Category script writing

Nov 21 2012

Killing a character :(

So, today I am feeling a little rough. Woke up this morning and couldn’t feel the left side of my throat. Swallowing was even worse, so I am afraid I had a hot toddy and went to bed for an hour. That means little writing done for the day. 😦

What I wanted to chat about here really was the thoughts I’ve been feeling for the last few days. I’ve gotten to know my characters through November pretty well. They’re funny, loving and hard working.  Yet, when the opportunity arises to do that most hurtful thing and lose a character, how do you do it?

I don’t mean how you actually kill them, there can be many reasons for their death. What I mean is how you cope and deal with it as a writer?

Spoiler – For me, this time around came because my story takes place with my characters fleeing their home planet. They are at war with a neighbouring species. This particular character is a hero, he saves many lives in aptly defending his people while injured. Those injuries aren’t yet life threatening. (But the opportunity arose for me to lose him) yet I couldn’t quite make that final decision. I thought and thought about it. But, I just couldn’t kill him.

So I posed the question to facebook and my writer friends….

It was a close friends (lovely) wife that said ‘If in doubt, kill them.’ and that was the final straw, my characters fate was sealed. And his injuries became life threatening and then he passed on.

I am totally at a loss now. Mourning along with everyone left behind. 😦

I feel for them and I feel for myself.

Does anyone else have any experience as they lose characters, or purposely plan to kill them off? How do you deal with it? Do you get as upset as me? Or are you all okay with it?

I have had a break today, but I’ll be getting back into the swing of it tomorrow. Although writing in a funeral isn’t going to be nice either.

Happy writing all. 🙂

Dawn x

 

Nov 18 2012

The Pandoran Age Chronicles

Hey guys/gals

Although working very hard on my own novel, I also have a couple of other projects that I am involved with. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you more to this one.

I would love to talk more about the writing that I am involved with and this science fiction project is amazing!

4217 and a Galactic Dark Age hangs over humanity. A collection of rogues is our species only hope as extra-dimensional psychic vampires swarm the galaxy. Smugglers and psychics, spies and soldiers; pirates and madmen. Each finding their destiny lies in the thick of a war to save humanity from extinction.

http://pandoranage.com/

Like our facebook page too.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pandoran-Age-Chronicles/331690376852755?ref=ts&fref=ts

If you love looking at art work, the animators and designers over at the main website are just amazing. I’ve been very honored to work with these brilliant guys who are from all over the world.

Writing, animation and filming are my passion. So please, please check this project out. Especially the videos, they are so fab.

And of course, message me any thoughts, always willing to listen to the public.

Thanks everyone… will post later about Nanowrimo 🙂

Nov 11 2012

Nano wash out :(

So the week has gone really well so far. Passed the 20k, but we went out on Friday and I only managed about 500 words.

Sat morning and I had all the good intentions of doing loads, but went shopping with mum. I got half way around Tesco and couldn’t carry on. I felt physically sick, in mega pain.

Somehow on the Thursday I managed to injure my foot. I am in agony. So yesterday off I went to the hospital where a very nice man told me I’d injured the soft pad, badly bumped it. And I needed rest and no walking. It could possibly take a few weeks to get better.

Yeah, great, I drive for a living. How am I supposed to rest it?

Anyway, yesterday was spent pretty much feeling sorry for myself. I didn’t have the words inside my head to come out. So, instead I spent it character organizing. Something which when you work in such a vast world like mine that is very important.

Not only are there 13 Episodes, but there is a novel already written, a full history and biography of the planet, their customs and beliefs and character biographies, (for the important ones) a large document full of information, that we need.
It gets pretty darn complicated. Loads of names to remember, even if they’re just passing characters, (which I do try not to name) but its a big job and a big document to keep on top of. You forget to add one character detail and it changes throughout the story, then you have major continuity issues. Not good.

I have to keep everything organized, because of the other people I work with. My original writing partner, helped create some of these amazing characters in episodes that he wrote and that I edited, and vice versa. But to work in the same world we need solid rules and characters, and it all needs to be in one easy place so we can find them quickly. Good job I do like being organized.

There is however, a wonderful animator who has also just started to help us out, by breathing life into the characters and ‘creating’ visual images. This is a totally new concept that I have only just started to work with him on, and it has blown my mind away.

So, at least that is one thing out of the way.

I have a day of pain and doing nothing, the family is off to the local car boot sale, and I can’t go. 😦

I also have the dilemma of work, what do I do, ask for assistance? Ughhhh sucks isn’t the right word. There is no flexibility in any job anymore. A sick day is just that, but you try taking one. Heaven forbid.

Going to be a long, long week.

Onwards with the word count, I am going to try for 25k today.

D x x

Nov 8 2012

20,001 words so far :)

 

Wow, I have to admit this week has been a toughie. It is very hard to attempt to crank out loads when you’ve not only been up at 5am, but have come home, done your jobs, cooked dinner and then settled down.

 

The best time for writing for me, is between 4pm and 6pm two hours usually of un interrupted work. Sometimes I have had the odd distraction, like my mum. The joy of living with her (granny annex) is that we can see each other anytime we like. But, it can disrupt the flow.. lol

 

However, overjoyed hit the 20k mark.

 

The story is going good. I have struggled with one part though, (yes although sci fi,) yesterday my characters had to deal with the loss of an un-born child. I’ve had friends go through this and can only sympathize because I haven’t been through it myself. So it was hard to write about, and hard to deal with.

 

I can only hope that I have handled it the way that my characters would want me too. And that in the continuing parts of their story that they can deal with it and learn to carry on and live. Perhaps with the prospect of conceiving again someday.

 

I do believe with all my heart that even though a story is set in the future, that the situations people/aliens encounter are true to life.  And I hope that perhaps if someone reads it one day, they might learn a little about how and why these things occur and gain some support even through my my imagination.

 

Anyway, only a quick one, late here and I am exhausted.

 

Next hit hopefully 30k over the weekend. Well we all have to have goals right. 🙂

 

Dawn x

 

 

Nov 4 2012

Hit the 10k mark :)

 

So, working really hard on nanowrimo. The ideas and the characters are flowing really, really well. This has been the blessing I have been waiting for.

 

It is such a shame that I didn’t have this motivation last week while I was on holiday, but hey ho.

 

I’ve had some time to also plot, plan and organize the world that I am writing in. Because it is part of The Secret King series there are already rules, established characters and plot points that I can work around, so ‘The beginning’ isn’t too difficult.

 

One thing, I am finding a little difficult is names. I need people to be remembered, but I also don’t want too many to become involved either, so each one must count.

 

I like organizing however, the series bible is extensive, the world solid. So, now it is also going to be colour coded too, so that anyone who comes into the series at a later date. (like my good friend and animator) he can totally follow where what and who everyone is.

 

I always back up, so having a hard copy as well as a paper one is great. I can take the paper one anywhere I go. And the word files can be accessed through my drop box account.

 

Everyone should have a dropbox account. A safe place to store all your work and you can access it anywhere. Brilliant.

 

So, now that I have reached the 10k mark, I am going to relax for a little bit, read and then off to bed.

 

Night, night all.

 

And for those who are doing, nano… keep going. It is possible.