As far as writing has gone this past week... well, I haven't done much. I've wanted to, but I haven't exactly had as much opportunity as I would have liked. The most significant thing I've done is actually figure out why I want to write a particular series. That was done by figuring out what the overall story is. It's important, but it doesn't bring me closer to my target.
The main problem is that I've been spending my spare time relaxing a lot more than usual. That, when combined with exhaustion from a series of sleepless nights (partially my fault for staying up too late when I have to be up early, partially the fault of alarms going off in the middle of the night), has resulted in me doing much less than I'd have liked to.
I'm hoping that tomorrow will help put me back on track, with a couple of things planned for the afternoon and nothing else planned for the evening.
This means I have to avoid the PS3, though. That's been the biggest distraction. You see, recently I came across Tales of Symphonia Chronicles, and, having played the first game a few years ago, I couldn't help but buy it and play it. And play it I have. Constantly. It's not just a nostalgia rush, of course. I genuinely love the game, and I love following the story.
Yes, some of the dialogue is ridiculously cheesy. Yes, the graphics aren't the best. Yes, it's a dated game at this point. But it also has an interesting system of religion at work. It demonstrates the struggle for ideals in equality and peace.
It's a game that helped form the sort of depth I've wanted to include in my fantasy novels. I want to develop a system of religion that fits into the world. I want to create a rulebook for magic users. I want to create a world in which life is actually at stake, but not merely on a global level.
This is why I play games, even when it means not writing. The games that explore religion, and the games that explore the concept of the martyr, they help to create human stories concerned with personal destiny in the wider scheme of life. Colette in Tales of Symphonia has to save the world, knowing it will end her life. The l'cie in Final Fantasy XIII have to make a decision: destroy the world they come from, or die tragically. Yuna in Final Fantasy X has to stop Sin, knowing that the summoner never survives the pilgrimage.
I want to tell my own story. I want to figure it all out before I start writing that book.
Unfortunately, I don't think I can use that as an excuse for not writing the books I've already planned. I have a feeling I'll be playing catch-up on my books for the rest of the 40-day challenge. So be it. But I'll be damned if I have to give up doing something else I enjoy, too, especially on the days when exhaustion takes it toll.
My progress is lacking, but that doesn't mean I can't talk about it.
Showing posts with label story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label story. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Should I Write in the 1st of 3rd Person?
This week, 25 Ways to Beat Writer's Block is free on the Kindle. To celebrate that fact, we're going to look at some of the basic questions new writers ask. In this post, perspective is the name of the game.
Should I write in the 1st or 3rd person?
It's a question a lot of new writers ask themselves. Sometimes, they might not even know the difference. So first, some clarity:
The 1st person consists of the narrator telling the story from his or her own perspective. For example: "I walked to school", "It occurred to me", "The world is mine".
The 3rd person consists of the narrator telling the story from an outsider's perspective. For example: "John walked to school", "It occurred to Jane", "As far as Alex was concerned, the world was his".
There is the less-used 2nd person to consider, in which the narrator is telling the reader everything they're doing. For example: "You walked to school", "It occurred to you", "The world is yours". However, it's a more difficult perspective to get right, and the least popular among readers.
As to whether or not you write in the past or present tense, that's up to you. The past tense is most commonly used, even when referring to events that take place in the future (the narrator is, after all, referring to it as a history). However, the present tense can still be used to great affect. Darren Shan, a Irish children's author, writes predominantly in the present tense, and in the first person, keeping the interest of the reader by making the risks real and in the moment.
But which should you choose between 1st or 3rd person?
Personally speaking, I stick to 3rd person. I like to show the reader who my characters are from the outside, as they might see them if they met on the street. It also allows me to switch between characters in the story, to show the various sides of what are inevitably stories more complicated than who's right and who's wrong. (Taking a published example into account: Fionn in Balor Reborn can be perceived as the "hero", but that doesn't mean that Stephen - the other predominant character the narrative follows - is the "villain", even considering the events that happen in the story.)
That's the big advantage of the 3rd person: you can show more than one point of view to the events of a story.
When it comes to the 1st person, you get inside a single character's head more than you would otherwise. While you can't jump around to different places in the story without dragging your protagonist along with you, you are granted a more consistent observation on the events of your book, open to speculation, commentary and doubt by your narrator.
The main concern you should take into account is this: do I need to show more than one perspective in my book? While some authors switch characters between chapters, it's not common practice when writing in the first person (and only lends itself to two or three points of view in that case.) Look at your favourite books to see which way it's done, think about the story you want to tell, and make your decision based on those observations.
(Note: Don't let your desire to write like another author determine which point of view you write from. Write from the perspective that best suits your story.)
Find out more about 25 Ways to Beat Writer's Block below:
Have you ever struggled with writer’s block? Have you sat at your desk, looking at your work in progress, wondering what to do with a character who just won’t budge, or a poem that just won’t take form, or an article that just won’t work for you? Have you ever joined thousands of authors in the search for a way to beat writer’s block?
From the author of Planning Before Writing comes a solution to the problem of writer’s block: 25 ways to tackle one of the biggest issues facing writers, each with an exercise to help you to develop as an author and improve your writing skills.
With exercises to suit every writer, and drawing on over ten years’ experience in the craft, 25 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block is a must-have reference for your collection.
Available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYMVZJ2
and Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HYMVZJ2
Should I write in the 1st or 3rd person?
It's a question a lot of new writers ask themselves. Sometimes, they might not even know the difference. So first, some clarity:
The 1st person consists of the narrator telling the story from his or her own perspective. For example: "I walked to school", "It occurred to me", "The world is mine".
The 3rd person consists of the narrator telling the story from an outsider's perspective. For example: "John walked to school", "It occurred to Jane", "As far as Alex was concerned, the world was his".
There is the less-used 2nd person to consider, in which the narrator is telling the reader everything they're doing. For example: "You walked to school", "It occurred to you", "The world is yours". However, it's a more difficult perspective to get right, and the least popular among readers.
As to whether or not you write in the past or present tense, that's up to you. The past tense is most commonly used, even when referring to events that take place in the future (the narrator is, after all, referring to it as a history). However, the present tense can still be used to great affect. Darren Shan, a Irish children's author, writes predominantly in the present tense, and in the first person, keeping the interest of the reader by making the risks real and in the moment.
But which should you choose between 1st or 3rd person?
Personally speaking, I stick to 3rd person. I like to show the reader who my characters are from the outside, as they might see them if they met on the street. It also allows me to switch between characters in the story, to show the various sides of what are inevitably stories more complicated than who's right and who's wrong. (Taking a published example into account: Fionn in Balor Reborn can be perceived as the "hero", but that doesn't mean that Stephen - the other predominant character the narrative follows - is the "villain", even considering the events that happen in the story.)
That's the big advantage of the 3rd person: you can show more than one point of view to the events of a story.
When it comes to the 1st person, you get inside a single character's head more than you would otherwise. While you can't jump around to different places in the story without dragging your protagonist along with you, you are granted a more consistent observation on the events of your book, open to speculation, commentary and doubt by your narrator.
The main concern you should take into account is this: do I need to show more than one perspective in my book? While some authors switch characters between chapters, it's not common practice when writing in the first person (and only lends itself to two or three points of view in that case.) Look at your favourite books to see which way it's done, think about the story you want to tell, and make your decision based on those observations.
(Note: Don't let your desire to write like another author determine which point of view you write from. Write from the perspective that best suits your story.)
Find out more about 25 Ways to Beat Writer's Block below:
From the author of Planning Before Writing comes a solution to the problem of writer’s block: 25 ways to tackle one of the biggest issues facing writers, each with an exercise to help you to develop as an author and improve your writing skills.
With exercises to suit every writer, and drawing on over ten years’ experience in the craft, 25 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block is a must-have reference for your collection.
Available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYMVZJ2
and Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HYMVZJ2
Friday, May 17, 2013
A Story That Sticks
It's finally happened: when I thought I was done with a story, it came back.
About two years ago, I wrote the first draft of a Sci-Fi novel called Bliss, with planned sequels in mind. I considered that book complete. At least, the story was complete. Part of me considered writing a novella set during the time of the novel to explore one aspect of the tale that isn't of real importance for anything else going on.
But that's not what I'm talking about here. I had that idea way back when I actually finished writing the book. I didn't actually write that novella - college will get in the way like that - but I still have it in mind.
I'm digressing. Yesterday, as I was getting ready to go to college for an exam, it struck me: a revised ending for Bliss. Don't get me wrong, I liked how it ended. It felt complete. I'll obviously have to change things a bit when I write the new ending.
Thing is, it's a whole extra section to the book. Several chapters, of actual significance.
How I didn't think of it before, I don't know. I think I was wondering how to make certain things work for later in the series when the idea actually popped into my head. I was quite proud of it, actually, but I won't know how well it works with the rest of the book until it's actually written. (I need to plan it, still, but it should be easy enough to make a natural progression from where I left off.)
Ideas don't usually come to me like this when I feel like a story has been finished. The only time an idea has ever stuck around for a while is with my many attempts to write a story with superpowered characters. I get ideas, I try to work with them, and inevitably I give up on the book.
The last time I was happy with an idea that I was working on was with The Jump, and that didn't last long. I didn't really plan the book too well to work with, or plan for sequels.
I'm planning a superhero novel at the moment - or, I was, for a while, and I need to get back to it - so hopefully that'll finally produce something close to what I've been trying to write since I started out writing. Early attempts resulted in being rip-offs of X-Men or Heroes. Even The Jump was veering on being too-close-for-comfort.
It's difficult to deal with such problems when the market already has a lot of different stories out there. However, I think what I'm working on now is coming closer to original than anything else, insofar as a superhero novel can be original.
We'll see how that works out, but for now I need to deal with the idea that won't stop hanging around for Bliss. I'm dying to actually get it written! On a related note, how did I get to be the person who writes these stories?
About two years ago, I wrote the first draft of a Sci-Fi novel called Bliss, with planned sequels in mind. I considered that book complete. At least, the story was complete. Part of me considered writing a novella set during the time of the novel to explore one aspect of the tale that isn't of real importance for anything else going on.
But that's not what I'm talking about here. I had that idea way back when I actually finished writing the book. I didn't actually write that novella - college will get in the way like that - but I still have it in mind.
I'm digressing. Yesterday, as I was getting ready to go to college for an exam, it struck me: a revised ending for Bliss. Don't get me wrong, I liked how it ended. It felt complete. I'll obviously have to change things a bit when I write the new ending.
Thing is, it's a whole extra section to the book. Several chapters, of actual significance.
How I didn't think of it before, I don't know. I think I was wondering how to make certain things work for later in the series when the idea actually popped into my head. I was quite proud of it, actually, but I won't know how well it works with the rest of the book until it's actually written. (I need to plan it, still, but it should be easy enough to make a natural progression from where I left off.)
Ideas don't usually come to me like this when I feel like a story has been finished. The only time an idea has ever stuck around for a while is with my many attempts to write a story with superpowered characters. I get ideas, I try to work with them, and inevitably I give up on the book.
The last time I was happy with an idea that I was working on was with The Jump, and that didn't last long. I didn't really plan the book too well to work with, or plan for sequels.
I'm planning a superhero novel at the moment - or, I was, for a while, and I need to get back to it - so hopefully that'll finally produce something close to what I've been trying to write since I started out writing. Early attempts resulted in being rip-offs of X-Men or Heroes. Even The Jump was veering on being too-close-for-comfort.
It's difficult to deal with such problems when the market already has a lot of different stories out there. However, I think what I'm working on now is coming closer to original than anything else, insofar as a superhero novel can be original.
We'll see how that works out, but for now I need to deal with the idea that won't stop hanging around for Bliss. I'm dying to actually get it written! On a related note, how did I get to be the person who writes these stories?
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
This Bloke Called Balor
So, next Thursday (July 26th) I'm sitting down to write a book, on camera, for a week. I have that one, terrifying week to write, edit and publish the book. That'll be fun, right? I have one thing to help myself: a plan. The book is called Balor Reborn, bringing an old Irish myth to the 21st century.
But who is Balor?
Way back when the Tuatha de Danann were around keeping peace in Ireland, there was a bitter old king, Balor. He had one eye, poisoned, so that when he looked people, they had a tendency to die. He was also a giant. That gave him something of an unfair advantage in fighting the Tuatha de Danann, because not only did he have the world's greatest Death Stare, he was also much bigger than them.
The legend says that only his grandson could kill him. Since his daughter wasn't especially happy with his tyranny, he had her locked away the moment she became pregnant. When he wasn't looking, the Tuatha de Danann sneaked into the tower where she remained captive, took her son to safety and named him Lugh.
Balor was furious, but he was sure he would be fine. Babies can't last alone in the wild.
Many years later, when Balor was getting on a bit, he made a march into Ireland, through Ulster. He had a team of men to open his eye, with giant hooks going through his eye lid. When the Tuatha de Danann tried to stop him invading, they opened Balor's eye. One look, and many of them died.
Naturally, the Irish defenders were terrified. What could they possibly do to stop Balor?
As they were about to give up hope, a man by the name of Lugh appeared. None of the Tuatha de Danann that remained knew who he was, but he seemed confident as he approached the battlefield. With a spear in hand, he came close enough for Balor to ask who he was. Lugh, not knowing he was related to Balor, answered that he was a warrior. Balor had no reason to fear him, and ordered for his eye to be opened once more, aiming his gaze on Lugh.
The young Irish hero was too quick for him. With a strong arm, he threw his spear right into Balor's eye, tearing it all the way through Balor's head. Before the eye lost its power, its gaze fell upon Balor's army, killing thousands in an instant. With the giant king dead, and most of his army fallen, the country was saved.
It's there that I take up the story. I figured, this Balor guy must have been pretty annoyed, right? I mean, he was supposed to be invincible, but then this kid with a spear came along and ruined his plans. In modern day Ireland, a storm kicks up and Balor makes his way back. His spirit embodies a power magical item that grows from a widower's grief. Balor is reborn, and the old Irish gods are nowhere to be seen to stop him.
In two weeks, all things going according to plan, the book will be available to read. Will Ireland last, or will a new hero step up to face Balor of the Evil Eye?
But who is Balor?
Way back when the Tuatha de Danann were around keeping peace in Ireland, there was a bitter old king, Balor. He had one eye, poisoned, so that when he looked people, they had a tendency to die. He was also a giant. That gave him something of an unfair advantage in fighting the Tuatha de Danann, because not only did he have the world's greatest Death Stare, he was also much bigger than them.
The legend says that only his grandson could kill him. Since his daughter wasn't especially happy with his tyranny, he had her locked away the moment she became pregnant. When he wasn't looking, the Tuatha de Danann sneaked into the tower where she remained captive, took her son to safety and named him Lugh.
Balor was furious, but he was sure he would be fine. Babies can't last alone in the wild.
Many years later, when Balor was getting on a bit, he made a march into Ireland, through Ulster. He had a team of men to open his eye, with giant hooks going through his eye lid. When the Tuatha de Danann tried to stop him invading, they opened Balor's eye. One look, and many of them died.
Naturally, the Irish defenders were terrified. What could they possibly do to stop Balor?
As they were about to give up hope, a man by the name of Lugh appeared. None of the Tuatha de Danann that remained knew who he was, but he seemed confident as he approached the battlefield. With a spear in hand, he came close enough for Balor to ask who he was. Lugh, not knowing he was related to Balor, answered that he was a warrior. Balor had no reason to fear him, and ordered for his eye to be opened once more, aiming his gaze on Lugh.
The young Irish hero was too quick for him. With a strong arm, he threw his spear right into Balor's eye, tearing it all the way through Balor's head. Before the eye lost its power, its gaze fell upon Balor's army, killing thousands in an instant. With the giant king dead, and most of his army fallen, the country was saved.
It's there that I take up the story. I figured, this Balor guy must have been pretty annoyed, right? I mean, he was supposed to be invincible, but then this kid with a spear came along and ruined his plans. In modern day Ireland, a storm kicks up and Balor makes his way back. His spirit embodies a power magical item that grows from a widower's grief. Balor is reborn, and the old Irish gods are nowhere to be seen to stop him.
In two weeks, all things going according to plan, the book will be available to read. Will Ireland last, or will a new hero step up to face Balor of the Evil Eye?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Forever Story for Autistic Children
On the 30th of June, 2008 Nick Hornby wrote:
“For the first nineteen years of his life, Johnny Razor wasn’t Johnny Razor at all. He was Malcolm Weatherly, and he was born in Mile End Underground station on the night of 17th September 1940.”
These are the opening 35 words of The Forever Story.
It is a concept which encourages people to contribute to the world’s longest collectively-written story. The more people who join in, the longer the story will be, and the more money will be raised for children who find it hard to join in; children with Autism.
For every single contribution to the story via our website, £1 will be donated to Treehouse. We want to reach our donation target of £50,000 and to do that we’d like people to have the opportunity to write alongside some of the world’s most well-known and respected writers.
What we need from you? Just 35 or so words to continue our community-driven epic. The result of which will be more donations to Treehouse .
If you would like to join The Forever Story to help write the longest ever story and do no-end of good, go to: http://www.theforeverstory.co.uk
Taken from:
I myself have entered a passage for The Forever Story (I like supporting charity, sue me).
"The pair decended the stairs, cautiously and slowly. Each step lit up underneath them, fading to a dim glow when they stepped off. Further into the darkness they went; curiosity drove Malcolm on."
Yes, I misspelled descended. My badness, as they say. I realised after I'd posted it that I'd made the mistake. Oh well, there are worse spelling mistakes made throughout the story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)