About that novel

About that Novel I said I was writing.

I haven’t given up. But, as is perhaps common to all writers, I hit a snag. Although I was groovin’ along rather nicely, my main character had to get deep inside himself and dwell on the parents he never met and the reasons why he never met them, and how he felt about all that. Which meant that I had to do all that. And so I pondered.

After a while, this lead me to review the whole project and I decided that the novel was bland. I know that Ernest Hemingway said something to the effect that “The first draft of everything is crap,” (I paraphrase, he used a different word than “crap,” but this is a family blog 😉 ) I’m thinking that even if it was crap, it can still be interesting. This wasn’t.

And so I am shelving this particular venture. Not giving up on it at all, just this expression of it.

The novel was basically an autobiography. Not mine, obviously, but the main character’s. I had thought that writing it in character as an autobiography might be the most expedient way to jam out a novel. A life tells a story, and so I created an interesting life, and he was going to sit down and write it.

I had written a lot of backstory, the main character’s bio and character sketch, a history for the whole reality I created (world-building is fun), and little histories for various planets.

As I’m looking over this creation, I feel that perhaps individual episodes in this guy’s life could make for better standalone stories (short works and novels) as well as other elements in the project’s backstory not involving this guy.

And so we’ll see. I also was kinda drawn to look over an earlier project, which I had also written some backstory on (although not as much) and that looks interesting. I may switch to that, but I have to do some thinking as I have to commit to one of them, or else nothing is ever gonna get done!

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

A Writer’s Prayer Upon Finishing a Work

I was randomly perusing the Old Testament today and chanced upon this passage from the Second Book of Maccabees:

2 Maccabees 15: 37-39: “Since Nicanor’s doings ended in this way, with the city remaining in the possession of the Hebrews from that time on, I will bring my story to an end here too. If it is well written and to the point, that is what I wanted; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that is the best I could do. Just as it is unpleasant to drink wine by itself or just water, whereas wine mixed with water makes a delightful and pleasing drink, so a skillfully composed story delights the ears of those who read the work. Let this, then, be the end. “

(Via USCCB.)

I thought that it would make a good prayer for any writer to say upon finishing a work. You can replace “Nicanor’s doings ended in this way, with the city remaining in the possession of the Hebrews from that time on,” with something relevant to your novel or short story, but you get the idea.

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

Book Review: Recovery Rosary for Alcoholics and Addicts on Catholic Alcoholic

Just a heads up to readers that there is a book review of The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts over at Catholic Alcoholic.

Go here: Book Review: Recovery Rosary for Alcoholics and Addicts

Thanks, Number 9!

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

Faith, Justice and Matthew 25

Since the year began I’ve taken a greater, more focused interest in Matthew 25: 31-46, the Gospel account known as the “Last Judgment.” In it, Jesus tells people what will happen at The End when He returns to judge all nations. From it, The Catholic Church derives the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

They are:

Corporal Works of Mercy

Feed the hungry

Give drink to the thirsty

Shelter the Homeless

Clothe the naked

Visit the Sick

Visit the imprisoned

Bury the dead

Spiritual Works of Mercy

Correct the sinner

Instruct the ignorant

Counsel the doubting

Comfort the sorrowful

Be patient with those in error

Forgive offenses

Pray for the living and the dead

I’ve also taken to reading as a part of my early morning devotionals two books that are a collection of writings from Blessed Theresa of Calcutta (“Mother Theresa”). Naturally, they are frequently about the poor and marginalized, and our responsibilities towards them. I am also slowly making my way through a book on the spiritual and intellectual underpinnings of the Catholic Worker Movement. The Beatitudes and Matthew 25 were their modus operandi.

On Sober Catholic I’ve been writing about these Works of Mercy (partly in connection with helping my wife, Rose, sell products emblazoned with them. A portion of the proceeds goes to life-affirming charities).

I’m volunteering at a thrift store and food pantry.

Rose and I, along with a sister of hers, are also considering the idea of opening a thrift store, somewhere. Not a short-term goal, but hopefully sometime this year.

I’ve also been spending quite a bit of time on Facebook “Liking” Pages and joining Groups that reflect the values associated with Matthew 25. Not many are Catholic or Christian, but that’s besides the point. Pages related to organic gardening, small-scale farming, homesteading, frugal living, simplicity (not immediately obvious how these are related to Matthew 25, but in a direct or indirect sense, they are.) I’ve been doing the same on Google+, but as of now, there’s fewer such resources.

Not sure where this is all going, but stuff seems to be coming together in an expression of the Catholic Faith that is faithful to the orthodox teaching of the Church and Her Authority, as well as a combination of Her moral teachings (stereotypically described as “conservative”) and Her social teachings (stereotypically described as “liberal”). The usual things I’ve been interested in such as the pro-life movement; but also “strange” things like “Distributism,” “subsidiarity,” and “solidarity.”

I may be writing about them from time to time.

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

A Novel, by Paul Sofranko

I have gotten a head start on a New Year’s resolution. As I do not usually bother with such things as they are often broken within days, this one was easy as I have not much of a commitment to keeping it. Since I recovered from alcoholism over 10 years ago, I’ve adopted the “One Day at a Time” philosophy of Twelve Step movements. So this “New Year’s Resolution” is just something to be renewed daily.

I can easily keep that commitment! (No pressure to keep it for the year, “just for today.”)

What is this commitment? To write a novel! And so begins one this blog’s main purposes: to be a writer’s blog.

Over the past year, I have spent some time plotting and planning a science fiction novel. Later I’ll get around to sharing the idea. I have never been too comfortable with doing that.

I have spent much of 2012 writing up character sketches, outlines, and other backstory kind of things to serve as a guide to writing the actual novel.

And so these past few days I’ve started writing it. I have a modest pace, at least 500 words a day. I’ll be happy with 1,000+. So far, I’ve hit the minimum goals,and come close to the 1000 words once. Hey, it’s a beginning.

My target? About 100,000 words. At about 250-300 words a page,which varies depending upon the amount of dialogue and narration, that should put me in the ballpark of a 350-400 word novel. Good approximation.

This particular novel will be one of an open ended series. In other words, there should be more that just this one novel in the world that I am building. In working out the histories of this world, I have even identified certain events which may serve as short stories. Kewl!

I have committed to spending 1-2 hours minimum to the writing of this. I have kept this, although it has only been a few days.

So, that’s that for now.

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

November Writing (Nanowrimo)

This is November, and among those who aspire or perspire to be writers, that means one thing: Nanowrimo. Nanowrimo is “NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth.” It is an exercise in writing insanity dating back to the late 1990s in which participants attempt to write a 50,000 word novel during November’s 30 days. Obviously this novel would be a very rough draft, only the ignorant or seriously delusional would think the completed project would be anything other than garbage.

 

I tried it in 2006 and failed miserably. I think I started something, made it to 1,500 words, didn’t like that switched to something else, made it to 1,700 words, and finally decided that there was no chance I’d succeed.

 

I had planned on doing it this year, even signed up at the site: My Nanowrimo profile. But in the end I decided to bow out before beginning…

 

…and then I was driving home today from an impromptu Holy Hour at my parish. I was mulling over my backlog of blog posts and decided that a variant of Nanwrimo can assist me in clearing it out. And so I will attempt to utilize the spirit of Nanowrimo and if not write 50,000 words across my 3 blogs, at least get to somewhere in the 5 figure range.

 

It may not be completely impossible. This is November, the “Month of the Dead,” and one of my blogs, The Four Last Things is typically due for some major work during it.

 

Add that I can use this blog for daily musing and filler, and my first blog Sober Catholic is where the bulk of the backlog is, and I can get to somewhere in the 5 figure range!

 

I can also work on the novel I had planned on using for Nanowrimo, albeit in a more traditional method (100’s of words, maybe daily.)

OK, so that’s it. I’m gonna try it. On to the Nanowrimo site and update my profile and join the rebel group. (Nanowrimo rebels are, from what I can see, a bunch of Nanowrimo’s who break the simple rules of the organization (which are basically that you have to write and original novel, and that you cannot begin the prose work on it until midnight of November 1st. You can do research, write backstories, character sketches and outline, but no actual novel writing until the stroke of November begins.)

 

So now I will run off to the Nanowrimo site and update my profile and join the rebels!! (I will be an honest rebel, though. I will only claim “Participant” status should I actually blog 50,000 words, or come reasonably close to blogging daily and get that 5-figure word count. I’ll also admit that I didn’t actually write any novel.)

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

Tenth Anniversary of my consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today marks the 10th anniversary of my consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary by way of the method according to St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe. And so, I am a member of his Militia of the Immaculata.

I do believe that being in the MI has been a major bulwark of my Faith. Along with all the usual practices of my Faith, such as frequent Mass, Confession and daily prayer, being a part of the MI strengthens my Faith experience. I am united in daily prayers to thousands of MI’s about the world, and I am a part of an apostolate that has as its roots the idea of spreading the Gospel message by a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary was the conduit by which Jesus came into the world, and Mary can be the guide and patroness of those who work out the Gospel in their day-to-day lives.

St. Maximilian Kolbe used the latest means of his times to spread the Gospel, and we Catholics today have access to technology that was unimaginable to him. Every individual Catholic with a home computer has access to software that can outmatch anything that he had in his entire “City of the Immaculate” publishing center in Poland. That astonishing fact makes you wonder how well we use the means at our disposal.

 

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

Official Launch Day tomorrow

Official launch day for this site is tomorrow, Sept 1st, 2012!!! No prizes, balloons or anything. Just felt like posting.

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

The Mad Robin (with updates!)

NOTE: All of the posts in August 2012 on Paul Sofranko Dot Net will be reposts from an earlier attempt at a general writing blog. New material will start appearing in September. These first few days are just “moving in” and “setting up”. However, this particular post on the robin I almost didn’t bother carrying over as it is dated (it was originally posted in March 2012). But I changed my mind as it’s funny. UPDATE: the robin in question never really bothered Rose again. There ended up being 3 nests about the house, and the various robin families raised at least 3 broods.)

I am outdoors. It is near 11AM and I am sitting on a patio chair situated outside our bedroom window. I am doing this because my wife Rose had insomnia last night, and just after she had gotten to sleep at 7AM she was awakened by a robin hurtling itself constantly at our bedroom window. And so I am out here, in the great outdoors, defending my wife and home against a wild robin.

Rose has a history with robins. In 2010 she placed a ladder up against the side of the house right near one of their nests so she can take photos of their newborn. The robins took issue with this and dive-bombed her. They haven’t forgotten as they have maintained this attitude towards her ever since. I am not making this up, they do seem to be rather attitudinal when she is about outside and this morning is no different (in spite of the fact that our bedroom is inside the house, as is traditional for humans).

They have apparently discovered behind which window we sleep, and are escalating their vendetta against my lovely bride. (It focuses its attack on the window overlooking Rose’s side of the bed.)

It will be an interesting Spring/Summer.

As a side note, I do love the fact that I can just go outside and blather away online on my MacBook. The novelty of portable computing is still with me. I don’t care if that sounds archaic in this mobile society with smartphones everywhere and laptops and tablets taking over from the desktop. This is freakin’ kewl. To be outside in the trees with a laptop, the contrast between nature and technology is nice. Reminds me of MSNBC in the 1990’s, with their high-tech computers everywhere on wood (probably oak) desks.

All I need now is for a robin to poop on my MacBook.

UPDATE: The robin attacked again this morning. (Thursday the 8th) I never noticed as I slept through it. It also helped that the attack did not last long. Rose placed a stuffed bear in the window. The robin fled. So, our bedroom is guarded by a bear. 🙂

UPDATE 2: It is now Monday, and no robin has disturbed us since Saturday. There are 2 stuffed teddy bears, and a flattened aluminum turkey roaster thing duct-taped to the window. Apparently it is enough to convince the idiot robin to not try and attack the window.

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)

Sober Catholic Books on Facebook and Google+

My books, The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics and The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts now share a Page on Facebook and Google+ entitled “Sober Catholic Books”:

SoberCatholicBooks on Facebook and Sober Catholic Books on Google+

I have decided that it would be easier to promote and market them if they shared a page, rather than each having their own as they have up until this point.

As there will be other books, I figure that it is best to consolidate them now.

“Plus” them and “Like” them!

I am working on a 10 Commandments book. I do not know when the completion date is yet.

NOTE: All of the posts in August 2012 on Paul Sofranko Dot Net will be reposts from an earlier attempt at a general writing blog. New material will start appearing in September. These first few days are just “moving in” and “setting up”.

Are you a creative Catholic? ""Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics," is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone who is an alcoholic or addict? "The Sober Catholic Way" helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety, and is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life. . (Thank you!!)