I've got one major complaint.
Since when did writing backstories for characters become so hard? If you haven't already figured out by now, some of the secrets and past that they hold aren't happy-happy-joy-joy types (whether or not you'd think of it as sad or "hey tough break!" remains to be seen lol) but still it's never been so ... hard to write such things before. Well not the last time I wrote such stuff anyway.
It's like I literally put off completing the backstory of one of the characters the whole of last night because I was literally afraid of what I'd write down... eventhough I KNOW what I write down. It's super idiotic isn't it? It's like I tried and it was suchhh an emotional weighdown that at one point I thought I'd actually cry. Which I never do with my characters. NEVER.
AND I'M NOT EVEN WRITING THE STORY YET!! IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DO!!
So I told myself that I'd wait till today to re-try and uhm...
I think I'm going to cry AGAIN.
Do writers actually cry when they write their characters? Coz it'd be comforting to know if I'm not abnormal XD
And then I get paranoid that if I connect with these characters so well, understand their pain so well... that if I don't bring them across beautifully in the stories, readers won't connect with them... and then that's just emotionally crushing as a writer. boo.
Oh-kay. Maybe I should switch characters. But I don't think that'd work...
Major roadblock!!
Maybe I should pick up the pen, scribble to complete in the 30 seconds and beat the tears to my cheeks! Mwahahahaha. -.-
Monday, April 19, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Preview
This is going to sound utterly ridiculous but... I'm going to say it anyway.
After four years of mulling over the suspense and the mystery for this story, after four years of having characters march themselves into my head and act out their conflicts, climaxes and divulge secrets in front of me...
I still don't have a title for said story.
I said it was utterly ridiculous did I not?
I have never ever managed to come up with a title for any of my stories. NEVER EVER EVER. I'd be the first to admit, some of my story titles were a bit -.- (cue The Tale of Two Superheroes: I still cringe) but still... Oh well, there's always a first for everything is there not?
Nonetheless, here... I... go. After four years of not coming up with previews I deserve a big, deep breath and here. I. go.
The country of Ventyn experiences a nightmare of national proportions after the murders of two prominent ministers. Strangers to one another and battling their inner demons, can four young investigators solve the most difficult case of their careers?
You must know that it took like... 4 hours to whack out that synopsis. Okay, so maybe not 4 hours exact because I had Microbio prac (ah the joys of being a meddie) interrupting the process but still, it took quite a while.
I remember a time when it used to be so easy to churn out titles and synopsis just like that. Sigh* Getting back into my writing mojo's going to be a bit harder than expected.
Oh and I'm so glad because that summary's exactly 250 words which is what Fictionpress (where I will be posting this story) wants so yay meeee :D
Since I've got absolutely nothing better to do (yeah right, there's PBL research -.-) I decided to give a bit of a taste of some of my main characters. Because they're busting to get out :) Introducing...
Ashleigh - Lead investigator; not by popular vote but by assignment. She's stubborn, strong-headed and will not tolerate anyone of the team not toeing the line; HER line. Beneath the quintessential tomboy exterior however lies a turbid past known only by...
Quent - And for that reason, he's the only one able to get through to Ashleigh. He too has a secret of his own which has to be dealt with, sooner or later. But in the meantime, the steady head he has on his shoulders makes him the natural peacekeeper between Ashleigh and...
James - Natural breaker of rules. Self-nominated ladies man. Charmer extraodinaire (the only one who seems insusceptible to it would be his leader). But even he will have to take a good look at himself before the case is up and ask himself the tough questions, that given a chance, would be asked by...
Kara - Nominated purely because she did a minor stint in psychology. She has a sunny disposition and a willingness to believe the best of everyone. Her sharp mind and her uncanny ability to hit the nail on the head has her peers begrudgingly giving her permission to, for lack of a better phrase: "screw with their minds".
Ah... I feel so pleased with myself. Lol. But can I say, it was HARDD writing those descriptions. Because I was struggling not to give too much away (cough the relationship dynamics between them cough) and yet give you a bit of a gist of what they're like. But by no means do those sentences define who these characters completely because, if I may say so, they're by far the most complex characters I've ever thought of. Whether or not I can achieve the complexity on paper is an entirely different story all together.
So that means those people who've read my previous stories, don't for one second compare them to my previous characters! :D My previous ones were really... onetrack minded actually :)
Each of them has complex backstories to them (which is why I'm still delaying XD) with each backstory spanning about 1 A4 page (I said it was complex lol). Plus there are other characters which I haven't introduced who have backstories to them as well. They weren't introduced because uhm you know, that'd be like giving away the story really. -.-
WHEW!! I feel so proud that I did this! (clap for me!!! XD) Now I've got sommore hammering out of backstories to do, loopholes to clean up and chapter planning AND I'd finally get going!
If I'm feeling particularly nice, I may also preview some scene from the story as well. Just because it's been playing in my head for the last month and it's been really bugging me to the extent that I'd have to write it... even before I write the prologue of the story perhaps. -.-
STAY TUNED :)
P.S. - If someone could actually whack out a title for the story for me, and I like it, I"D HUG YOU THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU!!! Alternatively, if you're a guy like Noel who hates hugs, I'd buy you icecream (not Haagen Daaz don't get your hopes up)
After four years of mulling over the suspense and the mystery for this story, after four years of having characters march themselves into my head and act out their conflicts, climaxes and divulge secrets in front of me...
I still don't have a title for said story.
I said it was utterly ridiculous did I not?
I have never ever managed to come up with a title for any of my stories. NEVER EVER EVER. I'd be the first to admit, some of my story titles were a bit -.- (cue The Tale of Two Superheroes: I still cringe) but still... Oh well, there's always a first for everything is there not?
Nonetheless, here... I... go. After four years of not coming up with previews I deserve a big, deep breath and here. I. go.
The country of Ventyn experiences a nightmare of national proportions after the murders of two prominent ministers. Strangers to one another and battling their inner demons, can four young investigators solve the most difficult case of their careers?
You must know that it took like... 4 hours to whack out that synopsis. Okay, so maybe not 4 hours exact because I had Microbio prac (ah the joys of being a meddie) interrupting the process but still, it took quite a while.
I remember a time when it used to be so easy to churn out titles and synopsis just like that. Sigh* Getting back into my writing mojo's going to be a bit harder than expected.
Oh and I'm so glad because that summary's exactly 250 words which is what Fictionpress (where I will be posting this story) wants so yay meeee :D
Since I've got absolutely nothing better to do (yeah right, there's PBL research -.-) I decided to give a bit of a taste of some of my main characters. Because they're busting to get out :) Introducing...
Ashleigh - Lead investigator; not by popular vote but by assignment. She's stubborn, strong-headed and will not tolerate anyone of the team not toeing the line; HER line. Beneath the quintessential tomboy exterior however lies a turbid past known only by...
Quent - And for that reason, he's the only one able to get through to Ashleigh. He too has a secret of his own which has to be dealt with, sooner or later. But in the meantime, the steady head he has on his shoulders makes him the natural peacekeeper between Ashleigh and...
James - Natural breaker of rules. Self-nominated ladies man. Charmer extraodinaire (the only one who seems insusceptible to it would be his leader). But even he will have to take a good look at himself before the case is up and ask himself the tough questions, that given a chance, would be asked by...
Kara - Nominated purely because she did a minor stint in psychology. She has a sunny disposition and a willingness to believe the best of everyone. Her sharp mind and her uncanny ability to hit the nail on the head has her peers begrudgingly giving her permission to, for lack of a better phrase: "screw with their minds".
Ah... I feel so pleased with myself. Lol. But can I say, it was HARDD writing those descriptions. Because I was struggling not to give too much away (cough the relationship dynamics between them cough) and yet give you a bit of a gist of what they're like. But by no means do those sentences define who these characters completely because, if I may say so, they're by far the most complex characters I've ever thought of. Whether or not I can achieve the complexity on paper is an entirely different story all together.
So that means those people who've read my previous stories, don't for one second compare them to my previous characters! :D My previous ones were really... onetrack minded actually :)
Each of them has complex backstories to them (which is why I'm still delaying XD) with each backstory spanning about 1 A4 page (I said it was complex lol). Plus there are other characters which I haven't introduced who have backstories to them as well. They weren't introduced because uhm you know, that'd be like giving away the story really. -.-
WHEW!! I feel so proud that I did this! (clap for me!!! XD) Now I've got sommore hammering out of backstories to do, loopholes to clean up and chapter planning AND I'd finally get going!
If I'm feeling particularly nice, I may also preview some scene from the story as well. Just because it's been playing in my head for the last month and it's been really bugging me to the extent that I'd have to write it... even before I write the prologue of the story perhaps. -.-
STAY TUNED :)
P.S. - If someone could actually whack out a title for the story for me, and I like it, I"D HUG YOU THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU!!! Alternatively, if you're a guy like Noel who hates hugs, I'd buy you icecream (not Haagen Daaz don't get your hopes up)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Yello
So, this post is merely to say: hello and welcome... I should be studying about the immune system right now but nevertheless, here I am! :)
Just to clear up any misconceptions, this blog is NOT a journal for my everyday thoughts or rants; neither is it of my daily life interesting though it may be ;) Rather, this is a blog for my writings; as clearly illustrated by the blog title and URL.
Let me explain.
When I was a little tyke, I fell in love with words: written words, spoken words; but more so of the latter because like someone so aptly put it: "Written words have a way of entering the secret places of your mind the way spoken words rarely do."
As an extension for the passion I have for language, it would seem remarkably obvious that I'd love writing and reading. And yes, I've been reading ever since I learnt how to at the age of 4; progressing from Enid Blyton (who I think is STILL the best children's author alive) right up to the likes of authors like Terry Prachett (satire at its best) and so on. :) And I've been fortunate to have friends who have both shaped and influenced my reading preferences on the journey as well - you know who you are :D
I only ever started writing when I was fresh into my teens - at the age of thirteen. It begun on a whim and, frankly, as a joke. In fact, my friends and classmates used to feature heavily in the stories I used to write in the early years of my writing. It all sounds very vague and silly now but at that time it was terribly entertaining to twist and shape the personalities of those I loved into the charming characters that inhabited my stories. If I have ever caused any heinious hurt to anyone in my stories back then, I apologize; rest assured I have lost most of my records of them anyway lol. I can't quite decide whether that's a comfort or a loss to this day actually - though I'd probably go with comfort :)
It was only later in my teenagehood (I think I just coined a word there, hurrah) that I started creating characters fresh out of the worlds in my head - the last two short stories I wrote anyway. I started to lose the habit of relying on real people in my real life to inhabit the stories that I told. I progressed from 9 pages of writing (my first story ever written) to over a 100 pages of writing (the longest I've ever had, but not my latest I'm afraid). I'd always been a fan of adventure, mystery and thrill so that never changed - but my stories went from being simplistic in terms of plot to becoming a bit more twisted in certain areas (at least that's what I like to think anyway) so that's all good. Plus, I learnt how to make romance not so straightforward so HEY! That's got to be a plus, surely? ;)
And all the while, I hope I've grown as a writer - just in the way I wrote narratives, the characters; everything.
Then at the age of 18, the years of silence as a writer ensued.
I was always raring at a chance to write but somehow time was a cruel-hearted thing. There never was enough time to do all my top priorities AND write at the same time; so I abandoned writing...
Until now.
It's been close to 4 years since I last wrote anything substantial. I would like to think that in those 4 years my perspective on the world have changed and that it'd show in the characters of my story: no longer so linear and predictable and exchangeable for one another in the past. That it'd also show in the intricacies of my plots and that there (hopefully) won't be any loophole, large or minscule. I would also like to think that my writing style has undergone some huge metamorphosis so that the voice of my story stopped sounding like a teenager struggling to contain raging hormones (weren't we all? :D) and started sounding more adult - well young adult, anyway; I'm not that old :)
I would love to say that I've got SOMETHING to show you people - yes you who've managed to make it through the last few paragraphs so far - as of now, but I regret to say that I don't.
But, if it helps, the plot that's been brewing away for the last 3 years or so is almost ripe for the picking and I think, I'm almost at the point where I can just about finalize everything and stop worrying about teeny loopholes.
So, watch this space! Because even if I don't give you a full chapter or prologue or what-you-may-call-it; I'm going to definitely provide a bit of a teaser/summary/preview thing :D
P.S. - I forgot to mention, to those of you out there who've always encouraged me in writing eventhough I was this brainless twit of an author in my early years; thank you. I hope I can change the way you view me as an author when my first (something, anything!! lol) comes out. To those who have yet to read my stories, I hope you will. And here's to hoping that I'm no longer a brainless twit of an author for your sakes as well :)
Just to clear up any misconceptions, this blog is NOT a journal for my everyday thoughts or rants; neither is it of my daily life interesting though it may be ;) Rather, this is a blog for my writings; as clearly illustrated by the blog title and URL.
Let me explain.
When I was a little tyke, I fell in love with words: written words, spoken words; but more so of the latter because like someone so aptly put it: "Written words have a way of entering the secret places of your mind the way spoken words rarely do."
As an extension for the passion I have for language, it would seem remarkably obvious that I'd love writing and reading. And yes, I've been reading ever since I learnt how to at the age of 4; progressing from Enid Blyton (who I think is STILL the best children's author alive) right up to the likes of authors like Terry Prachett (satire at its best) and so on. :) And I've been fortunate to have friends who have both shaped and influenced my reading preferences on the journey as well - you know who you are :D
I only ever started writing when I was fresh into my teens - at the age of thirteen. It begun on a whim and, frankly, as a joke. In fact, my friends and classmates used to feature heavily in the stories I used to write in the early years of my writing. It all sounds very vague and silly now but at that time it was terribly entertaining to twist and shape the personalities of those I loved into the charming characters that inhabited my stories. If I have ever caused any heinious hurt to anyone in my stories back then, I apologize; rest assured I have lost most of my records of them anyway lol. I can't quite decide whether that's a comfort or a loss to this day actually - though I'd probably go with comfort :)
It was only later in my teenagehood (I think I just coined a word there, hurrah) that I started creating characters fresh out of the worlds in my head - the last two short stories I wrote anyway. I started to lose the habit of relying on real people in my real life to inhabit the stories that I told. I progressed from 9 pages of writing (my first story ever written) to over a 100 pages of writing (the longest I've ever had, but not my latest I'm afraid). I'd always been a fan of adventure, mystery and thrill so that never changed - but my stories went from being simplistic in terms of plot to becoming a bit more twisted in certain areas (at least that's what I like to think anyway) so that's all good. Plus, I learnt how to make romance not so straightforward so HEY! That's got to be a plus, surely? ;)
And all the while, I hope I've grown as a writer - just in the way I wrote narratives, the characters; everything.
Then at the age of 18, the years of silence as a writer ensued.
I was always raring at a chance to write but somehow time was a cruel-hearted thing. There never was enough time to do all my top priorities AND write at the same time; so I abandoned writing...
Until now.
It's been close to 4 years since I last wrote anything substantial. I would like to think that in those 4 years my perspective on the world have changed and that it'd show in the characters of my story: no longer so linear and predictable and exchangeable for one another in the past. That it'd also show in the intricacies of my plots and that there (hopefully) won't be any loophole, large or minscule. I would also like to think that my writing style has undergone some huge metamorphosis so that the voice of my story stopped sounding like a teenager struggling to contain raging hormones (weren't we all? :D) and started sounding more adult - well young adult, anyway; I'm not that old :)
I would love to say that I've got SOMETHING to show you people - yes you who've managed to make it through the last few paragraphs so far - as of now, but I regret to say that I don't.
But, if it helps, the plot that's been brewing away for the last 3 years or so is almost ripe for the picking and I think, I'm almost at the point where I can just about finalize everything and stop worrying about teeny loopholes.
So, watch this space! Because even if I don't give you a full chapter or prologue or what-you-may-call-it; I'm going to definitely provide a bit of a teaser/summary/preview thing :D
P.S. - I forgot to mention, to those of you out there who've always encouraged me in writing eventhough I was this brainless twit of an author in my early years; thank you. I hope I can change the way you view me as an author when my first (something, anything!! lol) comes out. To those who have yet to read my stories, I hope you will. And here's to hoping that I'm no longer a brainless twit of an author for your sakes as well :)
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