PROUD MARY WILL KEEP ON TURNIN'

Okay. So there's really nothing to say other than this should be the last blog post. I know I've been slacking, and I'm sorry for that. But, I probably won't be able to finish my project before the time is up. I've actually learned a lot from this experience and I won't stop after this. I'll be able to learn from this and I will be able to strive for even more than I did before. It's been really great working on this project. I've also had a lot of new experiences with this new project. I'm so happy that I picked this project because I've been able to branch out of my own comfort zone and do things that I haven't been able to do before.

So, no. I'm not finished just because the project date is almost up.

I'm going to keep trying.

 and Proud Mary will keep on turning.

PUSH

So, I feel like I need to end the story. I think it will be a Short Story, because I'm stopping it at like 100 pages or more. I am on my 69th page. Accomplishment Goals. Anyway, I should be done with it soon, and I should be posting it to Wattpad soon for all of you to read it!

Anyway, I would like some feedback on it, so I will post the very ever first draft of Pristine. It was sketchy, and I changed it a little bit, but I liked it. The story is getting intense and it gave me the feels for a little while. But, anyway. I will post the first chapter to it. (Don't steal it, please.) Here it is!

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PRISTINE

PART ONE: THE ISSUE

 

ONE

MELA

            The North Quadrant opened up for the day. I was still in bed, the effects of our plants getting to my lungs again. Mama let me sleep again. I had to get out through this pain, so that I can go back to the plants. We are the Fire Quadrant, the Fuel of the States. The Leader of the States and his son, the Leader-in-Line, would be coming to the North Quadrant to check on the plants. I had an appointment with the doctor today in the West Quadrant, which is the Water Quadrant, the Healers or Nourishment for the States. Mama slowly opened my door. I closed my eyes. We were poor, and I don’t know how Mama collected the money to get me this appointment. But, I wasn’t worried about it. She wouldn’t do that; not like daddy would.

            “Wake up, sleepy head. Are you feeling any better?” She asked me. Truth was, I didn’t feel any better. If anything, I felt the same or worse. But, I had to fake it for my mom.

            “I’m okay.” I was. I could manage with this pain in my chest. Mama stared at me with a skeptical look and grabbed the covers off of me. She felt my head and jerked backwards.

            “Oh crap!” she mumbled. “Your head’s a furnace! We have to hurry...” She busied herself with trying to get me ready. I swung myself out of the bed, and she helped me with my clothes. I was bundled up. Naturally, the North Quadrant is hot. The West Quadrant will be cold, so I’m bundled with layers. Mama helped me down the steps.

            “Stay outside until I get everything situated with your brothers and your father.” I obeyed her and sat on our little chair that we put outside when we first moved here. Daddy had bought that chair for us. I can remember that day very well...

            “Baby, you’re gonna love this chair that I picked out. Picked it out in the image of you.” Mama smiled and took Daddy’s hand in hers.

            “I love it...you always know how to romance me.” Daddy smiled and picked me up. Mama rubbed her belly. I was five at the time, and Mama’s belly was big.

            “Richard is what I will name him. Are you okay with that, Honey?” Mama asked Daddy. Daddy nodded and put the chair on our steps. I remember giggling and Daddy holding me up in the air. Mama laughed and put her hand on her belly. She grabbed me too and let me touch her stomach. I pulled back.

            “It’s weird! I don’t like it!” I screamed and giggled. Mama just laughed and kissed my head.

            “It’s your baby brother.  You will be a big sister.”

            “Really? I’m gonna be a big sister! I have a big- I mean little brother!”

Mama laughed and grabbed Daddy. She whispered something to Daddy, but I couldn’t make it out. He just kept on saying “it will be okay...” and he pulled her in close. I started kicking the cement steps and saying I was a construction man. Everything was fuzzy after that...

I was still sitting outside. I saw all the white kids running with their fur coats on. I looked at my skin. It had more color to it. The white kids saw me and came towards me. They looked me and started to laugh.

            “Black kid!” One of the boys shouted. They looked repulsed with me and ran away. I watched them and didn’t say a word. I sat up, still hurting, and looked around the brick wall just to make sure they were gone. Then I sat back in the chair and cried. It was the first time in months I had cried for something other than my health. Mama came outside. She just looked at me. I could tell that she had seen what had happened. She didn’t have to say anything; the look on her face said it all. Mama handed me my train ticket and went back inside. She beckoned me to stay. I looked out at our street.

It was small, with pipes leaking and steam blowing. Our houses were with concrete steps on the side of the wall. The street we lived on was narrow and cramped. There was litter everywhere. I looked down at where one of the pipes was leaking and steaming. A family of ducks lived there. The mother just had babies. I checked on them every day, so they weren’t afraid of me. I rummaged through my pocket. I had crumbs of crackers from the Factory inside it. I threw it to the family and they rushed towards it. They had to forge for things, just like we did.

I looked at my train ticket. It was all blue, for the West Quadrant. It had a gold strip on the top and bottom of the ticket. One of them got checked for the ride there, and one got checked for the ride back. The ticket smelled earthy, like of promises and beginnings. Mama came outside again. She looked at me and smiled a warm smile.

“Let’s go, honey. We can’t miss this train.” I stood up, and winced. My leg was burning with pain. I ignored it and clenched my teeth. We trudged along towards the train station where the hustle and bustle of people flooded my ears.

MY 20% TIME PROJECT PROPOSAL

Name: Precious Roberts-Miller

Project Title: Pristine

Project Start Date: November 7^th, 2014

Project Completion Date: May 15^th, 2014

Mentor’s Name: Dayna Browning

Brief Description: I will be writing and trying to publish a book, and (maybe) try and animate some parts of it.

 

1)      Project Objective:

For this project, I plan to write my own book. I will study different styles and forms of writing. I will find out the guidelines for certain types of books. Then, I will apply all of this information into my own book. I will write it to these guidelines and styles. Then, I will proofread it, and write a final copy.

            Next, I will start the animation process. I will try and find styles of animation that would suit my own story. Then, I will learn how to make this animation. I will have to do this frequently, with a lot of planning. Lastly, I will make a final cut of the animation, edit it, and show it to people.

 

2)      Project Rational:

I am doing this project because this is something that I love to do. I have always written little stories by myself, just for fun, but I had never really stuck with one. So, this time, I think that I will stick with this story and try and go out of the box and animate it, too.

            I was origionally going to make mine about animating, but I realized, I could try and combine the two. I’ve always wanted to do things with art, especially animate. But, how can you animate something good, without a decent story? So, this question gave me the answer to try and do both. I know that it will be hard, and tough, but I want to challenge myself in a way that I’ve never had. It will be rewarding in the end, if I can pull it off.

 

3)      Project Steps:

 

·         Look up styles and forms of writing

·         Find out the guidelines for writing different books

·         Write the book

·         Revise the book

·         Copy the final copy of the book

·         Search for different styles and forms of animation

·         Learn how to make the animation

·         Draw the scenes

·         Practice making the short film

·         Edit the film

·         Create the final copy of the film

·         Show the film to people

 

4)      Timeline of Activities:

November 2014

·         Start on writing the rough draft of the story

·         Look up ways to simple animate

·         Look up the standards for writing different styles of books

 

December 2014

·         Keep writing the rough draft of the story

·         Start drawing the characters for the animation

·         Look up ways to simple animate

 

January 2015

·         Keep writing the rough draft of the story

·         Have style of book

·         Have style of animation

·         Start the simple animation

 

February 2015

·         Revise/ or keep writing the rough draft of the story

·         Keep with the simple animation

·         Get people to voice parts

·         Start Recording

 

March 2015

·         Revise the rough draft of the story

·         Keep recording

·         Keep with the animation

 

April 2015

·         Revise the rough draft of the story

·         Edit the Animation

 

May 2015

·         Revise the rough draft of the story

·         Edit the Animation

·         Show animation to people

·         Publish final copy for people to read

·         Start the publication process

 

5)      Resources

·         YouTube

·         Mrs. Browning

·         Mrs. Hilliard

·         Google

·         Mr. Reed

 

6)      Setbacks

·         Could get uninterested

·         Might not have enough materials to animate

·         Might not be able to get enough resources

·         Could not have enough time to finish one project

·         Could get sidetracked and not finished

 

7)      Research Questions

·         What kinds of animation do writers typically use when writing off of a book?

·         What kind of style do most writers usually have when they write novels or long chapter book?

·         What kind of experiences do most writers have when they tackle on two challenges at once like this?

·         Why do experiences like this shape what people become later on in life?

·         What will this experience teach me for later on in my life?

HEADS UP!

I've decided that I cannot make an animation to show. I think I will be working on this project even when it's all said and done and we pack up for the summer. I just don't think that I will be able to finish by the due date! It seems very hard and frankly, I'd be pushing it really hard. I'm not good at making decisions, but this is one that I had to make easily.

Now, of course I wanted to keep going and make the animation, but it just doesn't seem realistic with the time that I have. But, I will keep working on it. Maybe you'll see the animation somewhere if you're still reading my blog. Ha-ha. Anyway, this is something that broke my heart, but I knew it was a wise decision so that I could focus on making this story better than it ever could be. So, basically, no animation. Not now, anyway. You never know.

A LITTLE DIFFERENT....

Okay. So this thought just occurred to me. There is a site called Wattpad and on this site you can post stories and fanfictions, you name it. People post these stories and they get reads, votes, comments, everything. If you get enough votes, your story can get promoted.

So, this Winter Break, I've decided that i'm going to post my story on Wattpad. See how many reads it will get. I have posted other things on Wattpad and they were successful. I feel confident in my abilities to do this. I think I have a shot at making this a great story.

PROGRESS IN TWO WAYS

I have made 38 pages in my book so far. Not even a dent. Ha-ha, I'm really making progress. I have also started a little project for myself called PRE-INTERLUDE: IN THE BEGINNING. It's about events that take place in a little town called Thistle Rock, California and only one girl knows about them. It's interestingly challenging, because I'm making it a novella. Maybe 100 pages or so. But, this will definitely NOT get in the way of PRISTINE. I've already sent a sample of it to one of my friends and she says that it's really good.

The animation is not even started. I'm still trying to figure out which one I want. But, I feel as if I'm to dedicated to the story, that when I finish, I won't have enough time to make an animation that is even worth showing. *sigh* I don't know. Choosing. I've never been one that can make a decision quickly. When I'm put under pressure, I basically have to. But, when I'm not, it's hard. Don't worry, I will have made a decision by the end of this month. I have to.

PARTS

I have begun the process of trying to write a rough draft of the book. I think that I can pull this off if I just keep at it. I have been thinking about other things to write about and I say this because I don't know if I want to stay with this story. I'm becoming to be uninterested with this story. But, this always happens, and I want to break the cycle. So, I will stick with this story just so I can see what will happen with it.

I have been looking for help with trying to animate this story. I feel that I'm not going to animate the whole story, but when I finish with the whole story and revising it, I think I will only  animate parts of it, and not the whole story, because that would take more than the whole year. I think that I can ask my mom for help with trying to make a book, like a legitimate book because she has gone through the process many times, and I think she has the experience to help me with this. I will be updating this more and more as the year goes on and telling you what is going on with it.

*PRISTINE*