Surprise!

Guess what, I didn't even start the fourth chapter. Which is pretty lazy for me. Well it's normal for me, you probably know that. My writing just hasn't been feeling 'right' lately. I sit down to write something but it just doesn't work. I don't have writers block, I know what is going to happen, I just can't write it. I've decided to take a break from this book for a while. Yes I know, I don't spend much time on it, but I am thinking about it a lot. What I'm trying to say is that the things I am writing just don't feel...real enough. Shut up, I know fantasy isn't real but if it doesn't feel real then it's not good. I haven't even put much fantasy in it yet. After a while, once i have more experience with writing, I will come back to it. I want this book to be good, so I think it is a good idea to finish it later, once I've finished high school. I will have better ideas then, and I will know how to make it seem real.

While I am taking a break from this book, I am not going to take a break from writing. I am going to write a new book. One that requires a lot less world building. It's on a much smaller scale too. It will be a stand alone book. I've planned out the world, which isn't the most original, but I like it. I'm only going to have two main characters this time, and a dragon. So it will be easier to manage perspectives. Also, DRAGONS! little ones, cat sized. So cute. I started planning it on...Sunday? I think it was Sunday. It has taken me a while to get a vague outline for the plot. I have written two different plots, I didn't like the first one so I did it again. I like the second one much better, the ending is much more solid and final. I still have a few days of planning and outlining to go but hopefully I will be able to start writing soon. I'm going to try and get 50,000 words done by February, then I can join in the nanoedmo (national novel editing month) wish me luck :)

Oops

Um...yeah sorry. I haven't posted in a while I've been busy with exams and stuff...and procrastination. Fear not I have been writing! I finally finished my third chapter and I have nearly hit 14000 words. Which isn't really that much but it's a big achievement for me. I did do a few info dumps though which added in quite a bit of words. One was a guy telling my MC the entire layout of the medieval school place and the other was a guy explaining how their timekeeping system worked, it's pretty cool actually. I based it off the Chinese incense clocks they used to use in temples. My characters have bee plotting against me though. I introduced my MC to the first minor/major villain and instead of hating each other they are now good friends. They were supposed to get into a fight and hurt each other but they just ended up having a paint fight. Now I don't have a bad guy anymore and I need to make a new one. *sigh* hopefully they won't try to change anything else in the plot.

Another thing I have to say to you is that my insane procrastination has been lowered from all the time to just a lot of the time. I've been doing more writing and have actually re-started my piano playing. I still have more exams to come but I'm studying too which is unusual for me. I might be coming down with something, I already have enough wrong with me I don't need anything else. Ahem, anyway I'm pretty happy with myself for finishing the third chapter so now I'm off to plan the fourth and hope nothing goes wrong.

On creating a magic system

Magic without limitations or a cost I think is really bad, because its harder for the reader to understand. If you could summon an immortal dragon every time you got in trouble then the story wouldn't be interesting, there would be no conflict. If you were haveing say a deity of a super magic awesome person that can do anything and you want them to have no limitations, a good way to keep the conflict is to give them self-limitations. Not limitations that are permanent but one that they have given themselves, like they won't use any magic that kills or hurts people, something like that. Another way is limiting it through imagination, like the green lantern. Make the magic so that it is potentially unlimited and all powerful. The one Val mentioned with the Inheritance cycle is also a good idea because the magic is limited through energy. You could potentially use huge amounts of energy to do something massive but it would require you to draw the energy out of all the life around you causeing many creatures and plants to die. Sacrifices are also a good way to make the magic limited but without limiting it. You could just have it require a huge amount of people to be killed in order for you to do something big. Using tools is another way to limit unlimited magic, you could have the magic channeled though a staff or wand. Another thing is danger as mentioned by Fredrik, you could have the magic be chaotic and unpredictable, or you could use a magic language like the Inheritance cycle where pronounciation is vital and if you pronounce something wrong the desired outcome is drastically changed. You could end up accidentally teleporting yourself into a volcano instead of lightly toasting your bread. You don't want to have magic where the reader just thinks, why didn't he just make the dragon evaporate? Give the magic consequences. Even if the hero does make it evaporate, where does it evaporate to? does it disperse though the air? if so what effect would it have on the environment? would it make it harder to breathe because there are little dragon particles floating around? would it make it harder to see? maybe it would be poisonous to breathe in dragon? you might choke on the air because it is thicker. Try to keep the magic interesting, and that will keep the reader hooked. Give your magic the potential to be unlimited, but make it really hard or have horrible consequences to be able to use the magic to its full, unlimited effect.

One of the great rules of creating a magic system is ask why to everything. Literally everything.

World makers disease

I have now established that I have what is known as world makers disease. That's where I spend all my time creating the world and things to go in it and no time on the writing itself. I have however gotten better since you last heard from me. I have edited some of my work and I had my brother read what I have so far and write little notes in the side of the paper about things he likes and dislikes about it. I've found that it is incredibly scary to wait while someone reads your story. I ended up just pacing back and forth in front of him until he was finished. So I was there for about twenty minutes. Also! I have progressed in y bad sleeping schedule. I actually got up in the MORNING! I know, I know, it's shocking right? I couldn't believe it either. Although I'm not sure if you could call 11am much of an achievement...it's an achievement for me anyway. I've also just been watching Pokemon movies for a few hours so I haven't really been doing anything good with my time. But I shall now proceed to my writing...well research anyway, I still need to figure out the third species of my world/island group thing.

On the matter of creatures

My brother visited a few days ago, and as he is quite smart and good with story things I had him read over my creature creation things. One of which he pointed out to me just sounded like an alien. So now I am trying to re-make then so they don't sound like aliens. It's harder than it sounds although I am getting some ideas as I write this. I've also been sick for a while, I'm getting better though, and I will be trying to do some form of writing today.

To stop myself from procrastinating, I have joined a site called www.figment.com if you search for my book, Hidden in Plain Sight, you will find I have posted the first chapter. You have my permission to read it. It's quite a good site because it had small groups within it. I like small groups. They're all...small. Yeah so I have a day planner now too. So far I haven't followed my plan but that shall change on Monday. I also have an alarm clock though I have yet to use it. I will start using it tomorrow. One problem I've had is that I have a new video game, it's very distracting. I have decided that I'm not allowed to play it till I've written one scene, and then I'm only allowed to play it for one hour, If I want to play for longer, I have to write another scene. I like this plan, it may actually work.

Belgian Hot Chocolate

Well I am currently sitting in the library cafe drinking a Belgian hot chocolate. Yes, I have been writing. I actually feel quite proud of myself. I should go to the library more often, it will force me o write more, which is always good. Because, you know, not writing isn't that great. It's nice to be able to write in peace without cats attacking my legs or trying to sit on my notebooks. Or generally being insane, I love the really. Though it's annoying when they keep pushing me out of bed, I'm sure I'll survive. Ooh, I just discovered there is a spoon at the end of my straw, it's a metal straw I haven't come across straws like that before. I it normal to get excited about little things like this? Or is it just me being eccentric? H I almost forgot! I got up at 10am today, quite an accomplishment for me as you may have realized. I dislike getting up early, but once I'm up I'm fine. And so I will go back to my writing, fear not, one day I shall return to you, with more random utterances from the depths of my soul...or something.

Um...writing stuff

So I'm not actually dead as I'm sure you have all been thinking. I mean really, I always update my blog everyday. Um...yeah... So I have been in a bit of a writing lull as you may have guessed. So...the Olympics! Pretty cool opening um...go New Zealand? I don't really enjoy sports. The gymnastics are cool though. Anyways, writing. The plot has been bothering me heaps which is why I haven't been writing, aside from my laziness, so today I decided to sit down and rewrite the whole thing. I considered making it one book again but that didn't really work so it's still two books. I have changed a few vital things and added in a few more awesome locations. Also, and I am quite proud of myself for this, I have finally figured out the end. I mean I knew what the end was supposed to be, but now I know how it is going to happen...mostly...well I still need to iron out the details but that can wait till later. I just need to stop being so lazy. That may be a little hard, but I shall prevail against the comfort of beds and the warm fluffiness of sleepy kitties. Seriously I can't get out of bed till my cats want to, they start hissing if I move too much. It's a little annoying but they're so adorable I can't resist. That's pretty much all I have to say so goodbye for now my beloved followers of invisible land.

Lazy till kittens

You may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while, the smarter ones of you may have connected that with my laziness, therefore concluding that I haven't written anything since I last posted. Well you were right, kind of. I have not been writing much lately. But that is not because I'm lazy, it is because I got a new video game, Dragons Dogma, it's amazing, seriously. Anyway on to book related topics. I have now decided on the main group of people that will be at the center of the story. The uh... Whatchamacallits. You know what I mean...probably. Anyway the 'gang' as I affectionately call them are consisting of a bunch of people, as you may have guessed. And I've been writing stuff about their relationships and what they think of each other which will help me write their interactions and general stuff like that. I have started writing the story again, I started today in fact. So I have now half finished the last scene of the second chapter. And I've done more figuring out stuff in my head. Or something like that anyway. So you can't say I'm completely ignoring my writing stuff, I'm just paying slightly less attention to it. Which is completely different. The reason I started writing again was because of the most wonderful delightful site. www.writtenkitten.com every 100 words (or however many you chose to set it at) you write, you get a picture of an adorable bundle of cuddles, also known as a kitten. This is the perfect site to encourage me to write more and I've already done so as I mentioned before. That is all I have to say to you for now, I will try to have something done to tell you about tomorrow as well.

Writing the words of storyness

Again I haven't posted in a few days. That tends to happen when i do something like this. I forget about it for a few days. Anyway, I've been writing again and I've now nearly finished the second chapter, I would have finished it but the last scene turned into the second to last scene so now I have another one to write. But I'm sure I'll manage. I've also been figuring out relationships between the main character and the other people in the book which has been interesting and tit has helped me develop the personalities of the characters a lot more too. Which is always a good thing. I've been drawing more as well, and I seem to be getting better though I can't draw faces more than once they always seem to look different no matter what I do. Ah well I'm sure I'll manage. So later tonight I will be writing the last scene and will possibly be starting the third chapter. Which shall be interesting as I haven't quite finalized what will happen in the third chapter. Although I do have a vague idea I just need to expand on it.

More procrastinating and artness

Well I didn't post yesterday because the Internet cut off -.- which was terrible, I nearly died. But I didn't die just so you know. I was drawing my main character and that was going horribly and I was failing to draw anything other than mutated features of the elephant man, though really that's insulting to him. So I got some help from my artist friend and I can now draw something vaguely recognizable. I haven't quite figured out how to draw her hair yet, but I'll get to that eventually. I spent the rest of the time trying to explain how the magic works to my artist friend and he helped me figure out a much better system for that. So now I really have to get into writing the other legend/poem thing so I can start writing again. I think that's everything I've done since last post, if I missed something, too bad for you.

Magic of magicness

So I have another possible name which I will probably use for the second book and that is "Ring of Flames". Also, I have written up the rules for the magic, well the two magics and I know how it works and all that now which is good. So all I have to do before starting to write again is the other legend thing.
I've been trying to draw the Sivaen and the Iiolexa, and that's not going too well, I'm not that great at art. But I shall persevere and keep trying (and by trying I mean failing) if I keep drawing them over and over I will get better at it. Probably.

I feel like I should be writing more than that for a blog post but I don't really have anything else to tell you. I didn't really do much yesterday. Anyway I have a twitter account as well, so you should follow me the name of the twitter being Cake_the_Kat. Because I'm childish and I like to watch Adventure Time. Don't judge me you probably watch it too, and if you don't, you should watch it.

Official announcement of officialness

It's official! I have of last night split the storyline into two books. I think that it will be better now as I can pace the story better and develop the characters some more. Which would be good because it's boring of the characters stay exactly the same throughout the story. So I've also had to rename the book because the plot changed do much that it just didn't fit anymore.. It was called "the war beneath" before. It took a while to come up with the name, and I'm not completely satisfied with it but its just a working title and it will probably change a few dozen times by the time I'm finished with it. The name, by the way, is "Hidden in plain sight" which fits the current plot of the first book. I haven't named the second book yet and I really don't like what the storyline is for it do I will be changing that quite a bit. But of course I first have to finish book one. I will be finalizing the storyline for the first book tonight, sorting what each chapter will be about and I think I have another legend/poem to write. I have been thinking about what I going to do about the spell thing and Aliciel, and I have decided that I'm not going to use the Rendon, if you are curious what I will be doing instead, you'll have to read the book once I've finished it in about ten years.

Re-writing and splitting the book

Yesterday (and by yesterday I mean at about 2am) I re-wrote the prologue, chapter one and what I had typed up of chapter two and some of chapter three which will be moved to chapter four. I have changed the relationships with the main character and two others in the book which could be interesting. I was reading through the storyline again, I really don't like how it ends so I'm thinking of splitting it into two books so I can develop the characters more and I can fix the ending. So that's what I'll be doing tonight. I need to figure out where I'll split the story and re-write the plot for the first book, I'll need to see if I can find a better name too, because the name I have right now doesn't really fit anymore. Again I still think its weird that I'm just randomly talking to nobody. But it's slightly less weird that just talking to myself. It's so much easier to get followers on twitter.

Legends, Islands and magic things

I created the Island on which the new creatures will live and I created them as well. That took a while, I ended up using flowers that have meanings that fit the creatures. Then I make anagrams of them for the name of the creatures, Iiolexa (taken from Ilex and viola) and the name of the island, xeranthe (from Xeranthemum). The creatures there are scholars who spend their lives studying everything and anything. They are quite alien looking, though they are still humanoid. They have no mouths or noses and speak directly through their minds to yours.

So I also wrote the legend thing for the guy who founded one of the island kingdoms (Vuardia) and it seems really lame and horrible, I'm not very good with poems but it's going to have to do for now. I don't even think it rhymes properly. I still need to figure out how the magic part works properly. I know what will happen, and how they get the power, I just hasn't figured out how the exact spell thing works, because it has to be giving something to get something, and I just need to figure out what the main character is going to give, I know what she is going to get that's the easy part. I guess it's a matter of equivalent exchange or something. But I have no idea how I'm going to manage that without her turning evil. Maybe the story would get more interesting if she turns evil? Who knows, that part isn't till the end so I don't have to worry about it just yet. So my dear non-existent followers, on the morrow the story shall begin. Well it already has begun but...it will continue being written from when I stopped. Though I'm going to have to re-write what I have done already. So I will be starting the day after tomorrow. Or something like that.

To the next task of wonder

So I've finished doing all the mapping things. I decided to write the storyline, I knew what was going to happen but I felt like it would be good to write it out to see what it was like. So I changed half of the plot and made a few changes to some characters. I made some pancakes to keep me going along the way, and I've finished writing it out. It will change dramatically no doubt but it's good enough for now. I don't really like the end of it though, it feels very rushed too, I may have to pace it better. I am considering splitting it into two books to even the pacing. I'd be able to develop the characters and their relationships more as well, which would probably be a good idea. So I will now be starting to write the story, once I've finished sorting out the crescent island thing, and the creatures who live there along with writing the legend thing and figuring out how the magic thingy works exactly. So I'm not going to be writing for another few days. I have written the first chapter and I've nearly finished the second, but they shall stay on hold till I figure out the legend at least, which I think may take a while. Oh well all good things take time...or something like that. For now I just have to stop procrastinating and actually pick up a pen.

More mapping of book related madness

Well I'm now going to be doing all the namey things for Rendon, which consists of areas of territory and chiefdomy things. I really need to find out what these place things are called, I'll probably get around to it eventually. Probably. So I'm going to be making up more names and randomly scrawling letters till I get something vaguely pronounceable. If I need to use the places I can always change them a little. I finished making namey things for Lyel too so when I finish doing Rendon all I will have left to do is Jiwe.

Anyway, today I have spent most of the time sleeping ( I got up at about 4pm) I should probably start getting up earlier and socialize more but it's way to cold, and my bed is warm. I also have a cold (not surprising for me I'm usually sick) which isn't helping. I have decided that I dislike winter, it isn't a very pleasant season. My iPod is telling me that I should be doing so editing for my book now, so I shall leave you non-existent followers and obey the all powerful iPod wishes.

Upon maps, names and not much else

Today I was making the map for my book, you know, the one I'm writing. Well I ended up just drawing random squiggles of insanity and turning them into islands, it worked quite well. Then of course I had to name everything. So I have three islands of the names Lyel, Rendon and Vuardia along with an underground civilization called Jiwe. I spent the rest of the time on Vuardia just making different, how do you say? Places of ruling? Areas of rulership? Those place-area-things that one person rules over for a king? Or something along those lines, I have yet to find out what they are actually called, possibly counties? I have no idea. Anyway I spent about half an hour and I came up with about 21. I'm not really sure if that is too many, oh well it doesn't really matter at this point, I can always change it. Along with that I created three previously nonexistent mountains and the capitals of all the different race-species-humanoid-talky-thingies. So now I shall proceed to make all the different place-area-things for Lyel.

I presume blog posts are meant to be longer than this but I prefer to write only what I am immediately thinking of rather than recount my day, it is quite dull to read of someones menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner, and if they remembered to feed their fish or if their dog is learning to be house trained. My internal nattering itself will probably bore you into never coming back but never the less I shall persevere and continue my journey into the bottomless pit of blogging.

On the matter of blogging

Originally being a place of descriptions and language, I have decided as I have less interest in telling you of obscure meanings and phrases, and instead I shall change to actual ramblings of my mind. I'm sure you shall be greatly interested in my life and doings as I am a amazingly active, witty, amusing person who leads an interesting and productive path of continuance of being. You will mostly be bombarded about vague unmethodical progress on my writing and my general complaints upon the annoyances of aliveness -which according to my dictionary is actually a word, how interesting-
along with large gaps of my forgetting of my blog completely. I presume you shall only glance at this blog perhaps once in your life, and if you decide that it is worthy of your attention, you need to find a purpose for your existence in the world. If you don't you will most probably find yourself morphing into a strange creature of isolation, reading, general insanity and insomnia, like myself. So as you have been warned, my ramblings will proceed from here in a nonsensical splattering of letters and punctuation.