Tammie, not Tamara @thedecoder-blog - Tumblr Blog

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Barbara Poček

Not gonna lie, I really love me some character development. To the point that I overly develope my minor characters; I know almost everything there is to know about most of my characters. I still don't know if this is a problem or not.

On Fanfiction

A lot of authors seem to be adamantly opposed to fanfiction, a position I don't really understand at all. Many see it as lazy, or piggybacking on someone else's idea. While it is inspired by the work of others, fanfiction is anything but unoriginal, bland work. I've read fics that are better than published books, that completed better story and character arcs than half the shows on television, and stuck closer to accurate psychology, history and sociology than multi-million dollar movies.

Fanfiction authors are dedicated, they are superfans, and they know how to work the fandom; after all, that's what the point of fanfiction is. To share and celebrate something you all love. It's not for money or recognition. These are underground authors, often with a cult-following, writing for the love of the work and for the love of their favorite show, book, or movie. It's almost what writing should be.

Aside from the fact that we have no right to tell someone else how to use their creativity, I actually think that fanfiction (and fanart, and fandoming in general) is one of the greatest parts about loving something. Fanfiction is something that I believe every author should take the time to experiment with. I myself began as a fanfiction author, and I get just as excited about reading fanfiction as I do books.

So I'm telling you right here, right now, write fanfiction. I'm not kidding.

Fanfiction is a great teacher. Especially for writers who are just starting out, fanfiction is like training wheels, almost a stepping stone to writing an original story. The characters, their personalities and problems are there, as well as a setting and plenty of ideas for a story. It is intensive, focused practice with characterization, keeping a plot feasible, proper grammar and sentence structure, and set-up for a multi-chapter story. Writing thirty chapters of anything is no easy task, but writing thirty chapters with constrained, fixed characters and limits as to what's "allowed", is especially difficult.

You have to realistically think about how characters would interact with each other, how they would speak (in my opinion, dialogue is especially difficult to get right), how they would react to a situation we haven't yet seen. It gives you a chance to practice and mistakes are often met with forgiveness and careful criticism. You can talk about it with other fans, who are usually kind and willing to help, because they're learning too. There is a ready-made audience for the story that has been written, eagerly seeking more material. How many authors can say that two paragraphs, which will eventually be scrapped, can be met with squeals of delight or absolute anguish? Not many.

And for the writers who write fanfiction well, holy crap do they write it well. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and when someone can describe a character's emotional turmoils to a T, without a single slip up, I'm blown away. Because these are the fans who understand the story, the fan who are willing to dig deeper, who are desperate to know more. They're my favorite kind of fans, because I've been in their shoes. I was that fan, I'm still that fan.

Fanfiction authors have a distinct advantage over other writers: direct interaction with his or her audience, and the chance to speak with those people on equal footing. It's a privilege to work so closely with people who appreciate your work, and when you begin to write as a professional, that is often lost. It's one part about no longer being amateur I'm not really looking forward to.

Write fanfiction. Fill notebooks with your headcanons and theories. Do it often and without shame, because there is nothing wrong with it. But don't stop there. Write the story you want to read, and when fanfiction isn't enough anymore, don't be afraid to put forth your own idea. If you can write a twenty-chapter fanfiction, you can write a book.

Trust me.

#writing #fanficiton #do it #write all the fanfiction #this has been a post #Nikki is a writer

I think I've written at least ten versions of this kind of scene:

Tammie: I'm going alone. Other character: No, you can't do that!/You don't have to do everything for yourself./Let us help you. Tammie: (epic hero music playing in the background) I'm not letting anyone else get hurt for me.

OR THIS ALTERNATE VERSION!

Tammie: I have to go -- by myself. Other character: What? Tammie: NO TIME TO CHAT, RUNNING OFF TO FACE MY IMMINENT DOOM, YOLO!

#the decoder #tammie laxin

Dear every character,

I'm coming for you.

Sincerely,

#that is honestly one of the creepiest pictures of me in existence #and trust me there are plenty #The Decoder #Nikki is a writer

Setting and Style

As the books are told from Tammie's point of view, there's a lot that might be glossed over simply because she doesn't care. That's where this blog comes in.

Here, have a map:

Oh man, I can't handle my cartography skills (I really did try very hard!).

Engantus is the country in which The Decoder takes place. I'd tell you all about it, but Tammie does it quite well in chapter one:

Around one hundred and fifty years ago, some kind of insane disaster almost destroyed the world. The Earth itself remains, but pretty much everyone died. We hear about it a lot in history, except for what actually happened. We just know that it did.

One country, The United States of America, wasn't hit quite as bad as the rest of the world. About three-fourths of the population was totally wiped out, but everyone else survived. After a couple of years of living like wild animals, someone stepped in and took control. They built a capitol city where Kansas used to be, divided the country into Sectors and ordered the people to plant fresh crops of the blood-soaked lands of their fathers. That's totally the way to restore order and civilization.

That government was apparently no good, because after just twenty years, it went down in a coup. Flicker Smith and his family took over, and we've had a President Smith in office ever since. The country was renamed Engantus and the capitol renamed Maelhaven, the Sector lines were redrawn and a new railroad system was built. In addition to all of that, an elite army and police force were trained – to keep who out, no one knows. But I mostly think they're here to keep people in.

There are four sectors of Engantus, like four states. Maelhaven is the capitol city, and it's about the size of Kansas, located where (get ready) Kansas used to be. This isn't like The Hunger Games, though. No one is really identified by their birthplace or Sector; it's simply a way to keep the citizens organized and the affairs of the country under control.

Montshore is the capitol of Sector Four, and it is where Tammie is departing from when the story begins. It's close to modern-day Atlanta, Georgia.

Riverwick is the school, located on the shores of the Mississippi River, right where Memphis, Tennessee currently is. Specifically, Riverwick's campus is several miles from Tom Lee park, about twenty minutes away. That's not relevant to the plot in any way, but whenever I drive by the park I like to think, Just wait.

All other locations in the book are explained through Tammie's eyes, and for now, that is enough.

As far as the style of Engantus goes...

The Decoder takes places at least 150-175 years in the future (it really doesn't matter how far in the future it is. It's in the future and that's that.). But the style of clothing is anything but futuristic.

Pulling inspiration from both the 1920s and 1940s, the people of Engantus have a semi-dieselpunk style. And when I say that, I mean that while these people are surrounded by incredible technology, they dress in what we would now consider a very dated style. There are no corsets, there are no top hats and canes or anything like that... they are simply dressed like my great grandparents. This is partially because I absolutely love those eras in American history and would like to keep it looking historical, partially because the Engantian society would reject so many extraneous things in their styles, but mostly because I say so.

I'm a very visual person, so get ready for pictures.

Those in the police forces, the Engantian army, and any number of organizations will be dressed as seen here, rather than the crazy get-up often portrayed in steam/dieselpunk. They lean towards black, streamlined clothing. These will lean more towards the 1940s style.

The Riverwick school uniforms are more 1920s based. The students all wear white dress shirts with a collar. The girls wear either a skirt or jumper; those are brown and blue plaid, as a throwback to my Catholic high schooling. Boys wear brown pants, and all students have brown blazers, with the Riverwick logo stitched on the left chest. These aren't exactly right, but they're the right era:

At a particular point the story, Tammie wears a "traveling" dress. She comments on how pretty it is, but it's incredibly outdated.

And in closing, LOOK AT THIS AMAZING PIECE OF ART/PROPOGANDA! This is relevant because it's gorgeous.

#about the series #The Decoder #Nikki is a writer

theageofnikki-blog

Nikki's Writing Tips for the Easily Distracted Teenager

My brothers and sisters of short attention span but great creativity, I know your feels. But if I can finish a book and half of its sequel, then anyone can.

Turn off the TV, shut your Youtube tab and - gasp - close Tumblr. Eliminate as many distractions as possible. Yes, it’s painful and the urge to click refresh is just so strong, but you can do it. I believe in you.

Have a writing playlist ready. iTunes, Pandora, Trntbl, Spotify, whatever works for you. I have a playlist on my iTunes, phone and iPod waiting for me, so whenever inspiration strikes I don’t waste time trying to find the ~perfect song. Just pick one and go.

Make a list of everything you want to accomplish. If you’re working on a big project, say a book or a multi-chapter fic, it’s really helpful to make a list of what all needs to get done. And make yourself do it. Hold yourself accountable.

Draw your plot up in advance, not right before. Confession time. I’ve started at least five books that fizzled out after a few chapters because I had absolutely no idea where I was going. Now, I have to draw up my entire plot, including foreshadowing and back story, on big posters. They’re taped to my closet door, so I can consult them whenever I feel like I’m getting off track. This keeps you from going off on a tangent, and gives you a goal to reach: the final chapter.

Turn it into a game. I like games. Tell yourself, I’m going to write ten pages before I finish listening to this entire album. Or I’m going to write three pages, paint my toenails, then do three more. Anything to make it a challenge works. Along with your plot and accomplishment list, you’re going to finish what you’re working on in no time.

Give yourself breaks. No one can resist the power of the internet forever. Every ten or fifteen minutes, do a quick check of your sites. Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest and my phone all take about three minutes to check. This includes answering messages. Once you’ve seen that the modern world hasn’t ended in your absence, return to work.

Multitask. I write some of my best stuff when I’m supposed to be doing something else entirely. Class is a particularly creative time. If you know you’re more than likely going to get an idea, split your page in half, drawing a vertical line right now the middle. One side is for notes and the other side is for your story. Take a bullet point down, write a sentence. Two bullet points, another sentence. Scrub, rinse and repeat until class is up, then rush off to finish your brilliant masterpiece.

Whenever inspiration hits, run with it. You aren’t going to have that little spark of an idea for long, so don’t let it get away from you. Write it on your arm, text it to yourself or even ask a stranger for a piece of paper to write it down. Trust me, you’ll be so glad you did.

When you hit a roadblock, don’t sweat it. Take a shower, put on some comfortable pajama pants and open up a good book. Read for awhile and maybe take a nap. When you’re feeling it again, the story will come back. You can’t force it, and don’t try to fight it.

Influences On My Writing

It's difficult to pin down exactly when I began to write and take it seriously, but I do remember why. I had just discovered fanfiction, and as I always do, I figured that I could do it better than anyone else. I think I was about 13/14, but I really don't remember.

I picked up a lot from other fanfic writers, but I generally just wrote what I wanted. It wasn't until I was about 15 that I began to write my original stories and I realized just how little I knew about writing. Luckily for me, I was already hooked and I couldn't stop.

My sophomore year of high school (age 15), I met one of my dearest friends, Vivian, a fellow amateur author.

She encouraged me to write and provided some much-needed criticism. She has been a never ending source of reality-check, "You copied an episode of Criminal Minds, Nikki.", and "If these characters get together I will shoot you in the face." She's been reading and dealing with my thoughts on The Decoder since the beginning and one day, when we live together in our crappy author apartment, I will gather all of my spare change and buy her Egyptian cotton sheets or something like that.

As for my actual style, I'd have to say that my biggest influence is Rick Riordan. I cracked open The Lightening Thief when I was 16 and in the worst mood of my life, and within two pages I was laughing my head off and in awe of how quickly a first-person story had enraptured me. It was exactly the kind of story I wanted to read, told exactly as I would have told it. I began to break down and analyze his style (yes, I'm aware of how weird that is), to figure out what makes it so appealing. While I cannot possibly master his style, I have adapted it to my own work, and I finally found a way for me to write without stressing.

When it comes to storytelling, there's a long list of incredible people I could cite as inspiration, but it all traces back to the creators of Avatar: the Last Airbender, Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino. I'm not joking. From breaking gender stereotypes, plot tropes and trolling the fandom to the point of tears, those two men changed the way I thought about stories. A:tLA was a big part of my life when I started to write, but I didn't realize how much it had actually influenced me until I took a look at the themes in The Decoder, as well as the other stories I had plotted past age 16.

I'd love to go into more detail about it, but I don't want to spoil the plot. I can say, though, that they taught me about vibrant characters, creating unique cultures, twisting a plot until it almost breaks and so much more. "If the fans can figure it out, it isn't good enough.", is something I can honestly imagine them saying, and now I'm saying it as well.

#about my writing

Mark Stremmel

Mark is someone that's easy to love. Tammie realizes that without any trouble.

He's good looking, he's smart, he's strong and appears to have it all together. Tammie takes an instant liking to him and it's no mystery as to why...

From chapter two:

I take the chance to really look at him while his eyes are closed. Even in the weird lighting, he looks, well, ridiculously the good, hot, like someone I'd really like to get to know. He's all folded up in the River Glider – tall, like me, but that's where the similarities stop. His blonde hair is sticking up at the top, like he's been running his hands through it. He's built like a human tank, muscular and powerful. He's a good-looking specimen of human, and I have nothing against good-looking specimens of humanness, especially if they're boys.

Mark is sixteen, a second-year student at Riverwick (think sophomore) and pretty well-known around the school. Everyone seems to like him; he's the kind of guy that almost every girl has a crush on. This drives a wedge between Tammie and Tori (who I'll be discussing in my next post).

Despite his good looks and good attitude, Tammie can't shake the feeling that Mark is hiding something. As the semester presses on and weird things begin happening around the school, Tammie's almost certain her friends aren't as innocent as they seem.

When Mark and Tammie first meet:

A sort of dull interest glazes over his eyes, like he's trying to get excited about something really boring. His eyes land on me and his eyebrows raise a fraction. He smiles.

Still, Mark is looking out for Tammie and she knows it. He tutors her for her classes, he helps her out in Phys Ed class and he's the one who makes sure she doesn't get herself into trouble. He doesn't really return her crush-y feelings, as there are much bigger things at play.

#about the characters #Mark Stremmel

Tori Grenz

Think of every mean girl you've ever known. Every stuck-up, self-righteous and all around horrid girl. Now imagine that she's a key part of your friend group, supposedly one of your closest companions.

And you have Tori.

Tori is one of the most privileged girls at Riverwick. A third-year student and ballet prodigy, she's not easy to ignore. Her father is the Representative of Sector One (Rob and Emily's father is the Representative for Sector Two, but they hardly mention it), and Tori's family status puts her a step ahead of the other students. She and Tammie instantly rub each other wrong way.

From chapter two:

Tori gives me an appraising look. I can't explain why, but dislike courses through me. I've met some pretty mean kids during my years in Engantus, but I get the feeling I've never come across anyone quite like her. I've never hated someone so... instantly. Something about her makes me feel like she's picking me apart. Like I'll never be good enough, no matter what I do.

Tori has red hair, freckles and green eyes. Seventeen years old. She's 4'10" and redefines tiny -- think about ballerinas. They aren't especially big people. She's one of the prettiest people around, and she knows it.

I decide I do not like her; she is too fragile, too pretty. She has big, pale green eyes surrounded by a generous growth of dark lashes. A constellation of freckles is splashed across her little nose, and her perfect mouth is set somewhere between a friendly grin and a smirk.

As far as her personality goes, Tori is not the kind of person anyone chooses to be friends with. She's mainly concerned with herself, and is easily annoyed with others. Especially Tammie and Emily; she thinks Tammie is too meek and she can't stand to be around Emily.

Rob has a heartbreaking crush on Tori, Tori thinks Mark ought to be hers, and Tammie would kill to have Mark smile at her. (Meanwhile, Emily does what she wants, kind of like a honey badger.)

#about the characters #Tori Grenz

I made an unfortunate discovery while typing up this scene... Note-to-self: I AM AN IDIOT.

Rob Kitner

Emily's older brother isn't anything like her. In fact, if they didn't look so much alike and share a last name, most people wouldn't know they're related. (This concept is loosely based on how my younger siblings and I look nothing alike but have similar personalities; Rob and Emily look alike but are completely different).

Rob is the equivalent of a junior at Riverwick -- Tammie and Emily would be considered freshmen if this were a modern day high school. He's seventeen years old, and incredibly intelligent. While Emily is infamous for causing trouble, Rob is praised for his mind. Like his sister, he has black curly hair, dark skin and blue eyes. He wears square glasses, is about 5'10" and is pretty skinny.

From chapter fourteen:

I study him. He has curly black hair, olive skin, and blue eyes, like his younger sister, but just as Emily is bright and loud and spirited, Rob is quieter in everything he does. His hair is marginally more relaxed than Emily's, the eyes behind his glasses are more of a gray-blue than electric. His skin is a shade or two lighter than Emily's tan, and he moves with a patience she has probably never possessed.

Where Emily readily expresses her opinion and seeks the most obvious solution to a problem, Rob is soft-spoken and prefers the path of least resistance. If they were benders, Rob would be an Airbender and Emily would be a Firebender. I'm not kidding (I take my Avatar: the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra very seriously. Expect to see a lot of references and shoutouts. It deserves its own post, honestly).

This being said, neither is better or worse than the other. They are both incredibly powerful and strong, but in different ways. Rob is much sneakier than Emily is. She has brute force and fear to support her, where he is logical, calculating and tends to fare better because of it. When the time comes, and the time will come, Rob is going to be tested.

They all will.

Unfortunately, Rob isn't around much in the first book, but he is prevalent throughout the rest of the series. We don't get to really know him in the The Decoder, but he's still someone to watch out for. He and Tammie are quick friends, and he looks out for her as the rest of them do. He is essential.

#about the characters #Rob Kitner

Emily Kitner

Have you ever met someone who ran through your life like a hurricane?

Or someone who crashes through everything around them like a tidal wave?

Then you sort of know what it's like to meet Emily Kitner.

Emily is the first person Tammie meets at Riverwick and the two of them almost immediately become friends, despite Emily being somewhat terrifying.

She has black, curly hair and bright blue eyes. Her skin is dark, and I imagine her to be Hispanic (the concept of race is different in Engantus; intelligence levels are more likely to be discriminated against than a person's skin color). She's around 5'3". Like Tammie, Emily is fifteen years old and starting her first year at Riverwick.

From chapter two:

Emily seems nice and all, but she's kind of intimidating. Her skin tone is dark, like she's been spending a lot of time in the sun, and her black hair is so curly I wonder if she sticks forks in electrical sockets during her spare time. She drums her fingers on her knees, picks at her nails and looks around the compartment like she's waiting for an explosion. The same crazy smile is on her face; it makes me think that she definitely shouldn't be trusted around firearms or dangerous chemicals. Her eyes are such a bright blue they're almost frightening, and they watch me while I try to find my own schedule.

Emily isn't like Tammie. Emily is loud, she's forward and she's reckless. Tammie's almost certain that she's going to get her into a lot of trouble. And she's absolutely right.

From chapter two:

Emily claims her bed by jumping up and down on it, giggling all the while. I collapse on mine, closing my eyes.

“Look out!” Emily shouts, about a half second before she jumps onto my bed. I am bounced off, and crash to the floor. I gasp as the air leaves me. Laughing and wiping a tear from her eye, she helps me up.

Emily is one my all-time favorite characters.

#about the characters #Emily Kitner

Tammie Laxin

Let me tell you about Tammie Laxin.

This girl is my protagonist, this girl has taken over my life.

Tammie is fifteen years old, and attending Riverwick Academy for her first year of high school (called Upper School in Engantus. Elementary school is "first school" and middle school is "medium school"). Or as she'll have you know, she's being sentenced to a year of math and science courses from hell.

A snippet from the first chapter:

Whether or not I want to go to Riverwick is irrelevant. I'm fifteen, I got in. There's no choice in the matter. According to Engantian law, I'm a criminal if I don't board the 9:45 train and begin my Upper School education. One hundred of the smartest kids in Sector Four, including me, are subject to that law.

The problem? By all standards, I'm one of the stupidest kids in Sector Four.

Tammie's taller than most girls, around 5'10", and has straight, dirty blonde hair, brown eyes and doesn't consider herself to be very pretty. She's the spitting image of her Aunt Celli, who raised Tammie after her parents died. Her body type is pretty average for children in Engantus: reasonably athletic, but nothing special. This changes drastically in the course of the book, however.

Tammie describing herself in comparison to her aunt, also from chapter 1:

Our faces are a nearly identical mash of things that would be pretty were they not put next to each other. We have the same mousy dirty blonde hair hanging around our thin, plain faces. Our light brown eyes are the same rounded almonds, framed by a sparse growth of lashes. My nose pulls to the same point as her's, and my upper lip is thin while the bottom is just a little too full. We have the same pale complexion. The only difference is that I'm fifteen and have an ugly scar on my arm, and she's like thirty something and has no scars.

I'm warning everyone now: I know about fandoms. I know about headcanons, shipping, fanfiction and everything that goes along with it. I am a member of many fandoms, I started writing because I wanted to write fanfiction.

The point of me telling you that? You aren't going to surprise or scare me. I know. I am one of those fans.

My head-casting for Tammie is Hannah Murray, who played Cassie Ainsworth on Skins. Her face is right, and I think she would be able to portray Tammie's character extremely well.

What is Tammie's character, exactly? That's for me to know, and for everyone else to speculate on.

#about the characters #Tammie Laxin

First post!

This is a preliminary cover for the book, made by me. In Gimp.

It isn't perfect, but it has the right elements. The fire, the blue coloring, and I really love the idea of Tammie's eyes staring deep into the soul of a potential reader (not because I'm a huge fan of The Great Gatsby or anything, no).

I've shared this many times on my personal Tumblr, but I'm kind of obsessed with it, so everyone just has to deal with it.

#about the series

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