i'm missing something

I knew i was. I knew i'd hit this dilemma the moment i crossed into "part 2" of the MS. I've got a big gaping missing link.

I told myself that it was okay to start writing on the book without knowing the solution because it really shouldn't effect part 1, and i pretty well knew how things needed to go up to that point. And besides, i'd have all that time to figure it out, right?

sigh

Now i'm there. Still missing something.

I had that "something" before, but it went out the door and into the Sci-Fi half of the split. (some really awesome somethings too!)

The "fantasy" half of the split is a big quest, as many YA books tend to be. Like the title suggests, my hero needs to find the "Fire Gate". But, who wants to read about the big long trek to nowhere?

Well, it's not nowhere, but i won't go into too many details here. The end is an awesome place. The major points are all worked out--the ending mostly worked out too. but, according to a good story structure, the journey itself should span quite a bit of the story. :) And that is filled with, well, a bunch of traveling?

Errrrr, blink blink.

Yah. Not good enough. I need a new 'something'. A mystery to solve, or something else to do--a complete sub-plot all on its own, somehow all tying together with the main plot, of course. :) And filling the journey with lots of delays and issues just isn't going to cut my cake.

Sounds simple enough? HAHAHHAHA Right.
but I'm the plot queen; i should be able to figure this one out.
Any guesses on how many days it'll take me?

give me a minute...

nearing the Big PP1...

I'm nearing "plot point one" of my story. What is this, you may ask?

According to Larry Brooks (Storyfix.com--link is on my sidebar of writing tools), this major point is the "most important" thing in the story. Every story should have a major conflict--that's what stories are built around. This "PP1" is where that major conflict makes its first full on debut.

From this point on, nothing is the same for the "hero". He/she can't remain as they are, doing nothing, and stay just as they were prior to the point. If they can, then perhaps the PP1 wasn't strong enough for the story. Something happens--be it subtle or extreme, but it demands a response. There's no getting around it. Everything previously on their road trip of dreams gets put on hold until this problem is resolved. (like the pic?) hehehehe

Brooks says there's usually several scenes building up to the PP1 (which is where i am now) and then again several scenes afterward for the hero to respond to it as well. He also urges that this PP1 happen about the 20-25% mark in the book.

The "Hero's Journey" side of this moment is what they call "the call" (lol). The hero is given an opportunity to embark on a internal or external journey (pending on the story) to overcome this conflict that has reared its head. "Hero's Journey" suggests that the Hero may turn down the call at first, but eventually accepts it and embarks on this new Quest. :)

PP1 is the point where the Hero starts to evolve from an "orphan" type of character (according to Brooks) into a "wanderer" who is responding to the situation, but not yet the 'hero' or "warrior" of the story (comes later).

So... i am approaching my PP1. I'm guessing i am currently about 2 or 3 scenes from it, but am definitely on the road that has just turned upward, leading to it. Wish me luck :)

YA contest!

Hey guys. I have officially entered my first writing contest outside of Storymakers! I'm rather excited. It was simple... 250 word max and a book title. Easy enough, right?

So i entered. And you can too. Here: Gotham Writer's Workshop Deadline is the end of November (i believe). And you know what i entered??? YUP straight from my brand new work in progress that you've been following here on my blog.

Guess we'll see how it goes. Winners won't be announced till February 2010. There's one grand prize (with a MS review) and 5 other placers who get a pitch session. 20 more after that get one of her writing books. To be honest, i'd be scared to death to do a pitch. But even if i don't win anything at all, it's giving me a thrill just to enter. :)

Best of luck to everyone who ventures.

Mood Ring Writing

Have you noticed (if you are a writer) that you tend to write your mood? I do. Sometimes this works to my advantage.

A few months back I made an appointment for a job interview. When i arrived, the manager was busy putting displays together. She looked at me with that sweeping-eye that said she was making a judgment right then and there. I was dressed nice, professional, yet not over the top, being that this was a small retail shop (compared to the big General-Contractors i've worked for before). She turned her back on me and wouldn't give me the time of day. Very awkward. She said (despite what was told to me the day before) that she had filled all her positions and wouldn't need anyone else till the month after they opened. I asked if it would be alright if i checked back with her after that point. Which, she gave me a nasty look for and kept fussing with her stuff, dismissing me with a "i doubt i'll need any more help."

Yah. I spent 20 minutes driving down there to a scheduled appointment! To be treated like that? I went home and wrote the most beautiful scene. i purposefully skipped ahead and wrote the moment where my Main-Character out right defeats the bad-guy fair and square. And it wasn't pretty. I blew up the guy's house!!! It felt great--it was full of passion, inner-voice, and motive. Awwwwwwww.

Anyways, today i'm having a little problem with kicking my MC into gear. These last couple days i've been in a personal "reflection" mode. You know, the "why am i doing this" questions about several things, and "what is my motive" for this or that. "Should i be doing something else?" "Why is this so important to me?" ect ect. Well....... unfortunately, it's reflecting back onto my MC. They're in the middle of a wondrous celebration, and he's off staring over the ocean thinking about how things just 'don't feel right'.

Woooops

tick tick tick...

So yah, it's been a good solid week since i posted. Over a week, actually. Last weekend went GREAT. It went beyond great!!!

I passed my black-belt test with flying colors, and i slammed the competition (first US Opens) and took Gold in the final round for my division. :) way sweet!

I've been posting pics and videos on my facebook page for friends and family to see. So, if you know me and want to hook up there, let me know :)

Back to topic i suppose? Writing went well the first day of my trip down, then came to a cold hard dead stop. I've only written a handful of words since (today lol). My personal Nanowrimo unfortunately has been canceled due to a christmas music request from my church. I've got a new song to learn in the last couple weeks of November, and that's gonna take most of my time.

Aw, well, i'd still like to try and see how many words i can still fit in this month, but i'm already like 25,000 words behind.

The down side to the big break? Every time i have a pause in my writing flow, it's nearly impossible to get it primed and running again! At times it takes months to get the first day of writing to go again... and months more for it to actually be decent. A few days break? not a big deal. But over a week now?? And possible 2 more weeks? Yah, i'm concerned.

How do you guys get the juices flowing again after a big stall? What's your electric "jump start"?

THE weekend has arrived!

Sorry i've been gone for so many days. I have my black belt test coming up this weekend, along with the first US Open Championships! I've been training hard for both of them!

Wish me luck. I'll definitely post and let you know how i did. Meanwhile, hang tight. I'll get back to writing full swing upon my return. I have been punching in as many words as i can for Nanowrimo (see post below). I'm taking my computer and my alphasmart with me to keep plugging away on the long drive.

Meanwhile, enjoy.

The pic is of my favorite character from the Jap-Anime, Bleach. He reminds me a lot of one of my book characters, especially in this shot. It is currently on my desk-top background.

I'll be back!

my first Nanowrimo

If i knew only my writing friends ever came to my blog, all i'd have to say is: I joined Nanowrimo! EEEK!

But, since it's mostly my family that comes, i'll explain a little further. :)

National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo)
happens to always be the month of November. Starting the first, and ending the last.

Goal? To write a 50,000 word book from start to finish: no editing (that's for December). MY goal? to crank out 50,000 words of this fantasy book. (i know it'll be much longer than that by its end).

I figured this might be some really good motivation to get working on this half of the split. (don't know what i'm talking about? see some previous posts)

I believe you might be able to track my progress here: Nanowrimo User-Page but i'm not sure if everyone can see it or if you have to have an account first. ??? This is my first year actually participating. Not sure what i've gotten myself into.

I'm not even sure if it's actually plausible for me. Obviously the first weekend in november will be "out", as i'm testing for my black-belt, and will be quite busy in other things. But hey, anything to get working on this thing. Right?

Right.

update:
HAHAHHAHHAHA Just noticed the Quote of the Day:
"Go forth a conqueror and win great victories."

Oh Yes! And if you've signed up for Nanowrimo too, please leave your username and i'll hook up with you on the site :)

the Big "What If"~!

I watched a show today that reminded me of the importance of the big "What If" of a story.

A lot of you probably know the show: The Nightmare before Christmas. I'm at my inlaws today, and their grand kids were watching the show while i was trying to work on my book. (yah... wasn't being distracted at all!)

Anyways, the big what if that came to my mind for that one was: What if Halloween took over Christmas?

Sounds interesting, huh. It's something that you can see and feel. Something to spark all sorts of questions and a promising story-line.

A few more big "What if" questions you might recognize:

What if a vampire fell in love with a human?

From the video posted just below: What if a deaf girl wanted to play the violin?

What if a simple ring could give it's wearer the power to rule the world????

From a Japanese anime, What if a name written in a notebook could deem their fate? (The Death Note)

Yah, been watching movies today.

Anyways, you get the point. These "What If" questions, the BIG ones, are the center force and life of a story. IT is what makes the book work or not (even before all the wonderful things like characterization, cool twisting plot, moving scenes, poetic writing, ect ect ect...) All the really cool movies i watch (cough cough, and books i read :) have got this big question as its crux.

Some questions are better and stronger than others. I like the ones that pose all sorts of intriguing ideas, conflict, and excitement by just being asked! (learn more about this on Storyfix, link found on my sidebar tools)

So what's mine?
mmmm..... blink blink....

Right. I'm on it.

inspiration and perseverance in a dream

Posted up for myself, and for my Fam and friends.
Doe, i hope you get to see this one. I think you'll like it.

Oh, and an update on my progress: i have enough structure plotted out to begin writing Part One. I'll do a separate post about what Part one entails later :)