Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

[mithen]

How would a stranger describe your most recent POV character?

Ha! If said stranger just happened to spot Kevin Owens, say, shopping at a Target with his family, they'd say he's an average-looking dude who could stand to lose some weight, not a snappy dresser, his beard could probably use a trim. They'd note that he seemed affectionate with his kids but also seemed to be buying them a bunch of stuff just to prove he was a great dad and provider. They'd probably catch his French accent if he was feeling relaxed. They might notice he looked really tired and has a slight limp if they caught him this weekend...

My joyride of my OTP being friends may be coming to an end Sunday, so I'd better sit down and write something before it does! I'll probably indulge in some angel imagery again for the fun of it... How goes your writing?

Comments

[me_ya_ri]

*amused snort*

Unpleasant. Esme is the POV character for my most recent novel and she's... well, unpleasant. Not really terribly so but she's short (a little person), not very attractive (think Peter Dinklage), opinionated and VERY smart. With a smart mouth, lots of cursing and a total willingness to shoot people that cross her.

She's also a TON of fun to write and I think to read. It's a steampunk story so yeah, I'm having a blast with her. It's her second novel and it's great.

Oh dear! Yeah, definitely do write something with them being friends. Or better yet, friends who angst over the story driving them apart again. :D Good luck with your writing!

[mithen]

I really love everything I learned about Esme from your answers! There's something cathartic about writing a character with an itchy trigger finger...

My favorite characters weathered the storm and remained friends, to my delight! :D

[bradygirl_12]

Ha, I got an easy one! :)

Bruce is handsome with a brooding air about him (unless he's playing Brucie today) and is athletic under those thousand-dollar suits he favors. He's privileged and knows it, moving with grace and a touch of arrogance. Some people say he's a dimbulb but you might catch a very intelligent gleam in his eyes, though he rarely stays around long enough for you to make deep evaluations. Dumb or smart, he's a man-in-motion.

Writing is picking up. My recovery is going well, so I may be able to start posting a few stories soon.

[mithen]

It's true, Bruce is very... describable, isn't he? He works hard at it, and lots of people notice him!

(Dan got a kidney stone last weekend, so we spent a chunk of it in the emergency room struggling to learn a lot of new Japanese very quickly! Everything seems to be okay now, but the last couple of open threads went poof... I am pretty sure it's me that owes you an email!)

[luciferxdamien]

Ah! Sanosuke for this one! The strangers seeing Sanosuke out and about in the streets of Meiji era Tokyo probably... find him to be rather odd. Wearing an ostentatious, bright white gi with the aku kanji on the back attracts a lot of attention, but it's nothing compared to the attention his big, loud personality attracts! Strangers would describe him as brash and definitely loud. They might feel he eats too much and drinks too much and gambles too much (his friends definitely think so), so strangers might be fast to avoid him, but those that can get close to him would find he's really rather sweet and willing to defend his friends to the very end. =)

Writing is... happening, but slowly. My week had been a lot of ups and downs, but I'm pushing forward. Getting a lot of new ideas that... I keep neglecting to write down, aaah. I just need to tell myself I'll be happier in the long run if I just make myself document things, even if it's in the most perfunctory of ways.

[mithen]

Wearing an ostentatious, bright white gi with the aku kanji on the back attracts a lot of attention

I BET LOL. That is a fantastic mental image!

Getting a lot of new ideas that... I keep neglecting to write down, aaah.

I know the feeling! I really have to take a moment and make sure I've taken notes, or it slips away as something else happens...

[navaan]

Ha, what an interesting question. And also hard, because I have too many POV characters at the moment.

I'm trying my hand at writing new fandoms and old ones at the same time and so far it's been fun and a mess? Among other things I'm trying to find a writing voice for Black Sails and Star Trek: Discovery and it's just a bit daunting.

What I'm working on closely at the moment is my Superbat RBB and in that Bruce as Batman will be my POV character - at least so fat I'm sticking with it, I haven't put together so many scenes that I'm 100% sure there won't be major rewrite coming - and people will generally describe him as aloof, smart, loner type. It's set after the first New 52 Justice League story wrapped up, so he's probably going to be seen as a bit younger and less grumpier and the kind of crazy non-powered human who goes into Apokolips danger to get Superman, by the people who were close-by to witness it, but to real strangers he's either an urban legend, dark and broody Batman, or charming, suave and superficial Bruce Wayne.

The story will explore all the layers a bit, so I'm very excited.

I'm also desperately trying to write that auction story I owe for 1872, but my struggles with it continue. It's not even going to be an epic length story, but somehow the bits and pieces, themes and idea of it refuse to come together into a coherent story that I can be proud of.

POV character for that is Tony, who everyone would describe as a no-good drunk who has given up and is letting himself go. Some people might recognize that he's struggling with more than the bottle, but that the drinking is something he does to keep the real demons at bay - and some people might be able to put two and two together about what the demons are.

Writing has been a bit of a struggle. Work was complicated, there was a business trip, then I was sick and since then I've been struggling with this cold that is now better but not really gone either. So words are happening, but slower than my usual pace.

[mithen]

Among other things I'm trying to find a writing voice for Black Sails and Star Trek: Discovery and it's just a bit daunting.

I've heard such good thing about Black Sails! I hope it's a productive place for you!

I'm also desperately trying to write that auction story I owe for 1872, but my struggles with it continue. It's not even going to be an epic length story, but somehow the bits and pieces, themes and idea of it refuse to come together into a coherent story that I can be proud of.

I feel this so much. Why is it some long stories just come together so well, while others--ones that should be simple and straightforward--just refuse to cohere? It's so frustrating...

I hope the writing has gone better in the...uh... six months since I posted this. D: