30 November 2006

NaNo - Day 30, The End Of All Things... Not.

NaNo ends for me in less than an hour. I had no less minute stress, I accomplished what I set out to do. So instead, I played Halo and blew things up. Keeping the universe safe from alien scum and all that. It cleared my mind for getting back to writing and prepped me for the task of writing one of my last two battle scenes. Maybe it’s the ex-soldier in me, but I like battles in my fantasy. Mainly for the chance to explore the characters reactions to adversity.

I have one scene in my head, I'll write it out, but I'm not sure it will play out that way in the final draft. My characters have to go through this battle again and again until I get it right. Poor sods. Then again, that's what they're there for. They get to relive things I don't want to. They are also braver than I am for the most part. I think on one level I have to admire somethign in my characters to write them well.

I have no clear cut end in mind. I know what I'd like to happen, whether it turns out that way or not is a toss up. I don't like Disneyfied happy endings, but I don't like horrific ones either. I want my protagonist to have sacrificed something, but end up stronger for her loss. Not quite a Pyrrhic victory, but close. No growth without pain.

I can understand why Peter Jackson had so many endings in Return of the King, it's hard to let go and move on. Luckily, I have the other novel to work on while this one sits and ages. I'm thinking that's a good thing. My only fear is losing sense of the characters and having to spend time reintroducing myself to them again. Maybe not, after all, they are only multi-facets of the same character/theme I've been exploring for years. It even trails through my poetry. My voice, whether I like how it sounds or not.

2 comments:

Gabriele Campbell said...

Maybe it’s the ex-soldier in me, but I like battles in my fantasy.

Lol, I like to read and write battles, too. Don't know what that says about me. ;)

Maybe not, after all, they are only multi-facets of the same character/theme I've been exploring for years.

So I'm not the only one whose characters in different projects have traits and problems in common. I also have the same themes in different mixtures

Constance Brewer said...

Maybe we're just bloodthirsty, Gabriele. *g*

Theme is something that works on both conscious and subconscious levels. Of course, it took a few books to notice the similarities. Same thing happens in poetry. I'm getting better at chunking my poems up by theme. I've found 5 major themes I write on for the most part. Religion, war, love, family, and science.