Page 13 and counting!!!
In some ways I feel like I'm doing really good. In others I'm feeling a lack on inspiration. I have the beginning and lead up to a story. I'm feeling less than adequate on my descriptions and depth for events. I know what I want to do, I know what I want them to feel but I've been having the issue of writing less than one page for a full event that, in my head, should feel more pronounced. I feel like I'm reading a youth novel, which is understandable being this is my first real attempt at writing and so my writing is probably at the youth novel level.
I know I won't get better if I don't actually practice and keep writing. The goal is to get it onto paper and then edit and add as needed. I'm trying to approach this like a picture or an essay for school. You need to get the draft and the basic shape of events onto paper, only after that can you go back and add/remove or alter. So I need inspiration. I need the feeling that I may actually succeed in finishing this piece of writing and that people may actually want to read it. I am tempted to put it on the internet... in written or picture format. I can't decide which would suite the story better. Maybe I should just stick with what I'm doing... but I know I'm needing some sort of praise or interest or something... gah!
I read a lot of Laurell K Hamilton, and she has a new book out as of today which I'm really looking forward to. I need to go back and read a few of the previous before I buy the new one. This is something I do with each new novel, just as a refresher I read the last 2 to 6 novels and being this is her 20th novel in the series it's usually needed to feel prepared for the new book.
While preparing for this new reading and release she's been putting out videos and blogs. This has been really interesting being it's allowed her fans to be very involved with the process as well as a glimpse at how she goes about writing a novel. The one thing I've noticed a lot is her use of the term Muse. This is her inner Muse, the thing that inspires and moves her to write. She also discusses the need to listen to the voices of her characters. I think this is where I'm lacking. I've never been good with pre-character development. Even in my Vampire, LARP and DND days (I know, sad lol) I've always taken a few games to get into the role of my character, and their attitudes. I've found that just saying what my character would be like is not enough, it takes a few LONG sessions to really know their voice. So I think this is my issue at the moment. I'm trying to write the voices of my characters, the thoughts and actions. I've figured out the narrator to an extent but I haven't got the characters quite down yet. I'm not saying they suck, they're just a little flat. 2 dimensional.
Hopefully with time and continuing the story I should manage to figure out what their voice actually is. Here's hoping!
Happy Writing!
