Progress · 11:57am Aug 28th, 2012
This is a copypasta from the thread over on the TwiLuna Writer Motivation Group. Just thought I'd give everyone a heads up on my current progress.
Let's start out by saying: it's not finished. It's not even close to finished. Not that I haven't worked on it, just that it's going to be a long one, like Chapter Six was. So, finished product will likely be in the 7-10K words area. And that is daunting to me. I'm a very slow typist. I can't actually use the ring or pinkie fingers on either hand to type. They flinch whenever I move my bird finger. So I only use the bird, index and thumbs when I type. I've been told that I'm extremely fast for using just that, so...yay?
But it still doesn't negate the fact that I'm not fast compared to someone that can use all their fingers for the same job. My editor(who is a professional technical writer/proof-reader/code writer) laughs when I offer to type something up for her.
Anyway, so far, Chapter Seven is sitting at a paltry, measly 1.2K words of rough draft. Like I said, nowhere near finished.
And it is rough going. I'm a little floored because this is an important chapter to the overall development of Twilight's and Luna's friendship(which supplies the basis of their relationship that develops later on). Their conversation with each other is pivotal here and supposed to sound natural. I also need to weave foreshadowing into it and do a little world building.
Additionally, I have to reveal two villainous plans that are wildly different for the villains involved and do a fight scene. That involves Zecora. ZECORA. The prospect of writing her dialog alone makes me want to cry. I thought about dropping the rhyming, but that would kill the characterization.
Speaking of voices, one thing that is a bit difficult for me to nail is a consistent voice for each character. Speaking patterns and word choice are very important here and there are more characters talking in this one than the last six. And some of them are just hard to hold in my thoughts. Twilight's voice is a breeze for me. Luna's is still a little wobbly, I think. Fancypants and Fluer are still in the developing stages, but strong. Then comes Zecora(shudder), and the as of yet unnamed villain. I want him to sound like a slimeball. Like someone to hate.
Another thing I'm working/experimenting on in this chapter is pacing by juxtaposition of scenes. I want the reader to feel a growing sense of urgency as the three major plot lines are all happening simultaneously. And all three are at a major turning point. Chapters one through six were the build up, and seven is where the proverbial feces hits the rotor blades.
Oh god Zecora
Still we'll be here waiting, I can't wait to see how you handle the slime ball dialog. Also if you don't mind me asking why exactly can't you use the other fingers?
Just curious.
P.S. When I decide to spell check Zecora I got decorate!
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Actually, I had a bit of inspiration regarding the "slimeball" quality I'm aiming for. Scar, for the Lion King. That's the kind of tone I want. Incredibly smug and vicious when he thinks he has the upper hand, cowardly and sniveling when he doesn't.
As for the fingers, dunno why that is. I guess that it might be that I have tight tendons, or something? It has always been that way for me. I deal with it.
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The fingers thing makes sense, sort of ...but I like the Scar thing that seems perfect actually. Scar was..well a slimeball in short
Write on man! Write on! Um that is if you feel like it and want too...