I need time to write!

My post below was absolute rubbish, so don't sue me if it was real boring.

I've been thinking about my other fanfics. I love to write Days of Exile, but there are many times when I feel like I need a break to look at my other stories. There are many stories that I've been hoping to look into but... hasn't happened. Argh. It doesn't help that I've been putting all my effort and energy into Days of Exile. Perhaps mid-2013, I shall write other stories along as well. 

As I've predicted and feared, the new year meant that my workload has increased a little. Not much, but I'm feeling it. Last year, I could afford to return home and write and write. Now, it's harder because I spend that time... falling flat on my bed to sleep.

One tip I figured for myself as I'm juggling the workload is this: Actually, I wake up earlier than usual sometimes. Suppose I can get ready in half an hour but I woke up one hour early, I'll actually devote that time to write. Writing also shakes off my fatigue, because I get my brain thinking. Saying that you'll think of plot ideas while at work is complete hogwash, not my line of job anyway. So the only time I write is early in the morning when I wake up, and right before I sleep, like what I'm doing now.

So to my busy fanfic writers who are also working now, try writing early in the morning. But I guess most of you rather use that time to sleep more...

FF7 Tag!

I was reading someone's fanfic profile and I saw this, so I decided to take it and do it the FF7 style :3 If you're interested, you can do it yourself and just let me know (provided it's FF7!)

Write Down Ten Random Characters! (Final Fantasy 7!)

1. Cloud

2. Tifa

3. Reno

4. Rude

5. Elena

6. Barret

7. Tseng

8. Vincent 

9. Yuffie

10. Rufus Shinra

(here we go!)

Four invites Three and Eight to dinner at their own house. What happens?

Rude invites Reno and Vincent to dinner? They end up drinking and it'll be a Reno-solo conversation. 

You need to stay at a friend's house for a night. Whose house, One or Six?

Cloud's house, so I can grill him with questions like "Why the heck did you allow Zack Fair to die!?!" Then again, I'd love to go Barret's house because I wanna play with Marlene :3

Two and Seven are making out when Ten walks in. Ten's reaction?

Tifa and Tseng making out? That has NEVER occured in my mind. If Rufus Shinra were to walk in, that would mean that Tseng is working or something. So... no. it's not going to happen. It's just weird. (Just for the sake of answering, Rufus wouldn't give a care who Tseng snogs.)

Three falls in love with Six. Eight is jealous. What happens?

Hahahaha! Reno falling in love with Barret???? Vincent jealous? Hmm, following logical understanding and past experiences, Barret would probably lock Vincent in the laboratory and Vincent would end up sleeping in the coffin for the next 30 years again. 

Four jumps you in a dark alleyway. Who rescues you, two, ten or seven?

Rude jumps me in a dark alleyway. Between Tifa, Tseng and Rufus, I believe I can trust Tifa more. Besides, Rude will gladly allow Tifa to save me :3

One decides to start a cooking show. Fifteen minutes later, what happens?

If Cloud starts a cooking show, it might actually work out. You never know these finer things in life...

Three has to marry either Eight, Four, or Nine. Who do they choose?

Reno has to marry either Vincent, Rude or Yuffie? OOOOhhh... tough competition. All yaoi fanfic writers are screaming "Reno/Rude!!!!" and others "Reno/Yuffie!!!" I think Reno will pick Yuffie, but chances are she'll fall for Vincent instead *wags eyebrows at Yuffietine shippers*

Seven kidnaps Two and demands something from Five for Two's release. What is it?

Tseng kidnaps Tifa and demands something from Elena for her release. Hmm... A date?

Everyone gangs up on Three. Does Three stand a chance?

Everyone on Reno? Nope. Not a chance. I mean, I love Reno and all, but hello? You're talking about Reno's boss and Cloud Strife here. If Cloud can omnislash Sephy, what chances do Reno have?

Everyone is invited to Two and Seven's wedding except for Eight. How does Eight react?

Tifa and Tseng (again?)'s wedding and Vincent is not invited. Guess he can't be bothered.

Why is Six afraid of Seven?

Barret is afraid of Tseng only because Tseng has better looking hair than he.

Nine arrives late for Two and Seven's wedding. What happens and why were they late?

Yuffie is late for Tifa and Tseng's wedding? She looks like the sort to be late, Tifa probably wouldn't really mind anyway. 

Five and Nine get drunk and end up at your house. What happens?

Elena and Yuffie get drunk and end up at my house. I will dump them in a cold shower and send them to bed. I've got work tomorrow!

Nine murders Two's best friend (Has to be someone on the list). What does Two do to get back?

Yuffie murder's Tifa's best friend (of which should be Cloud). Tifa is too nice to exact revenge. But Cloud wouldn't be killed that easily anyway!

Six and One are in mortal danger. Does Six save One or themselves?

Barret and Cloud are in mortal danger. I believe that they will save one another and work together to get out of danger.

Eight and Three go camping. But they forget food. What do they do?

Vincent and Reno go camping and they forget food. They don't need food, just give them beer!! I doubt Vincent eats, I mean, he's been sleeping for thirty years!

What might a good pick-up line for Two to use on Ten?

Hmm... I really don't know. Tifa doesn't look like the sort to use pick up lines. 

Would Three and Seven get together?

Reno and Tseng = No.

Who would make a better college professor: Six, or Eight?

Vincent. Barret will shoot the ceiling off if he found his students not focusing on their work enough.

Do you think Two is hot? How hot?

Tifa is HOT. Look at all the fanboys!!!

Ten sends Eight on a mission. What is it, and does Eight succeed?

Rufus would send Vincent on a mission for some immortality potion since he needs to live as long as he can as Shinra's President. Since Vincent is already immortal, I guess there's no more chance for Rufus.

What would Five most likely be arrested for?

Elena will be arrested for being too annoying.

If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of Seven or Eight?

Both are equally good. Both carry the same amount of apathy, which Tseng just slightly more. So it depends whether you're a Turk or in AVALANCHE :P

7 and 4 start a conversation about Michael Jackson. How does it go?

Tseng: Who is Michael Jackson?

Rude: ...

Would Two and Six make a good couple?

Tifa and Barret are working partners, they don't have that kind of chemistry.

Make up a summary for a Three and Ten Fan Fic.

Reno and Rufus first met in Shinra Company. Reno was a rookie Turk and Rufus was Vice President to-be. Some misunderstanding and fighting, and they'll be fine. Perhaps eventually Reno will find something in Rufus that's worth his effort to protect and guard.

--------------------

Phew! That's really long! I'm glad it's over. I wish that the tag had more variation with other numbers. They seem to like the numbers, 2,3,7,8

Give it a try, maybe?

Storytelling

I was rereading my previous blog entry and I'm pretty appalled at my writing. It looked like I didn't even proofread. I was tired, I admit.

At my workplace, there are many children. So sometimes when I'm done with my work, I'll gather them and once they're seated, I'll tell them a story. Well, that is not something that I've always been doing. Truth be told, today is the second time I did that.

Now, I do tell stories to children, but they're usually established stories like Greek Mythology and Fairy Tales.

A bunch of immoral Gods, nutcase animals and kidnapped princesses... 

What can be better than that?

Those two are my personal favourites in my reading repertoire, and these two are my field of expertise, if I can boast. This time, when I told a story, it was a completely original story. The worst thing is that I create them on the fly. So half the time I didn't really understand what I was talking about, and half the time my brain is going fullspeed trying to come up with a coherent storyline.

I tell you, the challenge is exhilarating, and thank goodness they are too young to challenge my incoherence. I do cliffhangers so that they are excited to hear more the next time. Then again, because I'm thinking how the story as I go, I can see them getting bored as I figured my way around the story. Moral of the story? Plan out the story, at least.

That being said, allow me to tell you the story. It is "The Adventures of Mr. Superbean", depicting a superhero, Mr. Superbean, that loves to eat beans. And there's a baddie named, Mr. Broccoli, who hates beans but loves broccoli (what a surprise!). Meanwhile, there's a girl named Angela who hates beans but likes broccoli. So one day, Mr. Broccoli kidnapped Angela and kept her in a dark cave.
(I ended the story at that moment and continued a few days after.)

When no one came to rescue her, Angela decided that she'll find her way out of the cave. While doing so, she stumbled upon a large rock but could not see what it is because it is so dark. She picked it up and when she escaped from the cave, she saw that it was not an ordinary rock but a rock that is sparkling red.



The colour is something like that, but just that it's not nails, obviously!

She continued to traverse her way back to town, where she bumped into Mr. Superbean. Not having met before, Mr. Superbean was about to walk away when he saw the rock in her hands. It was the Sparkling Bean, Mr. Superbean's ultimate weapon. Mr. Broccoli had stolen it from him last year and he had been looking for it ever since. Mr. Superbean asked Angela to help him. Mr. Broccoli has a mega plan to build an army of children to control the town. After a moment of deciding, Angela agreed to help Mr. Superbean and together they walked to...
(and again, I ended the story. This is where I left off.)

Funnily, as I'm recapping the story on this blog, I am forming my ending already. So guess what? Perhaps I can complete the story in two more installations and then... I intend to publish it. It's a little informal to upload it here, so I thought maybe I'll do it on Fictionpress. Also, once I'm done with telling the story, I'll type it out, get some children to draw and colour, and publish it as a book. So the children in my workplace can read it whenever they want.

If I upload it on Fictionpress, will you guys support me by reading and reviewing?

Well, I'm done here. Back to doing my work. :) In other news, my fingers are peeling. Why?
(proceeds to reach for the moisturiser)

Signing out,
aichioluv

Picture credits (for I've shamelessly taken them off Google):
1. http://themoraltimes.com/?p=3163
2. http://balticmissionarymemories.blogspot.sg/2012/11/sigulda-place-of-fairy-tales.html
3. http://liquidjelly.blogspot.sg/2012/09/red-velvet-triaccents.html

Random editing and reviewing thoughts

(This post was meant to be posted on 31st Oct 2012 but for some reason, it's not. So here it is!)

You know, I should make it a personal commitment to blog once a week, at least. That way, you people will know that there's always something to read by Sunday (IF there are people reading this!).

Anyway, I'm on a editing spree. I'm realised that I tend to write 'seem' and 'as if'. Examples as below:

It seemed that he wanted to talk as well.

He waved his arms, as if he was swatting flies.

It seems that I write A LOT of them. Yeah, look at that previous sentence and you'll know that I really, really write a lot of them. Not that it's a bad thing, but I tend to cringe when I repeat certain phrases too much, or use some words too often. It's always good to break the monotony with new expressions. So I've been reviewing my chapters, those that are just waiting for a final proofread before uploading.

Which also brings me to this: I have been on a dry spell. Kinda ploughing through my writing with dread and all. Mainly because I've run out of descriptions, expressions, feelings. It feels like everything I write is so dry, dull and bland. Of course, I'm referring to the chapters that I've been writing (which is Chapter 16 and 17) and not the ones that I'm uploading. Those chapters were when I was writing furiously and words spew out of my mind like alphabet soup.

Despite reading so many books the last two months, I didn't seem to integrate any new techniques to try out. (Opps.) But do not fear, I have many, MANY months to figure out how to better those chapters. Meanwhile, I better pick up some new writing tricks.

Okay, here's I, signing out!