Archives for : writing

November Update Part 2 – The Mustache Strikes Back

Posted by :David Manly On : November 22, 2012
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Category: "The Black", charity, Donations, Movember, The Return, writing

With just over a week to go in November, I thought I would post another update on how both my November projects: NaNoWriMo and Movember are coming along.

Firstly, Movember is going quite well. I have developed a very Walter White-esque style of mustache and goatee. And the interest and donations have been staggering! 

I would like to thank every single one of you who have donated to my Movember campaign and helped me raise a total so far of $275!

But, I think we can do better.

If you would still like to donate, there is still time to do so, if you are able. Doing so is easy, just follow this link: http://mobro.co/davidmanly

I will, as promise, at the end of the month post both a before and after picture here so that you can all gaze at the glorious mustache that has resulted. The colour will definitely surprise you (not brown, like my hair)!

As for NaNoWriMo (or National Novel Writing Month) has been going swimmingly! I have written a number of chapters in my novel, The Black, and the plot is progressing along nicely. Recently, I just wrote the most disturbingly dark chapter of it yet, and I was so excited to do so.

As a treat, here in an excerpt from that chapter, with a few names and other details redacted, so as not to ruin the story:

The Return

–>

I was stuck to that spot, transfixed, staring at the pool of inky blackness that [REDACTED] eyes had become. There was no trace [REDACTED], as if they had been cut out and replaced with blank space. No only was there no sign of life within them, but the darkness was so deep that they seemed to drain the colour from the surrounding areas.
But I could not look away.
The buzzing background noise of the klaxon became louder and louder, but there was something else behind it … music?

[REDACTED]

–>

And then, the darkness began to spill forth from [REDACTED] eyes like black paint, rolling down [REDACTED] cheeks, mouth and chin. Covering [REDACTED] arms and torso, sticking to [REDACTED] jacket, all the way down to the floor. Instead of abating, the darkness continued to gush forth [REDACTED] and the sweetest music I had ever heard came through, but there was a familiar tune to it, like from a time long forgotten.
A lullaby.
***
Intrigued? 

Be sure to stay tuned for more updates as the story continues to develop!

The Return of The Black

Posted by :David Manly On : October 23, 2012
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Category: "The Black", NaNoWriMo, novels, Scientific American, writing

In just over a week, professional and amateur writers from all over the world will be participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which I have missed the past few years. I always heard about it far too late into the month to really do anything about it, but not this year.

The goal of NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org/) is exactly what it describes – write a novel over 30 days. Easy, right?

Actually, no.

But this year, I am determined to give it a shot (however, with one minor addition). Instead of writing a novel from scratch, I’m going to pick up my old and dusty copy of “The Black” and continue writing that.

I figured that, since the article on twins and the search for individual identity that I wrote for Scientific American has been published in The Best Science Writing Online 2012 (buy your copy here!), now was a good time to write as much as I could possibly stand.

For those new to my blog, The Black focuses on Roger Wilks, a lab technician for a big pharmaceutical company. After a series of very unfortunate events, he gets exposed to something that causes him to hallucinate his own past. But, when he begins to run out of past to remember, new memories begin to pierce the veil and drive him slowly insane. He then ends up in an asylum known as “Limbo” where he meets a cast of misfits that help him escape and ultimately, discover his destiny and that life is more than a series of accidents.

How does that sound?

I know the entire plot, all the character arcs and the major story beats that I need to get to, the major difficulty is just putting the entire thing down on paper. I’ve been slowly chipping away at writing this for a few years and while it will probably take longer than one month to write it (as it looks to be a long one), I hope to be able to put a dent in it.

This blog will serve, for the month of November, as a chronicle of my progress.

Every week I will update it with my progress, issues that I am having, interesting developments and the like. I will even ask for advice from time to time, which will directly affect the plot.

 I hope you are all looking forward to sharing this neat little adventure with me, and maybe when the month is done, I will put some chapters up for the hive-mind to look at.

Separating work from play and Open Lab 2011

Posted by :David Manly On : December 30, 2011
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Category: award, blogging, editing, New Year's resolution, OpenLab 2011, science writing, work, writing

It’s amazing.

Last month, when I blogged about all the things in my life that have been keeping me away from blogging consistently, I was determined for that to end. I was steadfast in my attempts to continue to blog, even in the presence of other distractions such as work and friends.

However, that did not work out as well as I had hoped, and for that I deeply apologize.

I found it surprisingly difficult to work up the type of mental stamina and drive needed to blog after a whole day of writing and editing. By working in the editorial field all day, it becomes difficult to disassociate the writing process from feeling like “work.”

So, instead I’d cook, go shopping, go for walks, catch up on television, come home for the weekend to see friends and family and even clean my new apartment.

Therefore, I have decided to make writing for this blog one of two New Year’s resolutions that I plan to maintain.
Most people, myself included, do not have a good track record committing to resolutions. But, I managed to stick with all of the ones I made last year, and I plan to do so again.

If I do not continue to update this blog, and I have some great ideas that I’m working on for you, you all have permission to POLITELY remind me via whatever means you deem necessary (within reason).

Lastly, while most people who know me well have been told in person, those who I do not speak to regularly may not be aware of one particularly delightful piece of news.

A guest blog that I wrote for scientific American earlier in 2011 has been awarded a place in a collection of the best scientific writing published online of the year, entitled “Open Lab 2011,” to be published in fall 2012 by Scientific American. The post, entitled Mirror images: Twins and identity focuses on what it is like to grow up as an identical twin and how important it is to carve out your own individual identity. Practically every single person I meet for the first time, when they learn I am a twin, will ask one of two questions: “Who’s older?” or “What’s it like having a twin?”

Writing that piece was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences of my career thus far, as not only was it an exploration of something that people find immensely fascinating, but it was also a highly personal experience to try to get people to understand what it is like having someone who is closer than a sibling or a significant other around all the time.

I am honoured, privileged and beyond thankful for the editors and judges who selected my piece of writing to be included in this collection. Thank you very, very much.

If you’d like to see the selection of the other articles/posts being included in the collection Open Lab 2011, please see the post here. They are all amazing writers and I feel extremely fortunate to be included among them.