I created this Journal to write about the progress of my novel for NaNoWriMo 2007. I made it Friends-only as I intended to post novel extracts and wanted to protect them. Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I decided to use this blog to share writing tips, thoughts about writing and literature and other fun stuff. I thought it would be a shame to keep these tips and thought to a Friends list, so I have made it public.

However, the posts with the novel extracts are still Friends-only. So, if you are interested in reading my story, leave a comment here and I will add you to this LJ's Friends' list.

You can read my main LJ here : http://larystienli.livejournal.com

Thank you :)

I still got to read some books despite Script Frenzy and could finish 1916: The Easter Rising, which inspired me a couple of comics for Trouble and Strife.

This month's readings:

Edgar P. Jacobs - La Marque Jaune (The Yellow "M") / L'énigme de l'Atlantide (Atlantis Mystery) / SOS Météores (S.O.S. Meteors : Mortimer in Paris). 
L'énigme de l'Atlantide is my favourite so far. Now I'm wondering if there's a Blake and Mortimer adventure that doesn't have Olrik in it. His appearances are systematic - and are becoming predictable :\

Progress : 7/50


( The updated reading list )

Page count : 116/100

For once, I didn't write a weekly post about my progress. Not that I was lazy but I wasn't really in the mood for blogging. Although I did the Frenzy, had a lot of ideas and got my page count through the roof 7 days before the end, my mind was elsewhere most of the time. Job applications, college applications, financing said college courses, figuring out what sort of job I want, worrying about my future and my health, beating myself up because I can't figure out what it is about me that I can't get a job, learning new stuff about developing and graphic design and cursing because I don't learn or finish my projects as fast as I would (mostly because my computer's slow and crashing at odd times). The Frenzy was fun and writing new stories with Ireland, England and co. was really enjoyable, all the more there had been some interesting character development, but I need to stop now and focus more on my job search and self-training. Indeed, I feel like I've been holding myself back.

I can't help wondering too what I'll be doing of these stories. OK, I've learnt how to script and making comics, that was an interesting exercise but will I take the time to finish them? I mean, will I take the time to ink them, colour them and put them online? There must be at least 250 pages of ugly doodles and I hardly did anything of the 150 pages of Trouble and Strife I wrote last year. And I keep telling myself to stop doing fan art and focus my creativity on projects that are more likely to land me a job instead... I hate to be so slow whenever I work on a project.

There are more storyboard waiting to be scripted and if I find the time before the end of the Frenzy, or even after it, then I'll script them, but there's nothing more urgent about this. I also promised myself that next year, I'll script an original story - maybe I'll go back on Red Hot Moon.

I've mainly spent the month reading magazines and newspapers as well as online articles as part of research for Screnzy, so not many books this month. And next month will not be better with Script Frenzy.

Edgar P. Jacobs - Le Secret de l'Espadon 3 (The Secret of the Swordfish 3) / Le Mystère de la Grande Pyramide 1 et 2 (The Mystery of the Great Pyramid 1 and 2). Continuing Blake and Mortimer...

Tim Pat Coogan - 1916: The Easter Rising. It was time I started reading this book, which I borrowed one year ago from maikichelorrain. I haven't read much of it so far but I got some good ideas for strips for Trouble and Strife.

Progress : 4/50

[EDIT 01/04 : Adding volume 2 of Le Mystère de la Grande Pyramide as I finished reading it on saturday evening.]
( The updated reading list )

At last, I reached the 50 book score! :D And I'm doing it again as I'm not done with my reading list... Resetting the counter to zero from tonight...

And my february readings:

Mons Kallentoft - Printemps. The last of the Malin Fors series - well, that's what I thought until I found out there was a fifth book, duely called The Fifth Season and not translated into french yet.

Edgar P. Jacobs - Le Secret de l'Espadon (The Secret of the Swordfish) 1 & 2. My dad has the whole Blake and Mortimer series and I've promised myself since forever that I'd read them everytime I visit them. Well, I started this week-end. Probably one of the wordiest comics I've ever read but that was a thrilling read. Can't wait to read the next adventure...

Progress : 51/50

( The new reading list )

27. Along similar lines, do appearances play a big role in your stories? Tell us about them, or if not, how you go about designing your characters.

I'm a very visual person conditionned by a childhood mostly spent watching cartoons and films, so when I read a book, I like being able to make it into a movie in my mind and it's important that I know how the characters look like. Sadly, in most of the books I read, the characters' descriptions are reduced to having short blonde hair or sporting glasses, and nothing more, so I leave the rest to my imagination (maybe that's what the authors want too). As I write mostly fantasy and enjoy drawing my characters, I might as well give my charas design that make them not only easily recognizable but also easy to remember. Rory has red hair, tattoos and a scar that splits his left brow, his brother Callum has messy blonde hair, an eyepatch and many more visible scars. Nada is doll-pretty and sports a chip on the forehead she decorates with gems, Kia is a pale androgynous brunette with dreamy blue eyes. Melecia has pink done in pigtails, Joanne has dreads, glasses and a liking for kitsch clothing.

I have to admit it's easier for me to get into a character when I'm able to picture him or her in my mind. Sometimes, having a name or a function is not enough - that would be like directing a movie with no actors. For example, it took me a long time to figure out Nada Tomassi. When Nanowrimo 2009 started, I still didn't know how Nada looked like - all I had was a name and a job. First, I pictured her with short straight blonde hair with purple eyes, looking kinda dull, then I changed my mind and gave her curly red hair and green eyes, and decided that she'd be as pretty as a Barbie doll. Now, she approximately looks like this (yes, it's Jessica from True Blood).

Another thing I admit is that I'm strongly influenced by anime and cartoons, subcultures (gothic, punk, metal, hippie...) and music, especially my favourite musicians. For example, I was into My Chemical Romance when I started Red Hot Moon and based the design of the three main characters on three of their members - Frank Iero for Rory, Mikey Way for Callum and Ciara ended up a genderbent Gerard Way! Their design has a bit evolved since...


( All the other questions )

( 23. How long does it usually take you to complete an entire story—from planning to writing to posting (if you post your work)? )


( 24. How willing are you to kill your characters if the plot so demands it? What’s the most interesting way you’ve killed someone? )


( 25. Do any of your characters have pets? Tell us about them. )

26. Let’s talk art! Do you draw your characters? Do others draw them? Pick one of your OCs and post your favorite picture of him!

If I draw my characters - hell yes! A lot, even though you aren't seeing much of them on DeviantArt. Actually, I have tons of sketches and chara designs of them, yet nothing worth posting online.

Some nice pics - Nada Tomassi and Kia Bellamy from The Small Print by Yzabel, the main cast of Trouble & Strife and Ciara Wood from Red Hot Moon II by your humble blogger :



More character sketches from all stories in my Scrapbook.



( All the other questions )