![]() So if you follow me on Twitter you may already know this, but I spotted my muse running in an open field. With a well aimed arrow I crippled the fleeing bastard and dragged him kicking and screaming to my cave. I used two chains this time.... I wanted to turn Hunter's Reckoning into a first person short-story that is actually something I would want to compile into an e-book. Following an exhaustive few hours, the end result was a horrid but complete almost 8000 word short story. Not too shabby for a much shorter "outline". In the end it is a first draft and has permission to suck! It was mostly painless. I added to the plot a bit and assured the story came full circle in a believable way. The most difficult part of this ordeal was changing from my typical third person point of view past tense to a first person present tense . Example: My normal: The hunter looked at the barmaid, she smiled at him but he was not here to be cordial and he turned his glare away as he took a seat. The change: I look at the barmaid. She smiles at me and I avert my eyes, walking pass her to seat myself. Not too hard in that very simple, rough sample. But getting into the flow of writing and switching into first person past tense was too easy. I continually had to work to keep myself in the right mindset and using the correct words. I found an interesting site that talks more of first person present tense here. I agree that it puts the reader in the story and literally in the action, but as a complete change from my comfort zone, it does not make the writing process any easier! Has anyone else tried their hand at writing in a drastically different tense than their norm? Do you have any tips to switching from one way to the other? Let me know in the comment section below! It is morning, With this on my mind, I return to my cave for a bit. The horned beast is bleeding out, I must work to pry my books from atop its head and throw it down for good. Wish me luck! So following a lengthy time of avoidance, I am well into the editing for currently titled "Winemaker 2". I've completed nearly all of the scene map, which is you are unfamiliar with this term, it is basically 3-4 sentences of each Chapter summarizing and hitting the major plot points within it.
In doing so I've ended up with more questions. Having two random characters turn into "mer-men" and dive into the sea when I had forgotten they had any such powers is a simple problem to fix. A cult of wolves having differing names and origins than what I wrote in the third book, more problematic, but still fixable. The primary issue I've seen is the showing of particular flaws in my characters, specifically ones that come into the plot near the last 2/3 of Winemaker 1.. This book has an entire plotline separate but still very much related to the overall story arc. Careful not to get into backstory, it provides a backdrop for introduction of many new characters and further plots that tie up this book and prepare for the third one. Plot wise, I think it is good. Getting the information down in a presentable and entertaining way, I'm working on it! I'm awaiting a beta read of Winemaker 1 to be finished and then will move towards the freelance editing phase sometime afterwards. I am working on the short stories I wish to publish and have found I want to add another story into the mix. I am thinking a macabre story against a more fantasy themed plot. This differs from the bulk of my shorter works considering most are set in our time with supernatural or horror themes.... odd considering my novels are sword and sorcery in nature. I find the ability to write outside of my novel's genre releasing, especially when I write three books within a year. I will make a later post about that! Does anyone else write short stories, or other forms of writing, that differ in genre to your novels? If you haven't gotten a chance to read the pitch for Winemaker of the North, read it now! |
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