An anonymous email from someone who doesn't want to be identified.
Subject: SHARE SOMETHING ALREADY!
Message:
I've been following your blog for three months now and all I know about your completed first draft manuscript is that it's a dark fantasy, there's vampires and also some sort of cruel demon spirit thing that you ripped from Japanese folklore. Quit being so private and share something! CAN YOU AT LEAST TELL US THE NAMES OF YOUR MAIN CHARACTERS OR SOMETHING?! I MEAN COME ON!
Reply:
Sure I can. All you had to do is ask :p
The main character appears to be a young woman named Rei. But you know vampires--what with their longevity and all it can be rather difficult determining their exact age. Rei's inner circle is made up of her lover & partner, Naomi, and their mutual friend, Amara. The only man to play a major role in my story is Vincent. The main antagonist is Nyoka, otherwise known as Madame White.
Happy I could help.
- Brad
*Note to my readers* If there's anything that you really have to know about the manuscript at this point, all you have to do is ask and I'll do my best to try and answer it (unless of course you ask something that I'm not ready to share yet, in which case I'll skillfully dodge your question) ;)
Showing posts with label brad's manuscript. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brad's manuscript. Show all posts
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
I'm a Man Writing a Novel Full of Women, My Main Antagonist is Scrapped and I Just Gave My Protagonist a Sex Change
Welcome to the wonderful world of editing!
After a wearisome six hours of hacking and slashing away at my manuscript that would put my Diablo II days to shame, I comitted to an undesired decision--namely, I cut the main antagonist out of the novel. He's gone. You won't ever see him. You never even learned his name.
I had nothing against him. Really. He was a lovely enough bloke, I suppose, but he was lacking in the personality department and frankly he was an embarrassment of a villain. How do I know this? Well, when your antagonist's minions seem more menacing than their own boss I think it's time to consider scrapping the head honcho and rethinking the power structure of your baddies.
It hasn't been a total loss, however. I'd like to formally congratulate Madame White, that unseemly demonic figure who, if she had a flavour, I could only describe as honeyed gravel. MW, you've earned yourself a promotion to main antagonist of the novel; enjoy it, because you've certainly earned it. My condolences to the main protagonist and to the reader--this will inevitably move the novel to a heavier and darker direction than I had initially intended.
Another realization that I came upon is that with the removal of my male antagonist, my novel is now almost completely dominated by women--something that I had not intended, nor thought possible when I began the manuscript towards the end of 2009 or when I hit the final keys to produce "The End" a year later. Of course, "The End" is merely for the amusement of us writers who are well aware that finishing a novel is only the beginning of our labour.
...Where was I? Oh yes, the saturation of women in my novel. Unexpected, but a welcome addition. Although I have noticed while stalking many of my fellow bloggers that there exists a general sense of uneasiness when it comes to writing outside of their gender identity. Maybe it's my lifelong affinity for David Bowie and Marilyn Manson, or maybe it's my pronounced lack of traditionally "masculine" qualities, but I don't find this to be a daunting task. Challenging, that is for certain, but not something to be feared. Regardless, fundamentally we're all the same. Men and women alike inherently possess some enviable qualities and do their best to hide or otherwise mask their qualities which are not so pleasant. Men and women both want to make a difference, to be remembered, to make an impact. Be it man or woman, we all shed tears of sadness and happiness, feel the sting of regret, and endure years of pain and mixed blessings. Ultimately we're all marching toward the grave. When it comes right down to it, are we really that different?
Tangential soapbox aside, I'd also like to announce that my main character is no longer a man. I think he will make a splendiferous she. I was asked by a close friend if changing the gender of my main character would complicate the love interest, what with having to turn her into a man to make this a heterosexually approved novel. Ultimately however, I have decided that any book that dabbles in vampirism, demonic figures, our baser instincts and unconventional relationships couldn't possibly be hurt with some lesbianism thrown into the mix.
So, I've completely decimated the natural order of my manuscript in six short hours. Who wants a drink?
After a wearisome six hours of hacking and slashing away at my manuscript that would put my Diablo II days to shame, I comitted to an undesired decision--namely, I cut the main antagonist out of the novel. He's gone. You won't ever see him. You never even learned his name.
I had nothing against him. Really. He was a lovely enough bloke, I suppose, but he was lacking in the personality department and frankly he was an embarrassment of a villain. How do I know this? Well, when your antagonist's minions seem more menacing than their own boss I think it's time to consider scrapping the head honcho and rethinking the power structure of your baddies.
It hasn't been a total loss, however. I'd like to formally congratulate Madame White, that unseemly demonic figure who, if she had a flavour, I could only describe as honeyed gravel. MW, you've earned yourself a promotion to main antagonist of the novel; enjoy it, because you've certainly earned it. My condolences to the main protagonist and to the reader--this will inevitably move the novel to a heavier and darker direction than I had initially intended.
Another realization that I came upon is that with the removal of my male antagonist, my novel is now almost completely dominated by women--something that I had not intended, nor thought possible when I began the manuscript towards the end of 2009 or when I hit the final keys to produce "The End" a year later. Of course, "The End" is merely for the amusement of us writers who are well aware that finishing a novel is only the beginning of our labour.
...Where was I? Oh yes, the saturation of women in my novel. Unexpected, but a welcome addition. Although I have noticed while stalking many of my fellow bloggers that there exists a general sense of uneasiness when it comes to writing outside of their gender identity. Maybe it's my lifelong affinity for David Bowie and Marilyn Manson, or maybe it's my pronounced lack of traditionally "masculine" qualities, but I don't find this to be a daunting task. Challenging, that is for certain, but not something to be feared. Regardless, fundamentally we're all the same. Men and women alike inherently possess some enviable qualities and do their best to hide or otherwise mask their qualities which are not so pleasant. Men and women both want to make a difference, to be remembered, to make an impact. Be it man or woman, we all shed tears of sadness and happiness, feel the sting of regret, and endure years of pain and mixed blessings. Ultimately we're all marching toward the grave. When it comes right down to it, are we really that different?
Tangential soapbox aside, I'd also like to announce that my main character is no longer a man. I think he will make a splendiferous she. I was asked by a close friend if changing the gender of my main character would complicate the love interest, what with having to turn her into a man to make this a heterosexually approved novel. Ultimately however, I have decided that any book that dabbles in vampirism, demonic figures, our baser instincts and unconventional relationships couldn't possibly be hurt with some lesbianism thrown into the mix.
So, I've completely decimated the natural order of my manuscript in six short hours. Who wants a drink?
Thursday, November 18, 2010
I've Completed NaNoWriMo AND My 1st Draft Manuscript!
My first ever attempt at NaNoWriMo has ended in success twelve days ahead of schedule! 50,127 words (an average of 2785 words per day) has brought my already underway WIP to a close. Yes, not only is this the end of my first NaNoWriMo, but it also marks the end of my first draft manuscript! Nearly a year ago I told myself that I would hammer out the first draft by the following November. I'm happy to report that I've kept true to my promise.
There are plot holes, characters in need of a makeover, and I'm pretty sure I switched from 1st person to 3rd person (and back again) a couple of times...but all of that is irrelevant at this moment because I WROTE A BOOK. Besides, all of that can be hammered out in the hell that is 2011 edits!
So what does this mean for me? Well for one I'll be far more consistent with blogging again, now that the dreaded behemoth is slain. Secondly, I'll have the time to finish up those four or five half completed reviews that I've been meaning to share with you all. Lastly, I'll actually have the time to write my essays for Rome & Early Christianity.
I refuse to even peak at my manuscript all of December, and start fresh in the new year. Wish me luck?
And to all of my writing buddies that are still reaching for that 50k...
Get to it.
There are plot holes, characters in need of a makeover, and I'm pretty sure I switched from 1st person to 3rd person (and back again) a couple of times...but all of that is irrelevant at this moment because I WROTE A BOOK. Besides, all of that can be hammered out in the hell that is 2011 edits!
So what does this mean for me? Well for one I'll be far more consistent with blogging again, now that the dreaded behemoth is slain. Secondly, I'll have the time to finish up those four or five half completed reviews that I've been meaning to share with you all. Lastly, I'll actually have the time to write my essays for Rome & Early Christianity.
I refuse to even peak at my manuscript all of December, and start fresh in the new year. Wish me luck?
And to all of my writing buddies that are still reaching for that 50k...
Get to it.
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