Monday, January 30, 2012
Majoris Panis en de Arsus
This was such a great idea I had, but now it requires me to actually know stuff about stuff. Um...that may be a problem. Fortunately, we live in the Age of Information! With Wikipedia at hand and anything I want to know accessible via Google, I shouldn't have a problem putting this into motion. I just have to do the mental grunt work.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Um
Yesterday I had a great idea for how to improve my story goal. It doesn't really change it, it just makes it a bit more specific and should help me to write a more engaging plot. Yay!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Summary
I found a guide to help me form a plot outline and make a summary so things are definitely looking up now! I still have tons of brainstorming to do, but one thing at a time. I had a great idea for how to choose a character name for Part 2 in the middle of the night last night so I'm excited about that. By the way, what is it with Part 2 butting in all the time?!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Understanding God
Over the last four days I've been taking tons of notes on all the aspects of forming a plot and here's what I have figured out so far.
Down One Main Character
I was going to have two main characters, a boy and a girl. I wanted to tell both their stories equally so readers of both genders would be able to identify with it. However, as I started looking into it, I realized that may not be possible. A lot of the scenes are depicted with Marie alone. She's typically the one being followed because her life is in some parts derived from mine. Alex lives in Georgia and is only interacted with through letters. So it's not possible for me to make their "screen time" even. I am also considering calling the book "Marie", as least as a working title, and I clearly can't just leave out the other main character from the title. That brings up the issue of titles.
Choosing a Title
Because I'm already planning to do a series, I need to have titles that go with each other. Naming the book "Marie" would work well if, say, the second book was titled "Sarah" and the third "Alex", but that is far from the direction I want to go. I have never been good at choosing titles, so this may prove difficult.
Developing the Plot
My biggest issue so far has been the plot. The articles I've found have been unbelievably helpful, yet I can't seem to get past setting a goal for the protagonist. This is because a Christian lives life differently from most people. There are several goals that a Christian has that are not tangible, but spiritual. These are:
In some ways I can relax and just go by whatever a Christian is supposed to do. I live it, or try to, so that shouldn't be too hard. Or is it? You see I have to determine what God would choose for Marie and I am a far cry from God! Here is my greatest challenge and I haven't even gotten to the book describing heaven or the new earth. #Headache
My Plan
I'm going to look up some testimonials and read stories in the Bible and try to get a sense of how God works in people's lives. He's still such a mystery to me, but I know there is a method to His ma--um...majesty? ;-)
Down One Main Character
I was going to have two main characters, a boy and a girl. I wanted to tell both their stories equally so readers of both genders would be able to identify with it. However, as I started looking into it, I realized that may not be possible. A lot of the scenes are depicted with Marie alone. She's typically the one being followed because her life is in some parts derived from mine. Alex lives in Georgia and is only interacted with through letters. So it's not possible for me to make their "screen time" even. I am also considering calling the book "Marie", as least as a working title, and I clearly can't just leave out the other main character from the title. That brings up the issue of titles.
Choosing a Title
Because I'm already planning to do a series, I need to have titles that go with each other. Naming the book "Marie" would work well if, say, the second book was titled "Sarah" and the third "Alex", but that is far from the direction I want to go. I have never been good at choosing titles, so this may prove difficult.
Developing the Plot
My biggest issue so far has been the plot. The articles I've found have been unbelievably helpful, yet I can't seem to get past setting a goal for the protagonist. This is because a Christian lives life differently from most people. There are several goals that a Christian has that are not tangible, but spiritual. These are:
- Surrender to God's will
- Sharing the Good News
- Shrugging off sin
In some ways I can relax and just go by whatever a Christian is supposed to do. I live it, or try to, so that shouldn't be too hard. Or is it? You see I have to determine what God would choose for Marie and I am a far cry from God! Here is my greatest challenge and I haven't even gotten to the book describing heaven or the new earth. #Headache
My Plan
I'm going to look up some testimonials and read stories in the Bible and try to get a sense of how God works in people's lives. He's still such a mystery to me, but I know there is a method to His ma--um...majesty? ;-)
Friday, January 13, 2012
Stop the Presses!
I'm going to suspend the actual writing of my story until I can figure out exactly where I want to go with this. The plot needs to be much, much better--as in I actually need to have one. I know where I want the characters to end up, but it's something that happens to them, not something they can chase after. So I have to give them some sort of mission, something that compels them to action, to give the book a reason for being told. Otherwise it's just a series of daily events that have no real significance. I have a lot of thinking to do.
I'm starting with this website called Daily Writing Tips that has a lot of great information and resources to help writers understand what makes a book worth reading. We know when we love a book, but why? What are the mechanics of a good story?
Things to think about.
I'm starting with this website called Daily Writing Tips that has a lot of great information and resources to help writers understand what makes a book worth reading. We know when we love a book, but why? What are the mechanics of a good story?
Things to think about.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Epicness Needed
Edit: 1/13/2012 - Okay so what I want to say sounds really silly after watching this cinematic this morning. I woke up thinking about that scene in the game that made me cry so much and I cried again, which is weird for me. I just thought, "I don't understand why this hurts me so much" and struggled to go back to sleep. Then I woke up again at six o'clock and suddenly, just in my heart I heard, "She doesn't have a father." and everything became clear. All my life I've looked up to men who are sometimes significantly older than me and I've always known this burden was the cause. It's not like I don't have men in my life who I can look up to. I just don't have any that I'm close to. This must be why I have a heart for the leader of the Assassins. I've heard a lot of people say that there is something about a father that nothing can replace. So I cried out to Jesus like I rarely have before and clung to my Heavenly Father and hoped He would satisfy what a game could not.
But come on, I love this game, so...
I thought I'd better post one of the first cutscenes of it. I love watching this =D Still can't figure out if it is real or animation. When he puts his hood up it looks a bit 3D animated. I don't know, they've always been good with cinematics. Which is why their movie should be sweet! I don't know why people are afraid the movie will be a flop--have you seen the cinematics and trailers of the games, people?! If the movie is anything like them it should be amazing. Especially since Ubisoft wants a lot of control, while most companies have to give over so much control to the studio. I do hope they do the storyline of the games and not some random stuff like the short films they've already made.
Here is what Ezio says at the end of Revelations that I find very beautiful and I don't think it spoils anything:
"I have seen enough for one life...Desmond? [that's his descendant]. I heard your name once before, Desmond. A long time ago. And now it lingers in my mind like an image from an old dream. I do not know where you are or by what means you can hear me. But I know you are listening. I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose, but drawn forward like a moth to a distant moon. And here at last I discover a strange truth: that I am only a conduit for a message that eludes my understanding. Who are we, who have been so blessed, to share our stories like this, to speak across centuries? Maybe you will answer all the questions I have asked. Maybe you will be the one to make all this suffering worth something in the end. Now, listen..."
earlier on 1/12/2012:
I finally watched all the cutscenes for Assassin's Creed: Revelations. I cried at the end. =( When I went back later today to watch one of the last scenes, it made me cry again. I can't figure out exactly what has impacted me so much about these games. I haven't even played them. I've just been watching the cutscenes for each game for the last few days, which can be as long as a few hours each game.
I think I like it so much because there are elements that everyone can agree on. Granted, it is definitely a tad anti-Christian in that it claims the Apple of Eden didn't open man's eyes, it simply created illusions. Hearing my favorite character say that the Bible is just stories does hurt, but you know sometimes people don't agree with you.
It does have elements of what make stories great, though. The characters have a sense of destiny, and they live with such purpose that is truly inspiring. Their entire lives are completely committed to being assassins, even to the point of cutting off their ring fingers so they can never be married.
The characters' stories also have significance to future generations. Everyone wants their life to mean something in the grand scheme of things, and to leave a lasting legacy beyond just our generation. These two things have been instilled in all of us by God. Furthermore, we all want to know how our ancestors' lives have impacted us and how we are like them. So there are many reasons why the games strike a chord with so many people. Maybe they just like dropping off a roof to assassinate someone.
Okay, so why am I posting this on my story blog? Well, you see, I haven't really been able to write because I simply cannot think about anything else but Assassin's Creed. I can't even write about my story on my blog specifically for my story because AC is so in my head. I think the immersion has stretched outside of the game now that my two new favorite songs make me think of AC and with my TV on the verge of breaking, I've been on Youtube a lot. I could read that book in the corner that I stopped reading before Christmas, but...meh. What I would like to read is one of the AC books. That would be sweet.
Ahem...
Oh yeah. I was going to say that I wish my story had this kind of impact on people. I mean, when I think about it, the deaths that are supposed to have the greatest impact simply don't. Everything people do in this story is so ridiculously ordinary and unexciting, probably because my life is so ordinary and unexciting. I thought that was what I wanted, but now I'm not so sure. I need to figure out how to write modern day stuff as epically as I can write the end of the world and even then my writing isn't that extraordinary. *Sigh* I'm inspired, I tell you! I just don't know what to do about it because I feel so incredibly inept.
Basically, I just need people's lives to string together somehow. I need those moments where you go "Oh my gosh, that's that person from Chapter 1!". You know, those things that kind of come full circle in the story. I do have a few things like that, but as I said, they are so bland. -_-
So now I have multiple layers of writer's block and am extremely sensitive emotionally. Great. Just what you need during the winter when there is nothing else to do.
I couldn't find the exact thing I heard at the part that made me cry like a baby so I'm thinking it must be a special edited version. -_- this is probably the closest thing to it, with the violins and all. See it was like this, but with piano or light strings and then at 0:57 the strings get louder and it's just sooo sad!! 0:40-1:12 is where that is by the way.
But come on, I love this game, so...
I thought I'd better post one of the first cutscenes of it. I love watching this =D Still can't figure out if it is real or animation. When he puts his hood up it looks a bit 3D animated. I don't know, they've always been good with cinematics. Which is why their movie should be sweet! I don't know why people are afraid the movie will be a flop--have you seen the cinematics and trailers of the games, people?! If the movie is anything like them it should be amazing. Especially since Ubisoft wants a lot of control, while most companies have to give over so much control to the studio. I do hope they do the storyline of the games and not some random stuff like the short films they've already made.
Here is what Ezio says at the end of Revelations that I find very beautiful and I don't think it spoils anything:
"I have seen enough for one life...Desmond? [that's his descendant]. I heard your name once before, Desmond. A long time ago. And now it lingers in my mind like an image from an old dream. I do not know where you are or by what means you can hear me. But I know you are listening. I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose, but drawn forward like a moth to a distant moon. And here at last I discover a strange truth: that I am only a conduit for a message that eludes my understanding. Who are we, who have been so blessed, to share our stories like this, to speak across centuries? Maybe you will answer all the questions I have asked. Maybe you will be the one to make all this suffering worth something in the end. Now, listen..."
earlier on 1/12/2012:
I finally watched all the cutscenes for Assassin's Creed: Revelations. I cried at the end. =( When I went back later today to watch one of the last scenes, it made me cry again. I can't figure out exactly what has impacted me so much about these games. I haven't even played them. I've just been watching the cutscenes for each game for the last few days, which can be as long as a few hours each game.
I think I like it so much because there are elements that everyone can agree on. Granted, it is definitely a tad anti-Christian in that it claims the Apple of Eden didn't open man's eyes, it simply created illusions. Hearing my favorite character say that the Bible is just stories does hurt, but you know sometimes people don't agree with you.
It does have elements of what make stories great, though. The characters have a sense of destiny, and they live with such purpose that is truly inspiring. Their entire lives are completely committed to being assassins, even to the point of cutting off their ring fingers so they can never be married.
The characters' stories also have significance to future generations. Everyone wants their life to mean something in the grand scheme of things, and to leave a lasting legacy beyond just our generation. These two things have been instilled in all of us by God. Furthermore, we all want to know how our ancestors' lives have impacted us and how we are like them. So there are many reasons why the games strike a chord with so many people. Maybe they just like dropping off a roof to assassinate someone.
Okay, so why am I posting this on my story blog? Well, you see, I haven't really been able to write because I simply cannot think about anything else but Assassin's Creed. I can't even write about my story on my blog specifically for my story because AC is so in my head. I think the immersion has stretched outside of the game now that my two new favorite songs make me think of AC and with my TV on the verge of breaking, I've been on Youtube a lot. I could read that book in the corner that I stopped reading before Christmas, but...meh. What I would like to read is one of the AC books. That would be sweet.
Ahem...
Oh yeah. I was going to say that I wish my story had this kind of impact on people. I mean, when I think about it, the deaths that are supposed to have the greatest impact simply don't. Everything people do in this story is so ridiculously ordinary and unexciting, probably because my life is so ordinary and unexciting. I thought that was what I wanted, but now I'm not so sure. I need to figure out how to write modern day stuff as epically as I can write the end of the world and even then my writing isn't that extraordinary. *Sigh* I'm inspired, I tell you! I just don't know what to do about it because I feel so incredibly inept.
Basically, I just need people's lives to string together somehow. I need those moments where you go "Oh my gosh, that's that person from Chapter 1!". You know, those things that kind of come full circle in the story. I do have a few things like that, but as I said, they are so bland. -_-
So now I have multiple layers of writer's block and am extremely sensitive emotionally. Great. Just what you need during the winter when there is nothing else to do.
I couldn't find the exact thing I heard at the part that made me cry like a baby so I'm thinking it must be a special edited version. -_- this is probably the closest thing to it, with the violins and all. See it was like this, but with piano or light strings and then at 0:57 the strings get louder and it's just sooo sad!! 0:40-1:12 is where that is by the way.
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