Tuesday Writing Prompt 8/18

Today’s prompt focuses on point of view.  We’ll start with reading this short excerpt from a 2008 article:

…What matters when it comes to POV isn’t what pronouns are being used, but what emotional posture the author has taken toward his characters, and what sort of narrative latitude the author desires.

[snip]

The trick to finding the right POV is striking this balance between intimacy and perspective. You want readers to care about your characters and understand how they experience the world. At the same time, authors have to present their own insights, either through direct exposition, ironic revelation or by shaping the story in such a way that the protagonist is forced to confront the truth as the world imposes it.

–Steve Almond, “Fiction: Point of View” from Writer’s Digest

Now, look at the picture below.  See a POV you can write from?  Try writing a short scene or short story.  Hope to read the results! =)

The trick to finding the right POV is striking this balance between intimacy and perspective. You want readers to care about your characters and understand how they experience the world. At the same time, authors have to present their own insights, either through direct exposition, ironic revelation or by shaping the story in such a way that the protagonist is forced to confront the truth as the world imposes it.

Monday Missions 8/17

I’ll be moving into my new apartment this week.  I hope I’ll be able to work on my WIP in between the packing and moving and everything else.

Missions this week:

• Put a storyboard for The Suitor on my wall (of my new apartment bedroom. Woot)
• Write at least 3,000 words
• Guest post at Cloud of Witnesses on Sunday
• Write three book reviews this week
• Organize new “work corner”

Sunday Sum-Up

I did a mind-map for The Suitor; it looks like a big beautiful black mess. I felt much lighter doing it.

A friend of mine visited a couple of days ago and reviewed some previous essays I wrote.  He also looked over the beginning of Will and provided valuable insight.  As he made suggestions and praised bits, I realized something: I missed this.

I missed having a writing buddy.  My friend, Joe, and a few others used to look over all my work during high school.  They were harsh, but kind.  All the red marks the pen made was art.  An inspiration to do better.   I had fun being with people who felt as enthusiastic about writing as I did.

We’re no longer the same close writing group, however. But  Joe and I are thinking of making one.

What are your experiences with critique groups?

Saturday Lines: Studying Suicide’s Note

In my third year of high school, my English class studied Langston Hughes’ poem “Suicide’s Note.” It was one of my favorite poems to discuss.  I couldn’t get it out of my mind; even now, I can’t.  It is short.  But the sound and the imagery–well, I love it.

Perhaps, you’ll see where I’m coming from:

Suicide’s Note

The calm,
Cool face of the river
Asked me for a kiss

–Langston Huges

Close your eyes.  Say the poem out loud.  What do you see?

I see the wait and feel the soft breaths come in and out of my lungs.  From above, I stare into the water–cold in so many, but welcoming.  The calm

Then, I let go.  The air becomes a funnel I fall into.  I can hear its wind rush by my hears.  Cool face There is the water, smiling up at me.

I touch it. of the river

It embraces me; there’s barely a splash.  Asked me

The water feels beautiful.  for a kiss

I love this poem.  When you combine the imagery to the sounds ( the k in “calm, cool face” and the s in “asked for a kiss”), it’s, well, what do you think?

Updates

As you can see, I changed the appearance of the blog. (I even created the header! I took the picture, hehe.) I tried to make it more organized and clean:

My writing and Video Projects have been added as sub-pages of About Me.

A page for Polls have been created.

Instead of filling the sidebar with links, I made for a page for it.  I’ll update it sporadically.

In other news, an article will appeal in a regional paper. I’m very excited.  Also, please expect a guest -post on Chris’s blog Cloud of Witness soon.

I move into my new apartment on Thursday. I’ll try to keep my schedule.

Thanks for reading and happy writing!

Friday Flashback: Spirits of Eve(2002)

In the last Friday Flashback, I looked over a short, short story I wrote in 2004.  Today, we’ll go over a piece written in 2002.

I called this story Spirits of Eve.  I think the pages I have in front of me are the prologue.  I’ll only post an excerpt because the last Flashback was too long.  You may notice the plot is, well, a fairly obvious copy of Sailor Moon.  Forgive me. It’s embarrassing..

I’ll try a new format today; it will consist of putting my own comments within the story, coloring misused and misspelled words in blue. Remember, I encourage any comments, suggestions, etc. It’s a fairly fun exercise I think  Now, onto the dissection:

Title: Spirits of Eve
Year: 2002
Cringe-Factor: High

The hazing light shined once last time upon a lone figure in white before nestling behind the horizon and then a soft clangor of bells was heard. (With this one sentence, I can already hate what I’ve written.  It’s too descriptive and too long, bogging down the story before it has even begun.) It was now the time of all the 9 other planets gathering for the celebration at the moon.  But the slim figure made no motion toward the sound of bells calling her, she just simply led her feet away. (..does that make sense–”leading her feet away?” Could use some better sentence structure here.) Picking up the pace, she made her way through the field of golden and silver flowers and towards a tree with its long branches and beautiful vines as its barrier.  She slowed downed in front of it and started walking around the tree.  Stopping in front of a particular spot where the vines and branches had a distuinguishly different pattern, she fingered it as what now seems to be the shape of a winged heart.  The pattern started shining brightly then flashed so brilliantly like the neighboring stars showing off their beauty.  The silky cream-colored dressed figure lowered her hands gently from her face.  The face showed no expression what so ever of her being startled from the act that had just taken place.

That’s enough.  I’m sure we get the idea.  It’s much too descriptive; the sentences, too long. I’m not hooked on this story at all. My attempt at creating mystery and curiosity for the female character is very poor.  I tried too hard. I even remember spending hours looking for synonyms of “figure.”  Considering the concept is mostly copied from Sailor Moon, I’ll have to say this can’t be saved.

What do you think?

Updates & a Sad Old Love Story

I haven’t been updating the last couple of days because I’ve been busy improving b a good read. Now I’ll be concentrating on revamping Sambgood–appropriate, I think, since WordPress.Com also changed their appearance. I’ll post up new material in between the work.

Until then, I highly recommend checking out Maggie Stiefvater’s short fiction “The Haunts We Choose” over at Merry Sisters of Fate. Her writing is beautiful.  Also, check out her fellow writer’s work.

Maggie Stiefvater is the author of YA novels Lament and Shiver.  The latter has recently made it to the NY Time’s Bestseller list.  It deserves to be on that list.  Her next book, Ballad, the sequel to Lament, comes out in October 2009.

Wednesday Character: Naming Will

According to Behind the Name, a collection of the etymology and history of first names:

William
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounciation: WIL-ee-əm, WIL-yəm

From the Germanic name Willahelm, which was composed of the elements wil “will, desire” and helm “helmet, protection”.Saint William of Gellone was an 8th-century cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England. It was later borne by three other English kings, as well as rulers of Scotland, Sicily (of Norman origin), the Netherlands and Prussia.

Other famous bearers include William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish hero, and William Tell, a legendary 14th-century Swiss hero. In the literary world it was borne by dramatist William Shakespeare (1564-1616), poet William Blake (1757-1827), poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850), dramatist William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), author William Faulkner (1897-1962), and author William S. Burroughs (1914-1997).

I place a lot of value in names.  They can reveal who you were, who you will be, or who you want to be.  With just a cluster of letters, with just how it sounds, names can tell a whole story–much like any other word.  So when I name a character, I name him or her for a reason.  It may not be apparent in the name’s meaning or its history.  But the reason exists because you and I can’t help but associate certain traits to certain names.

So what goes through your head when you think of William?  At the start of my story, my main character (MC) is nine–or eight.  Only a young boy.  But, does he act like one?  In certain ways, most definitely.  But–

I’m sure many of you heard, or read, someone young being described as an “old soul.”  In a way, my MC is like that; he was “born old.”  But in no way is he an adult, and I hope that shows.  The name William also allows me the freedom to show just that.  With all its variations, Williams allows me to mark the growth, the changes, my MC goes through.

How do you go about naming your characters?  Do you use names as a, let’s say, another writing technique? Or..?

Related news:

I recently read an interview with the author of Lament and Shiver.  In one of her answers, Maggie Stiefvater discusses naming characters.

Tuesday Writing Prompt (8/04)

Have you ever seen someone and know–just instantly know–there’s a story there?  Have you ever watched their expressions or their actions and imagine a whole scene?  Have you ever found a poem or a story in one quick moment in time?

Today’s prompt comes from a photograph I quickly took while riding a jeepney in the Philippines.  It’s one of my favorites.  Perhaps you’ll see why.

Try not to click on the photograph (until after you write at least) because it will lead you to my DeviantArt. I uploaded the photograph on there and titled it.  And a title, I think, can say a lot.

But, then again, if you want to, go right ahead. I won’t stop you.

Happy writing! =)

Monday Missions

It’s the start of a new work week.  Key word: work.

In addition to my other responsibilities, I’m hoping to get a lot of writing (and reading!) done this week.  Here are my goals:

• Write 2,000 words of Will.  (I’ve decided to scratch out that one scene that was giving me a problem earlier. Yay for decision!)
• Improve the world of The Suitor.
• Write at least three book reviews for my book blog.
• Blog on schedule

It’s only four goals, but I think it wil challenge me enough.  If I do complete all of them before the week is up then I’ll just add more.

What are your goals for the week?

In other news, I loved writing the Saturday Lines post.  I think it’s fun examining other people’s writing and learning from it. In addition to Saturday Lines, I’m also excited for Wednesday Character; not only do I want you to meet one of my characters but I would also love to meet one of yours!

Happy writing =)