leafblog

Hello, I'm Silence Leaflin! =) On this blog you'll find the musings of a fantasy-writing, anime-watching, dungeons and dragons-playing, fencing and archery-loving microbiologist. This is my personal writing blog, so you'll find writing tips, tidbits, advice, and commiseration as I develop myself as a fantasy/urban fantasy/mystery writer and help other writers with their troubles as well. My other blogs, if you are interested: A Song of Ice & Fire/Game of Thrones, Ygritte: Fire in the North and Ned Stark: Honor in the North Fan Blog for British Actor Luke Goss: More Than Nuada Tribute to Raiden of the Metal Gear Solid/Rising games: The Rain Transformed BJD/Art Doll Blog: Heartstrings and Jointed Dreams The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings: Silence in Mirkwood Minecraft: leaflincraft Horror Movies, Books, & Art: The Horrors of Silence Anne Bonny from Black Sails: My Bonny Anne Nature Photography: leafshots

[nothing-is-alwrite]

When writer’s block hits midway through a paragraph

[xleafyheartx]

NaNoWriMo Project for 2017! ~ “Jix and the Moon Apple”

{out of littles} Hello, All! It’s that time of year again, and I’m going to try to write a book this November in the spirit of NaNoWriMo. I don’t officially register with any websites or anything, I just do this for fun. It’s been a long time since I worked on an original book instead of just writing here on Tumblr, so I’m excited to do some novel writing once again.

This year’s project will been a freestyle, fun little piece I don’t intend to publish. Like I said, it’s been a while since I’ve worked on a book (over two years now), so I want to do something where I just write for fun and see where it takes me. I’m a plantser, haha… a panster who plans a little. I outline a wee amount but then end up meandering, scrapping my outline, and doing whatever I want anyway. My planning is done, and I’m excited to get started on November 1st! =D

I’m trying something a little different with this book, though, something I’ve never tried before. I have a lot of points of inspiration for this project and one of them is a song. I’m not going to share it now because the lyrics may actually ruin some things for some of you. The reason for that is because I’m doing a fun little exercise where I use the lyrics as inspiration to build a story, as if the song was referring to an already-existent book. Working backwards from the lyrics, I imagined that if the song was about the book, what would the book be about? If I can pull it off, the song should end up being a nice little theme song for the book, haha, and I’ll share it at the end. Should be interesting!

The best thing about this book is that Jix will be a main POV character. For those of you who have wanted to see Jix written into a story, this book will be for you. He is actually from a different book I wrote over a decade ago, but he had a minor part and this will be a new start for Jix.

Here are all the inspirations coming together for this book:

· Jix, of course! · White apple pendant I found randomly on Etsy · The Mummy Returns characters/plot · Song from 90s video game soundtrack · A former D&D character

They’re kindof all over the place, I know, but that’s what makes it fun, heh. How this smattering came about was that I was in full The Mummy/Returns inspiration from creating my Ardeth Bay muse (@medjaichieftain) when I came across a curious little white apple on Etsy. I thought it was very pretty and cute and I felt inspired by it. Then, seemingly unrelated, I was listening to music and a certain video game song got me thinking about the apple and what whimsical origin I could give such a pretty piece in a story. As I came up with a story in my head, I fed off my Mummy inspiration and also began thinking of an old D&D character, haha. Combine that with the encouragement from several of you to write Jix into his own novel (not just as a sidekick in a short story as he began) and bam… all these random things came together into an interesting idea for a book.

I’ll be posting updates here on Jix’s blog as I have them to let you know how the story is progressing. I will probably still RP Jix a little on here occasionally, but until November is over, much of my writing for him will go into the book.

Keep your fingers crossed that I can actually finish a project this year! This is my third attempt and life made sure that my other two were utter failures. Third time’s a charm, right? XD

Check back for updates throughout November! =D

[silenceleaflin]

My NaNoWriMo project for this year! Give Jix’s blog a follow if you want updates! ^_^

[silenceleaflin]

NaNoWriMo 2017

I will be trying yet again to unofficially participate in NaNoWriMo this year. hopefully I’ll have more luck with finishing it than I have in the past two years, in which illnesses, injuries, and real life drama kept me from writing in November.

I have a fun little idea I want to try this year centering around one of the characters I roleplay here on Tumblr, Jix the leafling. He is a fantasy OC of mine that I have been writing for over a decade in short stories and for a year as of this November on Tumblr, but usually he is a sidekick. This time, he will be a main character. What better way to celebrate Jix’s one year anniversary on Tumblr than to give him his very own book? =)

I will be posting my NaNo progress on Jix’s blog, if anyone is interested in following it. His url is @xleafyheartx.The tag to follow will be the book’s working title, so search for the tag “jix and the moon apple” for updates. 

[silenceleaflin]

PSA - I may move this blog over to my other account...

I’m just never here anymore, and I still want to have a writing blog but I spend all my time over on my other account. I am considering making a new blog on that account and archiving this one, I just need some time to do it.

I will post here to let everyone know if I move and where to find the new blog.

[daringthepen]

Worldbuilding: Things That Might Have Been Missed

These are the miscellaneous questions I didn’t put anywhere else.  Things that didn’t get enough questions to have its own post, or things I didn’t think of too much until the end.  In this post, I have written a list questions of … . well, everything else?

Have fun, be detailed and creative, and by all means come up with questions that are not asked.

Because my computer ate everything, these questions are not directly taken from the NaNoWriMo website.  Some are asked from memory, some are questions that sounded like ones I had, and others are ones I came up with.

How is a funeral held?

What happens to the body after someone has died? Do they bury it?  Place it in a tomb?  Cremate it?  Drop it to the bottom of the sea?  Send it down the river?  Toss it into a dragon’s lair?

How do people mourn?

What is consider an appropriate amount of time for mourning?

What color is used for mourning and funerals? Black?  White?  Red?  Blue?  No specific color?  What does the color symbolize?

Are there any coming of age rituals?

What happens during a coming of age ritual?

What age is the child normally at when he or she goes the coming of age ritual?

Does it vary by gender?

What kind of jobs exist?

Which jobs are held in high esteem?

Which jobs are despised?

How do people get jobs? Do they become an apprentice?  Do they need work experience?  A college degree?  How are they offered jobs?  Do they apply?  Talk with the owner?  Get recommended?

What jobs are influenced by magic?

What is the most common way someone meets his or her future spouse? By growing with them?  Through connections?  School?  In the market?  At a dance?  Arranged marriage?

How technologically advanced is the world?

What is the latest piece of technology?

How does magic affect technology?

How is new technology viewed? Is it embraced?  Are people apprehensive?  Do they outright spurn new technology?  Do people care?

What does the average bed look like? Straw mattress?  Water bed?  A pile of blankets?  A wooden platform?  A chair?  A couch?

What are some rules regarding sleep? Are mixed genders allowed or is that frowned upon unless they’re married?  Do people have their own beds or share with siblings?  Do the rules vary depending on where they’re sleeping?  Is everyone smooshed in together at an inn?  Can money get better bedding?

What are the basic pieces of furniture found in an average house? Chairs?  Couches? Tables?  Beds?  Bookshelves?  How many are acceptable?  How many pieces of furniture would indicate lavishness?

What are some toys for children?

What do people use as a light source when the sun is not available?

What kinds of dishes are used? Plates?  Bowls?  Cups or glasses?

What kind of eating utensils do people use? Chopsticks?  Forks and spoons?  Their hands?

What materials are dishes and eating utensils made of?

What kind of items are used for cooking? Pots and pans?  Clay pots?  Crock pots?  Skillets?  Wok?  A wooden plate?

[writersblockeveryday-deactivate]

These are so good!!!

[gardenofmemeden]

Reblog if you’re a plantser*!

A mix between plotter and pantser, someone who has a basic idea or plot bit also sorta wings it.

[nanowrimo]

NaNo Prep: Advice from a 10-Time Plantser

As we dive into NaNo Prep season, we’ve talked to some participants to get the inside scoop on how to best prepare for November. Today, participant Lexi Vranick shares how to plan, but not too much:

So, you’re a plantser.

In laymen’s terms that means you’re the novelist toeing the line between scout-level preparedness and spontaneity central. You’re the one digging up fossilized plot points so that you can polish them in November. You want to have a plan, but you don’t need it to be whole. You just need it to exist in all its fragmented glory so that you can spend November fitting all the pieces together.

Plantsing is great. I swear by it. I’ve spent a decade of NaNoWriMos with it. But it can be risky. It can open up doors to writer’s block, inspiration draughts, and sudden panic. That’s why strategy can be so important, and it’s why I’m here to share some of my favorite plantser tips for getting ready for November.

Keep reading

[thewritershandbook]

[aldielshala-deactivated20131110]

I’m gonna write today.

I’m gonna write and I’m gonna draw.

I’m gonna.

I’m

gonna

[agarthanguide]

Presented without comment.

EXCEPT to say- commonplacecaz.

[stitchitsteph-blog]

This is beautiful and need to be posted on my fridge.

[dustinteractive]

If writing utensils could talk

[liighty-deactivated20151204]

[shot-by-a-blueberry]

 Writers.

[mel-cat]

[wally-jo]

oh my god

[trufflesmushroom]

[writeroftheprompts]

Thinking About Character Motivations

Whether it’s about why a character would commit murder or why someone would want a do-over in life, I get a lot of questions about character motivations. This is a very important question to ask yourself to develop a believable character because for every action and decision that is made there is some sort of motivation. You eat because you’re hungry, you sleep because you’re tired, you plot to take over the country because the current government killed your sister and framed it on you to further their political agenda. Or maybe you eat because nobody can turn down the deliciousness that is mint chocolate ice cream, you sleep because you’ve got a ridiculous migraine from all the ice cream, and you plot to take over the world because you plan to outlaw eating mint chocolate chip ice cream to have it all for yourself. No matter what the motive is the important thing is that the character has one. To help you come up with one for whatever insanity you’re planning (the scenarios I’ve seen from all of you make me equally proud and baffled) I’ve come up with a few points to consider to get your thinking gears moving.

1.     Consider how it relates to the main plot and subplot(s).  

Going back to taking over the country, there are millions of ways this story could unfold. What differentiates each and what makes it interesting is why the character wants to do this. Martin Scorsese once said “The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died, and then queen died of grief is a plot.” This is the way a character’s motive works: your story tells the reader what happens but the why and how is always more interesting. So ask yourself what kind of impact you want this motive to have on the plot because it is what will drive everything. When a character doesn’t have a motivation (like a villain who is evil because) there is no direction and no intrigue in the events as they unfold.

2.     Is it out of fear or desire?

To put it very simply, character motivation is fueled by either fear or desire (or maybe both). You could eat because you saw someone else eating cake and now you really crave some too, or you could eat because you fear dying of hunger. There are always primal fears and desires like the desire for survival, companionship and happiness and a fear of death and pain. These are great and can often come up but also try to personalize them to your character so the reader feels why it is important to them. Once you having something fueling the motivation it becomes much more real and gives you a better idea of how to use it.

3.     Make it fit with the genre.

Along with personalizing to the character, it’s good to keep in mind the tropes of the genre (remember tropes are not the same as clichés). In a romance the reader expects one of the motivations to be love, in a thriller it’s often about a fight for personal survival and/or to save someone or something. The reason this is important is because it would be odd for a character’s main motivation in a story about saving the country from foreign invasion to be becoming a pianist. Unless, of course the story is really about a young talent who loses their chance to travel to a music school because of war, but now the plot has changed, hasn’t it? There can be multiple motivations, especially when you cross genres like a YA adventure, or thriller with a romance but just remember that readers who give your work a try have certain expectations based on the genre so either try to match or rethink the genre you’re really writing.

4.     External and internal motivations.

External motivations are ones that are imposed on your character by external forces while internal motivations come from within themselves (personal desires). For example, take a police officer tasked with finding a kidnapped victim. They have the external motivation of solving this case because it is their job and failing at it would be failing their assignment and leaving a life in peril. They could also have many other personal motivations driving them like having lost their best friend to trafficking or something completely unrelated, like they are motivated to make their little kid proud. You can also try to make these motivations specific to differentiate from characters, at least in your own mind so you can weave that into the characters. External motivations can push the character into the plot but the internal ones can keep them going when things get tough and make readers truly sympathize with them.

5.     Finally, do your homework.

No matter how many tips you read here or anywhere else, none of it is going to matter if you don’t sit down and work out your character’s motivations to fit them and your plot. If you need motivations for something that you might not be familiar with (eg. why someone would commit a specific crime) or you need more information about the topic…RESEARCH! Remember, remember, remember that there are no cutting corners when it comes to writing so take a seat, let your mind explore the possibilities, and get to work.

Good luck!!

[positivedoodles]

[Drawing of a brown fish with blue fins saying “Time to write and be awesome and be awesome at writing!” in a blue speech bubble.]

[lhazaar]

look…………….. write as much shitty fic as you want. nobody can stop you. you’re learning constantly and it’s better to write hackneyed implausible ridiculousness than it is to not write at all out of fear of fucking up. you’re good

[darkandstormyslash]

There was an experiment a professor did. I think it was pottery students. He did an experiment of “quality” vs “quantity”. One half of the class he told; you have to make as many pots as possible. Good pots, bad pots, shitty pots, whatever. The more pots you make, the higher your grade.

The other half of the class were told, “you can make only one pot”. But that pot had to be perfect. The quality had to be high; the highest quality pot would get the best mark.

But when it came to the grading, they noticed something weird.

All the best quality pots were in the ‘quantity’ group.

The guys who were literally churning out pots, trying to make as many as possible, not concentrating on the quality. But every pot they made, made them better at making pots. By the end of the month (I think it was a month) - they had some pretty awesome pots coming out, because they enjoying finding all the ways and all the things they could do to make all their pots. Where as the ‘quality’ guys had spent their time reading up on pots, and technique, and researching and planning; which was all great but they’d had no further practice at actually making pots.

The best way to get really good at something, the only way to be really good at something, is to make lots of shitty attempts at that thing several of which will fail. If all you create are perfect things then you won’t improve, because how can you improve on perfect?

tl:dr MAKE YOUR SHITTY POTS.

[incidentalcomics]

A Cure for Writer’s Block

I have a new book out on ideas and creativity! You can purchase it here.