lifestyle

Nine Imps

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Dokkaebi | Korea

“Impish spirits that transform from inanimate objects.”

Basic Facts:

  • Also called Korean goblins, they like to play tricks on humans (or help them – it can go either way.)
  • Physical descriptions of the dokkaebi can be found on ancient roof tiles but are usually frightening to look at.
  • Into wrestling? So are these spirits! in order to pass them, you should be able to wrestle your way out of their clutches of evil! Their weak spots include their right side and (some of them are one-legged) a simple push will get them down.
  • There are different types of dokkaebi. To be frank, there are nine common types.
  • Sometimes, rituals are hosted to get in the good graces of the dokkaebi but other times.

Overlapping Myths and Traditions

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This is the first of our mythological creatures from East Asia and can we just say: we are so excited to share these!

For this week, we’re looking at the traditional Chinese dragon, also known as the East Asian Dragon. This creature is widely known within and beyond Asian history, used as symbols of great strength and honor. But let’s jump right in and see what we could possibly teach you!

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Chinese Dragon | China

“Long, serpentine creature with elemental powers.”

Basic Facts:

  • Don’t be fooled! The serpent-like animal is the more commonly known dragons. They’re also described as turtles and fish.
  • The dragon usually has powers to control water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods (do you see the common trait of strength behind this all?)
  • Scholar Wang Fu of the Han dynasty recorded myths about long dragons having distinct features. It’s an interesting Google search!
  • Depictions of the East Asian dragon sometimes feature a flaming pearl. It’s symbolic of spiritual energy, wisdom, prosperity, power, immortality, thunder, or the moon.
  • Wings? Nope! East Asian dragons fly with the help of their mystical powers, nothing physical helps them soar through the sky.

Falling Down An Unwanted Hole

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When reading any story, there’s bound to be a plot hole we encounter or fall into…no one is perfect. Not every loose end will find its tie; it’s a matter of picking and choosing which ones to leave.

Some plot holes could be used later on in the series…even if it was just an accident. While editing your manuscript, if the plot is disturbed greatly by the error, fix it. Does it ruin one sub-plot? Revisit. If it can be manipulated later on, maybe it’s not really an issue at all.

Listen to your beta-readers, your editors…If it proves to be a serious problem, you’re not going to have that groundbreaking novel you had hoped for.

A Little More, A Little Less

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Has anyone ever thought “I don’t care what color his eyes are” or “what does the size of her hips have to do this journey?” Or my personal favorites are, “well, what color are his eyes” and “how wide are her hips REALLY?”

You know where this is going: physical descriptions of characters.

Sure, establishing attraction between two characters could use some physical traits to highlight. Everyone has their personal attractions. But besides that, when does describing a character become too much? Or do you feel there is too little to your character altogether?

Sometimes we think of the readers first. Readers come in all shapes and sizes – and we also want to highlight everyone thinks differently. But you knew that already. The way a reader can interpret your characters varies. Some enjoy rich, written word describing every nook and cranny of your world…others envision a movie scene, playing itself out in their head.

But what’s also important to keep in mind is yourself. It’s up to your discretion as a writer if you wish to pursue colorful scenes adorned in magical items or timeless pieces of furniture. Or that may not be the point of the story. Factor in everything (point of view, genre…we mean it.) Some writers feel comfortable with a simple “an average man/woman comes into the crowded bar…” and the reader’s creative mind can take the reins from there.

Get comfortable with your characters for who they are, not they look like.

Head Count

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We’ve talked about killing off characters more than once on this blog…but today we’re discussing how many characters you should keep ALIVE to complete your tale.

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First of all, you need your protagonist. Usually there is only one of these but sometimes there are more. It takes a certain type of writer to have more than one protagonist.

Character count: 1

Next up, we have the deuterangonist. Or more commonly known as the sidekick. Let the confusion start here. Limit your sidekick to a single being, or two. To this we say: have fun. They’re very important characters who need to be just as well-crafted as the protagonist. If you’re still getting the hang of writing, stick to one.

Character count: 2

The antagonist becomes our next character to focus on. Don’t be fooled though; the antagonist doesn’t always have to be another person. Your protagonist could have very real inner demons they can’t shake like struggling with mental health, addiction…and so on. This should almost always be a single thing. Think of it as your target that you’ve zeroed in on and need to destroy. Your protagonist would think the same thing.

Character count: 3

Love. If your character finds their love along the way, there’s another character to include on your list. The love interest character could cross over in being a deuterangonist. There’s one less character you have to flesh out!

Character count: 3-4

If your main character is on an epic journey for the books, a mentor is always a plus. Most characters aren’t all-knowing and if they are in your book…well, this is about to get awkward. Keep a mentor down to one…they usually get killed off at some point.

Character count: 4-5

Secondary characters matter, as well. Two of these slightly developed beings in your story would be enough. Your subplots usually revolve around these characters and they contribute to the main plot line with the protagonist.

Character count: 6-7

Last but not least, we have the tertiary characters. These are the characters that aren’t really talked about in great detail but they’re still contributing to the protagonist’s journey the number to this is subject to the kind of story you’re writing.

Then you’ll have flat characters that aren’t too important at all. These are the characters your protagonist comes across in passing.

How many characters do you limit yourself to in your writing? How many do you think is appropriate?

Ragnarok

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Fenrir | Scandinavia

“Monstrous wolf destined to devour the world.”

Basic Facts:

  • Fenrir is the son of Loki and the giantess, Angrboda.
  • This huge wolf was chained up because the gods knew how powerful he was. He was only going to break free when Ragnarok occurred, which is Doomsday. And no, we’re not going to start talking about the Marvel movies.
  • Fenrir has made more appearances in modern culture than people realize, mainly references in video games but has made an appearance or two in movies and on TV.
  • He’s a father! He has two sons: Skoll (meaning ‘treachery’) and Hati (meaning ‘he who hates’ or ‘enemy’) with the giantess, Hyrrokkin. Though this is just an assumption. Also, like father like son.
  • His other name is “Fenris.”

 

The Bubble Has Burst

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We’re talking about the creative bubble bursting. If it has, this may be a bad sign. PSA: this is not okay.

In the situation where your creativity has run dry, we have a few kind words to send your way. Take a step away from your computer, notebooks, or brainstorming station. It’s time for you to recharge your creative energy in hopes of coming back with a bang.

Creative spurts or waves…they come and go. That doesn’t mean you have to exhaust your brain and learn to hate what you once loved.

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Nope, Nope, Nope.

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Have you ever looked over your old work and thought, What in the world was I thinking?

We know how that may feel sometimes, so we thought it was about time we helped you embrace the cringe with some memes

should not.jpgImagine this: you start reading some piece written three years ago and your first thought is…No. No. Why? No.

Cheers to feeling that way. Just so you know, you should not have done then.

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Sometimes, with re-reading old work, people get inspired to re-write it. Which leads us into our next meme: the lengthy process that goes along with it.

You never know how long it’s going to take, but you know it has to get done sometime or another. Once it is done, though…you realize you’ve lost track of reality.

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One of my personal favorites is when you notice how many times you used one specific word. For me, it’s just. For others, it’s that. You never know what word you actually lean on until you type it into your word finder and it pops up over 500,000 times throughout your entire manuscript.

 

An Eternal Flame

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Phoenix | Greece

“Fire bird that eternally regenerates from its own ashes.”

Basic Facts:

  • There are many different tales which reveal the life expectancy of the phoenix before it is reborn…one being a span of 500 years.
  • The phoenix was considered a royal bird because it had been associated with a place called Phoenicia. Phoenicia was known for producing a rich purple dye which was deemed expensive and used exclusively for the upper class.
  • When we think of the phoenix, we think vibrant colors associate with the sun. In truth, the phoenix has never been described in great detail in original folklore.
  • Phoenix is Greek for ‘crimson’ or ‘purple.’
  • The modern adaptation of the phoenix make claims that the tears of the bird can heal and if they’re nearby, lying doesn’t occur.

Wake Me Up When September Ends [6]

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Don’t worry: we’re up.

And we’ve got a list of newly released audio ready for your ears. Get ready!

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9/1

  • Alex Rivers // STOLEN SOUL
  • Kate Stewart // THE REAL

9/4

  • Mila Young // CURSED
  • Elle Cross // SO DARK THE NIGHT

9/11

  • Bella Winters // MY BEST FRIEND’S DAD

9/12

  • Eva Chase // 2 TITLES
    • CONSORT OF PAIN
    • DRAGON’S FATE
  • Gia Riley // WRONG SIDE OF HEAVEN
  • LJ Swallow // THE FOUR HORSEMEN: DESCENT

9/18

  • Jaxson Kidman // 2 TITLES
    • IN HER WORDS
    • LET YOU GO

9/19

  • Ashley Meira // SMOKE AND MAGIC
  • Crystal Daniels & Sandy Alvarez // THE DARKEST OF LIGHT
  • Joanna Blake // RIDE WITH THE DEVIL

9/25

  • Elle Cross // SO BRIGHT THE DAWN
  • Jamie Schlosser // TRUCKER
  • Jenna Wolfhart // A TOUCH OF STARLIGHT
  • Lisa Suzanne // THE POWER TO BREAK
  • Mila Young // CLAIMED

9/26

  • Kathleen Wheeler // BROUGHT TO OUR SENSES