Idea Hunting

Often, when I’m stuck on a particular scene or even when I feel blank, yet restless, I start doodling. (music often just wrecks my concentration)

Sometimes a character or two come out. Sometimes I use them, other times, they are just a spark that sets everything else in motion. I will share two of my doodles here. They are not proportionate really, but then, I love the imagery of twisted mirrors. And again, these are just some things that help me get in “the writing mood” so they’re not supposed to be that good anyway.

There, you know my secretest secret now.

Also, my obvious love for comics. I’ve been reading a lot of them lately (Ellis and Moore mostly). And I’ve been tricked into writing articles for a national (I think) photography center, so that’s getting in the way of my stories. Busy these days. Can’t remember words. Bugger.

A robotic guide to the gardens of Destimondium

Mr Kerrlain (remember Baba Yaga? Well, this is the male version)

Edgar (part 2)

Part 1

“And good coffee?” asked Edgar.

“So strong it’ll knock the shoes off your feet.”

Edgar thought about returning home. Then he thought about staying in a muse-free room for the night. “This bed…does it have fluffy pillows?” he asked.

The next morning, Edgar woke up with a headache. He remembered paying for a room at the inn, and something about frogs and phlegm, but the rest of the previous day was a confusing and chaotic blur. He mumbled a “Thank you very much” to the bartender who replied with a cheery “You’re always welcome here, laddie” and made his way back home. Edgar was pleased to find most of his aches and pains had evaporated on the crisp morning air. He did not however appreciate the effect the air had on his memory.

Writers’ Fears

February kicked me in the guts and strode away with a snigger, leaving me curled up on the curb with a broken lip and severely bruised ribs. I did not like this February and obviously it didn’t like me either. I was neither writing nor keeping up with my studies for a month or so and all it did was make the typical writers’ fears and doubt stronger. How bloody wonderful.

Hi, hello, I have a new page

For my dear new followers, check out the About the Blog page.

I know, I know, I’m late posting, but I’ve been troubled and busy. I will explain in the next rambling, I promise.I do have some new ideas, I just have to get rid of the insecurity and dread and doubt and all that. Till the next rambling, wordpressers, enjoy

Writing, Plots and Romance

Plot is my weakest point. It’s always either too easy for the character or it’s perfectly clear to me but chaotic to the reader. This is why I avoid basing a story solely on romantic love.

Sell Your Heart

A few days ago I read Fitzgerald’s letter to a writer in training (like most of us here) and I realised he was completely right. At least, in my experience.

Edgar

Since I’m busy with uni and I haven’t had any time/mental strenght to write properly, I’ll just post a vignette that might or might not turn into a story. Enjoy :)

Calliope was said to be a maiden of twenty summers with hair as black as the raven’s feather and voice as gentle as the spring breeze. Sadly this was not true. Edgar found himself staring at a fairly overweight wrinkly crone with a voice of a bullfrog.

“Hello, pretty,” it seemed she was attempting to flirt.

The Shores of Duiwe

– An extract — I’m extremenly nervous about this story. To me, it’s an excercise in bareness, leaving out detail, an exploration of the ice-berg theory. It’s surprisingly difficult mostly because there are only two ways for this to go – it can either end up a massive failure (and completely flat and pointless) or a story with some depth to it. I should get it through my thick head that first drafts aren’t forever, they can and should be edited and changed.

This is only a part of the story, so, please, tell me how it sounds and if I’m actually doing it properly. (I should probably point out this bit comes after the introduction paragraphs)

*******

The captain’s companion called himself Jack. It did not matter to the captain if that was the man’s true name. Many had boarded his ship under a false name before and captain had always been happy to have someone to talk to. Jack’s skin was smooth and had a youthful glow to it, except for a deep scar on his left cheek. The captain never asked about Jack’s wound. It was not his business and, besides, it belonged to the past. Jack, in turn, did not ask about the wrinkles around the corners of the captain’s mouth or the crows feet around his eyes or the calluses on the captain’s hands. It too was a part of the past and neither of them had any interest in it.

In Defence of First Person POV

I’ve read a lot about how writing in first person is most difficult, trickiest, wickedest writing and that “beginner” writers should stay away from it until they develop. I disagree.

Ravenwood

For the curious, this is the infamous Ravenwood. These are the only salvageable scenes, I think. As I said, I won’t be coming back to it. Maybe in a couple of months.

The children of Ravenwood were strange.

At first glance, they looked no different from any other group of curious kids. They ran in packs, as children often do, played tag and chased butterflies, violently refused vegetables and gorged on chocolates and ice cream. It was only after being in their presence for some time that you’d notice a strange eagerness to please their every wish and a very peculiar twinkle in their eyes. There was also something rather odd in the way they walked. As if their feet hardly ever touched the ground.