My POV--Um, POV

See what I did up there in the title? Hehehe, I'm funny.

Ok, so not really.

Lately I've been thinking about Point of View (POV) when writing a novel. Normally, I write my novels in some form of third-person POV, usually omniscient or limited. Recently though, I've been on this first-person present/first-person past POV kick. (I'm not sure which one I like better yet.) The biggest perk for me in using FPPOV is that I get to keep my main focus on just one person, rather than jumping around with everyone else like I have in the past. Somehow, it just feels...cleaner to me. Yeah, cleaner is the right word for that.

I have this short story I want to submit for AW's Erotica Anthology. I've been working on it off and on for, I think, five or six years now. I know, I know. It's only a short story, so it shouldn't be taking me this long. (In my defense I'm even pickier about my Erotica writing than I am about everything else, and it's not quite right for me yet.) Point is, I want to submit this story, 'cus there's a tiny chance it will be picked for the Anthology. (That would be awesome!) Right now though, it's in TPPOV. Definitely needs to change to FPPOV. So, I start changing it. Wow...just wow. It's so much better now. Except for--

My dilemma: man or woman's POV?

Hmmmm...

As my thoughts are journeying down the POV roads, I start wondering, why do I like first-person more now? That's easy enough to answer. I feel closer to my MC--which, I think, all writers should be striving for--and I get to know him/her better this way. I'm channeling my MC. I am the Oracle; they are the speakers. You see where I'm going with the cheesy cliche's, right? To me, it's the most fantastic feeling. Why didn't I ever write in FPPOV before now? (I checked. There's not even one story in FPPOV!) It's like, I was stuck in this TPPOV bubble, and I didn't even realize it until now. I felt the need to know what was going on all over the place in every story I wrote. Yes, stories written this way have their appeal. I can't see Lord of the Rings being as good in FPPOV. (Naysayers, shut it. I already know, if it's written well it can be done.) Point is, I've popped the bubble. I'm expanding my horizons.

We must, on our journey, make a stop at second-person POV. It's a lost and lonely highway, practically abandoned. It's not something you see often. I'm not sure I've ever read a story in second; I'll have to think about that for a bit...Anyway, it's a rarity. I wish I had the guts to try writing a story in second. I don't think I'd ever be able to pull it off though. It would be fun, and a challenge, to write a good story with a bunch of you's and your's. Note to self: look for some SPPOV novels.

Now we hit the most traveled road...well, for me. It is well-worn, this road. It has been traveled on for many years, with all manner of people and beings beside me. There are limitations with any point of view you choose, but there are also advantages. With first, I get to delve deep into my MC's head and with third, I get to dip into everyone's head. The limitations with third though--I'm beginning to dislike them more and more as time goes by. Yes, I can stay in just my MC's head in TPLPOV, but it's not my MC's voice you're hearing, it's mine. I've always assumed I was close to these people I write about. That I was getting their words out and not my own. I feel a whole lot closer to them now, trying to rewrite some of their stories in first.

I won't be changing all of my stories. As I said before, there are advantages to TPPOV. I do think some of them will benefit from the POV change though. That's the most important thing. The story must be able to draw someone in. If I can't be drawn in enough, what makes me think anyone else will?

February 2014 AW Blog Chain

February 2014 Absolute Write Blog Chain

This month's prompt:
Characters Writing About Authors

ETA: I'd like to apologize to everyone before you read the post. She has a tendency to swear too much and I promised her I wouldn't change anything, just put a little warning at the beginning. So you're warned, foul language ahead. ♥ Me

∞

Oh look, here we go. She's finally opened the laptop today, that's a good sign....

She's opening up the documents file...

SCORE! She opened me today!! It's about damn time. Let's see if something comes of it this time...

By the way, my name is Arryn...well hang on, I have to double-check...ok, yep it's still Arryn. I suppose that may change, because with this bitch, you never know.  She tries it again and I will be forced to set some of her shit on fire or maybe give her a grotesque head for a few days. I have just the spell for that....um, anyway. Where was I? Ah--yes-- our names. I do believe my twin brother has had three or four names since she first brought us to life. It's ridiculous. If she would've asked me, I woulda told her dumb ass his name is Aidan. Then she wouldn't have wasted all that time.  Oh well, can't change it now.

I don't want to sound like an ungrateful douche or anything, because don't get me wrong, I love this woman as much as she loves me; without her, I wouldn't be here. Only, I have this tiny problem I'm having with her lately. I'm so tired of sitting on my ass while she either ignores me or, even worse, writes about me and then deletes it all. Like I'm some random story to her or something. Um HELLO, this is my FUCKING LIFE we're talking about. I have feelings you know. I don't like being ignored!

Just look at her right now. I can practically see the steam coming off her head she's concentrating so hard. The page is mostly blank...still. Sometimes I know what she's thinking. Sometimes we even talk to each other. But there are times when I have no clue what the hell is going on in her head. For two weeks she had me in the weirdest position ever. Seriously, I was in the middle of a fight, frozen solid mid-move, and for what? Who the fuck knows?

She shoulda pulled her head out of her ass and realized that, oh hey, this particular fight is rather pointless and does nothing but distract me from the bigger problem. This isn't the time for a fight, but what the hell do I know? I'm just the puppet on the strings. She's lucky I have no control over her outside of the writing. I wanna make her slap the shit out of herself sometimes.

In truth, she really shouldn't be trying to write my story herself. All she ever does is fuck it up when she does. Dumb as hell. She screws things up, then eventually allows me to take over when she realizes how idiotic she's being. Proof that once in a while she tries to learn! My only hope is that I don't get sent over to the Dark Room. You know where I'm talking about? The place where the old stories go that just don't interest her anymore...or as she likes to put it, the ones that "don't speak to her anymore". What a load of shit. I think they still speak to her, she just forgot how to listen. Actually, I hope she tries that shit with me. I welcome the chance to set the bitch straight.

When she gets in one of her "moods", (incidentally I can see douchebag written all over her face right now), she has a tendency to, shall we say, swear like a sailor. And she calls me a foul-mouthed miscreant? (Seriously, I heard her say it to someone one day while she was working on me. The nerve of this bitch!) Right, I wonder where I get it from? Pot, kettle. We're so much alike in so many ways and I don't think she understands that sometimes. Though, how the hell she can miss it is beyond me. Not very observant, this one.

I've spoken to some of the others about her. What else is there to do when she has four or five of us open, yet does nothing but sit there waffling on EVERY. DAMN. WORD. she writes? Anywho, about our Beloved Oracle, (that's what we call her), we have different views. Yes, she drives me nuts sometimes, but I do love her. Previous insults aside, she is my maker. For that alone I will always love her...even if I do end up in the Dark Room.

There are those that don't care for her at all. They've called her every name in the book....except one, that I can't even put in here 'cus I don't want her to see it. (See? Told you I love her.) These others have their reasons. One of them thinks that our Beloved Oracle is not listening to her, that she's just writing the story on her own. Let's see, there are some that are pissed because she's put them in the Dark Room. They don't always come out of there.

I can't forget about the ones that won't talk to me. In my oh so humble opinion, they're just pissed because she doesn't focus on them like she used to. They're petty and jealous. A cranky douche at times I may be, but I go out of my way to get to know the others and make them feel comfortable. My favorite is one of her Erotica characters. Jezelle and I go way back. She's cool as hell. Anyway, as I was saying, we're all in this together...at least we're supposed to be. You know what I say to those asshats? Fuck off and get over it! If she wants to tell your story, she will. For all any of us know, I'll be in the Dark Room next.

OH! Gotta go, she's ready for me!

--Arryn

∞

February 2014 Participants:
orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com (link to post)
Sneaky Devil ('Tis me) - http://fantasywriterwannabe.wordpress.com/ (link to post)
Anarchic Q - http://anarchicq.com/ (link to post)
ishtar'sgate - http://chickenscratchbc.blogspot.ca/ (link to post)
Sixpence - http://orlawritesthings.com/ (link to post)
pyrosama - http://matrix-hole.blogspot.com/ (link to post)
Angyl78 - http://jelyzabeth.wordpress.com/ (link to post)
meowzbark - http://www.lizzylessard.com/ (link to post)
MsLaylaCakes - http://www.taraquan.com/ (link to post)
SamanthaLehane - http://samanthalehane.blogspot.com/ (link to post)

Random and Cluttered Thoughts

So much going on, so much to talk about, so much to do, and I can't keep my thoughts on one thing for too long. So today I've decided to randomize my blog post and see if some of this stuff just goes away. Hopefully it works.

First off, the February Blog Chain for Absolute Write this month is gonna be a tough one for me. The person going before us gets to pick our topic. This means I have two days to write about something completely random. Wha......... I don't do so well with short-term writing goals. Hence the nerves. Granted, I didn't HAVE to sign up for it, but I love doing the blog chain and it's fun to read what others write about our suggested topics. So, I WILL TRY!

I'm looking for suggestions for a Fantasy epic I haven't read yet. I suppose it doesn't have to be an epic, could be a stand alone book, a trilogy, whatever. But I prefer an epic. Those are my favorite. Nothing like being lost is someone else's world for over a week...or more if possible. I can only read the Lord of the Rings, Dark Tower series, and Shadowmarch series so many times back to back. It's time for something new.

Ugh, Anniversaries has been taken out of submissions and is strictly in revisions at the moment. I know I just said this in a recent post, but it needs repeating. I've been working on this novel for years now and it's beginning to become frustrating. I've put a lot of work into it. Perhaps it will have to sit for a while without me touching it or thinking about it. Though the not thinking about it part will be difficult, I shall do it!

I finally made a Twitter account today to link my blogs to. Yeah, go me! Hopefully it will give them a bit more exposure. Only time will tell.

Oh goodness, I was napping today (horrible, I know, but I couldn't help it) and some wank in the apartment complex was blaring his car radio right under my window. So what do I do in my cranky-first-waking-up stage? I go to the window and yell that people are trying to sleep. My man comes in the room shortly after laughing so hard that even though I was still a bit cranky, I couldn't help but smile. That's one of the only things I don't like about living here. I'm a country girl at heart, I dislike city living. And I dislike music when I'm trying to sleep even more. I get it from my mama that I just wanna get up and dance when I hear music. Always have, always will. Real talk, it wakes me up from a dead sleep every time. Something that I'm sure annoys my significant other because we have different sleep schedules (for the most part) and he likes to listen to music when he's bored. I try not to let it bother me, but it's like a television being too loud in the background when I'm trying to read. It can be partly tuned out, but not completely.

Oh, I've come to a bad place in The Dark Hand. Bad as in meaning I can't seem to write anything more on it and nothing much has happened yet (not even 9,000 words on it to this point). I was hoping it wasn't going to be yet another of those stories that I start to write and it fizzles before I get even a quarter of the way through it. That's what it's looking to be though. I have more ideas in my head, in my notebook, on my computer, and on my phone, but I was more excited about this one than the others. What to do, what to do??

I need to find better, more effective ways to promote my blogs. I know essentially they are the same thing as I post the same on both of them. And maybe that's where part of the problem is, that they're far too much alike. They are on two different blogging networks so I thought at least one of them would have more exposure. But I think I have something like three followers (which I am thoroughly grateful for) on one of them, and when I look at the stats for both, they are horrible. Well, I'll give it more time and try to get more people interested in them, and we'll see what happens.

And lastly, I never thought I'd say this, but I love Texas winters. I'm originally from Michigan so the move down here was a bit of a shock when it happened this past August. My goodness was it hot, even then. I know the temps then were nothing compared to what it's going to be like when summer is in full swing and thankfully we have central air and swimming pools in the apartment complex. Being in Texas is such a huge change for me. Mainly being away from my mom, older brother, sister (sister-in-law technically but that's a fine distinction I don't pay attention to), my nephews, and of course all my fabulous friends and their amazing kids. I miss everyone a lot some days. That being said, I couldn't be happier with the choice we made to come and live here.

There ends my random and cluttered thoughts. Incidentally it did help to clear my head a little bit so that's good. Hopefully I haven't bored you so much you've fallen asleep mid-post.

The Number 13

January 2013 Blog Chain

The Number 13

Here we go in 2013, starting the Blog Chain from Absolute Write off with a bang! As you will see some of those participating in this month's Blog Chain have written stories that revolve around the number 13, but I can't do that. As I said before, and will undoubtedly say again, I don't do well with short stories in a short amount of time. I ramble far too much for any coherence in that regard and nothing I could produce on the subject would even constitute a short story. So instead, I give you what I can do...

The number 13 doesn't hold much significance for me really. It happens to be half of what my birth date is, and the birthday of one of my favorite cousins, but not much else comes to mind when I think of 13...other than the fact that it creeps me out. The number is just wrong somehow. So let us explore this mystery. After some time thinking about it and doing a little work on my phone browser, this is what I have for you to enjoy. (And yes, I did go to the almighty Google gods for some of my inspiration on this one, forgive me.)

• I'm thinking first off, for no reason I can explain, what it would be like to have 13 kids. That's a lot of mouths to feed!
• Why aren't there 13 months in a year and only 12?
• Why don't humans have 13 fingers and toes instead of 10?
• Why had I never heard of Triskaidekaphobia (hope I spelled that right) until this month's prompt came up? (I honestly didn't know people had an actual fear of the number 13 and the fear was given a clinical name.) This caused me to do a little research on the subject because I find tidbits like this interesting. Apparently some believe the number is bad luck (not that I disagree on that point) and avoid anything to do with the number 13 whenever possible. Interesting. Even some buildings and larger hotels will go out of their way to not label the 13th floor as such. Even more interesting.
• Ok here's an obvious one I should have thought of right away, Friday the 13th. Perhaps, some will say, the unluckiest day of all.
• In some countries 13 is a lucky number.
• People have a 13 tattooed on themselves to represent good luck.
• 13 stripes on the American flag (another one I should have thought of right away).
• Apollo 13 of course, who could forget that?
• If memory serves, 13 is when Jewish boys have their Bar Mitzvah.
• The 2001 version of Thirteen Ghosts (didn't know there was one made in 1960, thank you Google).
• In the span of 100 years we will have 13 full moons (for some reason this also creeps me out).
• The number of Cylon models in Battlestar Galactica......oh wait, there's only 12. 

That's just my little list of interesting bits I've found on the number 13. I did enjoy some of the information I found when looking around to see how people treat the number 13 in regards to good/bad luck. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like the number 13......even though I can't truly explain my reason other than the one given above, it's just wrong somehow. However, I don't go out of my way on Friday the 13th to avoid a black cat that might possibly cross my path, or walking under ladders, or anything like that. I don't think bad things happen on that day in particular just because of the date, bad things happen every day. That's just my opinion. I'm sure bad things occur for some folks on those days and it feels like the worst omen in the world though.

There are a lot of interesting facts about the number 13, these are merely the ones I enjoyed the most, and the ones I was most curious about. On that note, happy 2013 everyone and may it be a good one for you.

EDIT: 1/22/2013 updated participant links Participants and posts:
orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com/ (link to post)
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/ (link to post)
SRHowen - http://srhowen1.blogspot.com/ (link to post)
areteus - http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/ (link to post)
angyl78 - http://jelyzabeth.wordpress.com/ (link to post)
Amanda R. - http://www.twoamericansinchina.com/ (link to post)
randi.lee - http://emotionalnovel.blogspot.com/ (link to post)
ConnieBDowell - http://bookechoes.com/ (link to post)
writingismypassion - http://charityfaye.blogspot.com/ (link to post)
Araevno - http://www.simonpclark.com/ (link to post)
Kewii - http://kellyneeson.blogspot.com/ (link to post)
katci13 - http://www.krystalsquared.net/ (link to post)
MsLaylaCakes - http://www.taraquan.com/ (link to post)