#mauanna rambles

[mauannacreates]

Thoughts on story.

So something I've been thinking about, is apparently in story, it's said that you're supposed to make a story progress in every single scene. So when it's said that your story is supposed to progress, would you think that it is allowed to repeat specific points again, or just add the most relevant points throughout the story?

Personally I would think just the most relevant ideas is the only thing that needs to be showcased 8n your books, but... What's your thoughts on this?

[mauannacreates]

Yeah, I agree. Honestly, I've had that experience too, and it's dry when it's just plot. Where's the fun? The AMAZEMENT of your characters?

I found myself creating a boat scene the other day. Nothing much is happening between my characters. The sea's rocking as they are swaying side to side on the sea, When the protagonist starts to wonder where they're going, and the other character explains on where they're going and what they're going to do after, then he asks if they're heading north, when they could find themselves going south, which causes this big overreaction, before he looks at the compass and says that they were going north.

You could probably say it is filler at this point, but I think what makes it more filler if the interactions are redundant or it doesn't serve the characters or the story. To be honest, it leads me to believe that there can be a gap when it comes to writing story that has plot while also trying to write your characters within the story. When it comes to how the story needs to go, I think you need to use the characters that you have written about and nudge them towards the plot in such a way that is authentic to how they would react throughout the story.

So it's not really a matter of don't add filler. It's; don't add scenes that don't matter to the story and instead, bring the most authentic self of the characters in while trying to have the story that you want to tell.

Because, I think that's what makes the interactions between everyone more interesting, if you just let the characters take reign of the story and tell it how they want to tell it.

Working on my novel and couldn’t figure out why it felt so empty. I didn’t have any filler. It was all 100% plot. The characters only interacted when necessary. I didn’t prattle on about the scenery or how the birds sounded. I had all my fuller stuff that I loved saved in another file because I “didn’t need it”.

Y’all, I knew this existed in TV shows but it didn’t hit me until this that everything is being whittled down. We are so starving for filler that we snap up anything. I unload all mine on Tumblr or keep it in a massive Google Docs. It SUCKS.

Honestly? Death to plot necessity. Revive filler. Revive unnecessary interactions. Revive just vibing with characters sometimes. I don’t want to just consume the plot and I don’t want to just create the plot either.

[mauannacreates]

Hey guys.

So I would have to say that this day is a special day for me. I mean, it's my birthday today, and I guess I just want to reflect on some things that I just want to take a focus on, at least for this year, next year and beyond that would be even better.

Why would I do it on my birthday? I mean, I guess I want to reflect on some things, since you are only getting older and wiser, not younger...

And it's not to say that being old at this point of my life is a bad thing. I mean, being in my younger 20s is probably to say that according to a lot of people, it would be the hype of your life. Or it's the learning stage of getting up on your own two feet without the mandatory schooling years telling you what to do.

So the past few months, besides the writing on my book whenever you can, has been a bit more of a real-life rut for me more than a hype. Trying to understand the dynamics that I have between people while also getting those free for all OTs that are easy to access at my work. Running because of the hype of my legs going out of control, and well...

I got sick.

It's not as bad as some of the other illnesses, but I got nearly the whole week off work (nearly, because I did two hours of work one day before being sent home since I didn't look the best... and was told to stay home that day.) but that gave me the time to sit, reflect, do a bit more of my writing, and have the constant sniffles that doesn't want to go away that easily, which I still have, but it is getting better.

If I were to be absolutely honest, I haven't really been writing on the computer that much on the things that really matter to me, like my stories. I have been making progress on my stories, but not 10000ish a month like I have been since July. August was a bit under, but ok. But last month...? It was a slump. Barely 6000 words that I have done of that for the past month. I guess that has got to do with the lack of goals that I have placed on myself for the past few months and losing focus on that.

But I am hoping that for the rest of this year, I will be able to focus on my drafts and to get my fifth...? Sixth? Whatever draft this is of Conjured Secrets done.

Because there is a sledge that you get to when you haven't been making much progress, and then you're just trying to remember everything that has happened in the story so far, and it's not a good feeling. So, it's something that I have to try to think about while I'm creating my story, and I'm going to have to do around 600 words a day if I want to reach to that deadline.

And I do want to make sure that this gets done. Maybe get it beta read? Edited by an editor? I don't know, but I am noticing that this time, it's getting a bit harder to do in comparison to the other drafts. I'm not sure if it's a good or a bad thing that it's harder, like it drags sort of thing, but I am willing to put my blood, sweat and tears into this draft until it's completed, and to see my characters grow from it.

This is my bit of rambling of the day. I am still not 100%, but I will focus some time onto this today, and hope to being more focus and vigor into it as the days go past.

[mauannacreates]

How does greed effect your storyline? why is it portrayed as the villain?

Hey @wyked-ao3, thanks for the question!

Greed in the story is an interesting concept for me, but also a group that I have tried about and how it would fit throughout the series.

The way that I think about Greed at least Prophecy wise is that they always want more of something. So the people who are under Greed, they're usually want to change the world in some way that can be portrayed as 'disastrous', especially by Spirit.

I personally think that some people under Greed could be really that bad, but others may be more misguided and believes in things that might make the world worse, even though the leader would think that it would turn out for the better.

I will admit, that as much as the word Greed has bad connotations, what I do find that there is a power to it. And by that power, it's like they want more of that thing, and wanting to constantly fight for that thing so it can be right, even if the way that they do it is not morally right.

But as said, not all people from Greed are like that. But for those who are really misguided or intentional about their power, they would try to make a world where they could have greater power, fame or a world that they can make all for themselves. And for what those Greed leaders perceive as prosperous, could in fact bring a greater destruction than what most other people would want.

In terms of how it affects the storyline, Greed is usually stopping people who are supporting or is related to Spirit in some way for what they want. Spirit and Greed both have different beliefs and throughout the Sorcerer of Runes series, one of the members of Greed seems to be having a massive conflict with one of the members of Spirit, and it's the matter of how it would be solved because of the dispute that they have between each other.

[mauannacreates]

The Story Student issue 5

[mauannacreates]

Upcoming Hiatus!

Hey guys! For the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about doing this, and it isn’t something that I thought of lightly. I want make some changes to my blog, since I’ve been trying to figure out how tumblr works, since December 2022, and I have made some updates to this blog every once in a while…

I will admit, this is not the only reason. I feel like my interest is waning, or at least, I am running out of things to talk about and as a writer and a creator, it terrifies me. Then with trying to make more content, which at first has been easy, but some days, I really do wonder on what I write about to the point that it becomes an afterthought… Maybe I actually am creating better content, but I do want to make content which I can feel like that it is the best work that I can give, and to look forward to doing it. In addition to that, I do want to focus on reading more, as I feel like I am drowning myself in the writing process rather than having fun with it. I'll probably expand onto this in this week's substack update on what I'm currently facing as a writer.

So, the hiatus will commence from dates April 1st to April 15th, although let me clarify, for the majority of people, the dates would be March 31st to April 14th. And around April 15/14 (depending on which time zone you’re at) I’ll let you guys know on my next steps are for this blog. There will certainly be some changes that I am thinking about, but I want to sit on this during my break while I rest and figure this all out.

I do want to also get out of my way and say thank you for everyone who has seen or interacted with me for the past year and a bit, both as someone who is trying to learn my first book, and also crafting my upcoming book, Conjured Secrets from the Sorcerer of Runes series. I am learning quite a bit from this community and from researching information on podcasts, blog and anything that I can grab to suck these sorts of information to my mind. This could even be shocking for me to be talking about hiatus’ (I certainly find it so!) Though I think this is something that I need to do eventually, as it’s something I have thought about for a while, and if I don’t do it now, I am not too sure on when I will do it.

[mauannacreates]

Writers Introspection.

I find that I undermine myself alot. Or, it's at least something that I do at first.

I mean, this is something I notice as a writer, but also something that happens with my other endeavours like running.

There's just this... Magical ingredient, about trying to find myself thinking that I didn't do that well. And then later, I would use an outlet like writing or even talking it out to other people about the problem I'm currently facing... And something clicks when I'm doing things like that.

Then immediately after that (or sometimes a bit later), I find that my creativity or even my work becomes better, or that I didn't do as bad as I had initially thought when I write stuff like that out.

I am not too sure if this is something others can relate to, whether they are a writer, a crafty artistic person or even something completely different, but this is something that I have noticed about myself.

[mauannacreates]

The unexpectedness of life. Sometimes, I find it twirling my life in ways that I deem as surprising as you would find in a detective movie.

Other times, life seems to flow like a feather that flows and sways within the wind, as it peacefully goes towards the pile of countless leaves. And after a time, it gets swept away by the gust of air and twirls around, over and over again.

[mauannacreates]

Lately, I'm just imagining my characters just having cross overs from some of the games that I've played growing up.

Like imagine some of my characters just going and helping a human out as they did in undertale? With Val and Braedon standing out in the snow talking to each other, even making fun of each other. Or seeing Jules just strolling between being pleased and showing sudden haste with the human. Or even Lucie... I wonder how she'd be like. I mean, I've just been thinking about it quite a bit lately.

Honestly I think I'd love the interactions that'd go on between them, whether the whole cast is replaced or if it's just the main characters. But it's something I've been a bit... Fascinated thinking about lately.

(or in earthbound or something, just imagine if Val is using from a stick, to a pan or a base ball bat or whatever they can find. And I can imagine their brother and Jules staring at Val at why they have to use a different 'weapon' in every single battle. Lucie might not actually mind that sentiment. )

[mauannacreates]

Here's this weeks update on the Sorcerer of Runes series! It talks about my progress on Conjured Secrets this week, along with some personal stuff and dialogue sneak peeks.

I hope you enjoy this weeks update!

[mauannacreates]

STS ask! This Sorcerer of Rune series looks awesome. How many books are you planning in the entire series, or do you know yet?

Ooh, thanks for asking!

So initially, it was going to three book series, but now, I noticed throughout the creation of my third book's first draft, it would be a seven book series. A prequel, and two trilogies.

The prequel, is more of a curiosity on how life used to be like with the previous Duality and with their challenges of beating Greed. And with the group of characters that are centered in this story, I'd like to delve deeper into their adventures.

The first trilogy consists of the main story, which focuses on the prophecy that Spirit has set for the Duality to complete. And it takes around three books to tell the story on how the Duality would go about beating Greed and completing the prophecy once and for all. And so far, they all have at least one draft each.

And there's a separate trilogy of the post prophecy is more of how the Duality lives on for the rest of their life and their legacy of what they have achieved for the rest of their years... I can imagine it being more themes based with a story that's explored around it, but they're all ideas that I'd want to delve deeper into and see how it would all work out.

So these are probably my book plans for the next ten years? 😆 But then, I'd have to see how they all turn out, because at the moment, it seems like I am writing higher word counts each time I'm writing a new draft of the same story... So they could all be big books, and it could take longer...

But then, we'll see. Things could always be different to what I imagine it to be.

[mauannacreates]

You know, I am nearing the end of my draft, and I am really trying to push through. I would estimate around 5 to 10 thousand words left.

And I will admit, its getting hard. Procrastinating. Reading my story and editing it. And there's nothing wrong with editing it, and to also reading my story.

But to also find myself doing it now more than ever. I am trying to say to myself, it's OK if I do a thousand of words a day for the next few days, but to be nearing the end of the stage...

I am trying to tell myself to not stop. Not for me, not for you and not for anyone else. And even if it feels sluggish, I am trying to push that boulder. I am nearly there. Even if I have a crappy draft with some funny moments. Even when I've alternated between first and third person, which is probably better to change for consistency. And even though the story is a bit more romantic than I would have initially thought of when I started it.

So I am trying to keep on pushing it.

Because if I stop, I will regret it more than if I finish it and I later read it and it doesn't make sense with grammatical errors scattered all over the place.

We are nearly there. So I better make those words count.

[mauannacreates]

I am proud for just making my way to the table to write about something. Anything.

Even if it is a few words, a sentence, a paragraph or a thousand words. Those just culminate over time.

And then just imagining those words climbing towards the sky, but then the sky of what you can do is forever reaching. Almost boundless.

I've just writing a lot this year... I am pretty sure that I've written over 350,000 thousand words this year (And this is just counting the 4th draft of conjured secrets and the third novel that I decided to explore a bit with.) The other mysterious number of words goes to the times that I write every morning and the other things I could be writing throughout the day (Oh, and writing on this blog, too).

But... Oh god. It makes me laugh just seeing that number, but it is such a wonderful thing to see on how words and stories can climb over time. Some feels like it's flowing, other times feels low, slow and dreary. And even if it does involve multiple rewrites, it's all part of the process!

[mauannacreates]

I love the times I just think about my characters while being away from the desk. I mean, just imagining Jules on some throne chair, with their hair down towards their middle back, and wearing some silver clothing that has some sparkle and a smirk across their face. And Braedon just standing nearby wearing all black shirt that has those oval buttons on the side across his shirt and black classy pants. And just being inside of a castle with the plans that they could do together.

I love the daydreams I can come up with.

[mauannacreates]

Oh gosh, there's just something so exciting about seeing a Library open it is the pillar base of knowledge power and just something that you can use to learn and to gather information and it is really exhilarating to see open and to just tumble onto the double amount of floors, see at how nice and classy it is and the countless books, oh the countless books!

I even borrowed some poetry books and took a look into a Latin one. So I have to say, the visit to the library after being deprived of it for two weeks is a wonderful surprise. Its totally worth it. 😁

[mauannacreates]

Ooh, so I just got past the 200000 thousand word count a few days ago for my draft of that third story that I'm working on. And I have to say I am feeling my motivation wanting do drear down.

Though I really wonder what it's like for people who do extremely long word counts for their story. I suppose I would think its the constant tension between "I know I will make it soon!" and "oh my God, when will I make it to the end...?"

And in a way, I think that by doing the scattered story approach of this story, it's really testing my commitment to this story. Because it's making me question on when I will complete it all.

I know I will get there, it's just a very interesting thing to experience, especially since I've been working on it for at least 6 months. And seeing it at like 630 pages currently, like... Its so unbelievable.