Good morning, Readers!

Yesterday was all about learning things.  I learnt so much!  Chances are I'll forget those lessons, but for now I would like to impart to you what I learnt, so that you don't have to relive my lessons.

You're welcome.

Yesterday there was a fire drill at work.  I was nearing the halfway point in my daily word goal of two thousand words.  I hit save, but had to leave.  The whole time I was walking down the stairs, and waiting outside, all I could link about was how long it was since I had backed up my writing.  I was sweating bullets, because if this wasn't just a drill, and if the fire then I'd have lost close to fifty thousand words.  I was close to tears.

Luckily, it was just a drill.  I returned to my desk about half an hour later and continued to write.  I was late in reaching my word goal, but that is alright.  I still made my goal.

And then I backed that shit up.

Yeah.  Always back up your work, folks.

Walking home yesterday was an adventure.  It was fine most of the way, and then a thunderstorm rolled in.  There's something quite invigorating about walking home with thunder rolling overhead.  This, too, was fine.  I actually really enjoyed it.  I also enjoyed the rain.

I was less impressed with the wind that whipped up, and then changed directions so many times it actually twisted the struts on my umbrella.  So, I have a broken umbrella.  It's still functional, thank goodness, but that's because I went home and untwisted everything.

The worst thing is, this is a loaner from a friend.  Sorry Bill.  The wind broke your umbrella.

Last night I streamed Assassin's Creed Unity as I usually do on a Wednesday night (it's not always Assassin's Creed Unity. That just happens to be the game I'm currently working my way through), and I had an absolute blast.  Now that I know more or less what I'm doing (though I seem to forget the controls from week to week), it's genuinely fun.

I should have spent more time playing through the main story, as I went and did all the side quests at my level or below first, and now that I'm playing story quests, it's telling me everything I already know; all the things that I had to learn the hard way.

Oops!

Still, it's stupid fun to sprint past someone harassing people and to slit their throats.  Sometimes you do cool slides, or spinning jumps.  It's awesome!

Playing this game has me eager for Assassin's Creed Origins.

Also, I really enjoy having people join me while I play.  You lot are really awesome in the chat, so helpful to each other and to me.  It's awesome.  Honestly, that is the only reason I stream, instead of just playing.  I love having you all join me.  So, uh, thanks for that.  It's super awesome of you.

And now I've run out of time for lessons I learnt yesterday.  I have to get going on my language lessons.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

I am exhausted today.

But I'm happily back in the saddle with writing.  I mean, I might fail again, but so far I've done well getting back into my writing routine.  It's only been two days, but those two days have been encouraging.  I've managed to hit my two thousand word writing goal by the end of each day (though yesterday came really close), which was great.  I'm looking forward to hitting that goal again today.  Fingers crossed.

Due to the enormous gap between where I left off this rewrite to take care of Daughters of Britain edits and publishing deadlines and start yet another story (which will be the next project after I've completed this draft of Soldier), I'm feeling that this draft is a little disjointed.

It's going to need a crap tonne of editing, is what I'm saying.

I'm not looking forward to that.

On the bright side, I do have a project to move to the minute I type "END" on my current one, so I have a good reason to put this manuscript aside for a few months and forget about it.  Hopefully that will help in my editing efforts.

I'm almost at 90 000 words currently on Soldier, and I should be finished fairly soon.  There will be much celebrating.

And there's where I am with writing right now.

Speaking of writing, I am really appreciating the notes that people are sending me, letting me know that they've received their copies of Daughters of Britain.  It really warms my heart to hear from you.  I really hope you like the book.  If you have the time and inclination, I'd love for you to leave a review.  Even if you didn't like it.  Well-phrased bad reviews can be really useful for readers to know whether or not a book is likely good for them.

As I always am, I'm fairly anxious about this one.  I'm really hoping that it's as good as my friends say it is.

Funny story, my father is proud as punch that Daughters of Britain has been published, and has made me promise that when (not if, guys, but when) it's made into a film, he accompanies me on the red carpet.  You have no idea how much that amuses me.  I'm fairly certain that he's overestimating the reach that this book will achieve; a common mistake usually made by the writers, rather than their parents.

Of course I made that promise.  And then I laughed.  A lot.

It's really cool, though, how much faith my dad has in the book.

Okay, I've rambled on enough, and I really need to get started on today's language lessons.  Until tomorrow, then.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Yesterday, I finally bit the bullet and sat down to continue the rewrite of the first book of The Great Man series, Soldier.

The protagonist of this tale has an awful story.  He's is dragged through hell his entire life.  At five-years-old, he witnessed his mother's suicide.  At eight, he was banished by his father to the front lines to fight an enemy no one knows anything about.  There, he faces not only the terrible psychological effects of life on the front of a war, but isolation from his peers, who want nothing to do with the quiet soldier, and he's garnered the special attention of the enemy across the field to boot.

It's hard, and it's depressing, and I have to occupy head spaces that I'd much rather not.  Writing this book physically hurts my heart, and it buries my mind.  The enemy in this novel is also my enemy.

Sitting in this space with these characters is not a fun time.  It pulls at uncomfortable places, blossoming old pains that sprout like weeds through the holes in my coping mechanisms.  I know that in the writing of this, I will have an uptick in the number of depressive spirals I will experience.  There will be periods when my temper is especially short, when I'm exhausted for no good reason, and when I randomly start to cry; all because of what is going through my head as I live with this story until it's written.

Honestly, this story is so dark and depressing that I'm not sure any publisher will want it.  That also weighs on me, to be honest, because I feel like I'm going through all of this for naught.

Still, this book demands to be written.  Cai is demanding, as all of my characters seem to, that his tale sees the light of day, somehow.  It doesn't matter if no publisher will touch this with a ten foot barge pole.  It's enough for the ghosts in my head that it gets onto a page.  They will hound me incessantly until it does.

So, I'm writing the damned thing.

And it is affecting me.  That, I suppose, is the price to pay when writing a dark fantasy about a boy grappling with an evil that wants nothing more than to consume him.

So I'm going to beg you all for a little more gentleness for the next... however long it takes to get this story finished.  I'm nearing the end of Soldier, but there are four or five more books to write before this story is complete.  Chances are, I'm going to be in this funk for a while.

Sorry to everyone who knows me.  I'm not going to be the best company for a while.

And on that note, I have language lessons to be getting on with before I head back down into the pits.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

There are a number of things I want to discuss, but I just don't have the energy to go through them today.  That's essentially the same as having nothing to say.

On days like this, I both adore and curse my blog.  The routine is a morning blog post four days a week.  This is actually a fantastic exercise for a number of reasons.

Self-Discipline
Sitting down to write a blog post is an exercise in self-discipline.  This is something I do whether or not I feel like writing a post.  That doesn't matter.  Hell, even the length of the post is not the point.  The point is that every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday there is a blog post that is written.

Practising this self-discipline translates well in to my writing, when I sit myself down in front of a computer and write, whether I feel like it or not.  The number of words I write is not the point (though I strive for two thousand a day).  The point of the exercise is that I've written that day.

And that, ladies and gents, is how books get written.

Work-Throughs
Often, I might be struggling a bit with my own thoughts on a topic (currently, I'm struggling through what I think of free speech.  When I think I'm close to a solution, I'll be blogging about it).  Writing it down permits me to examine it from a multitude of angles without getting lost or distracted from the core topic.  The way writing is structured helps in this regard so, so much.

Tackling bigger issues in a blog format helps me discover where I stand on a lot of things; even if the end result is that I'm still undecided.  It still feels clearer once I've written everything out.

Venting!
Oh, how I love getting to vent my frustrations on this blog.  It's great.  I get to explode at something I find hateful, unfair or utterly stupid, and I get to do it in a space designed for me... by me.  I have an added bonus of being about to control what goes on in my space.  If someone starts spewing vitriol at me in the comments, all I have to do is hit the delete button and they're gone.

I genuinely don't have a problem with people who disagree with me.  I do have a problem with people being venomous morons just because they think hiding behind a computer screen will protect them.

This space is mine, and I am at complete liberty of crafting it to suit me perfectly.  This is my space to speak my mind when something is bothering me.  I always feel better after having vented.

Sometimes you just need to rage at the world for a bit, you know?

Creating Something Out of Nothing
Arguably, this is what writers do all the time.  They might hear an innocuous throw away line from a conversation between two people who passed them on the street, and their mind latches onto it and suddenly there's a whole thriller about how someone is poisoning North Americans using orange chocolate (or something).

Blogging regularly helps me exercise that part of the mind; that part that can find a few hundred words when before there was nothing.

I mean, just look at this blog post.  I started by saying I literally didn't have the energy to tackle the things in my head right now, and from nothing pulled out this fairly wordy thing that is today's post.

That might not seem like an impressive skill, and honestly, it's not the handiest skill to acquire unless you're a writer.  Or in university (let's be honest).  In those cases, being able to pull a few hundred words out of absolutely nothing is wildly important for writers (and university students).

Blogging is actually really excellent for building the skills necessary for being a writer.  That's not to say that every writer should blog, of course, merely that I find it super helpful.

And look.  Now I've done a complete post.

Now I'm off to work on my art a bit and restart my Welsh language lessons.  Afterwards, it's back to writing.

​Ciao!

Before I launch into today's post, I just wanted to thank everyone who dropped by for last night's live stream. It was a fun session, and I adore hanging out with people while I game.  Anyway, on with the show, as they say.

This is something that has been on my mind a lot, as it is often my biggest critique of writing, and that is how few writers manage to write characters well.  Some manage it brilliantly.  Others manage it capably.  Some fail so hard it makes me want to punch things.  Ahem.

This is particularly exemplified when a non-minority is writing minority characters.  It's a problem with cis-het writers writing queer characters.  It's a problem with white writers writing people of colour.  It's a huge problem with male writers writing women (and one that I see most often, likely because I'm most affected by it, more so than the others).

Look, writers, characters are important.  At least, they should be.  They are, after all, what drives your story.  Without characters, you'd have nothing.  So you need to pay respect to the crafting of characters.

And here's your biggest clue about characters.  They're people.  They might be blue-skinned and from another planet or something, but if they're characters, they're people.

Make sure they come across as people, and not a poor facsimile constructed entirely of idiotic stereotypes and tired tropes.

That means, dear writer, giving them dimension.

If you have a kick-arse warrior woman in your story, please understand that the warrior part of that is only an aspect of who she might be.  It is entirely possible for a warrior to want to be a mother (or be a wonderful, loving mother in fact), or to be a devoted and doting wife.  Being a warrior isn't the entirety of her.  Don't shrink her down to one dimension.

A male fighter pilot is not merely a fighter pilot.  Perhaps he loves gardening, or is a poet, or rescues dogs.  Perhaps he play-acts the hero, but suffers from crippling low self-esteem.  Maybe he's a single father, and his only thought is returning home to the child who adores him (or hates him. Take your pick).  If he's the hero of your book, or simply a side-character, make him a whole person.  Don't shrink him down to only one aspect of himself.

Similarly with queer characters, their queerness is not their whole selves.  It is a part; founding, no doubt, as the queer experience will likely shape their character, just a straight experiences shape cis-het folk, but that's not all of them.  Don't reduce a character to a single dimension.

Writing characters well takes skill.  It's not easy.

I once had an argument with a bloke who whined "Writing women is hard!" and said that male writers shouldn't be held to such a "high" standard as getting women right, because that's tough (never mind that women are expected to write male characters well.  Fucking double standards, man.  It makes my blood boil to this day and that argument was years ago!). Well, no shit.  Writing is hard.  If you cannot do a character well because their gender, orientation or race is not your own, then you are not a good writer.  It's a simple as that.  Getting defensive won't change that fact.  You know what will?

Some fucking effort.

Work on your craft.

Because everything hinges on your characters.

Good morning, Readers!

So I haven't anything of note to relay today, so I thought I'd share a bunch of stuff.  First up, a new episode of Nights at the Round Table from my video podcast:

Also from the same YouTube channel, the first of the ChiSeries readings from this month:

And then there is a recent article by Chuck Wendig about writing scenes.  It's worth a read, but as he even admits, take this and all writing advice with a large grain of salt.  Here's the article.
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And I think that's enough to waste your time today.  I'm off to do things.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

This has been one of my most anticipated films of the year.  I went into the cinema anxious, because DC doesn't have the best track record when it comes to cinema.  Cue the rest of the review:

I loved this film.  It was so fantastic to watch Wonder Woman kick arse all over the screen.  That said, I honestly think that this film is only as groundbreaking as it is because of an utter lack of well-done female-led superhero films.  It's a fantastic film, and it means so much to me personally.  If things were more equal, I feel like it would be just another great summer superhero flick, instead of the monumental thing it has become.

This film is gorgeous!  It's genuinely stunning to look at.  The use of colour to highlight the difference between Diana's homeland of Themyscira (incidentally, there is an actual ancient Greek city by the name of Themiscyra, so the spelling of the DC version threw me for a loop), which is vibrant and bright, and the world of men, which is dull and grey, was masterful.

The fight scenes were beautifully done, my favourites being the battle on the beach between the Amazons and the Germans, and the liberating of the town of Veld.  That sequence was pretty spectacular.  I have to admit, watching Diana cross No-Man's Land, and hearing the soldiers in the trenches exclaim, "She's gone and bloody done it!" did things to me.  Diana kneeing a soldier through a window was one of my favourite shots of the film.

Gal Gadot as Diana was brilliant.  I had my doubts when they announced the casting, fretting that it wouldn't really be believable.  I was very wrong.  Gal Gadot manages to come across as powerful and confident, while also perfectly portraying open-hearted naiveté.  While I credit the writers for creating a character that is three-dimensional, Gal Gadot's performance really brought that to life.  It was absolutely believable that this beautiful young woman who loves babies and ice-cream can also body slam a church bell tower.

Also as a tribute to Gal Gadot, and without spoiling too much, I was less impacted by the death of a character than I was by Gal Gadot's portrayal of Diana's reaction.  That was when the death hit me.

Chis Pine's portrayal of Steve Trevor was also sublime.  Once again, credit to the writers for creating a male character whose masculinity does not depend on being superior to his female counterpart.  Steve Trevor's abilities are not diminished because Diana can, well, body slam a church bell tower.  And he's masculinity is not threatened by such a woman.  In fact, he accepts her abilities without injury, trusting Diana to get the job done (as evidenced by his use of an Amazonian tactic during the liberation of Veld).  The character is sweet and fragile, while also being clever, capable and strong.  In short, he's an entire person.

This is lacking in a lot of films of this genre, not just female-led ones.  Gender norms constrain male characters as much as female ones.

In fact, Captain Trevor is an outright hero in this film.  His courage is second to none.  That is not diminished by the fact that no one but Diana can face off against a literal god.

This parity was really refreshing to see.

I also really enjoyed the use of humour throughout this film.  Diana and Steve have a number of scenes that are hilarious, with brilliantly delivered dialogue on both parts.  I was laughing a lot at various points throughout the film.  Considering the subject matter, that laughter was very welcome.

I loved Chief, as well.  It was wonderful to see a First Nations character as an actually integral part of a unit, and not just random cannon fodder.  I loved his character, and how they didn't shy away from the fact that he was aware of and impacted by what happened to his people.

I love the character of Sameer, who wanted nothing more than to be an actor.  But, he was the wrong colour.  The film didn't shy away from this issue either, and though it was only mentioned off-hand, it was nevertheless quite sobering. 

This film made me want to cheer, and loudly, not least of all because of Diana's heart.  Her courage was rooted in her determination to do what was right, often despite the people around her telling her to do otherwise.  In fact, this whole movie could really be summed up thusly:

Everyone: Diana, don't do the thing!
Diana: I'm doing the thing!
*does the thing*

It was great!

Much credit goes to the writers of this movie.  They did a spectacular job with creating characters that were believable and lovable.  The story was typical for superhero stories, but still managed, largely in part to the acting, to feel fresh and interesting.

I still, however, stand by my assertion that this movie would be less marvellous, were it not for the fact that good female-led hero movies are entirely lacking in pop culture.  This was a huge step for film, and it is rightly being celebrated as such.  I just think it's a shame that, in 2017, this movie is such a big deal.

Still, go see this film.  I absolutely adored it.