Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Hiatus (no day listing)
This is more for me than anything else....If anyone is watching and waiting with bated breath then at least this is a heads up. With work and with the course I've been doing online I haven't been doing much in the way of actual writing save for occasional brain storming. I've decided to go on hiatus until the new year...My plan is to pick it up on the day of the month in the new year that matches up with the day I'm on here and to really try to post daily as I originally intended to. I also mean to try and keep a hand written journal in case I do some writing but don't want to or cannot get on line...but for now I'll leave things as they are and come back to this in the new year (or the end of Dec. at the earliest). If anyone is reading then watch for me in the new year. :) I really want to keep this up I am just not writing right now.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Day 27 - musing...plot and research
((I started writing this at 11pm, so the date was meant to read Sept.9. A well...I mean to post something else later. We shall see what happens. I hate it when my posts end up appearing on the wrong date. bleh...easily annoyed i guess.))
I'm trying so hard to post every times I write, though my original goal was to write every day and post something about it here, even if it was just some kind of musing I did while writing. I meant for it, as I said in my very first post, to be a way to be accountable. It's not working as well as I'd hoped. Granted the group on DeviantART is also giving me a certain sense of accountability though not nearly as regimented as I intended here. But musings, musings...not why I wanted to write this.
Of course I didn't start writing this with any real thought as to what I did want to muse on...not very helpful I know. Looking back to my earlier post, maybe I should consider my ideas for Calliope Jones. Why is it that I can come up with lots of ideas and not one of them related to what I want to do with the first plot? Maybe I should sit down and try reading more YA fiction than I do. I have read some but perhaps not enough. Urban Fantasy is a good place to start and I do read a fair bit of that. Perhaps the first plot should be related to who/what the main characters are, allows for introduction of the rules of my world and definitions of different groups. It makes sense and gives me some plotting ideas but still not sure.
Plotting always seems like it would be easier than it is. I suppose if one doesn't concern themselves with potential plot holes or if the plot makes sense it might be. I know that things used to come more easily when I was younger and more interested in writing fanfiction but perhaps that has something to do with using a prebuilt world and drawing a plot from that. that does make things easier I'm sure. I'm also sure that I didn't worry so much about how much sense the story made whether within the context of the canon or as a plot on its own. When I write though I like for the world to make a certain level of sense. Even if it is a fantasy world, or the real world with fantasy being drawn into it it is not enough for me to use fantasy and magic as an explanation.
Though fantasy might seem an easy genre to write, even more if it is aimed more at younger readers, I have found that the best fantasy, traditional or urban, is in one way or another anchored in reality to an extent. I don't believe that it needs to reflect the way this world was in the past, though it is a good place to start when thinking about research (and yes, even when writing fantasy a writer should do their homework, at least enough to anchor their reality into something that the reader can relate to). One can learn a lot from just studying history of countries, cultures and religions and drawing on that research and adding it into their own writing. Having a minor in anthropology and a BA in history in art gives me perhaps a bit more knowledge than others and i admit I do find it useful when thinking about architecture, religion, culture and perhaps even other things. I find that using this knowledge as an anchor for my writing helps keep me thinking about whether or something works, how it works, why it works and hopefully allows me to write stories and create worlds that will allow the reader to suspend disbelief rather than having those jarring aspects that bring a person out of the story because something is clearly off. (I can think of a Canadian author, who I won't name, who may have mistaken the coastal mountains of BC for the Rockies. Perhaps I should reread the story and see if she meant for the character to seem ignorant though I don't recall any other characters making a correction. If this author had done a wee bit more research they might not have made that glaring mistake and being from BC i picked it up immediately. didn't ruin the story for me but it did bring me out of the story.)
fantasy does have it's allowances though. When making a fantasy race there may be room to bend certain aspects to allow it to make sense within the world of the story. It is best, I've found, to avoid using magic and fantasy as an explanation as much as possible, though of course there is always some aspects that are likely going to fall into that explanation to some extent (eg: the wands in Harry Potter...clearly magic is going to be the main explanation). I guess in a way it is always an explanation, if only as to how certain creatures might exist and so on. Still, it helps to have some basis to make their existence make sense beyond that basic explanation. That is what I strive for in my own writing, to take a step beyond the basic explanation and delve deeper. It is not just magic that makes a person able to change their form, for example, but maybe a deeper understanding of anatomy combined with an understanding of how those energies called magic flow and how they can manipulate those energies to change their anatomy to that of something else. I try to think along those lines rather than saying "It's magic, that's why." i find that doing this allows me to ground the magic itself in fictional "facts" and use them as the frame to build up more complex explanations for things. and it is something i would recommend to anyone who writes...but this is just my process and anyone who wants to write has to figure out how their own processes work.
Wow...i did not end up for this to end up being a writing advice...column/blog/post...I should try writing more posts like this too even if no one reads them. It helps me organize my thoughts. This was what I was intending for this blog though we'll see how often these particular posts come out of me. XD
I'm trying so hard to post every times I write, though my original goal was to write every day and post something about it here, even if it was just some kind of musing I did while writing. I meant for it, as I said in my very first post, to be a way to be accountable. It's not working as well as I'd hoped. Granted the group on DeviantART is also giving me a certain sense of accountability though not nearly as regimented as I intended here. But musings, musings...not why I wanted to write this.
Of course I didn't start writing this with any real thought as to what I did want to muse on...not very helpful I know. Looking back to my earlier post, maybe I should consider my ideas for Calliope Jones. Why is it that I can come up with lots of ideas and not one of them related to what I want to do with the first plot? Maybe I should sit down and try reading more YA fiction than I do. I have read some but perhaps not enough. Urban Fantasy is a good place to start and I do read a fair bit of that. Perhaps the first plot should be related to who/what the main characters are, allows for introduction of the rules of my world and definitions of different groups. It makes sense and gives me some plotting ideas but still not sure.
Plotting always seems like it would be easier than it is. I suppose if one doesn't concern themselves with potential plot holes or if the plot makes sense it might be. I know that things used to come more easily when I was younger and more interested in writing fanfiction but perhaps that has something to do with using a prebuilt world and drawing a plot from that. that does make things easier I'm sure. I'm also sure that I didn't worry so much about how much sense the story made whether within the context of the canon or as a plot on its own. When I write though I like for the world to make a certain level of sense. Even if it is a fantasy world, or the real world with fantasy being drawn into it it is not enough for me to use fantasy and magic as an explanation.
Though fantasy might seem an easy genre to write, even more if it is aimed more at younger readers, I have found that the best fantasy, traditional or urban, is in one way or another anchored in reality to an extent. I don't believe that it needs to reflect the way this world was in the past, though it is a good place to start when thinking about research (and yes, even when writing fantasy a writer should do their homework, at least enough to anchor their reality into something that the reader can relate to). One can learn a lot from just studying history of countries, cultures and religions and drawing on that research and adding it into their own writing. Having a minor in anthropology and a BA in history in art gives me perhaps a bit more knowledge than others and i admit I do find it useful when thinking about architecture, religion, culture and perhaps even other things. I find that using this knowledge as an anchor for my writing helps keep me thinking about whether or something works, how it works, why it works and hopefully allows me to write stories and create worlds that will allow the reader to suspend disbelief rather than having those jarring aspects that bring a person out of the story because something is clearly off. (I can think of a Canadian author, who I won't name, who may have mistaken the coastal mountains of BC for the Rockies. Perhaps I should reread the story and see if she meant for the character to seem ignorant though I don't recall any other characters making a correction. If this author had done a wee bit more research they might not have made that glaring mistake and being from BC i picked it up immediately. didn't ruin the story for me but it did bring me out of the story.)
fantasy does have it's allowances though. When making a fantasy race there may be room to bend certain aspects to allow it to make sense within the world of the story. It is best, I've found, to avoid using magic and fantasy as an explanation as much as possible, though of course there is always some aspects that are likely going to fall into that explanation to some extent (eg: the wands in Harry Potter...clearly magic is going to be the main explanation). I guess in a way it is always an explanation, if only as to how certain creatures might exist and so on. Still, it helps to have some basis to make their existence make sense beyond that basic explanation. That is what I strive for in my own writing, to take a step beyond the basic explanation and delve deeper. It is not just magic that makes a person able to change their form, for example, but maybe a deeper understanding of anatomy combined with an understanding of how those energies called magic flow and how they can manipulate those energies to change their anatomy to that of something else. I try to think along those lines rather than saying "It's magic, that's why." i find that doing this allows me to ground the magic itself in fictional "facts" and use them as the frame to build up more complex explanations for things. and it is something i would recommend to anyone who writes...but this is just my process and anyone who wants to write has to figure out how their own processes work.
Wow...i did not end up for this to end up being a writing advice...column/blog/post...I should try writing more posts like this too even if no one reads them. It helps me organize my thoughts. This was what I was intending for this blog though we'll see how often these particular posts come out of me. XD
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Day 26 - on having a plot goal
Day 26+ actually. I've been writing a fair bit since I last posted but I haven't been getting on the computer itself to write about it. It defeats the purpose of this blog, I know but what can I do? I suppose I could keep track of the days while writing my story and then refer to that when I post. it could work. It makes sense. But still it seems rather silly. I could just make a point of getting on daily as I try to get onto my computer every day...well anyway this blog is not meant for this musing so...on to other things.
I have started working on Calliope Jones but there is still a fair bit flesh out and I haven't even worked out what I specifically want to happen in the first book (if this does end up a series which is rather the direction I'd like to go in). Still I'm spending much more time thinking about it than other ideas and I hope that it will lead to something. The trickiest part about writing seems to be working out exactly where things need to go and how to get there. If the writer doesn't have the story itself outlined (if only in their head) then it makes writing much harder. As much as people talk about writing and letting the story goes where it will and while writing that way is fun, if there is no goal it's kind like going for a rambling walk with no real goal in mind. You might see some great scenery along the way but eventually you have to make a decision about where you want to go, even if it's simply home, or you'd never get anywhere. Now with a story, getting home again is probably not the best goal since, at least in my mind, it suggests going back to the beginning which is generally unsatisfying if nothing has actually happened story wise so...yeah... I used to be among those who thought that it was enough to just write and see where it lead but now, looking back, I realize that I almost always had a plan and a final destination (a final conflict and climax) even though I didn't realize it at the time. I have never liked writing outlines but I have realized that I always had a kind of outline if only in my head even if I didn't write it down on paper. These things are important to write a story that has a purpose. I wonder what it would be like to write a story with no real purpose in mind, like a rambling walk with no final goal. Rumour is the writers did it with Lost. I wonder what would happen if I tried it with a story. Maybe I will sometime if only as an exercise. Something to add to my list of ideas and things to try. So many ideas so little time.
I have started working on Calliope Jones but there is still a fair bit flesh out and I haven't even worked out what I specifically want to happen in the first book (if this does end up a series which is rather the direction I'd like to go in). Still I'm spending much more time thinking about it than other ideas and I hope that it will lead to something. The trickiest part about writing seems to be working out exactly where things need to go and how to get there. If the writer doesn't have the story itself outlined (if only in their head) then it makes writing much harder. As much as people talk about writing and letting the story goes where it will and while writing that way is fun, if there is no goal it's kind like going for a rambling walk with no real goal in mind. You might see some great scenery along the way but eventually you have to make a decision about where you want to go, even if it's simply home, or you'd never get anywhere. Now with a story, getting home again is probably not the best goal since, at least in my mind, it suggests going back to the beginning which is generally unsatisfying if nothing has actually happened story wise so...yeah... I used to be among those who thought that it was enough to just write and see where it lead but now, looking back, I realize that I almost always had a plan and a final destination (a final conflict and climax) even though I didn't realize it at the time. I have never liked writing outlines but I have realized that I always had a kind of outline if only in my head even if I didn't write it down on paper. These things are important to write a story that has a purpose. I wonder what it would be like to write a story with no real purpose in mind, like a rambling walk with no final goal. Rumour is the writers did it with Lost. I wonder what would happen if I tried it with a story. Maybe I will sometime if only as an exercise. Something to add to my list of ideas and things to try. So many ideas so little time.
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Day 24 & 25
The most recent prompt in the group I belong to is "secret". I have been working at a YA urban fantasy and thought I'd use that for the prompt. I've been writing it long hand...it feels right for some reason. I rarely write long hand anymore though. That's why there won't be a word count for this post either. I'm sure that I could go a bit beyond Day 25 but I'm not going to. Better to err on the side of caution and go less rather than more. XD I think I want to make a point of using the group now to get a jump on projects I haven't don't much on yet. We'll see how to goes and how far I get this way. :D
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Day 23
I'm hoping to start focusing more on a couple of less fleshed out story ideas that have been floating about in my head for a while. So far my mind turns particularly to a YA story that I'd like to tell. Urban fantasy is growing in popularity but while I'd like to get my finger into that pie I want to make a point of doing my own version. Less romance to start with. In my opinion it's good at flavouring but not as the whole cake. (Just as a cake that has buttercream for the filling is too sweet, so do I think that a story based entirely on romance is too much.) I would like to explore the world and the nature of the supernatural in that world rather than romance either among supernaturals or among a human and a supernatural. I'm glad to be thinking about writing other stories. I do want to write more of my main project but if I'm going to chose something else to debut with I don't want it to be Legends of Caranor.
((i may update later with a word count))
((i may update later with a word count))
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Day 21 & 22 - writing darker subject matter
I'm doing two days together because I didn't get a chance to write my thoughts but I did have a couple days where I wrote. Cheating? Maybe...but I'm doing it this way anyway.
So...dark subject matter... I have to say that I admire those people who are unconstrained when it comes to writing darker stories, scenes or themes. I tend to balk at the idea and take the edge off of it when I write. I know for me it's a fear of being judged. I don't think I could ever write the way Stephen King does or LKH (for teh latter, while I don't uphold her as a great literary genius...she is very able to write graphic horror without a sense that she's flinching away from it). Often in a story bad things are going to happen, whether to the main characters or to supporting or even just incidental characters. it is much easier to give a main character drive, for example, if they witness an atrocity or violent acts in general. To see the suffering of others is going to affect them in some way, though there are many ways in which a character can act. I believe that one of the differences between fluff and grittier, more compelling writing is the way the writer deals with the dark stuff. Fluff is lighter and so has less in the way of suffering and violence. It makes a nice change, something to relax with but personally I find the darkness, even if it is just a thread that weaves its way through a story, to be more compelling. I would say this is the different between say, Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters. Austin's writing is much lighter and tends to have a happy ending (though I haven't read all her books yet) while the Bronte sisters stories all have dark threads running through them. Suffering, hardship, madness are themes that I've noticed in more than one of the books and that's what takes them from being romantic fluff, to a much deeper kind of romance...and that's what I like about them.
what I have been trying to figure out for a while now is how writers approach it and how they feel about approaching this subject matter. do they fear being judged but push past it? Do they just accept that it's a part of human nature? Or are they just writing what they know? I wonder because I would like to have the ability that other writers have, to write these aspects into my stories without flinching from it.
No wordcount for today. Editing was my focus once again.
So...dark subject matter... I have to say that I admire those people who are unconstrained when it comes to writing darker stories, scenes or themes. I tend to balk at the idea and take the edge off of it when I write. I know for me it's a fear of being judged. I don't think I could ever write the way Stephen King does or LKH (for teh latter, while I don't uphold her as a great literary genius...she is very able to write graphic horror without a sense that she's flinching away from it). Often in a story bad things are going to happen, whether to the main characters or to supporting or even just incidental characters. it is much easier to give a main character drive, for example, if they witness an atrocity or violent acts in general. To see the suffering of others is going to affect them in some way, though there are many ways in which a character can act. I believe that one of the differences between fluff and grittier, more compelling writing is the way the writer deals with the dark stuff. Fluff is lighter and so has less in the way of suffering and violence. It makes a nice change, something to relax with but personally I find the darkness, even if it is just a thread that weaves its way through a story, to be more compelling. I would say this is the different between say, Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters. Austin's writing is much lighter and tends to have a happy ending (though I haven't read all her books yet) while the Bronte sisters stories all have dark threads running through them. Suffering, hardship, madness are themes that I've noticed in more than one of the books and that's what takes them from being romantic fluff, to a much deeper kind of romance...and that's what I like about them.
what I have been trying to figure out for a while now is how writers approach it and how they feel about approaching this subject matter. do they fear being judged but push past it? Do they just accept that it's a part of human nature? Or are they just writing what they know? I wonder because I would like to have the ability that other writers have, to write these aspects into my stories without flinching from it.
No wordcount for today. Editing was my focus once again.
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Day 20 - editing
No word count today.
The writing, such as it is, that I worked on to day was editing. There have been other days that I focused on that too. The group I joined at DA (lovefantasywrite) has a weekly prompt that really is a great way to get people writing (or editing in my case). So I focused on that a bit instead.
The writing, such as it is, that I worked on to day was editing. There have been other days that I focused on that too. The group I joined at DA (lovefantasywrite) has a weekly prompt that really is a great way to get people writing (or editing in my case). So I focused on that a bit instead.
| Editing is as important as the writing process so hey....why not. We'll get back to our regularly scheduled program (hopefully) in the next entry. ;) |
Day 19 - Pitbull critiques
...or that is what I have heard them called. It is late and I have few incites but perhaps I could muse a bit on pitbull critiques. What are these? Well, the definition I've been given by others is that it is the sort of critique that while, constructive in nature, is delivered in a way that is biting and can seem rude or overly harsh. I have fallen victim to one or two myself in the past. Others I have discussed writing with think they are unnecessary.
I personally like to be diplomatic in how I offer my feedback. I usually start with what is working, and then move on to what needs work in regards to content, character development and plot and then, if the writer doesn't mind it, I will get into the nitpicky stuff like spelling, grammar and style choices. i find this works for me and i find that most people respond to it positively.
Pitbull critiques on the other hand are, in a way, a double edged sword. They have the ability to wake the lazy, laid-back or overconfident writer to the problems in their writing that they could fix to make it better. On the other hand though they also have the ability to intimidate writers and/or make them feel inadequate and some might even feel so bad about their writing that they might decide to give up. While i have seen that some pitbulls will argue that they are only giving these people a taste of what they will have to deal with in the publishing world and that they are helping these people develop a thick skin which I am sure is necessary, i would argue that there is something to be said for empathising with a person's emotions and looking for a a way to help them see their mistakes and fix them before unleashing the pitpull within. Or letting them know what they might have to deal with in the publishing world, prepare them by talking to them and then offering to give them a taste of what it will be like so that they can steel themselves for it. \
These are only my thoughts and musings of course and I don't expect an answer to these thoughts. Still, it's something that occurs to me. There are many ways to offer a critique...and breaking down a person's self esteem isn't always going to help them and may just crush a budding talent before it has a chance to flower.
Opening count: 7,622
Closing count: 8,062
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Day 18
I wanted to have this posted on Aug.9. Just missed it by a couple of minutes.
I can't believe how much I have written in one sitting. Of course it helps to have a full scene to lay out. Still, it feels good to get that much written. Not many incites or anything to add today it seems. A shame. It always feels good to get to a scene that has been waiting to be written down on the page. Hopefully I can keep this up for a while. I want to get the "first part" written and on to the part that I am both more interested in writing and which I consider more important. I hope I will be able to keep the first part but I'm still unsure if it's worth keeping or if it can even stand on it's own. Well once I have it written and worked into the main body of the story we shall see how things work. (Wow, that seems to be my mantra in this blog, doesn't. Oh well)
Opening wordcount: 5,206
Closing wordcount: 7.622
I can't believe how much I have written in one sitting. Of course it helps to have a full scene to lay out. Still, it feels good to get that much written. Not many incites or anything to add today it seems. A shame. It always feels good to get to a scene that has been waiting to be written down on the page. Hopefully I can keep this up for a while. I want to get the "first part" written and on to the part that I am both more interested in writing and which I consider more important. I hope I will be able to keep the first part but I'm still unsure if it's worth keeping or if it can even stand on it's own. Well once I have it written and worked into the main body of the story we shall see how things work. (Wow, that seems to be my mantra in this blog, doesn't. Oh well)
Opening wordcount: 5,206
Closing wordcount: 7.622
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Day 17
Hmm...I'm stuck as to what to say today. I have finally gotten to a part in my main project that I have been trying to reach for a while. now if I can only get to the end of "part 1". I'm not even sure if I'm going to keep "part 1"...or at least all of it though. I am unsure if it really adds to the story. There is much that I want to explain so that the rest of the story makes sense but I'm not sure if, considering it's length, it is worth keeping or is interesting enough for peopel want to read. Bleh...I should print off what I have and see if I get board reading it. XD Maybe i should finish it first and then see what I think. Well at least I'm writing. This is good. Now if I can only keep it up.
Opening count: 4,200
Closing count: 5,206
Opening count: 4,200
Closing count: 5,206
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Day 16
Hmm...I'm at a loss for what to actually say today beyond posting my word counts. I suppose I could talk about how even constructive criticism can hurt and drive one to want to give up writing. I've seen it happen and have nearly been driven to give up myself. I am easily convinced that my writing is no good especially since i am not sure myself if my writing is publishing material.
I am glad to be writing again even if I'm not sure my writing is actually good. i wonder at times though if I should focus on other simpler storeis which I'd feel more comfortable about debuting with. Hmm...today it seems is one of those days where I can't think of a lot to muse on. Oh well...here's my word count:
Opening count: 3,450
Closing count: 4,200
I am glad to be writing again even if I'm not sure my writing is actually good. i wonder at times though if I should focus on other simpler storeis which I'd feel more comfortable about debuting with. Hmm...today it seems is one of those days where I can't think of a lot to muse on. Oh well...here's my word count:
Opening count: 3,450
Closing count: 4,200
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Day 15 - constuctive criticsm.
It's amazing what good constructive criticism can do and how much it can help. Sometimes it hurts, but sometimes it clarifies problems that a writer might not see or might not want to admit or just might not be sure of. I joined this group: http://lovefantasywrite.deviantart.com. I mentioned it in my last entry but I thought i'd say that so far I'm enjoying it. I've already critiqued a few pieces by other people too which was fun too. i think I'm more confident about it maybe or maybe it's just easier to do it when you aren't in the same room as a person. i don't know. I remember that I hated workshopping when I took my writing class in first year uni. And yet I find that I can say helpful things in giving feedback in DA. i wonder if it's because I have more experiance at it as well. Maybe.
the feedback I got in return was particularly helpful since the chapters are older and go back as far as when I was living in Japan and perhaps before though I dont' remember for sure...but compared to how I write now my older stuff could use some extra work to bring it up to par. :D I was thrilled to get helpful feedback, and it wasn't super harsh either which was nice. Sometimes feedback is too harsh or not helpful. I was glad to get some that was just the right amount of critique and feedback on what I was doing right. This is always helpful. It's what keeps me writing.
opening word count: 2,550
closing word count: 3,450
the feedback I got in return was particularly helpful since the chapters are older and go back as far as when I was living in Japan and perhaps before though I dont' remember for sure...but compared to how I write now my older stuff could use some extra work to bring it up to par. :D I was thrilled to get helpful feedback, and it wasn't super harsh either which was nice. Sometimes feedback is too harsh or not helpful. I was glad to get some that was just the right amount of critique and feedback on what I was doing right. This is always helpful. It's what keeps me writing.
opening word count: 2,550
closing word count: 3,450
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Day 14 - new source of inspiration?
A while back I was invited to join a writing group on DeviantArt. I'm looking at it as a kind of workshopping group only online rather than a physical one. I am sure there are some where I live but hey this works too. i'm hoping it might get me writing more, thinking about my charcters more, and maybe inspiring me to focus on other projects besides Legends of Caranor. If nothing else I hope to get some decent feedback from members. And i will try to be fair and post feedback of my own as well. It isn't fair, after all, if I am getting feedback but not giving any.
The first prompt I responded to allowed me to work on a future event that happens within the story that I've been thinking about for a while. It was fun to write and will be there waiting when I get to that part. Oh it might be changed later or reworked with only the odd part being canabalised into the story proper when I get to it. Regardless I rather like this writing prompt idea. This is more than simple memes which I rarely do. It feels good to be writing properly again.
word count: 1,379
The first prompt I responded to allowed me to work on a future event that happens within the story that I've been thinking about for a while. It was fun to write and will be there waiting when I get to that part. Oh it might be changed later or reworked with only the odd part being canabalised into the story proper when I get to it. Regardless I rather like this writing prompt idea. This is more than simple memes which I rarely do. It feels good to be writing properly again.
word count: 1,379
Friday, 29 July 2011
Day 13 - inspiration/stimulation from strange quarters
It's funny the things that get one writing. I stumbled across a link to a blog called "Reasoning with Vampires" which is really just a blog to pick apart the worst of the Twilight Saga. Not very nice but fun to read regardless (though maybe not to Twilight Fans. Twifans should probably stay away). I have gotten a few chuckles from it, not so much from the nitpicking and picking apart in general of a piece of mediocre fiction that has, at least, gotten teens all over the world to read -- at least for that I have to give Ms Meyer kudos -- but from the way the blogger presents it and comments on it. She's quite clever and presents each piece in a way I often have to laugh at.
So what has this got to do with my writing...well...for whatever reason, reading this blog makes me want to write. I don't know if it's simply a desire to reassure myself that my own writing isn't so bad that she'd want to pick my writing apart or if it's some other stimulous that makes me want to get some writing done. If this is going to keep me on track though then why not read. It's a silly way to encourage me to write but whatever works right? Right.
So what has this got to do with my writing...well...for whatever reason, reading this blog makes me want to write. I don't know if it's simply a desire to reassure myself that my own writing isn't so bad that she'd want to pick my writing apart or if it's some other stimulous that makes me want to get some writing done. If this is going to keep me on track though then why not read. It's a silly way to encourage me to write but whatever works right? Right.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Day 12
I think I'm behind again. Well at least I actually took the time to do some writing even after getting off work at 9pm. When i work late shifts I usually don't feel much like being on my computer let alone writing but then...9pm is not as bad as 10pm which was more common for me in the past.
I think I'm finally getting on in the first part of my main project which is great. i think though I should look into doing a word+grammar check and then print off chapters individually. I keep thinking that if I read my writing as I would a novel i bought I might be able to treat it in as objective a way to allow me to edit and revise in a decent way.
It's harder to focus after work though. Hardly an excuse of course let alone a reason but I got a bit of writing done which is good and I'm moving along in the first part which makes me happy. I wonder how much I will end up axing in the end when it comes to revisions. It will be interesting to see.
opening count: 2,320
closing count: 2,550
I think I'm finally getting on in the first part of my main project which is great. i think though I should look into doing a word+grammar check and then print off chapters individually. I keep thinking that if I read my writing as I would a novel i bought I might be able to treat it in as objective a way to allow me to edit and revise in a decent way.
It's harder to focus after work though. Hardly an excuse of course let alone a reason but I got a bit of writing done which is good and I'm moving along in the first part which makes me happy. I wonder how much I will end up axing in the end when it comes to revisions. It will be interesting to see.
opening count: 2,320
closing count: 2,550
Monday, 25 July 2011
Day 11 - research is key
Yes, even if it is for a fantasy story, I've come to find that to get it right research is important. I have a theory that many people gravitate toward fantasy because of the way it seems to be the genre that requires the least amount of research. Still...even if it is in small ways, research does help give the world a sense of reality. The real world has rules in how it functions and I have come to think more and more that even when writing fantasy a created world needs to have rules as well.
In this case, of course, I was just doing small research. I actually took the time to look into both what colours compliment different skin tones (you know, that whole thing with what season a person is and so on...) and also into complimentary colours. I might go back and change it later. I'm not sure if the colours I chose will look right in my head at the end, but it was interesting to do.
I've also been looking into the general idea of what personalities are associated with what animals and totems. Why? Well...I thought I might tie it in to a degree with one of my peoples. One of my races have "clans" which are associated with different animals and I wanted to see if I could associate personality traits to a small degree with those animals. I'm not sure how far I'll go with it...it's something that I've more recently thought of. I even thought of taking similar animals (such as different kinds of bears or deer...as in some cases they have different traits associated with them oddly enough) and maybe even create different castes or roles related to them. I'm not sure how far I'll go with it but sometimes just doing research gives me new ideas to tie into my writing.
This is why I think research is key. To make the world, races and characters believable it does seem to help to look into things in this world to relate to the fictional world. I like that it helps give me more ideas as well. I know writers work best from actual real experience but sometimes it's not possible to experience it all. Research is maybe the next best thing.
Opening word count: 164,195
Closing word count: 165,200
In this case, of course, I was just doing small research. I actually took the time to look into both what colours compliment different skin tones (you know, that whole thing with what season a person is and so on...) and also into complimentary colours. I might go back and change it later. I'm not sure if the colours I chose will look right in my head at the end, but it was interesting to do.
I've also been looking into the general idea of what personalities are associated with what animals and totems. Why? Well...I thought I might tie it in to a degree with one of my peoples. One of my races have "clans" which are associated with different animals and I wanted to see if I could associate personality traits to a small degree with those animals. I'm not sure how far I'll go with it...it's something that I've more recently thought of. I even thought of taking similar animals (such as different kinds of bears or deer...as in some cases they have different traits associated with them oddly enough) and maybe even create different castes or roles related to them. I'm not sure how far I'll go with it but sometimes just doing research gives me new ideas to tie into my writing.
This is why I think research is key. To make the world, races and characters believable it does seem to help to look into things in this world to relate to the fictional world. I like that it helps give me more ideas as well. I know writers work best from actual real experience but sometimes it's not possible to experience it all. Research is maybe the next best thing.
Opening word count: 164,195
Closing word count: 165,200
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Day 10 - written a couple days late
Yeah, I actually got some writing done a couple days ago but it was late and I turned off my computer before I thought to actually update here as well. Still, I am much behind and while I make no excuses, I will say that I worked Friday and then went almost straight from work to the ferries. I was on the mainland over the weekend and decided not to take my computer with me. I rarely, if ever, spend any time on my computer when visiting my cousins and visiting took up any real time to even put pen to paper. It is not an excuse, nor a real reason I am sure many would tell me and so I put this down more to explain where I was rather than as any kind of reasoning behind not getting any writing done.
I have finally gotten back into my main project which makes me happy. At the same time though I wonder if I should be focusing on something else since I don't actually want to debut with my main project since so much of myself has gone into it. Silly that I should be striving to finish it rather than working on something simpler and of less concern for me...though nothing I write is of less concern for me to be truthful.
I am simply happy to be moving past my block/stall....though the first part is still giving me trouble. I know where I want to get to but it's as if I'm looking at my next goal but cannot find the path that will lead me to it and am instead hacking through the brush trying to make a path. I hate it when I get to parts like that since it is so frustrating.
Hopefully I will have another post to add either tonight or tomorrow. I really must spend more time in writing than I currently do. bleh and bleh.
I have finally gotten back into my main project which makes me happy. At the same time though I wonder if I should be focusing on something else since I don't actually want to debut with my main project since so much of myself has gone into it. Silly that I should be striving to finish it rather than working on something simpler and of less concern for me...though nothing I write is of less concern for me to be truthful.
I am simply happy to be moving past my block/stall....though the first part is still giving me trouble. I know where I want to get to but it's as if I'm looking at my next goal but cannot find the path that will lead me to it and am instead hacking through the brush trying to make a path. I hate it when I get to parts like that since it is so frustrating.
Hopefully I will have another post to add either tonight or tomorrow. I really must spend more time in writing than I currently do. bleh and bleh.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Day 9 - on to important things
...well sort of. Finally got some writing done in my main project which is a yay (and why the word count is so high today)...but i jumped to the bottom.
opening count: 160,452
I have been thinking lately of scenes which play out much later in what I have been thinking of my "second part" of the story though I'm not sure if that's how things will end up or not. I wanted to try to get some of that worked out and see if my block in the first part will resolve itself. Often such things do. If not I may hve to force the matter, which I hate...I really do. I don't like that I jumped ahead, mainly since it is hard to publish something when the first part isn't finished. Oh well...we do what we do. Sometimes it works. At least. I'm writing. hopefully things will lead to more.
((maybe at the end of August I should add up the word counts and see what I come up with. :D See if I've written enough to be 50,000. Not sure if I'll be able to do NaNo this year. But that is a topic for another post.
closing count: 161,800
opening count: 160,452
I have been thinking lately of scenes which play out much later in what I have been thinking of my "second part" of the story though I'm not sure if that's how things will end up or not. I wanted to try to get some of that worked out and see if my block in the first part will resolve itself. Often such things do. If not I may hve to force the matter, which I hate...I really do. I don't like that I jumped ahead, mainly since it is hard to publish something when the first part isn't finished. Oh well...we do what we do. Sometimes it works. At least. I'm writing. hopefully things will lead to more.
((maybe at the end of August I should add up the word counts and see what I come up with. :D See if I've written enough to be 50,000. Not sure if I'll be able to do NaNo this year. But that is a topic for another post.
closing count: 161,800
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Day 8 - kind of sleepy....
So I don't think I'm going to say very much. And I want to focus my thoughts about writing on my project anyway.
opening count: 4,873
this new project has drawn me in. It's not so good only because it means I'm neglecting my main project. More and more though I've been thinking of working on simpler or less "important" projects that I care somewhat less about so that if/when i attempt to publish if they get brutally rejected i won't fall appart. XD It's something I try not to think too much about it in general though. it is better not to focus on whether or not my writing may ever get published or accepted. If i did that I'm sure I'd convince myself my writing isn't worth anything and give up. I don't want to do that though. Even if I never publish or only self publish or only post on DA or other writing sights, i do want to keep writing. Now if only I could get past the tricky problem of getting stuck/hung up on the trickier parts of my stories. I wonder if there is a book on writing or something like that, that would help me get over the hump. Ah well...that's all to say for tonight methinks.
closing count: 5,420
opening count: 4,873
this new project has drawn me in. It's not so good only because it means I'm neglecting my main project. More and more though I've been thinking of working on simpler or less "important" projects that I care somewhat less about so that if/when i attempt to publish if they get brutally rejected i won't fall appart. XD It's something I try not to think too much about it in general though. it is better not to focus on whether or not my writing may ever get published or accepted. If i did that I'm sure I'd convince myself my writing isn't worth anything and give up. I don't want to do that though. Even if I never publish or only self publish or only post on DA or other writing sights, i do want to keep writing. Now if only I could get past the tricky problem of getting stuck/hung up on the trickier parts of my stories. I wonder if there is a book on writing or something like that, that would help me get over the hump. Ah well...that's all to say for tonight methinks.
closing count: 5,420
Monday, 11 July 2011
Day 7...getting behind
Yes I am...getting behind that is. I really wanted to try and write every day. maybe I should set 11pm to be my writing time. I don't have to do it for an hour or even half an hour but just add a little bit to one story or another...preferably my main project but as to that...lately I have been struggling with that stupid thing. It is not so much that I am not sure where to go next, it is more the how of tying the important parts together cohesively. I suppose I could jump ahead to the important scenes and fill in the rest later but I dont' like to do that...I worry that i might miss a bridge and be left with this gaping plot hole that makes no sense. Oops...but there again is that mantra of mine "I always have revisions". True enough but it doesn't mean I'll have any better idea then than I do now. *le sigh*
opening count: 4,390
So instead of working on my main project I'm toying with a side project related but along a different line. Fairy tales are still prevalent in my mind. this kind of feels a bit of a Legends of Caranor take on a fairy tale though I wont' say which one. The point is not so much to rewrite a fairy tale as to draw from a main theme and see where it takes me. and if anyone frowns on this well...fairy tales are public domain and writers will all say there are no original ideas left anyway. My intent is to give it my own spin and if the origin is not apparent so much the better. :D Not sure if there are any people out there who would frown upon it though. It is relating to an idea I had with in the story world anyway so it's just giving me a different way to approach an idea I already had anyway. :D that is my reasoning...excuse...uh...justification maybe(?) anyway. I don't know if I will ever go anywhere with it in which I actually take it to the next step but it is fun to play with and it;s keeping me writing which is the important thing. I make no apologies. heh. so far it's kind of fun to write and who knows where it might lead. Once I figure out where it falls in the chronology of my main project then I'll really be hopping. but for now its enough just to put words to paper (or words to the screen as the case may be here) and keep my creative juices flowing. Yeah...
closing count: 4,873
((Not that many words :( But I stalled sooner than I thought I would. Oh well...it is what it is.))
opening count: 4,390
So instead of working on my main project I'm toying with a side project related but along a different line. Fairy tales are still prevalent in my mind. this kind of feels a bit of a Legends of Caranor take on a fairy tale though I wont' say which one. The point is not so much to rewrite a fairy tale as to draw from a main theme and see where it takes me. and if anyone frowns on this well...fairy tales are public domain and writers will all say there are no original ideas left anyway. My intent is to give it my own spin and if the origin is not apparent so much the better. :D Not sure if there are any people out there who would frown upon it though. It is relating to an idea I had with in the story world anyway so it's just giving me a different way to approach an idea I already had anyway. :D that is my reasoning...excuse...uh...justification maybe(?) anyway. I don't know if I will ever go anywhere with it in which I actually take it to the next step but it is fun to play with and it;s keeping me writing which is the important thing. I make no apologies. heh. so far it's kind of fun to write and who knows where it might lead. Once I figure out where it falls in the chronology of my main project then I'll really be hopping. but for now its enough just to put words to paper (or words to the screen as the case may be here) and keep my creative juices flowing. Yeah...
closing count: 4,873
((Not that many words :( But I stalled sooner than I thought I would. Oh well...it is what it is.))
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