Hello Bookworms!
So, last month, I started NaNoWriMo with every intention of writing an absolute ton in my Treasure Island book: TreasureHood. Then it got snippy with me since I remembered that my characters wanted to get some development in, then TreasureHood absconded with my sanity and Mildly Normal Insanity came up to me and said, "Hey, if you're not busy, WRITE ME!!!" So that's what I've been working on. I need to get a better hold on my plots!
I have several stories all clambering for my attention, so today I am posting about one of my favorite and more developed stories: Mildly Normal Insanity. I named it MNI for short. I wrote about it earlier this year, but that was before it decided on a concrete plot. Well, as concrete as any plot can be while it's still being written.
The essence of the book is still the same: second-person zombie-apocalypse survival story. The only thing that has changed is practically everything else. I have been playing around with the idea of taking older stories that people have either forgotten about or lost interest in, and rewriting them. So, that's what started happening with MNI. It is now a modernized retelling of the Iliad, told from Athena's point of view, only none of the gods are actually gods: they're just the main characters. (That's what I get for naming my main character Athena) I've found that the humans from the Iliad are the zombies, and the demi-gods and main characters from the Iliad are just the few people who I'm unsure of what to do with. Needless to say, my characters are quite miffed with me.
Please let me know what you think, I'm trying to get back to blogging but it could be a while. Thank you for reading!
Demidium facti que coepit habet!
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Friday, October 23, 2015
Shady Friday #18
Hello Bookworms!
Well, I'm having difficulty getting the next post written, but I managed to get some writing done on this! This is from the first book I ever wrote. Well, the plot at any rate. I was really young when I started writing the book, so the original was terrible, however the basic story idea was still interesting, so recently I decided to rewrite it. This is the start to the first chapter, and frankly it's all I have at the moment, other than a prologue. Still, I hope you enjoy it! I am currently referring to the story as 'The Winding Tower Arc"
~
Six in the morning is early. If anyone says differently, their sanity should be called into question. Danielle and Fabian Hunter didn’t even want to get out of the sleeping bags that morning, let alone wrap them up and place them with the rest of their belongings in the back of a moving truck headed for Roanoke Island, North Carolina. Danielle staggered to the front seat of the van.
“Please tell me we have chocolate.” She groaned, climbing into the passenger seat. Her father, smiled at her.
“Oh, would you look at that? It’s the orange zombie! If you want caffeine, I don’t understand why you won’t drink coffee.” She slowly reached over and buckled her seat belt in.
“If you want me to drink coffee, then find me some that doesn’t make me gag.” Her younger brother Fabian climbed into the back seat and quickly buckled his seat belt in then tapped some complicated rhythm on his knees.
“Hey, are we ready to go?” He asked, grinning cheerfully. Danielle glared pointedly at him.
“How are you alive? It’s too early!” He shrugged.
“Don’t know, I’m just excited! So? Are we going?” Mr. Hunter nodded, turned on the car, and started driving.
“So, what should we do? Should we sing songs? Talk about the new house? We’re living right on the beach you know, that was hard to do! Abandoned lighthouses are hard to get, did you know Danielle? Danielle?” Fabian tapped his father on his shoulder.
“Shh dad, she’s asleep!” Mr. Hunter glanced over for a moment. Sure enough, Danielle had drifted off. She remained asleep for over three hours. The sun was already high in the sky by the time she woke up.
“Oh, now you’re awake?” asked Fabian. “You slept through the rest stop. Twice. We had breakfast, but don’t worry, there’s plenty left.” Danielle, more commonly referred to as Danny, sat up.
“Really? What was for breakfast?” She yawned, and stretched.
“Granola bars and fruit mostly. We’ll actually stop for lunch, but we wanted to keep going and we have plenty of snacks.” Explained her father.
Well, I'm having difficulty getting the next post written, but I managed to get some writing done on this! This is from the first book I ever wrote. Well, the plot at any rate. I was really young when I started writing the book, so the original was terrible, however the basic story idea was still interesting, so recently I decided to rewrite it. This is the start to the first chapter, and frankly it's all I have at the moment, other than a prologue. Still, I hope you enjoy it! I am currently referring to the story as 'The Winding Tower Arc"
~
Six in the morning is early. If anyone says differently, their sanity should be called into question. Danielle and Fabian Hunter didn’t even want to get out of the sleeping bags that morning, let alone wrap them up and place them with the rest of their belongings in the back of a moving truck headed for Roanoke Island, North Carolina. Danielle staggered to the front seat of the van.
“Please tell me we have chocolate.” She groaned, climbing into the passenger seat. Her father, smiled at her.
“Oh, would you look at that? It’s the orange zombie! If you want caffeine, I don’t understand why you won’t drink coffee.” She slowly reached over and buckled her seat belt in.
“If you want me to drink coffee, then find me some that doesn’t make me gag.” Her younger brother Fabian climbed into the back seat and quickly buckled his seat belt in then tapped some complicated rhythm on his knees.
“Hey, are we ready to go?” He asked, grinning cheerfully. Danielle glared pointedly at him.
“How are you alive? It’s too early!” He shrugged.
“Don’t know, I’m just excited! So? Are we going?” Mr. Hunter nodded, turned on the car, and started driving.
“So, what should we do? Should we sing songs? Talk about the new house? We’re living right on the beach you know, that was hard to do! Abandoned lighthouses are hard to get, did you know Danielle? Danielle?” Fabian tapped his father on his shoulder.
“Shh dad, she’s asleep!” Mr. Hunter glanced over for a moment. Sure enough, Danielle had drifted off. She remained asleep for over three hours. The sun was already high in the sky by the time she woke up.
“Oh, now you’re awake?” asked Fabian. “You slept through the rest stop. Twice. We had breakfast, but don’t worry, there’s plenty left.” Danielle, more commonly referred to as Danny, sat up.
“Really? What was for breakfast?” She yawned, and stretched.
“Granola bars and fruit mostly. We’ll actually stop for lunch, but we wanted to keep going and we have plenty of snacks.” Explained her father.
~
Okay, that's all I have written at the moment, please let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Demidium facti que coepit habet!
Friday, October 16, 2015
Shady Friday #17
Hello Bookworms!
Two blog posts in 1 week? Wow, I must actually be catching up with the blogging thing! So, yes. Today, I am posting another Shady Friday. What is this, the first one since February? Ok, I know, I need to keep up with my blog! :) Anyway, I decided that I should share the prologue of the book I am calling TreasureHood, and please leave comments on how you think it turned out!
~
There are many emotions in the known world that act as catalysts for virtues, and also vulnerabilities in the human mind. The grief, rage, sorrow and loss felt by the parting of a loved one act as one of the strongest of these catalysts. Sometimes it creates self-motivation, a sense of determination to rise up and live to the fullest; but sometimes it instills a sense of rebellion and denial which morphs into a desire to distance oneself from anything and everything that person stood for. This was the case of our main character, one Miss Hawk, or Jim. Instead of accepting her mother’s loss and trying to move on, Jim’s grief told her that everything her mother had stood for meant nothing. This resulted in a complete and total rebellion, which lead her to her father’s library in search of solitude. This was the beginning of the tale which changed her life; I’ll leave you to decide which was better.
Two blog posts in 1 week? Wow, I must actually be catching up with the blogging thing! So, yes. Today, I am posting another Shady Friday. What is this, the first one since February? Ok, I know, I need to keep up with my blog! :) Anyway, I decided that I should share the prologue of the book I am calling TreasureHood, and please leave comments on how you think it turned out!
~
There are many emotions in the known world that act as catalysts for virtues, and also vulnerabilities in the human mind. The grief, rage, sorrow and loss felt by the parting of a loved one act as one of the strongest of these catalysts. Sometimes it creates self-motivation, a sense of determination to rise up and live to the fullest; but sometimes it instills a sense of rebellion and denial which morphs into a desire to distance oneself from anything and everything that person stood for. This was the case of our main character, one Miss Hawk, or Jim. Instead of accepting her mother’s loss and trying to move on, Jim’s grief told her that everything her mother had stood for meant nothing. This resulted in a complete and total rebellion, which lead her to her father’s library in search of solitude. This was the beginning of the tale which changed her life; I’ll leave you to decide which was better.
For the precise
details on the tale, we shall be exploring into the diary of our main
character. Do not worry, I have her permission to share these details. She has
also been guaranteed a version of this report after it is published to ensure
that no more than what has been agreed upon is released. Plus, for those of you
who are nervous about her not taking the opportunity to tell us if she is
bothered, but simply dealing with it, don’t fret over it. She won’t waste a
moment in telling me off if I get a fraction of this off. Enjoy.
From the remarkable
Diary of Miss Hawk, (A very fine, respectable young lady who would never tell
anyone off, has never been emotionally incapable, and is just the handiest
person for this, incompetent loudmouth who can’t keep out of peoples business,
to write about.)
~
~
So, what did you think? I'm probably not going to include the person whose perspective this is being written by in the rest of the book, as I have no idea which character is the one speaking. Still, I wrote this near the conception of the book, and everything else just came together. Please let me know if you want me to post more of it! Until then, I actually know what I'm posting about next! Yay!
Dimidium facti que coepit habet!
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
The Behind the Scenes Writing Tag
Hello Bookworms!
Yikes! I got tagged! So, I'm still rather new to blogging, and apparently I got tagged by Hanne-col at Ain't We Got Fun, and I am absolutely thrilled to be filling this out, and to be back to blogging! Without further ado, the tag!
Is there a certain snack you like to eat while writing?
Well, I really like string cheese. That's probably a bit weird, but oh well.
When do you normally write? Night, afternoon, or morning?
Night. No doubt. There is a pale thrill to writing by moonlight, or in the absence of the moon. Also, it's the only time I can be sure no one is going to disturb me while I'm writing a death scene. (That took some explaining.)
Where do you write?
Mostly on my bed, sometimes on the couch. And sometimes, when my story takes place in a specific environment, on the trail at a local nature preserve.
How often do you write a new novel?
Oh, COME ON! *Sigh* I have only ever finished 1 novel, and it took 1 year. However, when it comes to new novel ideas, I tend to get 1 every 1-2 months. I know, I need to write more.
Do you listen to music while you write?
Almost always. Yes, there are times when I need to be completely free of distractions, but most of the time I listen to music. Anywhere from Celtic music for medieval worlds and country break up songs for revenge plots, to songs like 'Footloose' and 'Best Day of my Life' for modern comedy.
What do you write on? Laptop or paper?
Mostly laptop, because it's faster. Still, when I'm trying to write while out of the house I will use paper, and sometimes I turn off all electronics and light a candle and write on paper by candlelight.
Is there a special ritual you have before or after you write?
Um....not that I can think of.
What do you do to get into the mood to write?
Oh dear. Well, sometimes I read some of my favorite classics, sometimes I read something I haven't read before and then stop reading in the middle and try to figure out what I would have happen next, and the sometimes I just go onto my Pinterest boards.
What is always near the place you write?
Hmm.... (Looking around me.) Books. Several notebooks, a few pencils, lots of candles, oh, and a really old map.
Do you have a reward system for your word count?
Yes. Do I follow it? No.
Is there anything about your writing process that others might not know about?
Umm... I often try to act out scenes from my writing, to get a feel for how it would play out in reality. I often end up charging around the outdoors, looking like a complete loon.
Ok, sorry, I'm only tagging 2 people, and neither of them are actual writers. However, they are artists, so the can adjust it to their own art forms.
I am tagging: Ashley@Bramblewood Fashion and Sarah@Winter Ripple
If I didn't tag you, feel free to complete the tag anyway! And if you have any recommendations for writing blogs, please let me know!
Oh, and yes, I am planning on doing NaNoWriMo!
Dimidium facti qui coepit habet!
Yikes! I got tagged! So, I'm still rather new to blogging, and apparently I got tagged by Hanne-col at Ain't We Got Fun, and I am absolutely thrilled to be filling this out, and to be back to blogging! Without further ado, the tag!
Is there a certain snack you like to eat while writing?
Well, I really like string cheese. That's probably a bit weird, but oh well.
When do you normally write? Night, afternoon, or morning?
Night. No doubt. There is a pale thrill to writing by moonlight, or in the absence of the moon. Also, it's the only time I can be sure no one is going to disturb me while I'm writing a death scene. (That took some explaining.)
Where do you write?
Mostly on my bed, sometimes on the couch. And sometimes, when my story takes place in a specific environment, on the trail at a local nature preserve.
How often do you write a new novel?
Oh, COME ON! *Sigh* I have only ever finished 1 novel, and it took 1 year. However, when it comes to new novel ideas, I tend to get 1 every 1-2 months. I know, I need to write more.
Do you listen to music while you write?
Almost always. Yes, there are times when I need to be completely free of distractions, but most of the time I listen to music. Anywhere from Celtic music for medieval worlds and country break up songs for revenge plots, to songs like 'Footloose' and 'Best Day of my Life' for modern comedy.
What do you write on? Laptop or paper?
Mostly laptop, because it's faster. Still, when I'm trying to write while out of the house I will use paper, and sometimes I turn off all electronics and light a candle and write on paper by candlelight.
Is there a special ritual you have before or after you write?
Um....not that I can think of.
What do you do to get into the mood to write?
Oh dear. Well, sometimes I read some of my favorite classics, sometimes I read something I haven't read before and then stop reading in the middle and try to figure out what I would have happen next, and the sometimes I just go onto my Pinterest boards.
What is always near the place you write?
Hmm.... (Looking around me.) Books. Several notebooks, a few pencils, lots of candles, oh, and a really old map.
Do you have a reward system for your word count?
Yes. Do I follow it? No.
Is there anything about your writing process that others might not know about?
Umm... I often try to act out scenes from my writing, to get a feel for how it would play out in reality. I often end up charging around the outdoors, looking like a complete loon.
Ok, sorry, I'm only tagging 2 people, and neither of them are actual writers. However, they are artists, so the can adjust it to their own art forms.
I am tagging: Ashley@Bramblewood Fashion and Sarah@Winter Ripple
If I didn't tag you, feel free to complete the tag anyway! And if you have any recommendations for writing blogs, please let me know!
Oh, and yes, I am planning on doing NaNoWriMo!
Dimidium facti qui coepit habet!
Monday, August 24, 2015
I'm back to blogging?
Hello Bookworms!
Alright, so I'm going to try getting back into the habit of blogging, it has been an insane summer. A lot of things have happened, but the main thing I'm going to be talking about is that just this past week, I completed a personal goal, and it was actually the first time I had ever completed a New Year's resolution. Yup. I finished the first draft of my first book! I am really excited, and though the writing on it is really bad, I'm hoping that I will be able to improve a bit of it to share with some of you pretty soon! I'm not going to go into specifics, but it's basically a modern retelling of Treasure Island and Robin Hood, where Jim and Sylvia are female. I had a blast writing it, and I hope that when I can actually share some of it you all will offer your honest criticism. (As long as it is constructive:) )
Anyway, life seems to be getting into a normal rhythm, so I'm going to try and get back to blogging! Wish me luck, and please offer advice/encouragement!
Dimidium facti qui coepit habet!
Alright, so I'm going to try getting back into the habit of blogging, it has been an insane summer. A lot of things have happened, but the main thing I'm going to be talking about is that just this past week, I completed a personal goal, and it was actually the first time I had ever completed a New Year's resolution. Yup. I finished the first draft of my first book! I am really excited, and though the writing on it is really bad, I'm hoping that I will be able to improve a bit of it to share with some of you pretty soon! I'm not going to go into specifics, but it's basically a modern retelling of Treasure Island and Robin Hood, where Jim and Sylvia are female. I had a blast writing it, and I hope that when I can actually share some of it you all will offer your honest criticism. (As long as it is constructive:) )
Anyway, life seems to be getting into a normal rhythm, so I'm going to try and get back to blogging! Wish me luck, and please offer advice/encouragement!
Dimidium facti qui coepit habet!
Thursday, May 21, 2015
NanoWriMo inspirational posters
Hello Bookworms!
Today I am sharing five of the most inspirational posters for NanoWrimo that I have. I think my next post will have quotes, and just bear in mind that I got all these pictures from a Google images search. Anyway, enjoy!
I love this one because it summarizes NanoWriMo not only with the words, but also the picture. You will slowly go insane during NanoWriMo as every word you say goes into your story, and you find yourself unable to think. It is very much like a cat who has lost his mind trying to use a computer.
Yes, I know, LotR. I'm sorry, but I love the books and the movies, and as such I will make several references to them. However, it's very true. Every sentence you write, you will be longing to go back and revise the rest of the story. However, you need to just forge ahead and ignore the issues. Just remind yourself that no one will read it until you have had the chance to revise it to your heart's content.
This one I pull up every time I need to get inspiration for a villain. It's simple and to the point, and it reminds me that sometimes the less you say, the more you say. Plus, who doesn't like Loki? (I understand some people out there are DC fans, but I'm more of a Marvel girl. As I don't plan on posting about DC or Marvel very often, it's not that big of a deal.)
Yes, these next two don't have any specific word value, it's just the actors with a 'you should be writing' or 'write' sign. Sometimes you just have to picture your characters encouraging you. (Yes, one of my characters currently has the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch) Which leads to my last one.
Aww! Rory! So, yes. I like Arther Darvill's work, (Especially Rory Williams!) And as he was in a rendition of a book with a similar plot as my NanoWriMo plot, it helps. Plus, (Mild DC fan moment,) He's playing a time traveler in legends of tomorrow! How cool is that!
Anyway, these are my five most inspirational posters for NanoWriMo, and next time I will be sharing my top 5 quotes. If you have any quotes you would like to share, just let me know, and have fun reading! (And yes, I'm a bigger fan of Marvel than of DC, but I'm a mild fan of both)
Today I am sharing five of the most inspirational posters for NanoWrimo that I have. I think my next post will have quotes, and just bear in mind that I got all these pictures from a Google images search. Anyway, enjoy!
Anyway, these are my five most inspirational posters for NanoWriMo, and next time I will be sharing my top 5 quotes. If you have any quotes you would like to share, just let me know, and have fun reading! (And yes, I'm a bigger fan of Marvel than of DC, but I'm a mild fan of both)
Friday, May 8, 2015
NanoWriMo. Again.
Hello bookworms!
Apparently when I say "should" it is really an excuse for not writing anything for an absolute age! So sorry, and that short story is taking its sweet time. So, this is an announcement. I am working on camp NanoWriMo this month, and next I will be busy with personal things, so I won't be blogging much till July. However, this month as I go through NanoWriMo I will be posting (no, not segments of my writing! Sorry but I'm not sharing this story till the first draft is done!) Various inspirational quotes and photos that are helping me. And really, if any of you have any quotes for NanoWriMo, or about writing in general, please post them! I real could use the encouragement, and I'm pretty sure some of the readers could use the encouragement too! Thanks for your support!
(Latin phrase that should be there)
Apparently when I say "should" it is really an excuse for not writing anything for an absolute age! So sorry, and that short story is taking its sweet time. So, this is an announcement. I am working on camp NanoWriMo this month, and next I will be busy with personal things, so I won't be blogging much till July. However, this month as I go through NanoWriMo I will be posting (no, not segments of my writing! Sorry but I'm not sharing this story till the first draft is done!) Various inspirational quotes and photos that are helping me. And really, if any of you have any quotes for NanoWriMo, or about writing in general, please post them! I real could use the encouragement, and I'm pretty sure some of the readers could use the encouragement too! Thanks for your support!
(Latin phrase that should be there)
Friday, February 27, 2015
Writing block corner: writing exercises
Hello Bookworms!
Alright, so it took me a little longer than I had planned to get this written, but I think it was worth it. Today I am covering a few writing exercises I use when I feel my writing is lacking in something. If I know what my writing is lacking, I just start writing one of the ideas listed and see where it leads. If I don't know, then I'll just pick one randomly and start rambling seeing where my mind goes. These are some of the areas I find myself dealing with, and trying to work past.
My sister once said that the main difference between a short story and a novel or novella is that a short story focuses on one idea, while a novella can focus on several. As such, these ideas are simply inspirations for short stories, and I hope they help you as such. Also, the stories you write are ones you can keep to yourself, or dispose of if you find they aren't helping. (Or just aren't your style).
#1: Dialogue.
Sometimes when I'm writing, I look at the characters, then what they are saying; and they don't really match. So, I will go to the shelf, pull out a book of fairy tales, and start rewriting one in first person. This helps for several reasons. Firstly, it's a story which you already know, so you don't have to decide what's going to happen unless you want to. Secondly, first person is pretty much dialogue on its own, so you don't have to add much for whatever character you choose. Thirdly, you can choose whichever character you want to tell the story from, and also get some experience trying to find the right dialogue for each personality presented.
#2: Humor.
This idea was Esther's however I personally love the concept. Try writing a random list of insane ideas and rules, (Like, rule 9: Cedar wood makes bad spaghetti, go for pine.) then write a story explaining it. Another way to work on humor is not exactly an exercise, but it is a good way to get past the block: Reading Douglas Adams' works. Douglas Adams is best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and his humor is amazing. He balances the insanity of science fiction with the typical experiences of everyday life, and frankly of all the prologues I've read, his are the funniest. (No, I haven't read all his works, I'm working on it).
#3: Fear.
This is one I've been working on for over a year, since I tried writing a haunted forest into one of my books. For some reason, I can't get past a mental block of being too scary, and then I'm not scary at all. If you are dealing with being too scary, this isn't for you. If you can't write anything scary, this should help. In trying to deal with this I started asking a lot of people for help, and it was my dad who finally gave me the biggest hint. "When you give fear an image, it becomes less terrifying." He was probably quoting someone, but the principle is the same. If there is a vicious nameless terror behind one door and a vicious 30 headed dragon with razor sharp teeth behind the other, most people will choose the 30 headed dragon. The unknown is more terrifying than any monster of your own concoction, because you can always imagine something worse. So if you are writing something terrifying, don't say exactly what it is; let the reader's imagination tell him.
That was a rather long introduction, sorry, I'll get to the point now. I came up with a short story idea, and you can come up with whatever ideas work for you. (Yes, my first inspiration came from Doctor Who: the god complex.) Basically, a journalist is investigating an abandoned hotel, and there is one door which he is told up front to never, ever open. And when he goes around to the rooms, he finds that everyone there is insane with a multitude of random psychosis, however they all tell him the exact same thing: Never Open the Door. You can try coming up with whatever closed door scenario you want and experiment with it, it's your writer's block.
#4: Tension.
I've had difficulty expressing the tension of others on paper, so what I often do is write down my own tension. Whenever I'm tense or nervous about anything, I will sit down, and write down exactly what I'm feeling. This accomplishes two things. Firstly, I have a basis for writing other people's tension; and secondly I have something to get my mind off of what is making me tense or nervous.
#5: Death.
Depending on the type of book you are writing, you will probably need to write a death scene at some point or other. Also, depending on how important this character and his/her death is; you might need to spend a lot of time and depth in arranging it. I used to deal with this problem a lot, until I got around it by describing the person's death through through the eyes of someone else. (Yes, I need to get over that; I'm working on it.) This might be a good exercise if you can't seem to convey the importance, or in some cases the unimportance of someone's death. Find a war which intrigues you, write a platoon/garrison/squad in the army, and write how each of them die all within 24 hours of each other. It can be on the battlefield, through poison, assassination, anything. But they all have to die in 24 hours, and you need to include how each particular one died.
That's all, I hope you enjoyed this post, I hope it helped! If there is an area which you can't seem to get past, please let me know! I would love to find an exercise to deal with it! Leave a comment, share, and be looking for my next post! It will be long, however it is also a Shady Friday, and beyond that it will be a complete Shady Friday! (Meaning that it's not a segment of a story, it's a complete short story!) It might not be next Friday, but it should be in the next few weeks!
dimidium facti qui coepit habet
Alright, so it took me a little longer than I had planned to get this written, but I think it was worth it. Today I am covering a few writing exercises I use when I feel my writing is lacking in something. If I know what my writing is lacking, I just start writing one of the ideas listed and see where it leads. If I don't know, then I'll just pick one randomly and start rambling seeing where my mind goes. These are some of the areas I find myself dealing with, and trying to work past.
My sister once said that the main difference between a short story and a novel or novella is that a short story focuses on one idea, while a novella can focus on several. As such, these ideas are simply inspirations for short stories, and I hope they help you as such. Also, the stories you write are ones you can keep to yourself, or dispose of if you find they aren't helping. (Or just aren't your style).
#1: Dialogue.
Sometimes when I'm writing, I look at the characters, then what they are saying; and they don't really match. So, I will go to the shelf, pull out a book of fairy tales, and start rewriting one in first person. This helps for several reasons. Firstly, it's a story which you already know, so you don't have to decide what's going to happen unless you want to. Secondly, first person is pretty much dialogue on its own, so you don't have to add much for whatever character you choose. Thirdly, you can choose whichever character you want to tell the story from, and also get some experience trying to find the right dialogue for each personality presented.
#2: Humor.
This idea was Esther's however I personally love the concept. Try writing a random list of insane ideas and rules, (Like, rule 9: Cedar wood makes bad spaghetti, go for pine.) then write a story explaining it. Another way to work on humor is not exactly an exercise, but it is a good way to get past the block: Reading Douglas Adams' works. Douglas Adams is best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and his humor is amazing. He balances the insanity of science fiction with the typical experiences of everyday life, and frankly of all the prologues I've read, his are the funniest. (No, I haven't read all his works, I'm working on it).
#3: Fear.
This is one I've been working on for over a year, since I tried writing a haunted forest into one of my books. For some reason, I can't get past a mental block of being too scary, and then I'm not scary at all. If you are dealing with being too scary, this isn't for you. If you can't write anything scary, this should help. In trying to deal with this I started asking a lot of people for help, and it was my dad who finally gave me the biggest hint. "When you give fear an image, it becomes less terrifying." He was probably quoting someone, but the principle is the same. If there is a vicious nameless terror behind one door and a vicious 30 headed dragon with razor sharp teeth behind the other, most people will choose the 30 headed dragon. The unknown is more terrifying than any monster of your own concoction, because you can always imagine something worse. So if you are writing something terrifying, don't say exactly what it is; let the reader's imagination tell him.
That was a rather long introduction, sorry, I'll get to the point now. I came up with a short story idea, and you can come up with whatever ideas work for you. (Yes, my first inspiration came from Doctor Who: the god complex.) Basically, a journalist is investigating an abandoned hotel, and there is one door which he is told up front to never, ever open. And when he goes around to the rooms, he finds that everyone there is insane with a multitude of random psychosis, however they all tell him the exact same thing: Never Open the Door. You can try coming up with whatever closed door scenario you want and experiment with it, it's your writer's block.
#4: Tension.
I've had difficulty expressing the tension of others on paper, so what I often do is write down my own tension. Whenever I'm tense or nervous about anything, I will sit down, and write down exactly what I'm feeling. This accomplishes two things. Firstly, I have a basis for writing other people's tension; and secondly I have something to get my mind off of what is making me tense or nervous.
#5: Death.
Depending on the type of book you are writing, you will probably need to write a death scene at some point or other. Also, depending on how important this character and his/her death is; you might need to spend a lot of time and depth in arranging it. I used to deal with this problem a lot, until I got around it by describing the person's death through through the eyes of someone else. (Yes, I need to get over that; I'm working on it.) This might be a good exercise if you can't seem to convey the importance, or in some cases the unimportance of someone's death. Find a war which intrigues you, write a platoon/garrison/squad in the army, and write how each of them die all within 24 hours of each other. It can be on the battlefield, through poison, assassination, anything. But they all have to die in 24 hours, and you need to include how each particular one died.
That's all, I hope you enjoyed this post, I hope it helped! If there is an area which you can't seem to get past, please let me know! I would love to find an exercise to deal with it! Leave a comment, share, and be looking for my next post! It will be long, however it is also a Shady Friday, and beyond that it will be a complete Shady Friday! (Meaning that it's not a segment of a story, it's a complete short story!) It might not be next Friday, but it should be in the next few weeks!
dimidium facti qui coepit habet
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Top Ten Quotes About Writing (Right)
Hello Bookworms!
Today I am covering another top ten, this time about my personal favorite quotes about writing. These keep me writing and stave off that dreaded writers block. So, without further ado, let us begin!
#10:
"Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but and escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it is to want to escape from these things."
~T.S. Eliot
I love this quote, because too often people write poetry just to express all their pent up emotions, and tell people what they think. This isn't poetry, it is a rambling on paper which happens to rhyme. I often use this quote to remind myself of the reason I write poetry.
#9:
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
~Winston Churchill
This quote summarizes my view on my writing. I go through several mistakes in my writing, however I keep working, because writing, and the thrill of new adventures is what keeps me going in the morning. I use this quote to remember that success doesn't mean that I get something right the first time.
#8:
"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."
~Max Lucado
This quote serves as an excellent example of standing out, and leading something brand new. Yes, your writing could influence several people, it could be brilliant and amazing, but in order to do that you sometimes have to turn your back on most of society, and ignore what most people say; unless of course they are experts, but that's a different story. I use this quote to uplift my spirits when I think my writing is so random people will never want to read it.
#7:
"If I had only one rule to live by, it would be this: Write to communicate, not to impress."
~Judy Bridges
Shakespeare was a great author, and play-write. (I'm probably spelling that wrong). However, he often wrote to impress his audience, several times using words which he himself made up. He had every right to do so, however a reader should be able to follow the story. I use this quote as a reminder that it doesn't matter if you're a genius, if people cannot understand you, you have bigger issues.
# 6:
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
~Leo Tolstoy
Often as writers we get this idea of how we will change everything, and everyone will be better off. I don't know who first started saying it, but someone started the saying "If I ruled the world, it would be a better place-for me." Something may be wrong, or it may just be our way of looking at it which is wrong. Make sure that you as a writer have thoroughly examined why you think something before you tell other people what you think. This quote reminds me that not every story needs to be told, and sometimes things are better kept secret.
#5:
"There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
~Robert Kennedy
Sometimes, instead of looking at what is in the world and shouldn't be, I like to look at what isn't in the world and should be. Some concepts and ideas of several years ago have been lost, and some were never there to begin with. This quote reminds me that my writing is to bring things into the world, and explore the domino effect of the reactions.
#4:
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."
~Scott Adams
To preface, the only thing I know about this guy is he writes a cartoon. I haven't actually read the cartoon, I don't think I would understand the humor. The point is, everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes we don't really understand why we made them, sometimes we read something we wrote late at night and think, "I call myself a writer?" And then sometimes we read something we read something we wrote late at night and think, "Maybe I should write more at night." This quote keeps me writing, realizing that maybe my mistakes actually aren't all that bad.
#3:
"Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It's as if they are showing you the way."
~Donal Miller
Close to the Judy Bridges quote earlier, writing is about communicating, and sometimes writing is simply a tinted window, in which one person can be taught how someone else sees the world, and why things mean so much to them. This quote reminds me that writing is less of a planned movie, and move of an observation deck. You never know what's going to happen, but you have to see things differently in the end.
#2:
"If you're willing to fail interestingly, you tend to succeed interstingly."
~Edward Albee, playwright
If you write enough, it's almost a guarantee that you will fail. So, don't write to succeed. Write to have fun. Instead of worrying about whether you will make the list of top one-hundred novels in the nation, instead write something that you could pull off your shelf after reading a hundred times, and still find funny, amusing, and entertaining. This one reminds me that I write not for a crowd of people, or for a generation of far off children, or even to be recognized as a great author; I write because at the end of the day, I want to be able to enjoy looking back over my work.
#1:
"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."
~Mark Twain
Alright, who didn't see me using a humorous quote as my last one. What can I say? This is how I work. Until I get all the facts, there is no way for me to know whether or not someone else has already used my ideas? Once I know how it happened, I can twist it around so that no one sees it coming, but I can drop clues as inside jokes to those who know the truth. (Yes, I'm talking about mystery novels, though it's really good for a parody novel as well:) ) This one reminds me, that in the end my writing is my writing, and no one can take that away from me.
Thank you for reading these, I really hope they helped! What are your favorite quotes? How do you stave off writers block? And what would you like me to talk about? My next post will be on small writing exercises which help me with stories, character development, and just experimenting with new writing styles. I will be posting it sometime next week, so keep a weather eye out!
dimidium facti qui coepit habet
Today I am covering another top ten, this time about my personal favorite quotes about writing. These keep me writing and stave off that dreaded writers block. So, without further ado, let us begin!
#10:
"Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but and escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it is to want to escape from these things."
~T.S. Eliot
I love this quote, because too often people write poetry just to express all their pent up emotions, and tell people what they think. This isn't poetry, it is a rambling on paper which happens to rhyme. I often use this quote to remind myself of the reason I write poetry.
#9:
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
~Winston Churchill
This quote summarizes my view on my writing. I go through several mistakes in my writing, however I keep working, because writing, and the thrill of new adventures is what keeps me going in the morning. I use this quote to remember that success doesn't mean that I get something right the first time.
#8:
"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."
~Max Lucado
This quote serves as an excellent example of standing out, and leading something brand new. Yes, your writing could influence several people, it could be brilliant and amazing, but in order to do that you sometimes have to turn your back on most of society, and ignore what most people say; unless of course they are experts, but that's a different story. I use this quote to uplift my spirits when I think my writing is so random people will never want to read it.
#7:
"If I had only one rule to live by, it would be this: Write to communicate, not to impress."
~Judy Bridges
Shakespeare was a great author, and play-write. (I'm probably spelling that wrong). However, he often wrote to impress his audience, several times using words which he himself made up. He had every right to do so, however a reader should be able to follow the story. I use this quote as a reminder that it doesn't matter if you're a genius, if people cannot understand you, you have bigger issues.
# 6:
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
~Leo Tolstoy
Often as writers we get this idea of how we will change everything, and everyone will be better off. I don't know who first started saying it, but someone started the saying "If I ruled the world, it would be a better place-for me." Something may be wrong, or it may just be our way of looking at it which is wrong. Make sure that you as a writer have thoroughly examined why you think something before you tell other people what you think. This quote reminds me that not every story needs to be told, and sometimes things are better kept secret.
#5:
"There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
~Robert Kennedy
Sometimes, instead of looking at what is in the world and shouldn't be, I like to look at what isn't in the world and should be. Some concepts and ideas of several years ago have been lost, and some were never there to begin with. This quote reminds me that my writing is to bring things into the world, and explore the domino effect of the reactions.
#4:
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."
~Scott Adams
To preface, the only thing I know about this guy is he writes a cartoon. I haven't actually read the cartoon, I don't think I would understand the humor. The point is, everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes we don't really understand why we made them, sometimes we read something we wrote late at night and think, "I call myself a writer?" And then sometimes we read something we read something we wrote late at night and think, "Maybe I should write more at night." This quote keeps me writing, realizing that maybe my mistakes actually aren't all that bad.
#3:
"Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It's as if they are showing you the way."
~Donal Miller
Close to the Judy Bridges quote earlier, writing is about communicating, and sometimes writing is simply a tinted window, in which one person can be taught how someone else sees the world, and why things mean so much to them. This quote reminds me that writing is less of a planned movie, and move of an observation deck. You never know what's going to happen, but you have to see things differently in the end.
#2:
"If you're willing to fail interestingly, you tend to succeed interstingly."
~Edward Albee, playwright
If you write enough, it's almost a guarantee that you will fail. So, don't write to succeed. Write to have fun. Instead of worrying about whether you will make the list of top one-hundred novels in the nation, instead write something that you could pull off your shelf after reading a hundred times, and still find funny, amusing, and entertaining. This one reminds me that I write not for a crowd of people, or for a generation of far off children, or even to be recognized as a great author; I write because at the end of the day, I want to be able to enjoy looking back over my work.
#1:
"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."
~Mark Twain
Alright, who didn't see me using a humorous quote as my last one. What can I say? This is how I work. Until I get all the facts, there is no way for me to know whether or not someone else has already used my ideas? Once I know how it happened, I can twist it around so that no one sees it coming, but I can drop clues as inside jokes to those who know the truth. (Yes, I'm talking about mystery novels, though it's really good for a parody novel as well:) ) This one reminds me, that in the end my writing is my writing, and no one can take that away from me.
Thank you for reading these, I really hope they helped! What are your favorite quotes? How do you stave off writers block? And what would you like me to talk about? My next post will be on small writing exercises which help me with stories, character development, and just experimenting with new writing styles. I will be posting it sometime next week, so keep a weather eye out!
dimidium facti qui coepit habet
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Book idea, mildly normal insanity (Both)
Hello Bookworms!
Ok, so today I am writing about yet another book idea I had, and this one actually sounds good! (That would probably be because I have absolutely no idea where it's going; if I did I probably wouldn't even attempt to write it.)
The basic premise is a non-romantic zombie apocalypse story in second person, describing not only the apocalypse, but also where the plague originated, and the cure that the main characters search for-which they may or may not find-and also the many ways in which different people and personalities would react to such a disaster. The main character is a female, by the name of Athena Celine Blake.
One of the fascinating parts about the story is that the main character herself is slightly insane, and therefore no one knows if the apocalypse is really happening, or if she just thinks that it is, which depending upon which way you take it, the story could be the tale of a disaster, or an examination of a psychosis.This is a tiny sample of the work.
~
dimidium facti qui coepit habet
Ok, so today I am writing about yet another book idea I had, and this one actually sounds good! (That would probably be because I have absolutely no idea where it's going; if I did I probably wouldn't even attempt to write it.)
The basic premise is a non-romantic zombie apocalypse story in second person, describing not only the apocalypse, but also where the plague originated, and the cure that the main characters search for-which they may or may not find-and also the many ways in which different people and personalities would react to such a disaster. The main character is a female, by the name of Athena Celine Blake.
One of the fascinating parts about the story is that the main character herself is slightly insane, and therefore no one knows if the apocalypse is really happening, or if she just thinks that it is, which depending upon which way you take it, the story could be the tale of a disaster, or an examination of a psychosis.This is a tiny sample of the work.
~
Nicole stops, stunned by the
suddenness. Her eyes grow wide as she stares in disbelief.
“No, Theo, not you!” The creature
your friend has become is rising up to kill your other friend, so you need to
take action. Quickly, you pull out your gun and shoot two rounds into his head.
Nicole staggers back. “What, what
have you done?” Her voice is shaking, and you can see the tears welling up in
her eyes. You’ve seen this before in the field, and have no time for it. The
stress of the battle, the shock of losing someone close is shutting her down
and her mind is freezing up. You grab her arm to get her out of the danger
before it’s too late; only the girl you’re holding on to isn’t quite as
shell-shocked as you had imagined. Quite the opposite, as her mind which had
been shutting down is now firing up with anger at you.
“How could you, to your own
friend?!” She screams at you. She tries to pull away but you keep holding her
arm; if she were to make a false step it would be her last.
“If I hadn’t killed him he would
have killed you.” You try to reason. “I did what had to be done.”
“Is that how you rationalize it?
Killing one of your closest friends? They were right, you are insane!?” She’s
crying now, but she’s still thinking rationally.
“He wasn’t my friend any more, he
was already gone. The virus had already claimed him.”
“He could have been cured,”
“But at what cost?!” You snap at
her. “Even if we somehow made a cure, and somehow cured him, when he woke up he
would have had to live with killing you, there was no way around it. How would
you like to know that you’re closest friend just died so you could live a nightmare?”
“Isn’t that what you did just now?”
She accuses you. You fall silent, wishing you had an answer, but there isn’t
one. Nothing can excuse what you’ve done, she’s right. You take a deep breath.
“All I know, is that Theo would have gladly died for you to live. If it was
wrong of me to act as I did, then forgive me. But write now our main goal is to
find shelter.”
~
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! I'm still working on how the second person relates to dialogue, but it's coming together rather well.The next blog post will be another top ten, but I won't be doing a Shady Friday this week. (My next Shady Friday is going to be long, but I hope you find it worth it!) Have a great week!dimidium facti qui coepit habet
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Through the years: Treasure Island. (Left brain geared)
Hello Bookworms!
I'm back! Today, on the one-year anniversary of starting this blog, I am officially back to blogging! Let's hope life will calm down a little so I can keep up. Oh, and small warning, this is a long blog post, so please read it all! It has a lot of information, and I hope you find it helpful. And, as a new thing, I'm posting in the post title whether the post is geared towards left brained people (Analytical types), right brained people (Creative types), or both. (Story ideas?)
Today I am talking about the advance of a book I'm sure you are familiar with: Treasure Island. The original book, and then how the plot and characters changed through its main movie adaptions: Treasure Island 1950, Muppet Treasure Island, and Treasure Planet (Animated).
Now, in the book, there were a few things I hadn't realized when I started reading it. First of all, it was written in first person, which automatically led the readers to sympathize with Jim, instead of other characters. Secondly, Jim's age was never mentioned. It was implied that he was a young lad, however his age was never mentioned. And finally, while several movie adaptions portrayed the end as a great battle, or one big defining moment when the conflict all dissolved after a whole story of heightening tension, the book never had a clear ending. The conflict rose, and then simply dissipated. These facts greatly helped me understand the changes seen in the movies. To begin with, the plot line.
In the original book, Bones had been staying at the inn for a while. The same is true in the 1950 version, and the Muppet version, however not in the animated version. This is possibly because Jim's character in the animated version is more the susceptible to impression from any sort of fatherly figure, and while Silver was a pirate he was trying to seem an honest gentleman. If Jim had started taking after bones, he probably wouldn't have objected to the idea of piracy at all. Instead, he needed to take after Silver, and become the man Silver was pretending to be. The several versions also changed the way everyone left the ship. In the book, after Jim found out about the mutiny, he joined the long boat crew and then fled before Silver knew who's side Jim was on. The faithful crew escaped through a window after barricading themselves in the captain's chambers. In the 1950 version, Jim also volunteered to get in the longboat, but when the early mutiny failed, (Pirates should know better) Silver used Jim as a hostage to ensure safe passage for the whole crew. This worked only because they found such a young actor that Jim wouldn't know better than to climb in a long boat full of pirates. Jim later escaped, and the faithful crew took the chance to flee in a long boat. The other versions took more liberties with the plot. In the Muppet version, Jim warns the captain of the mutiny, and the captain immediately finds a plan to rid the ship of pirates, but before it can be thrown into action Silver abducts Jim off of the ship. Presumably no one noticed because all the honest men were meeting in the captain's office. (I still say this was unlikely, but at least Jim didn't volunteer to go with murderous pirates for no known reason). Some of the faithful crew go onshore to save Jim, and the others get captured by the pirates hidden on the ship. The animated version used a more dramatic, realistic means of escape. (For a science fiction animated movie in outer space.) Jim learns of the mutiny, and is discovered when Silver comes back down the stairs. Jim escapes when Silver is struggling with his fatherly relationship with Jim, and the faithful crew of 3 people evacuate immediately, while sustaining injury. Finally, The endings varied almost completely. (Spoilers!). The ending of the 1950 version remained close to the book, yet changed Silver's means of escape. While the book had Silver escape at a port half way back to Bristol, The 1950 version had him escape by taking Jim captive, (Again) rowing till he got out of range, dropping Jim off, and then leaving to sail the seas again. I understand the need to show Silver as having truly changed, however I feel there were other ways to have done so. For example, the Muppet version. The story ended with a giant battle between the two forces, sword fighting, use of random quips earlier on, and then Silver escaping the ship in a long boat, and himself getting marooned on Treasure Island. What I liked best about the way the Muppets handled it is that Jim had the chance to rouse the crew as much as Silver had the chance to get away by killing Jim. In the end, while neither of them were close pals, they both parted as friends who couldn't deny that they respected the other. The animated version used a similar ending, however instead of fighting each other, the final battle had Silver more battling himself, and then Jim battling the planet. And while no weapons were drawn at the end of the animated version, they still parted ways as unlikely friends.
While I could go on forever on the difference in characters, I would like to focus mainly on the three I find most important to the plot; Jim, Silver, and Doctor Livesey. Jim's character portrayal changes drastically in the several versions. In the book, he is a young child, relatively reckless and naive, however honest and caring. The 1950 version succeeded in portraying that side, however it stopped there. The Muppet version portrays Jim as honest and caring, but also less naive and more strait forward. His age is never stated, however we can safely assume he is a young teenager. And while he isn't as reckless, he's more adventurous. Now, the animated version took the most liberties with Jim. Jim suddenly became a rebellious thrill seeking teenager with a serious identity crisis. And while he becomes honest, trustworthy, and brave, this is due greatly to the influence of Silver. Speaking of which, Silver's portrayal varies depending upon the personality type needed for the story. In the book, Silver was capable of murder, however rarely does he actually kill someone. He always 'keeps a foot in each camp' and ends up as a devious scoundrel who could be changed, however it was unlikely. The same can be said of the 1950 version, although he comes across as more murderous. However, the Muppet version portrays him as slightly misunderstood, capable of killing a man, but then who isn't? At the end, Silver ends up paying for his crimes by getting stuck on that island. The animated version took a different light to the matter. Silver starts out as a villain playing the victim, and in the end you feel he's a victim playing a villain. And while Silver is definitely murderous, you can't help but feel sorry for him. These views on Silver are drastic, however nothing like the many views on Livesey. In the book, Doctor Livesey plays a crucial part as a doctor, and negotiator, as well as a man that Jim can place his trust in. However, he is easily tricked. The 1950 version pulled out his confidential nature, and mainly ignored his ignorance. (I can see why, who would leave their kid in the charge of someone who is easily fooled?). Without him, I see no reason why Jim wouldn't have joined the pirates, so he actually is important for the plot. The Muppet version took a different approach to the matter. While the doctor had a small role to play, the emotional role of older brother figure was instead taken by Gonzo and Rizo. They ended up supporting him as friends and siblings, portraying both Livesey's crazy clueless side and his sensible forward side which kept Jim out of trouble. However, I think the best portrayal of the doctor was in the animated version, where they brought out his clueless side, and also his intellectual hero side. (Plus it was nice to see him do something other than give poor advice). Mainly, it was about time for the doctor to have some romantic interest.
Anyway, thank you so much! Is there something else you would like me to research, a book you want me to read, a song you want me to listen to? Please let me know! I know, there are a lot more versions of Treasure Island all over the place, however I can't seem to get to them. Oh, and to those of you diligent enough to read the whole thing, congratulations! To thank you, I am letting you know that my next blog post will be about a new book I've been working on writing. (And this one is actually coming along really well!).
Since it has been one year, I am sharing the meaning of my old phrase, and in my next post I will reveal my new phrase! (Which is just a cover for I don't have one yet!) Habent sua fata libelli! Stories have their own destiny according to the will of the reader.
I'm back! Today, on the one-year anniversary of starting this blog, I am officially back to blogging! Let's hope life will calm down a little so I can keep up. Oh, and small warning, this is a long blog post, so please read it all! It has a lot of information, and I hope you find it helpful. And, as a new thing, I'm posting in the post title whether the post is geared towards left brained people (Analytical types), right brained people (Creative types), or both. (Story ideas?)
Today I am talking about the advance of a book I'm sure you are familiar with: Treasure Island. The original book, and then how the plot and characters changed through its main movie adaptions: Treasure Island 1950, Muppet Treasure Island, and Treasure Planet (Animated).
Now, in the book, there were a few things I hadn't realized when I started reading it. First of all, it was written in first person, which automatically led the readers to sympathize with Jim, instead of other characters. Secondly, Jim's age was never mentioned. It was implied that he was a young lad, however his age was never mentioned. And finally, while several movie adaptions portrayed the end as a great battle, or one big defining moment when the conflict all dissolved after a whole story of heightening tension, the book never had a clear ending. The conflict rose, and then simply dissipated. These facts greatly helped me understand the changes seen in the movies. To begin with, the plot line.
In the original book, Bones had been staying at the inn for a while. The same is true in the 1950 version, and the Muppet version, however not in the animated version. This is possibly because Jim's character in the animated version is more the susceptible to impression from any sort of fatherly figure, and while Silver was a pirate he was trying to seem an honest gentleman. If Jim had started taking after bones, he probably wouldn't have objected to the idea of piracy at all. Instead, he needed to take after Silver, and become the man Silver was pretending to be. The several versions also changed the way everyone left the ship. In the book, after Jim found out about the mutiny, he joined the long boat crew and then fled before Silver knew who's side Jim was on. The faithful crew escaped through a window after barricading themselves in the captain's chambers. In the 1950 version, Jim also volunteered to get in the longboat, but when the early mutiny failed, (Pirates should know better) Silver used Jim as a hostage to ensure safe passage for the whole crew. This worked only because they found such a young actor that Jim wouldn't know better than to climb in a long boat full of pirates. Jim later escaped, and the faithful crew took the chance to flee in a long boat. The other versions took more liberties with the plot. In the Muppet version, Jim warns the captain of the mutiny, and the captain immediately finds a plan to rid the ship of pirates, but before it can be thrown into action Silver abducts Jim off of the ship. Presumably no one noticed because all the honest men were meeting in the captain's office. (I still say this was unlikely, but at least Jim didn't volunteer to go with murderous pirates for no known reason). Some of the faithful crew go onshore to save Jim, and the others get captured by the pirates hidden on the ship. The animated version used a more dramatic, realistic means of escape. (For a science fiction animated movie in outer space.) Jim learns of the mutiny, and is discovered when Silver comes back down the stairs. Jim escapes when Silver is struggling with his fatherly relationship with Jim, and the faithful crew of 3 people evacuate immediately, while sustaining injury. Finally, The endings varied almost completely. (Spoilers!). The ending of the 1950 version remained close to the book, yet changed Silver's means of escape. While the book had Silver escape at a port half way back to Bristol, The 1950 version had him escape by taking Jim captive, (Again) rowing till he got out of range, dropping Jim off, and then leaving to sail the seas again. I understand the need to show Silver as having truly changed, however I feel there were other ways to have done so. For example, the Muppet version. The story ended with a giant battle between the two forces, sword fighting, use of random quips earlier on, and then Silver escaping the ship in a long boat, and himself getting marooned on Treasure Island. What I liked best about the way the Muppets handled it is that Jim had the chance to rouse the crew as much as Silver had the chance to get away by killing Jim. In the end, while neither of them were close pals, they both parted as friends who couldn't deny that they respected the other. The animated version used a similar ending, however instead of fighting each other, the final battle had Silver more battling himself, and then Jim battling the planet. And while no weapons were drawn at the end of the animated version, they still parted ways as unlikely friends.
While I could go on forever on the difference in characters, I would like to focus mainly on the three I find most important to the plot; Jim, Silver, and Doctor Livesey. Jim's character portrayal changes drastically in the several versions. In the book, he is a young child, relatively reckless and naive, however honest and caring. The 1950 version succeeded in portraying that side, however it stopped there. The Muppet version portrays Jim as honest and caring, but also less naive and more strait forward. His age is never stated, however we can safely assume he is a young teenager. And while he isn't as reckless, he's more adventurous. Now, the animated version took the most liberties with Jim. Jim suddenly became a rebellious thrill seeking teenager with a serious identity crisis. And while he becomes honest, trustworthy, and brave, this is due greatly to the influence of Silver. Speaking of which, Silver's portrayal varies depending upon the personality type needed for the story. In the book, Silver was capable of murder, however rarely does he actually kill someone. He always 'keeps a foot in each camp' and ends up as a devious scoundrel who could be changed, however it was unlikely. The same can be said of the 1950 version, although he comes across as more murderous. However, the Muppet version portrays him as slightly misunderstood, capable of killing a man, but then who isn't? At the end, Silver ends up paying for his crimes by getting stuck on that island. The animated version took a different light to the matter. Silver starts out as a villain playing the victim, and in the end you feel he's a victim playing a villain. And while Silver is definitely murderous, you can't help but feel sorry for him. These views on Silver are drastic, however nothing like the many views on Livesey. In the book, Doctor Livesey plays a crucial part as a doctor, and negotiator, as well as a man that Jim can place his trust in. However, he is easily tricked. The 1950 version pulled out his confidential nature, and mainly ignored his ignorance. (I can see why, who would leave their kid in the charge of someone who is easily fooled?). Without him, I see no reason why Jim wouldn't have joined the pirates, so he actually is important for the plot. The Muppet version took a different approach to the matter. While the doctor had a small role to play, the emotional role of older brother figure was instead taken by Gonzo and Rizo. They ended up supporting him as friends and siblings, portraying both Livesey's crazy clueless side and his sensible forward side which kept Jim out of trouble. However, I think the best portrayal of the doctor was in the animated version, where they brought out his clueless side, and also his intellectual hero side. (Plus it was nice to see him do something other than give poor advice). Mainly, it was about time for the doctor to have some romantic interest.
Anyway, thank you so much! Is there something else you would like me to research, a book you want me to read, a song you want me to listen to? Please let me know! I know, there are a lot more versions of Treasure Island all over the place, however I can't seem to get to them. Oh, and to those of you diligent enough to read the whole thing, congratulations! To thank you, I am letting you know that my next blog post will be about a new book I've been working on writing. (And this one is actually coming along really well!).
Since it has been one year, I am sharing the meaning of my old phrase, and in my next post I will reveal my new phrase! (Which is just a cover for I don't have one yet!) Habent sua fata libelli! Stories have their own destiny according to the will of the reader.
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