Writing

I re-wrote my prologue, cut it down from five or six pages to a page and a bit. *sigh* I kept it simple but utilized the majority of the plot points I want/need to make the story work. Normally I love surprises in books, movies, tv shows...etc, but this one plot piece I don't want to be a surprise because people will just roll their eyes and groan like it was some stupid idea just thrown in to make the story more interesting. I don't want that to happen, so I kept it in. I hope it works. *shrug*

I have to right another prologue for the beginning of book two. "Shadowy figures plotting" that's the premise I have to work with. Bleh. How do you make THAT work without it going to cheese?

I had this whole long post ready to go last night, but I didn't submit it. I'll just post part of it and keep the other part to myself for now. I'm sure everyone's tired of political rants.

I’m the first-born, big sister and for a time was the only girl. (I’m still the only girl for my mom.) My father calls me kiddo. My mother calls me baby girl. Family calls me Jennifer. Most of my friends call me Jenn. I have a friend that calls me kiddo despite the fact that I’m three years older than him. An old client/friend of mine calls me cookie. Some online people call me Jenna, which is cool, but it’s not really me. One of my best friends calls me Jenn-E-Jenn. NOT to be mistaken for Jenny. No one calls me Jenny. Mostly because I had a friend named Jenny when I was younger. I was Jen back then she was Jenny. It was just easier that way. I never saw myself as a Jenny and I’ve only let two people my whole life call me that in the past. I have an online friend who calls me 867-5309. (>.<) No one has ever called me J-Ni thank goodness, nor do I have any other nicknames like J-Ditty or anything such thing. I wish I did, though. That would be fun.

Once, I was at my father’s company picnic and I taking pictures left and right. Someone called me Flash. I thought that was great. I’ve always wanted a nickname. It stuck for the rest of the day, and then it was gone. I wanted to be Julie when I was a kid. Samantha when I was a started high school. Anything to not be plain old boring Jennifer. That was when Jen became Jenn. I just needed something to separate myself from all the other gazillion Jennifers who were around my age, but even then Jenn didn’t do much but confuse people. It took my mother years to finally tack on that extra N, and still not all of my family does it. *Sigh* Ah well. Doesn’t really matter anyway because I’m not the only double N Jenn. Oh, maybe I should call myself that “Double N Jenn”

I give out nicknames to people I like. My brother has three or four, my sister has three, my friends each have at least one, and even my pets have had nicknames. What’s my point? I’m not really sure. I read Stargirl and got to thinking, if I could change my name on a whim would I be able to? Stargirl’s real name was Susan, but she changed her name when the mood struck her. I thought that was a great concept. I’ve been me for thirty-two years now and I wonder what names I may have given myself over the years had I been like Stargirl. I’ve even thought about calling myself Tiva because it’s an awesome name (even though I thought I made it up and it turns out that I didn’t because it’s a Hopi Indian name that means dance…), but I’d be doing a disservice to the character I created by naming myself after her. I can only hope that people will love the name so much that 2007-2009 there will be a surge of Tiva girls born and named around the world! Hehe!

One of these days I want my words to mean something to someone. Ever since I’ve stored coherent memories in my head, I’ve been the go to girl. All the people I’ve known over lengths of time have in one way or another come to me with their problems. Whether they just want to vent or are seeking some sort of solution, I’m the one people come to. I’ve always been great at giving advice, I’m not really sure why though. Maybe it’s because I observe and listen. I’ve learned that the less you ask the more people will tell you. I’ve had people tell me their entire life story over the phone after talking to them for ten minutes for the first time. No lie. I’ve actually done that once or twice. Imagine telling the most traumatic parts of your life to a complete stranger. Sounds weird, but it’s liberating in a very strange way. A stranger will give you untainted advice. They don’t know you personally. They only know what you’ve told them, and they will tell you what they think (if you let them) from a perspective way, way, way outside the box. I’ve done it myself and the results have been fascinating. I wouldn’t be surprised if my advice has saved a marriage. I’m very cautious when I give advice. I never make someone feel inept or take sides. I just give blunt advice in the kindest way I know how, without judgment, accusations, or personal involvement. Well, usually. With close friends it gets a little touchy, but that’s another rant. I should start an advice community. LOL That would be a riot.

I’d like to give some advice to the people in power around the world. I know they would never listen to me, but it’s just screaming to burst out of my head and I could easily put this in my diary, but it would do no good there. Maybe, just maybe, someone will read it and say…“You know what, this girl is right.” Hah, yeah I wish.