A thingy where I answer questions about What I'm Writing.

I was reading around the back posts on Anne-Girl's Blog (wanted to know more about one of the books she is writing) and discovered this tag thing. Hmmmm ... I thought. Sounded like fun.

I'm going to answer questions about the four stories that are bugging me right now ... Do You Take This Quest?; Infiltration; Water Princess, Fire Prince; and The Ankulen. 

1. What’s your word count?

DYTTQ: Around 43,500 words at the moment.
I: 32,433
WPFP: The computer version is 17,855 words ... however, I'm estimating the notebook version to be somewhere over 50,000.
TA: 43,338

2. How long until you finish? 

DYTTQ: Writing part is done, editing will, I hope, be done before Christmas.
I: It needs rewritten. Don't know when I'll get around to it.
WPFP: No clue. Probably will finish the notebook version first, though ...
TA: Writing is done, is waiting for me to get to editing it.


3. If you have finished, how long did it take you? 

DYTTQ: From the time that I started the version that I ended up finishing, about six months (I'm estimating)
I: This was a NaNo ... of course, it took about a month after that before I was finally able to summon up the brain power to write the last 1,500 or so words.
TA: Six months if I remember right ...

4. Do you have an outline?

DYTTQ: I had a summary ... didn't completely follow it though, because I had written it before Arthur.
I: No.
WPFP: That's what the notebook version is for, right?
TA: Nope.

5. Do you have a plot?

More or less on all of them. I would say that the DYTTQ was the best plotted, while I was the worst.

6. How many words do you typically write a day? 

500-1000

7. What was your greatest word count in one day? 

Hmmm ... 4,000, if I remember right.

8. What was your least impressive word count in one day?

When I actually wrote something? 1.

9. What inspired you to write?

DYTTQ: Needed a sequel to Sew. 
I: My sister and I came up with Elvings when we were little. I wanted to write about them.
WPFP: One night, when I had a headache, I stepped into the shower and wondered what it would be like if I were to be suddenly under a waterfall in a Narnia-like world, and was declared the Waterfall Princess.
TA: A play my cousin and I were trying to write.

10. Does your novel have a theme song?

DYTTQ: Here comes the Bride ...
I: Bring the light! The Blessed Gospel light ...
WPFP: Don't think so ...
TA: Same here.

11. Assign each of your major characters a theme song.

Madeleine: Hmmm ... She has a song written about her ... "Oh, for the gaze ..." Nevermind. She's already beat red.
Arthur: I don't know ...
Tiger: This is my Father's World.
Snap: Amazing Grace
Clara: Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting!
Andrew: The Periodic Table set to music?
Jen: First I close my eyes and dream it ... (from Blues Clues)

12. Which character is most like you?

DYTTQ: I'll go with Madeleine. We look a lot a like.
I: Tiger. Tiger was based on me.
WPFP: Clara, maybe. We both prefer books to movies.
TA: Jen. We both love to make up things.

13. Which character would you most likely be friends with? 

DYTTQ: Madeleine, probably.
I: Tiger. She'd teach me about herbs.
WPFP: Jasmine. I'm better with younger kids.
TA: Jen. We'd make up stories together!

These Eggs are for eating!

14. Do you have a Gary-Stu or Mary Sue character?

DYTTQ: I hope not.
I: No.
WPFP: Clara teetered on that edge for a while.
TA: You can say the Tisha and Chris are ... but they aren't perfect. A five to six year old came up with them.

15. Who is your favorite character in your novel?

DYTTQ: Madeleine
I: Snap.
WPFP: 'Tis close between Clara and Jasmine.
TA: Jen.

16. Have your characters ever done something completely unexpected? 

DYTTQ: Madeleine got embarrassed before I was ready for her to, and ran for cover of a curtain.
I: Snap and Tiger discovered my existence.
WPFP: Knowing Clara, probably.
TA: One character suddenly decided to be heroic on me.

17. Have you based any of your novel directly on personal experiences?

There are scenes in all of them drawn directly from life. None of them, however, are my life. (I comes closest though ...)

18. Do you believe in plot bunnies ?

If they take me somewhere good.

19. Is there magic in your novel?

Yes. All of them. It's more like Narnia or Middle Earth magic, though.

20. Are any holidays celebrated in your novel?

DYTTQ: Ummm ... there's a wedding. Does that count?
I: The Day of Remembrance and the Month of Blessings
WPFP: 'Tis likely one will happen. Haven't had one yet, though.
TA: There's Jen has returned day. (in so many words)

21. Does anyone die? 

DYTTQ: Nah, I'm saving that for book 3.
I: Four characters. Two of which at the very end. Actually, more characters die, but I'm not acquainted with them.
WPFP: 'Tis likely. There's a war.
TA: The monster.

22. How many cups of coffee/tea have you consumed during your writing experience?

Only what my mom and sister have forced down my throat.

23. What is the latest you have stayed up writing?

Four in the morning, I believe. I was on a roll that night.

24. What is the best line? 

DYTTQ: . “Yes, I’m fine,” she said, then smiled ruefully. “I just forgot that I have to move my feet in order to go anywhere.”
I: “SNAP!” exclaimed Magnol. “We were supposed to only destroy it with permission!” “Well, he was trying to destroy us without permission!” retorted Snap.
WPFP: “Oh,” said the girl. “Well, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone!” Then she added under her breath, “Just wait ‘till Mable hears this one!” “I thought you said you wouldn’t tell anyone,” said Clara. “Oh,” said the girl, “Mable isn’t anyone. She’s my dog.”
TA: “Well, if you haven’t written anything, how can you call it writing?”

25. What is the saddest line?

DYTTQ: All Madeleine could do was watch, and remember. Remember the day that her own twin brother had ridden off and she had been unable to follow.
I: He didn’t have a Ring, and he had taken his own life.
WPFP: One of the lines where Andrew talks about his mother. I don't have the notebook at the moment, and I haven't gotten there on the computer.
TA: “See,” said Tisha, noticing my shaking head. “She doesn’t even remember the Ankulen. She’s forgotten everything.”

26. Have you dreamed about your novel or its characters?

DYTTQ: I dreamed about it four times I believe in the aftermath of writing Book1 for Nano two years ago.
I: No, I don't remember ever doing so. I might have a long, long time ago, though.
WPFP: I once dreamed about writing the series. I'm serious! I found a desk, opened the drawer, found the notebooks, and started writing.
TA: Nope

27. Does your novel rely heavily on allegory?

DYTTQ: Nope.
I: Yep.
WPFP: Somewhat. Not so much as book 2 will.
TA: Yep.

28. Summarize your novel in under fifteen words.

DYTTQ: Finding allies and getting home for the wedding.
I: Infiltrating the Rowa, bringing good news to Limbo.
WPFP: Fall into strange world, fight the dragon, become rulers.
TA: A girl's quest to restore her lost imagination.

29. Do you love all your characters? 

Pretty much. I don't like the creature that's eating Jen's imagination, though.

30. Have you done something sadistic or cruel to your characters specifically to increase your word count?

It's quite possible, especially during my early writing.

31. What was the last thing your main character ate?  

DYTTQ: Wedding feast
I: Wedding feast.
WPFP: Royal banquet.
TA: Spaghetti

32. Describe your main character in three words. 

Madeleine: Tease. Artist. Older.
Arthur: Young displaced heir.
Tiger: Herbs. Rowan. Innocent.
Snap: Infiltrator. Confused. Loyal.
Clara: Catlike. Classics. Unexpected.
Andrew: Steady. Science. Organized.
Jen: Searching. Confused. Playful.

33. What would your antagonist dress up as for Halloween?

They don't celebrate Halloween, any of them. Amber would be a dragon, though.

34. Does anyone in your story go to a place of worship?

DYTTQ: Umm ... marriage in the castle chapel, but other than that, no.
I: There really isn't any specific place that the Rowans worship.
WPFP: Frequently.
TA: Not in the book, but Jen does attend church regularly.

35. How many romantic relationships take place in your novel?

DYTTQ: Do I have to count them?
I: Three.
WPFP: Two and a half.
TA: Two. One's an old one, the other's a new one. Both are between characters in Jen's Imagination.

36. Are there any explosions in your novel?

DYTTQ: Please do not give Vernon any ideas. Please?
I: One.
WPFP: 'Tis Likely.
TA: Nope.

 37. Is there an apocalypse in your novel?

DYTTQ: There is no end to Bookania.
I: Nah, they're still a good ways away from theirs. Not 'til Tiger's an old woman.
WPFP: That's book 7.
TA: Almost.

38. Does your novel take place in a post-apocalyptic world?

DYTTQ: No.
I: In a way, yes. The elves came from a destroyed world.
WPFP: No.
TA: No.

39. Are there zombies, vampires or werewolves in your novel?

No.

40. Are there witches, wizards or mythological creatures/figures in your novel?

DYTTQ: There are Sand Witches, Fairies and Cloud Sprites.
I: Elvings are half elf.
WPFP: Elves.
TA: Flower fairies.

41. Is anyone reincarnated?

No.

42. Is anyone physically ailed?

No, I don't think so. Tiger's an herbalist, though, so she treats ailments.

43. Is anyone mentally ill?

Many people think that the old man is. Jen has a creature eating her imagination.

44. Does anyone have swine flu?

No.

45. Who has pets in your novel and what are they?

Pretty much everyone has a horse in DYTTQ, but other than that, no.

46. Are there angels, demons, or any religious references/figures in your novel? 

There are in TA.

47. How about political figures?

DYTTQ: It revolves around Royalty.
I: Um ... I don't think so. Politics doesn't really come into play in the book.
WPFP: Plenty of Royalty.
TA: Not really.

48. Is there incessant drinking?

No.

49. Are there board games? If so, which ones? 

Chess in DYTTQ. Don't remember any in the others, though.

50. Are there any dream sequences?

A few in TA, and one in WPFP.

51. Is there humor?

I cannot write without humor

52. Is there tragedy?

Some. Especially I.

53. Does anyone have a temper tantrum?

Shira throws a few tantrums. Clara probably will as well, if I push her over the edge.

54. How many characters end up married at the end of your novel?

DYTTQ: There's a double wedding at the end.
I: A double wedding, and then a single wedding.
WPFP: None. But two characters are tied, which is almost the same thing.
TA: A double wedding.

I like double weddings for some odd reason.

55. Is anyone in your novel adopted?

DYTTQ: One character is, but doesn't know it. He suspects it at this point, but he doesn't know it.
I: Snap is, in a way.
WPFP: No, but Andrew's dad had been an orphan.
TA: Yes. Four of the characters. It's an essential part of the plot.

56. Does anyone in your novel wear glasses? 

DYTTQ: No, but one character needs them.
I: It is likely that one of the Limboians does.
WPFP: Nope. Unless it's Andrew's dad.
TA: The Main Character. And then I forgot all about them ...

57. Has your novel provided insight about your life?

I don't know. Probably.

58. Your personality?

Same as above.

59. Has your novel inspired anyone?

Not any of these. Sew has, however.

60. How many people have asked to read your novel?

I don't know.

61. Have you drawn any of your characters?

Plenty of times. Only way I can nail down my character's faces. I'm a horrid artist though.

62. Has anyone drawn your characters for you
  
Two of my cousins drew Eric

63. Does anyone vomit in your novels?


DYTTQ: No.
I: Possible.
WPFP: I think Andrew did ... but I'm not sure.
TA: No.


64. Does anyone bleed in your novel?


DYTTQ: No.
I: Yep. Tiger put Spider web on the wound.
WPFP: Yep.
TA: Yep.


65. Do any of your characters watch TV?


DYTTQ: There is no TV in Bookania
I: Snap used to.
WPFP: Clara despises TV. Andrew watches the educational channels.
TA: Nope. It exists, but they don't own one.


66. What size shoe does your main character wear?


I honestly don't know. Tiger doesn't wear shoes. That's all I know.


67. Do any of the characters in your novel use a computer?


DYTTQ: Nope.
I: Snap does
WPFP: More or less.
TA: There is referrence to a computer at the end


68. How would you react if your novel was erased entirely?


DYTTQ: Panic.
I: Shrug. I needed to start over anyways.
WPFP: I wasn't too far in. I can just start over.
TA: Panic


69. Did you cry at killing off any of your characters?


Not really, I was sad though. (I don't really cry for any reason.)


70. Did you cheer when killing off one of your characters?

The creature that was eating the imagination, yes.

71. What advice would you give to a fellow writer.

Type as fast as you can. It's right behind you.

72. Describe your ending in three words.


DYTTQ: Happily Ever after
I: Bitter Sweet. Hope
WPFP: Home again. Changed.
TA: True ever after


73. Are there any love triangles, squares, hexagons, etc.?

There are echos of some. They're not bad, though.

74. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the least stressful, 10 being the most) how does your stress rank?

5-6. But, except when it comes to the editing of DYTTQ, it's mostly from other things.

75. Was it worth it?

Of course.


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To read more about the stories, see my WIP page.