Camp Nano, Some Deadlines, and a Painful Sunburn

So I've had a pretty decent couple days. First off, I would like to start with an apology and a quick description of how I plan to organize my life.
Now, as you well may have noticed, I don't fall through with things. I seemed to not blog often and novels tend to be started, ignored, rediscovered, etc, etc. What can I do to stop this before it gets out of control? Well, I have made a resolution. First off, I will update this blog weekly minimum. Meaning, that there should be a new post at least every Friday. Starting this week. If I have inspiration, then you can guarantee that there will be more posts to this thing.
In terms of my writing, I have decided that I will complete Sparks for July's Camp Nanowrimo. Considering it's already a book I've started, I won't feel guilt for starting a completely new novel that'll be abandoned for months, and this book will get done. It's a win-win, really. Now, as for updates on my Wattpad, they will be paused until the entire story is typed. Once it is typed up, expect weekly updates, so I will start updating about August-ish. After that, I will finish Starlight by Halloween and The Best Friend Project (a new novel I started for last year's Nano, you'll get more information when I reach that stage. XD) will be this year's Nano, thus leading me to be able to tell the stories these characters deserve. :D I'm excited to write these, but as of right now, my full attention is on Sparks. :)
I feel so serious as I type this, like writing is a business and all I care about is finishing novels, not the actual stories, so to explain, I do love writing with all my heart and I just want to be able to get these stories written because I hate having incomplete novels that I want to write, but they've been abandoned because I keep thinking of plot bunnies, so this is my way of making sure they are done.
To finish this blog post, I will give all of you some very important advice: Wear sunscreen. I don't care where you are, just wear it. Especially if you're at a lake in the mountains with perfect, cloudless weather because if you don't, then you get an extremely painful sunburn that makes you live off Aloe Vera. Of course, if on the off chance you do get sunburned, make sure your Aloe contains lidocaine, which apparently is a very important ingredient, according to my best friend, Sara.
Now off to write Sparks and I hope you all enjoy your summer!

To Outline or Not to Outline?

This is a question I ask myself on numerous occasions. Should I outline my novel or just see what happens? It seems to be a question that has an ever-changing answer and my feelings towards it? Well, I don't think it matters too much unless it's absolutely necessary.
As I sit here typing up Sparks (It calls to me. As with the horrible, old version of Free Falling, it'll probably be finished then Starlight shall be written), I realize that I do need a sort-of outline. It's a hand-drawn three-month calendar used to organize dates so things don't happen too fast and I'm able to know what date my own book is on. Like, I don't want to say it's Friday, June 9th four days in a row. That would just be awkward. Thus, I have created a calendar with a few major events. Of course, these are subject to change and be switched around with my changing opinions.
Of course, I don't always outline and for things where dates aren't as relevant, I don't do anything with outlining. Age is Just a Number wasn't outlined and it turned out okay. The only reason I think things went too fast is because I was impatient and, eventually, it'll be rewritten. I actually think not outlining is a lot easier and if it weren't for the need to know about dates, I probably wouldn't even have that. XD Though, I do have to admit, it is easier to make sure things don't go too fast and to think of major plot points ahead of time, but I also tend to do calendars after I'm well into my story so I can actually think up these things and it doesn't seem like a chore. Hell, I'll keep writing even if the calendar isn't finished.
So, the question remains: To outline or not to outline and, in my opinion, it's up to you. What are you as a writer comfortable doing? What's easier for you? Then go and do that. As it has been said constantly, writing has no rules, so you get to do whatever you want when doing so (Just make sure you know the difference between there, their, and they're, to, too, and two, and your and you're and you avoid text speak unless the character is texting and, even then, keep it to a minimum).
So there's my friendly neighborhood opinion on outlining! Now to get back to my own novel...

The Problems of Being a Bookworm

Wanna know what's a huge problem aboI ut being a part of one of the most wonderful species in the universe (no, not humans, bookworms)? The fact that I have a precarious stack of books and three books I checked out the library that are due Tuesday.

And I keep getting more.

It's so strange, like they multiply by the second and I just can't stop it. I'll ask for them, like sirens they'll beg me to check them out at the library-it just won't go away. Then they make me feel incredibly guilty because I have no time being a high school honors/AP student, so reading them is going very slowly. It's such a horrible fate!

Now today I'm going to the library. I know I have to renew one of the three, The Great Gatsby, but the other two, I'm not sure what to do with them. I do really want to read Anna Karenina, but then The Leaning Tower of Books calls to me, begging me to start on them. I just don't know what to do. Then Of Love and Evil is just mocking me to read it. I don't know what to do!

So, I've made a heart-wrenching decision: I'm turning in all of them except The Great Gatsby. That way I can turn my full attention to all the other books I'm just dying to read.

To finish this off, here's my current reading list. Enjoy!

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt
3. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
4. Heaven Bound, Hell Hunted by Caitlin Elyse
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
6. Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantasky
7. Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mylnowski
8. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
9. Sever by Lauren DeStefano
10. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
11. Entice by Carrie Jones
12. Endure by Carrie Jones
13. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
14. Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Any other books that I just HAVE to add? Let me know! :D

The Story Behind the Tylenol and Why You Should Thank My Sister

There once was a beautiful queen. She was known far and wide for her bluntness and sarcasm, so when two subjects needed help, they naturally went to her, for she did not hold anything back and they needed that.
The two subjects told the beautiful queen about their problems. She listened patiently and finally told them exactly what they needed to hear, with no regard for their emotions. Yet, no matter what, the two subjects could not solve their problems quickly enough. So, with a the beginnings of a headache, the beautiful queen sent them on their way with the advice to leave each other alone until they can solve their differences themselves. Then she went to her royal medicine cabinet and took some Tylenol so she would not be in so much pain. The End.

After that thrilling fairy tale, I also think you should all thank my wonderful sister, for she's the reason the Prologue of Starlight is posted on Wattpad. You can find it here. I really think you should read it. I'm quite excited for this tale. :3

Also, here's a banner for it, created by my lovely friend, Natalie Wolicki:

I'm Just Going to Use the Word "Attempt"

So, I'm trying Camp Nanowrimo again this year. You all remember, I tried it last year with Sparks. The difference is, I'm quite enthusiastic over this latest idea of mine: Starlight. It's written in letters and it goes over the course of a relationship as the MC, Valeria, tries to figure out where it all went wrong. I'm only on the first chapter and it kind of scares me how excited I am to write this. Don't worry, though, Sparks fans: I will continue to write it after Starlight is complete and if I have free time during the month of my Nano-ing, you'll probably get an update here shortly on Wattpad. If anyone wants to read Starlight, well, in order to avoid this whole I-have-horrible-updating-skills fiasco, I'm just going to post it once a week once the whole book is typed and done.

Now, wish me luck on this journey to finally have this novel done and be able to finish Sparks! Au revoir! Also, Tylenol is actually quite a good pain reliever. The abbreviated story for that will be another blog post. XD

Good Grades

So, with tons of joy, I'd like to announce: I am not failing Precalc! Yay! Since none of you probably know anything about this, I'll quickly explain. I didn't do so hot on a test awhile back, giving me an F in Precalc. Did I like it? No. I hate doing badly in school. I have all of these big goals and all, so passing Precalc is actually pretty important to me. In hopes of passing, I decided to retake my test. I did and now I have a 75. It makes me feel like I actually have a chance to do well in this class. It also helps that I do all of my homework and work incredibly hard so it makes me happy that it's all paying off.
Also, a piece of advice: If you're writing a book, keeping track of the general time frame will really help with pacing. I feel the need to say this because of a personal experience. It's June 13th in Sparks. Yeah. Enjoy your lovely lives! Bye!

Six

Finally! A new poem! :D

I used to like you.

I swear I did.

Then you broke my heart.

Bad idea, kid.

You pursued someone else

While I fell apart.

Isn't it natural to move on?

Now here I am

Smiling again.

Having finally gotten over you.