Tweets about My journey.

As I have discovered, I am as fascinated at the journey and process of writing my novel as the activity instead. I had wanted to write about it more, but simply working on the book itself has taken up all my time. But I tried to tweet about it, so I have a record. So here goes… I decided to post it here so I have a copy of it because it goes away into twitter world and lost forever. 

• Jan 20th
• I hate it when fact clashes w/ fiction. I either rewrite or use poetic licence. I probably rewrite because that's who I am. #amwriting
• 
  “I always start writing with a clean piece of paper and a dirty mind.” – Patrick Dennis #amwriting #writingtips
• Are you allowed to not be able to fall asleep because you want to cry for your character?
• Sooo. I was very confident and happy with my book. HAPPY!  CONFIDENT! Suddenly the whole second half feels like it sucks. Why?
• Jan 19
• Wrote my 3000 wds synopsis. Interesting, what I thought powered the story was a very small part of it and only a mid-point
• I asked 3 people who were 18 in 1997. Yes, some of them still wrote letters even if they had email. Phew.
  
• Jan 17
• Wait. What do you mean? I might finish chapter 4 today? I thought it would take weeks?
• Jan 16
• By 1997 did anyone still #write #letters? Especially 18 year olds? or was it all #email by then? #amwriting #history
• Jan 16
• Okay. Take in it's entirety my book isn't that dark. I feel less scared. #amwriting
• Jan 16
• Got the comment, "Read for 1.5h straight, as soon as I started I couldn't stop. I'm hooked, I want to read more!"
• Jan 15
• So 2nd draft of chpt 1 to 3 finished. Now looking at 4,5,6,7,8,9 & 10. Then 2 more drafts til sending to publisher. Lot of work
• I keep wondering if the love story plus politics is a strange combination, but I decided I am writing for smart girls. That's it
• Jan 14
• My dad said, "You are writing for leisure and pleasure." I practically yelled, "No dad! I do it for art!!" It's lost on him
• Jan 14
• Chpt 2 & 3 sent to editor friend. 82 pages. Will try not write on the novel again until Saturday. Ha ha. Probably can't.
• Jan 13
• "extrapolate," must use word in book.
• Jan 13
• Strange to think, the period I am writing about, 20 years ago, I already knew I was going to write this book.
• Jan 13
• Sudden new pgs in chpt 3. My teen friend's bday, brought back memories. Used in book. Just flowed out.
• Will I be able to take the reader with me all the way until the end?   
• Chpt 2 sent. Chpt 3 finished, just need a quick rewrite tomorrow. Then probably a long while before chp 4, is done.
• Jan 12
• Asked pilot friend to read a paragraph on Kai Tak Airport. He said "It's great, but there was only 1 runway not 2" phew
• Jan 11
• I keep writing about after the book. I just found out 2 of the characters were friend all along. Oh now it's different again
• Chpt 2. Second draft done. What if my editor and friend hates it? They both liked the first chapter. What if i disappoint them?
• Jan 10
• My characters just had a huge fight. Bringing up things from 17 years ago. What is thing called "writing?" Who are these people? 
• Jan 10
• Please stop writing 2nd book my dear character. I know u r just far sexier now you are older. But we need to get back to being 18
• Jan 9
• Second lots of comments: Minor adjustments, and wanting more detail. Otherwise "loved it, looking forward to reading more."
• an 9
• Just thinking…writing isn't really a nobel, especially these days. It feels like some form of mental illness.
• Jan 8
• #amwriting #novel I listen to "Everlong," "Walk," & "learn to fly" on repeat. I never found Dave Grohl attractive before, but he's beautiful
• Jan 7
• My book grabbed, held, pulled, & stood a lot. 26 to 40 instances. It sounds like a romance novel. Must remove some
• I spent the whole day reading my book from beginning to end. It's a good book, I really believe that.
• Had #Britain followed their own edict of the Atlantic Charter. #HongKong could be #independent long before 1997.

  Jan 7

• I told my character to go away so someone else can talk, he refuses, taking over the 2nd book. The men in my life! Infuriating.
• Jan 6
• PLOT HOLE.. Damn
• Jan 6
• Twice now, an undeveloped side character has fought his way out into being a main one. This new one has his own book
• Jan 6
• Shit, shit, and shit, I just opened my file started my follow up novel because I figured out it's ending.
• an 6
• I rewrote the ending, while writing the epilogue accidentally started book 2. This may not be a good sign. I need a rest
• Opened old draft of the book. Nov 21st. I can't believe how few pages there were. I have written a lot
• I never planned my book to have subtext, turned out it was there. Completely unconscious.
• I finally got my proper ending! It was sitting there not looked at, didn't quite know how to write it. It just came
• Books has changed so much, I am shocked that some of the last part doesn't even work anymore
• Son's art teacher said, "You have to trust yourself when to stop -it's easy to over paint." Note to self.
• Jan 4
• Librarian said "I like depressing books, it makes you feel something." I need to stop stressing mybook is too dark
• Jan 4
• Woke up. Still liking my book. I am fascinated by the emotions of this journey.
• Jan 3
• I don't hate Chapter one anymore. I put back the prologue which I was a mess. Now it makes sense. Resent to editor
• Jan 3
• My panic today was so minor compared to those who are arrested for writing & publishing. I am thankful for freedom of speech
• Jan 3
• Heartbreaking to write a book when Chinese gov't arrested booksellers in my hometown #respectfreedoms #amwriting http://www.france24.com/en/20160103-hong-kong-china-missing-booksellers-xi-jinping-publisher-causeway-bay-books-mighty-current …
• Jan 3
• Travesty, Chinese Communist can't help themselves but to oppress, abducting Hong Kong citizens for criticizing China
• Hong Kong rocked by case of ‘missing booksellers’ -Breaks my heart that it's happening in my hometown
• Procrastinating to the point I am writing "procrastinating" on twitter
• Jan 3
• Sitting outside #library. knew it was closed, came anyway. Feels comforting to be near "people" who hated their 2nd drafts too
• The #novelwriting process is as horrible as all authors tell you it is.
• hate everything I sent. Hate it. I see every creative mistake, bad choice of word & turn of phrase. I should not have reread.
• I actually made half of my goal. I just finished Chapter 1. About to send to my lovely friend and capable edito
• Finally finished chapter 1. Spent hours and days.. It turned out only to be 14 pages, and I am utterly convinced is really borin
• Returning scene 1 after painfully deciding it had to go. These really feel like life and death decisions,
• Jan 2
• Dissolution: what a perfect word.
• Did some character profiles, it works! It really helped with the minor characters! Gave me room to create new interactions.
• Jan 2
• Didn't make Chapter goal. Not even close. Too many changes. New goal: I don't care if no one likes it, as long as it's not crap.
• Dec 31
• Feeling extremely bitter I didn't notice scene 2 is a better opening before spending hours on scene 1
• Dec 31
• Starting on scene 2 makes a better opening, but i rewrote scene 1 about 3 times in 3 days. Kill my darlings
• 31 Dec 2015
• Why was I touched by that muse, yet with no promises I would excel beyond average and succeed in any way. http://glutter.typepad.com/glutter/2015/12/without-passions-there-would-be-no-books.html …
• 30 Dec 2015
• Breakthrough! asked what my book ws about I mumbled. Now I can say, "It's about love, friendship, family, a terrible lie"
• 30 Dec 2015
• Talking to friend abt the negatives of my passions. She replied, "But w/out ppl like you, there would be no books.
• 29 Dec 2015
• Love this too! Not everyone needs a passion or be creative. Us #artists #dancers #writers should acknowledge that..
• 29 Dec 2015
• Final Riddle to Being a Writer: Unexpected Loneliness of Writing a Novel
• My Writing Mantras by Hemingway and Orwell. Its a process that every writer has to go through, even the be…
• 27 Dec 2015
• I spent 8 hours writing 2000 words, and this morning I realized a better way of doing the whole scene? Really?
• 27 Dec 2015
• Second Draft Rewrite. The Painstaking Sentences. #amwriting http://glutter.typepad.com/glutter/2015/12/second-draft-rewrite-the-painstaking-sentences-.html …
• 18 Dec 2015
• I can't believe it, I set out every scene, in order, ready for 2nd draft rewrite.
• 16 Dec 2015
• This may seem obvious. But turned out my local library is a really great place to write. #amwriting
• 14 Dec 2015
• I don't know how many hours, months or even years I need to put in http://glutter.typepad.com/glutter/2015/12/daunting-.html …
• 14 Dec 2015
• 14 hrs writing on the novel again today. Was supposed to be the day I took a break and worked on my blog. I need some balance
• 12 Dec 2015
• Is it possible for not work on the novel for a few days and concentrate on finishing posts on the blog? It's going to be hard
• 9 Dec 2015
• F… I had no idea my character was lying to me. Do I let her lie or go back and write down the truth from the beginning?
• 9 Dec 2015
• I am having a hard time killing my darling. I can't use that scene bc I don't need that character anymore. It physically hurts.
• 9 Dec 2015
• Today I start on the second draft. #amwriting
• Starting Second Draft. No exhilaration, have to trudge through it. Writing is work. At times it's as dull as writing an analysis
• 8 Dec 2015
• Worked on character to soak up a bunch of spare thoughts floating around. Hoping the last two of them falls into place too
• 8 Dec 2015
• Writing a novel is so so hard. It's so much harder than I ever imagined. I think that's why I had to be this grown up to do it.
• Turned out parties clouded by the end of colonization isn't as much fun to write when self reflection is involved. Sigh.
• 8 Dec 2015
• Can you tell me why, when you're 70,000 words into a novel there is still so much to write?
• 22 Nov 2015
• I colored in 6 complicated pages in my son's book
• 22 Nov 2015
• How do you know when you're actually done for the night or you need to push through for the next part?
• 22 Nov 2015
• Caught up. 14756 words today. 40001 words and 9999 to go. I am surprisingly pleased with this book.
• 6 Nov 2015
• At cafe: there are a lot of scrivener windows open. I wonder if we are participating in #NaNoWriMo2015 #NaNoWrMo
• 6 Nov 2015
• I wish I asked my grandmother more about food, when I interviewed her in 1991. What she liked, what people ate, what was sold. #NaNoWriMo
• 6 Nov 2015
• Transcribing an interview with my grandma in 1991 for #NaNoWriMo. She is talking about the Japanese invasion. They lived different lives.
• 2 Nov 2015
• Wow, this was not the novel I thought I was going to write at all. #NaNoWriMo
• 1 Nov 2015
• I am amazed how motivating and comforting it is to know thousands upon thousands of people are all writing at the same time. #NaNoWriMo
• 1 Nov 2015
• Word Count 909 #NaNoWriMo I will finish the other 700 in the day. Good night.
• 1 Nov 2015
• These formulas equals a number that has no mathematical significance, except the answer is the gravitation center of…. #NaNoWriMoOpeners
• After trick or treating with the kids, I planned to write 1600 words for #NaNoWriMo I am at 316 after about an hr. This is going to be hard
• 31 Oct 2015
• I never wrote that book bc I didn't want to intrude on my friends with the memories, but we're 40 now. They might forgive me
• 31 Oct 2015
• I always wanted to write a book that was completely stream of consciousness, and went everywhere and talked about everything.
• 31 Oct 2015
• This book has been swirling around for years, each time it felt so raw. Maybe #nanowrimo can get it out of me in 30 days & I will be purged
• 31 Oct 2015
• I had no book, but a title came to me. Now I am afraid. I have to face my friend's OD, my grandparents moving and other memories
• 30 Oct 2015
• Had no plan to write a novel right now, but signed up to #NaNoWriMo Now I am dying to start! I will be good and wait until Nov.
• 29 Oct 2015
• Mentally signed onto #NaNoWriMo