Ladies n' gents, I just graduated on Friday. *cue the fanfare* So much has happened that would be of interest to you readers out there. For example, I won the Great Expectations Award at valediction. My English teacher gave the most amazing speech, wherein I was compared to Austen heroines and presented with so much Pride & Prejudice merchandise I nearly imploded with joy. There was another Darcy encounter (see here and here). It will probably be the last. (Maybe there will be other Austen hero encounters in the future?) We had to sit next to each other for extended periods of time, and I attempted conversation, and... Well, it went something like this conversation, minus the sexual tension. It was just full of AWKWARD.
I also failed epically at defending Matt Smiths' portrayal of the Doctor within the same time frame. Eleven, I am sorry... so sorry.
The night after my graduation, I had this moment with my mom:
Since then, I've been alright. Lots of partying, eating, dancing, running around, swimming, being generally crazy. Summer is lovely, and I had forgotten just how wonderful it is. I've been going on my daily walks and making plenty of fun plans, and I'm even leaving for the beach tomorrow! Doesn't that sound like fun!?
The beach is going to mean lots of writing time, as well as reading time, which I am looking forward to. I have no project to speak of. I intend to join my friend Ally over at Charlie and Me with her plans to having a Write Cleanse experience. Other than that, I'm winging it!
Please pardon my online absence; I've been veryvery busy and I had a lot to do, and I didn't have a minute to explain it all to you. I hope to have plenty of fresh, summery stories to share with you when I get back from vacation! Until then, enjoy the start of this magical season. Read at every chance you get. (In case you're wondering, I'm enjoying a borrowed copy of Percy Wynn: Or Making a Boy of Him.) My first summer recommendation for you all would have to be In the Kingdom of the Fairies: A Memoir of a Magical Summer and a Remarkable Friendship (find it here). My mother read it to my sisters and I when we were young and we devoured it.
I'll let you know when I'm back from vacation. There is a possibility of going to a used book/coffee/tea shop, so wish me luck!!!
You may or may not remember this post, where I talked about an encounter with this guy who looks like Daniel Vincent Gordh (from "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries") and sort of acts like Darcy (although the question of Darcy-caliber-character remains unresolved).
I play good Darcy. Hehe.
Well, there was another encounter. It goes a little something like this...
So, I'm walking into my AP Exam, lookin' like a boss. I wore a dress and everything. Everyone else is wearing sweatpants and I'm all:
I'm gonna be one fly companion, ladies n' gents. I can't save the world unless I feel confident, and there is nothing like a dress to make me feel kick-butt. I'll probably have to pair it with sensible shoes, biker shorts, and wear 20 hair ties on my wrist, but I'll be ready to defeat evil across the galaxy.
ANYWAYS. I walk up to the door and said Darcy character is on the other side. He's just chilling with like 1 or 2 people, like usual. (*cough*BingleyandCaroline*cough*) So this is what I see in my brain:
And I walk in all like:
I'm heeeeeeeeeeeeere.
And he reaches over and pushes open the door. Not a full-out "I'm opening the door for you in a gentlemanly fashion", but it indicated knowledge of my existence and at least some degree of chivalry.
So after my exam, I go to Panera's with mah BFF and I'm all:
HE SORT OF HELD OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME!
Derp derp derp, we eat our food, I file it away in the cabinet titled "Monica Will Not Be Perpetually Single and Sometimes People Are Nice" folder.
Now, fast forward to my second AP Exam this morning.
This time, I wear sweatpants like everyone else cuz I overslept my alarm. First one there anyways. Guidance counselor shows up. She unlocks the door, I come inside, bunches of people arrive. Put my social skills of an agoraphobic lobster to work. Then, as I'm about to head back to the back room to stalk the other people, guidance counselor is all like:
"Can you hold open the door to let people in? Otherwise it stays locked."
Everyone deserts me, and I'm left standing there, waiting for the late kids, with the realization that the closest thing I've ever had to a Darcy moment was a fluke. He held the door because otherwise, me and the three people behind me wouldn't have been able to get in.
Some days, I just ooze Austen. The past two weeks have been no exception.
Between The Jane Austen Handbook, a long conversation on the merit of various Austen heroes, and the discovery that Dan Stevens played Edward Ferrars in 2008, I daresay it's been an Austen occasion. Not counting the Darcy encounter...
... is it so wrong if I prefer Matthew Crawley? *blush*
HA! Now you want to read about the Darcy encounter! Well, you're going to have to wait. First, I owe you a 100 for 100 Challenge Update!
Day #: 17 Today's Word Count: Haven't written for the day yet! Overall Word Count: 4,598
This challenge has been an absolute blast, as well as a huge burden. On the bright side, I am so glad to be writing every day. Hitting 100 words is easy for me. I average between 300-400 per day, and on good days, I hit above 700. NaNoWriMo has conditioned me to churn out larger amounts of work in single sittings. Knowing that I'm actually doing something about the story inside of me feels amazing. I'm so blessed to have these stories. I really hope that someday I get to share them.
On the not-so-bright side, this story is hard. I know virtually no historical details about early 20th century Ireland. Who can blame me? It's not like the information is easy to find or I can just meander down to my local museum. I'm searching for needles in haystacks when it comes to finding historically accurate details. I'm taking lots of liberties just to get the story down at this point. I know I need to read some more, and I wish I had some guidance on where to look. Now more than ever I am desperate to visit the Emerald Isle. I was once promised I would go there someday... The only question that remains is when.
Isn't it *gorgeous*?
Now, about that Darcy character...
There is this guy. He looks kind of like Daniel Vincent Gordh(geous). He says things in a very Darcy manner, where you're not sure if he's just out of his element or being mean. Yeah. Everyone tries to pin this guy down, but we can't. *facepalm*
They don't call him Gordhgeous for nothing.
Well, this weekend, the boy actually talked to me. (Wow. That sounds so middle school. Don't think of it like that.) It's just, he isn't exactly known as a conversationalist. But he was pretty talkative yesterday. However, being the dork that I am, all I could think of was this:
They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery...
... unless you're writing a book. Then they call it "unoriginal".
They say that there are only seven basic plots in the world. Well, I investigated (*coughsputter* "consulted" the Internet) and found out that it's a lot more complicated than that. 1 plot, 2 plot, red plot, blue plot. Very confuzzling, indeed. I tried time and time again to simplify the information, but here's the fact of the matter:
Plots don't fit perfectly into neat categories, yet most - if not all - plots resemble each other in broad categories.
Chances are, you know this already. Middle Earth isn't 5th century England, but both Lord of the Rings and Beowulf deal with heroes setting out to conquer great evils. Jane Eyre and Harry Potter are both about orphans who go from rags to riches. Then there are the even broader trends, which I have absolutely no intention of describing. Point is, all plots come from some form of conflict, and there are only so many options with what "type" of plot you have.
Why is this important? If we consult my last post, we can see that cliches are generally BAD. But if everything's a cliche, why does it matter!? Calm yourself, my dear reader. I have an answer prepared.
Every writer is faced with the seemingly insurmountable challenge of writing something "original". Yet no matter how "innovative" our story is, it will never truly be a brand spankin' new art form (unless you write something bizarre that makes no sense). However, every writer should aim to make their story distinct and unique. Here's another list of tips!
1. Be a go-getting, trend-setting trailblazer. I just told you that you can't write something that's 100% original. But you can write something that feels like it! You'll notice that there are trends in literature. For example, a 5 minute trip to your local bookstore will reveal that the Y.A. section is currently dominated by Paranormal Romance. (Ew, Twilight!) When I was in middle school, those dark shelves were splashed with lime green and hot pink while chick lit stole center stage. Trend!
I'm not suggesting you ditch your current genre for something more obscure, even though the hipsters will love you for it. I'm suggesting you be choosy with your trends. For example, the brooding hero has made a recent comeback, thanks to Edward Cullen. If you have the best brooding hero planned since Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, then go for it. But be careful that your book isn't also populated with Bella Swans, Katniss Everdeens, Harry Potters, Percy Jacksons, etc. that keep him company. You'll sound like a broken record, repeating the same characters, locations, and quirks.
Hipster Darcy appreciates my love of the under-appreciated genre of historical fiction. I appreciate his face.
* Is Darcy a brooding hero? *shrug* Who cares. He's awesome.
2. Crack open your books and study, study, study. Just as there are general book trends, there are trends within genres. It's probably a good idea to be aware what other people in your field are writing so that you don't become just another title. You want to fit the bill for marketing within your genre, so don't stray too far! Just be careful: No publisher wants to pick up a book and either a) be criticized for selling a "knock-off" version of something else or b) get sued.
3. Consult your fellow bookworms. Speak with friends and family who are well-versed in literature, or better yet, your specific genre. Entrust your precious story to them. If the words "this sounds familiar" come out of their mouths, it's best to take a second look at your manuscript.
4. Take notes... just not very detailed notes... Reading your favorite books over and over again can be a great source of inspiration and a real learning experience. Note what you like about the book, the characters, the description. Absorb this information, adopt it, but never rip it off or try and copy the author's style. For example, in Princess Academy and even Palace of Stone, I love how Shannon Hale describes Peder. Miri associates him with smell, not just sight and sound. Sometimes she catches a whiff of freshly baked bread of his mother's soap. Or in Entwined, Bradford smells good too... Pine, I think? Those descriptions were so vivid and real, I am often tempted to flat out steal them! Especially Peder! Instead, I decided to take a tip from my favorite authoresses: In my last NaNo novel, Anthony smelled like incense from living at the church rectory. I learned how to utilize the sense of smell, but took nothing directly and didn't try to imitate the writing style.
Stick your nose in his cravat, Azalea! You know you want to! YOU SAID SO!
5. Trust your instincts, and let your heart be your guide. Go with your gut. If there is an aspect of your story that simply has to be told that has been done before, and you're passionate about it, you should still go for it. Originality depends a lot on the skill of the writer. If you've got some natural talent and you're determined, you can make it work. See #3 if you want to be doubly sure of your success before letting the world poke it with a stick. Otherwise, listen with your heart (see below).
Now, hit up the comments section, hit "follow" if you haven't already, and best of luck in your own writing endeavors. I myself will be busy sweating what I'm going to do about this 100 for 100 Challenge. Updates soon!
Disclaimer: I've never seen Fight Club. But I have seen the trailer for Jane Austen's Fight Club.
Basically, I propose that we (you and every writer out there who is reading this) form our own Fight Club. We hit our readers as hard as we can... right in the feels. Kind of like Episode 4 of Season 3 of Downton Abbey. Right. In. The. Feels.
Since I'm still smarting from last night's episode - and by "smarting" I mean "trying to understand why my family and I just can't pick up and move on after a simple TV show" - I figured I would talk a little bit about emotion. Also, I found a way to tie in the awesome trailer above, which then proceeds to tie into the 200th Anniversary of Pride & Prejudice, which also shamelessly allows me to plug the 83rd episode of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I am aware I just wrote a run-on sentence. Please, ignore it.
Making sure your story has plot twists is essential. Making sure those plot twists resonate with your readers is a different story. Here are some examples (SPOILER ALERT):
- Pride and Prejudice: Finding out that Lydia ran away with George Wickham. Readers can't see this plot twist coming, as the two characters never seem to express any explicit interest in each other. Yet the twist isn't entirely improbable, as the reader knows that Lydia is silly and flirtatious, and George is a scumbag who has dabbled in such behavior before. Readers care because Lizzy and her family's reputation are at stake. The actual delivery of this plot twist is dramatic because Mr. Darcy is present when Lizzy gets the news.
- Downton Abbey: Sybil's death. (Yeah, I went there.) Viewers don't see it coming, because the baby is healthy and Sybil appears totally fine after giving birth. Yet when she starts having her seizure, it makes sense: Dr. Clarkson warned about eclampsia, and it can still kill after giving birth. Viewers care because Sybil is sweet and kind, and Tom and the baby need her. The actual plot twist is dramatic because her death could have been prevented, and because no one took Sybil to the hospital, everyone is entirely helpless when she dies.
- The Princess and the Frog: Tiana and Naveen turn human! (I needed to sneak a happy one in.) Viewers, or at least not this one, don't see it coming because they have been led to believe that the "happy ending" lies within Naveen and Tiana getting married. Yet it makes sense, because... Well... "Once you became my wife, that made you..." "... a princess! You just kissed yourself a princess!" And as we know from earlier, kissing a princess breaks the spell! The actual plot twist is dramatic, because OBVIOUSLY they're human and happy and it's a Disney movie.
I picked at least two plot twists because they stick with the themes of my post, but obviously I could post hundreds more. There are twists in the beginning, the middle, and end, of big and small proportions, dealing with characters of every persuasion. The question is, do these twists mean anything? Do they make your reader feel something? Joy? Fear? Sorrow?
Just because I love lists, here are some tips on writing awesome plot twists:
Don't let your readers see it coming! Never underestimate the element of surprise. Sometimes authors make the mistake of eluding too often to a certain twist. A small hint here or there can't hurt... (Downton spoiler: Slipping in a nasty Lord Grantham comment about Catholics makes Branson's desire to have the baby baptized Catholic even more tense.) Just don't overdo it. Get feedback from someone you trust. Make sure you don't leave too many clues.
Don't be too cliche. Some cliches are unavoidable, or can have a fresh twist put on them. Yet others are so overused or classic that readers can't help but see them coming (see #1). If you're writing a Disney movie, you can get away with a few. But try and avoid heroes saving the day during a villain monlogue, the death that everyone saw coming, etc. Most cliches lie elsewhere, but beware cliched plot twists anyway!
Make it personal. Fear nothing. Kill off an unlikely major character. Permanently injure an unsuspecting victim. Give a happy ending when all the odds go against it. This third tip really boils down to how well written and constructed your story is, so this is another area where feedback can help. Ask your beloved critique partners if the twist made them feel anything, anything at all. If they complain that it's falling flat, do everything in your power to fix the twist... or ditch it if necessary.
Chances are, I've taught you nothing. However, it can't hurt to keep all this in mind as we, the new members of the Writer's Fight Club, go out to pick a fight with readers everywhere... and lose. *
* Note: I honestly don't know what Fight Club is about, so why do you want to lose? I mean, all I know is that Rule One of Fight Club is don't talk about Fight Club. Why even fight? I don't get it.
Anyways, I think I'm gonna go get punched in the feels by Pride & Prejudice to celebrate the book's 200th. Read a few chapters. Watch a few clips. Ardently admire and love Darcy. The usual.
