Novels, Novellas, Movellas and Editing

Today marks the second-to-last week of Camp NaNoWriMo, and the first week of school for Pisces and I. (Just to clarify things: We don't go to the same school. However awesome and epic that might be, we don't, unfortunately.)


NaNo and Movellas
Now that that's all out of the way, let's get down to business (to defeat the huns). Pisces has recently been writing a novel titled Seeing Red for Camp NaNo. He'll probably pop in here some time and give you more details on it, so I won't spoil anything. He's also been posting chapters of it up on a relatively new site (well, new to us, at least): Movellas (http://www.movellas.com/). It's a website where writers can post their creative works, whether it be poetry, novels, diaries (although I don't know why someone would want to read a diary), and pretty much any other type of writing you can think of.

If you're just absolutely dying to read his novel, you can check it out here at the linkety-link: http://www.movellas.com/book/read/201208171809204187

I strongly suggest that every person reading this should go there and read what he's posted so far. I have nothing but praise for it. It's an excellent piece of work that really shows off his talent. He refuses to admit it, but Pisces is the best writer I've ever read. I'm not this supportive just because we're best friends (I assume, right?), but I'm incredibly blessed to have such an awesome friend, who happens to be a frikkin' awesome writer.

Pisces: A true author. I've been telling him that 'Seeing Red' is good enough to get published (or at least get an agent for). Again, I bid thee: read his novel at the link above if you haven't already.

I've also been posting some stuff on Movellas. It seems to be a good outlet for what I've written thus far and the users there are really open to reading and commenting on other people's creations. Hey, if you like to write, maybe you should head over there and post something too.

The process of posting something on Movellas is a lot more work that you'd think at first. Once you've written something, you then have to go back and edit it, making sure that there are no mistakes in it and that it can stand up to the entire world critisizing it. Once it's been drafted a few times, then you can post it. And if you have an entire novel consisting of, what- 30/40 chapters- that's a lot of work to get it out there.

The Classroom
Apart from Movellas (and I think I've said enough about it already), I have updates on The Classroom which, if you don't know, is a comedy TV series that Pisces and I have been collaborating on.

The Classroom has been coming along nicely. We have finished two half-hour episodes, and are in the middle of writing a third. However, with school starting up again, novels, and just life in general, the Classroom falls to the back burner and we can't get to it that often. I did, however, sit down and plan out the entire first season so we'll know where to go when we do pick up solid work on it again. We've brought in a lot of new characters, who are absolutely hilarious, and I can't wait to see what they'll come up with in further episodes.

As for my personal work... I haven't made any new videos lately. Reasons for this are: lack of a good camera, lack of actors, lack of ideas... the usual cop-outs that keep us all from doing what we want to do. For now it's looking like I won't be able to start doing any real work on videos until I can get a job and save up enough money for a camera.

I've got a lot of writing projects on the side, including both parts of my novel, various screenplays here and there, and a plethora of ideas that need to be written down. Speaking of which, Pisces jokingly told me over e-mail that for my birthday he was going to send me a box of full-sized spiral notepads... which I'm fine with...


Editing and Writing
Before I clocked out of this playa-place I thought it might be cool to tell you guys what my editing and writing process is when it comes to literary stuffs. So here we go.

For me, editing is a huge part of the "writing" process. I don't really consider copy-editing writing, but if you look at it generally I guess you could call it part of writing. After all, the only way to finish a novel is to write it, so yeah... it's kind of writing. But when I write something, I separate it into two major parts, and four subparts.

First there's the concept and planning, which is huge, huge, huge. Sometimes I will just start writing and see where it leads me, but this is rare. I only do this when I really feel a growth spurt coming on and I need to flush it out. But mostly, I plan like crazy when it comes to writing. I'm a sprint writer, which means I write things very quickly and can't dwell on them for too long.

If I do dwell on something for too long what happens is I lose the sense of understanding for it, not to mention the passion for it. This may seem contradictory to what I just said about planning the heck out of projects. Do let me clarify for you: the planning process is the first step in writing something, and I like to know exactly where I'm going so I can do it quickly. If I keep writing one thing for too long, it all starts to get blurred to me and I don't know what to call it/categorize it. It's kind of like music: when I first hear it, I can nail what genre it is perfectly and clearly. However, when I listen to that album or song for a long time, I'll start to lose the understanding of what genre it is. It's no longer one genre, it's an un-nameable genre.

Still contradictory? Alright. Forget it then.

In the planning process I flush out the bad ideas and lock down the plot, that way I go through as few drafts as possible. Whenever I just start writing and go with it, I end up going through ten drafts to get rid of all the plot holes. And one time I had to completely scrap a screenplay because I didn't pick out the plot hole in the beginning, then I found it 110 pages later and saw that it completely ruined the story.

Next, the second part, is writing. I try to do this as quickly as possible, but a lot of times I'm working on multiple projects, so it gets stretched out over a period of months. If I feel like a project is going too slowly and I want to get it finished, I'll just write blindly (what I call 'ad-lib writing'). It's sloppy, and leaves room for a lot of editing work, but it gets the first draft done, and that's what counts for me.

All along the way I'm looking for more plot holes and character holes. If I can catch those as early as possible it's good. If not, well... more work afterwards.

Finally, when the first draft is done, I take a break and work on something else. Then I come back to it with a fresh mind, so that I can still retain that fresh look on it. Like tasting ice cream for the first time, I want to have the freshest taste of my work that I can. So, I come back to it and start the third overall part of writing a manuscript.

Anyway... the third part is editing. It's not the hardest, despite what people tell you. I think it really depends on the kind of person you are. For me, it falls in just above the writing. If I had to be stuck with one thing to do for the rest of my life, the options being a) writing or b) editing, I would choose editing. Because in editing, you really polish your manuscript to get it ready for publishing. Sure, while you're writing, you can do some editing, and while you're editing, you can do some writing. Go ahead and leave a comment saying you disagree with me. I know you will.

However, that doesn't change the fact that I would rather edit than create. While I love both, I think editing would be a better outlet because I am driven towards the finished product. I love it when I can finally look at something with complete satisfaction. I love looking at something that's perfect and looks nice and spiffy.

Wow... That was a rabbit trail.

Editing. I go through it and rewrite sentences to get them looking neat. I change my word use, rearrange sentences, rewrite paragraphs, and add things that need to be added. I also take things away that need to be taken away. It's really professional stuff.

When I'm editing a script, I mainly look for dialogue to change, because action is easy to write the first time. In a novel, it's more complicated and takes more time and effort. The first round of editing means I focus on big stuff, and again, the plot holes. But once I go through the manuscript a second time and edit it, I take another break.

Finally, the second round of editing comes. This is when I change whatever needs to be changed. The final step of editing means I look for the smallest details and fill in the cracks. This tends to be the easiest. In a script I might even forgo this step if I feel that the first round of editing nailed it.

So there it is. That is a finished product that I can feel proud about.

And I think that wraps it all up, folks. Keep checking back for new posts. Times have been crazy lately but we'll try to stay in touch.

Danjo

The Postman Cometh - Finished Product

Well, it's complete and has been edited and generally jazzed up. Here, ladies and gentlemen, is the first Dead Fish credited video!

May I present, in association with Dead Fish Productions and Wandering Skald Pictures... The Postman Cometh.

I feel the need to add credits.

CAST

BBC Reporter - Professor Pisces

   Sister - Pipistrelle

Alexander McCall - Skald                      

         Mother - Skald's Mother

      Postman - Skald's Father

Written by Skald

Directed by Skald & Professor Pisces

Edited by Skald

Cinematography by Pipistrelle

The Postman Cometh - Filming & Production

Well, this is all very sudden, but Dead Fish now has its first credited production being produced! Good friend Skald has written a script and, with his sister Pipistrelle's (aka Bats) and my help, he's producing it as a short film. Cool.

So, I've been given the part of the BBC News Reporter who has to interview a student about to get his exam results. This student - a certain Alexander McCall, as he is named - doesn't feel great about the exams he sat and is getting very nervous indeed. All the while, the postman gets nearer...

I've made it more dramatic than it is. The film was shot yesterday in around three or four hours, including the break we took to watch the Olympics (Andy Murray gets GOLD!). We shot each scene three times just to be safe, and it works pretty well. Skald got his family to help out. Of course, Skald gets the most screentime whereas I get next to none. As a reporter, I actually remain offscreen for way too much time. But I'm there - the guy with the rugby-style shirt, microphone and wonderfully curly hair.

I'm quite pleased with it, not in the least because any discrepancies and errors in the script cannot be attributed to me. I'm also pleased that I got to get Skald to say that it was 'in association with Dead Fish Productions'. It's the first Dead Fish film to our name. Heheh. Plus, I got to act. I like to act.

I claim half the directing credit - I directed at least half the film, but not the camerawork.

Overall, it has been great fun to film and produce. The movie should appear on YouTube as soon as Skald's finished splicing the shots together. I'd like a look at it before it goes up, but in the end it's his film. I have little say in it. When it's online, it'll appear in a post - mark my words.

Cheers, folks!
   Pisces