Welcome to my Writing Journal

major long update

2007-08-05T12:54:47Z

I know I said that I would do an update last Sunday but I discovered problems with my community: hp_wintersmut. All the problems are highlighted at the community but basically one person wasn’t happy with their assignment claiming that they were hopeless with femmeslash and yet they never mentioned in their request- all they said they could only do Hermione/character pairings so that could mean Hermione/anyone to me. Anyway I spent the weekend sorting out that problem which meant reassigning people and even then there were more problems when some deleted their requests without letting me know (I only found out when the assignment writers/artists checked their giftee’s links to find them deleted). Luckily, those writers/artists had similar requests and could writer/draw for their giftee’s giftee. Then someone emailed me they were pulling out but I was able to assign their writer/artists to their giftee.

My folks went on holiday last Sunday so I was going to spend all week writing but the stress of the hp_wintersmut situation drained me out. I was able to finish Chapter 6 though but I’m not happy with that. I had problems because I was not at the point of getting the character in the new world so what can happen now. I looked at my old plot and was able to change it around a little. I tried starting Chapter 7 for a few days but ended up with false starts. I finally got a start yesterday afternoon and want to get it finished today. I’m really sad because I wanted to get a few chapters done this week.

As well as the advice of terrificwriter, I got some advice two weeks ago about what adventures the main character can have. I decided that this story could be how the main characters copes with what happens to her. I know a sequel is at hand and that can be more adventurous (I did have an idea for the sequel but it sounds like a bit too much like “Blood and Chocolate”- the NOVEL. I’ve heard what the film is like and I will NEVER watch it! The part I’m on about is I want to injure the Alpha Male in the first book and he ends up stepping down in the second book along with the Alpha Female and there is a battle for two to take their place. However that idea was used in B and C so I don’t know.)

Someone at fantasywriters asked me about what is the issue with werewolves giving birth. I’ve decided that if the babies were conceived during mating between two human babies, it could be twins or one baby. If the two werewolves are in werewolf form at the time of conception, the pups could be numerous. I found out that wolf litters could range from 1-16 babies. I know baby wolves are called cubs but I’ll write it so that most people prefer calling them “pups”. It could also cause more friction between the daughter of the Alpha Female as well as the children from the main family. Mainly she’s jealous because she has no identical brothers and sisters and has only one older brother who is also married to one of the children from the main family. Because of this idea of wolf litters, I’ve changed the main family. It was meant to be three children brown about 18 months apart but I’ve added one more character and make them quads. Plus each child has a fate in from of them although only two fates will be revealed at the end of the story. The other two will be revealed in the sequel that is, if I write a scene I want to write.

I’ve got two editors: Ivan (the_terrible) and Matt. Now Ivan is 3,000 miles away and Matt lives closer to me (in Carlisle) so at the moment, he is the one who has been a big help (although advice of Ivan will always be taken seriously). He rang me twice this week and he reminded me of two things:

1) Not to worry that this first draft will be “crap” (I call it crap but then again I have low confidence about myself and my abilities). He is reading it through for me, seeing what could use more detail and to basically sort out my grammar and sentence construction (my two main weaknesses which I found out whilst I was fan fic writing) as well as to sort out plot holes.

2) I don’t have much confidence in terms of the number of pages per chapter. Matt reassured me that one chapter can be three pages long and the next could be over ten pages long. It depends on what’s going on in the chapter, I guess. All I’ve got to tell myself that not all chapters have to be the same length and I’m sure I’ll be okay.

3) He reckons this story could be publisher-worthy. I’m not too sure because since JK Rowling started, everyone has as well, especially since places like Lulu.com make it so easy to self-publish. I mean, when Rowling was writing the first Harry Potter book, she was on benefits and barely had enough to eat. Now, as the seventh book is becoming fierce in debate (especially on shipping communities), she has become a multi-millionaire and will never have to worry about the gas bill again. It seems that it can happen to anyone- that they can go from people who are jobless/in dead-end jobs and can rise up to the millionaire status. So everyone’s trying it and this might affect my “success”. Matt still suggests I should try other publishers first and if I get no offers, then go onto self-publishing. When it comes to this story, I wouldn’t mind making a bit of cash of it but to me, it’s about the writing. If you see my fan fiction, you know I can’t get enough of writing and what would make me happy is that, if I do make a bit of cash, I want to make enough to pay off my two bank overdrafts from my student days.

I want to use the term “The Amaris Pack” and I had an idea to why it was called that (I write Amaris as a real person from the past) but after glancing through the channels the other night, I came across “The Da Vinci Code” on Sky Premier and it was the scene in which Leigh Teabing (played wonderfully by Ian McKellen- by far the best performance in the film, other than Paul Bettany as Silas) talks about Mary Magdalene being married to Jesus and giving birth to Jesus’ heir. I had an idea that the Amaris Pack could be the direct birth descendants of Amaris, the English female werewolf who helped to bring the Rogues together to become more civilised packs and who was killed by bounty hunters. However, I’m, not to sure whether to go with that though.

Anyway, I better go and get some writing done.

Blessed Be!

Helen
xxxxx

weekly update

2007-07-22T19:11:32Z

Hello all you happy people,

I’ve decided to do a weekly update on this story progress. The latest thing I’ve done is sorted out all the icons as well as the background for the journal. Check it out:

amaris_society

I’ve finished Chapter 4 and about halfway through Chapter 5. I was able to think of a detailed plot which meant changing the timeline a little. Since writing the original plot, I’ve decided to leave two revelations from two supporting characters and put them in the sequel (yes I will be writing a sequel!)

I was concerned with the immortality of werewolves but thanks to my mate over LJ, terrificwriter, I have come up with something that is story worthy and comes into my original plans of the plot.

That’s really it for now. Next update= 29th July 2007

Blessed Be!

Helen
xxxxx

update :-)

2007-07-15T16:31:48Z

Blimey! Has it been so long since I updated this journal? Well, considering I have only made progress on the novel in the last week, that’s no surprise. I did work on several LJ fic fests and now I’ve finished my hp_summersmut fic, I have taken a break from fan fic writing and going to finally try this. I’ve also had six ideas in my head on what to write as a novel and after much deliberation, decided to stay with this one.

At the moment, I’m half way through Chapter 4 and hopefully get that finished before bedtime. Altogether, my novel is over 7,000 words. I know it’s not much for 3 and half chapters but this is the first draft. I’m sending each chapter as they are to my lovely editor, Ivan (the_terrible) who will give me advice on details and on what to change (especially with dialogue). I just want to get it done on paper and then go back and do other drafts to make it perfect. I do not intend to steal ideas from him but rather get influences.

I am sorted until about Chapter 6 in which the main character is taken to the Amaris Clan (originally called Amaris Society but “Clan” sounds more werewolfish, in my opinion). Now all I need is a damn plot. I’ve got the lass there- now what next? My plan is to let the rest of the story to last at least a month with the main climax happening at Lupercalia but I need to know what the climax is. I want to make it that Rogue werewolves or bounty hunters have attacked the small town and/or kidnapped the baby werewolves (Lupercalia is a main festival in their culture) but I don’t know whether that would work properly.

Anyway, must dash.

Blessed Be!

Helen
xxxxx

Latest update

2007-01-12T14:38:55Z

I have written Chapter 1. I was going to write the first draft and then type it up later but my mates Joshua and Matt wanted to read it- apparently they were intrigued so I typed up Chapter 1 adding a bit more detail along the way. To be honest, I am not happy with it. It just sounds so boring. I’ll wait for feedback from my mates before getting worried.

In the meantime, I have got to finish my assignment for the LJ community: hp_springsmut. Nearly finished it anyway.

I’ve found some Live Journal communities which show fantasy artists so I am going to spread the word that I am looking for an artist who wants to draw my cover. That is the problem with self-publishing: you have to create your own cover and I cant draw to save my life. This, when push comes to shove, self-publishing is still the better option and I wouldn’t have created this journal if it wasn’t for Lulu.com. They said having a blog would help me promote the book and interact with my chosen audience. I didn’t want to use the standard Lulu blog though so I came here as I am comfortable with the Live Journal format :-)

I have added a werewolf background to both my Live and Greatest Journal.

Now got to go.

Helen
xxxxx

My first post

2007-01-12T14:10:23Z

Hiya

My name is Helen and this is my journal in which I will be writing updates on my latest writing project which is called "The Aramis Society". Entries will include how far I am getting with the project and the self-publishing process and will end with promoting the product.

My fan fic journal (unrelated to this story) is lady_remus

My personal journal (in which it will focus on my life as it goes on) is krystal_moon

Do add this journal if you are interested in looking on updates on how a writing project develops. I won't be writing any spoilers in any of my entries and don't ask me what happens when. All I can give you is the working synopsis (which could change over time:

When Marie Chapman is attacked one night, her life changes forever- her senses become acute and she feels isolated from everyone around her. Even her own pet cat can't bear to be around her. Then comes a lifeline and not only is she drawn into another world, she has to help to solve a murder which could have been committed by the same person who attacked her...

Remember, this is not the final synopsis. It could change over time.

Well, I'm off now.

Helen
xxxxx