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always reaching for that rising star
Worked on a good scene today, one that established fledgling trust between my two lead characters. I'm writing at a steady 1k or so a day, which is all I'm asking of myself for now. When I hit 10k total, I'll post a teaser (so in less than a week?).
I've noticed that I've barely described the environment at all, focusing more on the characters and their actions. My scenes have been somewhat on the short side because of it. I think it's an automatic impulse for me to downplay description after reading so many fantasy novels where there would be paragraphs after paragraphs of it.
I finished reading Naamah's Kiss yesterday. It's good in its own way, but not as good as her other novels. The pressing conflict just isn't there, and Moirin doesn't have to make any serious sacrifices. A huge draw for me in any novel is the level of the stakes involved. The greater the stakes, the greater the reward. A book without stakes that invoke emotional investment can still be good... but it won't be one of my favorites.
I've noticed that I've barely described the environment at all, focusing more on the characters and their actions. My scenes have been somewhat on the short side because of it. I think it's an automatic impulse for me to downplay description after reading so many fantasy novels where there would be paragraphs after paragraphs of it.
I finished reading Naamah's Kiss yesterday. It's good in its own way, but not as good as her other novels. The pressing conflict just isn't there, and Moirin doesn't have to make any serious sacrifices. A huge draw for me in any novel is the level of the stakes involved. The greater the stakes, the greater the reward. A book without stakes that invoke emotional investment can still be good... but it won't be one of my favorites.
However, I will say this: Carey's portrayal of pansexuality through her main characters makes me very, very happy. In fact, I think her work qualifies for Outer Alliance membership: "As a member of the Outer Alliance, I advocate for queer speculative fiction and those who create, publish and support it, whatever their sexual orientation and gender identity. I make sure this is reflected in my actions and my work." Link found via Amanda Downum, whose book I'll probably be reading next, because its luscious cover and badass female necromancer keeps staring at me from across the room.
Black Widow's Walk    5,018 / 90,000 |
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I don't think there's any detriment to not having pages and pages of world-building description. Plus, that's one of the easiest things to go back in and add--it's way harder to fix a bad emotional arc. Knowing that you focus on characters just makes me even more intrigued. I seriously can't wait for that teaser!!
I'm disappointed to hear that NAAMAH'S KISS wasn't quite up to par with the rest of Carey's books. Though, I have to admit, I got through the first five Kushiel books, but once she switched over to Imriel as narrator, I just got bored. I have no desire to read the last one, because I don't really like him :-P
Speaking of JC, did you ever read those two books, BANEWREAKER and GODSLAYER? They aren't nearly as long, and there is so much conflict and inner turmoil. I think they're actually my favorite things she's done. If you haven't read them, definitely go for it. Though, they don't have any of the sexuality content the Kushiel books do. That was my only complaint with them, because like you said, that's one of the best part of that world (but then, those two books are set in a different world, so...)
I'm pleased to see that thing you pasted about the Outer Alliance, too, because my current WIP features a male/male relationship sub-plot, and so every time I see anything like this, it makes me really happy. I think its so exciting, because there are SO many ways to do a compelling romance, and not all of them involve heterosexual couples :-)
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I actually have Banewreaker and Godslayer in my TBR pile now! I can't wait to read them, especially now after your recommendation.
When I saw on your blog that you were writing m/m steampunk, I cheered. I think that's awesome. :) Will the next teaser be one with Jesse and Chase in it? (Pleeeeeeease?)
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Lol, yes, I will make sure to have the next one be a Chase/Jesse teaser. Haha, now I just have to figure out what scene to post and when, though it shouldn't be hard to find a scene... literally for 95% of the book, C and J are like FORCED into hanging out with each other. Probably when I finish writing it. (though--I don't know if I should reveal this or not, but the guy Chase steals the wallet from in the first teaser... that's Jesse ;-) the reader just doesn't know it yet. hehehe)
Did you start THE DROWNING CITY? I'm seriously considering ordering that, and ASH by Malinda Lo like... really soon on Amazon.
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Ahahaha, I'm so excited for that teaser. I already love Chase's personality; I can't wait to see them both together.
I started it this morning! For a debut book, it's very well written. Her descriptions are scintillating, and I really like the characters thus far. Especially two of the secondary characters, Adam and Xinai. Order it! There's even a blurb from Jacqueline Carey on the cover (oh how I'd die for that!).
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I'm so glad you like Chase! It's always a relief to know that other people enjoy the personalities of the characters I've been working on (or... more accurately, who have been living in my head.)
Ooh, I'll have to make sure to get it! Necromancy is one of my favorite things (two of my favorite books--SABRIEL and THE DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER--focus on necromancy, though in very different ways.) I bet Amanda Downum had a heart attack when she found out JC was doing a blurb.
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(Anonymous) 2011-04-15 04:18 am (UTC)(link)no subject
Anyway, I'm totally looking forward to reading your teaser!! 1k a day is a great pace to maintain! Also, don't sweat the descriptions. I used to write pages and pages of descriptions, and a good chunk of them were cut out by my agent, and/or various critique partners. It took me a while to realize it, but I certainly did NOT need an entire page dedicated to describing my heroine's dress for that day!! :-P In reading with a writer's eye, I've also realized that we--as readers--are able to produce an entire image/world in our head from just a few, decent lines of description. So I wouldn't worry about putting in loads of description, as I bet you've created more of a (physical) world than you realize.
As for the Outer Alliance, it's awesome that there's a movement to embrace and support this stuff! It honestly made my day when J. K. Rowling announced that Dumbledore was gay, haha! :-)
Anyway, I hope writing is going well!!
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But... but... the reader TOTALLY needs to know what exactly your heroine's dress looks like. I'm sure it's very pretty, haha. I get it though. I'm hoping a few sparse lines will convey enough of an atmosphere that I won't have to bog down the writing with more.
I'm pleased that there's even this kind of a movement within the realm of speculative fiction. It's one thing for equality movements to exist in the real world, but it's another step forward when it reaches our fiction.
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Also, WHAT THAT WAS JESSE? Aw man, I totally just got spoiler’d. D:
(I kid, I kid. I would’ve found out anyway. :p)
But yes. Character- and plot-building is a lot more important than world-building, I think. If your scene descriptions are too scarce or too wordy, you can always correct them when you revise. Trying to change your characters, and therefore their perceived reactions and habits and personalities, would be a lot more troublesome. And a b*%@%.
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Yay! I'm glad I'm not the only one to think this. I also think it's possible to world-build through the characters and the plot, which also happens to be more fun (for me, anyway). Especially since some characters would notice some things, while other characters would notice something else completely different.
How is your writing going?
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And writing for me has been abysmal as of late. I've been bogged down with school, lack of sleep, pre-test stress, and...well, general laziness.
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(Anonymous) 2011-04-15 05:52 am (UTC)(link)FPBblXUzIScZf
(Anonymous) 2011-04-15 04:25 am (UTC)(link)no subject
Lol, I did laugh out loud when I read that part of your comment, though. Seriously, here I am thinking it's so OBVIOUS (well... you find out who he is like... four lines after I ended the scene in the teaser :-P)
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