Kiri Callaghan's Blog, page 5
November 2, 2018
November 1, 2018
Setting Up & Setting The Scene! - Ink & Stardust
October 30, 2018
Writing Outlines! - Ink & Stardust
An outline is an often daunting thing for writers. We’re scattered and disorganized, we take a strange amount of pride in our spontaneity and for some reason we treat art like some people view magic–if there is a method to it, if there are explainable things, it becomes science and when you understand it, it loses something.
Let me joyfully and eagerly tell you that this is absolute and utter lies.
Science IS magic, and even if I were to delve into my most hippie-dippie pagan green-witch self, I would still tell you there are methods to spells and prayers.
And that they are still beautiful and wonderful all the same.
Alys started with an outline. A rather detailed one. And I retooled it many times. Does knowing that make it any less enjoyable? I would hope not, that’d be rather silly.
“But Kiri, I’m not a real writer, I can’t do an outline–”
Shhh, little traveler. Shh. You are.
Let’s start right there. You. Are. A. Writer.
Do you write? Do you enjoy writing?
Bam. Writer.
That’s all it takes. I know that’s bewildering and seems like a snake oil, but I promise you friend, it’s true.
So, again, let’s get back to outlines.
Outlines are going to be your map. But the thing to remember is this is a map of your making. And you may find you will have to add to it or correct it along the way. And just because you HAVE a map, does not mean you don’t have the license to wander. In fact, you’ll find you’re more inclined to explore because you HAVE that map. You know where you’ve been, where you’re going or where you’re likely to go.
Alys started with a very bare bones outline. Here’s what I knew:
Charlie and Queen Aislynn die, one by suicide, one by murder
Nightmare takes over Terra Mirum
Alys ends up in Terra Mirum
Alys saves Terra Mirum and in turn, Terra Mirum saves her (get her through Charlie’s death)
This might not seem like a particularly detailed outline. And it’s not. That’s really more a concept of what I wanted to write. I didn’t really know how it was going to end or how I was going to get there, it was just my initial idea and concept sketched out into very simple terms.
So how does this help? Because now I’ve got my basic map. I know essentially somewhere over there, there’s mountains, and somewhere over here there are forests, a beach and an ocean. I have a rough and basic idea of the fictional topography. Follow me so far? So once I had that, I could start to explore and chart a better map. Which meant sitting down with my laptop, a cup of tea, and no distractions. For me this tended to mean a coffee shop. For you this may mean your room. Be HONEST with yourself. Where are you NOT distracted? Do you need to do this on pen and paper instead of your laptop/computer?
Charlie and Queen Aislynn die, one by suicide, one by murder
Let’s break this one into two different sections because while they will be related, for now they have an effect on separate things.
Charlie’s Death causes a chain reaction of events in his world. So I thought long and hard about who that would have an effect on.
*Alys, our protagonist, would be shattered. This is her car crash moment. She is thrown into the stages of grief. She has to confirm the truth for herself. She no longer has a reason to stay in Appleweed. She has a very pressing reason to LEAVE Appleweed, even.
*His family – His abusive father and his abused mother – How does this change them? Charles Sr. is not a man prone to sentiment and would busy himself about with the business of death. This gets him out of the house for when Alys barges in. Karen, would be home, Karen is broken, Karen will be there to provide Alys with any exposition needed to send Alys further forward–The note. The only thing he left, an incredibly unsatisfactory note. This leaves both women wanting for closure, but taking very different routes, one giving in to her feelings, the other pushing them further down.
*This catalyst of emotion sends Alys back to her home where she is reminded of why she wanted to leave Appleweed, she is reminiscing which is painful, she wants to avoid the pain and so she decides to busy herself with a task she sees as more important: Telling Brian what happened in person. This means leaving Appleweed abruptly, leaving behind everything that reminded her of Charlie, putting her on the road in a barely functioning car.
Aislynn’s Murder
*The Nightmare Queen takes over the castle, she has possessed the guards, she is turning Dreams right and left.
*I have one character who is ‘immune’ to Nightmare corruption – Robin. Robin would be able to get her husband out of the castle safely before it was too late. She would also be seen as a lower priority to Oswin (Prince) and therefore would have more time to slip away unnoticed.
*Oswin is captured. Yes, he could be turned, but it would be more effective to have him executed publicly. This buys us time. Oswin is infected briefly but he is able to fight it.
*Robin brings her brother (also immune) and her former comrade, Smoke (Also immune) knowing they are the only ones able to really save Oswin and bring him to safety.
*Smoke breaks Oswin out, using the Coleridge clock, he is sent to the other side safely to be picked up at a later time safely away from the castle.
*In Oswin’s journey from mirror to train tunnel, he runs into Alys, thus running her accidentally off the road, causing her car to be totaled and her to be stranded in the train tunnel, where the train is set to pick up Oswin.
Now some of this outline (which admittedly I am recreating from memory because I wrote it by hand and goodness knows where that is, years later) is information you did not have even though you read the book. Which is because I didn’t write all of it into the novel itself–but I knew it. It informed the actions of characters from that moment moving forward.
Now, I’m not saying you have to do that from the start, that would be rather intimidating. But the thing to remember is an outline is essentially writing a very barebones, no need to worry about how it’s written, summary of your story that touches on the major points of interest.
Character A is given a magical item. What are their options to do with it? Examine them
They could toss it over their shoulder and forget about it.
They will have to retrieve it later.
Will they have to search somewhere threatening?
Are they racing to find it before something else?
It could fall into the wrong hands
Will this be used against them?
Will they be able to get it back?
It could fall into an ally’s hands
This ally will unknowingly use it to save the hero’s behind later
It could be lost forever, thus making their journey 10x harder later.
They could fully believe in its magic
Start experimenting with it
Risk discovery
Spell goes wrong
Underestimate its power
Open a gateway to something new
conjure a unicorn
Now in this outline of paths I could take, some are absolutely ridiculous and some are more seemingly plausible. The key here is to take a path where something is plausible (within the rules of your world, where conjuring a unicorn very well may be within the realm of reality), interesting (to YOU. You can’t write something you yourself aren’t interested in), and pushes the story forward.
For instance, if Character A decided they fully believed this item was magical and conjured a unicorn, what would happen next? How do unicorns operate in this world? Are they intelligent? Are they more like horses? Are they kind of jerks and totally start eating every fabric they come near?
If this event happens, what follows?
Don’t be afraid to explore completely insane ideas! You can always pull it back.
Additionally in this time when you are pondering your protagonist, who they are and what they do, I need you to give just as much thought to their antagonist. Who or what is their biggest enemy? What do they have in common? How do they differ? It is absolutely paramount you give your antagonist the same level of detail thought as your hero, and we can talk a bit more about that later.
Questions? Thoughts? Come join us in the Discord where we’ve set up a channel just for your NaNo woes, fears, cheers, and musings!
Home – Acapella in the Primitive Baptist Church at Cade’s Cove - Ink & Stardust
After getting to experience the acoustics of this place and having the luxury of filming, I’d really like to find more locations like it to do similar songs. Especially once I’m able to get a better microphone for my camera.
September 13, 2018
September 6, 2018
Let The Feast Begin (NaNoWriMo Prep) - Ink & Stardust
Hello my beautiful Curios, it’s been some time!
Summer is FINALLY OVER (I know it’s not until September 21st, but let me have this)! We’re trekking into the glorious time on this planet Earth of autumn and leaves changing (if you’re lucky enough to live in a place where trees do that). Everything is starting to smell like cinnamon and apple and pumpkin pie. Warm colors blossom everywhere. You may even get to use a scarf!
But most importantly of all…
November is coming.
Yes, dear heart, we’ve barely stumbled into September and I’ve got NaNoWriMo in my sights. Why? Because this year, my love, even if you have never done so before, this year you’re going to win. And I’m going to be with you every step of the way.
And to start? You’re going to story-load. It’s like carbo-loading, but with stories. Download new audiobooks, try a new show–go see a movie (or three) that intrigues you. CONSUME. ALL. THE. THINGS. New things. Not the comfortable re-watches, new things where you don’t always know what’s coming. Why?
Because in order to create art, we have to feel, we have to experience, and I’m a firm believer that we can only write our own stories after we’ve filled our minds, hearts, and bellies with so many others.
So for our NaNo prep, we’re gonna be sponges! Absorb, digest, and ponder. What do you like about these stories? What do you not like? What would you do differently? Let’s talk!
As we continue forward we’re going to add what we see/read in the comments below and talk a little about each. Let’s get those creative thoughts going, warmed up and primed. Because come November, if you haven’t loaded up on stories and tales, you’re going to feel absolutely creatively STARVED.
Let’s do this, friends. Grab a chair and a plate. Let’s dig in.
March 15, 2018
March 8, 2018
LA: Fury Road - Ink & Stardust
There are a handful of places that I feel I know. There are less I’d say I know well. But I know pockets, and I’ve been known to be somewhat observant, and as I continue to travel, and experience, I’d like to try to share that with you.
I currently live in a world called Los Angeles. It’s an odd sort of place, but not without its charm–personally I delight in its weirder quirks. However, when I communicate my current residence to other travelers, I have noticed some great trepidation around transportation. And while I cannot in good faith say that this fear is completely unwarranted, I would like to make a case for why it is an experience you should not be miss out on.
Much like the subway is a huge part of New York city, and BART is signature to San Francisco, traversing the many interstates and streets that connect the Los Angeles neighborhoods is integral to truly experiencing the area. It’s a strange part of their personality, and while occasionally, unnecessarily hostile, it’s almost endearing if you take the right mindset about it.
Additionally, the public transit system leaves a lot to be desired. Ultimately you’ll limit where you can go, and while it’s not nearly as bad as the locals make out–I really value how I spend my time and waiting for infrequent and inconsistent transit was not, nor has ever been my cup of tea. Alternatively, depending on your plans for while you’re here, if you attempt to taxi/lyft/uber everywhere, you’re going to be paying at least double–probably more–than if you rented a car.
So my recommendation to drive has held pretty firm. Besides, as they say, when in a post-apocalyptic desert, do as the locals do.
…they say that here, right?
The first thing to remember, is very few people genuinely live in Los Angeles. I don’t mean that as a slight, but most people here are here for very specific reasons, and, given the opportunity, would likely settle elsewhere. So many people transplanted in one area–with, more or less, a common goal.
It’s oddly unifying when you really look at it.
But you need to accept that not everyone is going to view it that way, but I promise if YOU do, you’ll feel less overwhelmed as a stranger in a strange land.
So if you do decide to follow my overly enthusiastic advice when it comes to getting around (and to be honest, I hope you do), here’s what you need to know:
Blinkers:
These are, of course, a very imperative part of your vehicle. I do not under any circumstance recommend against them. Please don’t neglect to use them. This will result, inevitably, in an accident. However, you should also know that using one’s blinker is often seen as a challenge to the Angelino people. If you indicate with that handy light that you intend to get over, keep an eye out. You will likely see someone in your near vicinity in that lane (or sometimes NOT in your near vicinity), attempt to speed up.
Don’t try to find the logic in it, fellow traveler, there really isn’t any. Suffice to say, from what I can surmise, Angelino’s have really taken the term “Human Race” far too literally. It’s almost as if they sincerely believe it can be won. And this is particularly clear in their driving. They will try to pass you, even if they weren’t even close to you. That’s why this next point is vitally important.
Defensive Driving:
As a wanderer of worlds, I’m a firm believer that this skill is a MUST, but especially in Los Angeles, you need to hone this. And by that I mean, don’t zone out. Keep a keen eye on the cars around you. Are they drifting? Do they intend to get in your lane?
One thing I will give Angelino’s in regards to their driving is they are DECISIVE, and that’s actually rather admirable. When they have made a decision to do something, you know it. So you just have to keep an eye out. In this same vein, YOU need to be decisive. Indecision and timidity causes accidents, because everyone else is trying to read you and they assume you’re going to be as decisive as they are. If you’re getting over, get over. Do so concisely and cleanly.
Motorcycles:
The land of Los Angeles believes in lane-sharing, which is not quite as sunshine and rainbows as it sounds. As part of your defensive driving, it’s important to keep an eye out for motorcycles, who will come up on the side, surfing from lane to lane as suits their fancy. You can usually hear them coming.
The Bird:
At some point we’ve all had or experienced someone else’s road rage. It’s a little nerve-wracking, right? Well, right now I’m going to soothe you a little bit. Angelino’s have got some rage. But for the most part it’s superficial and while they may flash a middle-finger, or visibly yell at you in your rear-view mirror til they’re red in the face…
Let it go. It’s kind of meaningless. Their road rage is really not about you. As you’ll notice because people will honk, flip the bird, or soundlessly yell for things that aren’t your fault, weren’t even bad–they just need an outlet. Just ignore them. Maybe lend a little sympathy if you’ve got some to share. But I guarantee you they won’t spare whatever perceived offense you gave them another thought once you’re out of sight.
Weather:
For reasons I have yet to fathom, any weather that is not Los Angeles’ typical bright and sunny sky causes problems. I have some theories that native Angelinos are potentially solar powered. Even if it’s just cloudy, you will run into more traffic than usual. If it’s raining? Beware. There are some Angelinos, who again are taking the race part of ‘human race’ far too seriously, and seem to be attempting to outrun the weather. They will speed around you and onward. Don’t follow their lead. Your instinct to handle rain as inclement weather is the right one.
Traffic:
Despite what you’ve heard off-world, Los Angeles rarely has standstill traffic. Don’t get me wrong, it has traffic, often inexplicably and unreliably, but unless you get caught behind an accident, you will always be moving.
The key here is a GPS app you trust. I’m not here to recommend any in particular, but I use mine even when I know where I’m going. I have been driving from my current residence to my office for over a year now–but I still use my GPS to get there. Why? Because its traffic reporting is invaluable. You’ll go a myriad of routes just to get from the same point a to point b because due to the way vehicles make their way about–or in some cases don’t make their way about–navigating without that constant update on traffic would be near impossible. Then maybe you WOULD be stuck in one location at a standstill.
Travel Time:
Saying you’re X miles away is a rather useless statement in Los Angeles. Due to how roads are constructed or yes, even the dreaded traffic, miles get pretty meaningless when applied practically here. When traversing Los Angeles, things are minutes or hours way, not miles. This is also where your GPS will come in handy. That estimate is a good barometer. Though, depending on the day, sometimes it’s good to add in an extra 30 minutes for a buffer. Just in case. You never know who’s on the road, after all…
Take this to heart, and you’ll be ready to ride the tropical desert wasteland planet of Los Angeles with ease and relative comfort. And hey, if you can make it driving there–you can make it driving anywhere!
January 30, 2018
Of Zen and Fury - Ink & Stardust
It’s Joelmas today. I didn’t make a video, because in the interest of self-care, it seemed to be pushing myself too far this week. My day job has been particularly busy, and therefore I’ve had a much smaller mana pool as of late to create magic and mayhem from.
Self-Care, while celebrated in particular today, is something that’s an on-going process.
This past year I’ve been redefining what that means to me.
In 2017 I started doing the following:
Reclaiming my own space and boundaries.
Letting myself set the pace of how I create
Addressing my anxiety
Analyzing the source of my depression
Vetting therapists
Trying to care less about the proverbial small stuff
Giving myself the freedom to explore again who I am as an artist
Speaking how I feel rather than how I think I SHOULD feel.
That last one is more recent… it’s one I probably struggle with the hardest. I think most empathetic people do.
I want to be a good person. I want to always be kind. And sometimes that comes at the expense of my own emotional needs, feelings, and energy. I have often neglected my own emotional health in favor of those around me. It’s not an uncommon trend, especially in those recovering from abusive relationships.
Add on top of all that this idea that we have to let go of things in order to heal. And we do, I don’t disagree with it, but we have to do it on our own time table. And that means letting ourselves be angry.
Sometimes self-care is just letting yourself still be angry.
You can know in the long run it will matter less. You can know that logically you will feel better once you let it go.
But it’s not really a conscious choice. And time, and actively acknowledging that is really the only way to go about it.
And of course, we all know this.
But we still, often without realizing it, set some sort of ‘deadline’ to when we need to be ‘over’ something.
And that’s not how it works. Healing, I’ve come to realize, is far from linear–especially when you’re trying to heal on a deadline.
It’s been five years since Joel died. I’m still angry about it. I’m still angry about how some people reacted to it.
And that’s okay. And it’s not a constant feeling. But it does still crop up, and because I feel like I shouldn’t be anymore, I try to swallow it and push it all away again. And the repression cycle continues. And maybe if I hadn’t pushed it away, I’d be further along. I don’t actually know. Because you can’t put your heart on a deadline.
It doesn’t work that way.
Today I have to work, and I don’t really get to relax until later in the week. And I’m a little angry about that too.
And rather than trying to swallow it and pretend like I’m okay… I’m just going to let myself be angry. Because I’ve noticed the less I press down on it, and just accept it, the easier it is to work through.
It’s not a festering anger, but rather a strange meditative one. Acknowledging it, feeling it, but not feeding it. Mulling over the aspects of fury.
I’m angry at my brother for leaving. I love him, but I’m angry. I understand why it happened, I understand he thought he was doing what was best. But I’m angry. And sad. I don’t think I’ll ever not be sad. I miss him. Some days more acutely than others. Also I have so many questions. Some that need answers, some that are just pure fluff and I want to hear what he’d say.
I’m angry at a few friends who did not handle my mourning with a lot of empathy. I love them, and I know they love me… but I’m still dealing with feelings of actions that I will have to address with them individually. It’s a belated communication, but so much never said has a tendency of bubbling up. We never talked.
I’m particularly angry at a person I haven’t spoken to since, who had no right speaking of my brother due to our personal history. We will never talk, and I know that’s best. But I never fully dealt with why we weren’t speaking in the first place, nor have I dealt with my anger about them presuming they had a right to speak about my brother to me.
Anger can be destructive when coddled. But it can’t be ignored. You get angry for a reason. And rather than shut it down, you should take time to really study why. Stop telling yourself how you SHOULD or SHOULDN’T feel. First, feelings don’t work with normal logic. Emotional logic is non-linear and has a sense-memory far more in-tune than our own conscious minds can recall. The lizard brain takes so much longer to heal.
I’ll be treating myself later this week. But today? Today I’m meditating on my anger. There is a lot of it. And setting a deadline for when it should be gone isn’t helping anyone.
Least of all me.
Self-Care has many forms. And it’s an on-going process.
January 16, 2018
Bad Haircut - Ink & Stardust
You are really excited about this haircut. You’ve heard amazing things about this stylist. You’ve been waiting patiently for today.
You shake hands when you meet. Their handshake is firm, reassuring. You know, in the core of you, you have made the right decision.
They’ve got a great personality, you know you won’t have to engage in the dreaded awkward small talk you always do. They confirm that you want a cut, and you explain a little before they have you sit down.
There’s laughter. There’s chatting. You are comfortable and carefree, and completely at ease.
But then, as you’re talking, something starts to feel… different. You notice something that seems… off track from what you outlined to them. But no, that can’t be right. It’s just the lighting. You’re being silly. It’s fine.
But your expression betrays you.
You’re their client. They value you. They know what they’re doing.
Another strange snip that cuts far too short and seems it couldn’t possibly work into what you described you wanted.
You stiffen. You glance at the photo you brought in. “Just some layers, right?” You ask nervously. You are visibly uncomfortable.
“Yeah, Yeah,” They acknowledge your question, but it sounds dismissive.
Still. They said they got it. Maybe… you have to trust–
Out of the corner of your eye, you think you saw them grab a razor.
No. You’re their client. You are safe. You are valued. They don’t want to upset you, they’re following what you asked for. Don’t be silly.
You feel guilty for being uncomfortable, but your eyes still sting a little.
And then it happens. That definitive buzz where you know… they weren’t listening to you at all. They had an idea in their head how your hair should look, how that appointment should go, and hadn’t considered to care beyond that.
You know you have a choice at this point. You could get up, bedraggled and traumatized and likely sever relations with this stylist, the salon, and probably the friend who recommended them.
Or you could lie to yourself.
This is fine.
This is what you wanted.
This is fine.
You feel uncomfortable, and ugly. You’re ashamed for not saying more sooner (as if you could have known), and guilty because you feel that if you’re honest, you’re going to hurt this person you admire.
Admired.
They finish and you struggle to make eye contact with them or your own reflection. You force a smile because you can’t lie to yourself without doing so.
It’s not fine.
You can’t look in any mirror.
It’s not fine, but you pay and tip well even though they blatantly disregarded your wishes.
And you do it all so you can leave as fast as you can.
And you try to convince yourself… it’s not a big deal. They didn’t ignore you, you probably should have said more. Spoken louder. Just left.
It’s fine… it becomes the mantra you repeat. The one that stops you from flinching immediately at your own reflection.
It’s fine…
For most people, this is not a foreign experience.
But for a lot of people? It’s not about a goddamn haircut.
