Glorious, glorious suckage. :-D
Bring it, Rorschach.
10.17.2011
A Terrible, Horrible, Splotch
This is it, people: the worst inkblot on the face of the planet. Jason and Destiny don't really look like that, and neither would Jason let Destiny dangle helplessly as he flies to save the world like superman. Moreover, the ground is not imprinted with badly erased outlines of various Storyland characters. It is also all too obvious that I got a little too enthusiastic using my water-soluble graphite pencils!
Glorious, glorious suckage. :-D
Glorious, glorious suckage. :-D
10.11.2011
Belated, Beloved, Besotted, Besplattered.
Point 1. Only the first word of the title is actually relevant to this post. The rest are just there for alliterative purposes. But on that head, here's what's been going on these past few weeks:
Plot outlining continues. You'd think I'd be done by now, but I hit Plotter's Block for most of the time. I'm trying now to figure out what the conflicts are for each character. Just the sheer pandemonium that will break out as they all step on each others' feet to get what they want should create some sort of plot.
Point 2. I know I said I'd put up sketches. I had created a few more sketches of characters to put up here, but they turned out to be dismal. Who knows when I'll do more?
Point 3. Randomly, I decided that I am going to up the ante on the NaNo challenge. One, I will not allow myself to count deleted words, or to write endless 7k word scenes. Each 2k (approximately) must move the plot forward. The point is to have a finished story at the end, and not just an endless beginning. Two, I am going to do two NaNos! That's right, I'm aiming for 100k of completed story goodness! For NaNo 1, under bobo_the_bard, I am doing Storyland. For NaNo 2, under Agent Double Oh Zero, I am doing a science fiction story about a cybernetic raven who is enslaved by time-traveling aliens and who, during his travels, learns to question the meaning of true freedom.
All this, and I'm supposed to be working on my thesis as well. I am arguably insane. But madness adds a strange spice to life, doesn't it? That's what writing is. You shut yourself up, you face parts of yourself you would rather not face in order to evoke tragedy or comedy, you drive yourself insane listening to the voices in your head as they tell your what they want, and you turn yourself into the only socially acceptable form of schizophrenic, and thus you learn how ordinary people work. You can never truly appreciate the symmetry of a sane world without taking a walk on the other side of the mind.
Plot outlining continues. You'd think I'd be done by now, but I hit Plotter's Block for most of the time. I'm trying now to figure out what the conflicts are for each character. Just the sheer pandemonium that will break out as they all step on each others' feet to get what they want should create some sort of plot.
Point 2. I know I said I'd put up sketches. I had created a few more sketches of characters to put up here, but they turned out to be dismal. Who knows when I'll do more?
Point 3. Randomly, I decided that I am going to up the ante on the NaNo challenge. One, I will not allow myself to count deleted words, or to write endless 7k word scenes. Each 2k (approximately) must move the plot forward. The point is to have a finished story at the end, and not just an endless beginning. Two, I am going to do two NaNos! That's right, I'm aiming for 100k of completed story goodness! For NaNo 1, under bobo_the_bard, I am doing Storyland. For NaNo 2, under Agent Double Oh Zero, I am doing a science fiction story about a cybernetic raven who is enslaved by time-traveling aliens and who, during his travels, learns to question the meaning of true freedom.
All this, and I'm supposed to be working on my thesis as well. I am arguably insane. But madness adds a strange spice to life, doesn't it? That's what writing is. You shut yourself up, you face parts of yourself you would rather not face in order to evoke tragedy or comedy, you drive yourself insane listening to the voices in your head as they tell your what they want, and you turn yourself into the only socially acceptable form of schizophrenic, and thus you learn how ordinary people work. You can never truly appreciate the symmetry of a sane world without taking a walk on the other side of the mind.
9.14.2011
Signs of Activity on the Creative Front
This is unprecedented! Two posts in the same day, let alone the same month!
I just couldn't wait, however. I had to scratch the itch I've been feeling for the past week. I'm holding in my hand, hot off the printer, the 81 pages that constitute the 32162 words (Scrivener count) of the 0th draft of But That Wasn't In The Book! Yes, I know I hit 50k for August Camp, but I am only including the words I did not throw out immediately.
An update on the previous post:
I am not so sure whether I will entirely cut Destiny as a main character. She has a lot more potential now that she and Margaretta are the same person. I might just give her some POV scenes, once I know which ones from the draft I will keep.
Eddie the Reaper, too, has an interesting backstory. Apparently he's suicidal because once he made some sort of a crazed deal with an unknown man who was possibly drunk, and who didn't want to die. Blah de blah, the whole gambling with the reaper thing happened, and the man sold his soul to Eddie to live. Eddie, however, didn't know what to do with it. He kept the soul as a pet, and it grew on him, and eventually became him. Unfortunately, Eddie, being a Reaper, was not meant to have any sort of soul, because his job was simply to take lives, not to have one of his own. Eddie tried many ways to fit into society (drinking, being a warrior, and even trying to be an Author in his own right), but nothing worked out. Eddie had a personality, with nowhere to put it.
That's why he wants to die more than anything else.
Unfortunately, even if he chops his skull off, he gets summoned back to life to reap his soul. The only way he can die is if he gets rid of his soul somehow, possibly by tracking down someone who can reap his soul (another Reaper, or the Narrator), or by giving back the soul to the guy who had it originally. However, then there is the chance that Eddie will turn back into what he once was, and that he'll no longer want to die...
Now, hopefully my aunt is still awake, so I can retrieve all my colored pens from my room before she sleeps. I can't edit without colored pens!
I just couldn't wait, however. I had to scratch the itch I've been feeling for the past week. I'm holding in my hand, hot off the printer, the 81 pages that constitute the 32162 words (Scrivener count) of the 0th draft of But That Wasn't In The Book! Yes, I know I hit 50k for August Camp, but I am only including the words I did not throw out immediately.
An update on the previous post:
I am not so sure whether I will entirely cut Destiny as a main character. She has a lot more potential now that she and Margaretta are the same person. I might just give her some POV scenes, once I know which ones from the draft I will keep.
Eddie the Reaper, too, has an interesting backstory. Apparently he's suicidal because once he made some sort of a crazed deal with an unknown man who was possibly drunk, and who didn't want to die. Blah de blah, the whole gambling with the reaper thing happened, and the man sold his soul to Eddie to live. Eddie, however, didn't know what to do with it. He kept the soul as a pet, and it grew on him, and eventually became him. Unfortunately, Eddie, being a Reaper, was not meant to have any sort of soul, because his job was simply to take lives, not to have one of his own. Eddie tried many ways to fit into society (drinking, being a warrior, and even trying to be an Author in his own right), but nothing worked out. Eddie had a personality, with nowhere to put it.
That's why he wants to die more than anything else.
Unfortunately, even if he chops his skull off, he gets summoned back to life to reap his soul. The only way he can die is if he gets rid of his soul somehow, possibly by tracking down someone who can reap his soul (another Reaper, or the Narrator), or by giving back the soul to the guy who had it originally. However, then there is the chance that Eddie will turn back into what he once was, and that he'll no longer want to die...
Now, hopefully my aunt is still awake, so I can retrieve all my colored pens from my room before she sleeps. I can't edit without colored pens!
All Quiet on the Creative Front. Again.
I am not a professional artist. I am a blunderer with a stylus. I balk at the thought of doing another drawing, knowing all the effort it will entail, knowing that I will erase 90% of the marks I throw on the "paper," as I blindly try to get proportion and shape right through sheer trial and error. I am throwing around ideas in my head for drawing Eddie the Reaper next, but who knows when they'll come to fruition?
Otherwise, I am still on my enforced writing break, but I have finally decided when I am going to end it. On September 24th, my birthday present to myself will be a new plotting frenzy!
Regarding said plot, there will be changes.
I am refocusing the story around Jason as the primary MC, because he's a hell of a lot more interesting. Destiny has a few key things happen to her which need to be explained, but she spends most of the time being a Mary Sue and having nothing happen to her. She might get a few interludes, though, but I don't think she will be the MC any longer. However, I am going to combine her with Margaretta, since those two are really very similar characters. When that happens, we shall see some interesting character development going on, because Margaretta can be a really nasty person sometimes.
[SPOILER WARNING: Skip this section if you don't want them!]
I had intended for Jason to hook up with Destiny at the end, and for Margaretta to hook up with the Narrator. Now that the two females are the same person, the whole pairing thing is now all up in the air. It looks like it's turning into one of those 'FMC battles herself, and she'll end up with "good" MSC if she chooses good, and she'll end up with the "evil" MSC if she chooses the dark side...' although I'd like to make it not quite so cut-and-dried.
Destiny now has the equivalent of multiple personality disorder. Part of her is a nice sweet normal heroine, and part of her is a nasty cunning hag of an evil stepmother, part of her is a Mary Sue, part of her is Snow White, and part of her is Sleeping Beauty. Poor Destiny. It looks like she's going to spend a lot of time asleep as various political entities seek to bewitch her with apples, spinning wheels, potions, evil stepmother viruses, etc.
[/SPOILER WARNING]
Whew. I've got a lot on my plate for the 24th.
Otherwise, I am still on my enforced writing break, but I have finally decided when I am going to end it. On September 24th, my birthday present to myself will be a new plotting frenzy!
Regarding said plot, there will be changes.
I am refocusing the story around Jason as the primary MC, because he's a hell of a lot more interesting. Destiny has a few key things happen to her which need to be explained, but she spends most of the time being a Mary Sue and having nothing happen to her. She might get a few interludes, though, but I don't think she will be the MC any longer. However, I am going to combine her with Margaretta, since those two are really very similar characters. When that happens, we shall see some interesting character development going on, because Margaretta can be a really nasty person sometimes.
[SPOILER WARNING: Skip this section if you don't want them!]
I had intended for Jason to hook up with Destiny at the end, and for Margaretta to hook up with the Narrator. Now that the two females are the same person, the whole pairing thing is now all up in the air. It looks like it's turning into one of those 'FMC battles herself, and she'll end up with "good" MSC if she chooses good, and she'll end up with the "evil" MSC if she chooses the dark side...' although I'd like to make it not quite so cut-and-dried.
Destiny now has the equivalent of multiple personality disorder. Part of her is a nice sweet normal heroine, and part of her is a nasty cunning hag of an evil stepmother, part of her is a Mary Sue, part of her is Snow White, and part of her is Sleeping Beauty. Poor Destiny. It looks like she's going to spend a lot of time asleep as various political entities seek to bewitch her with apples, spinning wheels, potions, evil stepmother viruses, etc.
[/SPOILER WARNING]
Whew. I've got a lot on my plate for the 24th.
9.04.2011
Most Picturesque Success
I haven't done any writing at all, but I do have an excuse: my iPad stylus finally arrived! This is great! Drawing with my fingers had the drawback that anything I draw looks like I drew it with my fingers. My life is so much easier now that I have the Bamboo!
Here is my first attempt at breaking it in. Click the thumbnail to view it full size.
That's Destiny, the MC of But That Wasn't in the Book! Destiny is wearing one of her Questing outfits. Unfortunately, this is one of the ones I let her put together herself.
The shirt was cannibalized from one of her Damsel In Distress dresses, and the cloak once belonged to Jason. Destiny "borrowed" it when she was younger, because it was so soft. Jason himself has long given up hope of ever getting it back.
Destiny is holding the Mighty Red Pen of the Editors, although it writes in any color. It glows in the presence of Mary Sues, incorrect use of semicolons, passive voice, plot holes, adverbs..and....well, anything that needs to be edited. :-)
Presumably she's standing in a dark cave where she is about to get abducted by a bunch of knee-high dwarves. I left that out because I suck at drawing backgrounds and the details would have taken me yet another week.
I had meant to do Jason too, but Destiny alone took me three days to do. I'm not very good at this. More sketches will be up as soon as I do them!
Here is my first attempt at breaking it in. Click the thumbnail to view it full size.
That's Destiny, the MC of But That Wasn't in the Book! Destiny is wearing one of her Questing outfits. Unfortunately, this is one of the ones I let her put together herself.
The shirt was cannibalized from one of her Damsel In Distress dresses, and the cloak once belonged to Jason. Destiny "borrowed" it when she was younger, because it was so soft. Jason himself has long given up hope of ever getting it back.
Destiny is holding the Mighty Red Pen of the Editors, although it writes in any color. It glows in the presence of Mary Sues, incorrect use of semicolons, passive voice, plot holes, adverbs..and....well, anything that needs to be edited. :-)
Presumably she's standing in a dark cave where she is about to get abducted by a bunch of knee-high dwarves. I left that out because I suck at drawing backgrounds and the details would have taken me yet another week.
I had meant to do Jason too, but Destiny alone took me three days to do. I'm not very good at this. More sketches will be up as soon as I do them!
9.01.2011
Victory Snatched From the Jaws of Responsibility!
Well, I did it. I won Camp NaNo with 53k words. Call it Draft 0. It's more like a huge Plot Hole with a few scenes scattered around than it is an actual coherent story, but it's a start. I actually finished an entire week early (after starting a few days late!), and I wanted to spend the week plotting out the rest of it. My goal was to have a complete plan done, so I could write 'the end' and then take a long writing break to refresh myself for November.
That didn't happen.
I got stuck on where to go with the story arc for two of the three plot threads, and spent the last three or four days dithering and staring at the giant piece of newsprint where I started plotting. Things picked up again yesterday, though, when a couple of ideas dropped into my head. I think as things stand now, I'm going to have to pants through a few scenes and see where the story wants to go before I hogtie it.
All right, this is where I hand out cookies.
Thank you people on the NaNoWriMo forums. I could never have written so many words without the help of this awesome community. Thank you Camp cabin-mates. The cheers and s'mores were priceless as we raced across the finish line together and propped up our flagging enthusiasm with stolen flagpoles. And last but not least, thanks to my writing buddy M. This story would never have developed this far without all your intensive questions on how my plot works. Now I know that when I take Storyland apart, I can put it back together again without breaking anything. :-)
In other news, I must again thank M for giving me the Liebster Award on her blog!
The way it works is that someone gives you the award, and then you're supposed to pass it on to your five favorite blogs that have less than 200 followers, and let them know that you gave it to them. It's a way of spreading some bloggy love to awesome people who don't have many readers!
Right now I have two blogs I can forward this to...so here you go!
That didn't happen.
I got stuck on where to go with the story arc for two of the three plot threads, and spent the last three or four days dithering and staring at the giant piece of newsprint where I started plotting. Things picked up again yesterday, though, when a couple of ideas dropped into my head. I think as things stand now, I'm going to have to pants through a few scenes and see where the story wants to go before I hogtie it.
All right, this is where I hand out cookies.
Thank you people on the NaNoWriMo forums. I could never have written so many words without the help of this awesome community. Thank you Camp cabin-mates. The cheers and s'mores were priceless as we raced across the finish line together and propped up our flagging enthusiasm with stolen flagpoles. And last but not least, thanks to my writing buddy M. This story would never have developed this far without all your intensive questions on how my plot works. Now I know that when I take Storyland apart, I can put it back together again without breaking anything. :-)
In other news, I must again thank M for giving me the Liebster Award on her blog!
The way it works is that someone gives you the award, and then you're supposed to pass it on to your five favorite blogs that have less than 200 followers, and let them know that you gave it to them. It's a way of spreading some bloggy love to awesome people who don't have many readers!
Right now I have two blogs I can forward this to...so here you go!
I still have three virtual blogs left to award, and I will do so here as and when they come up.
Who knows?
8.18.2011
Guilt and Mug Shots
All right, to be frank, I forgot I had a blog. But currently, I am at a "comfortable" 35k, which is several days ahead of schedule, and I am actively engaged in procrastinating on writing!
This has absolutely nothing to do with the story, but I had to try drawing a baby penguin. I know this isn't actually what baby penguins look like. I sacrificed accuracy in the name of humor a long time ago.
It was very late at night, and pig-guin sounded too much like penguin for me not to try to draw one. This is not one of my characters, which is presumably why he looks so miserable, and not because he is a pig grafted with a penguin.
He is carrying a sword and a torch, in case you can't tell. I can't draw bunnies and I can't draw castles and I can't draw mountains and I can't draw cliffs.
I spent the time trying to draw my characters, and failing miserably. They were crap.
But I did do a few sketches of Professor Snitpot, the headmaster of the Gentlemen's Academy, where all the Heroes learn to fight dragons and save damsels in distress without setting them on fire. Here are a few of them that weren't execrable. Unfortunately these are crappy quality, because I sketched them by hand all over a giant sheet of paper, and I was too lazy to cut them out and scan them. I just took abysmal photos of them with my iPad in bad lighting.
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| Professor Snitpot |
Yes, did I mention that Professor Snitpot is a very aggressive two-foot tall penguin who can do some mean damage with a sword? I didn't color this, having come to grief on several previous attempts when I tried to do Snitpot in Sharpie...but he has yellow glasses, blue eyes, a golden yellow throat, and a dark brown combover.
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| Baby Snitpot! |
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| Pig-guin |
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| Professor Snitpot riding a plot bunny to battle against the Ineffable Wizard. |
Drawings of my other characters are forthcoming...once I figure out how to draw people that aren't lumpy. =/
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