... because I'm just that dedicated to my writing research?
I've been working on TLM but it has come to a bit of a standstill where my motivation wants to work on something else for a bit like a whiny bratty little child so I have to obey it or else I'll lose it ... again. This is rather unfortunate since I'm 13 chapters away from bein done apparently, according to my notes. Instead I turned my eyes on working on a little bit more on AGP:VQ.
Now with AGP:VQ I have to do a fair bit of planning (like all books) but mostly research on the landscape/cityscape/places&areas in London, England mainly because I've never been there. Although I would LOOOOVE to win an INSTANT trip to dear old England, I alas cannot. Not with studies, essays and insanity ruling my life at the moment so no. Plus I'm far too poor (curse the book research, which is coming in handy despite my dwindling hard-earned money). If I ever win the lottery I will TRAVEL THE WORLD as a reward, England INCLUDING.
I've pretty much planned out and mentally drew out Kai's arrival in London, England from her homeland of Canada and, ooh boy, was it a ride to behold. Now I'll finish writing the first bit and whatnot.
NOTE: I did write this up at 2AM someday last week, just finally posted it up today. [laughs]
Always,
Magpie~
Showing posts with label Writer Woes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writer Woes. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
From the Inner Workings of MAGPIE Comes ....
.... multiple story ideas, of course!
I have so many stories that whenever I think up another, my friends/family tend to say, "You got that look again." which I reply casually: "Look? What look? ... oh you mean THAT look."
Fortunately for them, I'm only working on TWO main projects at the moment - a stand alone and a 5 book series.
The stand alone book is half written ... actually its a bit more than that really. I can't remember. The last time I touched it was September and that was quite a while ago. It's very different from what I usually write, which is probably what keeps drawing me back to it. Most stories I'll write several chapters, plan it out, jump around, and such - only for something else to distract me and I never really seem to come back to it.
A sad thing, yes. Bad thing, yes. A good thing, perhaps yes too.
Every story I think about needs a strong voice to it, one that will keep bugging me to no end unless I actually write it. Of course the characters and setting and plot has to be interesting and complex/simple to some extent. But its the voice that keeps calling me back. Or rather something about the story that makes it so compelling that I must simply HAVE to write it. Kind of like those books I stumble upon and I can't put it down until I reach the end and crying for more - only better, because I can learn and discover the story on my own without having to wait.
And that's exactly what this book's main narrator/protagonist did.
That was April/May 2010 before I graduated Secondary School - now I'm at the halfway point of my second year in university.
That narrator/protagonist's story is still staying strong - voice and all.
He's fairly stubborn in that sense. Yes, it is a male protagonist. Yes, it is in first person. And that what makes me so nervous.
I'm not a guy but I have a guy-like mindset to an extent. Yes I like action, yes I like fighting, yes I like sports, yes I like getting down and dirty. Quite frankly I love doing "guy" stuff but that doesn't mean I'm not a girl in any way - oh no, I may hate make-up and girly things but I do adore stuff animals and cute/cuddly things. I'm a sucker for a cute kid/baby/animal every single time. Which is why I still can't say no to my 4-year-old cousin whenever he demands (in a cute nice way of course) to play trains and cars and whatnot.
Now that I've established the point I'm not a guy but a girl who LOVES her guy stuff - my uneasiness should be clear.
I've never written from First Person, much less a GUY'S. But I am willing to take up the challenge. I love challenges. Always have, always will. And yes, I've somehow managed to delved deep into his subconscious and ripped out what makes him tick, what makes him sad, what makes him happy - all the necessary things I did to know about him. In figurative sense of course, not literal!
Then for a test drive (yes, I like to think of the first draft as a test drive because you never know how readers are going to react) I gave the first chapter - the prologue - to my brother, who is younger than the narrator/protagonist, to read it. Now my brother often states he's not a BIG reader like I am (I'm just MAD about books) but he gave me the benefit of the doubt and read it. Oh the suspense that awaited me as I held my breath as he read it carefully and slowly. Once he was done I asked him how it was and the conversation kind of went like this:
Well that was pretty much the exchange that has renewed hope in me and installed confidence that I can see this story through. My younger brother happens to be a very HARD guy to sell a story to, especially a contemporary one. He's the kind of guy that likes those old war movies and actiony guns-ablazing dudes with explosives happening everywhere constantly. [laughs] But for him to say that was very shocking. Because every story before it, he'll nod and say its good but nothing else - probably thinking silently that it might be cliched or corny or "its been done before" mindset. So if he thinks its good, it's going to be. I'll be keeping my fingers cross about it.
As for other responses, I've explained the overall plot to one person who just looked at me in awe and told me I really should write it. That was my grandfather, who has been waiting to read it for almost two years now. [chuckles weakly] The other two people I've shown are friends of mine and they pretty much demanded more, which is kind of my own fault that I broke off in mid-sentence in the middle of the first chapter - not the prologue but the first. [laughs] Lastly I read a passage to a cousin of mine who just thought it was really well done. She's also been spreading the word to, about me aspiring to be a writer/novelist to her class, much to my embarressment. [laughs]
Once the next two days end, exams will be finally done for me, and I'll officially be free to actually do some major writing. I hope to complete it over the holidays and send it to people I know as a New Year's gift for feedback and whatnot. Then I'll spend time alternating between this novel, which is very likely to be my debut novel should it ever be published and my 5 book series.
This post is getting incredibly long now so I'll leave you guys with two things:
The stand alone novel's title is: "The Last Masterpiece"
And tagline is: "Even in the heart of a tragedy, there is a way to a smile."
It's also one of my many personal mottos too. [winks]
Always,
Magpie <3
*
I have so many stories that whenever I think up another, my friends/family tend to say, "You got that look again." which I reply casually: "Look? What look? ... oh you mean THAT look."
Fortunately for them, I'm only working on TWO main projects at the moment - a stand alone and a 5 book series.
The stand alone book is half written ... actually its a bit more than that really. I can't remember. The last time I touched it was September and that was quite a while ago. It's very different from what I usually write, which is probably what keeps drawing me back to it. Most stories I'll write several chapters, plan it out, jump around, and such - only for something else to distract me and I never really seem to come back to it.
A sad thing, yes. Bad thing, yes. A good thing, perhaps yes too.
Every story I think about needs a strong voice to it, one that will keep bugging me to no end unless I actually write it. Of course the characters and setting and plot has to be interesting and complex/simple to some extent. But its the voice that keeps calling me back. Or rather something about the story that makes it so compelling that I must simply HAVE to write it. Kind of like those books I stumble upon and I can't put it down until I reach the end and crying for more - only better, because I can learn and discover the story on my own without having to wait.
And that's exactly what this book's main narrator/protagonist did.
That was April/May 2010 before I graduated Secondary School - now I'm at the halfway point of my second year in university.
That narrator/protagonist's story is still staying strong - voice and all.
He's fairly stubborn in that sense. Yes, it is a male protagonist. Yes, it is in first person. And that what makes me so nervous.
I'm not a guy but I have a guy-like mindset to an extent. Yes I like action, yes I like fighting, yes I like sports, yes I like getting down and dirty. Quite frankly I love doing "guy" stuff but that doesn't mean I'm not a girl in any way - oh no, I may hate make-up and girly things but I do adore stuff animals and cute/cuddly things. I'm a sucker for a cute kid/baby/animal every single time. Which is why I still can't say no to my 4-year-old cousin whenever he demands (in a cute nice way of course) to play trains and cars and whatnot.
Now that I've established the point I'm not a guy but a girl who LOVES her guy stuff - my uneasiness should be clear.
I've never written from First Person, much less a GUY'S. But I am willing to take up the challenge. I love challenges. Always have, always will. And yes, I've somehow managed to delved deep into his subconscious and ripped out what makes him tick, what makes him sad, what makes him happy - all the necessary things I did to know about him. In figurative sense of course, not literal!
Then for a test drive (yes, I like to think of the first draft as a test drive because you never know how readers are going to react) I gave the first chapter - the prologue - to my brother, who is younger than the narrator/protagonist, to read it. Now my brother often states he's not a BIG reader like I am (I'm just MAD about books) but he gave me the benefit of the doubt and read it. Oh the suspense that awaited me as I held my breath as he read it carefully and slowly. Once he was done I asked him how it was and the conversation kind of went like this:
"It's different."
"Yes, I know its different, but is it a 'GOOD' different?"
"Yeah, it is." A pause. "I like it."
"Really?"
"Yes. I really did."
".... You realize its from a guy's perspective right?"
"Yeah."
"Was it any good? I didn't want him to sound corny or whiny or anything annoying like. Mainly does he sound like a guy?"
"Yes, he does, but one question: He's not going to stay this way throughout the whole novel is he?"
"Oh hell no!"
"Good."
"He's going to change over the course of the novel for the better."
"Better not be because of a girl, 'cause that's SO cliched."
"Umm .... not exactly? More like the reverse. She acts as a guide but in reality he ends up helping her. Completing his journey in a sense in a full circle-like effect."
".... alright, I'll give it a read when you've finished it. Don't go getting a big head about it though, I'm just curious how it'll turn out. It's actually very different from what I'd expected of you Mags."
"Aww really? Thanks lil bro!"
"Yeah, yeah, just don't turn him into a pansy or anything."
"I won't! I promise!"
Well that was pretty much the exchange that has renewed hope in me and installed confidence that I can see this story through. My younger brother happens to be a very HARD guy to sell a story to, especially a contemporary one. He's the kind of guy that likes those old war movies and actiony guns-ablazing dudes with explosives happening everywhere constantly. [laughs] But for him to say that was very shocking. Because every story before it, he'll nod and say its good but nothing else - probably thinking silently that it might be cliched or corny or "its been done before" mindset. So if he thinks its good, it's going to be. I'll be keeping my fingers cross about it.
As for other responses, I've explained the overall plot to one person who just looked at me in awe and told me I really should write it. That was my grandfather, who has been waiting to read it for almost two years now. [chuckles weakly] The other two people I've shown are friends of mine and they pretty much demanded more, which is kind of my own fault that I broke off in mid-sentence in the middle of the first chapter - not the prologue but the first. [laughs] Lastly I read a passage to a cousin of mine who just thought it was really well done. She's also been spreading the word to, about me aspiring to be a writer/novelist to her class, much to my embarressment. [laughs]
Once the next two days end, exams will be finally done for me, and I'll officially be free to actually do some major writing. I hope to complete it over the holidays and send it to people I know as a New Year's gift for feedback and whatnot. Then I'll spend time alternating between this novel, which is very likely to be my debut novel should it ever be published and my 5 book series.
This post is getting incredibly long now so I'll leave you guys with two things:
The stand alone novel's title is: "The Last Masterpiece"
And tagline is: "Even in the heart of a tragedy, there is a way to a smile."
It's also one of my many personal mottos too. [winks]
Always,
Magpie <3
*
Thursday, 1 December 2011
December Worries
Already the entire month of November has vanished, like the newly fallen snow - melted within a forenight last week. Where has the time gone? And I've been terrible with my writing projects and this blog. I've seemingly abandoned the university tell-tales since my blackberry crashed and I lost everything I wrote ... how unfortunate. it makes me sad but perhaps ... I'll continue it someday.
Still Christmas is in a few weeks. I'm somewhat looking forward to the holidays ... not that I dislike Christmas, more like what blocks my path still -- two more essays and five exams. [groans]
But I digress.
Moving onto a happier topic. I've been hard at work with planning and plotting stages of my stories and I say they've matured considerably. I've also gotten addicted to reading Manga again, my current obession seems to be Medaka Box by Nishio Ishin & Akatsuki Akira. Its a highly inventive story about the student council prseident and the gang trying to do good for the students and the school. Then it evolves into a darker atmosphere from the overly comical side -- it still keeps it luckily. I've seen mangas start out funny but then just drops to dead serious with no chance of comical moments. I'm usually picky when it comes to series but I've seen a lot of AMAZING ones and pity they have to stand against the more widely popular series like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece and such.
Yet I remain hopeful.
Thank you for reading as always,
Magpie~
PS.
I'll try updating more ... sorry !!
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Abandonment Failure
GAAAAAAH. I've been buried in essays and tests and midterms for the last two months-ish. I no good perfect excuse for this but regarding the fact no one really reads my ramblings it should be okay ... for now anyway. [laughs weakly]
Updates regarding my writing projects: I haven't gotten the chance to do much writing this semester -- a mere blank. Makes a writer sad you know? And I've pretty much abandoned the other blog ... I have too much going on so I'll just focus on writing and university and life -- don't really have time to update that story. [sighs]
But maybe someday I'll return to it. [winks]
Laters!
Magpie ~
Updates regarding my writing projects: I haven't gotten the chance to do much writing this semester -- a mere blank. Makes a writer sad you know? And I've pretty much abandoned the other blog ... I have too much going on so I'll just focus on writing and university and life -- don't really have time to update that story. [sighs]
But maybe someday I'll return to it. [winks]
Laters!
Magpie ~
Monday, 19 September 2011
Regarding the Next J.K.Rowling . . .
Lately, ever since the Harry Potter series came to a 'supposed' close, everyone keeps whispering and wondering who'll will take on the famous authoress for the prestigious Literary Throne in bid to become the next J.K. Rowling?
Writers desperately try to live up to the rising success and popularity that J.K. Rowling has created for herself with the help of Harry Potter and his magical world of witchcraft and wizardry.
As Publishers scramble in a desperate bid against time and effort in hopes of securing what will become the NEXT big thing.
While Readers await anxiously for the next big thing that will spellbind, capture their hearts, and enchant them and irrevocably knock them right off their feet, making them laugh and cry along with the story.
As a big fan (Its been what? Nearly 11 yrs now?) of the series, I'll admit my curiosity has been peaked several times whenever I hear or read people either shouting excitedly or screaming with glee: "[insert author's name here] as the NEW J.K. Rowling!" just to see who can possibly match her, if any.
I can't help but think:
Are we putting too much pressure on WRITERS in general?
This question has haunted me for a while now, and as an aspiring writer myself, I'm worried and concerned about this possible revelation.
I would love to be praised in that light myself but I can't help think it would also be insulting to me, especially since I've heard the child cry wolf or, in this case, people cry new J.K. Rowling. To get one's hopes up only to be flatten is terrible. However to be on par with the world's greatest authors would be a lifetime achievement of epic greatness for me.
And as a vivid reader myself, I've strayed away from the popular books or rather I remain ignorant of it until I hear all the praise and show for it. Then I usually or generally get curious and read it. But I find sometimes I rather dislike it or think, 'it was okay, I guess'. But then every once in a while I'll discover a book that is so wonderful and magical and enchanting that I just simply wonder why haven't people been reading THIS instead?
Of course, I've read most of the REALLY popular stuff, like Twilight (I can't really stand it because of Bella, but the writing was nice . . . somewhat) and The Hunger Games Trilogy (left me in tears but haunted me too much that I can't seem to bring myself to reread it fully again) or The Inheritance Cycle (I remember starting it then stopping, then picking it back up one day and finishing it).
However I discovered the Percy Jackson books before it got popular (I just SIMPLY LOVE these books!). I remember doing a book report on it in 9th Grade. And I remember vividly everyone being enthralled and attentive when I can my spiel on it. Even my teacher asked about it and thought he'd give it a try.
Now not to toot my own horn, but I have an incredible knack for picking out good books, and when I mean good -- I mean EXCELLENT. My skill hasn't let me down yet. But the only time when I feel bored or discouraged about half of the time is when I go and see/read what all the commotion over said book is about. Half of the time I like/love it, while the other half is dislike/hate it or HOW THE HECK THIS CRAP GET PUBLISHED????
Still I think it’s unfair to try and match every possible good book to the popularity that is Harry Potter or [shudders] Twilight or any other popular series.
After all publishers, I know you mean well, but you might send something back that could have been great. Then publish something not so great just because it's on the bandwagon. Now when I say bandwagon, I mean THEE bandwagon like Vampires in general. Sorry Twilight, but you're REALLY easily to get picked on for this. Ever since Twilight rose to its stardom (should I even call that?) it’s been NOTHING but Vampire this, Vampire that – a whole Vampire
I've gotten fed up with it to the point whenever I hear the word Vampire or anything dealing with them, I flee. I want to hide yet I can't. All because the stuff is EVERYWHERE. Vampire Dairies, True Blood, Blood Ties, etc etc. I'm sure there's more than that but I don't really care because I'm just tired of it all. Exhausted really. And personally I would be glad to hear the word again in 10 yrs time but right now I just look forward to Twilight ending on, hopefully, a peaceful note -- not a screamin' one by fangirls. [sighs]
Personally I LOVED her other book The Host. WAAAAAY better in my opinion. And best of all, NO VAMPIRES to worry about!
Anyway I'm getting off topic here, sorry.
I know, in the wise words of my mother and grandfather, it’s the matter of hitting the editor/publisher right in the face at the right time for it to blossom into something wonderful. Which is why I have up-teen many book plots and series stored away either in my head, in the notebooks in my backpack/pocket/closet/floor of my room, or on my laptop or merely telling it to another person willing to listen to my nonsense that seems to enchant them one way or another.
One day I do hope -- don't get me wrong -- to be on par with the famous J.K. Rowling (who shares my one of middle names, which is so cool in a geektastic way of course!). But I think that's still lightyears away now. Right now I'll just continue writing until I find the 'right' one that publishers will scream for and demand more hopefully and continue to be on the lookout for the next big thing whether it’s another book from J.K. Rowling herself or something else.
Never stop looking, reading nor believing.
I know I won't. 8DDD
Magpie~ <3
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