Rhi Etzweiler's Blog, page 6
January 30, 2013
A Whisper of Spring, and Other Things
The sun was actually out the other day.
Not in that dreary-gray winter sky overcast sort of way, but like that new neighbor who seems fascinating and friendly at first and quickly becomes annoying with the late partying and still managing to be up at the ass-crack of dawn on your days off. As though the sun's giving fair warning that we'll be sick to death of it in six months.
However, it's winter right now (though the thermometer totally had me fooled today) and so when the sun was out, I opened all the curtains and let it come streaming through the living room window.
I was not the sole beneficiary.
Because it seems as though my wonderful writing mascot, Iron Mike, has developed some decidedly feline tendencies.
I mean, yesterday I surprised him when I came home from work at an abnormal time. Surprised him so badly that he fell out of his bed into his food bowl, and scattered dry dog food across the kitchen floor. How'd he manage that? Well, his bed might actually be a gigantic dog pillow stuffed into an Adirondack chair. He might actually sleep on his back with his legs in the air, too. So falling out of bed is not unheard of.
The pool of sunshine was definitely less of a mess to clean up. I can only hope we get more before March... Sunshine, not dog food. Jeez.
Though to be fair, despite the fact that it took him until the age of six to stop acting like a puppy, he's finally starting to get old and I can absolutely sympathize with the relaxing quality of radiant sunshine. He also hangs out over the heat vents all winter long, too.
Someone once informed me that my lovely companion has no idea how to be a dog. To which I retorted, "that's fine, because he isn't, not really."
No, Mike would never be able to survive on his own in the wild if civilization as we know it came to a screeching halt. (Few of us humans can claim that ability, though, so the lack is hardly concerning.) He wouldn't be able to interact with other dogs very successfully either, I don't think--but that's fine, because he and I are pack, and I'm not a dog. He doesn't need canine interaction skills, but human ones--and he's developed them in spades. He doesn't have voice commands or formal obedience training, but he doesn't need it. He's always been responsive to my communication, voice fluctuations, body language and gestures. They're a language he's learned to speak fluently enough.
He's become a great source of research material for my writing. Animal behavior, the power of instincts, nonverbal communication, interspecies relationships, and a host of other subjects as well. Okay, yep, probably too many psychology electives in my post-secondary education, but whatever.
Oh yeah, I got sidetracked and forgot why I'd meant to make a blogpost in the first place.
Blog dates and locations for Fragile Bond's promo tour are up over on my website. I should be writing blogposts for it. So I'll get back to that now that I've rambled about my writing mascot as a means of procrastination.
Spring cannot get here fast enough. I'd love more sixty-degree weather, myself.
Not in that dreary-gray winter sky overcast sort of way, but like that new neighbor who seems fascinating and friendly at first and quickly becomes annoying with the late partying and still managing to be up at the ass-crack of dawn on your days off. As though the sun's giving fair warning that we'll be sick to death of it in six months.
However, it's winter right now (though the thermometer totally had me fooled today) and so when the sun was out, I opened all the curtains and let it come streaming through the living room window.
I was not the sole beneficiary.
Because it seems as though my wonderful writing mascot, Iron Mike, has developed some decidedly feline tendencies.
I mean, yesterday I surprised him when I came home from work at an abnormal time. Surprised him so badly that he fell out of his bed into his food bowl, and scattered dry dog food across the kitchen floor. How'd he manage that? Well, his bed might actually be a gigantic dog pillow stuffed into an Adirondack chair. He might actually sleep on his back with his legs in the air, too. So falling out of bed is not unheard of.
The pool of sunshine was definitely less of a mess to clean up. I can only hope we get more before March... Sunshine, not dog food. Jeez.
Though to be fair, despite the fact that it took him until the age of six to stop acting like a puppy, he's finally starting to get old and I can absolutely sympathize with the relaxing quality of radiant sunshine. He also hangs out over the heat vents all winter long, too.
Someone once informed me that my lovely companion has no idea how to be a dog. To which I retorted, "that's fine, because he isn't, not really."
No, Mike would never be able to survive on his own in the wild if civilization as we know it came to a screeching halt. (Few of us humans can claim that ability, though, so the lack is hardly concerning.) He wouldn't be able to interact with other dogs very successfully either, I don't think--but that's fine, because he and I are pack, and I'm not a dog. He doesn't need canine interaction skills, but human ones--and he's developed them in spades. He doesn't have voice commands or formal obedience training, but he doesn't need it. He's always been responsive to my communication, voice fluctuations, body language and gestures. They're a language he's learned to speak fluently enough.
He's become a great source of research material for my writing. Animal behavior, the power of instincts, nonverbal communication, interspecies relationships, and a host of other subjects as well. Okay, yep, probably too many psychology electives in my post-secondary education, but whatever.
Oh yeah, I got sidetracked and forgot why I'd meant to make a blogpost in the first place.
Blog dates and locations for Fragile Bond's promo tour are up over on my website. I should be writing blogposts for it. So I'll get back to that now that I've rambled about my writing mascot as a means of procrastination.
Spring cannot get here fast enough. I'd love more sixty-degree weather, myself.
January 1, 2013
Bronze Beaus and Bonds
The holidays and I have had a hardcore love/hate relationship for many years, so I tend to stay low-key from All Hallow's Eve through the beginning of the year. Sometimes it strikes an ennui in me that causes a creative lag. Not this time.
It seems I've surrounded myself with enough protective energy and positive thoughts to ward off the worst of it.
This beauty here is part of that! No, I didn't even wait until Yule to open my present, either. (Rhi must really learn to turn the date-stamp off on the camera so that it's easier to falsify improprieties such as this.)
Bronze Dragonscale
It's always a struggle for me to find pieces of jewelry I'll willingly wear. Naturally, this means the probability of finding things I don't ever want to take off is virtually negligible.
Yeah well...I'm totally besotted. Meet my new beau; the dragonscale is inextricably adhered to my wrist. I'm even sleeping with it on.
I've always preferred silver over gold, but have recently found that copper and bronze resonate even more strongly with me. I was rather curious as to why this instinctual skewing was taking place... so I went digging and found some intriguing information about copper, and as an alloy offshoot, bronze:
On a physiological level, copper promotes the absorption of iron, a deficiency I struggle with constantly. My I Ching coin bracelet left a fist-sized bruise on my inner forearm not so long ago, for instance... because I slept on it wrong, I'm guessing. So you can imagine that this benefit alone would drive a subliminal craving to have copper against my skin. But the influence of this metal goes beyond that: it increases dream activity, develops creative imagination and dissolves confusion. It creates neutrality and balances moods, promotes free emotional expression.
Tin controls the sense of taste and harmonizes the nervous system; this latter is an aspect I find especially important since the contrast of my day job and moonlighting as a writer means I have to switch gears from left brain to right brain on a regular basis multiple times a day. It helps transform emotions into concrete form, and also has inspiring effects--encouraging the development of inner talents and abilities. [I found all this, and some other interesting reading, here.]
So, yep, my copper and bronze bracelets and cuff just became a permanent fixture on my body. As though they haven't been for the past few weeks, already.
In other happy announcements with which to ring in the Year of the Snake (unofficially, since the Chinese New Year isn't until February 10th) my boys are slotted for release on February 18th. What a way to ring in the official new year, and a celebratory birthday present from me to all of you! Yep, Hamm and Marc are coming your way! (Gratuitous cover art under the cut, along with a run-down on plans for the rest of the year, bloody fuck I'm rambling again...)
Read more »
It seems I've surrounded myself with enough protective energy and positive thoughts to ward off the worst of it.
This beauty here is part of that! No, I didn't even wait until Yule to open my present, either. (Rhi must really learn to turn the date-stamp off on the camera so that it's easier to falsify improprieties such as this.)
Bronze Dragonscale
It's always a struggle for me to find pieces of jewelry I'll willingly wear. Naturally, this means the probability of finding things I don't ever want to take off is virtually negligible.
Yeah well...I'm totally besotted. Meet my new beau; the dragonscale is inextricably adhered to my wrist. I'm even sleeping with it on.
I've always preferred silver over gold, but have recently found that copper and bronze resonate even more strongly with me. I was rather curious as to why this instinctual skewing was taking place... so I went digging and found some intriguing information about copper, and as an alloy offshoot, bronze:
On a physiological level, copper promotes the absorption of iron, a deficiency I struggle with constantly. My I Ching coin bracelet left a fist-sized bruise on my inner forearm not so long ago, for instance... because I slept on it wrong, I'm guessing. So you can imagine that this benefit alone would drive a subliminal craving to have copper against my skin. But the influence of this metal goes beyond that: it increases dream activity, develops creative imagination and dissolves confusion. It creates neutrality and balances moods, promotes free emotional expression.
Tin controls the sense of taste and harmonizes the nervous system; this latter is an aspect I find especially important since the contrast of my day job and moonlighting as a writer means I have to switch gears from left brain to right brain on a regular basis multiple times a day. It helps transform emotions into concrete form, and also has inspiring effects--encouraging the development of inner talents and abilities. [I found all this, and some other interesting reading, here.]
So, yep, my copper and bronze bracelets and cuff just became a permanent fixture on my body. As though they haven't been for the past few weeks, already.
In other happy announcements with which to ring in the Year of the Snake (unofficially, since the Chinese New Year isn't until February 10th) my boys are slotted for release on February 18th. What a way to ring in the official new year, and a celebratory birthday present from me to all of you! Yep, Hamm and Marc are coming your way! (Gratuitous cover art under the cut, along with a run-down on plans for the rest of the year, bloody fuck I'm rambling again...)
Read more »
November 13, 2012
WIP Wonders Never Cease
I have been trying to stay unplugged today.
My writing related efforts have been limited to WIP research in the form of a series of tarot spreads that demanded exhaustive interpretation. Not that it was much of a demand; I looked at the cards and the meaning just flowed from me onto the pages, fitting into the characters and their situation and struggles as easily as though I'd deliberately chosen which cards went where. It's going to fill the last pages in the first giveaway notebook, and begin the second with another.
Fang & Fire, Animal & Element
I'm saving a blank page at the end to write a personalized note to whomever the recipient ends up being. This journal is very much a collection of tarot spreads, interpretations, discussions of the finer points of the main characters, exploration into their deeper motivations, and a smattering of raw, unedited prose -- scenes that may or may not end up in the final version of the novel when it's published. Plus a few random snippets of descriptions and lines of dialogue, standing alone without reference or orientation.
Outcome and Avatar, The Moon on Water & The Journey
A story forged from tarot cards was birthed on these pages. I truly hope readers find both as much enjoyment in it, and characters with whom they can sympathize and relate, as I have while creating them and following their journey along the labyrinth. It's been a joy getting to know these two main characters intimately as I did each tarot spread for them, listening to what they thought the cards were saying, and how they chose to employ the wisdom found.
And like anything else, the end of this story won't be the end of their journey, but a rest-stop. The Moon on Water is the still point of potential; they'll have other stories to tell and a hundred other adventures. I wonder if they'll let me tag along when this one's done...
Mind you, this one isn't quite done being written just yet.
My writing related efforts have been limited to WIP research in the form of a series of tarot spreads that demanded exhaustive interpretation. Not that it was much of a demand; I looked at the cards and the meaning just flowed from me onto the pages, fitting into the characters and their situation and struggles as easily as though I'd deliberately chosen which cards went where. It's going to fill the last pages in the first giveaway notebook, and begin the second with another.
Fang & Fire, Animal & Element
I'm saving a blank page at the end to write a personalized note to whomever the recipient ends up being. This journal is very much a collection of tarot spreads, interpretations, discussions of the finer points of the main characters, exploration into their deeper motivations, and a smattering of raw, unedited prose -- scenes that may or may not end up in the final version of the novel when it's published. Plus a few random snippets of descriptions and lines of dialogue, standing alone without reference or orientation.
Outcome and Avatar, The Moon on Water & The Journey
A story forged from tarot cards was birthed on these pages. I truly hope readers find both as much enjoyment in it, and characters with whom they can sympathize and relate, as I have while creating them and following their journey along the labyrinth. It's been a joy getting to know these two main characters intimately as I did each tarot spread for them, listening to what they thought the cards were saying, and how they chose to employ the wisdom found.
And like anything else, the end of this story won't be the end of their journey, but a rest-stop. The Moon on Water is the still point of potential; they'll have other stories to tell and a hundred other adventures. I wonder if they'll let me tag along when this one's done...
Mind you, this one isn't quite done being written just yet.
November 9, 2012
The Writer's Process: Losing Sense & Increasing Sensitivity
One of the things I've learned to do as a writer is to make use of all the various senses while using descriptive prose. It drags the reader in completely, lets them submerse and engage.
I've also toyed with, in certain scenes--specifically in "Blacker Than Black"--leaving out the engagement of a specific sense for a reason. It's a short sequence, and I recall a discussion with the editor who felt the need for there to be some type of description of visual cues to ground the reader.
"No," I responded. "The narrator's eyes are closed."
Read more »
I've also toyed with, in certain scenes--specifically in "Blacker Than Black"--leaving out the engagement of a specific sense for a reason. It's a short sequence, and I recall a discussion with the editor who felt the need for there to be some type of description of visual cues to ground the reader.
"No," I responded. "The narrator's eyes are closed."
Read more »
November 4, 2012
The Writer's Process: Mapping Out An Emotional Journey
I spent a good chunk of my meal hour at the day job writing out a scene in the latter half of my WIP. The MC has begun feeling detached and withdrawn, at least emotionally. It could be that Zhar comes to life a little more in the process of rewriting from my notes.
But something felt... not exactly off, I guess. Given events thus far, I don't think I would fault my MC for being slightly detached or emotionally withdrawn. But I needed some clarity and some structure to what is going on.
So, since I did spreads at the beginning, I decided it was only fitting to do another this evening.
This time I used a layout spread called "The Bow" to help me get a feel for the main character's emotional journey throughout the second half of the story. Not because I don't know where things are going, but because I wanted to pinpoint the things that need focus in order to maintain authenticity, to keep the reader engaged. Not that I don't know, but my knowledge tends to remain internalized and intuitive, and this was intended to help me get it out where I could see it.
I really would rather not write blind. It's far from pleasant. Much like a dental exam or tooth extraction.
The Bow Spread
The Target, at the far right and represents the significator, in this case the issue and what it's about.
The Bow, in the very center in the above illustration. It indicates the focal point, the heart of the situation.
The Conscious Limb, the upper arm of the weapon. It is the analytical process at work.
The Spiritual Limb, the lower arm. It embodies the emotional elements present in the reading, what the character feels about the situation.
The String, the second card from the left. It is the energy or momentum of the situation.
The Fletchings is the point of balance, guiding the solution.
The Arrowhead, the card touched by the tip of arrow in the above illustration. It represents the intent which, aimed at the problem, is the means by which the individual may come to terms with the issue. Indicates the outcome.
This isn't a layout I do very often, but it seemed suited to the situation in the story and fit the characters. So I went with it. And here's what I got. (Yes, this will be in the notebook. Along with long-winded details that I won't bore you with here!)
Zhar's Emotional Journey
The Journey (13) - the dance of death, purification by fire, facing the inevitable.
The Guardian (15) - a complex challenge/opportunity has presented itself; take control of fears and manage insecurity with courage and integrity.
The Blasted Oak (16) - curative destruction, clean break, rising from the ashes of destruction.
Six of Stones, Exploitation - selfish or foolish overuse of nonsustainable resources, an imbalance that is damaging to self and environment (whether that's other individuals, physical world, etc.).
Eight of Stones, Skill - intense concentration and dedication, self-discipline.
Seven of Stones, Healing - inner rest and rejuvenation, self-forgiveness.
Two of Vessels, Attraction - polaric bond, opposition and attraction; the potential that creates the foundation of deep and lasting attraction.
And... Yep. I swear I didn't rig this. Shuffled thrice, cut once, and dealt. Just like I always do.
I'll be spending the greater part of the morning working through the implications and nuances of this reading before I dive back into the heavy lifting involved in writing the second half. Partly because I want to be completely in tune with Zhar on an emotional level, and partly because I'm heading off to the local library for a little unplugged one-on-one "write-out" session for a few hours on Monday afternoon. Here's hoping it keeps me focused. Here's hoping I don't twitch at the lack of music!
But something felt... not exactly off, I guess. Given events thus far, I don't think I would fault my MC for being slightly detached or emotionally withdrawn. But I needed some clarity and some structure to what is going on.
So, since I did spreads at the beginning, I decided it was only fitting to do another this evening.
This time I used a layout spread called "The Bow" to help me get a feel for the main character's emotional journey throughout the second half of the story. Not because I don't know where things are going, but because I wanted to pinpoint the things that need focus in order to maintain authenticity, to keep the reader engaged. Not that I don't know, but my knowledge tends to remain internalized and intuitive, and this was intended to help me get it out where I could see it.
I really would rather not write blind. It's far from pleasant. Much like a dental exam or tooth extraction.
The Bow Spread
The Target, at the far right and represents the significator, in this case the issue and what it's about.
The Bow, in the very center in the above illustration. It indicates the focal point, the heart of the situation.
The Conscious Limb, the upper arm of the weapon. It is the analytical process at work.
The Spiritual Limb, the lower arm. It embodies the emotional elements present in the reading, what the character feels about the situation.
The String, the second card from the left. It is the energy or momentum of the situation.
The Fletchings is the point of balance, guiding the solution.
The Arrowhead, the card touched by the tip of arrow in the above illustration. It represents the intent which, aimed at the problem, is the means by which the individual may come to terms with the issue. Indicates the outcome.
This isn't a layout I do very often, but it seemed suited to the situation in the story and fit the characters. So I went with it. And here's what I got. (Yes, this will be in the notebook. Along with long-winded details that I won't bore you with here!)
Zhar's Emotional Journey
The Journey (13) - the dance of death, purification by fire, facing the inevitable.
The Guardian (15) - a complex challenge/opportunity has presented itself; take control of fears and manage insecurity with courage and integrity.
The Blasted Oak (16) - curative destruction, clean break, rising from the ashes of destruction.
Six of Stones, Exploitation - selfish or foolish overuse of nonsustainable resources, an imbalance that is damaging to self and environment (whether that's other individuals, physical world, etc.).
Eight of Stones, Skill - intense concentration and dedication, self-discipline.
Seven of Stones, Healing - inner rest and rejuvenation, self-forgiveness.
Two of Vessels, Attraction - polaric bond, opposition and attraction; the potential that creates the foundation of deep and lasting attraction.
And... Yep. I swear I didn't rig this. Shuffled thrice, cut once, and dealt. Just like I always do.
I'll be spending the greater part of the morning working through the implications and nuances of this reading before I dive back into the heavy lifting involved in writing the second half. Partly because I want to be completely in tune with Zhar on an emotional level, and partly because I'm heading off to the local library for a little unplugged one-on-one "write-out" session for a few hours on Monday afternoon. Here's hoping it keeps me focused. Here's hoping I don't twitch at the lack of music!
November 2, 2012
The Writer's Process: Goals and Deadlines and Nano, Oh My!
No, I'm not doing Nano.
Not really.
Okay, well, maybe I sort of am.
But it's not like I'm going to hit 50k for the month. That hasn't happened in a long while.
I am, however, not at all above shamelessly using the deadline to churn out the second half of the WIP on my desk. It's still not hit 50k yet, hovering just below that point. I'm not entirely certain what the final wordcount on it will be. Not 100k ...I don't think. One way or another, though, my goal is to have a complete first draft to edit and polish in December.
For me, Nano stopped being about wordcounts a few years back. It evolved into a concept of setting a goal for myself for the month, and then reaching it. Regardless of what it is. November is probably the only month that I actually engage in this sort of structure. Mostly because attempting to force the structure of a solid story doesn't have a very nice outcome for me. I've been sitting on the same scene for a week now with the WIP because I couldn't come to terms with the direction I saw it going. My subconscious was whispering one thing, and my conscious was thoroughly at odds with subjecting the characters to that level of distress.
Read more »
Not really.
Okay, well, maybe I sort of am.
But it's not like I'm going to hit 50k for the month. That hasn't happened in a long while.
I am, however, not at all above shamelessly using the deadline to churn out the second half of the WIP on my desk. It's still not hit 50k yet, hovering just below that point. I'm not entirely certain what the final wordcount on it will be. Not 100k ...I don't think. One way or another, though, my goal is to have a complete first draft to edit and polish in December.
For me, Nano stopped being about wordcounts a few years back. It evolved into a concept of setting a goal for myself for the month, and then reaching it. Regardless of what it is. November is probably the only month that I actually engage in this sort of structure. Mostly because attempting to force the structure of a solid story doesn't have a very nice outcome for me. I've been sitting on the same scene for a week now with the WIP because I couldn't come to terms with the direction I saw it going. My subconscious was whispering one thing, and my conscious was thoroughly at odds with subjecting the characters to that level of distress.
Read more »
October 18, 2012
The Writer's Process: Learning Curves Like Kentucky Hills
I spent a handful of my formative years in Kentucky. Rolling hills lush and green, thick with wildlife and the endless white fences of horse farms.
And beneath those hills, I also learned, lurked some of the most majestic limestone caverns in the world. Frozen Niagara is a sight everyone should get to experience once. (I'll be geeky for a moment; Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world. There's a photo gallery there.)
Read more »
And beneath those hills, I also learned, lurked some of the most majestic limestone caverns in the world. Frozen Niagara is a sight everyone should get to experience once. (I'll be geeky for a moment; Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world. There's a photo gallery there.)
Read more »
October 11, 2012
The Writer's Process: Totally Pantsing It
So... update!
Ah, this feels so strange.
I've only been working on this WIP for, what, five weeks? (I suck at updating regularly, and it shows.)
And while I haven't hit 50k yet, which would be like a NaNoWriMo all on my own and would be all kinds of impressive, it's sitting at 36k and feels like it might be the halfway point.
Alas, alack, I really have no idea. But I've written roughly 10k in the week of vacation time I've had from the day job. For me, that's better than a good solid pace. Usually it goes slower than that. I even had some lagtime in there where absolutely nothing happened for a few days. I've tried pushing before, nothing good comes of it. Whatever I push ends up needing hacked and reworked. I've learned to let things stew until they feel right. It's what works for me.
At best, I've only a tenuous and vague notion of where this is going and what will happen next. But then, that's a fitting description for how this entire story has gone thus far, so I'm trying not to be too terribly nervous about it. I made a skeletal plot sketch back at the beginning of September when I started, and the lads haven't entirely veered off course yet, so there's still hope for me to make a strong finish with this and wrap it up by the end of November.
I refuse to let another Mercury In Retrograde put me in an artistic funk. It will not happen, damn it.
The drawback here? At the rate I'm going, I'll only use a single notebook for the longhand portions of this story. I haven't even managed to fill this one to the halfway point yet.
If it means I only have one notebook to give away this time, I'll just have to use the other two for other stories. Sequels, perhaps. Which is increasingly plausible, because I stumbled into Z's family in this last scene, and the entire clan is grinning at The Writer and waving their stories under my nose.
This makes me want to cry or something.
One at a time y'all. My gods. Now I have to come up with a series title as well as one for this book? Guys! You're killing me.
Apparently the notice about me sucking at titles got lost somewhere.
Ah, this feels so strange.
I've only been working on this WIP for, what, five weeks? (I suck at updating regularly, and it shows.)
And while I haven't hit 50k yet, which would be like a NaNoWriMo all on my own and would be all kinds of impressive, it's sitting at 36k and feels like it might be the halfway point.
Alas, alack, I really have no idea. But I've written roughly 10k in the week of vacation time I've had from the day job. For me, that's better than a good solid pace. Usually it goes slower than that. I even had some lagtime in there where absolutely nothing happened for a few days. I've tried pushing before, nothing good comes of it. Whatever I push ends up needing hacked and reworked. I've learned to let things stew until they feel right. It's what works for me.
At best, I've only a tenuous and vague notion of where this is going and what will happen next. But then, that's a fitting description for how this entire story has gone thus far, so I'm trying not to be too terribly nervous about it. I made a skeletal plot sketch back at the beginning of September when I started, and the lads haven't entirely veered off course yet, so there's still hope for me to make a strong finish with this and wrap it up by the end of November.
I refuse to let another Mercury In Retrograde put me in an artistic funk. It will not happen, damn it.
The drawback here? At the rate I'm going, I'll only use a single notebook for the longhand portions of this story. I haven't even managed to fill this one to the halfway point yet.
If it means I only have one notebook to give away this time, I'll just have to use the other two for other stories. Sequels, perhaps. Which is increasingly plausible, because I stumbled into Z's family in this last scene, and the entire clan is grinning at The Writer and waving their stories under my nose.
This makes me want to cry or something.
One at a time y'all. My gods. Now I have to come up with a series title as well as one for this book? Guys! You're killing me.
Apparently the notice about me sucking at titles got lost somewhere.
September 20, 2012
The Writer's Process: Intuition & Art
I have a number of "tools" I use to focus my energies on developing the plot and characters of a story arc.
Scrivener is one of them. I honestly don't know where I would be without it--no, that's a lie. I'd still be one clusterfuck of a disorganized writer who trembled in fear at the thought of forming an outline.
Not that I really "form" one in advance of writing. But I get a general concept in my head, and though it is often too ethereal to go down on paper or screen, it's there and Scrivener is great for creating a visual of the outline forming as I write. I am learning to see where I need to pick up the pace, and where I can spend some time drawing things out.
[Side note to any of my betas who are reading this (ahem, especially you, sis, since you dabble in tarot): please do not freak out or hyperventilate.]
Read more »
Scrivener is one of them. I honestly don't know where I would be without it--no, that's a lie. I'd still be one clusterfuck of a disorganized writer who trembled in fear at the thought of forming an outline.
Not that I really "form" one in advance of writing. But I get a general concept in my head, and though it is often too ethereal to go down on paper or screen, it's there and Scrivener is great for creating a visual of the outline forming as I write. I am learning to see where I need to pick up the pace, and where I can spend some time drawing things out.
[Side note to any of my betas who are reading this (ahem, especially you, sis, since you dabble in tarot): please do not freak out or hyperventilate.]
Read more »
September 13, 2012
The Writer's Process: A WIP is Born.
I've been sneaking around a great deal lately, under the radar and such.
I blame my betas.
In the general course of perving #soldierporn on Tumblr around the beginning of September, I stumbled upon an inspiring photograph. While it's one I've seen before, my admiration for it has many layers. Mostly for the body language of the individuals who are the focal point. The communication taking place is decidedly...intimate, although that's not unusual for military types and even less so for battle buddies.
I don't have a source or credit line for this photograph. I reblogged it on Tumblr with the simple caption of ....
[Body Language.]
There is undeniably a great deal of that going on there.
Certainly a story wanting told.
Or a few, because the story that *I* have pulled out of this photograph has been rather loosely translated and thoroughly removed from the assumptions one would make looking at it.
On a seemingly unrelated note, I finally ran out of space in my Moleskine notebook. It took six months to fill, and it's crammed with scrawled notes of about five different stories. I went shopping for some notebooks. Picked up a couple replacements, but also nabbed a set of three thinner ones, eighty pages each.
Their covers screamed for Sharpie markers. I had difficulty getting a clean shot without the matte surface refracting a glare, for some reason.
WIP: Fang & Fire
Not to get ahead of myself since the notebooks are still completely blank on the inside...but these three thinner ones will have nothing in them but notes and scribbles and doodles for this one story. Nothing else. We'll see if I actually use all three, but from what I've outlined of the plot thus far, they should fill up rather swiftly. My day job means that I often find myself fleshing out scenes in longhand and transferring them to Scrivener in marathon sessions. It's the front line editing process, you could say. Going from raw stream of consciousness writing, to the "rough" prose of the first draft.
And once this project is finished and off my desk, I have every intention of sacrificing these now "one of a kind" beauties for a promo release giveaway. A little piece of the process, and the art, that few ever get to see. Little bits and pieces that are shaved away, remolded, or discarded in the journey to the final product.
Although I have become increasingly averse to sharing intimate details of plot, characters, and world-building on public venues over the past couple years, don't worry-- I'll be sharing the process. And maybe even some shots of the pages as I fill them. My handwriting varies widely depending on my energy level and artistic focus. The font I use ranges from Typewriter to Prescription Scrawl.
So there you have it: a WIP is born.
Who knows, maybe the final cover of the published book will have the same title and artwork.
I blame my betas.
In the general course of perving #soldierporn on Tumblr around the beginning of September, I stumbled upon an inspiring photograph. While it's one I've seen before, my admiration for it has many layers. Mostly for the body language of the individuals who are the focal point. The communication taking place is decidedly...intimate, although that's not unusual for military types and even less so for battle buddies.
I don't have a source or credit line for this photograph. I reblogged it on Tumblr with the simple caption of ....
[Body Language.]
There is undeniably a great deal of that going on there.
Certainly a story wanting told.
Or a few, because the story that *I* have pulled out of this photograph has been rather loosely translated and thoroughly removed from the assumptions one would make looking at it.
On a seemingly unrelated note, I finally ran out of space in my Moleskine notebook. It took six months to fill, and it's crammed with scrawled notes of about five different stories. I went shopping for some notebooks. Picked up a couple replacements, but also nabbed a set of three thinner ones, eighty pages each.
Their covers screamed for Sharpie markers. I had difficulty getting a clean shot without the matte surface refracting a glare, for some reason.
WIP: Fang & Fire
Not to get ahead of myself since the notebooks are still completely blank on the inside...but these three thinner ones will have nothing in them but notes and scribbles and doodles for this one story. Nothing else. We'll see if I actually use all three, but from what I've outlined of the plot thus far, they should fill up rather swiftly. My day job means that I often find myself fleshing out scenes in longhand and transferring them to Scrivener in marathon sessions. It's the front line editing process, you could say. Going from raw stream of consciousness writing, to the "rough" prose of the first draft.
And once this project is finished and off my desk, I have every intention of sacrificing these now "one of a kind" beauties for a promo release giveaway. A little piece of the process, and the art, that few ever get to see. Little bits and pieces that are shaved away, remolded, or discarded in the journey to the final product.
Although I have become increasingly averse to sharing intimate details of plot, characters, and world-building on public venues over the past couple years, don't worry-- I'll be sharing the process. And maybe even some shots of the pages as I fill them. My handwriting varies widely depending on my energy level and artistic focus. The font I use ranges from Typewriter to Prescription Scrawl.
So there you have it: a WIP is born.
Who knows, maybe the final cover of the published book will have the same title and artwork.
