- This topic has 72 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 12 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Hi guys! I’m Sydney Witbeck and I’m so happy to have found SE 😊
I’m an avid bookworm who loves Jesus, my amazing family (including my somewhat-spoiled goat, Tumnus), writing medieval fiction, and is crazy about anything Middle-Earth!! When I’m not working on school assignments, I’m in the midst of writing a sequel, which is going in a very different direction that I had originally planned. ***some of my characters want to have a mind of their own and aren’t listening to me, their author!*** After college, I hope to become an editor and write books on the side.
Anyway that’s just a little bit about me and I look forward to connecting with fellow Christian authors here!!
Hi Sydney! I’m Rose, it’s awesome to have you here!
I’m an avid bookworm who loves Jesus, my amazing family (including my somewhat-spoiled goat, Tumnus), writing medieval fiction, and is crazy about anything Middle-Earth!!
That’s so cool! I love goats! Do you have any other pets?
I adore medieval history myself! I’ve only written fantasy so far, but I love reading medieval fiction and history in general!
I’m in the midst of writing a sequel, which is going in a very different direction that I had originally planned. ***some of my characters want to have a mind of their own and aren’t listening to me, their author!***
Oh, goodness, I relate to that too much XD I’m working on revising a trilogy, and in the course of drafting it, the wildest things have happened. Admittedly, I have a rather unmanageable cast, it’s delightful.
My protagonist switched love interests in the second book, two characters who should have stayed single fell for each other in the third book, random side characters appeared out of the woodwork while revising one book and have to be added in all the others, and characters have revealed very important pieces of information to me after I finished writing… *Deep breath* Never a dull moment XD
What’s the premise of your story? How long have you been writing?
Do you have any hobbies besides writing?
I draw and paint, read (obviously), sew and various other crafts of the sort, and do HEMA!
Without darkness, there is no light. If there was no nighttime, would the stars be as bright?
Hello Rose! I’m so glad to be here!!
I also have two dogs – a purebred Vizsla and a rescue who is a bit of everything (including Great Dane….) and is absolutely the sweetest dog. Ever. 🙂 We also have 4 other goats, 4 chickens and 3 quail…
Yay! I love finding other people who love the medieval time period!
Ha ha! When I say characters, I mean basically mean one character in particular who is NOT listening to me. He is my favorite character to write and he’s not even supposed to be the main character…and now he’s showing up way too often…I’m not sure yet if that’s a problem? I mean, mostly because he’s not in the first book AT ALL. He just popped into my head for this story but now he’s kind of taking over. I like writing about him more than the main character, so that’s what I do…*gulps* I would love advice on this! (I can give more details if you want)
Ooooh you’re writing a trilogy!?! What’s it about? Did you plan it that way from the beginning? (I didn’t write my first book with the intention of a sequel so getting started on that was kind of hard) Oh. Wow. Sounds like your characters are a bit more unmanageable than mine XD I do the same thing with side characters though. They will just pop in and I’m left sitting there like, where in the world did you come from? And then I forget about them and so I have to go back and wrap up their stories.
My first story is called A Journey to Unshakable Faith, and it’s about a princess named Esther. She is forced to flee for her life because her uncle, who was disinherited from the throne, has surrounded her castle. She journeys to Talenthor where her mother’s family lives in a secret mountain village. Eventually she knows she must return home, without even knowing if her family is still alive. Along the way, she discovers God has never left her side even in the darkest of times. ***My sequel premise is kind of a spoiler for a certain event, actually more than one, for my first book, but I’m thinking if I have questions about it on here, I’ll try changing the characters names and hopefully not give anything away.***
I’ve been writing since I was about 9 or 10 but this is my first self-published novel.
Reading is definitely one of my main hobbies!! 😅 Okay. Okay. Besides that(and writing, of course!) I draw (mainly horses)and play around with embossing. And sometime in the future I want to learn to play the violin.
What is HEMA, by the way? I’ve never heard of that before!
Aaaah! This is crazy long!! Sorry!! But its been fun “talking” with you!
I also have two dogs – a purebred Vizsla and a rescue who is a bit of everything (including Great Dane….) and is absolutely the sweetest dog. Ever. 🙂 We also have 4 other goats, 4 chickens and 3 quail…
Oh, that’s amazing! I love dogs! We have chickens too, and we used to have quail! They’re so adorable!
We currently have chickens, turkeys, two horses, a dog, and two cats, so, you could say we have a lot of animals XD
Ha ha! When I say characters, I mean basically mean one character in particular who is NOT listening to me. He is my favorite character to write and he’s not even supposed to be the main character…and now he’s showing up way too often…I’m not sure yet if that’s a problem? I mean, mostly because he’s not in the first book AT ALL. He just popped into my head for this story but now he’s kind of taking over. I like writing about him more than the main character, so that’s what I do…*gulps* I would love advice on this! (I can give more details if you want)
Oh goodness, that’s hilarious! I have one like that too XD He went from love interest to villain to important side character to a POV character and a love interest again. It’s been a wild ride, he’s probably my favorite character to write!
In my opinion, it’s not a problem at all! Your main character isn’t the only important character, side characters sometimes outgrow their roles, and often they’re some of the best and most fun characters ever!
And yes! I’d love to hear more about him! What’s his name, what’s he like?
Ooooh you’re writing a trilogy!?! What’s it about? Did you plan it that way from the beginning?
Well, no XD I originally started it as a standalone, then everything got out of hand and it became a trilogy. I feel like it usually happens that way XD
It’s a fantasy set in a north-African inspired setting! It’s about a princess who has to rescue her brother, the king, from an attacking enemy. It’s a more grounded fantasy, there isn’t a magic system or fantasy animals, so it’s just a different world.
It’s been immense fun to write, I’m on the third draft of book one now! I’m not planning to publish it, just learn everything I can from it.
I do the same thing with side characters though. They will just pop in and I’m left sitting there like, where in the world did you come from? And then I forget about them and so I have to go back and wrap up their stories.
Yep, that’s what it’s like *Cries in why don’t my characters behave* XD
Ohhh, I love the premise of your story! It sounds like so much fun! What has been your favorite part of writing it?
Reading is definitely one of my main hobbies!! 😅 Okay. Okay. Besides that(and writing, of course!) I draw (mainly horses)and play around with embossing. And sometime in the future I want to learn to play the violin.
Ohh, that’s fabulous! I started out with drawing mainly horses, and I still return to it every so often!
What is HEMA, by the way? I’ve never heard of that before!
It stands for Historical European Martial Arts! It’s a pretty broad term, but in my case that specifically means I’m learning longsword and some unarmed and dagger techniques from approximately the 15th century! I could talk about it all day XD I got into it via writing and it’s so much fun!
Without darkness, there is no light. If there was no nighttime, would the stars be as bright?
Okay…. before I answer, kind of an embarrassing question here….but I’m not super tech-savvy so here goes:
How do you do that thing in your replies where you can answer certain parts of the previous post? With the blue line?
**feels like I should know how to do this but I don’t**
Oh don’t worry about it, everyone who joins SE has to wrestle with it for a while XD
You can select someone’s text, then click the ‘quote’ button on the top right of the post! It should paste it into your reply!
The other way is to copy someone’s text, paste it into yours, then select it and click the quote button, on the top left of your reply! (Third button from the left)
Besides that, it often helps to tag someone you’re replying to specifically!
Someone’s tag is the @ username thingy right beneath their username! So mine wouldn’t be Rose, but @ rose-colored-fancy! I hope this helped!
Without darkness, there is no light. If there was no nighttime, would the stars be as bright?
Thank you! That helped! I think I have it now 🙂
Oh, that’s amazing! I love dogs! We have chickens too, and we used to have quail! They’re so adorable! We currently have chickens, turkeys, two horses, a dog, and two cats, so, you could say we have a lot of animals XD
Me too! What kind of chickens do you have? Ours are Jerseys.
HORSES!?! Did you say horses?!! Aaaah! I would absolutely love to get a horse!!! I’m kind of equestrian crazy so maybe one day…. What breed do you have? What are their names?
Oh goodness, that’s hilarious! I have one like that too XD He went from love interest to villain to important side character to a POV character and a love interest again. It’s been a wild ride, he’s probably my favorite character to write! In my opinion, it’s not a problem at all! Your main character isn’t the only important character, side characters sometimes outgrow their roles, and often they’re some of the best and most fun characters ever! And yes! I’d love to hear more about him! What’s his name, what’s he like?
I love those characters that just kind of take over the writing – except when they go and do something that wasn’t in my story outline and I have to change direction midway. I would definitely be interested in hearing more about him! Is he your MC now? My side character/potential MC/no idea where he came from character is named Payton. He’s young, blond hair, green eyes, the son of a palace guard. He wants more than anything to love up to his father’s expectations. Payton’s older brother was a soldier who was killed in battle when he (Payton) was really little, but Payton sometimes feels like he is still “living in his older brother’s shadow” so to speak. He would do pretty much anything not to disappoint those he looks up to. Ethan is trainer for the boys in the village who want to become soldiers and Payton is a part of that group. Because of certain incidents in Ethan’s past which I can’t go into, Payton resents Ethan’s authority and pretty much lets him know it every chance he gets although really Payton’s exterior annoying attitude is mainly a front to hide his insecurity and doubt. Whew! Sorry if that’s a lot XD
Well, no XD I originally started it as a standalone, then everything got out of hand and it became a trilogy. I feel like it usually happens that way XD It’s a fantasy set in a north-African inspired setting! It’s about a princess who has to rescue her brother, the king, from an attacking enemy. It’s a more grounded fantasy, there isn’t a magic system or fantasy animals, so it’s just a different world. It’s been immense fun to write, I’m on the third draft of book one now! I’m not planning to publish it, just learn everything I can from it.
I love your story plot! It sounds so cool! How long have you been working on it? What is the biggest change you’ve made in your revision so far? I think my biggest revision in my first book was adding a battle scene. Which was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever written. I’m going to see if I can make it through this project without a battle but we’ll see! XD
By the way, what is your biggest writing dream? Mine is to write an allegory…..which I desperately want to do….
Yep, that’s what it’s like *Cries in why don’t my characters behave* XD Ohhh, I love the premise of your story! It sounds like so much fun! What has been your favorite part of writing it?
I know!!! Now I enjoy writing Payton but he has his moments where he just refuses to listen to me. I tell him he can’t go somewhere then he goes off and takes his little brother with him. I tell him to apologize to Ethan for his behavior and he gives me THAT look and an eye roll. Then he apologizes because he doesn’t want to let his father down not because of me.
Oh thank you!! My favorite part was seeing my ideas come to life on paper. Okay I know that sounds kind of, well, cliche, so I’ll explain. For awhile, I just had this story that was running through my head about a girl, a princess, who was fleeing through the woods for her life on her horse. (Her horse, by the way, is one of my favorite characters. He’s a wild stallion who has been tamed by Esther’s – MC’s – love, and his heart belongs to her and her alone.) Anyway, when I found I how much I enjoyed writing this down and discovering who she was and why she was escaping, that was when my real love for actually wanting to write a book began. Another thing I love is finding and writing conflicted characters. (That’s why I like Payton so much I think) I hope that doesn’t sound bad… Taren, my second main character kind of, has a really conflicted past. He was taken captive and forced to serve in the enemy army, the same one that attacked and burned his old city. I liked getting into his head and writing his story. What has been your favorite part of writing? What is the biggest setback you’ve faced?
It stands for Historical European Martial Arts! It’s a pretty broad term, but in my case that specifically means I’m learning longsword and some unarmed and dagger techniques from approximately the 15th century! I could talk about it all day XD I got into it via writing and it’s so much fun!
Oh. My. Goodness. That sounds soooo cool!!!! Aaaaah!!!!! Seriously! How long have you been doing HEMA? I’d probably listen all day, by the way! XD What is your favorite weapon/technique so far? If I had to pick a weapon to learn, I’d pick the bow and arrow, but my second choice would be a sword. 🙂
By the way, I don’t know what you call the little quote that shows up under different people’s posts, but I love yours!
Me too! What kind of chickens do you have? Ours are Jerseys.
We have Plymouth Rocks and a few Sussex chickens! They’re all so pretty!
HORSES!?! Did you say horses?!! Aaaah! I would absolutely love to get a horse!!! I’m kind of equestrian crazy so maybe one day…. What breed do you have? What are their names?
Yesss!! I’ve always been a horse girl in blood and bone honestly XD They’re… horse? XD They’re both mixed breeds, so you can’t categorize them as much else than small horses XD
I have two right now, one is my riding horse, his name is Djadon! He’s… Very fun XD He’s something of a clown and hardly an easy ride XD I’ve learned SO much from riding him though, mainly how to sit out bizarre bucks. He probably has some Hafling and/or Welsh Cob blood in him. Anyway, there’s some kind of baroque breed mixed in there because he has the most gorgeous mane. He’s a flaxen chestnut and his mane comes down to his knees. I love him a whole lot if you couldn’t tell XD
Lightning is smaller, also a flaxen chestnut, and mostly just retired. She’s 29 and doesn’t really have to do anything anymore. She’s the sweetest bombproof pony, even though of the two she’s more likely to cause chaos by escaping. (This happens on a fairly regular basis)
I’ll stop now but my horses are another thing I could talk about endlessly XD
I love those characters that just kind of take over the writing – except when they go and do something that wasn’t in my story outline and I have to change direction midway. I would definitely be interested in hearing more about him! Is he your MC now?
Well yes and no XD Because it’s a trilogy I had a bit more room. Liorah, the princess and my true MC, is the narrator for book one. Faye gets introduced in book 2, and it’s a dual POV between her and Liorah. In the third book, it’s a dual POV between Liorah and this character, Aydin. So, he’s kind of a main character!
As aforementioned, his name is Aydin, and he’s… morally interesting. I don’t know whether to label him morally gray, an anti-hero, or an extremely traumatized hero. Probably the latter XD
You know that one character who always seems to be on the receiving end of traumatizing character development? Yeah, that’s Aydin XD I almost feel guilty about it. (It’s just so much fun though…)
Anyway, his existence is kind of a spoiler, but I’ll obscure the spoilery details. Anyway, really long and traumatic backstory short, he starts out as a villain, mainly because he’s trapped on the villainous side. He used to be an assassin too, and absolutely hated it.
He does wrong things, and he knows they’re wrong, but he doesn’t see any other way than to do them. Throughout the story, he slowly gets redeemed. It might be my favorite character arc I’ve ever written.
He’s pretty much the opposite of what you’d expect of a dark, morally gray assassin character.
He’s an incredibly good person. He messes up and has no idea what he’s doing most of the time, but he’s trying so hard, and he’s ready to take responsibility and fix his mistakes.
He’s also just fun to write because he has this dry, dark sense of humor. He’s really anxious and kind of shy. Besides that, he’s disabled. In the second book, his right hand becomes paralyzed, and he’s also autistic. I didn’t figure out that until I’d finished the third book XD Fortunately, I was writing him as such accidentally right from the start XD Now I just have to go back and do it on purpose. (This isn’t even the first time this has happened, I have so many accidental neurodivergent characters XD)
Yeah, I really, really love him XD
Payton’s older brother was a soldier who was killed in battle when he (Payton) was really little, but Payton sometimes feels like he is still “living in his older brother’s shadow” so to speak. He would do pretty much anything not to disappoint those he looks up to. Ethan is trainer for the boys in the village who want to become soldiers and Payton is a part of that group. Because of certain incidents in Ethan’s past which I can’t go into, Payton resents Ethan’s authority and pretty much lets him know it every chance he gets although really Payton’s exterior annoying attitude is mainly a front to hide his insecurity and doubt.
That’s fascinating! I love that backstory, and I bet that affects him in a really cool way! And I love those annoying characters who put up exteriors to defend themselves!
My MC, Liorah, is like that too! She’s… quite a character. To give you perspective, my favorite pet names for her include “Feral brat” “Chaos child” and “Arson gremlin” That last one isn’t even an exaggeration, she commits arson at least three times in canon.
Anyway she has the same thing where she feels like she’s in her older brother’s shadow. His name is Gavril and he’s pretty much the archetypical hero. Poor kid, I feel so bad for him. He’s working so hard to be perfect for everyone else. It doesn’t go well.
I love your story plot! It sounds so cool! How long have you been working on it? What is the biggest change you’ve made in your revision so far?
Thank you! I’ve been working on it for just over two years now! It’s actually my very first writing project.
Hmmm, biggest change… I think that would be in the second draft of book one, I had to add a huge section (At least 20k words) and change the outcome of a plan. Besides that, Aydin’s perpetual changes. He’s practically done a 180 turn from what I first planned for him!
Oh and that one character who started out an antagonist and turned into Liorah’s love interest. That was odd XD I love him though, and it worked out! I had to completely rewrite his character.
I think my biggest revision in my first book was adding a battle scene. Which was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever written. I’m going to see if I can make it through this project without a battle but we’ll see! XD
Oh goodness *Weeps in sympathy* battle scenes are the bane of my existence. I wrote two in the first book and did everything in my power to avoid them in the latter two books. I actually managed to pretty well XD There was only one brief one.
By the way, what is your biggest writing dream? Mine is to write an allegory…..which I desperately want to do….
Ohhh!! That sounds epic! Do you have any ideas for it yet?
Hmm, interesting question! I don’t think I’ve thought about it a lot… I have a story I really, really want to write one day! I’m still in the plotting stage, but I already love it so much! It might even be the book I want to be my debut! I think writing that is my current biggest writing dream!
I know!!! Now I enjoy writing Payton but he has his moments where he just refuses to listen to me. I tell him he can’t go somewhere then he goes off and takes his little brother with him. I tell him to apologize to Ethan for his behavior and he gives me THAT look and an eye roll. Then he apologizes because he doesn’t want to let his father down not because of me.
LOlll, that’s them XD That’s what those characters are like!
My favorite part was seeing my ideas come to life on paper.
Oh that’s epic! I totally relate to that! That’s one of the best feelings ever!
(Her horse, by the way, is one of my favorite characters. He’s a wild stallion who has been tamed by Esther’s – MC’s – love, and his heart belongs to her and her alone.)
*high fives in horses are always my favorite characters too*
What has been your favorite part of writing?
I think my characters! That moment when a new character reveals themselves to you, and they just stand there in all their new and shiny glory, and then they start talking to you. I love that feeling! Or when you discover a new part of a character and everything just clicks into place! Also just knowing your characters like friends and getting to make fun of them and cry about them. It’s like reading a favorite book but ten times better!
Also, it’s interesting when you discover the more complex parts of the story or that moment you realize you’ve been projecting onto a character XD That’s more funny than anything else, but it can be kinda disconcerting. Like “I thought I’d gotten over that, but apparently not”
What is the biggest setback you’ve faced?
Hmm, I think pushing myself too hard! That happened earlier this year, when I was drafting book 3. I got so set on finishing it as quickly as possible that I lost perspective and it stopped being fun for a while. It gave me massive writer’s block that lasted several months. I just started getting back into it again! I learned from it though, so that’s good!
How about you?
Oh. My. Goodness. That sounds soooo cool!!!! Aaaaah!!!!! Seriously! How long have you been doing HEMA? I’d probably listen all day, by the way! XD What is your favorite weapon/technique so far? If I had to pick a weapon to learn, I’d pick the bow and arrow, but my second choice would be a sword.
I know right??? It’s so amazing I still can’t quite believe it XD I’ve been doing it for a year now! I’m still kinda inexperienced but it’s so much fun!
I really like the longsword, it’s super satisfying when you get a complicated technique right! But I think my favorite technique is ringen, which is basically Medieval battle wrestling. It has a lot in common with judo and regular wrestling, but it’s also a bit different from both of those. It’s just really fun to me, even though it’s much harder than longsword!
It’s also incredibly fun to write! Since starting HEMA I’ve been writing a ton of the techniques into my fight scenes, it’s way easier to write now!
And bow and arrows are so cool! I would love to learn archery too someday!
Oh and also, some shameless self-promotion XD I have a monthly newsletter where I talk about all things writing related and HEMA comes up quite often because I can’t help myself. My latest newsletter was actually about HEMA techniques for writing fight scenes, kinda what a lot of writers get wrong about it!
Here’s the link to subscribe if you think it might be interesting! Do you have a blog or newsletter where I could follow you?
By the way, I don’t know what you call the little quote that shows up under different people’s posts, but I love yours!
Thank you! My quote is a lyric I wrote for something from Gilded Blood, my trilogy!
Also, where in the process are you with your story? I’d love to read it if you need beta readers! I’ve beta-read a couple of times before, and I really love doing it! Your story sounds right up my alley!
Without darkness, there is no light. If there was no nighttime, would the stars be as bright?
We have Plymouth Rocks and a few Sussex chickens! They’re all so pretty!
Plymouth Rocks are what my mom wants to get one day!
Yesss!! I’ve always been a horse girl in blood and bone honestly XD They’re… horse? XD They’re both mixed breeds, so you can’t categorize them as much else than small horses XD I have two right now, one is my riding horse, his name is Djadon! He’s… Very fun XD He’s something of a clown and hardly an easy ride XD I’ve learned SO much from riding him though, mainly how to sit out bizarre bucks. He probably has some Hafling and/or Welsh Cob blood in him. Anyway, there’s some kind of baroque breed mixed in there because he has the most gorgeous mane. He’s a flaxen chestnut and his mane comes down to his knees. I love him a whole lot if you couldn’t tell XD Lightning is smaller, also a flaxen chestnut, and mostly just retired. She’s 29 and doesn’t really have to do anything anymore. She’s the sweetest bombproof pony, even though of the two she’s more likely to cause chaos by escaping. (This happens on a fairly regular basis) I’ll stop now but my horses are another thing I could talk about endlessly XD
Aaaw!! They both sound lovely! (And funny! 😂😂😉) Oh my word, Djadon sounds like he’s a handful! That’s hilarious though 🙂 Flaxen chestnut, by the way, is absolutely gorgeous!!!
Well yes and no XD Because it’s a trilogy I had a bit more room. Liorah, the princess and my true MC, is the narrator for book one. Faye gets introduced in book 2, and it’s a dual POV between her and Liorah. In the third book, it’s a dual POV between Liorah and this character, Aydin. So, he’s kind of a main character! As aforementioned, his name is Aydin, and he’s… morally interesting. I don’t know whether to label him morally gray, an anti-hero, or an extremely traumatized hero. Probably the latter XD You know that one character who always seems to be on the receiving end of traumatizing character development? Yeah, that’s Aydin XD I almost feel guilty about it. (It’s just so much fun though…) Anyway, his existence is kind of a spoiler, but I’ll obscure the spoilery details. Anyway, really long and traumatic backstory short, he starts out as a villain, mainly because he’s trapped on the villainous side. He used to be an assassin too, and absolutely hated it. He does wrong things, and he knows they’re wrong, but he doesn’t see any other way than to do them. Throughout the story, he slowly gets redeemed. It might be my favorite character arc I’ve ever written. He’s pretty much the opposite of what you’d expect of a dark, morally gray assassin character. He’s an incredibly good person. He messes up and has no idea what he’s doing most of the time, but he’s trying so hard, and he’s ready to take responsibility and fix his mistakes. He’s also just fun to write because he has this dry, dark sense of humor. He’s really anxious and kind of shy. Besides that, he’s disabled. In the second book, his right hand becomes paralyzed, and he’s also autistic. I didn’t figure out that until I’d finished the third book XD Fortunately, I was writing him as such accidentally right from the start XD Now I just have to go back and do it on purpose. (This isn’t even the first time this has happened, I have so many accidental neurodivergent characters XD) Yeah, I really, really love him XD
I can see why you like writing about Aydin! From a reader’s perspective, I would love reading about him!!! I just love his character arc!! That sounds so cool! Ah! Poor guy!I’ve never written an “accidental neurodivergent character.” Is that tricky? Yes, *Ethan* is always kind of on the receiving end of traumatizing character development as well. I feel bad for him and then at the same time I make pretty much everyone doubt him because of his past and not trust him. So he pretty much retreats into himself for the most part and tries to build a wall around himself.
That’s fascinating! I love that backstory, and I bet that affects him in a really cool way! And I love those annoying characters who put up exteriors to defend themselves! My MC, Liorah, is like that too! She’s… quite a character. To give you perspective, my favorite pet names for her include “Feral brat” “Chaos child” and “Arson gremlin” That last one isn’t even an exaggeration, she commits arson at least three times in canon. Anyway she has the same thing where she feels like she’s in her older brother’s shadow. His name is Gavril and he’s pretty much the archetypical hero. Poor kid, I feel so bad for him. He’s working so hard to be perfect for everyone else. It doesn’t go well.
Oh thank you! He drives me crazy sometimes, but my favorite part of writing him is finding those moments when he lets down his guard – mostly when he’s by himself – and you see how vulnerable he really is. I love the name, Liorah, by the way! All my conflicted characters of that type have been male so far, so a girl like that would be really interesting I think! Oh wow. Since it’s a trilogy, does she commit arson once per book? XD Aaaw! Poor Gavril! Is he the king? That must be so hard!! Are he and Liorah conflicted in their relationship since she feels like she has to compare with him?
Thank you! I’ve been working on it for just over two years now! It’s actually my very first writing project. Hmmm, biggest change… I think that would be in the second draft of book one, I had to add a huge section (At least 20k words) and change the outcome of a plan. Besides that, Aydin’s perpetual changes. He’s practically done a 180 turn from what I first planned for him! Oh and that one character who started out an antagonist and turned into Liorah’s love interest. That was odd XD I love him though, and it worked out! I had to completely rewrite his character.
Wow! Ummmm…..it took me about that same time to write just my one book!?! Yeah, I’m a slow writer, I know.
20K words!?! Wow!! I’m sure from what you said, Aydin has not only undergone a lot of changes, he’s put a lot of changes in the story itself! I think that’s a good thing though because I bet it really has strengthened your plot and your skills as a writer! That, and changing the other character for Liorah XD Two of my characters – Esther, my MC, and another person – are married in the second book, but I didn’t really plan that in the first book. That is, I knew they’d end up married, but I haven’t tried to write any romance yet.
Oh goodness *Weeps in sympathy* battle scenes are the bane of my existence. I wrote two in the first book and did everything in my power to avoid them in the latter two books. I actually managed to pretty well XD There was only one brief one.
YES!! I grew up with two sisters so battles aren’t exactly my forte… I kind of knew I needed to have one, but well, I tried to avoid it as much as possible XD Then I got my first draft back from my editor and I had to devise and execute a battle plan XD
Ohhh!! That sounds epic! Do you have any ideas for it yet?
No unfortunately I don’t yet! I just really want to write one. I think the symbolism would be so fun to write!
I have a story I really, really want to write one day! I’m still in the plotting stage, but I already love it so much! It might even be the book I want to be my debut!
That’s wonderful! 🙂
LOlll, that’s them XD That’s what those characters are like!
😂😂 I know! Drive you crazy and yet you can’t stop writing them! XD
That moment when a new character reveals themselves to you, and they just stand there in all their new and shiny glory, and then they start talking to you. I love that feeling! Or when you discover a new part of a character and everything just clicks into place! Also just knowing your characters like friends and getting to make fun of them and cry about them. It’s like reading a favorite book but ten times better!
Aah! My characters!! I love them! And at the same time, I’m terrible to them, you know what I mean? I shoot them, tear them from their families, give them doubts, and clap them in jail. I once put two of my characters in prison and I had no idea how to get them out. I knew they wouldn’t starve or die, but other than that, well, they were on their own. Oooh! Discovering new parts of their personality is so fun! Finding what makes them tick, getting into their heads and letting them get into yours…. XD
That moment you realize you’ve been projecting onto a character XD That’s more funny than anything else, but it can be kinda disconcerting. Like “I thought I’d gotten over that, but apparently not”
lol yes!!
Hmm, I think pushing myself too hard! That happened earlier this year, when I was drafting book 3. I got so set on finishing it as quickly as possible that I lost perspective and it stopped being fun for a while. It gave me massive writer’s block that lasted several months. I just started getting back into it again! I learned from it though, so that’s good!
I think I’m the opposite sometimes, if I don’t push myself at times, I can stay stuck longer than I want. Ugh, writer’s block! The bane of every author’s existence!!! 😣 But it’s great that you were able to overcome it and get back into your writing!
How about you?
Hmmmm….probably that I when I wrote my first book, I never planned out the whole plot. I just let the story take me where it would. And then in the middle – when my two characters were in jail, by the way – I had no clue what to write. I knew the end but I didn’t know how to get there. Also when I had all my book typed except the last couple of chapters….and I neglected to save it….and then my laptop crashed…. 😫😠😖😞 At least I had the handwritten version!
I really like the longsword, it’s super satisfying when you get a complicated technique right! But I think my favorite technique is ringen, which is basically Medieval battle wrestling. It has a lot in common with judo and regular wrestling, but it’s also a bit different from both of those. It’s just really fun to me, even though it’s much harder than longsword!
Is the longsword different from a regular sword? Ringen sounds so cool! I bet it’s a lot of fun!!! 🙂
It’s also incredibly fun to write! Since starting HEMA I’ve been writing a ton of the techniques into my fight scenes, it’s way easier to write now!
Did you start HEMA before or after you wrote your battles? I know that it’s easier to write about things you have experienced yourself, so I bet HEMA has added a really neat level of realism to your fight scenes/battles! We just watched Prince Caspian before I wrote my battle so I paid really close attention to how they fought! XD
And bow and arrows are so cool! I would love to learn archery too someday!
I think being able to shoot a bow would be amazing! But aim has never exactly been my strong point….. I can always hope though!
Here’s the link to subscribe if you think it might be interesting!
I just subscribed the other day! I can’t wait to read what you write! 🙂
Do you have a blog or newsletter where I could follow you?
Sadly I don’t. Yet. I think someday I might try to do a blog but as of right now I don’t.
My quote is a lyric I wrote for something from Gilded Blood, my trilogy!
Well, I think it’s lovely!!! I would put a quote under mine but I can be notoriously undecided at times….
Also, where in the process are you with your story? I’d love to read it if you need beta readers! I’ve beta-read a couple of times before, and I really love doing it! Your story sounds right up my alley!
I’m halfway through the writing it. (the first draft) I’ve never worked with a beta writer before. How does that work exactly? My plan is to have it finished by October/November and have it out and published by early 2023.
Plymouth Rocks are what my mom wants to get one day
They’re lovely chickens! We have one who disappeared for a while and came back a few weeks ago with thirteen chicks she hatched in a bush somewhere XD She’s somehow managed to keep all of them alive. How she does it is beyond me, we’ve never gotten more than four or five chicks when just leaving the hens to their own devices.
Aaaw!! They both sound lovely! (And funny! ) Oh my word, Djadon sounds like he’s a handful! That’s hilarious though Flaxen chestnut, by the way, is absolutely gorgeous!!!
*Nods solemnly* A handful is right 😂 Thank you! They’re both lovely but he’s definitely the one who makes everyone go “Oh that’s a beautiful horse!” It’s terrible for his already immense ego XD
I can see why you like writing about Aydin! From a reader’s perspective, I would love reading about him!!! I just love his character arc!! That sounds so cool! Ah! Poor guy!
Thank you! He’s just so fun to watch develop, though writing him is occasionally quite exhausting XD
I’ve never written an “accidental neurodivergent character.” Is that tricky?
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve accidentally written an autistic character, I’d have two pennies, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it’s happened twice XD The third guy in Murder of Swans (The mystery I’m planning) doesn’t count because I knew from the start XD
I’ve always found it immensely fun, it’s especially hilarious when it happens late like Aydin was an important character in all three books but it wasn’t until the tail end of book 3 that I realized I’d been writing him as such all along XD It’s just “Avoidance of eye contact, special interests, stimming, overanalyzing social situations, strong sense of justice, occasionally reacting wrong to a situation, sensory issues etc. etc. Yeah no, he’s definitely autistic”
Yes, *Ethan* is always kind of on the receiving end of traumatizing character development as well. I feel bad for him and then at the same time I make pretty much everyone doubt him because of his past and not trust him. So he pretty much retreats into himself for the most part and tries to build a wall around himself.
We always have that one character who is so delightfully fun to torture but who we still love dearly. They’re often the best characters though XD
Oh thank you! He drives me crazy sometimes, but my favorite part of writing him is finding those moments when he lets down his guard – mostly when he’s by himself – and you see how vulnerable he really is.
Yessss!!! That’s one of the BEST PARTS!! I also love driving my characters to the absolute edge of their sanity. Especially Liorah, she’s so fun to drive absolutely desperate 🥰
Oh goodness that sounds ominous! I promise I love them XD
I love the name, Liorah, by the way! All my conflicted characters of that type have been male so far, so a girl like that would be really interesting I think! Oh wow. Since it’s a trilogy, does she commit arson once per book? XD
Thank you! I decided it on a whim and loved it ever since!
Hmm, let me see… Yes, I have it nicely spread out, one per book. I mean, I need to have something to motivate her, and the promise of “You’ll get to commit arson pretty soon” is as good as any! XD Of course I can’t let her do it too often, she’s already so spoiled as a main character XD
Aaaw! Poor Gavril! Is he the king? That must be so hard!! Are he and Liorah conflicted in their relationship since she feels like she has to compare with him?
Yes! He’s coronated at the beginning of the first book, and he spends pretty much the majority of his time appearing outwardly put together and internally screaming. I feel so bad for him. (I say, as the writer who carefully devised the way to torment him as much as possible)
Kind of! It’s very interesting! Both of them envy the other, but neither of them shows it. Liorah is jealous of all the attention and praise Gav attracts, Gavril is jealous of her freedom. However, neither of them takes it out on the other or even lets them know. They’re very close, even though their relationship is so strained by circumstances.
Wow! Ummmm…..it took me about that same time to write just my one book!?! Yeah, I’m a slow writer, I know.
Loll, I write very fast once I get started and honestly struggle with not letting it take up too much time XD Also, that’s just the first drafts of everything, so it’s sloppy and not quite complete.
20K words!?! Wow!! I’m sure from what you said, Aydin has not only undergone a lot of changes, he’s put a lot of changes in the story itself! I think that’s a good thing though because I bet it really has strengthened your plot and your skills as a writer! That, and changing the other character for Liorah XD
Oh he HAS! I practically had to structure the next two books around the redemption he demanded XD It’s definitely taught me a LOT, and I really love that part of it!
Two of my characters – Esther, my MC, and another person – are married in the second book, but I didn’t really plan that in the first book. That is, I knew they’d end up married, but I haven’t tried to write any romance yet.
Ohh, that’s tricky! That’ll be fun though! I’m personally kind of uninterested in romance in most media, it has to be really well done for me to find it compelling, but I found that writing it is actually very fun! It’s a lovely break from all the rest of the dark subjects XD I’ve written two romantic subplots, one with Liorah and her love interest, and one between Aydin and Faye! Theirs was an accident, but a very happy one XD
YES!! I grew up with two sisters so battles aren’t exactly my forte… I kind of knew I needed to have one, but well, I tried to avoid it as much as possible XD Then I got my first draft back from my editor and I had to devise and execute a battle plan XD
Ugghhh they’re SO HARD! I had to rewrite my battles like three or four times to get them right, and they’re still not quite what I wanted! Coming up with the plan is absolutely the hardest part!
No unfortunately I don’t yet! I just really want to write one. I think the symbolism would be so fun to write!
Oh absolutely! Symbolism is just the best thing, I’m honestly guilty of overusing it if anything XD
Aah! My characters!! I love them! And at the same time, I’m terrible to them, you know what I mean? I shoot them, tear them from their families, give them doubts, and clap them in jail.
Yep, yep, that’s how it is! I joke about all the awful things I’ve done to my characters, especially Aydin who hits a new rock bottom approximately three times a book XD Every time they think it can’t get worse YES IT CAN *Evil writer laughter*
I once put two of my characters in prison and I had no idea how to get them out. I knew they wouldn’t starve or die, but other than that, well, they were on their own
That’s HILARIOUS I’ve definitely been guilty of that XD Actually quite literally once… I trapped him (Aydin, coincidentally) in a prison and basically told him to figure it out. Somehow, he did. Still shocked at that one. Sometimes my characters use their shared brain cell (singular) and I’m always shocked XD
I think I’m the opposite sometimes, if I don’t push myself at times, I can stay stuck longer than I want.
Oh I’ve had that happen to me too 😭 It’s so frustrating!
Hmmmm….probably that I when I wrote my first book, I never planned out the whole plot. I just let the story take me where it would. And then in the middle – when my two characters were in jail, by the way – I had no clue what to write.
Oh goodness that does sound like a problem! I run into that problem while plotting way too often XDAlso when I had all my book typed except the last couple of chapters….and I neglected to save it….and then my laptop crashed…. At least I had the handwritten version!
NOOOO That’s every writer’s worst nightmare!!! I’m glad you got it back though!
Is the longsword different from a regular sword? Ringen sounds so cool! I bet it’s a lot of fun!!!
Yes and no! It’s a subcategory of sword since there isn’t really a standard kind of sword. It’s two-handed and pretty big, almost four feet long! It was used without a shield, and mainly on foot. The kind we do was for when you weren’t wearing much armor!
The shorter swords, like you’d use on a horse or with a shield, with one hand, are called arming swords! They’re quite different in use from the longsword. I’ve done a tiny bit with one-handed swords, but really not more than a crash course XD
Did you start HEMA before or after you wrote your battles? I know that it’s easier to write about things you have experienced yourself, so I bet HEMA has added a really neat level of realism to your fight scenes/battles! We just watched Prince Caspian before I wrote my battle so I paid really close attention to how they fought! XD
Both before and after XD After I drafted it for the first time, but before I rewrote it! So I do have a few cool details here and there, plus it really helps me think of cool things to do in fight scenes! Some of the things you do irl are the kind that people think would be unrealistic to include XD
Oh, watching battles would definitely help! It helps you pick up on the rhythm of it all!
I think being able to shoot a bow would be amazing! But aim has never exactly been my strong point….. I can always hope though!
LOlll sameee!! On the other hand, swords require a ton of coordination, which I absolutely do not have either, but here we are XD
I just subscribed the other day! I can’t wait to read what you write!
Awesome, thank you!! Would you like me to send you the latest newsletter? It came out a week or so ago!
Sadly I don’t. Yet. I think someday I might try to do a blog but as of right now I don’t.
Okay! It took a lot of convincing before I finally got up the courage to start a newsletter XD
Well, I think it’s lovely!!! I would put a quote under mine but I can be notoriously undecided at times….
Loll, I get that! Though, you can change it as often as you like! That does help XD
I’m halfway through the writing it. (the first draft) I’ve never worked with a beta writer before. How does that work exactly? My plan is to have it finished by October/November and have it out and published by early 2023.
Oh awesome! That’s pretty close, that must be really exciting!
Okay, so beta reading! Beta readers are people who critique your manuscript between drafts! Often they’re just friends and family, but having a few beta readers who are writers has been an immense help to me! If you socialize around SE, sooner or later someone will volunteer if they like your story (Like I did XD)
They’re like editors, except they’re not professionals and often more subjective, and they’ll usually just read it once. They don’t do as much as an editor, but they’re amazing for pointing out what isn’t working and what is! It often helps you get perspective on a story when you’re too close to it and you have no idea whether it’s trash or a masterpiece (You know that feeling you get while writing XD)
I’ve beta-read for people several times, and I’ve had beta readers go through my manuscript, and both have been overall great experiences!
I love beta reading for other people because A. I get to read cool stories and talk about them to the author directly, which is epic, and B. It helps me with my own revisions. I’ve gotten a LOT better at editing by reading other people’s work and critiquing it!
I love when people read my story because well… it’s amazing to get to share it! Plus it has helped IMMENSELY with revising, often they’ll point out issues I never would have spotted.
Anyway, I’m happy to answer any more questions about it, if it’s something you’re interested in! If it’s something you might consider but you don’t know how to go about it, I’d be happy to tell you more about that too!
Without darkness, there is no light. If there was no nighttime, would the stars be as bright?
Hi Sydney! It is awesome to have you with us! I am Josh and have been here on SE for almost a 1 year. It has been the best step in my writing journey yet!
Your book sounds really awesome! I started writing medieval fantasy short stories when I was in high school, mainly for myself to past the time away. It was usually about a knight, his squire, and his remaining men at arms who got separated from the English army at the battle of Agincourt and make their way home to England.
Then I fell head over heels for fantasy “Lord of the Rings, Redwall, and Narnia” to switch over to writing it for the past 2.5 years. Some would say I am a bit more ambitious than Tolkien when it comes to worldbuilding because my story goes from one planet to the universe full of battles, exploration/discovery, invention, and adventure. Although I can’t compete with his language making skills. lol It may take at least a couple series to finish the main plot. lol
My main theme is to always do what is right no matter the cost. My story starts out with an exiled orphaned princess who does her best to care for her remaining child friends and fill the mother role to her young siblings. She then how finds herself surrounded by mighty warriors of good heart and loyal to the end. Through them she learns how to show Christ-like love even though times are dark and terrifying and to always make the best of life. She then begins her campaign to unite all tribes and kingdoms as one to save their land from an impending doom that will swallow them all.
So far my solution to dealing with unruly characters is to throw them into hilarious situations or put them through a tough trial that builds some character in them. lol
I love to draw nearly anything but have not had a lot of time to do it for my story due to work. Luckily, my little sis @ajstoryteller is amazing at it and has been phenomenal at helping me design my countless creatures, monsters, and characters.
Medieval history is one of my favorite times in history and I would be happy to be a beta reader if you are looking for one. 🙂
A real hero remains accountable until the end.
Hi guys! I’m Sydney Witbeck and I’m so happy to have found SE 😊 I’m an avid bookworm who loves Jesus, my amazing family (including my somewhat-spoiled goat, Tumnus), writing medieval fiction, and is crazy about anything Middle-Earth!!
Hi, Sydney! I’m crazy about books, too! I’ll devour a 50 chapter book in two days😂.
Tumnus is an awesome name for a goat! I love it!
I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read in the medieval genre, although I’ve never written it. I write fantasy, though maybe in the future I might try something else.
I’m a Middle Earth fan, too! Who’s your favorite character? Or, if that’s too hard, like it is for me XD, favorite character from each kindred?When I’m not working on school assignments, I’m in the midst of writing a sequel, which is going in a very different direction that I had originally planned. ***some of my characters want to have a mind of their own and aren’t listening to me, their author!***
Do characters ever obey?😂 My princess has become the rudest person I ever met, my favorite went and died against my wishes, and my MC is far stupider then I ever intended XD
After college, I hope to become an editor and write books on the side. Anyway that’s just a little bit about me and I look forward to connecting with fellow Christian authors here!!
Awesome! I hope to be a professional author in the future.
It’s a great community! I’ve only been on for a short amount of time and it’s been amazing!A Journey to Unshakable Faith sounds awesome! Do you plan to publish it?
HEMA sounds awesome!
A long-hidden tale may hold the answers-and the healing-they so desperately seek.
~Set the Stars AlightHi Sydney, I’m Emma. Welcome to Story Embers!
We seem to have a lot in common. I’m also a Jesus-loving bibliophile with an obsession for both horses (and drawing them! 😂) and Middle Earth. And Tumnus is the best name ever for a goat.
I love the medieval time period, and your book sounds interesting. I wish you luck with your refractory characters. What is your favorite thing about writing medieval fiction?
I must investigate HEMA; it sounds fascinating! And I just subscribed to your newsletter. I am excited to read it. Swords and Scrawls is a great name, and are awesome subjects.
We are called to be lights in the cosmos.
May your inkwells never run dry!HEMA sounds awesome!
I know right! I’m so happy I got the opportunity to do it!
I must investigate HEMA; it sounds fascinating! And I just subscribed to your newsletter. I am excited to read it. Swords and Scrawls is a great name, and are awesome subjects.
It is! And thank you for subscribing, I hope you enjoy it! 😀 Would you like me to resend you the latest newsletter?
Without darkness, there is no light. If there was no nighttime, would the stars be as bright?
It is! And thank you for subscribing, I hope you enjoy it! 😀 Would you like me to resend you the latest newsletter?
Sure, I’d love that!
We are called to be lights in the cosmos.
May your inkwells never run dry!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
