- March 12
So far to go. A little overwhelmed. Kinda lost. Really frightened. Remind myself in took me at least 2 months to finish part 1. #amwriting
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March 12
Hmmm. Finally broke down. I paid for Spotify, Just for novel writing. The adds are too distracting.. #amwriting
- Mar 11
Spent hours today working out what I am supposed to listen to for part 2. The "book theme songs" only worked for part 1 #amwriting
- Mar 11
Convinced one of my characters would love R Kelly's 1st album. How much sacrifice can one accept for the sake of the art? #amwriting
- . Mar 11
I think my character would have liked Massive Attack. Which scene should that album be? #amwriting
- Mar 10
Told To chill out. Stop being so intense. I am at the park, on the grass, under the sun. It's really conducive to not writing #amwriting
- Mar 10
Been staring at nothing a lot. My mind space is not in a great place. Having phone meeting on book Fri. Maybe that will help. #amwriting
- Mar 10
Hard to explain why ppl have enough conviction to go to jail or risk death to protest, to write, to riot, to fight injustices. #bornthatway
Mar 10
I can stare at the screen brooding for hours. It seems to be wasting time, but honestly by just sitting there I am working #amwriting
- Mar 10
Someone suggested I make a happy life for myself. I told him I considered throwing away my book for that but can't. #amwriting
- Mar 9
If only people knew how hard it really is. #amwriting
- Mar 9
What if the 3rd book was set 30 days before the basic law expires in 2047? That's where I can have my imaginary revolution #amwriting
- Mar 8
Are young people's belief in independence & freedoms as an end goal so inconcieveble to old white men? #hongkong http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/small-hong-kong-protest/2585794.html …
- Mar 8
If I thought chpt 10 was a nightmare, welcome to Chpt 12, Yan. Luckily, I extended the deadline; I won't cry out of fear & pain #amwriting
- Mar 8
Suffragists Used Cookbooks As A Recipe For Subversion: Cooking for the Vote. Makes me happy. #internationalwomensday http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/11/05/454246666/how-suffragists-used-cookbooks-as-a-recipe-for-subversion?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social …
- Mar 8
Oh chpt 9. You just don't want me to get to chpt 12….. rewrite… this is a better idea but so much harder… more complex. #amwriting
- Mar 6
Parents suggested I speak about writing for a living, "That's the goal after publishing my novel" I think they finally understand #amwriting
- Mar 6
Gave every scene/chapter it's own theme song. Play it while writing. It's added a lot of descriptive layers that I didn't have b4 #amwriting
- Mar 6
After extending deadline, found distraction, I am having a far healthier relationship to this novel. I am taking my time, calmly #amwriting
- Mar 5
So anyway, me and said boy bring up the elbow a lot in conversation?
- Mar 5
I love Clay from Imperial Bedrooms is an even more degenerate guy than before. It makes me so brave for my character's fall. #amwriting
- Mar 5
Part2&3. Ripped apart, plot rewritten, new facts infused, alternative scenarios. Long way ahead #amwriting
- Mar 3
So happy it took @BretEastonEllis 5 years to write Less Than 0.That's the book go to, when I feel afraid of what I am writing. #amwriting
- Mar 3
Bret Easton Ellis on Self-Censorship… #amwriting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD1gb4NXszA …
- . Mar 2
Parading people on TV, forcing false confessions & lies about not being abducted has an impact. I admit, I am frightened to write #amwriting
- .Mar 2
How to do you sacrifice going home? If this book is published, it means it won't be safe to return home one day. #amwriting #difiance
- Mar 2
I am so overwhelmed by sadness over Hong Kong, I am paralyzed to write. #amwriting
- Mar 2
Decided to brush up on my punctuation. Honestly, it's something I can't master, no matter how I try. #amwriting
Mar 1
The most important item in a writer's toolbox is #freespeech #amwriting #writer #freedoms
- Mar 1
Went to talk about writing to a group of kids with learning needs. Got this comment #amwriting #greatday #inspiring
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- Mar 1
Every Act of Defiance Matters. Every Act of Resistance Counts. #HongKong #china #freedom #freedomofspeech
- Feb 29
Can't decide between, "Every Act of Resistance Counts." or "Every Act of Resistance matters." Which is better? #HongKong #China #freedom
- Feb 29
Detained bookseller’s claims of smuggling himself into China… Such bulkshit https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/01/detained-booksellers-claims-difficult-to-believe-say-hong-kong-lawmakers/ … via @hongkongfp
Feb 29
Detained bookseller’s claims difficult to believe, say Hong Kong lawmakers https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/01/detained-booksellers-claims-difficult-to-believe-say-hong-kong-lawmakers/ … via @hongkongfp
Feb 29
#hongkong booksellers TV "confessions." What a load of crap.. Every act of #resistance matters #china #freedom http://v.ifeng.com/news/society/m/201602/01cfeb63-12ff-4164-92c2-20461a5a5134.shtml …
Feb 27
My book started out as a memory, it turned into a critique, with everything going on in #Hongkong, it's now my show of defiance. #amwriting- Feb 26
Honest critique of the #hongkong gov with by this activist at Legco. Every resistence counts. (translation below) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCc-iDCNCyI …
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- Feb 26
I am having a lot of moments with the book. I found a lot of distractions.. I am about to color in my coloring book. Feb 26
Was going on and on about my love of #ballet… then realized I can't name a single new production from the last 2 years. Must catch up
- Feb 25
Second time I cried writing the book. Did it have to be this heart wrenching? What was wrong with a feel good book? #amwriting
Feb 24
Took me 2+ months working 5 to 16 hrs day to finish 2nd draft of part 1. What made me think I could finish the novel in March? #amwriting
- Feb 24
didn't know how unfinished last 1/3 of my book was. 1st 1/3 was cohesive ready for 2nd draft, but part 3, r just unfinished ideas #amwriting
Feb 23
21 seconds ago- HATE CHAPTER TEN. I HATE YOU CHAPTER TEN! #amwriting
- Feb 22
I just love this kid… Edward Leung from Indigenous Party… smart idealist and very very brave #hongkong http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/philosophy-student-the-face-of-radical-activism-in-hong-kong …
- Feb 21
Starting to make a 3rd copy of book on different devices. Imagine 88 000 words & 4 month of work disappearing bc I didn't backup #amwriting
- Feb 21
How did I think that the novel would be finished by March? Working 5 to 8 hours everyday for 4 months straight! Silly me #amwriting
Feb 21
Just writing about radical separatist (what I believe, although knowing that's it's not going to happen #amwriting http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/world/asia/hong-kong-indigenous-separatism.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0 …
- Feb 21
I am totally sick, and still managed to skim through the whole book and do minor edits. I cried at the end. The book made me sad #amwriting
Wanted to use the reference, "Through the looking glass," and turns out that Tim Burton has a movie out? Can I no longer use it? #amwriting
- Feb 19
Does anyone understand the reference, 'We were Scout & Dill' I put it in my novel & want to see if anyone knows #HarperLee #amwriting #books
- Feb 19
Oh, Miss. Harper Lee, I put back in the reference "We were Scout and Dill," in my book, even if it's so obscure..RIP #amwriting
- . Feb 18
The pivotal scene that I has been missing for months came to me at 1am, an hour into my birthday! Thank you universe #amwriting
Feb 17
Poured heart & soul into book. Tiny memories, little loves, all my loyalty to HK. Can't imagine having anymore emotion to write a 2nd book
- Feb 17
Finally wrestled and fought Chapter 10 into submission. I actually like the order, now I just need to rewrite the words. #amwriting
- . Feb 17
Oh, Chapter 10, you cruel mistress, how I hate thee. #amwriting
- Feb 16
I finally pieced chpt 10 together. What a feat. I didn't think it could happen at all… not sure I like how I like the tone #amwriting
Feb 16
chapter 10 (love) you are killing me.. Was it the distraction? Or was I distracting myself coz I dont want to deal? #amwriting
Feb 15
Finally realized what was wrong with chapter 10. Massive rewrite. Hating it but relieved it's going to be fixed #amwriting
- Feb 15
I just realized why part 2 was failing.. oh.. what a major rewrite. #amwriting
- Feb 15
I put something in my book for my friend who is long gone.. I hope he likes it. #amwriting
- Feb 14
Split the long scenes into little ones… finally got a handle on this! #amwriting
- Feb 13
This part of the book is so hard. I am seriously piecing it together, word by work, sentence by sentence. It's just brutal. #amwriting
- . Feb 11
Sad part of the book, found so many distractions and procrastination techniques just to avoid dealing with it. #amwriting
- Feb 10
I tried to find some distraction, and it's worked so well, I stopped working on my novel for nearly a week. #focus #amwriting
Feb 10
I so need my first book on handover to be published & do well, so I can write the follow up on the rest of hk story about umbrella movement- Feb 9
Feel so utterly frivolous sitting in the U.S. #fishballrevolution
Feb 9
Hong Kong people aren't going down without a fight.. We are too Feisty for that. Even if in the end we lose.. #fishballrevolution- Feb 9
Always said, the only reason HK hasn't had violent protests before, is we haven't been angry enough. It is inevitable. #fishballrevolution
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- Yan Sham-Shackleton @YanShamS Feb 9
The inevitable has started #fishballrevolution
- Feb 4
Had an awesome conversation with my friend about my book. Solved some problems!! #amwriting
- Feb 4
My second novel it really coming together.. #didnotplanthis This is such a strange experience. #amwriting
- Feb 3
What makes an universal woman? What qualities will make my male/lesbian readers fall in love with her? That will sustain the book #amwriting
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Feb 3
Realized, I know how to write men women fall in love with, but not sure how to write women, men would want to fall in love with #amwriting
Feb 3
?? I wrote about 6000 today on my follow up novel. It has 13478 words already… I really need to finish this one first. #amwriting
Feb 3
Maybe my sexy disturbing love story is a cover for a 10,000 words #polemic about how the #British treated #HK, without me sounding too angry
Feb 3
Just wrote 3400 words retelling of my follow up novel, with new major character. It's not a science fiction trilogy.. #amwriting
- Feb 2
I went into the trash to see how many scenes I threw out in 2nd draft: 40,933 words, plus 20,000+ I got rid off in 1st draft #amwriting
- Feb 2
It's good that my first readers are brutally honest. Really. It's a blessing, they won't let me put crap out in the world. #amwriting
- Feb 2
My friend called with her comment on 1st draft, the first thing she said was, "I hate to say it but your English is crap." Haha. #amwriting
- Feb 2
Doing dishes, felt I wanted to call someone to check on.. didn't know who, except then I realized it was a character in my book. #amwriting
- Feb 1
encourage yourself or a loved one to write, buy a light blue dressing gown with pandas on it. I wear that a lot #amwriting #novel #nanowrimo
- Jan 31
I'm really exhausted from writing today. I'm scared how much it will take out of me,editing the later chapters #amwriting #novel #NaNoWriMo
- . Jan 31
If I struggle to write it, because it makes me sad, can I really expect anyone to read it? #amwriting
- . Jan 31
Kept looking at, "we would be greeted with a smell animals feather.." and didn't know why it sounded wrong… animal feathers? #amwriting
Jan 31
I wrote in some very difficult scenes, I can't even go there. It's just so painful to see my characters like that. #amwriting
- Jan 29
What did they mean by "handover?" How did the British "handover" six million people? We're people not cattle. #hongkong #umbrellamovement
- Jan 29
Hate deciding which direction to go with plot holes. Which one is better? #amwriting
- Jan 29
Overheard a young man in a #wheelchair say, "I haven't been in a #library since I was 6 or 7," as a man pushed him. That broke my #heart.
- Jan 26
Great notes from editor. Helped me rethink the way to unify the book better. Finished first 1/3. Maybe look after life a little? #amwriting
Jan 25
I just finished the 2nd draft of chapter 7. This means I am exactly 1/3 done. I seriously giving myself a heart attack #amwriting
Jan 21
The 2nd part of the book becomes dark. I am nervous. Will I lose people here? It seems a bit dramatic. But it actually happened #amwriting
Jan 20
Second Draft of Part One is done… no really.. really? #amwriting
- Jan 20
Forced myself to finish chapter 4. Forced it out of me. I rushed myself so I didn't avoid the hard bits. I am exhausted. #amwriting
Published by Yan Sham-Shackleton
Yan Sham-Shackleton is a Hong Kong writer who lives in Los Angeles. This is her old blog Glutter written mostly in Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007. Although it was a personal blog, Yan focused a lot on free speech issues and democratic movement in Hong Kong. She moved to the US in 2007.
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