I am sorry for the lack of updates, but I've rewritten chapter 20 now nearly three times because I keep writing it into a place I don't want it to go.
I have a general plan where the story goes, the ending is even written. I say that and I've said that even though I lie since the ending itself has changed twice too. Ever since I added Lexi into the equation.
But there is not much left, I have only a few more ideas followed by the final endgame event, which will then herald the final chapter.
Bear with me here, I keep adding more twists and turns and I think you'll be surprised, its just I need to thin out some numbers and this will do that.
and sorry for being generalized, but it wouldn't be fun to give away the secret aloud until you read it, would I?
Comments
Thanks for the Update
You've already put us through a number of twists and turns. Why not a few more? Looking forward to what is coming.
Wishing and Hoping
Well, I like a happy ending, but I guess I'll just have to follow this whereever you lead us. Take the time to get it right, just understand most of us woul prefer that you only take a short time. ;-)
Yuri!
Yuri!
Characters
Hi Allystra
I love Accidental Magic, and definitely enjoy your characters.
A while back, I was a denizen on rec.arts.sf.composition. One thing that struck me is that some of the authors talked about having discussions with their characters, being mean to them, and letting them do what they wanted to do. In a way, it sounds strange to speak of a fictional character that way, but there is a very good reason to think of it like that.
I guess I should mention that a lot of published authors hang out there.
We all know that there are lots of rules and techniques to writing, but real captivating fiction comes from the heart -- or the subconscious, if you will. Somewhere within your mind, there is a set of characteristics for all of your characters. When you let them do what they want, you are letting that subconscious creativity free.
When my characters want to go off in some weird direction, I let them. Or, I use external means to move them back where I want them. That is, rather than manually changing their actions, I change the setting so that they are kind of forced into line. I rarely do that, though.
A good example of my characters taking over is in Journey to Humanity, where I killed off Amy (telepath/bio elemental with violet hair and eyes.)
Cara got so depressed that I had to find a way to bring her back -- which is why she ended up being a bio elemental. From there, lots of chaos happened. In fact, I am currently writing Higher and Higher, which is the tale (not tail) of Tina the flying kitty girl. There would have been no Tina if Amy wasn't a bio elemental.
What I'm trying to say is that if you let your characters run the show, good things can happen. The story seems more real and less contrived. Their actions seem more natural and the story flows better.
Ray Drouillard
Allystra, sometiimes my characters are stuborrn too
You'll figure out the way out of the *corner* you think you painted yourself into.
A scratch monkey, um, test reader or two might help you get some perspective. Let them know where you want to get to and show them some of the failed approaches and I'll bet they'll find one or more ways to fix it. I'm serious, they have helped me alot.
Don't feel bad about Lexi, I've had characters insinuate themselves into my plot when I wasn’t looking too. Often they proved to be my best characters.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Stubborn?
According to Joanie, it's you that's the stubborn one. ;-)
KJT
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Them's fightn' words, Karen_J, revised, um, sorry, I screwed-up
Last night I posted...
>>
My heroine Joanie is perfectly happy, bonking her beloved Eric every chance she ... er ... em, that a FEW years down the road but...
Um, how is Kari coming?
- snotnose in Wauwatosa snickers fiendishly --
>>
Okay, Karen, on refection that last bit of mine was over the top, a bit rude/crude and I apologize. RL and muses rarely cooperate as we might wish. Consider it a less than subtle encouragement to see if you can get back in the groove, so to speak. I liked the fragments I saw, scratch that, loved the fragments.
>>
We were over fifty today, yo-yo weather is back.
>>
At least this last bit was okay
John in Wauwatosa
P.S. Oh If I said anything last night that upset anyone or violated the tone of the site, I am sorry. It was meant in a joking/playful way but on occasion I stick my foot in my mouth.
John in Wauwatosa
uhm, okay?
I am completely confused by the previous statement. I guess I had to have been there.
"If there are any Psychics in the room, Please raise My hand." - Emo Philips, Comedian