Those who know me, know this. Especially Greek and Roman, I’m learning Norse/old Germanic and some Gaelic tales too. They all facinate me in the art of storytelling. Nothing makes me happier to sit around a group of kids and tell a PGish version (of thats what the parents want) of the tales, and then wait for the lingerers to ask what really happened and explaining why those myths came about. I admit it. I’m a Myth whore. I can’t get enough, especially Greek. I suppose that’s why I have been signing up left and right on Coursera to get into the classes just to learn. Certificate of completion is great and all but I absorb the learning part of it.
Those who have read Rise of a Queen and know a little of the books to come, history and mythology go hand in hand. Lots of research done and so many things to choose from because I dare not chose a tale that everyone knows. What would be the fun in that? It definitely beats researching state run insane asylums ages ago, I will get back to that once again when those nightmares wear off.
How much of mythology, of history, or even of yourself do you put into your work of art, whatever it may be. Writing, painting, music, anything you consider your special talent that you most definitely need to share with the world.
I have put a lot of myself into my characters, I can breath each and every one of them as if their breathe were mine, I can see from their eyes, I can feel from their souls (the ones that have them). It could be why it gets to be difficult when I have to write certain scenes that I want to be perfect and as tasteful as possible yet still fill the element of the story to continue its place. A need for everything, I say. I will let you know I am definitely not Tessa as some seem to think, she is just my character, but I have on occasion become the Queen in my mind. Do you become any character of yours?
Also, have you ever realized how long your writing actually ends up being? Do you dare add to it or cut it? I am quite afraid I will want to cut the 2nd in the series and I scream to do no such thing.
I may have broken some of Ionia’s rules 😉 but its okay, I’m sure she’ll get me back somewhere along the way
J.S. Riddle 
ioniamartin
/ April 11, 2013I am a vengeful spirit lol. I do become my characters. I try not to, but they become such a part of you. I never know how long the book will be. I wrote my first book at 16. 238k words….oh boy. Of course I went back later and tweaked it into 3 books and cleaned it up, but the writing still consumes me…I don’t worry about length until later!
JS Riddle
/ April 11, 2013I tend to not worry about length until the Rise has turned into a series instead of one book. I kept going and going and going.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets engulfed into my work!
ioniamartin
/ April 11, 2013What seems funny to me is that I always know the end of my books before I have any idea of the beginning or the middle.
JS Riddle
/ April 11, 2013That’s been something I’ve done. Heck, I already know the end of my series and have had to reign myself in to focus on the right book. Its tough to have things go in order. Its just not normal to stay in order 🙂
atoasttodragons
/ April 11, 2013I have a rough idea of what length I want the book to be and write towards that, though I don’t get upset if I go over or under. And all my characters are like different facets of my personality. Especially my vampire: Lucian val Drasmyr.
JS Riddle
/ April 11, 2013Any character that you want the reader to loathe so much yet you feel comfortable stepping into that role at least for a short bit? I know I did with my character Liana……I used her when I was gaming for a bit as a big overlord and ran my own clan. lol.
lythya
/ April 12, 2013Interesting post.
A few grammatical errors in your post, maybe you could look it over once more before posting? 🙂 Nothing too crude, though, haha.
I used to “let my stories span” as they needed to. Now I’ve become much better at structuring what I do before I do it. Two years ago I started a story that I didn’t know where was going. I dropped it. Now I’ve structured it and am almost 1/4 through!
JS Riddle
/ April 12, 2013I love how people can go about things in such a different manner. Some people are quite organized, some are not. I fall in between. Notebooks of notes, items pinned to my wall, the notebooks are color coordinated along with their content. Yet I still go with what I’m feeling at that moment. If I’m quite angry I let it flow and become one with my character, which is probably at the end of Rise that the crappers hit the fan.
It will probably a miracle if my grammar is 100% ever correct on my blog since its usually late or basically I just ramble on about like usual life. Another nice thought. Editors for the thoughts or spoken word.
lythya
/ April 12, 2013Perhaps a very efficient (but also hard) approach could be to recognize where the lead is feeling what and then write that scene when the writer is in that mood? Aka. if I’m angry I could write the scene where my character is shouting at somebody. It could probably lead to some strong writing.
I can imagine your way of doing it can sometimes create powerful scenes but also be counterproductive. If you’re angry and writing a love scene 😛
JS Riddle
/ April 12, 2013When I’m angry I tend to have…..brutal things happen. That old saying to never peeve off a writer or they’ll kill off your character is pretty much me. Although I don’t usually write in characters of people I know on purpose so I take it out on people in interesting ways 😀
lythya
/ April 13, 2013They say every time somebody tells George R R Martin to hurry up, he kills a stark xD
JS Riddle
/ April 13, 2013He must really be turning up the heat…..how many starks does he have left? lol
lythya
/ April 14, 2013Well, he keeps reviving them, so he’ll never run out …
JS Riddle
/ April 14, 2013He’s smart like that 🙂 Endless series I’ll be reading until I’m 50!
lythya
/ April 14, 2013Eh, I haven’t read since last christmas XD I’m at book 4