introduction of my new project

Thomas Thunder came from wealth. Both of his parents were major television personalities in Los Angeles, who met at an awards party. They instantly fell in love and traveled the world together, experiencing different phenomenas and a variety of cultures. Soon after their journey begun, along came little Thomas. Thomas was always seen by his parents as a setback, so they hired nannies and housekeepers to care for him. Thomas' childhood, although flooded with gifts and toys, always lacked something. Something known as love. As soon as he could, Thomas took charge of his life. He moved out at age 16 and worked three jobs just to pay his rent. As years went on, Thomas slowly moved up the corporate ladder. He enrolled in the Yale Department of Chemistry and studied to be a chemist. Shortly after Thomas' new life begun, he met Loretta Hansen.

the next step in my writing

I've just finished my short story, Fate, and now I'm starting a new project. Beginning a new piece is always challenging for me, as I struggle to develop a strong plot and interesting characters. I have many ideas soaring through my head right now. I could continue with a similar genre like my previous story, or I could venture out on a completely different route. The idea of writing a thriller/suspense story sparks my interest, because I've always enjoyed that genre of movies and novels. However, I also enjoy dramas and comedies, so perhaps I could do a mix between them. Within the upcoming days, I will continue brainstorming my upcoming short story and hopefully by Monday I will have a clear plan of action.

excerpt from Fate

William's life was just a routine. Every day he woke up, splashed his face with water, brushed his teeth, quickly dressed himself, and headed for work. At work he sat in a chair confined to a small cubicle, where he managed the sales of a box company. After work, he picked up dinner, went home, and sat alone at the dining room table. After dinner, he tidied up his apartment, making sure every accessory was in its place. Right before bed, William walked outside and stood on his balcony, peering out over the city, smelling the fresh air, and gazing up at the stars. William was content, until one day, everything changed.

reflection of my short story

When writing my longer work, titled Fate, I had complete freedom. Very little guidelines, no required length, no specific due date. I had so much freedom that I almost got lost in it. The most difficult part of the process was the beginning, trying to configure my plot. There were many thoughts running through my head, so I looked up "short story ideas" on google. I thought that once I saw one of these ideas, it would spark something in my mind. After some browsing, I saw the words "fortune cookie". I had my story figured out. I began an outline and felt confident about my plot. As I began writing, my story slowly evolved. As I was about halfway through, the more I contemplated the ending, the more I disliked it, so I decided to take a risk. I eliminated my ending entirely, and replaced it with a far more interesting one. I decided to conclude the story by declaring that every event that has taken place in William's life for the past month hasn't actually occured. Maybe it was a dream, maybe William is in denial, or maybe he is certifiably insane. With a cliffhanger ending, I left it up to the reader to decide William's fate. The cliffhanger ending is probably what I'm most proud of, and the full circle the story makes. As of now, my work is finished and I've polished every detail. Because the ending leaves the reader unsatisfied, I could possibly revisit the story in the future and add to it.

3rd quarter reflection

During the 3rd quarter, I focused my attention mainly on my longer work. At first, I had difficulty creating a story and developing characters. I had to invent a plot that would keep the reader and me interested and intrigued. However, once I chose a storyline and developed a few characters, the words flowed effortlessly. I found that outlining the story was beneficial because it gave me something to reference every time I was stuck or couldn't decide where to go next. As of now, I'm almost done with my story, and I'm proud of it. Although I haven't completely polished the work, I'm happy with the amount of detail and the various elements of surprise. During the week we spent in Dr. Totland's room, I enjoyed creating my own version of the story of the little girl and the hare. I made a continuation of the story and created an alternate ending as opposed to editing the preexisiting story. Although in the third quarter I didn't work on many pieces, I enjoyed concentrating on one story.

alternate ending of Fate

• William travels to the Chinese restaurant, only to find that the restaurant no longer exists 
• William visits every store on the block hoping to gain reason as to why the restaurant disappeared. He discovers that no other worker or store owner on the block has heard of this restaurant or it's disappearance 
• The next day, William decides to start fresh and resume his daily routine. He heads to work for the first time since Rose's "death" and is shocked to see Rose herself sitting at the receptionist desk 
• William feels like he is slowly losing his sanity 
• He calls Lucy hoping to gain reassurance, but he then discovers that Lucy's car accident never happened  
• Lucy suggests William visit a therapist
• After continuous vists with a therapist, William concludes that the events in past few weeks have only occurred in his mind  

description of upcoming short story

Fate explores the life of a middle aged man named William when an unexplainable trail of bad luck begins following him. Soon after William recognizes the pattern of his misfortunes, he sets out on a journey to discover the source of his luck. Along this journey, he encounters death, tragedy, and above all, mystery. The reader is left to decide whether this trail of bad luck is a product of karma, or is it simply his fate?

monologue referring to painting of girl

I'm sitting here, motionless. I glance around the room wondering when my father will return. He left me in this room, he says it's a "test of my will power". I haven't behaved well lately, on my sisters birthday I took a bite of her cake before she did, on Christmas I opened my presents too early, and last night I ate dessert before dinner. I stare at this little gift sitting on the floor, wrapped so intricately. I think about all the various possibilities. What does this little box contain? I hold my hands tight together, intertwining my fingers, trying to hold myself back. I squirm around in the chair, and imagine that chains are holding me down and constricting my every move. I hear footsteps in the hallway, coming closer and closer. Suddenly, my father peeks through the door. He sees me struggling to pass this test of will power, and a smile crosses his face. He utters two words: "I'm proud." He then turns around and closes the door behind him.

prospectus

My short story is about a middle aged man named William, who has followed a strict daily routine his entire life. Immediately into the story, when William picks up dinner from a Chinese restaurant, he feels a strange, unexplainable sensation. Soon after this experience, William recognizes a pattern of unusual / unfortunate events that follow him. He is left to determine what has brought on this bad luck, all within a timely manner, because each day that follows entails an increasing amount of danger to him and those around him.

The main character is William, and eventually we meet his sister Lucy.

The central conflict is William trying to find the root of his misfortunes and what do to about them before his own life is put into danger.

My short story doesn't have any specified chapters, but the reader will get a sense of how fast time is moving through the language I've used.

Outline:

• Begins with a brief description of his daily routine
• Quickly into the story, William endures a strange experience while picking up his food
• After this experience, multiple unfortunate events follow him 
• William looks to his sister for comfort/advice/support
• The day after William confides in his sister, she gets into a tragic car accident and is left paralyzed 
• William decides to travel back to the root of this bad luck (where it all started), the Chinese restaurant 
• After visiting the Chinese restaurant, the hostess tells William that in order to rid himself of bad luck, he must become a Monk, for it is his destiny 
• Reluctant because he is afraid of change, William hesitantly accepts his fate and travels to become a certified Monk 

thoughts on spoken word

I'm unfamiliar to the concept of spoken word, but after seeing a glimpse of the video regarding the Louder than a Bomb competition, I am interested in learning more. Creating my own Spoken word poem appears as quite a challenge, but I am still open to discovering what this form of poetry truly is. Within the upcoming semester, screenplay writing intrigues me the most. I would love to meet with Dr. Totland again and revisit the play I've written.