed by my age.

I will be an “old person” who “came out of the blue” to be successful. But I can’t help that I’m a late bloomer and always have been. That’s just my lot in life. One thing I do know, however, is that I still have one last hattrick in me. I believe with all my heart that the best is yet to come.

I’m going to surprise a lot of people who think I’m a loser, or a failure or just another Internet crank. I’m going to be bonified, as they say.

While there’s life, there’s hope.

All Systems Go

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Finally finished the outline of the second draft. Now, to do some reading. A lot of reading. One thing I’m a little nervous about is the ending. It seems like it might be a little too meh. But I’m hoping that someone, somewhere might take pity on me and give me some idea as how to punch it up some.

But I really do need to read a lot.

The question I have now is, how long to wait before I get back to writing full time? I still have some slack in my schedule, so, technically, I could just read and develop until the July 4th weekend.

That would give me a lot of time to recharge my batteries and to go into the second draft with a clear mind. Of course, I’m reaching the age when every moment is a blessing — even more so than usual — so I may just say screw it and start writing sooner rather than later.

But, for the time being, I’m feeling pretty good about where things stand with this project. We’ll see how long that lasts.

On The Cusp Of Writing Again

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I’m not quite there yet, but no later than July 4th Weekend, I’m going to start writing again on the first novel in this project. It may be before then, but July 4th is the latest.

I plan on doing a lot of reading in the next few weeks in the lead up to writing again. I really want to have a better handle on the mechanics of how to write a novel so it’s at the top of my mind when I get around to doing the hard work of writing scenes.

I still have five other novels to work on, but I just want to finish ONE novel before I turn a certain age very, very soon. Then I’m going to query the novel and see if I can get a literary agent interested. If I can’t I’m going to re-assess things. Either I’m going to just self publish or I’m going to turn my attention to a screenplay or a maybe a sci-fi novel.

But the point is — things are moving fast.

Music Is Central To This Writing Project

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Music has always been important to this writing project. I know enough about music that I can integrate it very easily to the plot. It will be interesting if people “get” what I’m trying to do with all the musical references in the novel, given that the medium is the message and all that.

But things are going really well, so far, with the musical part of the novel. If I get what I want, and I sell these novels, I could see people making Spotify playlists that allow them to listen to all the music I reference in these novels.

In fact, I could see the music of these novels being something people take note of.

But I have to, like, finish the damn things. Absolutely no one reads this blog.

Ugh.

Adding An Element Of Scifi To This Writing Project

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I’ve decided to add a touch of science fiction to this novel writing project. It was probably inevitable that I would do this given how much I love scifi. But here we are.

I have a lot of reading to do, still.

But things are going ok-ish at the moment. I still have a huge, gaping hole in the second half of the novel when it comes to the outline. I have to continue to distract myself by thinking up new and innovative angles for the universe I’ve come up with.

I’m beginning to think I should only write on this blog when I need to let off some steam. Given how few people read this blog, my time would probably be better served simply working on the novels or even, if I have to do no-novel writing, tweeting.

But as I mentioned — there will be some speculative fiction in universe of these novels. And it will grow as the series proceeds, according to my current vision of things.

We’ll see.

It’s Enough To Give You A Complex

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

For some reason, I can’t seem to get literary consultant types to give me the time of day — even if I’m willing to pay them. It’s enough to give me a complex. What’s wrong with me? Is there something about who I am — or my social media footprint — that causes such people to not to interact with me?

It’s very curious.

I am well aware that I’m colorful and larger-than-life, but the idea that that, by definition, would be enough to scare off people who might otherwise help me. It’s all very curious. What the what?

It makes me wonder, again, if maybe I have the wrong personality for an aspiring novelist and it would be better if I was an aspiring screenwriter. I’m not quiet and I don’t keep to myself. I’m not a lone wolf like your typical novelist, I’m quite sociable and enjoy schmoozing a great deal.

It makes me wonder if maybe I should mull, to some respect, the idea of working on a screenplay.

Then I remember how fucking old I am and how, all things considered, it’s probably for the best if I just work on a novel or six.