Lilacfield

Haiyan buy-it-now fundraiser

lilacfield — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:07:45 GMT

My offer for fandomaid's Typhoon Haiyan fundraiser.

Happy October

lilacfield — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 23:13:02 GMT

mini_wrimo is accepting new members. Sign-ups will open until October 30. All you have to do is commit to writing at least 100 words a day during November.

Book #41 of imaginarybeasts, Superpowers, is live, with a swell cover by helike. Check out the stories too! /totally not self-promoting

November

lilacfield — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:14:05 GMT

fandomaid is holding an auction for Sandy and my thread is here. I'm offering the usual, but feel free to request something not listed there if you know I can do it.

(I'm posting this in the middle of a NaNo write-in, will get back to writing now)

November is near

lilacfield — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:20:15 GMT

And I still haven't got an idea for NaNo. Haven't even sent a single regional message. (Bad ML, no cookie) Emergency plans include road trip fanfics and a collection of short stories.

Other communities with pledged wordcounts:
wordery: Choose a word goal (daily, weekly, monthly). FAQ.
mini_wrimo is already open for business. A minimum of 100 words per day during November.

Kaleidoscope 2012

lilacfield — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:02:24 GMT

Kaleidoscope 2012, a multimedia fanwork exchange for rare chromatic source fandoms, is starting.

dark_agenda was founded as a place to offer resources in order to increase the representation of international, non-English and non-Western fandoms in multi-fandom fanwork exchanges and festivals, as well as promote the responsible portrayal of characters of colo(u)r.
We seek to provide a space where fans, especially chromatic fans, can and are encouraged to critically produce, consume and discuss fanworks centered around chromatic cultures, characters and people.

You can follow it both on LJ (darkagenda) and DW (dark_agenda).

The basics: On LJ | On DW
Nominations started on August 9: How to nominate for Kaleidoscope and other information about the nominations process.
Promo banners: On LJ | On DW

Hope to see you there!

Quick post

lilacfield — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 03:21:58 GMT

help_mindanao, a fandom charity auction for Typhoon Sendong victims, has gone live. My offer is here.

Because this is a date you'd want to post on

lilacfield — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:43:55 GMT

Rebuttal to an author's post against NaNoWriMo. The bolded paragraphs are great points to remember outside of November.
Free NaNo e-book downloads, because we all need to procrastinate.
Save my writing: keep it interesting and stay engaged. "Too much outlining can kill your interest." I did feel a bit bored with my NaNo story after I outlined everything from beginning to end. Then I remembered that wuxia characters often get poisoned. Nfu.

NaNo is dragging along. I usually don't feel any great compulsion to write too much before the 20th. A deplorable habit. But finally I've found a title for the story.

It's Betty Sun Li from the poster for the upcoming movie Painted Mural, because I obviously get more creative each year. (Not) The title is Kota Prahara (The Tempestuous City).

Obligatory end-of-first-day post

lilacfield — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:25:20 GMT

♠ 1,700 words, plus 550 words for another project. All in all, a decent turnout. This is my username if anyone wants to add me.

♠ As part of the warm-up, I made this icon, which is some sort of an in-joke. (Not that attacking the gods wouldn't advance one's plot nicely)

♠ This is the 888th entry on lilacfield.

Last-minute alternatives

lilacfield — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:29:39 GMT

mini_wrimo is all about a minimum of 100 words per day during November. New members are accepted on October 29 at the latest, and right now it's still the 29th in some parts of the world.
Become a NaNoWriMo rebel, because it's not like you'll lack company.
wrisomifu is a "writing group for underachievers who enjoy the company of same. To join, all you need to do is commit to writing (original fic, fanfic, to do lists, your thesis, your memoirs - anything!) for at least ten minutes each day for the entire month of November. And you are permitted - encouraged even! - to complain bitterly about every single word." It's now open for business. You can find the sign-ups links on the community userinfo.

Not writing-related: update on the LJ security breach, with info on how to delete all your LJ entries.

Too many ideas at once?

lilacfield — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:07:14 GMT

Show-don't-tell practice.
6 ways to reconnect with your work-in-progress. One of my WIPs could do with a complete change of POV (I might've mentioned that), I just haven't got the time or mood right now. End of old song.
9 tools for character development. Props - I notice that, in wuxia, the characters' weapons don't always directly reflect on their personality. Usually the weapons indicate their physical condition, occupation, place of origin, or non-martial skills. There are exceptions, of course.

NaNo: Finished writing the outline, then got the idea for the sequel and was tempted to outline that one, too. This... rarely happens, if ever.
I'm also having fun making character notes in my yWriter file. One of the characters is apparently a bald, tsundere version of Three Kingdoms' Zhang Fei.
(A change of icons on this journal may be imminent)

Perfectionism

lilacfield — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:36:50 GMT

4 reasons I quit writing exercises. Most of the time I want everything I write to be usable in a story and not just experimental sentences, so I understand the POV here. "Procrastination poses under many guises", indeed. On the other hand, I do need to practice my prose.

4 steps for organizing plot ideas into a novel. Will Eve be able to juggle three conflicts at once? She doubts it.

Why there'll never be a perfect time to write. Too true.

And I found this tweet ("just FYI, to get a yes from an agent can take a long, long time. No's come really fast") both encouraging and nervous-making. What if some agents or publishers do take their time before saying no?

Current song actually matches my mood

lilacfield — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:26:05 GMT

1. Why you need to write every day.

It should come as no surprise that habits practiced once a week aren't habits at all. They're obligations. Or maybe, at best, cute little hobbies.

And let's not kid ourselves here. If you're doing something once a week, it's probably only a matter of time before you stop doing it altogether.

How to manage an infodump.

'So, did the Romans use concrete?' A asked.
'They were masters at making concrete,' B said, wondering if A was genuinely interested, or only being polite. Roman concrete was stronger than any concrete used until the end of the C20th because they used special materials from volcanic regions to make the strongest concrete. But would A be interested in all that? Or even some of it? 'They've only recently discovered the formulae the Romans used,' B said, watching A to gauge their reaction.

(Maybe A is writing a novel set in ancient Rome, and bricks are to be the villain's murder weapon of choice)

Making cliches work for you.
What if it’s someone else looking at them as they look into the mirror?
Ghosts in the mirror. My type of story.

2. In today's edition of being mesmerized by shiny NaNothings.

. My user account, please add if interested. Usually my profile pic matches the story (Team 7 pic for Naruto fanfic, etc). This year I decide to use a Saint Seiya icon while planning original fiction, because I'm a shameless fangirl like that. #stunninglyimportantsubject

. The ML badge. I like this year's color composition.

. I've made a general plot outline and currently not satisfied with the ending. At times like this, I trust the actual writing will suggest a better ending.

Until the next stop

lilacfield — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:20:13 GMT

NaNo-related links:
Storyfix is posting daily NaNo tips.
WriMos FTW is a blog focusing on the preparation for NaNo.
nanowrimo has a weekly plotting thread for plot, character deveopment, setting, lack of plot, and anything else.
Editing your MS in 30 days or less - for December onward, obviously.

Writing links in general:
10 types of writers block and how to overcome them.
How to finish what you start. Y halo thar, WIPs. The steps described here are focused and indeed helpful.
8 ideas for getting to know your character.

The many things on my plate

lilacfield — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:45:03 GMT

1. Book #29 of imaginarybeasts, Autumn, is out. Tradition, love, a mixture of both, and more - check it out. Sign-up for Book #30 is open and the theme is Science Fiction.

2. NaNoWriMo 2011
nano_writers is doing a fast start for NaNo by posting daily writing prompts since Monday. Take a look if you're on DW - even if you're not - and in need of ideas to start a novel.
I signed up for dark_agenda's Kaleidoscope and just realized the deadline is in the middle of NaNo. Yay?
Btw, I'm this year's municipal liaison for Indonesia. Be ready to eyeroll.

3. Random links:
5 ways to reduce the use of prepositions. Prepositions are the bane of my writing existence, in any language.
4 ways to start writing.

Of body counts

lilacfield — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:36:14 GMT

The benefits of outlining. While I agree with the them, I might still pants my way through the next story.

How to untangle a plot. "Rapid accumulation of dead bodies" - if anything, I sometimes feel I let too many of my characters live.

7 ways in which writing with a partner can help you.

Reposting: My thread at helpsomalia is here, and the bidding closes on September 24.

No candid shot for me

lilacfield — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:11:01 GMT

On your writer's public persona:
Proudly wearing the author's badge.
How to get yourself out there and stay visible.
Is your authorial photograph effective?
(I stand by my word: no smiling from me)

30-day writing project meme. The account has plenty of writing and fandom memes if you're interested.

Belatedly heard about helpsomalia. The bidding closes on September 24. My thread is ~~still waiting to be unscreened~~ here.

Reiterate

lilacfield — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:59:16 GMT

13 ways not to start a novel.

How superpowers may affect your characters' perspectives and worldviews. I've always wanted to write about kids with superpowers, manga-style. Alas, the desire comes with no definite plot.

What to write when the writing won't come. The most "exotic" thing to ever grace my shopping list is an air freshener.

Why authors should write a series of books, and how to write sequels/a series. As a person who gets bored easily, I don't do sequels or series. I did however manage a trilogy, sometime in my early 20's - a rare case of having quite a lot to say about my own universe.

We love the women fandom loves to hate, a fandom fest.

LJ communities

lilacfield — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:13:29 GMT

The sign-up for Girl Saves Boy ficathon 2011 is open from September 1 to September 9.

smallfandombang is a 10k-word big bang for small fandoms. Sign-up starts on September 1, posting begins April 5, 2012.

bigbang_mixup is a challenge that "mixes up the order of the challenge—first, a fanmix is created. This fanmix tells the story. It will then be claimed by an author who will write a piece of fiction (that tells the story they read the fanmix to have), which an artist will then claim (this is pretty straightforward--the artist creates art based on the story)."

He said, she said

lilacfield — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:30:05 GMT

Links:
How to write the ending of your novel. Usually I have little problem with ending the story. It's the details that I keep tweaking.
The dreaded multiple POV novel. I wrote a fanfic with multiple POVs once. Now I'm not sure if each character speaks with a distinctive voice.
Addicted to becoming a writer. This sounds like me on most days.

Writing:
Made a complete, if brief, outline for a new story. The ending is suspiciously similar to those 1970's kungfu movies I probably watched too much of back then. *headthuds* This doesn't mean I won't be able to come up with a twist at the last minute. /hope springs eternal

This week's offering of links

lilacfield — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:02:07 GMT

5 brainstorming strategies for writers. Days have gone by and I still haven't tried freewriting.

12 essentials for a successful author website. My favorite authors tend to change, so maybe it should be favorite authors of the moment. (And no, no picture of me, thank you. I look terrifying, especially when I smile)

Characters:
How to avoid creating plastic characters. Character sketches, another suggestion I'm yet to take up.
Describing your first person narrator.

Meme edition

lilacfield — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 03:14:14 GMT

Nabbed from LJ at large.

---

If I made Cinderella, the audience would immediately be looking for a body in the coach.
— Alfred Hitchcock

When I write a story, what do readers immediately look for?

---

Which words do you use too much in your writing?
These words and their synonyms: but, simply, apparently, to see.

Which words do you consider overused in stuff you read?
I read different kinds of stuff and so far haven't noticed any overused words. Unless you mean words overused by one writer in general.

What's your favourite piece of writing by you?
One example? Those endless Naruto drabbles about Naruto's opinion on Jiraiya's writing, expressed directly to the scribe himself.

What blog post do you wish you'd written?
How to write consistently and happily.

Regrets, do you have a few? Is there anything you wish you hadn't written?
That weird Vermouth/Gin (Meitantei Conan) R-rated drabble way back when.

How has your writing made a difference? What do you consider your most important piece of writing?
I learn new ways to use words, and discover the joy of communicating through writing. (Do those count as a difference?) My most "important" writing? That's a heavy word, not one I'd use for anything I've written, fiction or otherwise.

Name three favourite words.
Glorious, aslant, crimson.

...And three words you're not so keen on.
...Can't think of any right now. I'm sure I'll remember long after I finish replying to this meme. orz

Do you have a writing mentor, role model or inspiration?
Writers with great worldbuilding skillz and those who manage a gigantic cast of characters well always amaze me. Yes, that includes Tolkien.

What's your writing ambition?
To become a professional writer. That might mean I don't get to write what I like all the time, but the thrill of putting "writer" next to "occupation" would be worth it.

Plug alert! List any work you would like to tell your readers about:
My NaNo 2010 story might have too many mothers in it? The sword-wielding girl, the prince, and the villain all have mothers who make appearances in the story. This is because I'm bored of dead mothers in fiction.

Links

lilacfield — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:53:11 GMT

How to balance writing and social media.
social media won't help sales if you never finish your book.
*feels stabbed*

9 steps to plotting fiction. Or, if your story is a horror story, the antagonist can win after all.

Sub-plots, main plots and digressions. After experiencing the way sub-plots can take over the main plot and make the story drag on forever, I tend to steer away from them. Must learn to write better.

Confessions of a slush reader: what not to do in the opening paragraph.

3 ways social media can help you avoid procrastination.

How to deal with info dumps.

Lighthouses - Saint Seiya The Lost Canvas

lilacfield — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:02:26 GMT

Yuzuriha muses on travel expenses, the price of survival, and bedfellows. Post-series, genfic, possibly AU. Written for femgenficathon 2011. Saint Seiya The Lost Canvas © Teshirogi Shiori, Kurumada Masami, et al.

On waking up, Yuzuriha accidentally dug her elbow into the person next to her, who grunted and rolled away. For a moment she was bemused, then remembered what day it was. "Get up, we're leaving early," she announced. "Shion-sama might have a busy schedule today."

"Hey, time zone difference, remember?" came the muffled reply from underneath the blanket. "It's still dark in Greece. We're a few hours ahead."

She bounced off the bed, making it shake a little and eliciting another protest. "I said early, not right this minute. I just don't like lingering in bed once I'm awake. Even if it's Atla's turn to make breakfast."

Yato sat up, clear-eyed with optimism. "It's his turn? Great. I hope he's making minced mutton, heaps of it."

"Aren't you too old for big appetites?"

He flung the blanket aside with a snort. "I'm twenty-one, so if I'm old, what does that make you? But I'm guessing the answer is no."

"Atla's been experiencing with new recipes lately. Some of the results taste wonderful. If you're lucky this could be one of those days."

"I'll take my chances."

He got off the bed and slipped into the old shirt he arrived in last night. Its color was a curious mixture of copper and gray, its collar sporting a tattered look. Being a Saint of Athena never did come with a large pension check, she mused. A future Kyouko might be able to figure out a solution for that.

"What?" Yato said, returning her stare.

She folded her arms. "Where have you been these past few months? You haven't told me."

A guilty grin broke across his face. "The usual, here and there. Exploring the world, just to see what people do when some contemptuous lord of the underworld isn't painting them into oblivion. Want to come along with me sometime?"

Every two years she and Atla paid a regular visit to Shion in Sanctuary. It was rather like visiting an older relative - which he was, in a way. Yato, being aware of the schedule, would return to Jamir and go with them. Other times he showed up randomly, to vanish again shortly afterward. Often he asked Yuzuriha if he could sleep next to her. She always said yes, understanding the comfort of having another human being close by when almost all of your friends were gone. He never snored, and was offended when she expressed her admiration for the fact.

"Come along with you," she repeated. "I would love to, but I have to stand guard here. Atla and I will also have to start looking for our replacement."

"You Jamir folks live a long life. I'm sure you'll last until the next war comes along and the new Aries is chosen."

An Aries Saint who was not Shion struck Yuzuriha as an alien concept. Yato was right, though: later Shion would have to appoint the next Aries in line. The person might become yet another regular visitor in Jamir, long after Yato or Yuzuriha herself were dead. Somehow this realization troubled her, as if she and Shion had never discussed it before.

Sinking into a large tub of warm water usually soothed her, except on days like this, when a visit to Sanctuary was scant hours away. Not that she disliked having to play the role of a senior, a war survivor that her juniors looked up to. That was a normal part of being a Saint. But these visits were taking their toll on Atla, who grew paler on each return trip to Jamir.

"We could try going by the land route," she had suggested, knowing full well that he would refuse. "And taking turns - you go this year, I go next time."

Atla shook his head. "I'll manage. We might have to visit every three or four years, but I can still carry us there."

Maintaining peace was grueling work, although perhaps Libra Douko in Gorouhou felt otherwise.

The shaft of sunlight coming through the bathroom window had grown brighter. It was time for her to hold up the torch passed on to her, nod at a familiar face and newly made friends. Six years after the war was far too soon for exhaustion to trickle in. If fate was good to her, it might not happen for another thirty or fifty years.

Yuzuriha climbed out of the tub, savoring the sunlight's passing warmth across her back.

Instead of going straight to the breakfast table, she went past the house and the outcrop behind it. The wind teased her now shoulder-length hair, tossing the drying strands away from her temples. Beyond the outcrop lay a row of grave markers, the final resting place of the Jamir guardians. Hakurei's stood at the very front.

Kneeling down, she fingered the scars across the inside of her arm. Hakurei had had more scars, she knew, mementos from comrades-in-arms who died in spite of his lifeblood on their Cloths. When she was young, it had seemed unfair to her that an armor could be resurrected only after a human was willing to make a sacrifice.

Not at all, Hakurei had told her. A Cloth has a soul too, so it is a fair exchange. And guardians like us do more than stand and watch, child. We are here to make sure everything goes well. At any cost.

Had she been reduced to no more than a sentinel of this place, then? Or had she been elevated to something more than a mortal woman? Not that the answer would make any difference. Jamir had claimed her and she was now its mistress. She had her duties, like any other war survivor.

"Yuzuriha?"

She stifled a sigh. Atla mostly left her alone, giving her a large personal space in which she and her thoughts were free to roam around. Yato preferred to keep tabs on both she and Atla, which was neither a surprise nor, if she was to be honest, a big deal.

"Is Atla ready?" she asked, rising to her feet.

"We are. But you've got to eat first."

The sigh dissolved into an open smile. He frowned at her, as if gauging the meaning behind such apparent good cheer, and that made her smile widen even more. "I'll be quick about it," she assured him. "So do we have minced mutton after all?"

---

A/N: In the final manga chapter, Yato says he and Yuzuriha can't go to Sanctuary because he's lost his Cosmo and she her telekinetic power. I'm assuming Atla can still teleport people around, only not as easily as he used to, due to Hades's attack.

Nothing like deadlines to spur you on

lilacfield — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 07:27:25 GMT

Book #28 of imaginarybeasts, Dichotomy, is out. Myths, legends, distant planets, sisters, and swing sets - come check it out. Sign-up for Book #29 is open, and the theme is Autumn.

Links:
10 ways to create a plot twist.
How to encourage a young person to write.
9 reasons not to stop yourself from starting.

(This is the sort of blog that Cracked.com lists among the worst types of blog ever: one that links to other places instead of having a content written by the owner. Hehe.)

Camp NaNoWriMo: This is the last day of July. Can I finish editing the NaNo 2010 story before midnight? I'll find out.

Revising should be fun, at all times

lilacfield — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 23:40:47 GMT

♠ . My characters all read the same? No way! The part about the gestures especially makes me think.
. Via snowynight: Writing advice, fail_fandomanon style.
. The Boy Who Lived Forever, a neat article on fanfiction.
. A wuxia anthology is looking for submissions (in English).

♠ Camp NaNoWriMo: Revised up to page 80 yesterday; might not do any revising today. If this pace keeps up I should have plenty of time left to tend to other WIPs.

♠ imaginarybeasts needs more submissions. If you have art or stories with a fantasy element in them, and have dichotomy as a theme, we'd love to hear from you.