The flaying tonight was quite encouraging, on the whole, and my success with them as opposed to longer projects has me wanting to write more of them. Now, the hallmark of this blog so far has been "I plan to do X" and never actually finishing X--but I realize, only where long projects are concerned! So that settles that, whatever exactly that is.
--The UFPE requires short stories, namely Magely and Elvely ones. Ayrisella's history is much less interesting. I could also do some Might Have Been shorts with specific scenes I've had in mind for as long as I've thought about the MHB.
--More Archon-verse stories, as I've dubbed them. Jemma's advisor needs a story; he's being held at (probably metaphorical) gunpoint when he calls Elorna to cancel their meeting, and she has no idea of this. And I think Agent Glebick needs one too, as she continues the investigation. Of course, the Bad Guys need one too! I'd like to do a week's worth of stories which, considering the average length so far, would make it a novella.
--I have one line repeating in my head that could develop into something, "news that didn't really happened," along the lines of reality disintegrating, not your run of the mill fake news (I'm not naming names, but...). I feel there may be a way to tie this into Archon-verse, but I don't want to push it.
--Over IM just now, I had an idea. Sadly, I find writing comedy very difficult, but I could try a page or two. It would be a comedy romance (romantic comedy?) about a relationship wherein one of the parties (beknownst to both) is planning to kill and consume the other after they, um, consummate the relationship. I feel bad puns would abound in the most glorious way possible. If it worked, it would definitely be the strangest thing I've ever written... well, depending on one's calculus.
I'm debating as to whether I should set a concrete goal for myself - one a month? I'll think about it further.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Brainstorming - UFPE
The UFPE has been neglected, as I had hoped it would not be but feared it would. But as I've started reading a fantasy saga (or so it bills itself) I picked up on the sidewalk one day, I've been shamelessly stealing ideas for my own fantasy epic. These have to do with the religion, which I realize needs a name (if only to identify believers from non-believers). I only have a few minutes to post today, so I'll postpone that for later.
Basically, the astrology of UFPE-verse is centered around three divisions of the sky, which adherents determines both their personalities and their destinies. The divisions are: six jewel tones, three metallic tones, and sunrise/sunset. For the humans of the UFPE, the most important (for many, the only one they know about) is the six jewel tones. I'm thinking of re-arranging the others so that they don't line up cleanly with the six, but we'll see.
Anyway, the mages are divided into houses or something based on those tones. My main idea was that once upon a time the mages had different steadfasts for each house, but when the kingdom and free cities combined to drive back the power of the mages, they exiled them to one of the steadfasts. Nobody thought of this, but this has created an imbalance in the... something... which is behind the corruption of the mages, who I already knew were conspiring to drag Ayrisella kicking and screaming into the destiny of their choosing. Even better, I think that her One True Love is a member of this house (Amethyst, I believe) who is struggling to right the balance but has to leave the mages before he accomplishes this task.
And now I must away to class. Elorna's story has been posted to the writers group, and I am trying very hard not to think about it until flaying commences.
Basically, the astrology of UFPE-verse is centered around three divisions of the sky, which adherents determines both their personalities and their destinies. The divisions are: six jewel tones, three metallic tones, and sunrise/sunset. For the humans of the UFPE, the most important (for many, the only one they know about) is the six jewel tones. I'm thinking of re-arranging the others so that they don't line up cleanly with the six, but we'll see.
Anyway, the mages are divided into houses or something based on those tones. My main idea was that once upon a time the mages had different steadfasts for each house, but when the kingdom and free cities combined to drive back the power of the mages, they exiled them to one of the steadfasts. Nobody thought of this, but this has created an imbalance in the... something... which is behind the corruption of the mages, who I already knew were conspiring to drag Ayrisella kicking and screaming into the destiny of their choosing. Even better, I think that her One True Love is a member of this house (Amethyst, I believe) who is struggling to right the balance but has to leave the mages before he accomplishes this task.
And now I must away to class. Elorna's story has been posted to the writers group, and I am trying very hard not to think about it until flaying commences.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Legal Fiction - first paragraphs
Well, the writing group shall have to wait until Tuesday for my piece, but I did get a good start on it tonight. It's not moving as quickly as I'd like, but I'm enjoying Elorna's character more and more as I write her. Here is a quick sample of the first few paragraphs before I stumble off to bed.
***
Elorna Mynee chose a terrible day to disappear.
Every one of her clients and colleagues was working frantically to take advantage of a pending Supreme Court decision, hoping to poach on competitors' patents while protecting their own. All around the nation, equal parts champagne and stomach-burning whiskey flowed in wood-paneled offices all afternoon into the evening as the news beamed down from the hallowed halls of justice. Under normal circumstances, somebody would have raised the alarm that same night, but everybody who would have called to ask where she was was regretting the afternoon's indulgence, crunching aspirin through an all-nighter. It would be over twenty-four hours after she awoke before one of the other partners thought to dial her number.
Elorna's first thought upon awakening to the ear-splitting trill of her computer was that either the decision had come down early or that she had slept amazingly late. Her hand groped for the button that would send the call through as she squinted at the clock. Four-thirty a.m.? she thought blearily. Did the justices not sleep at all?
The computer screen informed her that the call originated from Archon University, but it was not a number she recognized. It also informed her that the call had been made to her business number. “Elorna Mynee, how may I help you?” She barely smothered a yawn as she spoke.
***
What is in store for our intrepid lawyer, aside from inevitable disappearance?? Only time will tell.
***
Elorna Mynee chose a terrible day to disappear.
Every one of her clients and colleagues was working frantically to take advantage of a pending Supreme Court decision, hoping to poach on competitors' patents while protecting their own. All around the nation, equal parts champagne and stomach-burning whiskey flowed in wood-paneled offices all afternoon into the evening as the news beamed down from the hallowed halls of justice. Under normal circumstances, somebody would have raised the alarm that same night, but everybody who would have called to ask where she was was regretting the afternoon's indulgence, crunching aspirin through an all-nighter. It would be over twenty-four hours after she awoke before one of the other partners thought to dial her number.
Elorna's first thought upon awakening to the ear-splitting trill of her computer was that either the decision had come down early or that she had slept amazingly late. Her hand groped for the button that would send the call through as she squinted at the clock. Four-thirty a.m.? she thought blearily. Did the justices not sleep at all?
The computer screen informed her that the call originated from Archon University, but it was not a number she recognized. It also informed her that the call had been made to her business number. “Elorna Mynee, how may I help you?” She barely smothered a yawn as she spoke.
***
What is in store for our intrepid lawyer, aside from inevitable disappearance?? Only time will tell.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Brainstorming - Legal Fiction
Yes, too long has passed since last I posted! I think working on a computer all day gave me an aversion for working on a computer in the evening, even in the context of writing. I've been writing a bit of fanfiction for a friend of mine and doing that in a notebook. It's much easier on my weary eyes.
But I have been thinking over the legal fiction story, and it's developing nicely in several areas except arguably the most important - plot. Normally I like to focus more on characters, but for the short story I'm imagining, the plot needs to hook the reader from the start and speed along from there. I'm planning to write this the way that my writers group suggested I revise Jemma.
The MC is named Elorna Mynee, an IP lawyer who specializes in magic stuff. Of course, I need a more official name for magic stuff - writers group suggested thauma- as a prefix, which I'll probably use. She's been in touch on and off with Jemma, and Jemma's supervisor (whose name I've forgotten) contacts Elorna the day after Jemma disappears to ask what Elorna knew about Jemma's work. Elorna has other things on her mind, namely a huge Supreme Court magic IP case, the outcome of which will be announced on the day the story dawns.
But she's a true professional, so she takes on the work and conducts some serious investigation. While she's working hard and trying not to think about the case, a pair of National Security lawyers come in and warn her off the case in a very genteel-like way. They end up chatting about the case, and Elorna brushes it off. I'm not sure what should happen during the afternoon - the Supreme Court case comes down then - but during the evening she contacts a friend of hers from undergrad, a conspiracy nut, who meets with her at a vast, dusty library.
Elorna records their conversation with her futuristic blackberry, and when her friend wanders off for a moment to use the restroom (or something), she absently leaves it laying around somewhere conveniently nearby but not clearly visible - perhaps inside a stack of scientific journals. When friend doesn't return, she heaves an irritated sigh and goes to look for her. On the other hand, maybe she leaves it in the shelves near the journals she's reading.
And doesn't return before the janitor or library intern comes to re-shelve all the stuff she's taken out. JanIntern finds the blackberry and takes it. What shall be revealed from its contents??
This is classic sort of open-ended ending I love and a lot of readers hate. Alas. Now I have a week to write the story and post it for a flensing!
But I have been thinking over the legal fiction story, and it's developing nicely in several areas except arguably the most important - plot. Normally I like to focus more on characters, but for the short story I'm imagining, the plot needs to hook the reader from the start and speed along from there. I'm planning to write this the way that my writers group suggested I revise Jemma.
The MC is named Elorna Mynee, an IP lawyer who specializes in magic stuff. Of course, I need a more official name for magic stuff - writers group suggested thauma- as a prefix, which I'll probably use. She's been in touch on and off with Jemma, and Jemma's supervisor (whose name I've forgotten) contacts Elorna the day after Jemma disappears to ask what Elorna knew about Jemma's work. Elorna has other things on her mind, namely a huge Supreme Court magic IP case, the outcome of which will be announced on the day the story dawns.
But she's a true professional, so she takes on the work and conducts some serious investigation. While she's working hard and trying not to think about the case, a pair of National Security lawyers come in and warn her off the case in a very genteel-like way. They end up chatting about the case, and Elorna brushes it off. I'm not sure what should happen during the afternoon - the Supreme Court case comes down then - but during the evening she contacts a friend of hers from undergrad, a conspiracy nut, who meets with her at a vast, dusty library.
Elorna records their conversation with her futuristic blackberry, and when her friend wanders off for a moment to use the restroom (or something), she absently leaves it laying around somewhere conveniently nearby but not clearly visible - perhaps inside a stack of scientific journals. When friend doesn't return, she heaves an irritated sigh and goes to look for her. On the other hand, maybe she leaves it in the shelves near the journals she's reading.
And doesn't return before the janitor or library intern comes to re-shelve all the stuff she's taken out. JanIntern finds the blackberry and takes it. What shall be revealed from its contents??
This is classic sort of open-ended ending I love and a lot of readers hate. Alas. Now I have a week to write the story and post it for a flensing!
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