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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/2094067-All-fingers-and-thumbs
Rated: 18+ · Book · Writing · #2094067
Challenges and activities
A blog on my personal writing process. Just random thoughts, notes, and other stuff. Don’t know yet what that will be like. Am exploring possibilities and pulse towards an unknown future. Let’s find out! Here are challenges and activities stored.

Manipulated Photo


"Game of Thrones 2017
"The Soundtrack of Your Life 2020
"Resurrection Jukebox 2020
"NaNoWriMo Write-A-Thon 2020/21
"The Fiction Writer's Toolbox 2020
"October Novel Prep Challenge 2021


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October 28, 2021 at 12:26pm
October 28, 2021 at 12:26pm
#1020312


Oct. 30: - CONTEST ROUND: Plot Background Story ▼

Write a story that sets up your plot. EXAMPLE: The Lord of the Rings story revolves around the One Ring, its significance, and how it's destroyed. But how did Frodo get the One Ring in the first place? We learn that in The Hobbit. You obviously can't write a full-scale novel in 15 minutes, but you could write the scene where Bilbo encounters Gollum and stumbles across the ring. That would be a background story that sets up the plot in Lord of the Rings.

*Contest Round entries may be any rating. Follow these instructions ("IMPORTANT: How to compete in a Contest Round" ) by 1200 noon WDC time on Sunday to compete. WDC time is New York City time and can be found at the top of the IM Console. If you miss this deadline or choose not to compete, you must still log the assignment complete (without linking your work) for the grand prize, per the standard Prep guidelines.


Scene: Where did the Book Shanhaijing come from; how did it end up at the auction?
(15 minutes, with an alarm clock.)

A pair of eyes squinted through the living room, a face hidden with a black ninja mask, an agile person maneuvering through the dark mansion.

It was the house of a private collector of beautiful Asian nicknacks, but the figure was only interested in the spacious bookcase at the end. He opened its doors and took out some books when his eyes fell on the small manuscript on the middle of the shelf. Shanhaijing. He whispered its name softly before taking the precious Book into his gloved hands.

This was what he came for; this was his price. When the alarm went off, he already was miles away, driving his car towards the harbor. He had a plan of action to hide the Book.

Arriving near the container ship, he managed to get on board unseen and walked to the space where a few wooden crates were lined up. One of them was still open, the wooden plate to close it standing near the chest. It contained old books, and the thief put his stolen manuscript between the other books with a smile. Nobody would know the difference. Then he nailed the cover on top and looked for the stamp with the address. It was a utility shop in a big city in the United States, Los Angeles. He made a mental note of the address and left as he came. His job was done.

That night at 3 am. the big steamer left on the Yangzi River in China. It would take a few months before it arrived at its destination. Everything was set in place!




October 27, 2021 at 12:42pm
October 27, 2021 at 12:42pm
#1020237


Oct. 29: - Plot: Premise Revision ▼

Now that you have spent a month planning your novel, revise your initial premise. Identify the following:

(1) Setting(s). Where does your story take place?
(2) Protagonist(s). Who is(are) your main character(s)?
(2b) Flaw(s). What is(are) the protagonist's major flaw(s)?
(2c) Goal(s). What does(d) the protagonist(s) want (or want to avoid)?
(3) Conflict(s). What's keeping them from their goal(s)?
(4) Antagonist(s). Who or what is creating the conflict(s)?
(5) Resolution. How does it all turn out in the end?
(6) Theme: What is the theme or moral of the story?
(7) Outline: Update your outline as needed.


(1) Los Angeles, USA; Beijing, China; inside the Book Shanhaijing
(2) Wolf Meyer and Poppy Ryan aka Yuang, the Fish Woman
Too trusty; he wants to understand the mystery and save Los Angeles
(3) The Book Shanhaijing, three monsters, and Poppy.
(4) The four monsters described in the Book Shanhaijing
(5) The monsters are destroyed, the riddle is solved, and Los Angeles is saved.
(6) Never trust a monster; […]
(7) Outline: Bike courier and male escort Wolf meets Poppy, a journalist, at an auction where he purchases an ancient Chinese Book. Mysterious events happen, and they travel to Beijing, China, to investigate with the help of Professor Xiao. 2020-year-old monsters appear from the Book, and by fighting them, Wolf solves a riddle that can save Los Angeles from harm and devastation. Then Poppy and the Book disappear. She played him all along and is one of the monsters herself. She goes for absolute power and the kill. Will Wolf survive and rescue LA?




October 27, 2021 at 12:24pm
October 27, 2021 at 12:24pm
#1020236


Oct. 28: - Character: Protagonist Interview ▼

You are a journalist. The story of your novel is complete. Interview your protagonist and ask the following questions:
(1) How is life for you now, compared to life prior to these events?
(2) How did the events of your story change you?


(1)Wolf Meyer:

"Life is so much better now. I have learned a lot from those adventures. Like that, I can fight off creepy monsters, solve a difficult riddle and save a whole city in the process. I also was very troubled by the betrayal of Poppy. She was definitely not the person I thought she was. She deceived me big time, but I got even with her at the end, which felt very satisfactory. Things are looking good at the romantic front right now, as well. So, I am a happy man!"

(2) "I learned not to be that trusty in the beginning when I meet new people. It is best to look at things from a distance first before jumping into a relationship. Otherwise, you can get burned. But I am more confident now, much more at ease with myself. The Shanhaijing Prophecies have taught me that."




October 27, 2021 at 5:10am
October 27, 2021 at 5:10am
#1020221


Oct. 27: - General: Freestyle Brainstorm, World Building or Research ▼

(1) Spend at least fifteen minutes clarifying things through ""What If"" brainstorming, mind mapping (see resources at the bottom of the calendar), freestyle writing, lists, drawings or research. You may also choose to use this time to finish a previous assignment that needs more time.

(2) Update your characters, definitions and settings lists as needed.


Freestyle writing for 15 minutes, with the alarm clock.

Ch 1 Introduction Wolf’s night job
Ch 2 At the auction
Ch 3 Buying the Book
Ch 4 Meeting Poppy
Ch 5 Relationship progresses
Ch 6 Strange phenomenons occurring
Ch 7 Dog and cat
Ch 8 It’s the Book
Ch 9 Winning the lottery
Ch 10 Going to China
Ch 11 Beijing
Ch 12 The meet with professor Xiao
Ch 13 Translating Shanhaijing
Ch 14 Meeting the monsters
Ch 15 Fighting the monsters
Ch 16 Shanhaijing in action
Ch 17 The riddle
Ch 18 Winning from the monsters
Ch 19 Back in Los Angeles
Ch 20 Danger
Ch 21 Book and Poppy disappear
Ch 22 What to do next?
Ch 23 Fighting the fish woman Poppy
Ch 24 Is there time enough?
Ch 25 Solving the riddle
Ch 26 Shanhaijing in action again
Ch 27 Saving Los Angeles
Ch 28 Welcome back!
Ch 29 New prospects
Ch 30 The End




October 26, 2021 at 9:55am
October 26, 2021 at 9:55am
#1020161


Oct. 26: - Character: Minor Character Profiles ▼

(1) Expand or add profiles for one or more minor characters.
(2) Spend some time updating your character list with new information, images, etc.


One of the minor characters at the beginning of the story is the client Wolf is visiting as an escort.

Mimi Vanderwater, age 69. Backstory "Oct 13 Freestyle Brainstorm

** Image ID #2260799 Unavailable **




October 25, 2021 at 4:13am
October 25, 2021 at 4:13am
#1020069


Oct. 25: - General: Market Definition and Narrative Voice Synopsis ▼

(1) Identify your story type from this list of story types   or define it with your own nomenclature.
(2) Describe your target audience. Identify a demographic profile of your ideal reader (try using your character profile template!) Explain in detail what aspects of your novel will appeal to this particular audience and why. Please read this blog post to understand the importance of marketing, and why targeting ""mass appeal"" or ""all readers"" isn't good enough: "Building Your Brand
(3) Write a synopsis of your novel using the same narrative voice you will use to tell the story.


Mythodological Mystery meets Horror Fantasy.

The target audience is 18+ who love adventures and solving riddles in a scary fantasy atmosphere with a romantic and erotic touch.

Bike courier and male escort Wolf meets Poppy, a journalist, at an auction where he purchases an ancient Chinese Book. Mysterious events happen, and they travel to Beijing, China, to investigate with the help of Professor Xiao. 2020-year-old monsters appear from the Book, and by fighting them, Wolf solves a riddle that can save Los Angeles from harm and devastation. Then Poppy and the Book disappear. She played him all along and is one of the monsters herself. She goes for absolute power and the kill. Will Wolf survive and rescue LA?




October 23, 2021 at 9:06am
October 23, 2021 at 9:06am
#1019966


Oct. 23: - CONTEST ROUND: Setting Description. ▼

Describe a setting in words. Use all five senses and make your reader experience the setting as if he or she were there.

*Contest Round entries may be any rating. Follow these instructions ("IMPORTANT: How to compete in a Contest Round" ) by 1200 noon WDC time on Sunday to compete. WDC time is New York City time and can be found at the top of the IM Console. If you miss this deadline or choose not to compete, you must still log the assignment complete (without linking your work) for the grand prize, per the standard Prep guidelines.


Wolf's house in Los Angeles.

Small apartment second floor, one room with high ceiling and with kitchenette. Light wooden floor. Bike near stairs that go down. Loft bed: double bed with soft linen and cushions in the air/on four black poles. Underneath a black ribbed cushion sofa and a small round wooden table. Next, a clothes rack with shirts and a small white table with two black chairs. On the wall, a jazz poster with a cup of coffee and a piano. Blue petrol dog bed on the floor. A huge bookcase full of books and first editions. One toilet, one small shower room. One window overlooks the street. Streetview balcony with two seats and a small table.

October 22, 2021 at 8:54am
October 22, 2021 at 8:54am
#1019849


Oct. 22: - Setting: Settings List ▼

(1) Create a list of settings in a format easy to edit and expand.
(2) Add brief descriptions, drawings, images or Google Maps coordinates (find the location on Google Maps/Earth and record the URL) for each.

NOTE: You can revise this list at any time, so this revision is not expected to be fully accurate or complete.


Settings LIST:

Los Angeles, USA: https://www.google.nl/maps/place/Los+Angeles,+Californi%C3%AB,+Verenigde+Staten/...!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2c75ddc27da13:0xe22fdf6f254608f4!8m2!3d34.0522342!4d-118.2436849

Beijing, China: https://www.google.nl/maps/place/Peking,+China/@40.2484731,115.3476787,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x35f05296e7142cb9:0xc07795bb38ddcfa7!8m2!3d40.2373519!4d116.2304616

Photos:
Wolf’s house: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=loft&atb=v242-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%...

Poppy's bedroom: https://mydecorative.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/hot-pink-bedroom-color-schem...




October 21, 2021 at 10:04am
October 21, 2021 at 10:04am
#1019773


Oct. 21: - Plot: Outline Revision #3 ▼

(1) Review your plot elements thus far and organize them into your outline.
(2) Fill in any gaps in your outline template and/or flesh out more details.


A fairly ordinary guy is living his life in Los Angeles with a new dog. He is a bike courier by day and a poet, and a male escort by night treating old ladies a good time.

A 2020-year-old Chinese book shows up at an auction. Wolf Meyer buys it cheap because no one recognizes its significance to the world. He meets a girl, beautiful redhead Poppy Ryan. They start an affair. Strange events occur in their lives (the house is suddenly set on fire, pets disappear, the main character experiences mysterious phenomenons like knocking sounds in the middle of the night, pawprints in the bathroom, reflections in mirrors).

Together they investigate China with the help of professor Xiao Tan. They meet monsters in Beijing. The Book predicts a deadline for a significant disaster that hits their city (Los Angeles) and will kill many people. Can they stop the prophecy? The answer is the Book. By defeating the monsters, he gets into another state of mind and reads the Book differently.

The message he now reads in the Book (the riddle) is explained to him, and he knows how to save Los Angeles. Then the Book disappears, and Poppy with it. She played him all along and turned out to be an ancient monster as well. She is out there to control the world.




October 20, 2021 at 5:49am
October 20, 2021 at 5:49am
#1019700


Oct. 20: - Plot: Literary Devices ▼

(1) Brainstorm possible solutions to your conflict and complications using the list of literary devices below or your own ideas.
(2) Identify a mentor or helper who aids the protagonist(s) in achieving their goals.
(3) Identify any other literary devices from the list you could use to enhance your writing.

Literary Devices List
*Bullet* Foreshadowing: Hints of something to come.
*Bullet* Chekhov's Gun: The gun on the wall in Scene 1 is eventually fired.
*Bullet* Repetitive Designation: An object or fact appears over and over.
*Bullet* Symbolism: Small facts, objects, or characterizations represent something bigger.
*Bullet* Self-fulfilling prophecy: Protagonist attempts to thwart prophecy but in attempting, fulfills it.
*Bullet* Poetic Justice: Good guys are rewarded and bad guys are punished.
*Bullet* Plot Twist: Surprises the reader with something unexpected.
*Bullet* False Protagonist: The protagonist dies or turns out to be something other than the protagonist.
*Bullet* Red Herring: A false trail diverts the reader's attention from what really happened.
*Bullet* Unreliable Narrator: The narrator has been misleading the reader all along.
*Bullet* Irony: The exact opposite of what the reader expects happens.
*Bullet* Reveal: A hidden connection between characters or facts is revealed in time.
*Bullet* Plot Device: Advances the plot forward, often pushing the main character past a hurdle.
*Bullet* Object of Power: Either the protagonist wants it, or the object drives the plot of its own accord.
*Bullet* MacGuffin: Something the protagonist wants for unknown and unimportant reasons.
*Bullet* Quibble: Following the letter of the law, contract, or agreement instead of its intent, changing the outcome.
*Bullet* Narrative Hook: Story opening that grab's the reader's attention.
*Bullet* Cliffhanger: Ending a scene, chapter or story in the middle of action, hooking the reader.
*Bullet* Ticking Clock Scenario: The threat of impending doom if the protagonist's objective is not met.
*Bullet* Breaking the Fourth Wall: A character speaks directly to the reader.
*Bullet* Or anything from this list: http://literary-devices.com/


(3) I would add CONFLICT: It is a literary device used for expressing a resistance the protagonist of the story finds in achieving his aims or dreams. The conflict is a discord that can have external aggressors or can even arise from within the self. It can occur when the subject is battling his inner discord, at odds with his surroundings or it may be pitted against others in the story. – The conflict between The Book and the rest; The main characters and the monsters; Wolf and Poppy.

JUXTAPOSITION: Juxtaposition is a literary device wherein the author places a person, concept, place, idea or theme parallel to another. The purpose of juxtaposing two directly or indirectly related entities close together in literature is to highlight the contrast between the two and compare them. This literary device is usually used for etching out a character in detail, creating suspense or lending a rhetorical effect. – The story as it unfoldes and the chapters on the Book Shanhaijing intertwine.

MOTIF: The literary device ‘motif’ is any element, subject, idea or concept that is constantly present through the entire body of literature. Using a motif refers to the repetition of a specific theme dominating the literary work. Motifs are very noticeable and play a significant role in defining the nature of the story, the course of events and the very fabric of the literary piece. – The Book Shanhaijing.

(1)I would want to use these literary devices:
Foreshadowing: Hints of something to come. In the auction: hints of something big happening; the mysterious phenomenons are a hint that things are dangerous
Chekhov's Gun: The gun on the wall in Scene 1 is eventually fired. Wolf’s hangup with dishonesty. At the end he is deceived big time by Poppy.
Repetitive Designation: An object or fact appears over and over. The Book Shanhaijing appears over and over throughout the novel.
Symbolism: Small facts, objects, or characterizations represent something bigger. Don’t know yet, but I am gonna use this one.
Poetic Justice: Good guys are rewarded and bad guys are punished. Am not sure yet if I want my story to end good or bad.
Plot Twist: Surprises the reader with something unexpected. Poppy is an ancient monster from the Book.
Red Herring: A false trail diverts the reader's attention from what really happened. I am gonna use this one, don’t know yet where!
Unreliable Narrator: The narrator has been misleading the reader all along. In the end when Poppy is the antagonist.
Object of Power: Either the protagonist wants it, or the object drives the plot of its own accord. Both, this is the Book Shanhaijing.
Narrative Hook: Story opening that grab's the reader's attention. Wolf’s night job as a male escort.
Cliffhanger: Ending a scene, chapter or story in the middle of action, hooking the reader. Hopefully every chapter.
Ticking Clock Scenario: The threat of impending doom if the protagonist's objective is not met. Will Los Angeles be saved in time?

(2) In China I introduce Professor Xiao Tan of the Beijing University who is going to help Wolf and Poppy with the Book and fighting off those ancient monsters.




October 19, 2021 at 6:20am
October 19, 2021 at 6:20am
#1019649


Oct. 19: - Plot: Complications ▼

Complications. Identify additional things that could go wrong for your protagonist. You are not required to resolve any problems yet, just create them. Remember: The more hardships your main character faces, the more readers will cheer them on, and the more engaged and invested the reader will be in your story. Brainstorm a list of problems you could throw at your protagonist(s) throughout the story, using ""What If,"" mind mapping (see the resources at the bottom of the calendar), freestyle writing, or any other form of brainstorming you prefer. Hint: Other characters are a great source of realistic strife, since characters often are driven by conflicting motivations.

*** NEED DISASTERS? See the Plot Twists generator at the bottom of the calendar. *Down*


What if

*Button* Wolf didn’t win the lottery, how would he get to China?
*Button* Wolf lost the Book after he bought it in the auction?
*Button* Poppy revealed her true identity early on in the relationship?
*Button* Professor Xiao Tan was not legit but one of the ancient monsters?
*Button* They fought and lost from the monsters?
*Button* They were not able to solve the riddle?
*Button* They were not able to save Los Angeles?




October 17, 2021 at 12:42pm
October 17, 2021 at 12:42pm
#1019528


Oct. 18: - Setting: Cultural Setting ▼

Describe the cultural, political and/or religious setting in your novel, regardless of whether the cultural setting is fictional, historical, or modern.
(1) What do your societies believe?
(2) In what practices do they engage?
(3) What laws or rules of society are in place?
(4) Who/what enforces the laws and rules and how successful are they?
(5) What technologies are in use?
(6) How does the setting impact your protagonist(s) in their pre-story lives?
(7) How does the setting impact the plot of your story?


There are two worlds in my story. The modern world of today and the ancient Chinese world of more than 2000 years ago. (Hsia Dynasty)

The world picture of the Book: The sky is a round canopy composed of nine layers that cover a square earth. The two elements of light sky and heavy Earth are separated by world mountains that prop up the sky. The four corners of the Earth serve as directional markers; the center of the Earth serves as a fifth directional marker. Surrounding this earthly square is a linear stretch of water, named the north, south, east, and west seas. Surrounding the four seas is a different linear area known as the wilderness, named after the four compass points. These wildernesses are conceived of as being at the end of the Earth's flat poles, the north pole, south pole, east pole, and west pole.

In the first five books, one calls attention to the objects and creatures in nature that appear to be curious, weird, or paranormal

I want to take the actual Book Shanhaijing and mix it with fiction. The setting of the Book has a significant influence on the plot, and I am not sure yet how this will turn out.

The second main character, Poppy, turns out to be a mythical creature from the Book.

Used here: Penguin Classics. The Classic of Mountains and Seas by Anne Birrell(1999)




October 15, 2021 at 10:12am
October 15, 2021 at 10:12am
#1019383


Oct. 16: - CONTEST ROUND: Antagonist Background Story ▼

Write a story about your antagonist that takes place outside of your novel. The object of the contest is to make your judges understand and empathize with the antagonist's motivations.

If your antagonist is a situation rather than a person, write a background story about that. The Tom Hanks movie ""Cast Away"" famously features only one character (unless you count Wilson), and his antagonist is loneliness. Could you personify loneliness? Why does loneliness exist? What motivates it? How would a lack of loneliness affect survival of the human race? How did it drive main character Nolan to survive for years alone on a deserted island? Loneliness has a job to do. Make us believe it's a valid one.

*Contest Round entries may be any rating. Follow these instructions ("IMPORTANT: How to compete in a Contest Round" ) by 1200 noon WDC time on Sunday to compete. WDC time is New York City time and can be found at the top of the IM Console. If you miss this deadline or choose not to compete, you must still log the assignment complete (without linking your work) for the grand prize, per the standard Prep guidelines.


More than twenty thousand years ago, in the South of the mysterious country China lived a creature named Yuang, the fish woman. She had a woman's head but the body of a fish.

She was the offspring of a deity but was cast away because she couldn't handle her desires. When she was twenty-one, she had slept with more than a hundred different men, casting spells on them or eating their intestines. She really was into power. Through the years, she managed to take a human form, live in the world of people, or sleep for hundreds of years unnoticed in the woodlands of the provinces.

When the Book of Shanhaijing is on the shelves of an obscure auction in Los Angeles in the present time, she sees it fit to create a new human persona named Poppy Ryan, a beautiful female journalist. At the auction, she will be there for one purpose only, to obtain the Book and have access to all its mysteries.

Poppy looked over her shoulder. She had to act fast, rent an apartment, and set up a fake identity complete with everything available in real life, including papers, backstory, furniture, and cat. She decided to be a freelance journalist working from home. That way, her identity would be more convincing. Managing to work for a couple of months in a media agency like a newspaper or a tabloid was out of the question, no time. The auction was in a few days.

"Can I help you, dear?" The man at the counter of the animal shelter looked at the pretty redhead and smiled.

"Yes, you can." She smiled back her most reassuring smile and put her hands on the top counter, her red painted fingernails shining under the light of the lamp.

The man, a fiftyish something volunteer, was mesmerized by the woman's green eyes in front of him. "Are you interested in a dog or a cat?"

"A cat, please, a kitten, to be exact. I'll like them young." She licked her lips at the thought of savoring a kitten when her mission was all over.

"Ah," the man laughed out loud. "Then you wouldn't be interested in me, now would you?"

"That remains to be seen, but for the moment, I am here for a kitten. Do you have them available?"

He got his composure back, took out a book, and passed it on to Poppy. "Here you are, dear. Look at it, and we'll see which one you like. Take all the time that you need. "

Within half an hour, Poppy left with a black kitten named Yuang, accompanied by Bert, the volunteer.

She took him to her apartment a few blocks away. He was on his dinner break, and besides himself that he had hooked up with such a pretty thing. He never saw it coming.

Inside they eagerly tore down their clothes and headed to the bedroom in the sparsely
furnished house.

"Are you just moved in?" He asked to make conversation. Women liked that, he thought.

"Shut up," she moaned, undressing. "I am in charge now. You do what I like."

"You're my dominatrix, ma'am," he stuttered, surprised by the change in her behavior. But he loved what he saw, and he would do or say anything to please this wonderful girl.

"Go down on me and eat my pussy!"

In the corner of the bedroom, the kitten Yuang was looking frightened. With big eyes, she watched the motions of the two humans in front of her.

After he was done and she came with a grunt, she slid his head with a knife. Her dinner had finally arrived.

Within an hour, there was nothing much left of the volunteer except for his clothes.

She could donate those to the Salvation Army, she thought. A good deed indeed.

** Image ID #2259870 Unavailable **

** Image ID #2259792 Unavailable **

October 14, 2021 at 5:52am
October 14, 2021 at 5:52am
#1019313


Oct. 11: - Setting: Definitions List ▼

(1) Create a list of definitions (see below) in a format easy to edit and expand.
(2) Optional: Brainstorm and describe an object critical to the plot. Add to definitions list.

In your definitions list, you'll flesh out details that you'll want to remember later for consistency. You won't have to dig through pages of scribbled notes to find whatever you decided about these definitions - they will all be compiled into a neat list / binder / database / note cards / whatever your favorite form of organization happens to be.

Example definitions for the Harry Potter series:
*Bullet* rules of magic
*Bullet* the Ministry of Magic
*Bullet* modes of transportation (apparition, Floo network, portkeys, flying, etc.)
*Bullet* the four Houses at Hogwarts
*Bullet* the sword of Gryffindor (note: this would also make a good plot background story)

Non-speculative examples requiring definitions:
*Bullet* a fictional student organization to which your protagonist belongs
*Bullet* the fictional company or division of the FBI for whom your protagonist works
*Bullet* the disease afflicting your protagonist, which is a real condition you need to research
*Bullet* the antique artifact your protagonist intends to heist

NOTE: You can revise this list at any time, so this revision is not expected to be fully accurate or complete


Definition List for research:

*Bullet* Los Angeles (p. 879-903;880-1,884, 9,1036-7 of Lonely Planet USA)
*Bullet* Wolf’s night job as a male escort (what, how, where, with whom)
*Bullet* The world of auctions
*Bullet* The Book Shanhaijing (and the Penguin Classic The Classic of Mountains and Seas)
*Bullet* The three ancient Chinese monsters
*Bullet* China and Beijing (Lonely Planet China, p.16,50-112,52-3,56,83. 746,748.)
*Bullet* The riddle




October 13, 2021 at 10:47am
October 13, 2021 at 10:47am
#1019255


Oct. 15: - Character: Antagonist Profile ▼

Draft a profile of the antagonist(s) you identified in the ""Premise"" assignment. If your antagonist is a situation rather than a person, choose another minor (but significant) character to profile.

Further clarification:
*Bullet* "Romance/Love Newsletter (October 12, 2011)
*Bullet* "ANTAGONIST (Re: A LOT of confusing things)"  


My antagonists are the ancient Chinese monsters (Mai-Mai, the headless hunk, Nu-kua-shih, the lady snake, Pin-Pin-Hut, the dragon, all 2020-year-old monsters appearing from the Book Shanhaijing.
But at the end of the novel, the main antagonist turns out to be Poppy Ryan, the second main character and girlfriend of Wolf Meyer, the main character. She turns out to be the fourth monster in the Book, and she has taken a human form in the redhead Poppy, the journalist.

Name: Poppy Ryan
Age: 32 years old, but in reality 2020 years old
Physical attributes: redhead, green eyes, very attractive; in reality Fish woman Yuang
Occupation: journalist
Education: University
Culture: American, caucasian
Religion: agnostic
Family: parents and one little brother Joe
Relationship status: single but becoming girlfriend of Wolf
Friends: Wolf, Xiao
Pets: a cat who she named Yuang (her own name)
Personality: lively, bubbly
Likes: men, gin, her job
Dislikes: the truth
Strengths: persuasive
Weakness: very convincing in lying and hiding the truth
Motivations: the Book Shanhaijing
Desires: to obtain the book Shanhaijing



** Image ID #2259792 Unavailable **

** Image ID #2259870 Unavailable **
October 12, 2021 at 7:19am
October 12, 2021 at 7:19am
#1019178


Oct. 14: - Plot: Outline Revision #2 ▼

(1) Review your plot elements thus far and organize them into your outline.
(2) Add a chronological timeline to your revised outline, using whatever measure of time is appropriate in your story. Determine when plot events happen in time (which is not necessarily when you will reveal them in your novel.) See this example composed by JK Rowling while outlining one of her famous Harry Potter novels.
(3) Optional: Brainstorm the best chronology(ies) for your story and work it(them) into your outline.

Chronology Strategies
*Bullet* Linear Narrative - the story is told in the order the events occurred.
*Bullet* Non-Linear Narrative - the story is told out of order.
*Bullet* Reverse Chronology - the story is told backwards.
*Bullet* In medias res - the story starts in the middle, goes back to explain how it got there, catches up, and then resolves.
*Bullet* Flashback/forward - individual scene(s) that take place prior to or after the current action.

Note that the difference between these chronological devices can be minute. Read the examples below to see how most stories use more than one style of chronology. Your job is to plan the order in which you will tell your story to the reader. Don't get hung up in the nomenclature.

EXAMPLES:
Lord of the Rings is mostly linear. The events of the story are revealed to the reader as they unfold for the characters. Some flashbacks occur, such as when Gandalf tells the Fellowship how he defeated the balrog and what happened when he visited Saruman.

The hit TV drama ""How to Get Away with Murder"" begins in medias res, with a group of law school students burying a body. The rest of the story is generally non-linear because it routinely moves back and forth in time. The screen will display ""3 months ago"" on a series of scenes, and then flash back forward to the body-burying scene again, then move back in time to ""2 months ago,"" using flashbacks to build the story for the viewer. Also, some scenes are repeated multiple times as flashbacks, often as visual-only scenes replaying while a character is explaining something to other characters or building a defense in the courtroom, but through careful camera angles or a few additional seconds of footage, the scene reveals more about the mystery than was obvious the first time the viewer saw that same scene. In this way, the show plants red herrings to fool the viewer and later prove their assumptions wrong.

The hit TV drama ""The Walking Dead"" is famous for beginning episodes in medias res and then going back in time to explain how the characters got there. On an academic level, these opening scenes could also be construed as flash forwards because, much of the time, the scene at the beginning of each episode is not actually the climax, or the action in the middle of the story, but rather, it shows where the characters end up at the very end of the episode. In medias res is technically the middle, not the end.

One episode of ""The X-Files"" featured a character who woke up each morning to find that it was one day earlier than the previous day. On the ""first"" (last, for the character) day, he was on trial for murdering his wife. On the ""second"" (previous) day, he was meeting his attorney. The plot continued to move backwards in time until it reached the day of the murder, at which point, the protagonist had enough information to prevent the murder from occurring at all. This is an example of reverse chronology, a rare but effective tool for revealing mysteries.


I want my story to be told in a linear chronology with the story of Wolf and non-linear with the story of the ancient Chinese Book Shanhaijing. So, the story set in the present time will be intertwined with chapters of the Book itself, descending 2020 years in time.

Outline
A fairly ordinary guy is living his life in Los Angeles with a new dog. He is a bike courier by day and a poet, and a male escort by night. [2 days]

A 2020-year-old Chinese book shows up at an auction. Wolf Meyer buys it cheap because no one recognizes its significance to the world. [1 day] He meets a girl, Poppy Ryan. They start an affair.[2 days] Strange events occur in their lives (the house is suddenly set on fire, pets disappear, the main character experiences mysterious phenomenons like knocking sounds in the middle of the night, pawprints in the bathroom, reflections in mirrors). [2 weeks]

Together they investigate China with the help of professor Xiao Tan.[1 week] They meet monsters.[1 week] The Book predicts a deadline for a significant disaster that hits their city (Los Angeles) and will kill many people. Can they stop the prophecy? [1 day]The answer is the Book.[1 week] By defeating the monsters, he gets into another state of mind and reads the Book differently. [1 week]

The message he now reads in the Book (the riddle) is explained to him, and he knows how to save Los Angeles. [1 day]Then the Book disappears, and Poppy with it.[1 day] She played him all along and turned out to be an ancient monster as well. [1 day]

Chronology: 8 weeks and two days, so approximately 2 months.



October 11, 2021 at 12:56pm
October 11, 2021 at 12:56pm
#1019126


Oct. 13: - General: Freestyle Brainstorm, World Building or Research ▼

Spend at least fifteen minutes clarifying things through ""What If"" brainstorming, mind mapping (see resources at the bottom of the calendar), freestyle writing, lists, drawings, or research as follows:
World-Building: For fantasy, science fiction, or other speculative fiction, develop the history, geology, ecology, and/or maps for your world.
Research: For reality-based fiction, research aspects of your novel that will lend credibility to your writing.

You may also choose to use this time to finish a previous assignment that needs more time.


Freewriting for 20 minutes. I set the alarm.

"Are you comfortable," he whispered as he stroked her greyish hair with tender caresses.

She smiled a timid smile, her wrinkled, 69-year-old face hidden in his armpit. "I think so. I have never done this before, you know, you must be gentle with me."

"How did you decide to make use of the agency?" Wolf tried to reassure her, make her at ease and relax more.

She laughed out loud. "That is a funny story, "she changed position in the bed and looked at him, liking what she saw.

"My best friend Camilla had been in a good mood for weeks. I asked her why, but she wouldn't tell me. Then one day, she confided in me. She and her husband had decided it was time for her to enjoy herself without him. Him being so sick for a long time. She was a healthy 70 year old you know, beautiful, full of life. He had leukemia, and she was constantly caring for him. It drained her; she was a bit burned out. So, they searched the Internet, and they found your agency. G-E-N-T-L-E-M-E-N-callers 0500-something. She was a little apprehensive at first, as I was obviously. But she chooses Barry, a very nice young man. On the first date, they just talked, but on the second, it was a hit. She told me. He made her love; he made her scream with joy. It didn't take much to satisfy an old lady, and she enjoyed his company so much, they have been together once a week for a month now. Her husband Dave is okay with it. He likes his wife happy."

He listened to her with an attentive gleam in his eye—same old story. Los Angeles was full of them. That's what he loved about his night job. It was very satisfying to be kind to older ladies. They deserved the attention, and they were always very grateful, and they were all beautiful in their own right.

Slowly he kissed her bare brown nipple. She shivered but did not attempt to push him away, and she was ready to receive the complete treatment of his work description. He took her breasts in his warm hands and massaged them slowly.

She groaned and inhaled deeply. "Will you be tender? Will you be kind?"

"I promise, "Wolf smiled softly and went down to work. They only had two-and-a-half hours left; he wanted to ensure she would be satisfied and smile for several days because of the memories.

He showed her how to feel like a wanted woman. He showed her that she still mattered; he showed her he cared.

After two-and-a-half hours of pleasantries, she poured him a glass of red wine.

"Let's talk for a few minutes. You are looking at a delighted woman. How much do I owe you again?"

"That'll be 500 dollars for three hours," he sipped his wine and looked around. She had a beautiful house in the suburbs, and she could afford his fee. He would love to add her to the list of regulars. It's been nothing more than a fulfilling evening, and he had enjoyed it as much as she had.

They parted like old friends.




October 10, 2021 at 6:40am
October 10, 2021 at 6:40am
#1019050


Oct. 12: - General: Theme ▼

(1) Theme. What is the theme (see below) or moral of the story?
(2) Resolution. Brainstorm ways you could resolve the conflict(s) within the confines of the theme. You are not required to identify a chosen resolution from your list of possibilities yet, so really think outside the box! Anything goes.

NOTE: This list of universal themes   might give you some ideas, but don't let it box you in. Feel free to add your own.


I think I can identify two universal themes in my novel (from the list): Quest for knowledge AND survival.

Quest for knowledge in understanding and researching by the three of the ancient Chinese Book Shanhaijing. I want to explore the possibility of intertwining two plots into one story. The quest of Wolf, Poppy, and Xiao AND the story of Shanhaijing, The Book of Mountains and Seas revealed. An extraordinary encyclopedia containing strange and terrifying creatures that the Ancient Chinese believed existed on Earth.

Survival in Wolf's fight on life and death with those three monsters from the Book to save Los Angeles from grave danger.

They coincide with EXPLORATION and CONFLICT.

Brainstorming resolutions to resolve the conflicts within the themes.

- EXPLORATION (Quest for Knowledge):

Resolution 1: the Book disappears from Wolf's apartment aka is lost in the fire
Resolution 2: Wolf and Poppy go to Beijing and meet with Professor Xiao, an expert on ancient Chinese Books. They explore the findings of the Book, and they solve the riddle placed in the Book.
Resolution 3: The Book denies access, and they have to give in to defeat.

-CONFLICT (Survival):

Resolution 1: The monsters win; the three lose their lives. Los Angeles is doomed.
Resolution 2: They win the battle with the monsters and save Los Angeles.
Resolution 3: They are defeated by the monsters and the Book, ending up in an asylum.

October 8, 2021 at 5:17am
October 8, 2021 at 5:17am
#1018925


Oct. 08: - Character: Dramatis Personae ▼

(1) Identify allies and enemies encountered along the journey and describe how they help or hinder your protagonist(s).
(2) Create a list of characters in a format easy to edit and expand.
(3) Write a brief profile on each character new character.
*Bullet* Name
*Bullet* Age
*Bullet* Occupation
*Bullet* Relation to the main character(s)
*Bullet* Rough physical description or image (try a Google Image Search   or comparable)

NOTE: You can revise this list at any time, so this revision is not expected to be fully accurate or complete.


3 mythical creatures (the lady snake, the headless hunk, the dragon), Professor Xiao Tan, Poppy Ryan, and Brigadier, the dog.

Brigadier, the 4-year old dachshund, is living with Wolf for over a year now. Is showing them the way in Beijing. ** Image ID #2259847 Unavailable **

Poppy Ryan, the second character, 32 years old, journalist, helps Wolf with the search, they fall in love but in the end, she turns out to be an adversary ** Image ID #2259792 Unavailable ** and Monster 4, the Fish Woman Yuang ** Image ID #2259870 Unavailable **

Xiao Tan, the third character, 40 years old professor, helps Wolf and Poppy in Beijing, ** Image ID #2259793 Unavailable **

Mai-Mai, the headless hunk, 2020-year old monster 1, appears and fights Wolf, Poppy, and Xiao, Adversary in novel The Shanhaijing Prophecy

Nu-Kua-Shih, the lady snake, 2020-year-old monster 2, appears and fights Wolf, Poppy, and Xiao, ** Image ID #2259795 Unavailable **

Pin-Pin-Hut, the dragon, 2020-year-old monster 3, appears and fights Wolf, Poppy, and Xiao, ** Image ID #2259796 Unavailable **

October 7, 2021 at 1:34pm
October 7, 2021 at 1:34pm
#1018886


Oct. 07: - Plot: Outline Revision #1 ▼

(1) Select a desired outlining strategy from the list below.
(2) Review your plot elements thus far and organize them into your outline.
(3) Flesh out your outline by adding more details.

Outlining Strategies

*Bullet* "Outlining Your Novel: Traditional Outlining format with bullet points, numbers/letters, or chapters.
*Bullet* Index cards (paper or electronic) which can be easily shuffled to change scene order later.
*Bullet* The Snowflake Method.  
*Bullet* Use one of the following story models as a fill-in-the-blank outline template:
*Bullet* The Five-Point   Story Structure.
*Bullet* The Eight-Point   Story Structure.
*Bullet* The Hero’s Journey   Story Structure.
*Bullet* *Cat2*"*Cat2*Save the Cat Beat Sheet (Outlining Method)"  
*Bullet* Any other appropriate model.


Using the Five Point Story Structure with Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution.
Exposition: Setting the scene
Rising action: Building the tension.
Climax: The exciting bit.
Falling action: Tidying up loose ends.
Resolution: Ending the story.

(EX)A fairly ordinary guy is living his life in Los Angeles with a new dog. He is a bike courier by day and a poet by night. Or is he a male escort?

(RA)A 2020-year-old Chinese book shows up at an auction. Wolf Meyer (35) buys it cheap because no one recognizes its significance to the world. He meets a girl there, Poppy Ryan (32). They fall for each other. Strange events occur in their lives (the house is suddenly set on fire, pets disappear, the main character experiences occult phenomenons like knocking sounds in the middle of the night, pawprints in the bathroom, reflections in mirrors). The cause of all this is the Book.

(CL)Together they investigate China with the help of professor Xiao Tan. They meet monsters that are described in the Book. The Book predicts a deadline for a major disaster that hits their city (Los Angeles) and will kill many people. Can they stop the prophecy? The answer is the Book. By defeating the 3 monsters, Wolf gets into another state of mind and reads the Book differently.

(RE)The message he now reads in the Book (the riddle) is explained to him, and he knows how to save Los Angeles. Then the Book disappears, and Poppy with it. She has played him all along. Turns out she is Monster 4, the fish woman Yuang!





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