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Monday, January 23, 2017

Writer's Life Tag

Bongiornio! :) Yeah, I'm back. Again. ;) But this time, with a lovely tag from Blue. Thanks for the tag, Blue! (She tagged me for something else too, which I will do at another time.) But, anyways, the tag is called "The Writer's Life Tag", and consists of answering questions... which I will do, so as not to let myself rant on for too long. :)
Write-fuel: What do you eat/drink while writing?
Well, usually I eat chocolate. I know, I know, uncreative writing-food. But it's good! :D As for drinking, usually hot chocolate or coffee (coffee only on occasion - I don't like getting coffee on my notebooks!). Although, if it's anywhere near lunch, I have been known to also munch on pretzel-sticks while writing. And zevia (a sugar-free soda I like) is also amazing for thought before a writing session. Don't ask me why. :P
Write-sounds: What do you usually listen to while writing?
It depends on the story. If I'm working on Alomina, for instance, I usually listen to either the soundtrack of Cinderella (2015), Il Divo, or a few select Andy Williams songs (including "More", because it's awesome, and inspires any story-writing, and "Dear Heart", because it reminds me of Percy, who frequently calls Mina 'Dear Heart'). I also will occasionally listen to the love theme for the book, which is "Remember When It Rained", by Josh Groban (it is specifically Celeise's love-theme). If I'm working on my other medieval story, then mostly the same music applies, except I also listen to that story's themes. When I write in my Romantic Comedy, though, that's when I really get to have fun. I break out the 40's and 50's music and just write. :)
Write-vice: What's your most debilitating distraction?
Well, probably the fact that my favorite characters can't be in every single scene, doing all the funny little hangout things I imagine them doing. Unfortunately, not every scene can be a tea party between Vic Vance and Bertie Fleming (In Greater Hands). *sighs* I wish it could... I really get tired of my boring MCs (well, boring in comparison to my pet characters). Alomina is over-timid, Leta is frustratingly unsure, Owain is too sullen, Alagna is stupendously nosy, and I cannot seem to rid myself of the feeling that I just despise all of them and wish they would disappear to just make way for the side-characters. That is definitely the main reason I write so slow...
Write-horror: What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you while writing?
Probably when I got bit by a spider while writing outside under a tree. It wasn't a super terrible bite, just a small one, and it got some gray foam on it afterwards, but it was slightly unpleasant. The main thing about it that I didn't like was just the thought of a spider biting me (because I do NOT like spiders!).
Write-joy: What's the best thing that's ever happened to you while writing, or how do you celebrate small victories?
One of the best things that ever happened to me while writing was when I was very intensely typing a new scene in Alomina. I was very thoroughly getting into the scene, and I leaned back for but one second to think, and my eye caught to word-count. It had reached the standard 50k. My little baby! :') *sighs* I was soooooo happy, I followed my best friend around all the rest of the day after I told her, just talking with her about writing, and randomly sighing and smiling. My baby was officially a novel! I celebrated by going to see my best friend, and by listening to the music themes of Alomina over and over again.
Write-crew: Who do you communicate or not communicate with while writing?
Well, I have had various writing parties (meaning, just sitting down together and having a quiet session of writing) with my best friend and mentor, who is a very prominent writer. And my main cheer crew reader-wise, besides her of course, are three other writer friends, including Lucy Agnes and Anna D. I also have a wonderful critique crew over at The Inklings, the main people (besides Miss Lucy) of which are Anna R. and Hope. I also tell my reluctant siblings about writing, not really caring whether they listen or not. :P
Write-secret: What's your writing secret to success, or hidden flaw?
Well, *laughs* I haven't much success to brag about at the moment. I suppose even having gotten as far as I have in my stories is some kind of a success, though. And the secret to that is just having particularly enticing characters. As for hidden flaws, *laughs again* all my flaws are quite out in the open, I assure you. No one would miss 'em. :) I guess my least well-known one, though, is my trouble with proposals. I can't really write romance unless it has some element of comedy in it, or particularly intriguing setting. Hence, I have never been able to write proposal scenes, whether inside or outside of the story. I have only written one, and it was a failed proposal. Poor guy. I would mention the poor boy's name and more details, but again, certain audience members may be on the lookout for spoilers.
Write-spiration: What always makes you productive?
I can answer that in one word. Characters! I only got as far as I did in NaNo because of my characters. I only have gotten through Alomina because of the characters. I basically can ony write at all because of the characters. Think how dull a story would be if there were no characters?! What could even happen at all?!
Vic Vance, made with an online space doll scene-maker.
Write-peeve: What's one thing that writers do (or you do) that's annoying?
Oh, there are so many... Like the writers that I call practicalists (or realistics), who spend their writing days trying to make their novels exactly like the real world, and force others to do the same by the pressure claims of "Cleche" and "Try to make it real". It. Drives. Me. Nuts! Writing is not supposed to be exactly like the real world! It's supposed to have personalization and make sense (the real world doesn't always make sense, or at least not the kind of sense that needs to be in writing). As for what I do... It annoys me how I have a habit of putting sentences into a sort of interrogation almost. Like this:
"Bob bit his lip, reflecting on the event. Could he really have just heard that? Was it true? Did he believe it? Could he?"
It's pretty irritating, and it's not good writing. :P
That's all the listed queries for this particular tag, but I hope to be back soon with the other tag. Thanks for the opportunity, Blue! :D
So, there we have the Writer's Life Tag. What did you think? Do you have a write-crew? Are your characters doing well? ;) Does practicalism in writers irritate you as well? Are you a practicalist or a poeticist (like me)? Unfortunamente, this shall be my last post before the hiatus to go on the pro-life march. Sorry if comments are answered late! :P

6 comments:

  1. Nice post!
    Are my characters doing well? . . . They're alive . . . so far. *clears throat* Anyway, and I'd say I'm a little bit of both in terms of practicalist and poeticist:)

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    1. Thanks! Haha, well, sometimes there are some characters who would rather they weren't alive for how their cruel authors treat them... I should know from mine... :P
      Both? Hmm... Well, there is such a thing as being realistic in writing without being a practicalist. Practicalism is a radicalism where even the slightest thing that isn't 75% or more chance of really happening in the real world is unrealistic and bad for the story unless it has to do with fantasy (which still sometimes suffers from practicalist writers). So you can definitely be perfectionist or realistic in writing without being a practicalist radical. :)

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    2. Haha, yeah... If you enjoy Belle's dorky rants... ;)

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  2. You did the tag, and so quickly too!

    Well, I like a little bit of practicalism. There needs to be some balance for the poetry, or so I think.

    I'm not sure your'e 'flaw' is actually a flaw. Proposals are best when they're a comedy of errors. (but that's personal opinion)

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    1. Yeah... I'm a slightly over-enthusiastic blogger at times... :P
      Well, I believe in being realistic, like I said, to be sure, but there is a certain radical point where it gets ridiculous, and that's what I mean by 'practicalism'. Writing should always be realistic, just not obsessively and exactly so.
      Haha, yeah, like I said, the only proposal I ever wrote was a failed one (my poor little broken couple!). :'( However, in my Romantic Comedy (the only kind of strict romance I write), I plan to have rather humorous situations aplenty... (I shall soon introduce that book via 'Meet The Books!')

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