ieva melgalve » protagonist

Dream-jerk reaction

ieva — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:36:40 +0000

Whenever I’m actively writing I am having those wild dreams that boggle my mind as much as actual writing does. So after having one of those horrible, guild-ridden dreams tonight, I woke up with a “I’m writing today” thought I didn’t even question. (Not that I really wanted to question it.)

So I did my 500+ words on a tram, with the right protagonist, with the right trouble in the first scene, and enough inner discomfort to keep writing. Actually, come to think of it, I need to know that the protagonist is the right amount of wrong. And the antagonist, whether it’s a person or, as in this case, a culture, has to be the right amount of right. After all, *I* am the worst antagonist the protagonist can imagine, since I am the one who’s giving her all of her trouble. Moreover, I can easily make her life easier, give her everything she needs and let her have it forever. So, well, I need to dislike her enough to be that mean to her. Me being a mean person, this means she needs just one crappy trait or two, and a couple of stupid illusions/assumptions.

Also, on a side note, on a frantic research session, I discovered that love can be, and is, quite different from the definition I have developed for my private use. The fact that I needed a wikipedia article to tell me this doesn’t sound good. But oh well. Luckily, wikipedia exists.

the first words

ieva — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:03:47 +0000

My idea to have a first draft before any serious worldbuilding is working out nicely. Well, it isn’t technically a “first draft”, it is, so far, unattached semi-scenes, more of a setup than a reality, glimpses into the world. However, I’m writing 300 words a day average (well, at least I should be writing; I haven’t met my today’s goal yet), and these glimpses give me more and better insights into the world than I ever got while planning. And, had I planned it before as I thought I would, I would have it incredibly more boring (for me at least, and my own interest is all that matters at this moment).

I got my protagonist, although she’s still a bit stiff or raw or whiny or–I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but she has no real, likeable voice yet.
I have my antagonist or probably lover, I don’t know that yet either. He hasn’t said anything yet but I am fascinated already.
I got a setting that’s more than good vs evil. That piece of information came to me in a state between sleep and wakefullness, and I absolutely adore it because it’s so, well, true.

I haven’t figured out yet the magic. I migh swap the two different types of magic usage between the two cultures.

I’m excited. And still sleepy. And reluctant to actually put any words on paper.

But I know I can now, and it feels way more healthy than anything I’ve had since end of November.

counting the days

ieva — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:31:16 +0000

I have written novels before, but never before have I had the ending to tie together so smoothly. Usually, I just discarded the lesser threads along the way, assuming they weren’t important enough, or ended with a protagonist deciding he didn’t care about anything else than a single problem he was having, something in that vein. Now, I’m neatly tying up most of the ends in a coherent fashion, and I think that all untied bits will gladly wait until the edits.
And did I say already that I really want to type The End in my document?
I guess though that I’ve been so reluctant about writing (I wrote 900 words yesterday, but I had to force myself to do that) because Vega made a very creepy choice and I actively loathed the pat she was about to take. It’s a good thing that I dragged her out of it just an hour ago.

If I really applied myself to that, I guess I could finish Vega until Monday, but I still have The Keyman on my shoulders, so probably I won’t rush it just yet.

total makeover

ieva — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:44:35 +0000

Today, I took the Project Humanity and rewrote it from zero.
Changing my protagonist to the direct opposite.
Rendering the story, if I can trust my husband, 2-3 times better.

I know there is a lesson in there, I’m just a bit too tired to learn it.