[January 3rd] Scribblle Me This, The Writing Intentions

I have been thinking about the writing experience from 2011 and can say that I failed, when it came down to documenting my progress. Of course I don’t suffer from the illusion that I did all that much writing in the first place, but at the same time I can confirm that I’ve completed several flash fiction pieces, several short stories and one novel revision, which is not what a busy bee writer should have achieved. 

Oddly enough, this the title of this is "Writer's Block"

This year I start with better plans, because I believe that improvement lies within better time management, better understanding of how your life can take a turn for the worse [in terms of actual opportunity to write] or enter dead waters. Right now, I know the course of my year in a sequence of ‘green’ and ‘red’ zones right until July, when I’ll most likely graduate. If things go my way [and I get enrolled in a long distance Masters program], I’m pretty sure the rest of my year will be clear to me as well. Given all these factors, I planned for the following:

1. Complete revisions on “Crimson Anatomy” based on beta readers feedback in time for the Angry Robot open month as well as initiate an agent hunt, because it’s not all smart at all to place all your eggs in one basket. Project Timeline: January 1^st – February 29^th.

2. Complete revisions on “V is for Virus”, my futuristic super villain novel, which I’m happy to say is completed as a draft and pretty well sketched in my head, so I’ll have a very pleasant go at the revisions. Contrary to “Crimson Anatomy”, the concept for “V is for Virus” as well as the feel, the voice and the overall arc in the series have remained constant for more than a year, which is usually a good sign with me. Project Timeline: November 1^st – December 31^st. The reason for this particular timeline is because I will split the current draft into two and then have a go at writing my first 100,000 word manuscript, which oughta be hectic.

3. Start a new novel project. I’m indecisive as to which project to select. I’m tempted by the possibilities. It’ll be either my YA novel “Airboy”, whose first draft is not completed and not up to scratch at that [though I will probably have to speak to an architect to help me with the main mystery object], my high concept secondary world fantasy “White” or a retro-futuristic super hero tale of emancipation “Super Powered House Wives”. Project Timeline: August 1^st – October 31^st. This will have to happen after my European tour in late July.  

4. In general, I have written down to complete and sent to publication twelve short stories in 2012, one for each month, which I think is believable aspiration. I’m keeping tabs on three to four anthology projects at the moment, so that guarantees a third of this goal to be fulfilled. I think the main focus will fall on finishing “Lungs”, which is around 60% completed. I’m not happy with how “Rabbit Heart” turned out as a short story, so I see a novella potential in the premise. Project timeline: focus on March 1^st – Middle of May [final exam sessions begins at that point and I will be writing a thesis, so I don’t think I will have much time to consider writing anything longer].

These are the goals, which I know I can finish in ideal conditions. This means work, school and personal life remain a constant. Since they are ideals, I realize that I will manage around 60% of what I have planned, this meaning that I probably won’t reach “V is for Virus”, but it never hurts to aspire to great success, right.

This may make me appear slightly crazy [for more than one reason], but at the same time I’m curious. Do you have plans for your writing?           

[October 20th ] Phantasm Fornication and Peroxide Buns

Totally unrelated image. It's called "So That's Why They're So Fuzzy".

It’s been long overdue. I have been considering talking about process porn, because I love the process behind each individual work. The origins; the roots, no matter how far from the crown of a story, song or vision are add a new layer of meaning to it. Further satisfaction to what you already love.

While I don’t know enough to talk about writing as a craft or have read enough of the right books to discuss movements and impact on the genre community, I know enough of myself and the byzantine railroad tracks laid in my head to talk about creativity and how a story comes together on a connectional level.

Here’s process porn behind the opening story in the Lungs cycle, DOG DAYS ARE OVER.

DOG DAYS ARE OVER: This story is already written in a second draft, though there will be a third edit to add barbwire to an already sharpened edge. What I love about DOG DAYS is that I had no fucking idea what to do with it. At the time Lungs came out as an album, I had a lesser connection with this song and I initially had the intention to write a standard secondary world fantasy story about were-creatures.

Because I didn’t know what to do with it, I dropped the story down as possibly the last to start from the cycle. Time passed and as COSMIC LOVE failed to impress editors [it still does], Lavie Tidhar criticized that I wrote about America [COSMIC LOVE took place in the US as you got] and that I should be writing about Bulgaria instead. This is the one advice that still burrows in my head to be honest and one that I am taking very seriously as pretty much of my identity is formed by the scars I’ve received in this country. Scars from my nationality and the reality caused by my nationality.

I thought about doing a Bulgarian take on Fables at the time. The idea is still here in my mind, stored in a bright backburner, but this was not to be the fate of DOG DAYS ARE OVER. No, what I have in this story is not Slavic fairy folk. Rather a ‘bun’* who sleeps with the ghosts of Bulgarian men through the ages, only to feed upon them upon their climax. That’s the concept and the world I would tread in.**

I followed that image to its natural conclusion and DOG DAYS ARE OVER turned out to be my first speculative erotica piece that justifies the sex as a tool to tell the story and reveal the character, Nikoleta. I thought I reached a new level and yes, I guess I did, but at the end of the road, I knew I missed something.

Months passed and I saw a show running on my TV. Produced and starring people, who came from abroad to live in Bulgaria, it was called LOST IN BULGARIA and two lines from just a single episode resonated: “The American dream is to make it big and live well. The Bulgarian dream is to leave Bulgaria”.

Nikoleta ran. She always ran and I knew that she was right for herself in all the decisions she made in regards of her body and the things she did to herself and other people were not a form of self-punishment. No, sex was a tool and I knew that this ‘Bulgarian dream’ was the goal. This is why I want to go through a third edit, because these are the bits that translate the story into a squid of emotions that chokes on your mind, rather than a series of images.

How? Well you have to read the story to find out.

PS: Do share your stories. Also, do you like this? Do you want me to continue?


*- ‘Bun’ is the Bulgarian slang word for ‘bimbo’. These girls are the Bulgarian fashionistas, the source of inspiration of too many a dumb blond jokes and also overlap with the sluts. The Bulgarian ‘bun’ [the actual pastry] usually has a sweet cream feeling [much like an elongated donut, but not as fluffy] and we usually call say that ‘bimbo-buns’ are ‘buns with no filling’. The ‘bimbo-bun’ is characterized by their duck smiles and have such fake hair that I call them The Peroxides. I’m sure you want to see what they look like.

Here’s Brunette Bun [they come in brunette, blond, ginger, black and multi-streaked *gasp*]:

**- I’m sure that there is something metaphorical there, which implies that I hate my country. This is a misconception. I don’t hate or loathe my country. I simply hate the vast majority of people living in it.

[October 16th] Editorship, Walking Dead, Books, Short Stories

This post's image is called "Howlls" by artist Greenviggen.

It’s a mild update post with random things that may or may not interest you enough to care or comment, because it’s largely personal rather than opinionated post.

1] Editorship. I’ve concluded my slush reading duties for Bryan Thomas-Schmidt’s anthology Space Battles, but that doesn’t mean that the work is done. I’m considering a heavy campaign to promote the anthology around the Internet, probably month-long as soon as I get to see the cover. I’m thrilled with this project as the writers Bryan has selected are talented and breathe excitement in their work.

In the mean time, I submitted my application for the spot as guest editor for The Future Fire. Submissions are accepted through the whole of October and in short, The Future Fire plans to publish themed issues, which will be edited alongside guest editors. The guest editor has a say in what the theme will be, who the targeted authors will be, the work, the promotion and the funding, which is an excellent learning experience. I will keep my theme a secret, until I can confirm an involvement or not.

2] The Walking Dead premiers its second season in the US today, which means the pilot will be available in Bulgaria the following Monday [unbelievable]. This premiere will activate my duties for Innsmouth Free Press as I’ve agreed to do an episode by episode review. I won’t be comparing the series to the comics, because I stopped following the series a long time ago and as far as I know the series is taking liberties with the source material as it is.

3] I’m progressively growing aware that I don’t develop my interests and maintain my focus on fantasy fiction. While on its own, this is not so bad, I’d prefer not isolate myself in this tiny bubble. The world is wide, books abound. Time to expand my horizons. Right now I’m in the middle of my first memoir called Wild Swans by Jung Chang, then I’m considering buying a few books on marketing and commercials.

4] The months I spend in revisions and edits on Crimson Cacophony [though I’m considering changing that title to Crimson Anatomy, tell me whatcha think] has left me in a bizarre mental state, where I can’t disconnect from the voice or the world or the editing mode. Slowly, I’m acclimatizing to creation rather than improvement. I’ve sat to plot stories for the Lungs story cycle and the sheer diversity that I’m reaching within my mind propels perpetual creativity. It is a very nice place to be in, I admit. However, my creative process on the cycle will have to wait for another post.

So what have you been up to?

Monday, May 2nd: Tracking Wordcounts and Bulgarian Steampunk

Today's fantastic picture portrays the Punisher as a samurai; this is the cover for an issue of the "5 Ronin" mini-series that Marvel published not long ago. The series itself leaves things to be desired, but as a whole the re-imaginings were clever.

It’s my intention to write. Whenever there is a slight possibility to sit down and even write 50 words, I intend to use it. It’s a difficult concept for me to put in practice as I’ve accustomed myself to a leisurely, scholarly schedule. With the new office, I’ve graduated into reality and I see what time deficiency means in earnest. I’ve no idea how people can juggle responsibilities outside their day jobs and still find the energy to write. Perhaps, writing itself is not the real lesson [although I know that’s the core of it], but actually applying the butt-in-chair principle.

Some days I can afford to come home in the right mood [with the right energy level] to sit and create, but more often than not I’ve duties in the morning, duties at work and then duties after work [which when combined drain me]. Sadly, the solution is not coffee, people; I need a lot more of a punch than that.

Anyway, moving on. I’ve decided that I want an Excel Spreadsheet as a means to track down my progress – the spreadsheet love is a brand new work-spawned development – and so far it helps. I can see the shame of not having butt-in-chair on top of my priorities, which leads to more ‘write first, watch tantalizing moving pictures later.’

The newest project I’m working on is called “Dog Days are Over,” based on Florence + The Machine’s song of the same title, though the direction I’ve taken it is rather bizarre. There is sex, there are ghosts and there is Bulgaria. I’ve decided to try and base a story in Bulgaria, which more or less fits the type of female character [with the type of ‘morale’] I want to write. The issues I’m facing are pretty much on whether the sex I write is because I enjoy it or if it really belongs in there.

1791 / 4000 words. 45% done!

In other news, I’ve a sporadic article appear in Beyond Victoriana. It’s an opening for a whole series, about Bulgaria, its history during the Victorian era and the potential the time period has for Steampunk to branch in. Here is a small snippet:

It’s impossible to mention Bulgaria, look it through the prism of the past and not discuss war.

For Bulgarians know war in all of its forms. Back when the Bulgarian Empire existed, we conquered. Afterwards, we fought wars to defend what we’ve claimed. We fought once again to earn our freedom, when we fell under multiple slaveries. Once liberated, we fought to unite and even today we fight; small personal battles and wars against reality, against each other and, in private, ourselves.

Queen Victoria’s rule coincides with Bulgaria’s most turbulent historical period. During her 64 years on the throne, Bulgarians organized several major upheavals, created an organized resistance, fought wars for liberation and achieved their goals. Once transitioned from slaves to free people with a country, Bulgaria had to rebuild itself from scratch,write a constitution and catch up with the rest of the world.

[State of the Writer] I wish I could say I wrote new words, but you know that's not the case

There is a funny thing about productivity. When you manage a great deal in just one week, you think 'hey, I can do this again and again' and lulled by this sense of security in one's own ability to combat procrastination YOU assign yourself too much to do. The inevitable result is the bitter taste of failure on your mind's metaphorical taste buds. *intense music*

Kinda like what I did to myself. If you ever want to learn how to sabotage yourself, this is it and I make a great tutorial for it. Though I was optimistic and the goals were doable. What I didn't at all consider had to be whether "Rabbit Heart" would easily give in, when it came down to edits. I knew how I wanted the story to look and to feel, yet it was static and had to be revised. Brand new opening scene and etcetra. I thought it'd be easy... Took me the whole week, around ten re-reads and making all the pages bleed with red and blue to get it right. I think at some point I had a very high blood pressure, because the story played hard to catch. But you know, after filling all the cracks and chopping off one third of the material, it was done.

Apart from that, no new story, no new chapters. Coincidentally those are my newest goals for the week.

Ready, Set, Write... and Edit on the multiple projects I have in mind

Guess the witch!

NaNoWriMo is over and so is the celebratory weekend filled with doing nothing. My wrists had to rest a bit and I also have family return home for the weekend, so there. I have perfect excuses to justify not-writing. All of which end now.

I've jotted down ideas for my 1920s inspired mythological story called "Rabbit Heart". It's a story especially written for an anthology called 20Spec: Speculative Stories of the Roaring Twenties. It's a secret so far, but it has a very famous witch from mythology appear. I've also planned this one to fit in the "Lungs" concept of Florence and the Machine inspired shorts. I have to keep it under 5000 words, which will mean that I will use some dream logic to weave in all the elements I've envisioned.

In the spare time... Okay, that was a lie. My main focus will always be revising "Crimson Cacophony", a novel neglected when NaNo came. I kind of dread it, because it will involve retyping it from the journal I wrote it in. Several months of journal pages. But then again, if it was not for the journal I would not have finished it at all.

So what are you working on?

Things I Learned from Editing

A thing I learned from editing my short story 'Hurricane Drunk' is that I, as a writer, have to pay attention to the consistency of worldbuilding and that even that the smallest of details that rings false can snap a reader from reading whatever suspension of disbelief you have created. My long travels around the interwebs have proved the existence of such readers and now I'm reminded after stumbling on a conundrum in my own writing.

In 'Hurricane Drunk' my main character Tatyana converses with a sentient hurricane via the widely spread Morse Code. Now, in the original text I actually give the combination of dots and dashes that represent the word 'why' in Morse Code, but that is the English word in the original, English Morse Code. For those aware that Tatyana is in fact a Ukrainian/Russian name and that the witch in the hut with four chicken legs is Baba Yaga then they'd think that I tell a story set in Russia with Russian speaking characters, which is in fact what I'm doing.

It would make no sense to use then the English 'why' and translate it with the English Morse Code as that would be clashing with the consistency of the rules I established, even if I had not made them obvious. There would be always someone to spot it out [during submissions or eventually after publication], so I thought that it would be better to go with the Russian 'why' [почему for those interested] and then go with the Russian Morse Code. BUT then I'd have people wondering why so many dots and dashes one needs for a simple 'why'.

At this point I have to say I realized that this is a minor detail with little significance to the story as a whole, so I got that out of the scene. This is the second thing that I learned from editing my short story, learn when a detail is of importance to the story or not. In this case, I did not think it was important enough to follow it up.

"Lungs" -- A Short Story Cycle

~


Standard edition

1. "Dog Days Are Over" – 4:12
2. "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)" – 3:52
3. "I'm Not Calling You a Liar" – 3:05
4. "Howl" - 3:34 5. "Kiss with a Fist" – 2:04
6. "Girl with One Eye" – 3:38 7. "Drumming Song" – 3:43
8. "Between Two Lungs"– 4:09
9. "Cosmic Love" – 4:15 10. "My Boy Builds Coffins" – 2:56
11. "Hurricane Drunk" – 3:13
12. "Blinding" – 4:40
13. "You've Got the Love" – 2:48

---

As you have already guessed, ''Lungs'' -- A Short Story Cycle will be based on "Lungs", an album by the British 'Florence + The Machine'. I am rarely inspired by music. Music is my music font. It is responsible for extracting the feelings I need for a scene and translating them into my writing, but never so far have a song, much less an album give birth to a whole pantheon of ideas for a cycle.

'Florence + The Machine' has elevated my creativity beyond what I imagined and while I am not actively working on "Forged in Blood", I felt ideas swirl in and out of my consciousness. I started writing them down and I found myself, entering worlds, which I could do a lot with. As illogical as it is, since I am working on a novel right about now, I decided to start working on this short story cycle.

I am fairly open about my projects, which may or may not be the best decision in my career, since intellectual theft is the current bogeyman and it can happen to anybody. But then again, I cannot always speak about 'Sekrit Projects' [Kaz Mahoney has perfected the practice], so here is the gist of it. The play list will be the short story arrangement. Most short stories will be surreal fantasy, steampunk and urban fantasy. Perhaps a few, even a bit gothic. I am currently drafting out "Cosmic Love" [B-Side title -- "Andromeda"].