Naylene Rondon's Blog: More Than Scribbles, page 9

Native Foreigners is on Amazon

Officially Published “Native Foreigners”

It’s here… Native Foreigners is officially published.  It’s an action, adventure, science fiction story that takes place on another planet.

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‘If Earth didn’t want you, why would Cynthia?’

Jane is struggling to find a cure for Dill’s rare disease. She goes on a journey with the help of the taxi driver named Zeb, the man with no past or last name. They go out of their way in search of a simple solution.

After the long travel, she realizes things are much more complicated. Even planet Cynthia has its secrets.

Jane will have to fight for the future while Zeb has to fight back the past.

To buy your own copy, click here.

Written by Naylene Rondon

Where am I? Guide into Setting

Everyone knows it’s the plot and characters that make the story. However, everything happens somewhere. The wrong setting can break your story, like a Japanese love story happening on the moon. Unless you have a plot to pull off the above, it wouldn’t make much sense.

The first thing you have to decide is a real setting or fictional setting.

Real Setting

For a Real Setting, it’s best to use a place you have lived in or visited before. Why?

Well, if you’re going to be writing about it, you need to be detailed enough to sound like the location. You can’t write a story about London, but end up describing New York. You need you readers to feel like they are there too.

Fictional Setting

Now this is the one I’ve been waiting for. Most of my stories revolve around a fictional setting. In my opinion, this is easier than the realistic path because you literally make this world, so no description you give of it can be wrong.

Now there’s semi-fictional and really fictional.

Semi is like Gotham. The city is within the United States on Earth. It have realistic features and can be like any other city. However, it doesn’t exist. You cannot visit Gotham. Yet, it’s normal enough that you feel like you can.

Now, there’s pure fiction. Like my upcoming novel, Native Foreigners. It takes place on another planet. Though it’s features have some resemblance to Earth, such as deserts, cities, and small towns. The planet is tidally locked, most of the water is underground, and native wildlife.

Now, how do I make a fictional world?

It’s easy. Close your eyes and think of your characters running around doing the plot stuff. Where are they? What does the world around them look like? Is it a large city? Is it the suburbs, or country? Does it rain a lot or none at all? Are there lots of plants? What does it smell like? What does it feel like? What does their house look like? Is it gloomy or happy? Do they see more sunlight or moonlight? Where are they?

Now, that you felt their setting, look at pictures of places that sort of resemble your setting. This helps describing the aspects that you imagine while helping you come up with a more detailed version of your own ideas.

I am afraid because I’m not alone…

A/N: This is a poem of fear written by myself. 

Hiding in the dark

There’s a tingling sensation upon my skin

There’s an unknown that’s hiding in the dark

That walks right through without a mark

It’s behind me and it’s making the room spin

There’s a quiet hum of a violin

The lights burn out with a spark

I’m now trapped with it in the dark

I’m afraid it’s going to win

It’s like falling through a void

I don’t know what it want with me

I struggle but still can’t see

Will I end up destroyed?

I fall to my knees and plea

It’s grins at my pain, clearly overjoyed

How to Kill? (Writer’s guide)

Did you ever want to be creative when killing? (Talking about writing, not actually killing.) I made a whole post about shooting someone, but there more than one way to kill. This is important no matter what kind of writing you’re doing. If a character is going to die from anything that’s not natural, then you need to think of different ways of killing your characters.

Let’s start generic.

Guns

You can kill a character with a gun. The basic way to kill someone with a gun is a bullet. Usually, you want to go for the head or chest. However, shooting the neck is another excellent way to kill. You’ll break the spine, cut open the trachea and windpipe, and maybe burst open a major artery.

You can also kill with a gun in different manners. If you have a large heavy gun, you can beat your character in the back of the head with it until they die. You can try this with a smaller gun too if you think it will work.

Knives

Knives can be used in multiple ways. Stab your characters. Cut and peel off their skin. Do a long and deep cut over one of their arteries. Let them bleed slowly or kill them quickly, they’re your characters, you can decide.

Anything heavy

Bang it against their heads. Crush their bones. Keep in mind, if this is a method of death, make sure it can kill the character. Hitting someone with a book won’t do it, a crowbar, yes.

Hands

Make sure your characters have the strength for this one. Depending on what they do. Some methods with hands are choking, never-ending punching, thumb to the throat( aim for arteries), throw head against the ground like a melon, etc…

Melee weapons

I probabaly won’t have to elaborate too much, but swords, battle axes, daggers, archery, throwing knives, flails, spears, clubs, maces, morning stars, whips, etc…

Bombs

Blow your characters to the sky. They can be terrorist, experimental, government  involved and more. There’re large bombs and small bombs. Decide which will be best for your story.

Fire

 This can be an accident, they got caught in a building, or some weirdo decided to eat the character.

Mauled

 They got eaten. Animals can be vicious. So, if they are in a circumstance with a dangerous animal, why not let the character be eaten? This goes separate from the idea of a cannibal(let’s leave that with fire).

Fall

Quick apologies for Sherlock fans. Even though he’s back, the fall will still haunt us. On another note, falling is a common way to die. The character can fall off a building(or hospital), off a cliff, off a bridge, off a plane, off a canyon, off a helicopter, off a tower, and off a lighthouse.

Now a list of a bunch of other ways.

Showerhead falling out and hitting your head, brakes are cut and crash, car accidents in general, slipping on icy sidewalk, poison, stung by a bunch of African bees, hiding peanuts in the character’s food even though they are allergic, throw them in lava, hang on a tree, choke with a telephone wire, drowning, and forced consumption of oil. 

Well, that was all I could think at the moment. If you can think of more ways, add them to the comment area. :)

P.S. Again, I’m not a murderer, just a writer. That’s why my search history looks a bit sketchy. 

Poetry

A/N: It’s been since elementary since I’ve written a Sonnet (Shakespearean). I’ve spent the week looking at the form and examples. Based on a private story I’ve been working, I’ve written this:

For you
Naylene Rondon

Pang and guilt have seized me

I failed you in every form

All you did was fight to be free

While I cowered in the norm

I let them take you away

I closed my eyes afraid to look

While they killed you like prey

Then erased you from every book

I failed you when you needed me most

I apologize and now I’m willing to try

We near the end now, it’s all so close

I need to think of you to remember why

I failed you and now your blood is on my hands

So for you, I will take my stand

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“I’m happy,” she said with a smile. Yet, the sides of her eyes didn’t crinkle. She rubbed the back of her neck then crossed her arms. She refused to look at me, but I could still see her glassy eyes.

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Reading the above, do I need to spell out that she’s lying? That she clearly isn’t happy? No, but why? Body language. She can say whatever, but actions will always speak more than words.

It’s important in writing to understand the different effects of different emotions. You need to be able to captivate their real feeling without a word of dialogue to support it. These are some charts from Pinterest I found to be useful. They explain well different kinds of emotions and natural reactions.

Are they lying?

Where do they feel it?

What does their fidgeting show?

What does their face show?

Motivation to Write

You have an idea. You have characters, plot, and practically everything built in you head. Now it’s time to write the next 500 – 100,000 words. Anyone who has written this much knows it’s not something easy to do. This can take several days to months, maybe even years. This can be a bit discouraging and tiring. Something just sitting down to do so can seem like a chore. Passion can become work quickly.

So, how to keep motivated?

Avoid procrastinating. If you have spare time, write. don’t make excuses and do other things.
Give yourself a deadline. Nothing like last minute panic to kick you in gears.
Even if it’s junk, write it. You can fix it later.
Stay away from internet! Research should have been done before or after the first draft. During is just more procrastination. 
Try to write it as fast as possible. 
Create a regular schedule to write and keep it. 

Again like most of my posts, these are just suggestions. Everyone is different about how they do things. These are just tips that helped me with my writing.

My first proof copy arrived.

My book is in a solid form! I never believed that I would see it any more than some types words on my computer screen, but here it is. There were delays in formatting. (Word suddenly hates me and can’t make a decent PDF to save its life.) However, it was done. This is only a proof copy, but it’s the farthest I’ve ever been.

 Look at It. Native Foreigners!

Maybe I’m a bit too excited.

Here are some pictures of the inside with quotes from the first chapter.

Void

A/N: I’ve been listening to Welcome to Night Vale recently. So, I was inspired to write something stranger and darker. This is the void and the void is always watching.

The midday sun blackened. A starry night appeared. You checked your watch and see it’s only two in the afternoon. “How is this possible?” you began. You stepped back and realized your standing on nothing. The grass field that rested beneath your feet was gone. Instead, you stood on an endless void. You bent down and felt nothing, leaving you unsure how you’re standing at all. You then felt a cold breath against your neck. You turned quickly to find nothing behind you. However, you could feel eyes bearing down on you. Someone was watching.

Footsteps rang in your ear. Yet, you couldn’t identify where they were coming from. All you know is that they were getting louder and clearer. Your heart galloped in your chest. Instincts told you to run even if you don’t even know what you’re running from. You feet dragged you far from where you were while still leaving you in the same spot. “This is hopeless!” you cried. You fell down to your knees and whimpered.

Then, the footsteps stopped. In front of you was a light. It was the color of fresh blood and sounded like a screaming child. The light began devouring the void, marking everything with that hideous red color. The light soon reached you. The moment you touched, you went blind. Everything became dark and you started to think you were falling.

Finally, your eyes opened. You glared and saw small printed letters. You sat up and the book that was sitting on your face fell to your lap. You glanced around and saw your familiar living room. “I must have fallen asleep,” you said to yourself. Then, your eyes met the mirror. It was blackened, rather than showing off a reflection. You stood up to get a better look. Then, two blood red eyes opened and stared at you. You shrieked in horror and fell back. You ran for your phone to call for help. As you lifted it to your ear, you saw the blackness leaving the mirror and spreading through your home. Footsteps rang in your ear again.

By the time you heard ‘hello’ you were already consumed.