Beautiful People: July 2017 // Writing Process

How do you decide which project to work on?
Generally, the project chooses me. I'll be sitting on the couch, or listening to a sermon, or helping someone at work, and then I'll glimpse an Idea out of the corner of my eye. The Idea and I will make awkward eye contact, and then I know that I'm marked for life. Or, at least until the Idea is finished with me. It takes me captive until I research, plot, write, and edit it. Only then does it let me out of the dungeon where it's been keeping me in feet shackles (once, an Idea tried to put me in wrist shackles, too, but that didn't work out so well because I couldn't write with my hands tied together). 

How long does it usually take you to finish a project?
Ha. ha. ha. What does "finish a project" mean? At the rate I'm going, I'll have a book out every five years or so. 
My first novel took roughly two years to finish from start to end. The novel I'm working on now has been in the works for three-and-a-half years. Short stories generally take me a week or so to finish (same with school essays). I've yet to finish a novella, so they take me even longer than novels.
Maybe it takes me so long to finish projects because my Ideas shackle me to the floor of a deep, dark dungeon, and that does NOT put me in a writing mood (see next question).

Do you have any routines to put you in the writing mood?

Nope, no routines, but water (hikes near streams... being by the ocean... when it's raining... in the shower...), puts me in a writing mood. Classical music also tends to put me in a writing mood because, as a kid, I would make up stories in my head to go along with the music.

What time of day do you write best?
I've been trying to figure this out, and I don't have an answer. I don't think I have a specific time of day that I write best. I do most of my writing in either the afternoon or evening, but I don't think that means I write better then. Generally, I write the best when I am well-rested in both body and mind. 

Are there any authors you think you have a similar style to?
Perhaps children's authors from the early 1900s? Like E. Nesbit. Or maybe middle grade writers like Sharon Creech or Jeanne Birdsall. I would describe my writing style as simple, clever, and classic. Whether or not anyone agrees with that assessment is another matter. 

Why did you start writing, and why do you keep writing?

I guess I started writing because I had stories to tell. Before I could write myself, my parents would transcribe stories that I told to them. They encouraged storytelling and creativity. I still have stories to tell, but now I'm more interested in how stories are told. Language and what it evokes fascinates me. I love learning the power of choosing words and punctuations that will make a reader feel a certain way. 

What's the hardest thing you've written?

In terms of content, I wrote a short story a few weeks ago that changed from a sweet friendship story into a psychopathic murder story really quickly. It creeped me out, and it was hard to finish because of that. I haven't looked at the story since then (even to edit) because I'm scared of it.
I also wrote an essay about my grandfather's death, and that was difficult to write, too. 

In terms of difficulty level, I wrote a ten-page research essay (with ten sources) about gender roles in fairy tales (and received an A) last semester. I worked SUPER hard on that paper, and I'm very proud of it. 

Is there a project you want to tackle someday, but you don't feel ready yet?

Yes, yes, yes! There are several projects, actually. One of them is a series of short stories about a space cafe. I've wanted to do a series (similar to a TV series, with seasons and everything) for ever. When I was younger, I planned out a series based on my American Girl Dolls. When I started watching Star Trek, I planned out a series based on Deep Space Nine. Around summer of 2013 or 2014, I had the first idea for this space cafe story. Occasionally, I'll work on the characters or the plots or the worldbuilding, but it's just not time for me to write these stories yet. 
If you've been following me long enough (AKA, if you've been around since I blogged on Dolls, Books, and Things That Matter), you may remember two characters named Daniel and Varina who were spies. These two characters have been with me since 2012. I've written numerous short stories and three-and-a-half novels about them. They are my favorites. They are the closest to my heart. But, they have no plot (the ones I came up with in 2012 are never going to see the sun). I need to re-haul pretty much everything about their stories, but now is not the time to do that.
I also have several stories set in the same world as my fantasy-fairytale novel (y'know, the one I've been working on FOR-EVER), but I don't feel ready to write them yet either.
Someday all of these stories will leave my brain box. BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY.  

What writing goals did you make for 2017, and how are they going?

My one writing goal for 2017 was to finish my novel by December 31st. I've been working on this story for far too long. I'm ready to move on to other projects. 
Recently, I added several more writing goals for 2017. They are as follows:
1. Figure out what to do with the Novel once I finish it. (I've completed this one... but spoilers, darling. I can't share my plans quite yet.)
2. Write six short stories over the summer. (I've written four so far.)
3. Research women in World War II for my next novel, and write the parts in the book that deal with this topic before I go back to school (again, I'd share more... but spoilers! This particular Idea does not want you to know about it until next month. It's threatening me with starvation, so I'd better listen to it).

Describe you writing process in three words of with a gif!

(Because I spend more time thinking about each word in my sentence as I go along than actually writing anything down.)

Tell me a little bit about YOUR writing process! What puts you in a writing mood? Do you have a particular time of day in which you write best? How long does it take you to start a project (from Once Upon a Time to The End)?

Beautiful People: June 2017 // Draegond

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

Meet Draegond. He's married to Lynnie, who featured in last month's Beautiful People post! He'd like to answer this month's questions himself, so I shall turn The Blog over to him.

1. What's your favourite place you've ever visited?

I love to travel, though I haven't done as much of it as I would like. Before defecting from King John's guard, I had never traveled outside of Kasteel City. After I defected, however, I went straight to the mountains and crossed over to the desert beyond. It was so beautiful! And so sparse. I loved it. I would love to go back someday with proper supplies. Last time, I didn't bring enough water and passed out from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Finn's mentor found me and they were able to bring me back to health.

2. What's one mistake you made that you learned from?

Well, I definitely learned not to enter a desert without proper supplies! Ha ha ha. Another mistake that I made was returning to Amery after I defected. If you are going to defect, don't come back to the country that you defected from. Similarly, if you are going to do something that goes against order (like spy on your superiors, for instance...) make sure that you are not caught. You may not get a chance to learn from your mistake if you are caught! I was given the death sentence for defecting from King John's guard, but he had mercy on me and only demoted me. 

3. What was your favourite subject in school? Or favourite thing to learn about?

Much of my schooling prepared me for entering the king's guard, which I hated. It was all fighting and marching and riding and more fighting. Students preparing for the king's guard do get to take two classes of their own choosing, though (they're for if you are discharged from the king's guard, you know another trade). I chose art and craftsmanship. I enjoyed those two classes the best out of all the ones that I had to take. 

4. What's your favourite flower/growing thing?

I like small, round cacti. There were a lot of those in the desert. They have beautiful flowers. I also like those tiny, little daisies that grow in fields. 

5. Have you ever made someone cry? What happened?

I'm ashamed of this... I made my wife cry once. She still worked at the tavern, then. I had had a long day of work, and she had had a long day of work. At home, we got into a silly argument about how often the floor should be swept. I snapped at her. Then, she cried. That's another mistake that I learned from: even if you've had a long day, you can still act civil to your wife. 

6. Would you consider yourself a reliable or unreliable narrator?

I'm always reliable to those who deserve it. (This does not include King John, but don't tell him I said so, or he might actually have me killed this time.)

7. What do you dream about at night?

Sometimes I dream about the desert. Sometimes I dream about Lynnie and I picnicking in the fields around Kasteel City. Sometimes I dream about dark forests and the dark things that they contain. I don't often remember my dreams, but when I do—whether they take place in the desert or the fields or the forest—they always have dragons in them.

8. You've gone out for a "special meal." What would you eat?

Hmm... I do like a good leg of lamb when I can get it. Garnished with potatoes and potatoes. Mmmm.

9. What's at least one thing you want to do before you die?

I want to return to the desert and see dragons. That's why I went there in the first place, but I never saw dragons. 

10. Do you have any distinguishing or unique talents?

I like to fancy myself a good artist. That's not too unique, but it's my only hobby (beside adventuring, that is). I suppose I have the unique talent of looking intimidating (when, according to my friends, I'm really just a harmless turtle. I don't like going too fast, and I like sitting in the sun). 

Thanks for letting me answer these questions. Life as a dungeon guard is pretty boring when you only have one person to guard.

(I heard that!)

Finn! Quiet! This is my interview. 

Ignore him. He's just salty because he's been stuck in this dungeon for five years. He gets pretty bored, too. I should go back to him. Thank you again. 

Beautiful People: May 2017 // Lynnie

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

Lynnie is one of the minor characters in my fantasy-fairytale novel. She is Rozella's maid. 

1. Overall, how good is their relationship with their parents? 

Overall, very good. Lynnie is a little distant from her father because he works so much, but she knows that he is always there for her if she needs something. She is closer to her mother, or, rather, her mother is closer to her. Lynnie's mother has many sons, but Lynnie is her only daughter. She relies on Lynnie a lot and can sometimes be annoying in a way that only a mother can be to her daughter, but Lynnie loves her nevertheless. 

2. Do they know both their biological parents? If not, how do they cope with this loss/absence and how has it affected their life?

Yes. (That was an easy question. :P)

3. How did their parents meet?

Lynnie's father was a humble mill boy... Lynnie's mother was a humble farm girl. One day, she was sent on a mission to his mill to tell him that the next portion of wheat would be arriving late. He was very kind about it, even though he should have been angry since it was going to put the mill behind schedule. From that day on, she made sure to walk by the mill every day on her way home from the field, even though it was out of her way. One day, he followed her home and, after that, he walked her home on his way home every day, until his home became her home, too. 

4. How would they feel if they were told “you’re turning out like your parent(s)”?

Lynnie would feel that it was a complement if someone told her that she was like her father, for her father is reliable and kindhearted. If she were turning out like her mother, on the other hand, Lynnie would be appalled. Her mother loves learning the latest royal gossip and spreading it to whoever will listen. She is also very particular about her children and grandchildren; people call her a hen. Lynnie doesn't like to gossip, and she would rather have her children as free-spirited as possible. 

5. What were your character’s parents doing when they were your character’s age?

Lynnie's father was working hard at the mill and Lynnie's mother was expecting their first baby. 

6. Is there something they adamantly disagree on?

Lynnie believes that King John's treatment of the lower classes (of which her family hails from) is deplorable and that they should do something about it. Her father agrees that King John treats his peasants horribly, but he thinks that it is too dangerous to speak or act against the king. 

Lynnie and her mother disagree on celebrity gossip. Lynnie thinks that her mother should find better things to engage her time, but Lynnie's mother is convinced that one day her knowledge of All Things Royal will come in handy one day (it turns out that she is right).

7. What did the parent(s) find hardest about raising your character?

Lynnie was never content to stay at home to learn mending or cooking. She was always out exploring the countryside with her brothers. This was fine, except that Lynnie's parents didn't always know where she had got to! When their family was forced to move to the city, Lynnie explored it on her own. Often, she wandered into parts of town that she was not supposed to go as a peasant. Her parents spent many afternoons wondering where she had gone and if she was going to come home that night. 

8. What’s their most vivid memory with their parental figure(s)?

Lynnie remembers refusing to learn to sew as a little girl until her father came to her and asked her a special favor to him to learn to sew so that she could help her mother mend the clothes for the family. Maybe someday, he said, she could help her mother make the quilts that the family made for extra money, and then Lynnie would be a productive member of the family. From that day on, Lynnie decided to love sewing. 

9. What was your character like as a baby/toddler?

She was an amiable baby. She hardly ever cried and smiled a lot. When she learned to crawl, she never stopped until she learned to walk. She has been going place ever since. 

10. Why and how did the parents choose your character’s name?

"Lynn" was the name of Lynnie's grandmother. Her parents wanted to honor Grandma, but they also wanted to make their baby's name unique, so they added "ie" at the end of her name. 

Beautiful People: March 2017 // Rozella

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

Finn and King John have had a chance to be featured in Beautiful People posts. Now it is Rozella's turn!

What’s their favourite book/movie/play/etc.? There were some books in the tower that Rozella inhabited as a child. There was a set of dictionaries that helped Rozella learn about the outside world, and there were many novels. The Wicked Witch didn't like Rozella reading, and Rozella didn't want to risk the Witch's wrath, so she didn't read much until the Witch disappeared. Then, Rozella read as much as she pleased. Her favorite thing to read, however, was The Royal Magazine, which the Witch paid a subscription to. The Royal Magazine is a publication that comes out of the human kingdom and features updates about the royal families, the economy, the current fashions, and the latest entertainment. Often, the magazine featured spreads about Rozella's family. It was her only way to connect with them, and that is why she loved reading The Royal Magazine so much.

Is there anything they regret doing? Rozella regrets being so fearful after the Wicked Witch disappeared. She feared for a whole year that the Witch would come back, and it held Rozella back from doing many things, including becoming her own person.

 

If they were sick or wounded, who would take care of them and how? For the first thirteen years of her life, the Wicked Witch would "take care" of Rozella whenever she was sick or hurt. The Witch, however, was not a kindly nurse. Often, she would give Rozella horrible-tasting potions to make her feel better, and she never gave hugs and kisses when Rozella fell and scraped her knee. No, the Witch would give admonishments instead as she patched up the fallen princess.
In contrast, Alonzo, Rozella's cat, was a much better caretaker and companion. Whenever Rozella was sick or hurt, he would curl up next to her and comfort her. After the Witch disappeared, he tried his best to help Rozella if she ever got sick or hurt. He would bring her food, water (he's a very smart cat), and flowers.

 

Is there an object they can’t bear to part with and why? Rozella doesn't have any material possessions that she can't bear to part with, but she doesn't like to be parted from Alonzo. He has been her only companion for as long as she can remember before she is rescued from her tower. They have a very close bond.

 

What are 5 ways to win their heart (or friendship)?
-Treating her with equality. Even though Rozella is a princess who has lived in a tower for the past twenty years of her life, she is still smart and capable. She doesn't want to be treated differently than anyone else because she has had a different upbringing.
-Respect. Rozella is eager to learn about everything that she has no knowledge about. She only asks that her teachers treat her respectfully and don't look down on her for not knowing something yet. She doesn't like feeling dumb. Rozella also wants to be respected for the things she does know how to do. She knows a lot about gardening and tending to a variety of animals; she has been self-sufficient for seven years. She doesn't appreciate it when other royals look down on her for knowing how to grow crops, milk a cow, make cheese, sew a dress, or cook.
-Kindness. The Witch never showed Rozella much kindness, so it touches her heart when someone shows genuine kindness toward her.
-Being cared for. Again, because the Witch never cared for Rozella, Rozella's heart is easily won by people who genuinely care for her. She can be easily confused between genuine care and people pretending to care for her, though.
-Bringing her flowers. Alonzo the cat always brought Rozella a bouquet of wildflowers on her birthday. Because of this, people bringing her flowers has an association of good feelings with Rozella. Bring her flowers, and you can ensure a place in Rozella's heart.
 

Describe a typical outfit for them from top to bottom. When she lived in the tower, Rozella wore outfits that she or the Witch made. After the Witch disappeared, Rozella altered the Witch's dresses to fit herself. Many times, she mixed and matched parts of different dresses to make something new and entirely her own. Sometimes, for practical sake, Rozella would sew skirts into harem pants. Rozella often looked like a travelling gypsy. When she returns to civilization, she wears tailor made dresses with hoopskirts, as the current fashion dictates (and she absolutely hates it).

 

What’s their favorite type of weather? Rozella likes both the rain and the sun because it means that the crops are getting nutrition and will grow. She likes the sun better, though, because it means that she can sit outside.

 

What’s the worst fight they’ve ever been in? Rozella had many fights with the Wicked Witch, though it was mostly the Witch yelling at her for something she had done and Rozella cowering in fear. The worst of these fights ended with Rozella being shoved into the Punishment Cupboard, a small and dark cupboard that Rozella just barely fit into. This is the source of her claustrophobia problem.

 

What names or nicknames have they been called throughout their life? Rozella doesn't have any nicknames (though I sometimes call her "Roz" on paper because I can't be bothered to spell her full name).

 

What makes their heart feel alive? Rozella feels the most alive when she is doing something industrious with her hands like gardening, sewing, or washing dishes (though she does draw the line at scrubbing the floor). Out of these, gardening makes her the happiest.

And now you know a little bit about Rozella! If you are a writer, tell me one thing that your character regrets doing. If you are a reader, tell me one thing that a book or movie character cannot be parted with.

P.S. As you can see, I have been playing around with my blog design. I'm not completely happy with it yet, so bear with me as I continue tweaking things. :)

Beautiful Books: January 2017 // Goals and Drafts

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

1. What were your writing achievements last year?
I re-wrote the fantasy novel that I have been working on for the past two years, and I focused on characters. I also attempted to write a few short stories, though I haven't finished any of them. Additionally, I wrote a lot of blog posts of which I am proud, and I earned A's on all of my college essays (though one was, technically, a B+/A-)!

2. What’s on your writerly “to-do list” for 2017?

My biggest goal for 2017 is to finish my fantasy novel. If I can, I would also like to write/finish several short stories. If I can't write them, then I would at least like to outline them. Tentatively, I am thinking about writing an anthology of scary stories (my Gothic Literature class inspired me). Also, my sci-fi café story idea is still cooking in the back of my mind. It's not fully baked yet, but I have high hopes that the oven timer will sound its completion soon!

3. Tell us about your top-priority writing projects for this year!

My fantasy novel! Though have learned a lot through the enjoyable process of editing this book, I am ready to finish this story.

4. How do you hope to improve as a writer? Where do you see yourself at the end of 2017?

I hope to continue refining my essay-writing skills. Also, I hope I can continue growing in my characterization and streamlining skills.

At the end of 2017, I would like to have a physical copy of my finished manuscript in front of me. (And my secret hope is that I will have published something in my school's literary journal. But, shh! Don't tell anyone!)

5. Describe your general editing process.

Since I've only editing one book before this one, I don't have an editing process yet. The one I've been using for this novel has been working well, though. I started by working on my plot, and then I worked on my characters. Now, I'm working on my plot and characters again. After I finish with them, I will look over the draft for wordiness, decide if I need better word choice, and fix grammar mistakes.

6. On a scale of 1-10, how do you think [your most recent] draft turned out?

A seven. It was much better than I expected and it has a lot of potential, but it still has a lot of work to be done to it. Luckily, I can see exactly what needs to be done! All I need is the time and motivation to do it.

7. What aspect of your draft needs the most work?

In addition to my characters, my world building still needs work. I don't have to worry much about one of my races since only one of its members is in the story. Finn's race, however, I have renovated since I decided that I didn't want him to be an Elf. I've made up my own race, which means a lot of rewriting later in the story. Hopefully, I can write them well enough that people don't think they are Elves.

8. What do you like the most about your draft?

The cleverness and humor. I didn't remember that my story was so funny! I'm taking this as a good sign: if I'm entertained by it, certainly my audience will be entertained, right?

9. What are your plans for this novel once you finish editing? More edits? Finding beta readers?

Querying? Self-publishing? Hiding it in a dark hole forever?

After I finish this draft, I will have several people read it. Then, I will work on edits based on their comments, and word choice and grammar edits. After that, I don't know. I want to publish the story somewhere, but I don't know yet if I want to self-publish it or go the independent or traditional route.

10. What’s your top piece of advice for those just finished writing a first draft?

First of all: Congratulations!! You wrote a whole novel! My advice to you is to take a break from your story for several weeks. Then, start looking at it again. You will see the problems and have to come up with solutions. Sometimes, letting other people read your work helps you figure out problems and solutions.

No first draft is perfect, but nearly every story has potential, so find problems, find solutions to those problems, and make your novel the best that it can be!

Beautiful Books: October 2016 // NaNoWriMo

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

It's almost NaNoWriMo time! That means that the Beautiful People link-up changes to Beautiful Books, with an emphasis on a person's entire novel instead of just characters.
My homework load is lighter this quad, so I am able to do NaNoWriMo. I found a friend on campus who does NaNoWriMo, too, and we have been busy brainstorming our novels together! It's so much fun to have a friend to geek out about writing with!
I'm really excited for NaNoWriMo this year because, for the first time since 2013, I'm working on a new project! For the past several years, I have been working on my unnamed fantasy/fairytale story (you can read about my progress here), so it will be really nice to start a new story.

1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?
A few months ago I had an idea for a character, but he did not have a story to go with him. Since I was working on my unnamed fantasy/fairytale story, I put away this character to think about at a later time. I was working on the worldbuilding for my unnamed novel when I had a sudden idea: the race I was working on had a hinted-at but long-forgotten past. What if my storyless character was a part of this long-forgotten past? Before I knew it, I had a four book series planned out!

2. Describe what your novel is about!
Witches/Warlocks are living in a technologically advanced world; their technology is powered by their magic. The government is trying to find ways to harness magic more efficiently. Unfortunately, their experiments cause a massive explosion which decimates most of their kingdom and the nearby human kingdom.

3. What is your book’s aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you like!

 

4. Introduce us to each of your characters!

Finnias Flannagan: Finnias is the character that I came up with a couple months ago who didn't have a storyline to go with him. He is a Warlock living in the capitol city of his people. He is a brilliant hairdresser who is making a name for himself among the elite. He is personable and easy to get along with, but he can be obsessive compulsive about a lot of little things, like cleanliness, which is sometimes a problem between him and his three roommates. Finnias comes from a large family whom he visits often. He is medium height and sleight of figure. He has brown hair (which he always dyes other colors) and blue eyes.

Finnigan Flannagan: Finnigan is Finnias' twin brother and also one of his roommates. He is easy to get along with, like his brother, but not as OCD. He's funny and witty and loves to entertain his friends with jokes. He's very manly and spends a lot of his free time working out or helping his father and brothers with high labor projects.

Chay Deron: Chay is Finnias' second roommate. He is an endearing pessimist and can be very blunt. He's very observant and speaks up for people when they can't speak up for themselves, when he bothers to care. He tends to brood in corners.

Kelsie Jams: Finnias' third roommate is an artist. He is constantly lost in a world of his own inside his brain so he is very forgetful, helpless, and accident prone. It's a wonder he hasn't been killed by accident yet.

Aileen: Aileen is Kelsie's girlfriend. She is an ambassador to the Witches/Warlocks from the humans. She is extremely intelligent and passionate. She also has a sixth sense when it comes to Kelsie. She is, undoubtedly, the reason that he is still alive. She watches out for him and makes sure his absentmindedness doesn't get him into trouble.

5. How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)
This year, I have been doing quite a bit of NaNoWriMo prep work. My novelling buddy has inspired me to develop my characters, world, and plot before NaNo even begins! Sometime in the next week, I hope to outline my plot.

6. What are you most looking forward to about this novel?
I'm really looking forward to writing character interactions. I have a versatile cast who are different enough that their interactions should be entertaining to write (and read, too, hopefully!). In addition to my five major characters, I have many members of Finnias' family who will show up in the novel. I'm hoping that I can write them like J.K. Rowling did with the minor characters in Harry Potter: even though the minor characters have small roles, they are still memorable enough to stick in the reader's imagination many years later.

7. List 3 things about your novel’s setting.
The Witches/Warlocks live near the ocean.
The novel takes place in the capitol city.
Everything gets destroyed so there is a lot of rubble.

8. What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in the way?
After the city is destroyed, Finnias' goal is survival. A new leader rises from the rubble whom Finnias does not agree with, so his goal is also to find some way of saving his people from a tyrant.

9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?
Once his world is destroyed, Finnias must learn acceptance. He must also learn to be heroic, rather than cowardly.

10. What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over?
One of the major themes of the book is going to be the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil, and how one should react to them. Some other themes will be sticking up for what's right and what you believe in, learning to let go, dealing with grief, and dealing with betrayal.

Are any of you doing NaNoWriMo? If so, tell me about your story!

Beautiful People: August 2016 // Finn

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

This month's questions are based around appearance.

1. Give a brief overview of their looks. (Include a photo if you want!)
Here is Finn's description from his character profile: 6’. Shoulder-length, wavy, pale golden hair and very pale complexion. Green eyes. Rectangular face. Quite thin from being on a prison diet, but strong and muscular.

2. Share a snippet that involves description of their appearance.

Before stepping out of the cage, he tucked in his shirt and pulled on the jacket he had been wearing five years ago when he had first been thrown in his cell. He pulled a hand through his long, curly-blond hair. He bent down and spat on his boot, hoping to shine it a bit. He was going to see the king, after all.

“All right, I’m ready to see the king,” he said, running a hand through his hair again. 

“It’s the other way around,” grunted a guard. “The king is seeing you. You are merely reporting as ordered.”

 

3. What is the first thing people might notice about them?
Finn is extremely pale, but his eyes are green, so people are often struck with the contrast between his complexion and his eye color.

 

4. What are their unique features? (Ex: freckles, big ears, birthmark, scars, etc.)
Probably his pale complexion.

 

5. How tall are they? What is their build (Ex: stocky, slender, petite, etc.)
As stated in his description, Finn is six foot tall and thin, yet muscular. At the beginning of the story, he is in the king's dungeon and has been there for five years, but he works out in his cell just in case he ever escapes and needs to fight someone.

 

6. What is their posture like? How do they usually carry themselves?
Despite being in a dungeon for the past five years, Finn has great posture. He always carries himself well: shoulders back, back straight, and head held high like an invisible string is pulling the nape of his neck toward the sky. He carries a lot of tension in his neck and shoulders, so he can sometimes appear rigid.

 

7. Your character has been seen on a “lazy day” (free from usual routine/expectations): what are they wearing and how do they look?
Finn would probably wear loose, comfortable clothes made by the finest tailor in his homeland. Perhaps he would look more relaxed than normal, even going so far as to relax his rigid posture.

 

8. Do they wear glasses, accessories, or jewelry on a regular basis? Do they have any article of clothing or accessory that could be considered their trademark?
The only accessory that Finn wears is a locket with a portrait of his twin sister Raya inside of it. He also carries his sword and bow and arrows with him. His sword has an ivory handle and is inlaid with emeralds.

 

9. Have they ever been bullied or shamed because of their looks? Explain!
Yes. Finn's race can't grow hair, but since Finn is half human, he and his twin sister did grow hair. To fit in with the rest of their race, they would shave their heads, arms, and legs every morning. Yet, they were still teased for the fluff that they occasionally missed.

 

10. Are they happy with how they look? If they could change anything about their appearance, what would it be?
Finn hated how he looked when he was younger because he didn't fit in with the rest of his race. When he left home, however, he stopped worrying about shaving his hair and let it grow long. His hair has since become a feature of pride to him, rather than shame.
If Finn could change one thing about his appearance, he would make his skin darker so that it doesn't burn so easily in the sun.

In my next blog post, I will talk about Finn's race, whom I have been busy creating. Stay tuned!

Beautiful People: June 2016 // King John

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

This month's questions are based around your character's childhood. Since I am writing a short story about one of the villains from my fantasy/fairytale story at the moment, I decided to do this month's Beautiful People about him.
King John rules one of the human countries and, at the beginning of the book, he is looking for a bride. He decides to send a prisoner from the dungeon and an old hag to rescue a princess imprisoned by a Wicked Witch on the top of a very tall mountain.

What is their first childhood memory?
John's first memory is sitting on his mother's lap, playing with a set of toy soldiers that she brought for him.

What were their best and worst childhood experiences?
Best: Every day until she died, John's mother would visit him for an hour. Sometimes she would play with him, sometimes they would walk in the garden together, and sometimes she would sit and John would bring her toys or crafts to show her.
Worst: I have a snippet for this answer!

One day, King Rupert summoned his son. Nervous and excited, John let Nursie take special care of his looks that morning. He even let her clean the dirt from behind his ears and from under his fingernails.
John had imagined this day for many years. He would stand in front of his father; he would be praised for his growth; then, his father would invite John onto his lap and they would play toy soldiers together.
Reality, however, was the opposite of John's dream.
A silent servant led the prince through the winding corridors of the castle to King Rupert's study. When they reached the study door, the servant announced John, and then the prince entered, standing straight and proud.
Bookshelves, maps, and mounted animals lined the walls of the study. John was proud of himself for ignoring these most interesting objects and keeping his eyes toward the desk behind which his father sat—at least, John was proud of himself for only taking what he thought was sneaky glances at the shelves, maps, and animals.
John did stare at his father. He couldn't help it. He could count the times he had met the man on one hand. The king didn't look any different than when John had seen him last, several months ago at John's birthday dinner.
Prince John reached his father's desk and waited for his father to speak. It took several minutes, for his father was busy writing something. John tried not to feel awkward and unwanted, but it was taking King Rupert so long to notice him!
Finally, the king spoke: "This is the boy, then?" He spared three seconds to glance up from his work and look at his son before starting to write again. "I didn't realize he was so plain-looking," continued the king. "Are you sure this is the right boy?"
John felt his high hopes fall and smash on the stone floor. The iciness from the stone seemed to seep into John's feet and up his body to his heart. He stood for several minutes, waiting for his father to laugh as if his words had been a joke, hoping his father would still take him upon his knee and comment on what a lovely boy John was becoming, hoping his father would suggest playing toy soldiers together. But, King Rupert said no more.
"P-please, sir," said John meekly. "I would so like... like to play toy soldiers with you."
King Rupert looked up from his work and, for a moment, John thought that he would smile and beckon the prince over to him.
"Do I look like I have time to play?" snapped the king. "Take him back to his nurse and see that the child does not disturb me again until he is old enough to hold his tongue!" he ordered the servant.
Prince John balled his hands into fists.
"I am seven years old and do know how to hold my tongue!" the prince shouted to keep himself from crying and further disparaging himself to his father.
Then, the servant's hand was at his back, guiding John from his father's study. As soon as they were in the hall, John tore away from the servant. He kept himself from crying until he reached the stables. There, he found an abandoned stall, threw himself on the ground, wept, and beat the flagstones with his fists.

 

What was their childhood home like?
The royal family's castle looks like a medieval castle, except much bigger. It has many, many rounded turrets, walls, courtyards, and towers. Over the years, various kings have added rooms to the castle in a haphazard manner, resulting in a maze-like floor plan. It is easy to get lost in the castle and takes months to memorize all of the twists and turns.

 

What’s something that scared them as child?
As a child, John was quite fearless. As he grew older, though, he became afraid of people seeing his fear or any other emotion, since he felt that emotions were a weakness that people could exploit.

 

Whom did they look up to most?
Until he was seven-years-old, he looked up to his father most. Then, when his father rejected him, John's trust was shattered and he only looked to himself, not to others.

 

Favourite and least favourite childhood foods?  
John has always enjoyed meat dishes. He especially likes pot roast. He hates peas, though.

 

If they had their childhood again, would they change anything?
He would change his interactions with his father. He would make his father love him.

 

What kind of child were they? Curious? Wild? Quiet? Devious?
John's mother spoiled him (maybe to make up for his father's lack of interest) so John was a prideful, commanding child. He nearly always had his way as a child, which later grew into an extremely controlling personality.

 

What was their relationship to their parents and siblings like?
John adored his mother because she gave him anything he wanted in addition to a lot of attention.
Though John hates his father, he learns to hide his hate behind a carefully constructed mask of indifference. This indifferent mask comes in handy later when John's father marries again and has three more children, whom John also hates. He is able to treat his half-siblings with civility, while loathing them in his heart.

 

What did they want to be when they grew up, and what did they actually become?
John never thought of being anything other than king when he grew up. This thought became a reality.

And there is a little peak at King John's childhood!

Beautiful People: May 2016 // Catriona

~Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In.~

While some family and friends read the third draft of my fantasy novel, I have been working on character profiles for a sci-fi story idea which has been ruminating in my mind for over a year. I will be answering this month's Beautiful People questions about my main character, Catriona, who owns a café.

1. How often do they smile? Would they smile at a stranger?
Because Catriona owns a small café, she often takes on odd jobs that need doing; such as, manning the cash register, clearing tables, or bringing people their food and drinks. As a result, Catriona smiles a lot at many strangers because she wants her café to have a friendly atmosphere.

 

2. What is the cruelest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?

Many people—including Catriona's father—told her that travelling offworld, buying an abandoned space station, and turning it into a café would be madness. It would be better to stay at home and work a stable, well-paying job. Catriona was disgusted and disheartened that her family and friends would try to discourage her from her dream. She disregarded their advice and achieved her dream.

 

3. What is the kindest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?

Catriona's father gave his approval for Catriona to follow her dream and open a café. After a few years of business, he tells her that he is proud of her effort and how well she has done for herself. Catriona is overjoyed with this complement and hugs her father.

 

4. What is one strong memory that has stuck with your character from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?

Catriona's mother died when she was four. She doesn't remember her mother well, but she does remember her father's grief and how it overshadowed their whole life for several years.

 

5. What book (a real actual published book!) do you think your character would benefit from reading?
The Betty Crocker Cookbook. Catriona's café already serves food and drink from varied worlds, but earth is not one of them. I think I speak for all the human characters in the story that the café could use some human cuisine on the menu.

 

6. Have they ever been seriously injured? How severely? How did they react?

Once, a Gobulouse Fish wrapped its poisonous tentacles around Catriona's foot and stung her. She went to her father for comfort and he took her to the doctor immediately. Thankfully, the doctor was able to extract the poison before it spread through Catriona's bloodstream. He was able to save her foot, too, though now it is crisscrossed with thin, white scars.

 

7. Do they like and get along with their neighbours?

Catriona's neighbors include the planet Rodo, which her café orbits, and also a mechanic's shop, which also orbits Rodo. She gets along with both places well. There is a steady stream of customers who travel from Rodo to Catriona's café every day after school or work for her signature snacks and drinks.

 

8. On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being easy and 10 being difficult) how easy are they to get along with?

2. Catriona is very personable. She has friendships with many of her regular customers. Even if Catriona doesn't like someone or disagrees with someone, she will treat them fairly and kindly.

 

9. If they could travel anywhere [in the world], where would they go? (I've altered this question slightly since Catriona doesn't live on her home planet anymore.)

Catriona has already achieved her dream of travelling offworld to open a café. Now, she would like to visit Mars to meet her friend Gruce's family.

 

10. Who was the last person they held hands with?
Hmm, I don't know. I guess Catriona is a hold-hands-and-don't-tell kind of person.

The Evolution of a Sentence

In my Beautiful People's post, you might have noticed my first two sentences, which introduced the linkup. If you didn't notice them, here they are:

 

"Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In. This month's questions relate to writerly resolutions for the New Year." 

I'm willing to bet five invisible unicorns that you didn't notice those two sentences. Why didn't you notice them? Because I edited them to be unnoticeable.
Those two sentences started out like this:

"Beautiful People is a linkup hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In designed to let authors answer questions about their books and characters. Since this month's questions are all about writing resolutions for the New Year, I thought I'd join in to give you all a taste of what I hope to accomplish in the coming weeks!"

Both "before" and "after" contain two sentences and relate the same information—that Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait and Sky—but one is clearly the superior. How did I get from five lines of text to three, and still manage to keep all the information?

In his book On Writing Well, William Zinsser says, "Writing improves in direct ratio to the number of things we can keep out of it that shouldn't be there... Examine every word you put on paper. You'll find a surprising number that don't serve any purpose."

I could tell that my sentences were too wordy, so I changed, "I thought I'd join in to give you all a taste" to "I thought I'd share with you," and, "...of what I hope to accomplish in the coming weeks" to "...of what I hope to accomplish in 2016." I de-cluttered the second sentence by eight words AND got rid of a cliché phrase ("give you all a taste"). Now my sentence looked like this:

 

"Beautiful People is a linkup hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In designed for authors to answer questions about their books and characters. Since this month's questions are about writing resolutions for the New Year, I thought I'd share with you what I hope to accomplish in 2016!"

But it was still too wordy. What else could I take out? Well, the blog post itself insinuates that I'm sharing what I hope to accomplish in 2016 with you, so that bit could be deleted.

 

"Beautiful People is a linkup hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In designed for authors to answer questions about their books and characters. This month's questions are about writing resolutions for the New Year."

After that, I couldn't decide whether or not to put a comma between Cait and Sky's information and the word "designed," so I split the sentence in two.

"Beautiful People is a linkup hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In. It was designed for writers to answer questions about their books and characters. This month's questions are about writing resolutions for the New Year."

Now, however, all three sentences were nearly the same length!
After several minutes of intense thinking, I decided that my readers didn't need to know that the linkup was "for writers to answer questions about their books and characters" when the much simpler "for writers" would do. I added the word "monthly" and my introductory sentences were complete:

"Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In. This month's questions relate to writerly resolutions for the New Year."

Qapla'! (Which in Klingonese for "success.")

My sentences were reduced by almost half, resulting in an easy-to-read and unobtrusive introduction to my Beautiful People post. It wasn't because I'm a naturally talented writer, but because I am learning to be a deliberate writer.

Let us return to On Writing Well for a closing quote:

"Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it's because it is hard."

Beautiful People: January 2016 // Goals

Beautiful People is a monthly linkup for writers hosted by Cait at Paper Fury and Sky at Further Up and Further In. This month's questions relate to writerly resolutions for the New Year.

1. What were your writing achievements last year?
In 2015, I completed two novels and also earned an A- in AP English Language and Composition.

2. Tell us about your top priority writing project for this year?
My fantasy novel, which I rewrote in 2015, is in need of minor plot fixing and major character and world building. I hope to work on these issues and complete one—if not two—more drafts of this novel in the next year.

 

3. List 5 areas you’d like to work the hardest to improve this year.

-I want to experiment with editing and, hopefully, find a method of editing which works well for me. 

-By the end of the year, I hope to have a better grasp on creating believable and relatable characters.

-I want to further hone my essay writing and nonfiction muscles. I am one of those strange people who loves to plan and write essays, but fine-tuning them and putting together citations makes me panic.

-Like most everyone else, I want to procrastinate less and write more.

-This isn't a writing goal, but it does pertain to the craft: I would love to read more about writing. See question #6 for the writing-related books I hope to read this year.

4. Are you participating in any writing challenges?
Oh, just a little thing called NaNoWriMo. *shrugs*
I might take part in one or both of the Camp NaNoWriMo's as well, depending on whether or not I need motivation to work on my fantasy story.

 

5. What’s your critique partner/beta reader situation like and do you have plans to expand this year?
Erm. I don't really have a critique partner or beta reader(s). Right now, my parents are the only ones that read my work before it's finished. I would love to expand my pre-readership, though. When I'm done with the next draft of my fantasy novel I will probably contact some of my friends to read it. Let me know in the comments if you are interested!

 

6. Do you have plans to read any writer-related books this year? Or are there specific books you want to read for research.
Here are three writing-related books that I plan on reading in the next few weeks:
-On Writing Well by William Zinsser.
-The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell.
-Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell.

 

7. Pick one character you want to get to know better, and how are you going to achieve this?
I did some mild character-building last week and now I'm very excited to work more with my villainous character. He didn't have much motivation or personality in the first two drafts because I didn't know how to portray ruthlessness on paper. After reading several books on Russia during Stalin's reign, however, I have some ideas. Now, I need to work those ideas into draft 3. After that, I hope to know my villain better.

 

8. Do you plan to edit or query, and what’s your plan of attack?
I plan to edit copiously, but don't have any plans for querying this story yet.

 

9. Toni Morrison once said, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”  What are the books that you want to see more of, and what “holes” do you think need filling in the literary world?
I have been thinking about this question for two days and I still can't think of an answer. I think that with all the different books in the world, and especially with all of the different authors that self-publishing has presented to the world, there is a book for anyone, if one looks hard enough.
I suppose the world can never have enough adventure stories, though.

 

10. What do you hope to have achieved by the end of 2016?
I hope to have a third—and maybe fourth—draft of my fantasy novel finished and, perhaps, a short story collection completed. I would also like this blog to be filled with well-written posts, and for my nonfiction writing skills to improve.

What are some of your goals (writing or not writing related) for 2016?