WIPs & Words

So I'm fairly certain I've failed Sketchavember and that catching up is nowhere in sight. But that doesn't mean all stop! I've still got this nostalgic masterpiece (the WIP featured above) I'm slowly progressing on. Its a big one and the next stretch apart from the coloring is some serious linework that's extremely daunting. But hey! Keeping at it!

In the mean time I'm been organizing my writing. I'm pulling apart the first chapter and assembling a numbered event log to refer to as I re-write each section. It already seems like that will help make it much easier than going through a ridiculously long (22 page) chapter, editing and dissecting it as I go which has actually proven to be a nightmare. At the same time I get to brainstorm and the ideas are all coming together! I'm so eager to get this thing written because I'm extremely impatient, but the truth is that the longer time I take to work out details and become inspired by outside sources, the better my plots and such become! Super awesome.

Here's a rubbish, unedited piece I was prompted to writ this evening for some of my original characters:

The two boys were in the field up the hillside near their home. Luai was watching them spar-- with the occasional fooling around and wrestling as all young pups do. Lylli decided the only way to get a formal meeting was to introduce herself. She'd followed them out into the field that day. 

"So this is the infamous 'Luai'", she said, approaching him for the first time. 

He turned to the beauty, surprised at her introduction and let out a chuckle, "Uh-oh heh heh," he smiled as if he was in for it, not having met her sooner.  

Lylli returned the smile, "my boys speak of nothing else lately." 

"I'm sorry," he laughed apologetically. 

"No its wonderful," she corrected, "they're very taken with you. What you're doing for them-- its what they need; its more than their father ever did for them." 

Luai was curious about that. Boys should have a father, one to teach them to hunt and to grow up with respect. Perhaps they had a misfortune, either way he couldn't help but be curious, "If I may ask, where is their father?" 

Lyli's gaze shifted to her boys in the field, who were now distracted from their lesson and had engaged in wrestling and play. Her smile softened, "he walked out on us some time ago. He didn't treat them well. He began to feel held down and... he left." 

Luai's eyes shifted, "I'm sorry to hear that." 

Lylli's smile returned again and out came a spirited response, "don't be. Its his loss."
The two locked eyes and smiled at one another. "Look at me, telling you our sad stories," she said sweetly. And in the warmest tone he replied, "Its perfectly fine."

Sketchavember #2

Alright. I want most of this challenge to be art related and not so much writing. But I decided to break out of my rather solid cocoon and do a segment from part of my writing. I picked an easy one, focused more on settings and feelings-- mostly to get my bearings and break back into writing because I can face the music and I know I'm quite dreadful at it. But I've got a lot to write about in the realm of my original writing, so why the hell not.

I realize its not quite a full chapter, which the challenge suggests. But I wanted to catch up and still have day #3 to get started on. And who knows-- maybe I'll have time to work on this further! Wither way it was definitely a great exercise. I learned that from spending three solid hours in the wee hours of the night trying to come up with just these few paragraphs and then come morning realize what shite I'd condemned the internet to while I caught up on z's.

Managed to spend twenty minutes or so making some editions on it today to make it less nauseating to read. I've got my weak points, but hopefully its alright.

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“We should get out of the rain-- come on. I kno’ a place.”

Escaping the rain before being soaked to the bone wasn’t a likely scenario for the two unlikely partners. As if the unforgiving weather and the smelly, ramshackled condition of the streets weren’t bad enough-- they needed to seek refuge from both the rain and the group of shady apprehenders they’d just outrun.

Eliel kept her hood tight over her long, braided hair as she and Mic sprinted through the rain to find shelter. Mic led them down a quiet little alley and up a couple flights of rusty old steps to the side door of an old, abandoned building, finally stepping out of the rain. They made their way down a dark hall; it looked as if no one had lived there in years. Old, chipped paint falling off the walls and not a sound but that of the rain outside. Surprisingly not as dirty as it could have been-- some broken glass and some minor garbage littered the cold, musty halls.

“Here we are.” Mic pulled out a key that presumably belonged to the door he’d stopped them at.

This was odd. He’d never mentioned this place before. Eliel furrowed her brow, “I thought you said you didn’t have a home?” she asked, curious about the place he’d brought them to.

“I don’t.” he smiled as he unlocked the door and entered the dusky old room.

Confused by his wording, she followed him in and looked over the place. It wasn’t a large space, nor was it very tidy-- more cluttered than anything, “so then, what is this place?” she pondered further.

“Well, it was home. Once upon a time.” he muttered, removing his soaked leather jacket and tossing it carelessly on the floor.

Eliel took off her now drenched, new hooded coat and followed Mic’s lead as it landed on the floor. While Mic tended to providing them with some heat, Eliel began to wander the room and look around. Among the majority of rather useless looking junk, there some were old stuffed animals, bunches of clothes on the floor and draped over what little furniture was in the room, a few well used candles, and a couple of old mattresses and blankets near the only window in the room.

There was also a vanity with a dirty, broken, old mirror with a single framed photo resting on its edge. Eliel picked it up and dusted off the frame. Mic was in the photo, along with a younger looking girl.

“Who’s this?”

Mic looked over to see Eliel holding the photo and warm smile came across his face, “that’s my little sister.”

Eliel’s eyes lit up. Siblings were always fascinating to her as she never had any of her own. Why hadn’t Mic mentioned her before? The girl in the photo looked younger than him certainly; a little sister just as he said. “Does she live here?”

Mic’s gaze fell and his smile grew somber.