Scorpion's Reach III
This is the third post about the possibility of me writing a fourth book to my Escaflowne trilogy.
Next time, I think I'll post my storyboard for this thing, just for your interest, because I don't think I'm going to write it. I can't think of an ending, and I don't want to start half-cocked. That's messy and against my policy.
There are just the following problems in my writing life:
- I can't write this book from Hitomi's perspective. It's impossible. I already fought her like a tigress during 'Mark of a Goddess' and I'm tired of fighting her. I would have to go to Folken's POV at least once in order to make this worth while and I don't want to suddenly change writing styles for the fourth book.
- I'm tired of Van and Hitomi. These days when I sit around and think up scenarios - everything good that I think up goes massively against both their characters. Basically, I want to write about a girl who isn't a good girl. I also want to write about a guy who's more of a manwhore than Van. Dryden couldn't enter into the fourth book - he would have no purpose. I think the soul of that thought is that I really want to write 'Ghost Mist' even though I'm a little discouraged. I should pluck up my courage and get on with it.
- Everything in the possible plot for 'Scorpion's Reach' points to Hitomi becoming a murderer. I think that should be avoided, because I really wouldn't be able to continue the story after book four. And I would hate for people to say, 'Just read up until the end of 'Mark of a Goddess'. The rest isn't good.'
- I did conclusive endings for Allen, Gaddes, Eries, Dryden, Selphie, and a whole lot of other characters. So, these characters are useless because they have no problems to solve. They can't help me with book four.
You know what else, even though I receive a lot of praise for my work - I still get a lot of blowback that I could do things better. I get all kinds of comments (not on ff.net) about how immature my work is. And that raises questions like, 'Why am I doing this? Am I doing this for fun? Or am I doing this with the hope that perhaps one day I'll be able to get something published? Is getting something published the extent of my goal, or what am I aiming for here?' I wish I knew the answer to these questions, because if I did, I could do something radical.
If my goal is to get something published then I should just write 'Ghost Mist', send it to my sister-in-law, let her skin me alive, then I should send it to my father-in-law and let him skin me alive. Then if I took all their suggestions, I could send something to a publisher. But I have this sinking feeling that my heart wouldn't make it past my sister-in-law. After she was finished with me I would be so disheartened that I might never show anything to anyone ever again. It isn't that she would mean to be mean to me, but I wouldn't be able to handle having my heart ripped out and sent through the meat grinder. She would tell me the truth and I wouldn't be able to handle it.
If my goal is to be acclaimed on ff.net - then I've already achieved it as far as I'm concerned. Either that or I should start writing fanfic for Kenshin and see if I can earn a hundred reviews with a single chapter (lol). Actually, I know that wouldn't be as satisfying as I think it would be. Afterwards, I would still feel parched.
If my goal is to write for teenage girls (this is what I always believed my goal was) then I should never stop writing Escaflowne fanfiction. However, this cannot be. My brain requires more stimulation than this. Either that, or I should take one of my older novels and transform it into an Escaflowne fanfic. Why not? I mean, it worked with Dragon's Moon. That's the only way I could enjoy writing Escaflowne fanfic. Figuring out a way to make my old stuff passable. HA! I should try this. Just for kicks and giggles.
Lastly, if my goal is to write for fun then I should tell off anyone who tells me that they found an error in my work. You know - I've never once believed that I do this for fun. It's more of a sick compulsion that I can't seem to kick than a hobby that brings me pleasure. I like reading my stories. That's mostly what brings me pleasure. I think I write better than anyone. I write novels I wish other people would write. That's all. I guess I also like getting into other people's heads and having them obsess over my story. I like that too.
Blah - now I've written myself into a knot. This is how I feel, but what I've explained means that I don't know how to escape the trap. I write - some people won't like it. Some people know more about writing than me. Well, that's good for them.
posted by Sapphirefly @ 11:10 AM
6 Comments:
Im going to be really honest, and as painful as this is to admit, I don't think you should write scorpion's reach. It sounds like your forcing yourself to make something up that not even you in the end will be satisfied with. It is really worth writting for others when your not entertained and you have to force yourself to continue? If your bored with there characters then its also a good reason to stop. Its too hard to continue with something so used. That and I just can't see Hitomi becoming a murderer. Shes too goos in your books. I also agree with the whole Pov thing. I always thought threwout MOAG that it would be fun to see Vans perspective. If you fought with her threw that novel can you really do it for a whole other one?
Im not trying to discourage you from trying it out but it seems to me like you need not exaclty for a chance but to work with different characters. I do hope you continue writing escaflowne fanfiction but not in this trilogy. AS much as I love it, I always viewed mark of a godess as the conclusion novel and I liked it that way. The characters have come so far and now im ready for Ghost mist.
And this is my honest opinion
ps: do me a favor thought, if you dont write it, post the storyboards, that would be fun to see
GOOD LUCK!
Will do, Chicky! Will do!
As I'm always being an ass :P I'd like to say: Write for yourself.
I am very in awe of your goal to write for teenage girls. I think that's really a fantastic goal, and you'd do it very well. It doesn't need to be stagnant in ff, although I do agree that readership doesn't extend very much outside it. I'm not really sure what else you can do to gain readership, besides revamping your website, perhaps, to include works other than Slayers fanfics.
You do derive enjoyment from writing, so I think the question is how much time and effort you'd like to spend. Many writers don't really know if other people will like their work, and only write because they like writing. Every writing has flaws, so it's up to you to decide which flaws and to what extent. That, I think, will determine your audience.
Thanks for the suggestion. I don't know if I'll take you up on it. I did a lot of the work putting my website together and doing promotion for it last time. I know how much work I would have to put into it to make it passable again and frankly - I don't know if I have the time. But thanks. I'll see what I can do.
I once read a novel that totally captivated me and I had never heard of the author before I'd read it. I then went in search for more of her novels and found another that was a sequel to the first. I was so excited. It was then that I realised that it was the same story, but from someone else's perspective. It was the same story, but not.
I realise that IF you were to do book four in Van's perspective, it might throw off the whole feel of the story. However, it could also ADD to the story. You could keep going from there. You would open more possibilites for yourself as a writer. You could explain things in Dryden's POV or Dilly's...I know you'd like that. It just depends on IF you have the energy and IF that's the way you'd like to take your story and ultimately your readers.
However, if you choose not to go that way or Scorpion's Reach...I happen to agree with Jossi, I also veiwed MoaG as the end to the trilogy and felt satisfied with the way you have carried the novels. You *can* have too much of a good thing, why wreck that if you can't make it better? kwim?
Do what *you* feel you are ready for. Don't worry about those who think you write immaturely. Obviously you're not writing for them!! Do you think Robert Munsch writes for his age group? Not really. You may enjoy it while reading to your child, neice, nephew, etc, but that just means he's entertaining or goofy, depending on how you view things. Not everyone is going to like your work, and that's *okay*.
Be pleased with what you've done so far, you're a terrific writer! And really, if you tell SIL or FIL that you're writing for a specific age group, maybe they won't tear you up as badly as what you think.
You are your own worst critic.
You call the shots here lady. We are merely the lost little sheep in search of a Goddess who will guide us and entertain us along the way. LOL
So enough with the ego boost/lecture. Go! Create! Make your masterpeice and don't let the human worm babies get to you! Rule with an Iron Fist! OBEY THE FIST!!
FourlittlePeas
Hey Fourlittlepeas,
I think they would (SIL and FIL) because the mistakes I make are mistakes no matter what you're writing. It doesn't matter if it's stereo instructions or 'War and Peace' - they're still errors.
Thanks for your praise. It's very kind of you.
But, if I write book four, I can't write it from anyone's perspective than Hitomi's. Frankly, the other characters are not developed enough in my mind for me to write from their perspectives. I don't know what their internal dialogue would be like. It's more than just moving from one perspective to another - it's changing personalities and the way they view things, even the height of their eyes is different. At this point, it's Hitomi or it's nothing. Blah - I show that I'm not as versatile as I look.
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