Torture? ( am I seriously considering this? Yes, yes I am)

NaNoWriMo--- November is National Novel Writing Month. The Official Link.

The goal is to write 50,000 word novel, about 176 pages in 30 days.

That's 1667 words per day. That's 12,500 words per week. In a good week I can write 10,000 words no sweat. (Mind you that's a good week)

Family Reunion: Who are you? And How are we related?

The recent additions of new characters and the growing of family trees has posed a lot of questions( that probably have been answered before, but I have forgotten.) So here they are:

1). How are ANge and Mirth related?
2). How often did they see eachother in their childhood?
3). When did their father's die?
4). How did their father's die?
5). Do their mother's get along?
6). Do Mirth's brother's and Ange get along?
7). Does Mirth get along with Ange's brother?
8). How does Mirth feel about Winding-- has she ever been there?
9). HOw does Ange feel about Carentas-- has she ever been there?
10). Favorite childhood memory together?
11). Worst childhood memory together?
12) The Wisps? When did Mirth first find out about Ange's wisps?
13). What big even lead them not to see eachother again?
14). How far is Winding from Carentas?

And that's all.

I'm thinking, though, for the sake of the story, that a strong point of conflict that would keep Mirth and her family from Winding and why Winding wouldn't come to the aide of Carentas would be because a). Mirth's mother does not like ANge's mother or b). Because Mirth's mother is insulted that Ange's mother would not marry Ange to one of her cousins. or C). The father's had something to do with it or d). The alliance with Genoya insulted Carentas..or e). Winding does not have the resources or alliances to help Carentas.

I think it would have to be a fued or some sort of impediment that does not allow the families to help eachother.....

Anyway, what are your thoughts and answers?

Edit: Angelbird added the family tree picture.
(From the tree it appears that Ange's father Rodier, was the eldest son. Is that right? I mean, the way I figure it happen was he ran away from home at age eighteen. So he must have abdicated the throne, only to end up in Winding, marrying a Princess and becoming a King anyway. -- OR is he the younger brother?)

Plot? Character? Setting? Going once, Going Twice....

All writers go through a self loathing process. Especially during editing. I think the more I read my story, the less I like it. But the more I read Angelbird's story, the more I enjoy myself!

Why does this happen? Well, for the obvious reason that during the editing process we are our own selves worst critics. Another reason would be because editing, you search out mistakes and the further you go, the harder it is to notice the things you did RIGHT!

As my favorite poet once said:
" Oh Editing, nothing rhymes with you
and so I introduce random words, like blue
to say, Dear Editing: Nobody loves, likes, or lives you
it's very so very so so true, true, true." Lackscroft and Roe. ( with the help of a goose)

Plot wise, I always struggle with details and importantly, conflict. In order for a plot to be interesting, it has to be exciting and suprising. It has to have conflict. Who wants to read the story of the little girl with the curl who was always good? NO ONE! We want the story of the little girl who was BAD and who faced trouble, ect. Who wants the story of Hansel and Gretel and their happy family? Boring. Nothing happens. There's no where for any character to grow and, more importantly, nowhere for the story to go.

Happiness is something we long for in real life. But stories are not real life. The story must face conflict and struggle and that stuggle should shape the character's nature, for bette or for worse. ( Hopefully for better!!!!)

So, I thought I'd share my playwriting materials to help clarify important plot, character, and detail elements. Although playwriting addresses different qualites of a story, it shares the same basic plot and character needs!

I think these will be very helpful to me and help me focus less on self loathing as a writer and more on the joy of the process.

This first sheet is an idea worksheet-- it helps knock out the main elements of plot.

Working Title: Goosey.

Central Character: ( Age/Full name)

Central Character’s dominant need: ( one sentence)

Other Major Characters:

Setting ( consider different options):

Occasion: ( event which this play is set):

Major Conflict/dilemma as it manifests itself in action: ( state simply)

Resolution: ( How action is resolved)


How the central character changes by the end: ( change should be vast)

Dramatic premise: ( Journey [blank] leads to [blank] )

And here is a short form biography that I do for my character's in acting, but it's pertinet for story writing as well:

Short Form Biography


Character’s Name:

Physical Characteristics


Age: Date of Birth:


Height: Weight:

Eye Color: Hair Color:

Skin Color/Tone:

Posture:

Grooming:

Vocal Quality:

General Appearance: ( indicate handsomeness or beauty, elegance or crudeness, sex appeal, “ presence,” general health, any physical problems or defects, etc.)


External World

I. Family Situation

Father: ( include age if alive or how long ago he died, occupation, any special characteristics, nature of relationship with, etc/)

Mother: ( include age if alive or how long ago he died, occupation, any special characteristics, nature of relationship with, etc)

Siblings: ( identify if brother(s) or sister(s), ages, any special characteristics, nature of relationship with each, etc.)


Other important relatives: ( what relative(s), age special characteristics, nature or relationship with, etc.)


Family’s ability to function: ( happy, disruptive, dysfunctional, unusual in some way, etc).

Marital status: ( if not married, describe any significant romantic relationship( s). If married, how long? Describe spouse. If divorced, how long? Any special circumstances?

Children: ( include names, ages, nature or relationship with, etc)

Sex life: ( healthy, active, dormant, frustrated, specific problems, etc)

Close friends: ( those considered extended family, include names, ages, nature or relationship with)

II. Place in the Community

Occupation: ( include how long in the field)

Education: ( indicate quality as well as how much)

Economic class: ( include annual income)

Political affiliation(s): ( Republican, Democrat, Independent, conservative, liberal, moderate, other)

Religious affiliation: ( if it exists, indicate how active)

Other important organizational memberships:

General status in community: ( how perceived in the eyes of others—leaders or follower, asset or liability, etc.)

III. Leisure-Time activities


Internal world

Intelligence: (some measure for comparison and how it manifests itself)

Personality type: (extrovert or introvert, optimistic or pessimistic, hot tempered or cool, etc.)

General Sense of Self: (degree of self- confidence, self-esteem, etc.)

Sexuality: (how powerful a force, degree of comfort with, etc.)

Spiritual life: (nature and strength of--- does God fit in somewhere and if so how and to what extent?)

Sense of morality: (how strong is it? How does it manifest itself?)

Major secrets ( that they haven’t told anyone; prioritize if more than one)

Personal goals: (prioritize if more than one)

Major disappointments: (prioritize if more than one)

Special qualities and talents: (unique physical, intellectual, artistic, or spiritual traits).

A crisis . . . a desperate cry for help?

     "What you hope for
Is that at some point of the pointless journey
The King assassin Sleep will draw a bead
And blow your brains out"
   -- "Walking to Sleep" Richard Wilbur

How important is the background, all those little details that flesh out the character and the world they live in?
Its important, right? It is and it isn't.

Let me get straight to the point, before I wander off too much. The reason I'm almost in panic mode, I think there is a major problem with Ange being a single child.

Creative Cursing

"Oh me, you juggler, you canker-blossom
You thief of love! What, have you come by night
And stol'n my love's heart from him?"
 --Hermia, A Midsummer Night's Dream

I've recently become very fond of reviewing the four letters we've posted. I seem to be in a pensive, almost reflective mood - that or I'm secretively procrastinating from doing any actual revision work. (gasp, no, am I doing that?)

In any case, I've taken down a list here of the clever words we've used - okay, mostly it's ones that Mirth has used to swear or curse or express her deepest emotions. Anger. Anguish. Fear. Resentment. I've discovered that Ange isn't really the sort of girl who curses or swears. She more the type who will wring her hands together and whine "oh, woe is me". I hope she doesn't come off as too pathetic.

Ange's swearing mainly consist of the following: "Oh bother" "Oh cousin" "oh dear" and in general a lot of "oh" "oh" "oh".

Mirth's are much better: "Insufferable." "Blasted" "Spider's Eyes" (She is very fond of that one.) And "Bugs"

I'm sure there are others I've missed. I should go through the rest of the manuscript and find them all. I'm rather fond of Mirth's colorful language. The fourth letter really nails her voice. The language throughout the letters is a bit old fashioned. Though I'd even call it romanticized. Of course, it's best when the swearing suits the time period. It won't do any good if the girls mouth off like a modern diva or a trash talking hipster. Not that I'm really good at that kind of swearing. I'm much more fond of creative swear words. And in the event that Ange decides to color her language a bit more, I've made a list of the possible words that she might use.

Blast, bell-cry. old bat. Batty. Buck. dung beetle. Drat. Ding dong. Merry. Wretched Knave. Willywisher. Devil. Dox. Doxy. Pie-in-the-sky. Pox. Penny. Pluck. Plucky. Pickle-eater. Fie. Dull. Drum. Posh. Piss. Oh, Spite (Yes, I stole that one from Midsummer Night's Dream, but it's a good one.) Fee Fie Fo Fum. the doldrums. what a lark. Alas. Alack. Flip. Flap. Fury. Frog's legs. Filth. Rip Roar. Flossy. Hog. Tipsy topsy. Tilly. Faith.

Ah, the list could go on and on . . . after all, I'm just making most of them up as I go along. It's quite fun. Have I mentioned before I'm a fan of alliteration? Well, I am.

Letter Number 4

This letter has a quite a few problems. The first being that it is a little long in the tooth. But I'm stuck with what I should cut short and what I should fill in!

The focus of the letter is meeting the Stranger whilst establishing a new sense of place....But cramming all these in makes the letter seem...well Crammed.


But enjoy reading! And I'll keep plugging away at editing!

Splash right in.

Once in ancient days, in a land of myth and lore, two young girls began to write each other letters.

Goosey, a correspondence

Being the adventures of two winsome girls, Princess Ange and Princess Mirth, written down in a collection of letters. Both Ange and Mirth are born into the highest royal status of the land and end up as peasants, one a goose girl, one a simpleton. There are no fairy godmothers to save them, but if they can find the courage and strength in their hearts, they just may find their happily ever after.

Their letters, read by many, tell how they will discover love, face betrayal and survive encounters with pirates, evil wizards, three mysterious women, various livestock and some badly written poetry.

Reposting Letter 3

"What are men to rocks and mountains?"
Jane Austin, Pride and Prejudice

I said I would fix the third letter and here it is. Letter 3, one more time.

I've rearranged some of the events a little; drastically cut some scenes. You were right the fitting scene was too long. Of course, I also cut down Falada's scene too, but it felt like I was getting too long winded. How long is this letter? Too long?

I tried to keep the descriptions suited to Ange's perspective. She's very attuned to her wisp, where they are, and what they are doing; as well as to sound. She overhears rumors, or the bells chiming.

Also I used a "devise" to lead into my longer scenes, and since I used it twice in this letter I wonder if that's OK. It's the following phrases:  "I shall explain what happened." and "I know you'd appreciate hearing about her, so I shall do my best to describe her." Next time I'll try to be more original, think of something else clever to say.

Let me know what you think.

Let's Play Perception!

" 'Be what you would seem to be' - or, if you'd like it put more simply -'Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."  the Duchess, from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

While trying to figure out how to improve letter three, and my writing in general, I read through a Writer's Digest article on POV. (Alicia's Rasley's The Power of Point of View, 2008. Here's her blog: edittorrent.) After all we each have our own personal way of viewing the world, and it makes sense, especially in a first person story, to individualize the POV.

I like to think I do this already, but I could do it better, or at least be aware of it. Sometimes even when talking about Goosey I'll use first person. I become the character. I am Ange. (See my user name is Angelbird, but right now I'm writing as the author.)

Letter Writing

"The three [letters] you wrote me after I had broken of the engagement are so beautiful, and so badly spelled, that even now I can hardly read them without crying a little."
Cecily, The Importance of Being Earnest

Let's see, the last time I wrote an actual letter to someone, I mean a handwritten letter, was . . . maybe a birthday card to my sister last year. It's rare, who can afford stamps these days. 44cents. And what a waste of  paper, unless it is recyclable, (Actually I own some fancy stationary made from banana leaves - there's different kind of a renewable resouce.) But e-mail is so much better, right?

I wonder.

Everyday I come home from work and the first thing I do before I go inside is check the mailbox. I receive a magazine once a week, but other than that I get bills and junk mail. Unless it is birthday cards or christmas cards

I never ever write letters anymore. Actually I don't even send out Christmas cards - I think about sending them - does that count?

The Book Jacket Quest begins . . . and the Gooseyness prize goes to . . .?

goos·y  
goos·y [goossee]
(comparative goos·i·er, superlative goos·i·est) or goos·ey [goossee] (comparative goos·i·er, superlative goos·i·est)
adj
1.  resembling goose: similar to a goose 
2.  having goose bumps: affected by goose bumps or the nervousness or fear that can cause them (informal) 
3.  silly: behaving in what is regarded as a silly or scatterbrained way (disapproving)
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

I've always been fond of the name Goosey, especially because of the third definition. Or maybe I just like words that end in 'Y'. Lucky. Rosey. Cosy. Posey. Nosy... (I'm making this up as I go.)

Anyway, I thought it was high time to start summarizing this story. I don't mean giving away the ending. Not yet. But I've always had trouble summarizing my stories, and making the summary interesting (and not just a dull, fact explaining sentences, yawn. I do those all the time)