(no subject)

[bubosquared]

Nodnol countdown: 3 days

I'm wobbling around like an old spinster today. Stupid knee.

The follwing is mostly Lucy's fault:
I am a good writer. I have a firm grasp of grammar and spelling, and I know how to use a spellcheck. My punctuation is still shit, but that's why I have beta readers. I can take criticism of my work, and continuously strive to get better, and to break out of the happy fluffy mold I've created for myself. I'm good at writing dialogue, and I have an ear for how a character/person speaks. I (think I?) can make my (mostly tagless) dialogue style work. I don't POV-hop.I can resist my Yenta Sue urges. I've stopped feeling pressured into writing explicit sex unless I actually want to write it. I'm reasonably good at characterisation, my plots make sense in the world of the story; there are no dei-ex-machina, and I always know why my characters are doing what they do.

There. I've said it. :)

Ke ... vin? *cocks head to one side* Weh? Can't decide if I like it or not. Tentatively: I like. Not as much as the long hair, but it's a firm second. Could be improved by Kris' suggestions. Kevin? Take note, boy.

Also! Happy birthday Koda! :D *cupcakes*

Whee! I'm Ron!

I should go get food. But until then: Warning! The following contains spoilers for Sin. If you've not been spoiled yet, don't click. Unless you want to be.

So, um. Second to last scene has Em going completely psycho and killing James. In a rather bloody and gory way. As in, violence and psychosis of Wax-like proportions. And while I'm more than probably not even up to her ankles when it comes to this, I. am. so. stoked. to write that scene!

Moral of the story: I'm a sick, sick, sick puppy! Wheee!

Comments

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

We like sick, sick, sick puppies. :) (Heck, my best friends in the world are, I'm pretty sure sociopaths, more or less.)

Having now exhausted the on topic-ness of this comment...

You said you've had professional singing training. Do you have any suggestions for getting started, other than proper lessons? (Which are just totally *not* practically possible right now.) Books or anything? Or should I just sing to myself a lot until I can get proper lessons with someone? :) (I have huge problems singing in front of people, though. I get all self-conscious and then I forget what what I'm singing is supposed to sound like, and it all goes off key. 'cause I lack confidence in whether or not my voice is actually tolerable to listen to. Although two people who both have pretty sensitive ears for music seem to think I have "promise", wtf that means.)

I'm not talking, like, operatic stuff, here. pop/folky stuff, mostly.

Also- you are never on irc. You should be on irc more when I'm on irc so I have someone to talk to. :) (You all exist for my entertainment. Didn't you know? :)

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

We like sick, sick, sick puppies. :)

*giggle* Good to know. ^_^ Let's just hope I can actually write this and make it work. *steals Wax' brain*

As for the singing. Can't give you tips on actual singing books, but if you can't take actual lessons (which would be the best thing), get some books on how to read music, and some sort of piano/keyboard or something. (I have one you can buy for €150! ;D) Or a flute, if you're in a pinch and know how to play it. Something to show you the proper tones.

If you don't feel like bothering with actual songs, and you can actually sing a scale (I couldn't always hit it right first time unless I had a keyboard or something), don't bother with that crap. Just sing. Sing a lot of scales, try stretching your range.

Some technique tips:

Stand up straight. Or at least sit up straight. Back straight, shoulders back (not too much, just comfortably non-slouching. Do not clasp your hands behind your back. Let your arms dangle at your side, or slasp them together and hold them against your torso, right above your stomach somewhere. Yeah, Trapp Family Singers, I know, but otherwise your chest'll tense up.

Breathe with your stomach. Ideally, nothing above your midriff should even move. This takes a lot of practice to get right, but you'll hear the difference.

Keep your lower jaw relaxed. When siging "open" vowels like "a", don't force your mouth open. Just let it "slack open" and work with your lips. Overpronounce the vowels. Oh, and sing the vowels, not the consonants. (IE, don't linger on the consonants, they're just there to for the words and take you from one vowel to another.)

This one is hard to explain, but try and keep your tongue flat against the bottom of your mouth. Your mouth is your resonating box, so keep it as big as possible. :)

And that's all I can remember from my lessons. :) Hope that helps at least somewhat.

Also- you are never on irc. You should be on irc more when I'm on irc so I have someone to talk to. :) (You all exist for my entertainment. Didn't you know? :)

Well, hit me up on AIM next time or comment or something to let me know you're there! :D

Re:

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

Keyboard? 150(ihavenoeurokey)? Tell me more. (I took piano lessons for 3+ years, way back when. I miss it- Neph's parents have a beautiful 1900s-era piano that needs retuning and I'm dying to have a permanent house so we can get it fixed up and take it away from them.) (They use it as a hallway table. It's disgraceful.) (I mean. okay, it's not a grand. but. poor thing.)

the breathing through the stomach thing- I naturally breath with just my upper chest. THis is a) the wrong way to breathe anyway and b) probably really not helping my singing attempts. :) I'll work on it more.

AIM- unfortunately, AIM refused to install on my computer. Got MSN? :)

(I am in bed. Really. I am not awake and using the computer.)

Re:

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Keyboard? 150(ihavenoeurokey)? Tell me more.

I can get the specifics from my dad if need be, but basically, it's a v. solid, good little thing. Lots of buttons, everything in working order. It's a bit scratched on the bottom, but nothign serious. I've had it for six years, and my brother's band had it at their garage for three of those, so you know if it survived that, it'll survive anything. :D

(You're near London, right?) (Not to be random or anything.)

AIM- unfortunately, AIM refused to install on my computer. Got MSN? :)

Yup: badevilgrrl@hotmail.com :)

(Is it time to go home yet? Stupid job.)

Re:

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

I'll need specifics on the keyboard- neph is being all soundgeeky about it. (He's uberpicky about these things. His hearing, particularly when it comes to computer-generated sounds.)

we're about 45 min from London by train. (We're not actually that far physically, but it's one of those damn trains that stops at, like, every stop on the line.)

What do you do?

[huberttheturtle.livejournal.com]

Cupcakes!

Squee!

:] [hugs]

Thank you!

-kodat