October 28, 2005
Surprise Surprise!
What goes around comes around. An officemate of mine was once a Citizen's Army Training (CAT) officer who bullied this girl during high school. That girl is now one of the team leaders in the company where we work, and she'll be reporting to her next week. When things like that happen in real life, it makes you stop and think.
Today's calls were horrible. Not that the customers I received were irate; I completely forgot everything I learned in the past six weeks. It was quite discouraging. The only solace for me is that everyone in the batch felt the same way.
We’ll be moving in a phase called pre-OJT this Monday, which would last two weeks. After that would be the certification phase where we’ll prove we can handle the calls and be finally designated “regulars”. Where NaNoWriMo fits in this, I have no idea. But I’m sure that with the story I have, I won’t last the month.
“End of Magic” is a good story. Too good in fact, that I’ve decided to take it seriously and turn it into an award-winning novel (I can dream). There’s no way I’ll finish the story in November now, considering how hectic my day job will be. So, I’ve decided to abandon that story in favor of something easier to do: a story that I haven’t thought about yet.
Yes, I have no plot, no characters, no hint of a story. This Tuesday, I’ll write whatever pops out of my head, and hopefully complete the 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Don’t worry; I’ll keep you posted.
That was my plan for next year. Oh well. Things change.
View my original plan here.
And, thanks for all of you who posted your thoughts about the site, especially you, sister Wendy.
October 27, 2005
How Erwin Robledo Writes
When I started this blog, what I had in mind was to share to you, dear readers, what’s going on my head while I write, a behind-the-scenes look at my work. I have not done that, and I truly apologize.
I would love to tell you how I thought the things I thought while doing my novel for NaNoWriMo. In the past few weeks I’ve played in my mind the story of a world where magic was fading, a former high wizard was conquering, and a magician’s apprentice was coping with the loss of his abilities while aiding a group in defeating the wizard.
Writing starts this Tuesday. I hope you can wait till then.
October 20, 2005
What I've Thought About so Far
Well, it looks like I'll be moderating the Philippine NaNoWriMo forum this year.
This year's entry has a working title of, "End of Magic". The plot forms as I think about it during the one hour break at the office. I really couldn't call it a lunch break since it's at twelve midnight, but it sure looks like one.
I found this stall that serves a decent meal for P20. That is mighty cheap, but the rice serving is by all standards big. That, and four pieces of tofu, and I'm set to work on the plot (NaNoWriMo rules state that a participant cannot start writing until November).
Plot conceptualization at midnight is, interesting. When writers say they prefer to write late at night or early in the morning, it's because of the silence and the assurance that they will not be disturbed while they write. I write at a 24 hour cafeteria while every nightshifter release stress through hearty, noisy, eating.
Well, as long as I write...
I still have no idea how I'll attend the KomiKon 2005 this Saturday and the church's anniversary on Sunday when I'll be working during the weekend. I knew I should have cloned myself when I had the chance.
Now that I'm getting the hang of working late at night, I might start writing again next week. However, that's the final week of training, and I have no idea how the OJT would feel like. Another round of adjustments?
I just want to write.
October 17, 2005
Thanks for Nothing
They say it's rare to get a complement from a customer, so when I got one last Sunday for something I did, I became an instant celebrity in the office. Unfortunately, I have no idea which call that came from. I want to feel happy about it, I really do.
If you know what it feels like to have someone embrace you for no reason, that's how I feel. It's like, the thanks is lip service, but deep inside I'm clueless.
There's a lot of food in the fridge, and I'm eating everything that I can. And I got to catch up on my sleeping. Yey!
Finally, we have a Philippine NaNoWriMo forum at last. Things are looking good for the meantime.
October 09, 2005
Ghosts at Work
Work ended with talk of ghosts. During the last hour of training the computers were acting up with no plausible reason (yeah, and the sun rises because Apollo rides his chariot. Duh). Then the room got colder, and the only explanation anyone could offer was Billy.
There was talk that one employee went in the rec room alone to get coffee from the dispenser. Behind her was a boy who said hi. She was then rushed to the hospital suffering from a nervous breakdown or something after that. A few more unexplained mishaps like that and Billy was born.
Suddenly everyone was seeing (or feeling) something in the room. Heck, someone said there was a ghost leaning behind me while I was taking notes! Then there were ghosts beside people, and ghosts in the computers, and we scared ourselves out of the training room ten minutes before our shift ended.
Of course, yours truly could only write about the events that took place that Saturday morning, having no ability to see or feel spirits.
Not that I don't believe in ghosts. If you believe God you have to believe in demons. I do believe in supernatural events, and supernatural beings. Maybe it was hysteria back there, maybe it was the real deal, I'm not sure. What I'm sure of is this: Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.
October 07, 2005
NaNoWriMo
One month. 50,000 words. No rules.
I liked the NaNoWriMo participant images they had last year, then I realized the images are actually the site's logo.
I still think that last year's images were still better.
NaNoWriMo got me started writing. Not that I haven't been writing before that time, but it got me writing seriously, at least recently. But what would I be if not a writer? What?
Sorry, I can't write coherently while I'm asleep. 'Must be why I do poetry all the time.
www.nanowrimo.org
