like it or not

I have just written a small piece for a contest at Evil Editor, and published it on my other blog. The limit was 200 words and I had to choose the protagonist among the range of well-known, frightening characters as it was Halloween-based.

Contestants have chosen Dracula, Frankenstein, or even Dick Cheney :)

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My hero was Carrie.

I did not have a really high opinion of what I had done, but the comments were positive. I think I made a decent job, but I'm sure I might have been able to do better.

Anyway, as I indicated on that post, I have chosen Carrie b/c I've always felt sympathy for her.

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Question is:

does the flowing of the story, the strength of writing have anything to do with the relationship between the writer and the protagonist?

If the writer despises him/her, will it make writing less enjoyable? How does sympathy towards your character(s) come into the picture?

If you feel for them, understand AND appreciate their action/feelings does it directly translate into a better story?

I think I have some answers already, but I'm seeking your opinion as well.

I'm alive.
I've been polishing the first Chapter.
Sometimes what I write comes out so nicely that I'd like to lean back and pat my shoulders.
These days, despite of the company of the almost-full Moon, I'm not in that mode.
Would someone switch me, please?
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Concentration. Focusing.
My kids won't be here between 29 October and 4 November.
I'll try to make use of this time.

chapters one after another

According to the present state of events, I envision the short story to have five chapters, plus the prologue and epilogue. That makes seven parts, some of them only a few lines long.

I feel very neat with having this strcture in mind now.

I have taken written notes of what each chapter would be about.

I have came up with titles for each chapter.

I've started writing Chapter One...

I have recently written pieces that would fit into further chapters...

Do you work in a linear fashion?

I think only a few writers can start writing at Chapter One, first line, finishing it, going onto Chapter Two and going this way until The Last Chapter.

I think most writers write some parts first and match pieces together LATER ON, according to the sequence of events and/or the flow of the story?

I had some other questions to ask, but my two kids keep CONSTANTLY speaking. To each other, to imaginary friends, to the dustbunnies under the table, to the corners of the room...

I can't believe how much can they actually talk.

Distraction.

a little hole

is filled.
I had some trouble with the character and flow of fate of the protagonist.

Now, after having decided it's my writing after all, I'm much better off.

I don't think just because someone MIGHT be called a ****, s/he should exactly behave like every other **** in the history of writing. If this deviation makes my protagonist a less-likely ****, than so shall it be.

The story should be right, no matter how the protagonist meets the requirements of being a ****.

I mean, if you were reading a story about a dog that never barks, would that upset you?

Considering that the story is otherwise acceptable/good.

How much does a **** have to behave like the one we find in stories about ****s?

This is for you, readers! What's your opinion?

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On a side note, I think I 'have' my chapters. I mean the title and a general answer to the question of 'what's in a particular chapter?' .

How cool is that.

I only have to fill in those empty pages...

Well, as I have learned somewhere, there should not be blank pages.

Blank pages block.

I keep writing into one single Word document file.

It adds up to 12 pages now, but it contains a lot of writer's monologue and other misc. items, which will NOT be included in the story.

I don't think it will come to 100 pages, though.

I would be very very much content with...like 40...?

We'll see.

I hope the protagonist will make me see.

I'll give her a chance and so I'll be given a chance too, in return.

some improvement

you know I keep checking back this blog of mine (for I have two) and I am surprised to find that the number of comments do not increase after a time. It makes me wonder.
Then I realize I have not written a new entry, that is the reason for not receiving new comments.
Silence in my part is answered by silence from the readers. Quite reasonable, isn't it?
Oh, how dull I can be sometimes....


Well, about the improvements!

I have started outlining.

NaNoWriMo

it's everywhere.
I was thinking about writing my story during its course.
For clear reasons I can not join the NaNo, and I have doubts about being able to write that much about that idea I have.

My original plan was to write the story in 8-10 pages. What I have written so far is sligtly LESS than that limit, but the flow and type of things I wrote do not fit this short category. I think they would normally fit into a novel of 200-300 pages, but I think I don't have the drive and inspiration to go into it.

I am sad to admit that a reasonable plot is missing, too.

I enjoyed writing down all the things I have now and I don't know how to go on.

I'm thinking of adding some more twists and events to the original idea, plus making sure those lines I already have are enjoyable.

Let me explain: Sometimes I do writing exercises and I like when there's a word count limit. I usually write carelessly and end up with 2-1,5* as much words than eligible.

Cutting my words down is a great task.

All that needs to go fall out.

Only the most operative, most impressive, most conveying ones can remain.

That's one of the reasons I love these exercises.

So, by adding some more to the original plot, adding characters and events, I can, I might make it to like....100 pages. I fear writing it down.... Just the mere thought of writing 100 pages in my second language and creating something enjoyable frightens me.

pessimism vs optimism

well yes, I'm on the wrong side of the mirror again.

Having a more pessimistic approach on life now, I was thinking about changing the plot again.

In my last post I mentioned I had decided to change the original plot into something...how should I put it....lighter...? nicer?

I expressed my happiness over having accepted the fact that I was able to change my plot.

It took me some time to figure it out and accept the change. To accept that I have the right to do so - as long as I see it fit.

Now, I'm thinking of changing it again.... :)

My idea is this:

I'd stick to the original concept, and'd insert the optimistic story as a dream...

The protagonist foresees a potential outcome of her life, and at the same time she is it is the most unlikely outcome.

Well.

Here I am.

My question to anyone out there.
How does your mood affects the fate of your characters?
Suppose you're in the middle of writing a story. Plus you are depressed.
Can you describe a happy and uplifting event or do you have to wait until depression wears off?
OR would you choose a fight scene/sad/grief scene to deal with on gloomy days instead?

Was it a good question, at all?

Outlining and changing the plot a bit

Preface

Dear all, I'm just a beginner at writing a larger piece.

All those writing exercies I find here and there are extremely helpful in polishing my skills. Also are the constructive comments I got from you.

To have or not to have an outline

I started writing 'Copper Moon' without an outline.

In fact I wrote a piece and then decided to extend it along the lines of the story.

As I saw the protagonist in my head, her features and actions were clear as they could be.

But when I started writing it, my mind wondered over here and there and I felt that I was loosing it.

(Like this entry....)

What was the problem?

I kept repeating myself 'I should have done an outline' and 'I am suffering the lack of a neat outline'.

But my problem might have been either the lack of outline or something else.

Changing the plot

The thing is that the protagonist does not fit into the 'box' the very first piece suggests.

I was reluctant to change the protagonist to make her fit for the expectations AND to give up ANY of the suggestions occurred in the first piece.

In fact I was stuck to the 'outline' provided.

All right that was not an outline, per se...

If you read it HERE, and read some of the readers' comments, you see what I mean.

Writing a story about a werewolf and or serial killer seemed interesting. And it still is, to me!

But as far as I see, and as far as I see it NOW, this suggested atmosphere does not fit my protagonist.

Feeling right ->Back to writing

So, after gaining some confidence via writing completely different things andreceiving friendly pattings on my virtual shoulders, I'm focusing on the story again.

I feel stronger than ever that the flow and the potential outcome has changed....for better or worse?

The point is this: I feel no guilt for making this change.

This has been a great breakthough for me.

Perhaps, this, the fear of changing the plot, was blocking me. We'll see.

This story and the one in the oven

After all, it's my story and there's no plotline, other than mine, that is, other than the one that serves best the purpose of writing it up to my highest possible standards. I'm going to write this story to make the impression on the reader the clossests to the concept I have in my head - I hope I will succeed in doing so.

The changes I made fits the protagonist better.

When I wrote the first piece I had no intention of turning it into a 'large' short story. The first piece had a strong character and I wished to build p a story around her.

I kept her as a protagonist but the focus shifted.

The shifting happened quite early, but I was hesitating.

I still think the first piece is good and I might write another story about that protagonist. This werewolf/serial killer thing will surely give me at least one go. I think it's in me, but not this time. Not now.

Thanks for following me.