Almost everyone is asking that of me, in varying sentence structures.
Since becoming jobless, I've been living the dream!
Not really.
I did post a chapter each on two of my fanfiction.
Then... I kinda jumped onto the bandwagon that is called Marie Kondo. Yeah, thank you Netflix. Now the whole of Singapore is going on a decluttering spree. So far, I've only cleared out my clothes and my personal books. I've got a ton more to declutter. But on a side note, it has been doing good to my soul. On another side note, I'm doing this decluttering REALLY slowly.
Also, I went on a Netflix binge. I finally finished "Avatar: The Last Airbender" in a matter of days and I'm currently on "Sousei no Omyouji (Twin Star Exorcists)". More on Avatar another time.
Then, a friend of mine is decluttering his house (for a completely different reason from mine) and shoved me a ton of herbs, chocolate chips and essential oils that potentially might last me 5 years. So I've been doing a lot of baking, recipe researching and essential oil blending "lessons" online.
Well, it does sound like I'm living the dream. Alas, when you are my age, the pressures of society will creep up onto you. Already someone is asking me, "So... how long do you intend to be like this?"
And it hasn't even been a month! I've seen people go jobless for longer than that! Sigh. But I don't blame these people for asking. Singapore is really fast-paced and I cannot expect to live my life as a *cue zen voice* "free-spirited soul" when finances are going to become tighter. So yeah, I'll live my life carefree... but at a faster pace, heheh.
Nevertheless, my mind never stopped thinking about writing from time to time.
If my brain is not thinking about fanfiction, it is about my original.
Yep, over the course of two years, whenever I had time, I would ponder about a particular plot bunny. Not fanfiction, original. It's strange to even write that down. I've had a number of original plot bunnies, but this one has been in my mind for a long time. It's more like, two plot bunnies which I've combined, so I'm also afraid that I'm doing too much for one story. Then, there're obstacles that I'm facing, such as doubt in myself, and doubt in whether the story would actually pan out to be good. There are still a number of details that I cannot decide, and without those decisions, I cannot begin writing.
Gah, maybe I'll follow Samantha Sheffield once again and just "DO IT". I mean, I've already visited the library to do some research. I'm sure it's just a step in the right direction.
But yeah, that's pretty much what I've been doing the whole month. :)
P.S: Also, happy lunar new year to all who celebrate it. It's the third day of the lunar calendar and everyone, including myself, must go through the ritual of falling sick due to a lack of control at the sight of snacks and food. But, that's just the veeeerrry picture of prosperity, huh?
P.P.S: My 200th post, whoopee!
Showing posts with label Original Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Original Stories. Show all posts
Friday, February 8, 2019
Monday, June 29, 2015
Publishing is not a distant dream anymore
Recently,
I’ve noticed that there was an increase in local publishers in Singapore. More
and more Singaporean authors are stepping out to write for the younger
audience. I think that is great, and it makes me excited knowing that the entry to the market is wider and that my little dream of being published someday might actually
come true.
So for the
last two weeks, when I am not reading or writing fanfiction, I think about original stories. I am tempted to rewrite my older stories. I had old
plot bunnies that were unfinished, but I am not sure if that was the direction
that I wanted to go along.
A part of
me is afraid. Afraid of what the real editors and publishers might think of my
stories if I show them what I had done before. I am going to be honest here – I
think that my stories have some kind of standard. Sure, it’s not J.K Rowling
nor Neil Gaiman, but I enjoyed reading my stories. What if that had just been
my rosy picture? What if the editors didn’t like it, and that was the best that
I could do?
The thought
of that cripples me sometimes. Sometimes, I wonder if the one thing that I
thought I can do decently is not quite my calling or talent.
Alas, fear never
pushes the man forward.
Monday, January 12, 2015
First post for 2015!
Happy New Year folks! Here is my first post for 2015. Here are some plans that I've come up with, with regards to writing.
1. Read lots of manga
Sadly, this one is here to stay. I know that I have been neglecting my writing because of this. But then again, I've neglected manga for almost 10 years for my other things in life. Therefore, I shall now focus back on my (technically) 'first love'.
2. Write fanfiction outside FF7
I thought it would be fun if I write other fandoms too. On top of FF7, I'm currently writing one that is from the Reborn fandom. If you like Katekyoshi Hitman Reborn, stay tuned!
3. Brainstorm on original YA fiction
'Nuff said. It's about time I get started on writing outside fanfiction. I may not write anything, but I want to start gathering ideas.
4. Create stories for children
I tell stories to children. Sometimes, I would create my own stories on the fly, as mentioned before. This year, I want to see if, apart from YA fiction, I can write stories for children too.
What have you been doing since the year started? For me, I'm back at work and trying to get my life organised. My table was in a mess and I've just finished clearing it out. I'm also reading manga, letting the chapters fly by by the hundreds.
Since yesterday, I've been reading "Days of Exile". I started at Chapter 29. I did not know that there were a few errors and typos per chapter. It's pretty embarrassing. But is it arrogant of me to say that I enjoy reading "Days of Exile"? I really like reading the chapters, it almost feels like it's not mine.
All the best to everyone in this new year. May you continue to enjoy reading and writing!
1. Read lots of manga
Sadly, this one is here to stay. I know that I have been neglecting my writing because of this. But then again, I've neglected manga for almost 10 years for my other things in life. Therefore, I shall now focus back on my (technically) 'first love'.
2. Write fanfiction outside FF7
I thought it would be fun if I write other fandoms too. On top of FF7, I'm currently writing one that is from the Reborn fandom. If you like Katekyoshi Hitman Reborn, stay tuned!
3. Brainstorm on original YA fiction
'Nuff said. It's about time I get started on writing outside fanfiction. I may not write anything, but I want to start gathering ideas.
4. Create stories for children
I tell stories to children. Sometimes, I would create my own stories on the fly, as mentioned before. This year, I want to see if, apart from YA fiction, I can write stories for children too.
What have you been doing since the year started? For me, I'm back at work and trying to get my life organised. My table was in a mess and I've just finished clearing it out. I'm also reading manga, letting the chapters fly by by the hundreds.
Since yesterday, I've been reading "Days of Exile". I started at Chapter 29. I did not know that there were a few errors and typos per chapter. It's pretty embarrassing. But is it arrogant of me to say that I enjoy reading "Days of Exile"? I really like reading the chapters, it almost feels like it's not mine.
All the best to everyone in this new year. May you continue to enjoy reading and writing!
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Of drawings and such
I was talking to a friend of mine just a while ago. She's a really talented artist but she said that she can't draw people very well. So that kinda reminded me of myself when I was a kid.
You may have heard me mention that I've watched anime and manga at a young age. What you wouldn't know was that I was really influenced by it. For the record, the very very first few anime that I watched were bits of Sailormoon and Ranma 1/2.
Anyway, it got me so into it that when I was in Primary 6, I tried drawing my own manga. I got caught for it by my parents and was scolded because I was not concentrating on my final exam (good ol' PSLE). When I went to secondary school, or middle school as some people would call it, I met a good friend and we started drawing together; showing each other's work when we were done. With her encouragement, I tried drawing another manga and guess what? I managed to finish one and a half chapters, yo.
Ah, good ol' days. I didn't last long though. It was one fine morning after my O' Levels that I realised that I wasn't quite cut out for drawing. I could only draw figures in a particular angle and they look pretty static. Furthermore, I. totally. suck. at. backgrounds. and perspectives. and the list goes on. The shame. I am too embarrassed to even look at my pictures now.
I lost contact with my friend after o' levels but the last time I checked, she was still drawing. Awesome.
With that, my drawing days crashed pretty quickly. Since that moment when I told myself that I wasn't cut out for drawing, I totally stopped. Nowadays, my drawings are just limited to cutesy animals and etc to make little children happy.
However, through that experiment, I realised that I was more interested in the other aspect of manga-making... the storyline.
And the rest, my friends, is history.
You may have heard me mention that I've watched anime and manga at a young age. What you wouldn't know was that I was really influenced by it. For the record, the very very first few anime that I watched were bits of Sailormoon and Ranma 1/2.
Anyway, it got me so into it that when I was in Primary 6, I tried drawing my own manga. I got caught for it by my parents and was scolded because I was not concentrating on my final exam (good ol' PSLE). When I went to secondary school, or middle school as some people would call it, I met a good friend and we started drawing together; showing each other's work when we were done. With her encouragement, I tried drawing another manga and guess what? I managed to finish one and a half chapters, yo.
Ah, good ol' days. I didn't last long though. It was one fine morning after my O' Levels that I realised that I wasn't quite cut out for drawing. I could only draw figures in a particular angle and they look pretty static. Furthermore, I. totally. suck. at. backgrounds. and perspectives. and the list goes on. The shame. I am too embarrassed to even look at my pictures now.
I lost contact with my friend after o' levels but the last time I checked, she was still drawing. Awesome.
With that, my drawing days crashed pretty quickly. Since that moment when I told myself that I wasn't cut out for drawing, I totally stopped. Nowadays, my drawings are just limited to cutesy animals and etc to make little children happy.
However, through that experiment, I realised that I was more interested in the other aspect of manga-making... the storyline.
And the rest, my friends, is history.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
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.
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
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
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