I still plan on writing something from last week’s prompt, but I’ve been having way too much fun writing my fanfic. Initially, I thought it might be a waste of time, but it is so freeing to write something so different from my screenplays, so yep, there’s lots more to come…
I find this image so intriguing. Maybe you do too? I look forward to seeing your creations this week!
Happy Writing!
I am pleased to share with you this week’s submission from redgypsophila of Adventures in Writing, who accepted last week’s writing prompt challenge, and wrote another inventive piece entitled Jill and the Beanstalk. Please give it a read and offer her your support. Again, thank you for sharing your creations!
As for me, I went back to my writer’s group last night – I had taken a small hiatus, and because my computer is on the brink of death, I struggled to write anything. It’s old. Really old. And it strains itself to open each app, sometimes failing. That little color wheel just spins and spins. When I realized it wouldn’t be able to open my email and give me access to the newer version of my script, I settled on writing more Dragon Age fan fiction. From all my time gaming, you’d think I would be better about hitting that little save button, but no…my computer shut down on me mid-type, and I felt those first tinges of fear, that I had lost everything I had just written, about 500 words.
I quickly jotted down, by hand, what I could remember while I prayed to the gods of technology to restore my computer and my words. It took a good 15 mins. for it to turn back on, its poor little motor wheezing the entire time, but success! Document restored! I quickly used the camera on my phone and took a screenshot in case it shut down again. My writing group friends laughed and mocked my outdated tech, but desperate times and all that.
I haven’t had a chance to really go back over what I wrote, but I’d like to post it anyway. Once I do a little rewriting, I’ll post it under the Excerpts section. I hope you enjoy!
III
I called out to my companions as they drew nearer to the creature to not strike at it. Although it had commanded the spiders and every other facet of this environment, I had the innate understanding that it was only protecting its home. There was no reason to strike it down, if anything, it may be helpful to our cause.
I couldn’t tell if the being was a man or woman from this vantage, only that it had sacrificed itself at some point to become the creature of flesh and forest before me. Once the spiders were vanquished and we had the opportunity to regroup, I moved closer to the being to get a better look, despite the protests of my friends. Although it seethed with anger and vibrated with powerful energy, I was compelled to try to speak to it, something about the idea of it having once been a mage.
Along our journey, Alistair had created a holster for my staff. It was a leather strap that I could easily wear across one shoulder so that when I was not using magic, I could be free of the added burden of carrying my weapon. I tucked my staff into its new place upon my back, and gingerly pushed Alistair’s pleading hands aside. I looked into his eyes, his concern for me so visible, that I had to bite back the smile that threatened to break free.
“It will be all right, “ I reassured him resting one hand upon his unshaven cheek. I probably shouldn’t have done that. The heated moment elevated, now fueled further with a desire neither of us was prepared for. We gazed into one another’s eyes for a moment as we both wrestled with our newfound feelings. An interrupting cough from Sten was all that was needed to break the spell. With a heavy, submissive groan, Alistair finally acquiesced and stepped aside. My fingers twitched at the loss of contact.
I took my first few pensive steps with my hands before me in a conciliatory gesture, all the while my companions still at the ready. Both Leliana and Morrigan voiced a final word of caution, to which I nodded silently. As I drew closer, I was able to make out that the being had in fact been a woman at one time. The body was thin and lithe, with soft curves at the hips and breasts; the remnants of which lay hidden beneath the vines that meandered upwards. The face was shielded in a mask of mud and flora, but what remained visible were radiant blue eyes, a long, thin nose, and full lips. Beneath it all, there was still a lovely woman.
I called out softly, in a reassuring tone, that we were not there to harm her. We had happened upon this cave and we were not there to destroy it, her, or her companions. I saw as she worked every word over in her mind in an effort to understand something long forgotten. Her tension alleviated with every word. I stopped a few feet short, not wanting to scare her away, or scare her into greater action. She was powerful, and I wasn’t certain I would be able to resist a direct assault. Her eyes were full of emotion; confusion, fear, and relief. She reached a hand out to me. I heard my friends’ voices of dissent.
To be continued….
Have a wonderful week everyone! And look for the new writing prompt tomorrow! 🙂
I have quickly come to a discovery…I love fanfic! Layman’s terms – stories inspired by fictional characters and worlds. If you’ve been following my progress at my own attempt at a Dragon Age inspired story, which I have much grander ideas for now, you’ll understand that this was always the next logical progression, but I didn’t know it. How did I not know this?! Thanks to The Collective, I have been put on the path of my newest obsession…as if my Dragon Age one could use any more fuel.
Archive of Our Own is a website dedicated to fan fiction. The site currently represents nearly 16,000 fandoms with almost 1.2 million works. There is literally something for everyone. I was initially turned onto the site via a Captain America story, but after perusing the list of other fandoms, I’m in trouble. Forewarning – read the tags! Some stories include sexual content, violence, and other adult themes, so some stories are not for the faint of heart. The Captain America story was unlike anything I had ever read, and I blushed, often. Still am.
Besides Dragon Age, which I am so excited about, I found a mashup of Alias, Captain America, and SHIELD. The author has only written a few chapters, but the idea for this particular story was so intriguing…I can’t wait to read what else she has in store for these characters. And I’m just getting started. So if you’re looking for something to feed the flames of your own obsession, your current shipping (interest in the ongoing development of romance in a work of fiction) fascination, or what-have-you in the regards to the fictional world, this might be the place for you too.
Happy Reading!
I decided on a little fantasy for today. From what I’ve been reading lately, I’m sure we could all use a little escape. I had a random idea when I saw this image, although it does look a little like Jack and the Beanstalk, so I will accept the challenge. Who’s with me?
Happy Writing!
Again, no submissions this week, which I was a little disappointed about. C’mon friends, join me in a little free for all writing. I decided to do a few more, six actually, of those flash fiction pieces I’ve been enjoying so much. No forethought. No real editing. Under 200 words each. I wrote these last night…goodness, can you tell I was in a certain mood? *Cringes. I would like to expand upon a few them now though. I hope you enjoy anyway.
The Dark Queen
The Dark Queen looked out upon her subjects and felt nothing. She had lost everything that had ever mattered to her, and she now ruled with an empty heart. Tragedy had not diminished her beauty, and she felt this might be taken as a slight, so she pulled her hair back, dressed in dark clothing, and removed all traces of adornment, except for her crown. She was, after all, the queen. The herald called her subjects to attention, and she came forward, somber, as she had done everyday for the past year. She was at a loss of how to proceed. What could she do to move forward, beyond the pain of loss?
Lovers on the Stairs
Each time they met endangered them further, and yet neither could stay away. The secret tunnel system within the castle allowed them glimpses of moments, but it would never be enough. Each encounter lasted longer and longer until it was unbearable to part. If only they were free to choose their own destiny. If only Fate were that kind. He was being sent abroad. War was at hand. They met for what they believed to be the last time and he held her close. Her emotions were on the brink of shattering her, and she clung to the wall for support. How ever would she bear it?
Remnants
I’d been traveling what was left of the upper world so long; I knew it like the back of my hand. The dark days were all any of my people knew, except for the elders, who spoke of a different time, the time of the light. It was a time when the buildings had reached for the heavens, as had we. Now it was covered in ash, torn down, brick by brick. What remained were the ghosts of the past. What now inhabited those remains were unlike anything anyone had ever seen, except for me, and the few members of my team. Each time we surfaced we risked not only exposure, but also discovery. There was life here; tiny green tentacles of life making their presence known. There were stories of such things, but it was best to keep it to ourselves, at least for the time being, because the rest of the upper world held no place for us. Maybe it was as the elders said, our time had passed.
Getaway
The view from the window gave the impression of peace and solitude, but in fact, it had become the view of her torment. Perhaps if she leapt out the window she would survive the fall, but then what? She was under constant surveillance, and had yet to find a lapse in security that she could use to her advantage. She would spend hours staring out to the water that had once enticed her, but now taunted her. It was paradise, and yet…She had never expected to be seduced, to be swayed, to be taken. Rumors could never have prepared her for such a fate. Her fingernails dug into the cracked and molded windowsill as she decided what course of action might be necessary.
Paradise
She had to be dreaming. Nothing of such vibrancy could ever exist in her land. The image swirled before her eyes, teasing her, tempting her to cross over. Her body swayed ever so slightly forward, her eyes closed longer than they should have as she took a deep breath to smell the fresh air. Her body ached with longing to move forward, to taste, to feel firsthand. She shook her head hard, hoping to clear the fog overcoming her. She would not submit. Pleasure was not to be so easily attained. But her foot took the first step, without her acknowledgment, and it found a solid foundation. Without further persuasion, she was off, running as is she were being chased, and maybe she was, but they would never catch her.
The Festival of Lights
They had met under the lights, and it was in the crimson glow that he had known he would spend the rest of his life trying to make her smile as she had that first night. They were so carefree then, a symbol of their youth. Each year, hand in hand, they would walk under the lanterns, sit on the same bench, and enjoy one another in silence. It was their moment to reflect on their time together, at how under the rosy glow, a young couple so different from one another had found happiness. As he sat on the bench alone for the first time in many years, he smiled the sweet smile that only a life well lived can offer, and he thought of her. For a brief moment, he saw the girl in the yellow dress dancing in the glow of the red lanterns. When she turned smiling at him, giggling breathlessly, he gasped. She ran up to him then, taking him by the hands to lead him down the crimson path.
I’ve added what I’ve written so far of the Dragon Age fan fiction under the Excerpts section, if you’re interested. Also, I’d love to read the stories, poems, or creations from the images you’ve been inspired from, so please, remember to share!
Happy Wednesday!
Last year I participated in something unlike anything I ever had before, the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen, fondly known as GISHWHES, and it is upon us once again as of August 2nd. If you’re unfamiliar with this madness, here’s the link to the site, although that probably won’t give you any further insight…it didn’t for me last year. So here’s a little overview without spoiling the unknown:
It was created by the ingenious mind of Misha Collins, Castiel from Supernatural, who I knew nothing about until this event. I only watched Supernatural this past year. Fellow geeks are mocking me. I can hear it. As the title reveals, it is a team oriented international scavenger hunt; a list of items with corresponding values to accomplish in one week’s time is the goal. The quest items are a mix of creative ingenuity, random acts of kindness, and everything in between. You take pictures or video, depending on what is specified, to prove the tasks have been completed.
Last year my sister and I participated with our friends in Arizona, and as we hadn’t made many friends in LA yet who could offer their support both emotionally and/or physically, we were left to our own devices. We accomplished 20 items. Not too shabby. Here are a few pictures of what we did – Commemorate a fictional location (we chose this location as the Entrance to Hades) by placing a historical landmark plaque, create a teddy bear hostage situation, place a purple GISHWHES sweater on the statue of a famous person (that was the best we could do), and “release the Kraken”.
Why I am I sharing this with you, you might ask? As a forewarning. 🙂 Firstly, I may be absent for the week because it takes a lot of time and effort to accomplish the tasks, but it is so worth it. Secondly, because now that I have a small group of international friends at my fingertips, you could offer your support by aiding with items I would otherwise not have access to, i.e. last year one of the items was a specific task photographed in front of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. And finally, if you’re looking for something to jumpstart your creative juices, this will do it. So if you’re up for the challenge you can join and start your own team, or be added to one randomly. If you’d like to offer your support, that would be appreciated as well.
And as a bonus, if you are on the winning team, this year’s prize is a trip to King’s Landing (Game of Thrones) in Croatia. Awesome!! And I want it! I better get my passport in order.
*Oh, and that strange creature above was last year’s mascot, the wooster.
Have a great week everyone!
Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans!
For those of you enjoying a long weekend (and just in general), the urge to do a little binge watching might be an option. There was a recent article about the cons of binge watching, and I have learned this first hand. Not all shows are meant to be watched in such a manner, of course there are exceptions…the following is not one of them.
I haven’t paid for television in about three years, and even before I found it hard to keep up with everything anyway, so my television viewing has been altered. If they don’t stream it, then I don’t watch it, until Netflix or the like picks it up, and then the binge happens.
Case in point, Doctor Who. I really didn’t know anything about this show before now, in part because I didn’t know anyone who watched it. If I lived in England, as I long to, this would obviously never have happened. I had caught one episode years ago that left me clueless as to what was going on, and because I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it, I didn’t seek the show out again. Circle around to present day, there’s a lot of talk about the new doctor and the premiere of the new season (or series, in England), I have found people who in fact watch it, and I thought, “I am a geek. I should know about this.” and so the binge begins. *Side note, I’m one of those that ignores the bandwagon, or tries to, so says my stubborn mind. If everybody loves something, and I didn’t get in on it early, it takes me a really, really long time to come around and give in. I could give lots of examples, but that’s for another day. I’m sure this is some remnant from my stubborn youth.
So I decide to jump on the Doctor Who bandwagon, starting with the newer episodes that began in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston (who I loved from Elizabeth – he was the villain as the Duke of Norfolk, but more recently he was Malekith in Thor: The Dark World.), not those (not yet anyway) that are now considered “Classic” Doctor Who that began in 1963. Here’s a quick synopsis, for those of you who have no idea, like I did…
“The Doctor” is a time and space traveling, nearly immortal, 900 year old alien known as a Time Lord. Their race regenerates when they are near death, and hence, a new Doctor is born. (This is why there are numerous Doctors. Technically, they are the same “person”, having taken a new form, and although the memories and knowledge of all his years remain, each new Doctor has a different personality.) A deadly war with the Daleks has left him alone as the last of his kind, so he travels endlessly in his space ship which is disguised as a blue police phone box known as the Tardis. He usually finds an attractive English woman to join him along his journeys to show her the universe and to sate his loneliness.
I am on to my third Doctor, Matt Smith, but it is due to the events that precede him that I have stalled in my viewing. Here is what I shall describe as “the unexpected side” of Doctor Who. *No spoilers, I promise.
It is surprisingly depressing. There is a bit of a corny, campy nature in The Doctor, and yet there is often a great deal of tragedy either happening or in the works. The writers will kill people off, separate them, and create a loneliness in The Doctor that is so palpable, I just want to give him a hug, often. I already cry at everything, but this show has really struck me on occasion, causing me to sob, twice, but most nights when I’m done watching, I’m just depressed. It’s not the happy go lucky show it presents itself on the surface, or maybe that’s just what I thought it was going to be. This is the conundrum of having a character like The Doctor who is quirky, witty, and so likeable placed among such heavy handed themes, such as saving the world (a lot), offering salvation to your archenemy, watching people sacrifice themselves for your salvation, and losing the one you love to a rift between parallel worlds.
Gracious. Someone could have warned me.
During David Tennant’s 10th Doctor era, who quickly became my favorite person with his tall, lanky, great hair, and adorable face -ness, there were a few moments that made me not want to watch the show any further. And when it was time for yet another new Doctor, because I was so fond of the last one, it was like starting a brand new show, and my affections do not wane so easily.
The show is brilliant in its imaginative inventiveness. It has created dozens of races and worlds, crazy story lines, and it is a joy to watch…in small increments. Take my word for it. Many episodes have been written by Steven Moffat or Mark Gatiss, of Sherlock fame, and if you’re an avid fan of British tv and film, there are lots of guest appearances from familiar faces. As a screenwriter, this show would be great to write a spec for, because you can do almost anything. Some of the episodes are so…well, strange, but as a writer it would be so freeing. So on that level, it’s good to watch. And once you do, you’ll probably be hooked, like I am. I just need a little more time to become accustomed to a new face, which is why you get so much time off between seasons…
Have a great weekend everyone! And here’s to binge watching! 😉
As you’ve probably noticed, I like different landscapes as writing prompts because of the variety of ideas that can spring forth. I was going to find something different for today, but then I saw the following image. I had a random idea, so I will accept this Writing Prompt Challenge. Who will join me?
Happy Writing! And I look forward to reading your creations!
I didn’t receive any Writing Prompt submissions this week, and I was playing around with an idea last night, but didn’t actually write anything. I know. Besides, my mind was complete rubbish by the time I wanted to write and I was misspelling words or leaving them out altogether. I decided it best to just write down a few notes about the idea so I wouldn’t lose it by morning. So for today, I thought I would talk about movies. I am a screenwriter, and I don’t think I really have as yet…
A friend and I were recently discussing movies, and how different our taste in film is. If she likes a movie, it’s a guarantee I won’t, so I usually don’t bother once she’s told me she really liked something, and vice versa. We met in film school, so the basis of our friendship is clearly not founded on our mutual love of the same films. The funny thing is, she likes my screenwriting, so what does that say?
It got me started thinking about film in general, and those that I like, and have been inspired by. I once tried to make a top ten list of my favorite films, and ended up with a list of seventeen and that was lumping Disney and Pixar films into two. I was heavily influenced by Disney princess films, still am. 🙂 And I think the people at Pixar are brilliant, and I sometimes muse at how impressed they are with themselves when I see the most amazing effects in their films; like Sully’s hair blowing in the breeze, or a puff of dust being stirred on one of Andy’s shelves. Amazing.
The following is a list of a few movies that changed my perception, my writing, or me in no particular order, except maybe when I watched them.
The Dark Crystal – Most children I know personally could never watch this film. I’m not even sure how I was able to. It’s dark (pun intended) and a little scary, but the cast is entirely made up of puppets. Most 80s kids are Jim Henson fans, but most of my friends preferred Labyrinth to the Crystal. Not me. This is still on my top ten list because of its impact on me when I was a kid. The idea of a magical world torn apart, the story of an unlikely hero, and the themes of good vs evil, immortality, and sacrifice were all highly effective on my young mind.
The Princess Bride – I don’t know anyone who does not like this movie. It’s wonderful. I would later grow to admire its writer, William Goldman, who also wrote Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, the screenplay for Misery, among many others. He has a great sense of humor and is one of my favorite writers. The Princess Bride impacted me in the sense of combining fantasy and reality, or the reality we create. It is clever, funny, romantic, and full of adventure and swashbuckling, and it is one of the films that would change my storytelling.
Braveheart – I saw Braveheart shortly after my first visit to England. This was the film that got me interested in Medieval times. The film was gritty and brutal, but it was also romantic, and highlighted the values of honor and loyalty. As I had already discovered I was an Anglophile, this just further developed my passion for learning its history, but also, that writers have the opportunity to sway perspective. As writers, we create empathy for our characters. Unlikeable characters can be given a reason for their traits, and become likeable in the eyes of the viewer depending on how the story is told. Current example: Malificent. *I’m not saying she’s unlikeable per say, as she has always been one of my favorite villains.
Sense and Sensibility – This film was my introduction to Jane Austen. Again, shortly after my first visit to England. I was immediately obsessed. I started watching all the film variants of Austen’s work, long before I decided to actually read any of them. Maybe that’s the difference in being a screenwriter vs an author…? I have watched this and Pride & Prejudice so many times, that if we are ever trapped on an island, or whatever, I could recite or reenact this for you. It was this film along with Braveheart that encouraged me to include facets of the time periods into my work.
Elizabeth – My continuing fascination with English history led me to Elizabeth, and my subsequent adoration of Cate Blanchett, one of my favorite actresses. I have become completely fascinated with the Tudors and their times because of this film. The country was torn apart by war, political, and religious issues, so maybe not the best of times, but Elizabeth, a woman (*gasp), became one of the country’s greatest monarchs. She should never have become queen, but it was her destiny, and even this influenced my writing. (I could write a great deal about Queen Elizabeth I.) It was while writing my screenplay entitled, 217, that I discovered my fascination with certain time periods were all separated by roughly 200 years…revelation. *You can read about it in the Excerpts section.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – I have long enjoyed foreign films and this is still one of the best I’ve ever watched. It combines so many elements I enjoy; unrequited love, history (I’m a sucker for a period piece – can you tell by the list?), fantasy, and women who are not relegated to side/nondescript characters. It also has beautifully choreographed fight sequences. All of this further influenced my writing in regards to combining different elements, which is probably why I enjoy writing “fantasy”. I was driven to watch any and all films that were even remotely related to this style, and I did find Hero with Jet Li, Tony Leung, and Maggie Cheung. They utilized a wonderful technique of telling the same story from different points of view and changing the color of their clothes and surroundings to highlight the difference. Lovely.
So how about you? Which films influenced you?
I’ve read a few times that as writers we need to celebrate any and all victories. Because the process of writing can take a while to find resolution, and due to the thankless nature of our chosen path, writers suffer from a whole range of maladies, so we need to remind ourselves of why we do what we do and find joy whenever possible. Depending on the victory; a finished chapter, first draft, final rewrite, etc. the reward should be commensurate to the accomplishment. Maybe you buy yourself a new pen or keyboard, you enjoy that limited reserve you drink only for special occasions, or whatever it is you would do for yourself for getting over that particular hurdle.
Hence, I am celebrating that after a couple of weeks of watching that follower counter teeter (and why I finally removed it) at the 200 mark, it’s official. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! Now don’t go anywhere, okay? 🙂
Now the question…what shall I do to celebrate? When I hit 50 followers I shared a little personal insight into the evolution of my first script, Fate(s), somehow I missed the 100 follower mark, but did post a little celebration for 100 posts, but this means a great deal more to me – that you share your time with me. So I thought I’d share a little about myself today, something I rarely do.
My name is Rachael, but I do write under a pseudonym. In the novel Timeline by Michael Crichton, one of my favorite books, I fell in love with the character of Andre Marek, portrayed by the lovely Gerard Butler in the horrible film. By the way, it is one of my goals to remake this. The character loved all things about the past, learned how to speak old languages, and to swing a broadsword, so he was the perfect companion to travel into medieval times with, and as I had always felt a little out of place myself, I took his name for my own.
It began when I was nineteen, when I traveled to England for the first time. I can still remember to this day, even though my memory is detestable, the feeling of seeing England for the first time. We hadn’t even landed, we were still flying overhead. My feet hadn’t touched the earth, but I had the feeling that I was home. That moment changed a great many things for me. Not only has it affected my writing, but every other facet of my life. (This will give you a little insight into my love of Jane Austen, Dragon Age, British actors (Hiddleston, Cumberbatch, Tennant, Firth, and so many more), etc.) *Quick edit, I mentioned the boys, therefore I must insert pictures.
Now this is the strange thing. My sperm-donor, yes, I will say that aloud due to the fact I’ve had no association with this person since I was maybe five years old, was English. So it makes me wonder about what things are inherent. I am English by proxy basically, but am more drawn to it than anything else I can think of, besides my writing.
I’m pretty certain I was born a story teller. When I was a kid, I used to tell stories about how things, accidents even purposeful ones, happened which can be construed as lies. Let’s call it early lessons in imagination. I can sort of remember saying a monster burned a whole in the back of the car seat with the cigarette lighter…yeah, that was me. I maintained that “story” for years, never fessing up. I was also stubborn, a somewhat know-it-all, with a lack of respect for authority. Couldn’t tell you why. Oh, and this was all before I became a teenager.
When I was in fourth grade, I started working on my biography, because, you know, so much had happened in my nine years. But it was in fifth grade I was given a blank hardcover book to create a story all of my own design. I think that’s when I was hooked. I wrote about running away from home after my bicycle was wrecked and living in the back of a convenience store of a family friend. There’s a whole lot of backstory to that one.
I tried my hand at short stories, poetry, lyrics, stage plays, and novels but nothing ever felt right. I never really finished anything either. Not until I decided to go back to school and took my first screenwriting class. That’s when I found my passion. And that’s why I decided to write this blog. To share what I’ve learned, to keep track of my progress (you know, because of the bad memory thing), and hopefully help a young writer find their passion. I have a few friends who are still struggling to find theirs, and I can’t imagine living a life not connected to something.
So I must thank, Mr. Sean Clark, my university advisor who introduced me to screenwriting. It changed my life. My writing gives me drive. It makes me look at the world and continually think, “What if…”. It allows my imagination to run wild. And it is for these things I will forever be grateful.
And to all of you, my new friends who are on this journey with me…
xx, Rach
Now…how should I celebrate? 😉
A Writer's Discrepant Memoirs and Other Tales 