I've really been doing my research in order to tighten up the manuscript of my second novel. The first thing I learned (and did) was to introduce the characters, the setting, and the conflict. Since I know the complete story already it was a easier to plug the information in according to the books on writing that I have read. You know the mighty foreshadowing of what's to come without telling how it's coming.
I streamlined everything and presented myself as the author. In other words I set the tone for the story and as a new voice I introduced myself with my various length of paragraphs, word selection, and variety in characters all within 53 pages. Not really a hero's journey, although Agape goes within and face off with her inner child and the archetypal energy of survival in order to graduate from this vibration of the without. I have to keep in mind that this is visionary fantasy so the rules are a little different and not everyone is going to dig it. Nonetheless without any excuse, YOU MUST TELL A STORY FIRST and I believe I have a good one that's original and filling; then I hit you with the metaphysical stuff. The first draft is a solid foundation for what's to come and I'm excited and looking forward to sharing my character driven story containing a strong plot with the world. -Thanks for Listening Sabrina-Louise Andielle
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I have been working on Lady Agape and The New Dimension like a mad woman lately. I mean after all, talking about writing doesn't get the writing done; but I miss the weekly thrill of trying to find something interesting to talk about on my blogging sites. There is no greater feeling than that of having written something that others find interesting and if said readers decide to post comments that's the bonus for the writer (yes, me). At least for now it is, while I am still making strides toward being the Visionary/Metaphysical Fantasy writer that is dragging me by the nose to the computer and great books on the subject of the reality of the Mind of the Great Witness and the fantasy of matter.
This is home for me. Writing and reading and contemplating about how it all fit in together. Some say it is the act of giving and receiving or teaching and learning but I call it water. I try to swim through these philosophies like I was the Olympic Gold Medal winner Micheal P. Seriously! This book is going to be filled with a visionary/metaphysical themed conversation without preaching or boasting. I'm talking about the process that a hybrid child of the energy of the Father Universe and the Mother Earth would go through in order to gain greater responsibility on the third dimension of the Earth Plane and to recreate her own solar system within herself. The first thing this Blood Child of Gaia would have to do is die to everything, become the goo that a caterpillar goes through before becoming a butterfly. This means going to the current dying solar system that is within Lady Agape's DNA (Te-Orzi) and destroy the remaining planet (Cornith) in order to start over and this time maybe split Orvitama's (Agape's Created Name) attention into three or more dimensions. But enough of that. I could talk all day about this current storytelling project. This piece of work is just so much fun and it's helping me come into my own because it's home. Have you ever felt like this? Do you feel about your job the way I feel about being a storyteller? Anyway, I just wanted you know that I hadn't forgotten and I'm still alive. -Thanks for Listening Sabrina-Louise I'll be brief and quick with this because I'm on a mission.
See I'm just under 10,000 words to finishing the first draft of Lady Agape and The New Dimension and I want to knock that out as quick as my creativity will allow. I've sat with this manuscript for a couple of months now, writing almost every day for four to six hours a day. So, I have a good feel for what I'm trying to say about this young college professor named Agape D'Vine who enters her inner domain on the astral dimension in order to rescue her inner child; break a time loop that is prolonging the death of a planet within her; and face off with a fraction of the archetypal energy of transformation. I know that I'm still close to this story but it's about time to start Lady Agape and The Divine Find. Isn't it? While I'm finishing The New Dimension, shouldn't I be making plans for The Divine Find. No? I mean I could try to pants it but I did a combination of outlining and pantsing with The New Dimension. I know where The Divine Find begins and ends so I only have to channel the middle. It did take months to outline The New Dimension and knowing this I still want as small amount of time as possible to pass before tackling its theme and second draft. Things were easier when I just had one project to focus on and others just to think about. Now my time is being stretched like never before and I'm finding myself with less time in the day to waste. That's the price you pay when you go the self-publishing route. It's a business and I have to be on the grind. Stories, sound stories, are important but so is the business aspect of it. The planning, the execution, and the harvesting of something that came from the divine to me then to the readers. Now I see, thanks for the advice. I see that I need to speed a little time organizing before this thing get ahead of me. Before it become a burden and I lose the joy of creation and sharing. So no, it's not too early. I just need to reschedule my day, shake off the burden, and go with the joy and flow of being my own boss with my own deadlines. I'm not a slacker and I want to share my form of worship to the ineffable with the whole world. That's worth taking my time to figure it out. Besides I'm in the Hanged Man position right now- best to make the most of it. -Thanks for Listening Sabrina-Louise Andielle Tobymac says "It might flicker but they can't kill the flame."
Well, that's where I'm at in this process of birthing a novel which I plan to publish. I've etched in stone chapters 1-18 which leaves me with 4 chapters to discover & write. I now see the end of the tunnel and the promise land of a completed first draft. Of course the more I write the more I understand this project and how it is the glorification of the creation and the creator. Our Creator! Our Creation! I have decided to talk about the wonder of the work of The Great Mind (God) and how we're supposed to live in Its illusion. To be honest there is so much I want to talk about but sometimes I come off as cold and detached. I lack a sweet tongue and I've come to accept that. Yet, what I lack in tack I make up for by expressing myself in engrossing and entertaining stories. It is my gift as an elder soul. Me and God got history and I trust God and myself more than I trust this illusion. This is what I want to share with people- my relationship. I want to help people navigate the mazes of life; the metaphysical. It took me a while to understand what category that I'm to put my writings in; now I see that it is Metaphysical Fiction. This means I am expected to give my theories/philosophies on metaphysical topics and if you haven't heard, with Lady Agape & The New Dimension I'm currently writing about the archetypal energy of transformation and the work that we do in the astral dimension. This is a genre, metaphysical fiction, that's only been around for close to two decades so I can also help contribute to the development of one of our new forms of healing communication. I have high hopes about this outlet for it please my soul and the mind of God. I get to talk all I want about the power of God and not have people become over burden by my words/energy. This is not the hero's journey, it's something greater. A journey that will force you to crawl if you can't walk not because the whip is at the back but because the hand is at the heart. That means that anybody can travel with me or any other writer/guide of meta fiction then apply what we share to one's life. With this journey the entire passage is about God, with God , and for God. There is a little room in there for the individual but that's only because we are all fragments of the same Queen/King in this matrix. But, I can talk about the details and philosophy in a project that is novel or novella size. Here's looking at you, my dear reader. Once again, thanks for listening! Sabrina-Louise Andielle I strongly believe that if there is one then there are two; if there are two then there are many. This also include writers and their field. The fact that there are niches is the exception to the rule as most of the time the collective consciousness of imagination delivers its message to multiple people at the same time. This distribution of ideas to writers is so expected that when approaching a publisher or attempting to independently sell your work, there is usually a category request. "What's your genre of writing?" Is the question anyone that's involved with books ask. Or, "What books are similar to yours?" is another good question of the industry .
The other thing I strongly believe is the Universe is always trying to prove us right. It give us what we expect. So according to my first belief it was only a matter of time before I started to find others who wrote the type of fiction that I did. The problem was I didn't know what I wrote because I wasn't writing for me. Oh, I would try to deliver but my soul wasn't happy. One day I said to myself, "You like talking about the mysteries of life, the philosophy of the details of all that is, from the God Being, to the Human Beings, to the Universe Being, to the spiritual Beings, so why not talk about all that." Without hesitation, that's what I did. After a while I asked my Angels, "What is this that I'm writing because saying its Christian Fiction is not entirely true and is a little misleading. Besides," I said. "I'm not attracting likeness." This curiosity led me to know that I write Metaphysical/Visionary Fiction. I get to talk about what I love and not have to witness others rolling their eyes in exasperation. I am now writing for me and I love it. I love it to the point that I am beating previous accomplishments and see light at the end of the tunnel. At the writing of this post, I am at the end of the middle of my first draft of Lady Agape & The New Dimension. A feat that I never knew I could accomplish again. As a matter of fact I'm hoping that I didn't put too much in the middle. Just this afternoon I told my son that I was looking forward to the Re-Vision part of this process. With my dedicating myself to talking about what I love, I have found books like mines or the books that I'm trying to be similar to. Of course there is the The Alchemist and The Celestine Prophecy but there are great reads such as The Mists of Avalon and Jonathen Livingston Seagull. Not only do I now know what books I working to be in company with but I found a writer's group that specialize in this type of writing. Amazing God, amazing Universe, amazing us. So, now that I have a new map and no longer wandering about following passion and instincts I can keep going with purpose and companionship. Not that I will completely abandon my passion because as I said, I love this stuff and this stuff feeds me. My spirit is once again content. Now I just have 8 chapters left in my first draft or about 31,000 words. Then, I can really roll up my sleeves and not only re-write this 93,000 word project but have a group to talk about it with. Now who's blessed? This girl, that's who. Again, amazing God -Thanks for Listening Sabrina-Louise Holloway "Andielle" One of the things that I'm learning this project that has never come to me before, you will know when the process of writing stories begins to make sense. I'm not denying that there is one story in everybody but the act of producing story after story takes a soul that has captured a wide variety of experiences. I used to wonder why ask writers their opinion on issues regarding life and/or current events. I now know that the profession of writer, especially original storytelling-writers, has become one of the new outlets for spiritual elders and leaders. Amazing I know; but it makes sense.
Especially elders who give of themselves and receive little in immediate return. Most true elders don't live long enough to see their influence on society. You have the exceptions to the rules, the superstar writers, but most with substance don't get to say "look at me. Look at me, I have something shiny and new." I got a feeling that I will fall in the latter crowd. I write spiritual fiction, meaning that I write about spiritual living within the human experience. I say it's like this: I write spiritual how-to in an entertaining way. I'm helping to present the new Hero's Journey. One of the voices creating new myths. Considering my history, this is making sense to me now. Lady Agape is me and every person that's gone within in order to change without. I know that there is more than a story about reviewing life because this writing stuff is making sense to me, finally. I know that this post is short but I just wanted to share my discovery and pronounce that my heart is at ease now that this all makes sense. Let the flood gates open and the stories loose. -Thanks for Listening Sabrina-Louise I used to believe that to write a selling tale you had to just focus on the characters. I thought that the people that occupied my mind and spilled onto the pages were enough- they satisfied me.
Often as storytellers we must choose between a character driven or plot driven story; in the past I've always gone with character. These were the choices given and to me there was no mixing the two. At least that was my understanding of the types of written stories. If we must make a choice then it will be character driven, I stated, since I believed that plot driven ones were too difficult. There were the subplots, the twists, the turns, and the climax and as a fairly new writer I just couldn't grasp it all. But, I'm a reader as well as a writer and soon I began to see that some of the most enjoyable stories written are what you consider plot driven. Being the determined astrological goat that I am I had to add writing plot driven novels to my list of things to beat. So, I studied and studied, printing out articles and blog posts, reading books and even attempting to write plot driven material myself. Now I'm at a point where I feel that it's starting to pay off. My current WIP (Lady Agape & The New Dimension) is allowing me to combine what I've learned and after outlining for this approx. 22 chapters, 93,000 word first self-published project, I see that climax is the one thing I skipped over . . . it's barely there, I'll be honest. Now how can you write a plot driven piece of work and not have a strong climax? I don't know but I designed one with my outline. Meaning, I now have to redo the final 25% of my project jiggling the story once more making that draft #3. This is a fact that doesn't scare me. It's just a short hand of re-writing. I used to wonder how people kept at an outline and didn't lose their creative impulse. Now I see that the same drive is there and with outlining you save yourself having to write the entire manuscript over. Therefore, I will happily write in a climax, a soul gripping one as a matter of fact. I will go back and redesign a few key parts leading up to this point. But most of all, I will no longer say that I am just a character driven writer because I have found the glory of writing about a plot. I used to believe that plot driven stories were too hard, now I know that they're no harder to write than character driven stories. -Thanks for listening Sabrina-Louise Andielle I admit, I have always had some type relationship with the creative word . . . off and on that is. As I've said before on other platforms, I've had a adulterous love affair with this thing called storytelling for almost two and a half decades now. Yet, I've just found the essence and ease of being a member of the profession. Maybe it came from me taking time to read just about everything I could from fantasy and historical fiction. Or, maybe it came from me attempting to complete many manuscripts when I should have been learning how to break apart a story. Either way, I've now learned enough to know that I can settle down and grow old with my lover and this time my vow real. This time it's forever, really. Writing has become fun again. I listen to music while writing, taking breaks to dance, and this new software, Scrivener, has made it where I can keep up with my ideas no matter how complete or incomplete they made be. With the right tool, you can do anything. Now listen, last night I was so excited about writing that I couldn't sleep. You heard me- I couldn't sleep. So, I got up and started working until I got tired. I now know that at this point in my life I'm just writing, eating, sleeping, and walking for an hour in the fresh air. Yes, Virginia, I'm getting outside daily. But writing comes first. It feels good, it feels right, and this time there is no running from creative self. I'm coming together in a way I've never before meaning my creativity is off the chain. Can I say that? Off the chain? Well, my writing is creative light and I am no longer walking in the dark. I have a steady source of illumination showing the way. Thank God, I'm seeing more than just my hand before my face. That, my friend, makes this whole trip called life a lot easier. -Thanks for listening Sabrina-Louise Andielle WIP: Lady Agape & The New Dimension In the spring of 1968, Joseph Campbell learned that a mental disorder that affect more people than we would like was also an inward journey that could be closely associated with the hero journey as he so deemed the process. The illness I'm speaking on is Schizophrenia. I know a thing or two about this illness that affect the thinking as well as produces audio and visual hallucinations. It is a disease that can be related to the shaman's initiation and for some stricken with the dis-order it presents a chance to give something to the world, if it's just a well adjusted child or a friendly face that knows there is more to this world than what meets the eye.
In Lady Agape & The New Dimension, Agape has to deal with the illness on both sides of the spectrum. First her father is in the mental hospital due to schizophrenia and has been in and out of them since his wife died. Agape was just a child of 12 when this all started; so she know no stigma around the illness that affect her by handle. In the first chapter I have her visit the mental hospital where her father is dealing with visual hallucinations and I show how a loving family member interact with the dis-eased one. I wanted to show the family's side- even if just briefly. The rest of the story Agape has to deal with the antagonist, Nancy Stone, who is triggered by the illness after killing her entire family (as in parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews) and two voices arise to help her navigate through the mess she's created. My dealings with Nancy is more in depth with the illness as she is separated from her self and decide to continue walking with her illusions. I mean this was a strong young woman that had everything going for her until greed convinces her to murder. If coming too (as all with the dis-ease does from time to time) and realizing what you've done to that which you love and knowing that you must now deal with the consequences doesn't make her you separate from yourself again I don't know what will. That is, unless you're a natural born killer which Nancy is not. Afterwards she is initiated. Her initiation involves the conflict between her and the protagonist, Lady Agape, who is an unseen ancestor in this dimension- another voice, another shadow. Nancy makes it through on the other side, even with the voices and the sights. And like it or not she becomes Queen; which is her return. (But that's not the end of Nancy's Journey.) When I was brainstorming the story of Lady Agape, I knew that I wanted to deal with this mental illness and show at least two of the many sides of it. As the story continue to manifest from a private idea to a thing that can be shared, I see that even with a antagonist that has schizophrenia there is still much wiggle room left. But I can only put so much into one story. The thing I hope most is that I do the illness some honor and explain what it's like for some to the best of my ability. I see them as the brave ones who are called to take the journey of the hero by having a mind considered to need medicine in order to operate when in reality the medicine only present an obstacle at best and prevention of potential at worst. That is until the patient becomes stabilize and the medicine makes no difference because the journey has been taken, the lesson has been learned, and chemicals have been altered. For the shaman that means acceptance of who they are, that is the ultimate return that is the ultimate healing. You go shaman! In an era when all journeys are inward, maybe we all suffer from schizophrenia or at least the lucky ones. -Thanks for listening |
AuthorOne of those writer folk telling stories, reviewing the writer's adventure, and presenting the hero's journey. All wrapped in Spirit, the Kingdom of God, the Sanatana Dharma, the Tao, the Way, or the Absolute. Archives
February 2020
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