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Friday, July 2, 2010

Naming Characters and Places

I think I find this to be one of the harder parts of getting started. Is the naming of the characters and places. I like to use Seventh Sanctum and Serendipity a lot for random generators on place names, they've even spit a few potential character names.

One of my problems is that my character seem to want to have there names of Celtic origin. Maybe it's just that so many of the names sound magical or mystical. And when I think of settings, my mind automatically envisions Medieval England or Ireland or Scotland, or at least some where rural if it were to be modern day but very untouched by the advances of our day. So naturally my places need to have some sort of magical, mystical, possibly Celtic sounding name(s) as well.

It's rare that I get a character that will pop into my head and tell me their name as Declan did. While I would I supposed consider myself a 'panster', I don't really plot my story per se. I have a general idea of what the story is, any ideas about plot, conflicts, characters, etc I will jot down in a note book I dedicate to the project. I can't really plot out, outline, diagram, chart, whatever...I find it holds me back and I need to be free. But writer's block aside...I find that the naming process holds me up quite a bit...I just can't write generic names till I find the right one. That would be like...well if I called my daughter "Baby" or "Hey You" until I found a suitable name for her. It's just something I need to know before I sit to write their stories.

I just wish they were all more like Declan. *SIGH*

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Call Me Crazy, But I'll Try Anything!


Okay...so I just heard about JulNoWriMO. I know, I know...wtf is that? Well, If you've heard of NaNoWriMo, you'll understand.

Basically it's write 50,000 words approximately 175 pages in the month of July. Similar to the NaNo held in November. Seems like there's almost one for every month of the year. Maybe I did know about this one and forgot? I dunno. But thanks to Julie, I now know about it (again?).

I'm desperate to try anything to kick start my Muse. I feel her stirring sometimes, like she's been cast into a long deep sleep and she's struggling to wake up. But every time I start to think about writing...anything...I go blank. I mean it's like any thought, even a minor twinkle of a scene...if I even try to start to write...POOF! it's gone.

I truly think part of it is linked to the loss of my grandma 3 and 1/2 years ago. She took ill in the middle of NaNo. I was doing okay with it writing everyday. Then she got sick and went into the hospital...everything else went on hold. She came home a week later, and died with in the week. Cancer is a cruel heartless bitch, let me tell ya. But since then...I've not been able to write.

My mind used to be flooding with scenes and plot ideas, so many I couldn't write them all down. Now...all I see is a blank wall...or a dark pit...I see nothing, I can't hear my Muse...it's too quiet and I miss her.

But I've got to try something...anything. And even IF I don't hit 50,000 words, which I don't expect to. And that's okay, I just want to be able to write...to get something started or pick up my WiP. SOMETHING! ANYTHING!!!! Even a few thousand words would be a success at this point.

So call my crazy...but I've got to try something.