Product Work Log

Sunday 9/28/08 9:30-11:30 PM	I read over the previous draft, outlined the skeleton of the story, described subplots, did some general brainstorming, planned the illustrations, and sketched the first draft of the map. I had to be critical of my own work in order to find places that needed a huge change. I also had to keep the level of my artistic skills in mind as I planned the illustrations so that it will be possible to draw everything in a similar style. I realized that my introduction is insufficient the way it stands, even if I re-word it. I will need to add more dialogue, or completely change the scene. However, the illustrations that I have planned out seem easier than what I expected I would have to do, in that there are plenty of sceneries that I can draw without needing to draw realistic people, which I cannot do in the same style multiple times.
Saturday 11/1/08 10-12 PM	I wrote out the first half of my prologue and attempted to begin re-writing chapter 1, but every sentence I attempted sounded forced. Instead, I went back to my outline and decided that instead of creating a new character for a minor role, I can add it so Sariel’s role and at the same time it would help to give some background on him. I also decided on an addition to Vocia’s role, but I have not yet figured out the details. I did not accomplish much except realizing that this project is going to be bigger than I thought. I will have to really start working a lot more even when I do not think that I can add anything to it or else I will run out of time.
Friday 11/7/08 5-5:30 PM 6-7 PM	I decided that it really was time to start actually writing, so I opened a Microsoft Word document and started jotting down details that needed to happen in chronological order. After a little bit, I got going, and started writing out dialogue, in a kind of play format so that I would not get stuck on nit-picky things in the text. This is the first time that I (finally) started writing the actual story instead of just planning and re-planning. I think that using this method of outlining and writing at the same time will work well for me, since writing beginning-to-end did not. Mrs. Garnsey really helped me realize this fact and got me going on my writing when I was completely stuck before.
Thursday 11/13/08 5-5:30 PM	I continued the outline/writing, in chronological order, but only had time for a little bit. I will have to appropriate more time to the Senior Project in the coming weeks. I have been trying to untangle all the subplots in my head, but I am not sure how it is going, still. I will have to think it over before the next time I start writing. At some times the words just flow, and at others I have to coerce them somewhat. I have been dealing with this up-down nature of writing ever since I began to really write. before then, it seems, it was only downs.
Friday 11/14/08 5-5:30 PM 9-10 PM	I think I may have figured out a pretty big background explanation that will really set up the motives for both the good guys and the bad guys in the story. I am still continuing my outline, but I added a portion of the outline in a different color to explain a single side character’s actions. I was thinking way faster than I could write or type today, so I was struggling to remember everything I figured out for the story. Maybe I should have learned to type with all 10 fingers back in elementary school.
Saturday 11/15/08 9:30-11 PM	My writing today was a little bit iffy. I worked on some dialogue, but not all of it seemed right. however, instead of deleting it all, I just colored it a light gray, so that if I want to go back to it or use even a few words of it, I still have it there. The next time I write I will be at the best part of it, but it is a difficult one to do, since it will need a lot of changes to partially explain everyone’s background. I am also somewhat worried about the length of it. My goal for the story is 100 pages. I am not far enough lengthwise as I should be at this point in the story and this point in time.
Wednesday 11/26/08 8:30-10 PM	I got up to a really tricky part in my outline/writing. It is a key scene in the story, and I ended up changing the action to something I had previously written did NOT happen. It was a little bit difficult to change that around in my brain, but it was necessary so that I would not create unwanted confusion, as Mrs. Garnsey suggested. I need to really write more, and more often, since I would like to have the first phase of writing done by about January first. After that I need to dedicate time to editing, and if I do not have the entire thing done by then, it will be taking time away from people whose opinions I really need.
Monday 12/22/08 11:15- 11:45 PM	ch 8 thru window
Friday 1/2/09 5-5:30 PM	add detail to outline
Friday 1/9/09 6-7 PM	real start to writing
Sunday 1/11/09 9:30-11:30	peer reviewed very beginning posted on deviantART re-wrote a portion based on the critique so far 13.5 hours of pure work on the writing, by myself, excluding a couple occasions of planning with Mrs. Garnsey, which I suppose could count.
Friday 1/16/09 9-11PM	researched 38 most common mistakes wrote about a page… until the end of SAT use comments people gave me: add more description and use “said” more freely.
Sunday 1/18/09 4:30-5PM	post outline, comments, PWL, and the 2.5 pages I have on my own website