World-Building Month: History

See? I said I’d update.

All right, this project isn’t so much steampunk as… Nazi-punk. Which, you know, works.

Anyway, I think I have an alternate history. This could easily change at any time, but here’s the basics:

Writing Week

For some crazy reason, I only ever seem to write during the last week before school starts.

World-Building Month: Magic System

Yes, I know I said that I’d do the history of the world, and I cover a little bit here. But I wanted to do the magic system first, since I think I’ve figured it out for the most part.

Magic in my world is a highly revered art, and magic-users have traditionally been part of the privileged classes, although by no means are they the only aristocrats. Magic was often used to support the divine right to rule in monarchies, and if an heir was born without magic, they were passed over in the succession. However, further study of magic, starting in about the 1400s, revealed that it is not purely genetic, although it does tend to run in families. Exposure to magic, the favor of a god or force, or tempermental factors have all been theorized to contribute to magical ability.

World-Building Month, AKA I Am Such a Slacker

Yes, I’m participating in Elizaw’s World-Building Month over at http://elizaw.wordpress.com/. So I’m actually posting for once. Note to self: write here when there ISN’T a challenge on. Anyway, I’m building the world for the same project I spent Villain Month on.

Anyway, this cake is great this is what I would like to cover in this fine month of August:

Villain Month: Roseanne Character Sheet

And I don’t even like character sheets. I mean, not the stupid ones that ask you what your character’s favorite type of animal is, but I like this one. And I think it’d be cool to do another one. This is the same idea as the one Charles comes from, and is actually his foil. Well, here she is.

Villain Month: Charles Character Sheet

I’m a bit late for Villain Month, but whatever. And I probably won’t update every day, since my computer is broken and I have exams, so… yeah.

I’ve been bouncing this idea around for a while, but I haven’t actually started writing it yet. Next I might work with a villian from my actual WIP (perish the thought).

So, without any further ado, my first villain.

When Characters Attack

Or, when characters hijack the plot for their own devious ends.

Anyway, one of my characters just turned out to be in love with someone they’re not supposed to be in love with. Part of me’s excited because, hey, the little characters are all grown up now and can make their own decisions! And it does actually fix a lot of plot holes. But on the other hand, it sort of pisses me off because… well, he wasn’t SUPPOSED to be in love with her. No matter how glad I am that my characters can reveolt, it’s sort of the thought that they know better than me that makes me mad.

So, yeah. That’s my post. Nothing deep and profound today.

Jesus Christ.

Has it really been over a month? I’m sorry, if any of you are reading this. I did warn you guys.

Anyway, for lack of anything better, I’ll talk about different types of comedy. Yay.

The Internet and Creative People; Or, I’m Feeling Blindly Optomistic Today

Things I Love About the Internet, number 3,794: It has changed the way creative people interact.

Beginnings

I hate beginnings.

No, honestly. They’re the hardest part of a novel for me. I struggle with how much information to give, what the characters sound like, sorting out the plot holes, everything. Mostly I wonder if my writing is good enough for the work I’m doing. I want it to be really good, but I know I’m not really good yet. I’m pretty good, but that just won’t cut it.

So I stress about it, trying to get better, thinking that maybe I should put this aside, work on something shorter, something easier, until I get better.

If I keep doing that, I’m never going to get better.

I can’t keep getting wrapped up in my own insecurities to the point where I don’t do anything. I’m a writer. It’s what I want. And I’m young. I’m allowed to suck for now. But if I don’t practice, I’m never going to improve.

Of course, maybe posting something for critique the moment I finish it doesn’t exactly help, either.

So, here’s what I’ll do. I’ll keep it to myself for now, and I won’t stop to think how bad the dialogue or the prose or the plot is. That’s what editing’s for. The first draft is for getting the general idea of a novel down. I can polish and edit as much as I want, but I’m never going to get to that point if I don’t plough through this.

Wish me luck.