Cliffordene Norton's Blog, page 4

I watched NetFlix’s Persuasion and I liked it …

I have always loved true-to-the-time-period adaptations of historical fiction. One, because it seems the “sex sells” approach is often null and void in historical fiction, and two, because watching the story, however, enjoyable, is an exhibition of how society has evolved or not.

So, I was excited for Netflix’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Now, Pride and Prejudice, the novel and the 2005 movie with Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, is still my heart’s favourite.

 But Persuasion is a book that holds special significance to me as an author. It is great to see an author grow and reading the development of Austen’s writing was amazing. And the language, it was beautiful.

I was so excited to watch it until I saw the memes on Twitter. “Dear Austen, what have they done to you?” was my first thought. I took two weeks to watch the movie and expected to hate Persuasion, but I found it charming. 

I could see why people were angry, but I could just sit back and enjoy it. The storyline felt funny and snarky, and even when I missed the language Jane Austen used, I could laugh at the snark.

“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion

“There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion

These quotes are more powerful than:

I do see why people would hate the movie. It can come across as patronizing of Austen’s work. However, I feel like Persuasion was so removed from the original, that I could watch it as something else entirely. Yes, the names are the same, yes the storyline is the same – but the Jane Austen magic was missing.

Which is why I could enjoy it. If I could not remove it from the original, I would be on Twitter as well. Pistol in hand. 

3 Tips to go from short to long-form writing ️ 

“Short stories are one of the hardest formats to write.”

I’ve heard this several times over the years from several different sources. But for me, going from a short story writer to a novelist was harder. Where I was used to getting things done with an energy-saving word count, I now had the opportunity to write more.

This is going to be easy, I thought at first. I struggled a few hundred times and have a proud folder of dozens of unfinished manuscripts. Then I followed Gerda Taljaard’s advice: I wrote each separate chapter as a short story, but when I finished my first novel, I still came up short.

I had to almost double my word count before considering submitting the book. So, I had to look at what I could do to write more without deluding my story.

1. Getting to know my CHARACTERS

First, I asked myself. Do I really know my characters? How will they react in a given situation? In some instances where I was unsure, I would act out different scenarios until my character’s reaction feels real. 

2. Is the SETTING a character?

When writing short stories, I tried to keep the description of the setting as short as possible. But during a visit home, I realised how the setting influences me. When I visit a place it usually influences my water intake, skin, and hair. It influences my comfort level, and that’s something I am working on incorporating more into my work.

So, ask yourself: how does the setting influence a character’s behaviour or the plot of the story? I don’t think Gabby in Om Jou Te Ken would’ve participated in the war at home, because she fears disappointing her mother too much.

3. Use a different POV

If you are struggling with a scene, write it from the point of view of another character. This usually helps me see the gaps in what I have written. Sometimes a different character opens new avenues, maybe they become the main character, or it reveals a relationship that becomes the heart of the novel. 

I recently used this in a WIP I’m working on and found that when I visualised the events from my secondary character’s perspective, additional chapters popped up – making the story richer.

My life in vlogs

Life, loadshedding and work have been kicking my ass lately. So, instead of a blog post, you are getting three TikTok videos I made using Instagram Reels. I love vlogs and have been doing a lot of them on TikTok, to the annoyance of the people in my life.

I stop for a while but picked it back up lately because I quite honestly love it. Life seems to be moving so fast, these mini vlogs reminded me to enjoy each moment. Yeah, I know it’s edited to be more aesthetically pleasing but still, I’ve found myself being a bit creative, relaxing, and smiling in the ten or so minutes it takes me to put these together.

@cliffordene

#weekinmylife #BookLover #Minivlog #CreativeWriting #YAAuthor #Authorlife #writersoftiktok #Writinglife #vlog @didipotgieter

♬ Cornelia Street – Taylor Swift

@cliffordene

The Language. The Story. The Realness. #ToeAlsGroenWas @anmaridocarmo #YABooks #writersoftiktok #Authorlife #YAAuthor #BookLover

♬ cardigan – Taylor Swift

@cliffordene

#fyp #foryoupage #booktok #bookish #readersoftiktok #foryou #books #dayinmylife #BookLover #Minivlog #CreativeWriting #YAAuthor #Authorlife #writersoftiktok #Writinglife #dailyvlog

♬ Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader

Resensie: Anderkant die blou – Zelda Bezuidenhout

Lienke en Dezi beleef die vakansie van hulle lewe in Kalkbaai. By die hotel ontmoet hulle Danroy, ’n kelner wat vakansiewerk doen, wat hulle na al die mooiste plekke in die baai vat. Hulle leer ken Danroy se “skwad” en sy geliefde Uncle Kaz. Dan is daar ’n tragedie op see wat Danroy en sy ma se lewe omkeer. Soos Uncle Kaz altyd sê: “Mens het net drie goete nodig om gelukkig te wees: iemand om lief te hê, iets om jou hande mee besig te hou, en iets om na uit te sien.”

Anderkant die blou is antie Zee (my niggie se noemnaam vir haar gunstelingskrywer) se jongste boek en ek wil meer hê. Ek het dit baie geniet, hoewel ek nie aanvanklik van Dezi gehou het nie (sy was bietjie sturvy), het ek haar later geniet.

Twee karakters wat my diep geraak het was Lienke en Danroy. Danroy se opregte liefde vir oom Kaz was wonderlik. Ek kon hul Cola-gesprekke saam met mekaar sien en geniet. Ek wens eintlik daar was meer daarvan in die boek.

Ek het ook geweldige empatie met Lienke en haar pa gehad. Ek kon haar kant, asook haar pa se kant insien. Hulle is ook graag karakters wat ek meer wil sien, want dit voel asof hul verhouding potensiaal het. Potensiaal vir Lienke om meer te leer en vir haar pa om sy dogter te ondersteun.

My een probleem was egter met die geheim wat aan die einde van die verhaal onthul word. Ek voel teenstrydig oor hierdie geheim, want aan die een kant was ek baie bly dat dit slegs aan een karakter onthul is. Aan die anderkant het dit my met die gevoel van “te maklik” en baie vrae gelaat.

Ek was mal oor die avonture waarop Danroy die vriendinne gestuur het. Dit was so ongelooflik uniek en fun. Goeie boek – my niggie is nou besig om dit te verslind.

Beskikbaar by:

GraffitiTakealot

Review: Young Royals – my new favourite series

“Everything is fake, but I like you and that isn’t fake.” – Wille in Young Royals

I discovered Young Royals, a Swedish teen series, because of my dislike for Heartstopper. Now, before the ­Heartstopper stans come for me, I just want to say: I don’t know why I don’t like it, I just don’t.

That is why, I was very skeptical about Young Royals, it was sold to me as Heartstopper’s dark more realistic sibling. It is so much more than that. If I have to compare Young Royals to any story, it’s Casey McQuiston’s amazing debut Red, White & Royal Blue. (It is a must read!)

Young Royals is one of my favourite series and I’ve watched it three times in the last two weeks. Even though the series touches on some familiar teenage tropes, how it handles said tropes is incredibly realistic, relatable, and enjoyable. 

What is it about?

The six-episode series begins with Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (Edvin Ryding) being sent to the elite boarding school Hillerska, located near the town of Bjärstad, after a fight in a club and the bad press that followed. His older brother, Crown Prince Erik, studied at Hillerska and so does August, the princes’ second cousin. Wilhelm (or Wille) meets and starts a relationship with Simon (Omar Rudberg), the poor student who lives in Bjärstad.

Why does this seem familiar?

“We can kill someone, and no one would say a word.” – August in Young Royals

The main focus of the series is Wille and Simon, or #Wilmon’s relationship, but friendship, parental expectations, power, wealth, and class are also themes.

11 months of young royals?? I forgot how being happy felt pic.twitter.com/AoXKHVwH29

— S H A E (@officialhoemar) June 1, 2022

Growing up, I read a lot about the Swedish boarding school trope, but it wasn’t until Young Royals that I realised I haven’t watched a series on it.

Whose story is it anyway?

While Wille en Simon’s developing romance is a strong focus, I think the story is Wille coming to terms with his fate and sexuality. The series starts and ends with him.

Wille is an unwilling prince, and August constantly calls him out for not appreciating his royal heritage and power. Throughout the series he constantly struggles with who he is and who he wants to be.

This plays a big role in his relationship with Simon, because princes aren’t supposed to be gay. He wants to be with Simon, but he is also aware of his family’s (and his country’s) expectations. This is even more important from episode 4.

What didn’t I like?

Even with a series like Young Royals, something I love, there are a few things that annoyed me. When Wille arrives at Hillerska, it is almost like his life before then, didn’t exist. One of his main arguments about not wanting to attend Hillerska is, because his friends are staying here.

After he arrives, it’s almost like his friends don’t exist. He only talks to his brother and stalks Simon on Instagram. Why doesn’t he check his friends’ social media or receive a message from them?

Secondly, the second scene at the start of episode 2 is annoying. If felt very on the nose, with the stereotypical roles reversed (I won’t spoil, in case it influences you.)

Oh, gimme more of this!

What I love about Young Royals is the characters. The characters are not only relatable but feel very original.

Let’s talk about the supporting characters: Sara, August, and Felice.

Sara is Simon’s sister, it isn’t clear in the series but I think they are twins. They both attend Hillerska together and she is on the spectrum. While this is mentioned, it isn’t her entire identity. Moreover, Sara feels real. Characters on the spectrum are almost always created to be gullible or angelic. Sara makes mistakes, she’s an **shole to her family, she struggles with peer pressure – she is a teenager.  

August is the bad guy, I mean, really dude. Really? But he is also complex and at parts you have empathy for him.

Felice is the popular girl from one of the richest families. She is also kind and has a fear of horses. Felice’s biggest struggle is the desire to please her mother versus her own wants and needs.

Mostly, I love how the show handled Wille and Simon’s relationship because the conflict they experience is external. They don’t have all the drama that comes with the usual teenage romances. Wille is immediately attracted to Simon from the first moment.

plan for today: pizza and rewatching young royals pic.twitter.com/D1xZoaSj3B

— luke (@lukass_finn) May 29, 2022

After their first kiss, Wille has a minor gay panic moment, and talks to Simon about that. This is not a once off, because they continuously talk to each other during their relationship. Something that is not the norm in teenage relationships.

I also love that even if Simon often starts the physical part of the relationship, handholding, kisses, etc., Wille seeks him out and wants to create the emotional intimacy. He always talks to Simon first, sits next to him, and goes on the date with Simon.

Their emotional honesty reaches a climax in the finale when they each choose what they need. There is no dramatic break up, unless you count Wille and August’s blow up, just them choosing what they need now, despite loving each other. 

5 Tips for writing short stories

I didn’t love writing short stories while I was studying (#MyNWU baby!) but have developed a true passion for them since then. When I planned my goals for this year, writing five short stories was part of the plan.

I have to admit that short stories come easily to me. It tends to start with one scene and almost unfolds in my mind. But I try to challenge myself often, and when I am struggling, I go back to these five pillars.

Start with a character at a turning point

Who is the most interesting person in your life, right now? And what has the power to dramatically change their lives? I always asked myself these two questions, because if I know who I am basing my character on, I know what challenges can change their life. The turning point/change is where the story starts.

Take note: I don’t use their whole existence to create a story, they are usually a starting point. Build from there.

Write from a different perspective.

You don’t have to always go bigger to get better. The MCU Phase 4 has shown how the big battles influence everyday people like Kate Bishop and Monica Rambeau.

So, if you tend to tell the story from a particular point of view, change that. A short story is a good place to experiment a bit. Instead of writing from the point of view of the superhero or even villain, tell the story of the small first-time business owner whose business just got destroyed in the epic battle. You may find something interesting along the way.

Die Meisie Met Uitroeptekens In Haar OëFind inspiration from other authors.

There have been thousands of authors before you. If you are struggling, read one of them. Reading with intention, focus on how the author has put the story together, and it may teach you a trick or two.

Keep going

I am a firm believer that talent only takes you so far. Writing is a craft and just like anything else, you have to work to improve. The year I published the most stories, was also the year I wrote the most stories.

I followed Ray Bradbury’s advice: “Write a short story every week. It’s not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.” For every bad story, there is a usable one and with a little polish, you create something that is ready for submission.

Keep notes

No, you won’t remember the interaction you’ve just seen. One of my writing professors, prof Franci Greyling, advised us to keep a writing journal. I tend to use mine as a time capsule, writing highlights of my days, or noting down things that catch my eye or mind.

Secondly, I tend to have Tuesday check-ins with one of my friends. It’s just us messaging each other on a Tuesday morning to explain what happened the previous week so that we keep up with each other’s lives. I have found that it taught me to notice the things that evoke emotions within me. So, I use it in my writing.

Vrydagaand

Every author I know has their own routine and while mine is still evolving, these tips are my foundation for creating short stories. I hope it also helps you. 

Review: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

I met Tweet Cute by Emma Lord on a recommended list in February of this year, and I was never so happy about an introduction. What a book!

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming – mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down: one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese – that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life – on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

 As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate – people on the internet are shipping them?? – their battle gets more and more personal until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

I loved Pepper since I sat with her behind her computer and worked to rewrite her Great Expectations essay. Feeling like an outsider, Pepper works hard to be top of her class, even if she is unsure about what she wants to study.

Attending an elite school, the Blair Waldorf Gossip Girls type turns her into a sleep-deprived, high-strung reck who is barely keeping her life together. Add to it, her sister and mother’s beef, and her mother’s expectation that she help with the family business.  

Then there is Jack, who is seen as the class clown and the lesser perfect twin. He loves coding, his family, and his family business, but also wants to choose his own path. Something his father seems to discourage at every opportunity – expecting Jack to take over their family deli from him one day.

Jack and Pepper also manage their family businesses’ Twitter accounts and get into a Twitter war when it seems that Pepper’s family business, Big League Burger, seems to copy Jack’s grandmother’s family grilled cheese recipe.

Pepper and Jack also chat on an app he designed where people get to know each other anonymously until the app chooses to reveal your identity. He has of course rigged his conversation with Pepper so that their identities can’t be revealed.

I loved most aspects of this book. The characters felt very real and authentic, and I loved both of them. Jack challenges Pepper to move outside her comfort zone, sometimes literally. I also loved Pepper and her sister’s blog and recipes (I would eat each of everything if I could).

I didn’t like Pepper’s mother, even if I understood her later in the book. She is very self-involved and negligent of Pepper, in my opinion. Her expectation that BLB takes precedent over everything else in Pepper’s life, is maddening. Instead of helping Pepper with her impending burnout, she seems to not notice it and when she grounds her daughter, the motives seem muddy. 

Pepper and Jack’s friendship was very pure and fun – the banter made me laugh aloud. This is a book I would recommend to everyone – it is just so fun! 

Video: Admin day in my life

Hello to sister content

I recently wrote a post about my mind shift from the creative to the business side of writing. The inspiration for that post was a day in my life video – author admin edition.

On one of my off days, I tried to get my docs in a row. I needed to plan and create content for my blog, plan my social media content for two weeks (I really need to do that again), claim my books and profile on GoodReads, and get my documents certified to receive the payment for one of my recently published short stories.

I took you along! Hope you enjoy it! 

@cliffordene

It’s not just sitting behind a laptop! Come with me – taking care of the admin side of writing: claiming my GoodReads account, getting my docs in a row, and updating my website: https://cliffordenenorton.home.blog/ #DayInTheLife #DayInTheLifeOfAnAuthor #Authorlife #Writinglife #YAAuthor #Writing #Writinglife #WritingVlog #MiniVlog #WritersOfTikTok

♬ While We’re Young – Jhené Aiko