Writing will be the death of me. Also, pretty pictures! · 2:09pm Feb 23rd, 2013
Writing is hard work. It requires blood, sweat and tears, hours and hours of effort, and it is one of the most mentally engaging and challenging activities I have ever undertaken. It’s also incredibly frustrating at times, like when you finish rewriting that one scene for the third time only to find that it’s just not right, or when you finish rewriting an entire chapter for a second time, only to find that it’s slow and a little too dull.
Both of these things happened to me while writing chapter four, so I apologise for the delays. The plot is witnessing some tweaking and some restructuring, but I hope that the outcomes from these changes have a positive effect on the story overall. I know characterisation, thematic structure and how ‘entertaining’ the story is looks much better from a top-down point of view, as well as looking sharper on a line-by-line basis, so hopefully it translates well for you as well.
It’s funny, because the more I write, the slower the process becomes. More drafts, more rewrites, more effort. I’d easily spend well over twenty-four hours per chapter (usually more), not including the editing process with Sessalisk, which can include up to three or so drafts. It’s one of those eternal struggles, the quest for that mythical thing called 'perfection'. Of course, it doesn’t exist, but it’s still something I lose sleep over trying to get as close as I can. I would even settle for ‘good’, haha.
Jump for the stars and you might just touch the moon, I guess.
Still, the story is moving into exciting territory now; the epic settings are really getting a workout, some of my favourite characters are being introduced in the form of the dragons, and the mystery is deepening—just what is stirring, and why is everyone so afraid?
It’s only a matter of time before something cracks…
I can’t wait.
I also have a side project that I've had some very awesome people look over a first draft for me, and it's currently in desperate need of some editing and the above mentioned 'effort'. Still, I think it shows a fair bit of potential, and that has me pretty excited.
Also, one final thing before I go: I have arts! This really awesome person called Mr Fulp did something totally cool and drew me a couple of my guard OCs all looking very swell!
Here is Contrail with and without colour:
And here is my favourite, the sexy looking Captain Swift:
Absolutely made my day, these did. Be sure to send him some love on his DA.
Anyway, love you all.
Stay classy!
I should start saying that to all the people who don't write, but relentlessly scream for 'MOAR'
Writing a good story is hard
857849 I wish someone warned me before I fell in love with writing! D:
That feel... I know it. I know all of it!
look, as long as you are happy yourself with your work, everything is fine Mystic.
what do you think how much more chapters you gonna write ?
857853
Yep. It's like a drug.
It starts with being curious about fanfiction... so you start to read a little.
Soon enough, you read a lot, then you think "Hey, I can do it too! It can't be that hard!"
We were all so naive, no clue what we were getting ourselves into
On the other hoof...Wooo 10k views!
857857 Solidarity!
857859 Heh, I dunno if I will ever be happy with my work, but I sure as all hell enjoy the process and sharing the results, and for me, that's the important thing!
As for the story length, we still have a fair way to go yet! Not even a third of the way there! Haha.
857861 Nice work!
857868
Thanks /)^3^(\
It's 4x further than I thought I'd ever get
Well, writing isn't hard by nature... it's mortality that cuts down our time to reach perfection into an impossible shape.
Time is pure evil!
Gosh, I hadn't even the time to read the story yet, because school is making me re-read Othello again and again.
857879 Looking forward to when you get the chance! I personally think it's my best work to date!
Quoted for the fucking win.
They never tell you about this, but it's true. People see writing as something any literate person is capable of, but that's only true to an extent. The best writers are the ones who are most willing to put lots of work into their craft.
857904 Heh, I'm pumping more time than I have into this writing business, and I still have a ridiculously long way to go! Haha. One of those 'skills that take a lifetime' or something equally daunting!
857904
True.
Here I am taking weeks...
And it's still not as good as what you do.
Oh well, it just goes to show there's always room to improve.
You put everything here in a blog post for all to see?
Oh wow uhh...well, you're making me blush here...
How much time do you usually spend on rewriting and editing?
858220 Oh don't worry, that time is spread over days and even weeks! Though I'd love to sit down for twenty four hours or more straight! Haha.
858563 They're awesome pictures! Haha. I freaking love them.
861128 A long time, sometimes even as long if not longer than the time it takes to write the first draft. It all depends on how much work needs to be done, haha.
863376
Yeah, it still takes weeks even when I do have a good, solid day to just work on it. Oh well.