My Elven book contains names that I created at the age of 13. Why am I keeping them? Because they fit the characters and can be outlandish enough to be considered Elven names.
The thing is some of my characters have outlandishly long names that are generally saved for formal or 'you're in trouble' moments.
Take the MC and his twin brother.
Trebonistanthilis and Kristonistanthilis
Similar names, identical appearances what's the catch?
They use short names.
Trebon and Kris
Although I didn't realize it at first, as I get to know Trebon specifically I've come to realize that their short names actually say a lot about them.
Trebon, the somewhat speciesist (like racist but with species) younger brother
Kris, the more open minded (in this instance) older brother
Trebon doesn't shorten his name to 'Trey', which he could. I don't remember why originally, but it makes sense now. Trebon grew up in an isolated, nomadic warrior society that puts a lot of emphasis on purity of birth, strong traditions and faith. Kris, while also isolated, was raised with tutors who left him open to the concept that he shares his world with Humans and they aren't all bad.
Later on, Trebon does take on the name 'Trey' for the purpose of hiding. (Long story, Gods and Magic involved) but at the time he does that he also is spending a great deal of time amongst Humans and learning to understand and respect them. He doesn't think of himself as 'Trey', but he's not so snaptastic about being called 'Trey' as he was in the beginning.
Kris, on the other hand, could have used Kriston, but he doesn't. He uses Kris. (Point in fact 'Kriston' was the nickname used by his ultimate namesake before the deconstruction of Elven society occurred) Kris never really had an issue with Humans because he's been raised that way.
It's all in the names, and I never actually realized it. It's why the brothers have names like Kenilias (Ken), Kerilias (Kerry) and Rubelation (Rube), and Trebon's guards are Andalon (Andy) but the other Cailiyan might occasionally be called Cai, he doesn't have a short name he prefers.
I could go into other names and what they say about their characters. (Blog of an Ex-Teenage Superhero comes to mind especially or even AKBF) but I'd rather not since I haven't put as much development into the Blog or AKBF yet that went into the Elven Story.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
To read writing books...
Yes, I do read writing books. Some of them I put aside because I don't particularly like the style, and some I rather enjoy. It amuses me though, because a lot of them talk about the importance of social networking. It scares me because me and social networking are not friends. We aren't even acquaintances. Ok, that's an exaggeration. The truth is, I might have a Tumblr, LiveJournal, Dreamwidth, Twitter, and Facebook account, but I don't actually use them. Not the way a lot of people do. I know that my Tumblr stuff goes to Twitter, and for some reason that makes people think they want to follow me, and I know my LJ and DW are crossposting (or are supposed to be crossposting). Facebook just sits off on it's lonesome now that I've got bored with playing games over there.
The latest book I've been reading, and one I really liked is 'How To Be A Writer In The E-Age And Keep Your Sanity', By Catherine Ryan Hide & Anne R Allen. I recommend this book for people who want to be writers because it's rather awesome. This joins one other book as a default recommendation at the moment, and the other book is "Sometimes The Magic Works, Lessons Of A Writing Life" By Terry Brooks, who numbers as one of my three role models in the publishing industry.
What I get out of these books mostly are ideas of how to do what I'm already doing better, and renewed confidence that I can do this, that I can be a great writer if I push myself hard enough. I just have to keep putting one word after the other until I can see the story for what it is.
I think the most important thing about reading books on writing is that at the end of it, you are the only one who can decide if a book works for you or not. You are the one who has to figure out what to take out of the book, and what to leave because it doesn't work for you.
For me, that means, learning to write an actual blog. Usually this will be about writing. This isn't my diary (really, you don't want to read that,) this is just a way for people to see me evolve and celebrate. Maybe I'll even get brave enough to post something on Twitter soon.
The latest book I've been reading, and one I really liked is 'How To Be A Writer In The E-Age And Keep Your Sanity', By Catherine Ryan Hide & Anne R Allen. I recommend this book for people who want to be writers because it's rather awesome. This joins one other book as a default recommendation at the moment, and the other book is "Sometimes The Magic Works, Lessons Of A Writing Life" By Terry Brooks, who numbers as one of my three role models in the publishing industry.
What I get out of these books mostly are ideas of how to do what I'm already doing better, and renewed confidence that I can do this, that I can be a great writer if I push myself hard enough. I just have to keep putting one word after the other until I can see the story for what it is.
I think the most important thing about reading books on writing is that at the end of it, you are the only one who can decide if a book works for you or not. You are the one who has to figure out what to take out of the book, and what to leave because it doesn't work for you.
For me, that means, learning to write an actual blog. Usually this will be about writing. This isn't my diary (really, you don't want to read that,) this is just a way for people to see me evolve and celebrate. Maybe I'll even get brave enough to post something on Twitter soon.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Camp NaNo August 2012
On day two of this most interesting challenge, to write 50,000 words in 30 days, I find myself in good position. I have already written over 5,000 words and I think I'm going to write so more in a few minutes. I'm working on Warrior's Rage, which I also called the Elven Fic.
I've decided for NaNo to write this particular rough draft because if ever there was a story I knew front to back and side to side, it's this one.
I also decided to just tell the stupid story as I see fit and I can fix it in the next draft.
Which is why scene (chapter?) 1 is written in a completely different form of pov than scene 2. I intend to just write this, learn about the characters and make notes on my plot ideas as I go along. I have eighteen scenes to write, which means I need to strive for between 2500 and 2750 words per to achieve the stated goal.
I anticipate more to go into the story after I've written the pivotal scenes.
Not to mention I really haven't figured out what they spend fifty years studying at the sequestered palace. I know they don't start studying riding until age 40, and weapons at age 45, but what about earlier? I picture Elves developing through baby/toddler/childhood at the same rate as a Human child, but to then mature through adolescence on the long track.
I'm using Scrivner to work all that out, and I fully intend to use it to organize the drafts later, when I'm in the revisions, so that I can see what I started with, what I've changed, and where I need to go.
Honestly, I think Scrivener is going to be an awesome assistant to writing this novel just because I can stop, write out some thought or idea, and then go back to writing without going crazy. I prefer to write the novel itself in Word at this time, but that's just a personal preference.
I'm sure as I become more adjusted to using Scrivener I'll actually use it more, but the editing features in Word are, at the moment, far superior to Scrivener
I've decided for NaNo to write this particular rough draft because if ever there was a story I knew front to back and side to side, it's this one.
I also decided to just tell the stupid story as I see fit and I can fix it in the next draft.
Which is why scene (chapter?) 1 is written in a completely different form of pov than scene 2. I intend to just write this, learn about the characters and make notes on my plot ideas as I go along. I have eighteen scenes to write, which means I need to strive for between 2500 and 2750 words per to achieve the stated goal.
I anticipate more to go into the story after I've written the pivotal scenes.
Not to mention I really haven't figured out what they spend fifty years studying at the sequestered palace. I know they don't start studying riding until age 40, and weapons at age 45, but what about earlier? I picture Elves developing through baby/toddler/childhood at the same rate as a Human child, but to then mature through adolescence on the long track.
I'm using Scrivner to work all that out, and I fully intend to use it to organize the drafts later, when I'm in the revisions, so that I can see what I started with, what I've changed, and where I need to go.
Honestly, I think Scrivener is going to be an awesome assistant to writing this novel just because I can stop, write out some thought or idea, and then go back to writing without going crazy. I prefer to write the novel itself in Word at this time, but that's just a personal preference.
I'm sure as I become more adjusted to using Scrivener I'll actually use it more, but the editing features in Word are, at the moment, far superior to Scrivener
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