Woohoo! I'm an epic failure!

As you know, I should be nearing 50,000 words tomorrow in Smolder. So let's say that I'm really past 18,000 words right now.

Yeah, real big difference there. For the majority of the weekend, I was watching Yu Yu Hakusho. And I'll end up watching Sailor Moon and Rurouni Kenshin in the upcoming weeks. Anime seems like really like me during the winter; last year, my friend got me to watch almost all of the DeathNote series. But ... yeah, I didn't finish it.

Let's see if I can get this writing done! On Thursday, I have community service because of my history class. On Friday, I have to play for the football game, because we've made it to championships for the first time in the history of my school. And we're undefeated. So, I must suffer in 30 degree weather (I'm a Californian used to 90-100 degree weather, of course I'm going to die!) and then thaw out at home that night.

At least I don't have homework. Not with finals coming up. I just need to pull up my history grade a little to maintain straight A's. (Yeah, I'm a nerd, too.)

So, those of you who're participating in Writing Hell: Are you failing as badly as I am, or have you stayed on track?

Inspiration!

Some people find it hard to come up with a new plot for a new book. Others are super creative who can pop out a new idea in seconds and start writing.

I, however, am in the middle. Some days, I just can't think of a good plot. Other days, I find an idea I really like and manage to write 2000 words in an hour.

For those of you who can never find inspiration, might I give a list? Over the past few years (okay, that's a lie. For the past year) I've found quite a few things that inspire me to write. They include:

• Music
• Reading
• TV shows
• Anime
• Movies
• Pictures
• History

I have had at least one idea sprout from one of those things. Anime inspired Deception and X-Men: First Class helped me get ideas for the story; World History inspired Day One; a picture inspired Transparency and Burns; music inspired an older work, Dusty Skies. Find your favorite song and really listen to it. You just might come up with an idea. Heck, even countries have inspired me.

What inspires you? I really believe I can be inspired by anything: I came up with an idea because of roadkill on the side of the road, in front of a field. How sad it that?

-Dylan