@arindown
Active 3 years, 5 months agoForum Replies Created
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Looks like everyone had awesome answers, so I’m just popping in to recommend Abbie Emmons on YouTube for any writing/editing tips. She’s super helpful and straightforward and most (I’ll say most because she does use movie examples from films I would not watch XD) of her stuff is clean.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
I’m just throwing this out there because I really don’t support the real NaNo organization so this year I am joining a writing group called the Glory Writers for NaNo. I am pretty sure they have a website run by two really fun Christian girls (Victoria and Livy) where you can probably find a link to join their “Cabin”. They are also on Instagram.
Just a thought. I’m positive the community will be fantastic.
I am probably only doing a 10k mark this year. XD
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
First off…wow. Just wow.
You pretty much just sold me on whatever books you are ever going to write. XD Like, the pain? Ahh. I do not regularly fall in love with other people’s characters but I NEED Sebastien and Dr. Corvo and Baassilll. *pleading face*
And then Kit and Val. *heart eyes* What even??? Kit seeing Alastor for who he truly is… ;(
Why have I never really asked you about this before??? I was missing out.
I have so many villains, haha. But my favorites are Jake and Cierth and Jamrey.
Jake is the villain in my first series…he was in the special forces (think fantasy Navy SEALS) when he was young. He gave everything to it, only to realize that the country he was fighting for is terribly prejudiced and proud. He got disillusioned and risked his life to get out. I love him so much because he’s kinda got a heart of gold in a villainous way. He’s very perceptive about people…he always sees people’s greatest potential. The reason he leaves his home-country is because he trains one of my MC’s (Ky) to be in the special forces only to have the country say ‘No,’ because the Ky is from an “inferior nation.” That pushes Jake over the top, because he’s really all honor and selflessness inside, even though it comes out wrong. His best friend tries to stop him from leaving the country, and Jake has to hurt him to get away.
20 years later, Jake comes back to his home-country with an army to conquer it, and finds out that his best friend is still alive but blind because of what Jake did to him. He also finds out that Ky actually did make it into the special forces and is now the opposing general. I think this is when Jake really chooses to be a villain because he sees that he was wrong but he chooses to try to conquer them all anyway. It breaks his heart at the same time as he truly believes in his cause.
I think mostly the reason Jake sticks with his new ideals is not because he’s power hungry (he’s practically the opposite), but because of Cierth (who is my favorite villain). Jake is attracted to powerful people (he dated the most powerful, sneaky girl in his home-country once) and he just admires Cierth too much to ever quit on him.
Cierth fascinates me because he’s not like any other villain I have. He’s the villain of the second series and was born into civil-war. When he was in his late teens he decided to end the fighting by putting himself (with Jake’s help) on the throne. But instead of doing it the way anyone else would, he did it by being so dynamic that he really convinced his whole nation he is the God of War. He has everyone convinced that his secret agents are the embodiment of death and that it’s impossible to overthrow him because that would be war…which is really the essence of himself so it would just make him stronger.
He’s such a fun character to write because he’s such a moody boy but he’s also such a vibe. XD He loves symbolism and he knows how to dress like a god of war and act like one too. He loves two things: his country and his wife. He also loves himself, but in a twisted way that makes him actually a bit honorable. I like to think he’s a bit like Loki, but with Thorin Oakenshield’s presence. Cierth is who he is, and it’s terrifying. XD
Something both Jake and Cierth have in common is their respect of anyone who dares challenge them. Neither of them take power for granted. They’re the type of villains that would kill another leader and then salute them for standing strong until the end.
Jamrey is an antagonist more than a “villain.” I love him so much. 😉 He is the son of Jake’s best friend (who Jake blinded). When he was a little kid there was an accident in special forces and his older brother died. It really hurt his dad, so Jamrey has spent his whole life trying to “help” and live up to some standard he thinks will make his dad happy. Unfortunately it’s Ky (the same MC Jake trained) that is the one who helps Jamrey’s dad heal, which makes Jamrey really jealous. He covers it up by always being the best he can at everything, until finally Ky takes Jamrey’s position as general of the army and Jamrey starts a civil war out of anger (right as they’re already trying to fight Jake *palmface*). He ends up losing and being sentenced to treason and death…but I’m not sure of the outcome. He will definitely get a redemption arc if I can help it. 😉 Poor boy. I love how Ky always sees the best in Jamrey tho. Even when Jamrey hates him, Ky respects him as a soldier. He tells their queen that any special forces general can make the country survive the war but “Jamrey will win it.” I am a panster, so I don’t know, but I hope Jamrey gets the chance to prove Ky right. *sniffling*
Sooo. There’s my ramble. Haha. XD All my poor boys that needed a bit of extra love at some point and they prolly all needed Gandalf to tell them when they were getting off track. 🙂 Oh well. Somebody has to be the villain.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
@kayla13892
Heeyyyloo! *waves!
I know I’m a little late to the conversation, but I just wanted to say hi anyway and tell you that you are not alone. XD
I am NOT an outliner at all. I prefer to just jump in and see where the story takes me. I have not officially finished a manuscript, but I have over 80k on one and I’m planning to finish it. I think the biggest thing for finishing a draft is grit. You have to make yourself do it. I hate hearing myself say that, because I wish there was an easier way, but I think the secret is plain hard work and a dash of stubbornness. XD
I don’t edit as I go. First, because sometimes when you edit too soon you don’t see the full potential of what you wrote. Sometimes I will write and think it’s trash and want to delete it, but usually if I wait a few weeks I can come back and go “Ohh, that was a really good line,” or “I like that part, even if it needs a little polishing.” Especially as a panster, the writing is usually best “in the moment” even if I don’t see that until later.
The second reason I don’t edit as I go is because it can become frustrating because I can’t finish anything. I’ll get stuck on a certain scene and not move forward because it’s “not right yet.” I find that if I force myself to overlook the mistakes and keep going I can come back later and make the adjustments I need to. Even better, sometimes something comes up later in the story that fixes the “hole” I couldn’t figure out.
My advice is to keep doing what you do. Enjoy the process.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
Sorry I’m a little late to the discussion.
I wrote a short piece lately about a female sergeant and I ran into some of the same questions you are asking.
First, there is a Christian author, Ronnie Kendig, who writes action-packed military thriller type books. If you want a good read and want to see how another Christian handles military life-style, I’d check her out. XD
Second, I think the most important thing for the swearing + violence is to set up your Main Character as someone your readers will really like and someone who really does have good intentions. My character Jenn struggles with who she feels she “is” (tough female sergeant in a masculine environment) with the desire to be wanted, and loved and have real friendships. Because you understand what’s going on inside her, the swearing and “tough” attitude isn’t such an issue. There is a Christian guy in her squad who she makes fun of mercilessly, but my readers still like Jenn because they realize that she doesn’t know what real Christianity (real love) is and so she’s going to react wrong until she learns what’s right. Does that make sense? XD
For the swearing, I think something that helped me was to remember that a character doesn’t have to swear to have the right “vibe.” I use what Caladris said (‘She swore’ and ‘He cursed’) but I also like being creative with it. Sometimes a character doesn’t need to swear to make their point. For example, in the first Captain America movie the officers call the soldiers “ladies” in an insulting way, which I think that stays true to military style also. Sarcasm helps a lot. XD
The other thing I was going to say was I think writing a “cold-blooded killer” is all about how you come across. One thing would be, kind of like you said, to focus on your MC’s buddies more than the enemy. Keep the focus on the life he’s saving and not the life he’s taking. Of course, you may want to bring the weight of killing humans in battle into the story, but as long as the MC works through it the reader is usually fine. I believe that as Christians we should be the first to promote peace and the first to value life, but war is going to happen. David was a man after God’s own heart but also a pretty awesome warrior.
I don’t know, this is just my lil three cents. XD Best of luck with the story, I know it’ll be great.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
Hi. *waves*
Haha, I know exactly what you are talking about. XD Some side characters insist on stealing the spot-light and that makes it hard as an author.
Calidris had some great advice. One thing I thought maybe I should mention is you could always try 2 points of view instead of 1. If Payton wants to steal the show but for story reasons you still need Ethan at the helm, you could just give Payton his own POV and let them both tell the story.
My WIP was supposed to have 1 MC but now it really has 2 because my boy Derik decided that he would NOT sit in the back and be a side-character. XD I think it really makes the story more interesting because the Derik and Thane really clash but they both have honest motives, so you get to see both sides.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
I think Rose is right…probably between 75k and 100k. If it’s under that it’s always okay to classify it as a novella, and if it’s over it’s just a big book (yay!) or you can probably cut the length down in edits.
Personally I like aiming for 80k (which is usually too short for me XD).
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
Hey! *waves* I haven’t been on here for probably a year, so I don’t think we’ve met.
I think your story sounds really intriguing.
I am sure you have already thought of a few of these, but I will throw them out there anyway.
You could always show the loss of intimacy through Lydia’s emotions instead of actions. She could be heartbroken by the separation from Yona but at the same time scared because of what happened…scared he will reject her baby, maybe?
You could also have Yona and Lydia together at the beginning of the captivity and then become separated.
Or, you could have her not know who the baby’s father is and be scared to tell Yona because she’s not sure it’s his.
Anyway, hope this was a lil bit helpful and hope you figure it out…I hate time-line issues in stories. XD They are so complicated to fix.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
@calidris Ohh, I shall keep an eye out for Manwë when I get around to that book. I’m in the middle of a Lord of the Rings reread, so I’m not ready yet.
I got in digital art about a year ago, and I really like it. You probably saw some of it on my Instagram.😝 I also really love charcoals. What style do you like best?
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
@noah-cochran somehow it didn’t tag you.😄. Have you read any James Fenimore Cooper? I think you would really like his stuff.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
@rose-colored-fancy I think this thread is a terrific idea!
I haven’t been reading too much lately, unless you count school textbooks. I’ve learned a ton from my Western Culture textbook so far (about how to world-build and stuff), but…😆
I’ve slowly been working through a re-read of Lord of the Rings. I’ll give them a 6/5 stars.🤩
One thing I’ve really enjoyed is how human Tolkien’s characters are, and I’ve been especially been paying attention to how he does relationships between characters (romantic and non-romantic). I’ll fight anyone over the fact that Tolkien has two of the best buddy, I’d-die-for-you-bro teams in writing history (Sam and Frodo. And Legolas and Gimli). Especially in our culture, if you’re not careful, even normal relationships can be mis-read to be something “more,” so I’m trying to take tips from Tolkien.
The other book I read lately was The Spy by James Fenimore Cooper. I’ll give it 4/5 stars. (@noah-cochran I feel like you would really like books by this author).
I felt the ending didn’t get tied up properly, but the rest made up for it. The biggest thing I noticed about this book was how funny it was. Something modern authors seem to have lost is the ability to be clever or even funny in their prose. The writing was just more intelligent than what is trending now-days.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
I haven’t the time, nor the current mental capacity to actually duel you on this one, but my opinion is that writing is like life…you never stop growing, and you never stop learning from those greater than you.
As a writer, you can study writing theory all you want, but it’s reading that keeps your story-soul growing. I think it’d be a weak writer who told themselves they could never hear someone else’s story again, and still write good books. There is always room for improvement.
Stories are like hobbits, “You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you. (Gandalf quote)” It’s like watching your favorite movie for the 500th time. There’s still parts that give you goosebumps, and there’s still parts you never noticed before. As long as you’re reading, you’ll be learning.
Professional American football players watch hours and hours of video of other teams, and themselves, playing football. They don’t do it because they don’t know about football…they do it because they do know about football, because it helps them play smarter and better.
I know quite a bit about writing theory and grammar and English, but L.M. Montgomery’s wit never ceases to amaze me, Tolkien’s descriptions never cease to leave me in awe, and Andrew Peterson’s characters never cease to make me cry. Of course, my reading doesn’t (usually) steal my writing time. It adds to it. It makes me smarter, and better, so that the genius of classics can (hopefully) become instinct to me.
Personally, I don’t read to become a better writer. I read because I love stories, and it makes me a better writer whether I like it or not. Sometimes, enjoying the journey is as important as reaching the destination.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
I’m not very active on SE right now, but I’m here to be supportive of this thread.😆
Here’s a few questions to start a discussion:
If you had to go on adventure with one character from each series, who would you bring?
I would probably bring Jo and Rudric. We’d be unstoppable.😂
Who cried at the end of both series? *sheepishly raises hand*
And (controversial), how does everyone feel about Wheezy?
I am personally not a Wheezy fan. I found her really annoying, but I know some people love her, so…😉
Hope I didn’t derail what you were hoping for, Kylie.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
*internally screaming* They are SOOO cute! And that lighting…😍
That was a terrible way to introduce myself, but I’m an artist and your drawings are gorgeous. I have not read the Silmarillion yet (my sister is hogging it), but you made Manwë so cute. Good job.
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
I don’t really have much advice.😄. I’m a panster, so I have a lot of random stuff all over the place. I have a computer folder for each of my WIP’s, and ones for characters, author stuff and reference photos, but other than that, it’s usually all in my head.
One thing I’ve found is that if I don’t keep it, or I don’t remember it, then it’s usually not that important for the actual storyline. If it’s important for story, I remember it.
Other than that, all is chaos in my corner.🤣
"If I'm gonna break, I'll break like the dawn." -Nightbirde
