Writing for an Audience, Tailoring a Tale

An online friend posted a question the other day that got me thinking. When you write a story, who do you write for? Are you writing just for you? Are you writing for your reading audience? If you are writing for yourself, then why bother posting at all? But if you are writing for an audience, who comprises that audience? Good questions.

I am based in the USA and I write for myself with hope that a larger audience might find my words and storylines to be of interest to them. Because I have that hope, I am always thrilled to get reviews, and happy to get comments. Also because of my location I write using a US vernacular and try not to choose terms that are too far outside of the commonly used words for my nation. I don't use "boot" instead of "trunk", if I'm writing a story set in modern times I don't have my young male characters wearing shorts for normal and daily attire because in the US they would probably be wearing long pants (depending on climate), and I don't have my characters eating "bangers and mash" because that meal usually would not be called by that name here. I choose my terminology because of where I live.

That said, if I would be writing a story where my characters would be living in London or in another part of England, I might use terms more commonly used in that area, but I know I don't have a good handle on all of the nuances and I would ask a few online friends to take a quick read-through and see what I had wrong. If I need the true feel of a different culture, I cannot get that from the outside looking in. I need an expert, someone immersed in that culture, to take a look for me.

So, with this established, what about fantasy worlds? On one hand we have elves, dragons, magic. On another hand we have galactic empires, gravity-defying devices and sentient androids. How do we approach correct terminology for societies that have never actually existed?

That is the beauty of original fiction. All of a sudden you can make a world. You can call vehicles hovercraft, anti-gravs, or simply horses. You can fight with swords or with blasters or ray guns. You can construct your world as you see fit, and you can construct your vocabulary to match. Tolkien did this by inventing languages and forming cultures using the languages, eventually ending up with realms in which new readers lose themselves every day. The world he created is rich, multi-layered, and ever-surprising; it's a multi-layered chocolate cake of pure delight. If the worlds that we are creating end up to be even one bite as pleasant, then we're succeeding as authors of fiction.

Learning Curves

There are some interesting benefits to signing up for NaNoWriMo, one of which is the opportunity to test-drive some writing software and, if I like it, to purchase it after November at a reduced price. I had already been checking out a trial version of Scrivner, which I liked but which had a steep learning curve for me. (I'm just a writer, usually using MS Word or Open Office to put my words to screen, not really setting up larger pieces.) After reading through many of the offerings that would work on a non-Apple PC, I decided to download and try a program called WriteWay. Now I'm playing with the program to get used to it before November 1st.

As with most writing programs, you can append research, links, pictures, outlines, etc to help develop the book, screenplay or textbook. After yesterday's questions I decided to start putting together an outline of chapters, POV's and timelines - just really quickly on paper. Looking more carefully at it and the timelines, I already realized some issues with the timings and am already looking at a second timeline and entering chapters, scenes and plots, etc into the program to help me not miss my milestones. I'm also going to put pictures of my main characters up because it can sometimes be helpful to have something to look at.

I realize that the actual writing may, will, and can often choose its own path. I'm fine with that because there is every possibility that new themes will play around the main theme and, in the long run, both will be strengthened. But I also want to have something on November 30 that will not just have a word count, but that can also be worked into something that might be publishable after revisions and additions. That's my goal.

Maybe I should change my name? Hurricane Sandy is barreling towards the East Coast of the US and many of my on-line friends may be affected by her towards Samhain. New York, Boston, and the entire northern part of the East Coast will be affected as we move towards mid-week. I never thought that a hurricane whose name I share could be such a potential problem for so many people I know. So I'm hoping she'll be as contrary as I sometimes am and veer off on a different path.

Assailed by Doubts

It's crazy...or I'm crazy...or maybe a combination of the both. Questions are plaguing me this morning.

Whatever made me think that I actually had a plot lying in this vision?
How and more importantly WHY do these two get together?
Come on already, girl. Whatever made you think you had a novel in you let alone a novel in this storyline?
What was I thinking when I signed up for NaNoWriMo?

As you can tell, second week doubts and walls are hitting me early *sigh*. I always was precocious.

This is my smaller state map that has my timeline

marked with post-it arrows and notes. It sits

on the desktop next to me within easy reach.

But I will work my way though this, and it may be that on December 1st I will put this novel into a virtual drawer and never look at it again. I am planning to put it into that drawer for at least a month anyway, but at this point I am thinking that I will open the drawer in January and begin revision work.

My smaller map, taped up onto a closet door

in my den, has one of the routes marked on

it. I'll mark the other route within a day

or so.

So I'm pushing my doubts away again and telling myself that I will find out in January, when I start rewriting and fleshing things out, whether or not I actually have a story here.

The novel actually comprises two separate stories one hundred years apart. The part that is in the past is coming together really well. The part that exists in the present...well, it's stumbling a bit more. But, as a friend said to me, "Just write through these roadblocks." So that's what I'll do. And hopefully when I open that drawer again in January what stares back at me will be the kernel of something surprisingly good. At least that's my dream.

My larger topo map is now on the wall behind

my treadmill. I have already promised my poor

DH that the maps will be coming down during

the first week of December. I expect all of

them will have a lot of markers and notes on them

before they are pulled and folded.

Of course, just because I'm signing up for NaNo doesn't change other writing tasks. I signed up for the Yule Fic Exchange, but only because it doesn't have to be large and ponderous. The only question is whether my muse will allow me to be to the point or if it will force me to push out within the deadline. But I'm passing on the November LOTR Community Challenge because I'll be involved in the mountains. With my maps. And my computer. And my particular and peculiar take on insanity. Only 6:16:16:40 days left until NaNo begins.....Eeeeeeeeeeek!!!!

Winter is Coming

We've had some wonderful temperatures, 60's to 70's (18-23 C)during the day and 40's (7 C)overnight. But a change is coming quickly and starting tomorrow our highs will be upper 40's. I don't think I'm really ready for colder temps, although I have been wearing my leather jacket for a few days now. My ideal temps are highs in the 70's and lows in the 40's, so it's been just about perfect lately. But...I live in the snowbelt and winter will come whether I want it to or not.

It's my day off today so I'll be working on my standard housecleaning stuff, but also be marking my maps and determining where I am going to hang them for November. I also have some stuff to scan in for background material. I sent a long list of questions off to my cousin and got her answers. Although I grew up in Aspen, I haven't been back there since the 1970's. She lived there full time for years, though, and has much better memories of locations, etc. It was rather fun because we found ourselves caught up in our memories of the days when we roamed the streets, ate at Pinocchio's and swam in the pool at the Hotel Jerome. Memories...in so many ways they are our touchstones.

So that leads me to wonder, what kind of memories are your dearest ones? When you think of what others will remember about you, what will those memories be? Hopefully you will leave positive memories behind you and those memories will influence others throughout their own lives. The works that we produce in writing, art or music can impact the memories of people generations removed from us. Because of that, each item we produce deserves our absolute best effort. So today, while you write your next story, paint your next picture or solder your next seam, make it your best. Future generations will gain from your care.

Looking for History and A New Sink

So I'm looking for the route most likely taken for westward bound settlers to go from Saint Louis, MO across towards the west. I know there were several different routes, but the northern ones usually went into northern Nebraska or southern Wyoming, then split off to continue west or go south. I'm trying to find out more specific information about the route. It's turning into something harder than I had thought. *sigh* But I will continue my hunt and I'm bound to have it nailed soon.

Any wagon could become a covered wagon and many were abandoned

along the route to the west when they were unable to keep

up under the daily abuse of the route.

I am also hunting for a list of common male names for the latter half of the 19th century. My main character has had his name for months, but his father keeps vacillating between two different ones and I'll need a larger cast of secondary and tertiary characters that need names. I know there are lists out there, but I haven't had a chance to look for them yet.

I downloaded WriteWay to try it out. There are actually a lot of special offers available for NaNo participants. Scrivner has a good offer and I already have been looking at their trial version, but I just need something relatively easy to slap my words into. I'll deal with supporting stuff later. WriteWay seemed a good alternative - a little less high powered than Scrivner, but with many of the same features.

I'm not sure if I'm getting this exact style, but this

is the color that I'm getting for my sink. It's quite nice.

My sink has finally arrived and we picked it up last night. We needed a special color that had to be done at the manufacturer and it took forever to get done and shipped. I haven't unpacked the box yet, I'll leave that to my DH and the plumber. I'll be phoning the plumber today to set up a time for him to come out and install the sink and the new faucet and drain. I really want a bathroom sink again, I've been using the upstairs sink since late August and it got old really quickly. I wanted a higher spout on my faucet but DH wanted a lower one and I wasn't in the mood to argue. We have the lower one *sigh*. When it's up I'll take a picture to share.

And So Begins Another Week

I know...most calendars have the week beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday. And although I have no problem with the week ending on Saturday, I find it hard to begin the week with my only weekend day off. So my week begins on Monday and ends on my Sundays, rather like looking at an ice cream sundae of multiple flavors for the week's days with the cherry on top being Sunday.

I couldn't resist this knitted ice cream

sundae as my pic for this. Too cute!

My Sunday was nearly perfect. I had a lovely time at the small rock and lapidary show that we go to each year. DH bought a fossilized cave bear tooth which was almost opalized - very pretty, and I fell in love with Stibnite crystals. I really wanted a wand of crystals that one vendor had, but they wanted $28 and I just couldn't justify that cost. I found a smaller piece at another vendor for under $10 and went with that instead.

Stibnite has a reflective grey color, very

metallic in appearance but brighter than

hematite.

Stibnite is a lead-based crystal found in China and Japan as well as other places, and works for personal power and wealth, operates on the base chakra and under Scorpio and Capricorn. It aids in changing conditions of work and personal relationships and can be transformative and protective. In some ways it reminds me of the mole in animal lore, that which allows for honest introspection and examination. All I know for sure is that it is quite beautiful and I felt I needed to have a piece of it. I guess I'll find out why I was drawn to it at some point.

Amethyst crystals are so common, but

so beautiful. I love their deep

purple coloring.

I also picked up a small array of amethyst crystals for my 2013 beading project. It is starting to come together in my head, even though it will be months before I can begin getting my designs down and determine my methodology and end results. I LOVE thinking about my future projects - so much fun!

Raking the leaves is hard work, but when

it is done it is such a feeling of

accomplishment.

After the rock show, I dropped DH off at home but it was a beautiful day and I had energy. So I put the rake into the car and went over to the other house to rake the leaves. That took almost two hours of hard work, but it's done now and I'm quite happy that I did some serious labor for a change. I think I'll treat myself to a new pair of gardening gloves this spring. Mine are looking pretty ragged by now - holes throughout and the thumbs almost falling off.