An Unexpected Crossover

(So, I wrote this at the end of NaNoWriMo in 2013. It's a crossover because Sophie was a character from my story. It's not the best piece of writing ever, but I like the dialogue)

The first thing Sophie saw when she walked outside was the box. Thinking about it, she wasn’t sure that box really was the correct word. Certainly, what was standing in the snow was box-shaped, but it was human-sized, unlike anything she had ever seen before. Although she had no particular interest in it, she wanted very much to learn what was inside it.

It seemed to have doors, in the front. Sophie walked up to them instinctively to knock, but thought better of it. First, she should investigate this strange thing. She was well aware that she should move on, but this wouldn’t take very long, and there was no one around to judge her anyway. The hour was too early and the morning too cold for any sensible person.

Walking all around it, Sophie observed panelled sides, all of them painted a royal blue, though judging by its hue it might have once been darker. The box, however, seemed otherwise undamaged; the paint was not cracked or scratched, and the panels still perfectly smooth. Along the top there was writing, tight and curiously packed. She strained her eyes against the falling snow. Police… public call… box. It made absolutely no sense. Well, at least someone had possessed the good sense to label it a box, she thought dryly.

As she came back around to the front, Sophie decided to examine the door once again. There was a white panel on it, which held an inscription of some sort. She examined this briefly, but it too raised more questions than it answered. What was this thing, and what was it doing out here? The tiny keyhole wouldn’t fit any key she had ever seen, so Sophie decided that the wisest course of action would be to knock.

“Hello?” She didn’t expect an answer, but someone had to be behind the appearance of this strange thing.

The door opened abruptly, and a tall man popped his head out. “Did somebody call? Oh, hello there. Been a while since I’ve seen anyone.”

He was, first and foremost, extremely skinny. The pants and shirt he wore — both of an unknown style and fabric to Sophie — seemed to simultaneously hang off him and be a perfect fit. It was immensely confusing, so she decided to simply ignore it. His face was very angular, matching the rest of him rather nicely. His hair, on the other hand, looked so unruly as to be at odds with his head. It stuck out at a great many angles, such that no two strands were parallel. Sophie’s gaze did not linger there however. It was rude to stare.

“Who are you?” she asked, aware that she seemed impolite. This whole situation was too strange for niceties, however, and Sophie was aware that she should be on her way. “And what is this strange box?”

“Me? Oh, I’m nobody. Just a simple man and his box.” His voice was a little strained, and he was talking very quickly. “Sorry to bother you, I’d best be getting back inside—”

“It’s a rather small box, isn’t it?” Sophie wasn’t an idiot, and she knew the signs when someone was trying to get rid of her. “What are you doing in there?”

He laughed rather suddenly, catching her off guard. “Knitting, actually. I’d show you, but it’s a bit out of reach from here.”

“Out of reach? How can it be out of reach? That box is tiny.” Sophie should know. She had walked all round it.

“Oh, there I go again, saying things I shouldn’t. Listen, I have things to be getting on with, and I would really rather not be chatting about the TARDIS to someone I don’t even know.” He began to close the door rather quickly, and Sophie impulsively stuck her foot in the gap.

“TARDIS? Is that what this thing is called?”

“Um…” He seemed to be a little lost for words. “Yes.”

“Huh.” Sophie didn’t know what else to say, but she filled the silence with something anyway. “I don’t mean to bother you, but I haven’t ever seen something like this before. How do you fit?”

“Fit? Easily.”

As if that explained anything. “May I come in?”

“Well, I don’t suppose it’ll do any harm.” The strange man opened the door once again, a wry smile on his face. “And here I was, simply settling down for a bit of quiet.”

Sophie shook her head and had her first look inside the box — the TARDIS. She very nearly passed out with shock.

It was, simply put, enormous. The inside was at least ten — no, twenty — times bigger than the outside led you to believe. How was it done? Her first thought was mirrors, but such an effect couldn’t just be done like that. The man walked inside and her hunch was confirmed. It was as if space itself had been stretched, to accommodate the insides of this thing. How that had happened was unfathomable.

In the centre of the space was a six sided metal thing, with controls all round it, such that she had never seen before. From the centre of that rose a clear round pillar, with a bubbling green liquid inside it. The whole space was completely surreal, so much so that Sophie had to pinch herself to make absolutely sure that she wasn’t dreaming. She was not, which only served to make the whole thing seem that much more absurd.

“What do you think?” asked the man, a knowing smile on his face.

“It’s…” She struggled to find the right words, and put them in the right order. “…bigger inside, on the.” And failed. Sophie shook her head. “Wow.”

“Wow is right.” The man grinned widely, exposing rows of perfect teeth. “My name’s the Doctor, by the way.”

“Doctor? What kind of doctor are you?”

Another laugh, no more expected than the first. “Not the kind you’re used to, I’m sure. It’s what I call myself. A nickname, if you will.”

“Then what’s your real name?”

“That’s not important. Who are you, anyway? I like to know who I’ve let into my TARDIS, after all.”

“Oh, of course.” Sophie blushed. “Where are my manners? My name is Sophie, pleased to meet you.” She held out a hand, just as she had been taught to do. Why, her parents would have skinned her alive for such an affront to a person.

The Doctor took her hand and shook it rather tentatively. His grip was a little weak, but his hands were warm. “Glad to have met you, Sophie. Welcome aboard.”

“Aboard?”

“You do ask a lot of questions, don’t you? Though I suppose I invite them. This, my dear, is far more than simply a box. It moves, too.”

Did it? Sophie had enough presence of mind not to ask another question. She simply couldn’t seem to help it, but if it fazed him she would try to stop. Who was this man? This enigmatic, eccentric and completely intriguing man. She had to know more.

“Time And Relative Dimension In Space. TARDIS. It’s an acronym, you see.”

If Sophie had known what an acronym was, she surely would have replied. Instead, she continued to drink in the experience, and kept her mouth well shut. What wonders the universe held, indeed! If only her mother, or even her father, could see her now! What would they say to her, to find her with a strange man inside his moving blue ‘police public call box’? Probably nothing good, so Sophie did not try and imagine it.

“What’s wrong with you? Cat got your tongue?”

“Cat got my what?” Sophie sighed. “It’s a lot to take in.”

“I’ll say.” The Doctor smiled. “You’re doing very well not to panic, though.”

“Am I?” Another question. Those seemed to be the only things she could articulate at the moment. “I think the panic is waiting to burst out later.” Might as well be truthful.

“Really? You humans are funny creatures, aren’t you?”

“Us humans?” There she went again. “What are you, then? Some kind of alien?” It was a rhetorical question. She wasn’t actually expecting an answer.

“Yes, actually.” Well, she’d gotten one anyway. Who was this person? Not human? That was completely and utterly absurd.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Of course you don’t. I just showed you a box that’s bigger on the inside—” There was that expression again, said correctly this time. “—and you won’t believe that I’m an alien. You know that thing I said about loving humans? I think I take it back. You people have such tiny minds sometimes.”

“Watch your tongue, sir! I will not stand for slander like that.” Sophie sighed, and then remembered that he hadn’t said anything about loving humans. She decided to let it slide. “Well, let’s say for a moment you do come from somewhere alien. Why would you look like a human?”

“Oh, you lot really do think that you’re the centre of the universe, don’t you? Well, let’s call it evolution. The human form is quite a good one after all, isn’t it? Although I will say that it may be you who look like us.” He shook his head and flopped down on a chair. “Honestly, the things you people come up with.”

“You can be a rude alien, can’t you?” Sophie smiled despite herself. “Though I don’t believe it’s on purpose.”

“Certainly not. Manners of a saint, usually. Better, actually. Met a couple of saints. Terrible table manners, never seemed to wash. Anyway, what are you doing aboard the TARDIS?”

Having a look around, it seemed, although there was something else about this place which tugged at the mind. “You let me in, and I’m naturally curious.” Sophie smiled. It wasn’t entirely her fault. “This place is fascinating, and quite beautiful, in its own way. How does it all work?”

“It would take rather a lot too much explanation to tell you that.” The Doctor’s grin was growing wider by the second. “If you were a great deal more clever, I might attempt to tell you.”

More clever? Sophie frowned.

The Doctor scratched his head. “Actually, it’s just that you’d need a physics degree just to get your head around even half of this stuff.”

“What’s physics… oh, never mind. It’s a beautiful machine, anyway.”

“Oh, I think she’ll like that.”

“Who will?” Was there a woman here somewhere, in one of the corridors which lead out of here?

“Um…” The Doctor bit his lip. “The TARDIS.”

“The… the box?” Now this was really getting crazy.

“Yeah. She’s sentient.”

Wow. This was a lot to take in. “Let me get this straight. The box is a woman?”

“Yes.”

Despite her best efforts, Sophie began to panic.

Another Year, Another NaNo...

(If I start every post with yes, it's been a while it'll get old soon. So I guess I'll just post whenever I feel like it without apology)

So yeah. My third NaNoWriMo already! Heck, the years go by quickly. I intend to win again this year, and to be honest, I'm well on track. This makes me proud, I would say deservedly so, but maybe my ego needs slapping down a few notches. Since everything seems to be going so well this year, I guess I should talk about my struggle last year, and the progression I've been going through with regard to writing. Here goes.

When I first started NaNo, I had only been writing as a hobby for about 2 years (2 and a half? I can't be bothered to work it out). As a result, my longest piece of writing was 20,000 words long, and needless to say, very generic. All I was doing was copying the themes and styles of my favourite writers and projecting them in a manner that I thought worked. And it did, to some extent.

Fast forward a few months. I had finally written something that came to 50,000 words. It was also not very good, though the writing itself held water. It was the storyline that needed fine tuning, for it quickly went to a place that was unsatisfying and hard to resolve. I told myself I would try again. Flush with the success of my first NaNo, I wrote several new things over the next year (the chronology is a little messed up in my head; there are some things in my folder I'd forgotten I'd written). All the while, my story lines grew more coherent, and I grew more confident.

NaNoWriMo 2013 was a tiny bit of a mess, which may come as a surprise to you, reader. Even with all of my newfound experience, I found that the story I'd chosen to write didn't come out quite right for my tastes. I lost my enthusiasm, and though I still won NaNoWriMo, by the end of the month I was writing because I had to, not because I wanted to. There was a short story among the last of my writings that year, a Doctor Who one, because I'd run out of inspiration. I don't really consider it cheating, because it came from my storyline and involved one of my major characters.

This year is a whole other kettle of fish. My muse is bright and bold. The difference, this year, is how I went about it. Every year I write with no plan; this year I wrote with one. While I did stray from my plan quite considerably, I found that by having an ending that I could work towards, I eliminated silly plot things that  might mess with my novel. I usually think of my novel's ending halfway through. This time, I had it at the beginning. It didn't solve everything, but I think as I gain more experience and confidence as a writer, I grow closer and closer to something I think might be worthy of publishing. And that, my friend, is a heady thought.

(P.S. Now, if only I could add this to my word count...)


(P.P.S. Doctor Who story to follow)

Sheltered as a snow cave

Okay,  so it's been a while since I've posted anything. Entirely my fault, I'm not gonna lie. In any case, I'm back now, and I intend to make this a habit. Anyway, there is something specific I wanted to post about, rather than just making excuses. Here we go.

So I recently watched Frozen. Yes, I know, it's great (and also everywhere). The characters were super relatable, seeing as I have two sisters myself and I would probably do anything for them. However, something that's been niggling at my mind is a tv show that I watched some weeks ago while waiting at a doctor's office; a daytime talk show where a woman was complaining about the uncannily thin and large-eyed appearance of the characters, and how it would be a bad influence of young girls.

...I know. But some people do think like that, and that's what worries me. Let me explain my reasoning.

It's not the first time I've encountered the view that Disney could be a bad influence on girls. In fact, my sister's legal studies teacher was sheltering her own children from it, because she believed it to perpetuate the stereotype that girls need saving; that they should be damsels in distress. And though it seems reasonable on the surface, I have a few problems with this.

The first is the shelter aspect. Controlling your children's television and movies may seem like a great way to influence their personalities, but what if they're not interested in what you want to show them? A child is a human being, just like you. I someone was telling you to watch twilight, wouldn't you be a bit miffed? (I just had to, sorry).

Secondly, I'm doubtful about the effect that these shows may potentially have on their minds. Having loved fairytales all my life, I would be the first to tell you that there's nothing to worry about. The appeal of fairytales is their fantasy; they often contain princes and princesses, along with at least a touch of magic. It is their inaccessibility which draws us; we know we will never be a princess or a hero, but we can dream about living in that world.

'Hold on!' I hear you cry. 'But these are children we're talking about, they can't possibly think that critically.' I know, I know. But that brings me to my last point: Education. If you don't like the message that a tv show is sending, how about you simply tell your kids that? Teach them that not everything they watch is grounded in truth; that some things need to be taken with a pinch of salt. They're much more likely to listen to their parents than to some movie. And you will be teaching them one of the most valuable lessons they are likely to learn: scepticism.

I have a knitting pattern to post, so if I don't do that soon, give me a textual slap on the wrist or something. Happy watching!

The trouble with outlandish names

Now, this is something I've been ruminating on recently (ruminating... never used that word before...). My attention was brought to it by, of all things, eating chocolate. How, you ask? The answer is simple. Lindt and quiche. Got you more confused, have I? I'll explain. These two words are ones that my high school history teacher rather memorably (to me at least) mispronounced. Here's how.

The first (although I mentioned it second) is quiche. My teacher told us an anecdote about how she had been at school, and it had been on the menu. "Oh," she had said, "What's kwi-chee?" A rather harmless anecdote, I think you'll agree. Now, let's move onto the second. In school one day we were discussing chocolate (don't ask me why; I don't remember. Just accept that we were amazing). And my teacher, bless her, said "I like those Lie-in-d chocolates."

These things may seem to you rather trivial, and they are. But let me get to my point. You see, no matter how simple a pronunciation may seem to you, there is always someone who will pronounce it differently.

The English language has thousands of different letter combinations, each of them culminating in different pronunciations. Is it bass (mass) or bass (lace)? Are you producing the produce? How must it be pronounced? This is rather delightfully demonstrated in a deliciously evil poem available here which even a native English speaker has difficulty saying in one go.

And when you've taken that into consideration, there is the matter of nationality of accent. The English language is a minefield for the creation of made-up words.

So, what to do? One thing NOT to do is to put a pronunciation guide in the back of the book, like in Eragon. By the time a reader has gotten to it, they have their own ideas about pronunciation. Trust me, I know. I spent an entire book pronouncing Gil'ead (GILL-ee-id) as Gil-eed and Uru'baen (OO-roo-bane) as OO-roo-bah-en. Not to mention Ajihad, whose name is supposed to be pronounced AH-zhi-hod. And then there's Tronjheim (TRONJ-heem) which I pronounced with a German inflection of TRONJ-hi-m (rhymes with bye).

My biggest tip if you're worried about your names not being pronounced properly is to show it to people and get them to say it. If you're not happy with how they're pronouncing it, either include a pronunciation guide at the beginning of your book, or change it. As for me, I'll just stick to normal names. And who knows? You may not even care about people mispronouncing your names.

That's all folks. I'll post again later.

Getting writing time out of bus trips (without putting pen to paper)

Now, please don't take any of this the wrong way. I am not a stalker. I am certainly a normal person. But, there is something which I do sometimes to help with description. Description, I find, is the part of my writing which I leave out the most. I think of my characters as just people, regardless of what they look like. Now, while this may be a very inclusive outlook on life, it does not make for as immersive an experience as I would like.

So, what to do if your characters all look the same? Just look around you. When I am on the bus, sometimes I will surreptitiously look at the people around me and think about how I would describe them. What does their hair look like? How would I bring to life that particular set of features on paper? Here, for example, is a man who regularly takes the same bus as I do:

He was a tall man; not particularly heavily built but with enough bulk to be noticeable. He had his eyes closed, and his eyelashes and lips were almost feminine in contrast to the rough stubble which covered his chin. He did not, however, look effeminate. On the contrary, his features combined in a face which looked astonishingly manly.

Hardly the best of descriptions, I know. The difference, however, is that I would never have come up with something like that all on my own. If it were me, I would have simply made up a man. But what is a man without a few curious features. And don't stop there. Try to imagine what kind of job they do. Are they unemployed? Married? A lawyer? A doctor? What is their personality like? The beauty with this is that they can be whatever you want them to be. Such as:

He spent most of his days at the university, leaving early and coming back late. He did not enjoy the commute; in fact he spent most of those times trying to sleep on the bus, with his music in his ears and trying to ignore the movement of the bus.

And that, I believe, is all I have to say on the topic. Try it guys, just try not to let anyone see you staring. They probably won't comment, but you'll be forever marked as the strange person as the bus. Though if you're like me, you were probably already strange to begin with. Bye!
Laura

The Pen Name: A Discussion

Okay, I know it's been a long time... there are reasons for that. Stupid, pathetic reasons, which are really just excuses. I'm sorry. I've been neglecting my online presence. So, first up, an update. I've been participating in this year's July Camp NaNoWriMo, and I'm well on my way to completing it. As well as that, I'm knitting a Dalek Lace Shawl, which shall also be finished soon. I'm quite excited about both. The last thing which is taking my time is Minecraft, which if I'm honest I never should really have started. But it is such a wonderful outlet for creativity, even for someone who can't draw a straight line.

Now that that's dealt with, on to the actual article. I recently searched, with the help of the NaNoWriMo forums, for a pen name. In two days I had a response, and lo and behold, I now have a pen name. Hannah Laurent. Has a nice ring, doesn't it? It's an amalgam of my first and middle names, swapped. If I ever publish, hopefully it will be under that name.

Of course, why the need for a pen name? I decided a long time ago that my full name was not suitable as a pen name. It comprises of a first and a middle name, plus a ridiculously long hyphenated last name. Those do not make up for the most pronounceable of names, so I was keen to make up something new. Nor did I want to simply chop out my middle name and the last part of my surname, because it sounds bland and uninteresting. Laura Berger. Can you imagine that on the spine of a book? I thought so. But then, maybe I'm being harsh to myself. After all, when Ian Fleming began to write his famous series of books, he picked the name James Bond because he thought it was exceptionally boring. We all know how that turned out.

Then of course, there's the recent news about J.K. Rowling writing under a pen name in order to avoid the stigma which followed her on publication of A Casual Vacancy. Rowling, of course, already writes under a pen name, albeit one not too different from her real name. In this case, I applaud her. She is, I believe, a very competent writer, whether you like her latest books or not. And when I find people putting them down simply because there is no magic or wand waving, I find it very sad indeed.

So, what about pen names?

I find that a pen name will be the mask I wear to sell books; a fake veneer for my very introverted self to hide behind. Even though publishing is the least personal medium of expressing oneself, perhaps I can distance myself from bad reviews if it's not actually my name. Probably not. But I can hope so, anyway. I guess, in the end, it completely depends on your circumstances. Perhaps you are a published children's author who wants to be taken seriously with adult fiction, or you want to keep your sinful writing from the people you know. Perhaps, like me, your own name is just too boring. A pen name, in any case, is a very flexible thing which can be adapted to any circumstance. It can be sexy, serious, mysterious; whatever you want it to be. Therein lies its power.

I hope you enjoyed that disjointed series of thoughts; I promise to return with some more structured material within the week. If I don't, feel free to leave a comment to smack me on the head. Wishing you a very lovely day,
Laura.

7 Writing Tips to keep the words flowing

Writers' block. We've all experienced it, all lamented the inopportune arrival of it. Some deny its existence, call it a mere temporary setback. But whether you like to think of them as slow patches, or if you simply do not have any ideas, you need a way of dealing with this. Here are my tips. You do not need to use all of these to conquer writers' block; in fact it would be better you only use one or two. Find the method that works best for you and put it into practice.

1. Soldier on. Write more words, even if they're painful and you hate them. You can come back and edit them later.
2. Try skimming slightly over the section you're writing. Give bare details where an entire paragraph would be preferable. Don't give the how or the why if it's not important and you can't think of it. These things can be added later.
3. Add a plot point. If things are never going to work out or if your story has reached a stalemate, make something happen! It doesn't need to be explicitly related to the overall plot line, and it certainly doesn't need to resolve the story; but it can serve to push your characters in the right direction.
4. Write ahead. Use with caution. You can skip the section you're on, but beware that it might create structural issues in your story if the part you're on is important.
5. Make a summary. If you know what's going to happen but can't bring yourself to write it yet, write a summary of that part (as detailed as you can make it) and move on. This is a viable alternative to option 4 if skipping it might cause issues.
6. Write something else. Spend a little time doing a short story. The time away might cause you to forget things about your story, but let's face it, you've forgotten half of it already, right? Writing another project might help you put the issue into perspective.
7. Find a human guinea pig. Find someone whose ideas are very similar to yours, like a sister or a best friend. Tell them the issues you're having and have a discussion with them about how to resolve it. They might see things you've missed, and they're also great to bounce ideas off.

Hope you enjoyed those pearls of writing wisdom. May writers' block never hinder your path, and happy writing to you.

River's Gloves - Knitting Pattern

I made these as an accompaniment to the River's Diary pattern I posted not long ago. Subtle Doctor Who references are embroidered on the back of the hand. The cuff is modeled on River's Diary, with sixteen panels encircling the wrist. This is meant to be the first in a slate of Doctor Who inspired glove patterns, so stay tuned for more.

Instructions

CO 30 sts and arrange evenly onto 3 needles. Join in the round, being careful not to twist. Now, follow either the chart or the written instructions.

Chart

Cuff

Round 1-2: k all

Round 3: [k2, p13] twice

Round 4: [k2, p1, k11, p1] twice

Round 5: [k2, p1, k1, p9, k1, p1] twice

Round 6: [k2, p1, k1, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k1, p1] twice

Round 7-9: As round 6 (3 rounds)

Repeat rounds 5-9 three more times, until you have sixteen panels.

Round 25: [k2, p1, k1, p9, k1, p1] twice

Round 26: [k2, p1, k11, p1] twice

Round 27: [k2, p13] twice

Glove

Round 1-2: K all

Round 3: k15, place marker, m1, k2, m1, place marker, k to end (32)

Round 4-6: k all (3 rounds)

Round 7: k15, slip marker, m1, k to marker, m1, slip marker, k to end (34)

Repeat rounds 4-7 twice more, until you have 38 stitches on your needles.

Round 16-23: k all (8 rounds)

Round 24: k to first marker, remove marker, k1, place next 8 sts on holder, k1, remove marker, k to end.

Round 25-35: k all (10 rounds)

Round 36: p all

BO loosely

Thumb

Pick up the stitches on your holder and join in the yarn.

Round 1: k8, pick up and k 2 sts.

Round 2-7: k all (6 rounds)

Round 8: p all

BO loosely

Finishing

Weave in the ends, making sure to close up any holes around the thumb. Take a length of white yarn and a tapestry needle and embroider words on the back of the glove. On one glove, put the words ‘Hello sweetie XO’. On the other, put ‘Spoilers’. Weave in these ends to the white yarn on the inside of the glove. Voila, you’re done!

As always, I do have a PDF version of the pattern. Happy knitting!

The Master Writing Tip

There was something I forgot to tell you guys two posts ago. It's something I forgot that I needed to follow, but has been driven home by last night spent procrastinating. It's something I don't really have trouble with, but others of you might not like. It's the perfect way to find some time in the evenings to put fingers to keyboards or pens to paper. It's simple. Three words.

Stop watching TV.

Now, I don't mean stop watching TV period. You can still turn it on once a week to watch your favourite show. But turning the box on every single night leaves you zero hours to do work on your novel. This is something I learned by accident when I participated in NaNoWriMo and very quickly gave up on this pastime. It's possible, trust me, and you don't really lose anything.

Anyway, TV is for unimaginative people. What's wrong with sitting down and reading a book. Do you need to watch reruns of QI? Is it imperative that you see this cooking show, though you may never look at or think about the recipes ever again? I think not. So put some time aside, and leave the box in its corner. Your inner writer will thank you for it.

River's Diary Knitting Pattern

First off, a disclaimer. I do not own this pattern. It was thought up by hells456 and never charted, so I did in service to the Whovian community and so that I can knit it up myself. It hasn't been tested yet, because I have other projects to finish, but there shouldn't be too many bugs. It's a very simple pattern. A worsted weight yarn should do the trick (I'm really just guessing here. Take care to adjust your needle size and gauge for whatever you're making a cover for). Here's what I'm basing it off:

River Song's Diary by hells456

OK then, now that that's cleared up, on to the pattern itself. I have it in three versions. The first is a knitting chart for those who abhor written patterns. Then I have instructions for working a flat panel. Finally, I have written in-the-round instructions for a no-seaming version of the pattern. Here goes:

Chart:

Following the chart, knit first the first 6 rows, then rows 7-22 four times, and finally rows 23-30.

Grey: purl on RS, knit on WS

White: knit on RS, purl on WS

Written Instructions - flat panel:

CO 38 sts. Starting with a knit row, work 5 rows in stockinette stitch.

Row 6 (WS): [p2, k16] twice, p2.

Row 7 (RS): [k2, p1, k14, p1] twice, k2.

Row 8 (WS): [p2, k1, p14, k1] twice, p2.

Row 9: [k2, p1, k2, p10, k2, p1] twice, k2.

Row 10: [p2, k1, p2, k1, p8, k1, p2, k1] twice, p2.

Row 11: [k2, p1, k2, p1, k8, p1, k2, p1] twice, k2.

Repeat rows 10 and 11 five more times.

Row 22 (WS): [p2, k1, p2, k10, p2, k1] twice, p2.

Repeat rows 7-22 three more times, until you have eight panels.

Row 23 (RS): [k2, p1, k14, p1] twice, k2.

Row 24 (WS): [p2, k1, p14, k1] twice, p2.

Row 25: [k2, p16] twice, k2.

Row 26: k all.

Work the last four rows in stockinette stitch. BO all sts. Make two of these.

Seaming: place the right sides of the panels facing one another and sew the two long edges and one short edge together. Turn inside out and you’re done!

Written Instructions - in the round:

Using a sock cast on, CO 38 pairs of sts (76). Begin working in the round. Starting with a knit row, work 5 rounds in stockinette stitch.

Round 6: [k2, p16] twice, k4, [k2, p16] twice, k2.

Round 7: [k2, p1, k14, p1] twice, k4, [k2, p1, k14, p1] twice, k2.

Round 8: Work as round 7.

Round 9: [k2, p1, k2, p10, k2, p1] twice, k4, [k2, p1, k2, p10, k2, p1] twice, k2.

Round 10: [k2, p1, k2, p1, k8, p1, k2, p1] twice, k4, [k2, p1, k2, p1, k8, p1, k2, p1] twice, k2.

Round 11: Work as round 10.

Repeat rounds 10 and 11 five more times.

Round 22: Work as round 9.

Repeat rounds 7-22 three more times, until you have sixteen panels.

Round 23-24: work as round 7.

Round 25: work as round 6.

Round 26-30: k all (5 rounds).

BO all sts.

Happy knitting, Whovians. I also have a PDF version of the pattern available, if you want to save it on your computer. May the Doctor some day fly you away.

Eight Writing Tips

I've been slack, I know. University and all that. When you are at uni, you quickly learn to prioritise things. I'm sad to say my priorities run this way: uni>novel>blog. Sorry. Anyways, here's another post so I don't feel like a total slacker. I've gotten to thinking about what makes people good writers, having recently entered a writing competition and reaching the end of my novel. So, here are my thoughts on the matter, in the form of writing tips.

1. Finish things. This is the first on the list because it also happens to be the most difficult to follow. Are you one of those people who has thousands of incomplete novels sitting on their hard drive? Pick one you like, and complete it.
2. No editing allowed. Yes, half of what you write will be rubbish the first time around, but write it anyway. As someone once said, 'you can't edit what you haven't written'.
3. Go with gut instinct. You may be the most meticulous planner in the universe, but if you come up with a plot twist while you're writing, implement it, for heaven's sake! Always be open to changes to your original plot. It can only be made better by your edits.
4. Develop your writing style. By this, I mean you shouldn't try to copy other people's writing. It will sound shallow. Write things; small things, silly things, stupid things, until you are comfortable with the way your words come out.
5. Set yourself a daily target. Writing a little every day can have a more positive impact on your quality of writing and your writing habits than anything else. Make yourself a spreadsheet if you like to track your progress. Remember, every little bit that you write contributes to your novel.
6. Be realistic. A novel is not written in one sitting. Hell, even a short story takes lots of editing. Keep in mind that it won't appear over night.
7. Read a lot. I'll tell you a little secret about inspiration. Inspiration comes from all of the little things you've read and done and experienced, mushed up in your brain and spat back out as original ideas.
8. Have fun! This is the most important thing. If you're not writing because you're enjoying it, your writing will have no soul.

This is all I can think of at the moment. I may update this list later when I have time. Until then, happy writing! May your fingers never falter.

A Fantasy Serial - Chapter 2

It's been forever, I know. Blame it on the fact that uni has started and I have been flat out. My writing speed has even decreased, by more than half. So yeah, I'm feeling the strain. But I'm also feeling a little guilty for neglecting this blog, and so I feel I need to post now. So here is the next installment in my fantasy serial, which I feel has been particularly neglected. Enjoy!

Those days I desperately wanted to fall in love. I wanted it all; the joy and tenderness of a first kiss, the feeling of a heart ready to burst with gladness. The giddy sensation of reciprocation, knowing someone loved you back perhaps even more than you loved them. I wanted to marry, have children, and wake up every day next to the person I cared for. These were the desires that most filled my heart, their presence filling me with longing. So it came as a shock to me when I realised that the first man to stir feelings within me was the one who had robbed me that night.

I only realised later, when I re-examined the events of that evening. The soft touch of those dark hands had made me shiver, but with desire rather than fear. So too had my breath caught in my throat, and my pulse quickened. My mind had been too fogged with confusion to read the signs properly, but I had read enough to realise that I was attracted to him. I knew also with enough certainty that we would probably never meet again.

It hurt to think that a possible lover had come and gone so quickly, but I was certain that someday soon I would find someone else. I put the events of that night out of my head, and continued with my existence. Parties, gatherings, all served to keep me entertained, but every time I saw thick black hair it pulled me back to that moment. The more I struggled to keep him out, the more I thought about it.

I constructed a little fantasy around him. In my head, I called him Nathan. We would see one another behind my aunt’s back, meeting at the spot where he had ambushed me. He would take me to the secret lair where he stored all of his stolen treasures, and we would kiss passionately until I had to go. Oh, how I ached for that fantasy. It made my heart bleed to know that it had slipped away.

I took to wandering the streets at night, reminiscing and fantasising. I always carried a knife since I had been robbed, but I didn’t know if it would help or even if I would be strong enough to use it. But I carried it anyway, lending myself some extra courage by feeling its handle concealed in the folds of my dress. But always within me I carried the vain hope that one day soon, chocolate coloured hands would close around my mouth once more. It was stupid and self-destructive, but I wanted it. So I kept walking the streets, regardless of the danger.

It was on one such night that I found myself walking in a place I had never been before. The moon shone brightly on the cobblestones, and though I was lost, I found myself enchanted by the sight. I was on the edge of the city, where the river met the sea. This was the working part of town, where the poor slept. There, floating on the surface of the water, was a single rose. I reached for it carefully, trying to keep my fingers dry. I fingered the petals carefully, feeling their softness. As I did, a single petal fell.

“What have you done?” There was a shout from the darkness. It was a voice I recognised, though the tone left me fearful instead of relieved. This was the dark-skinned thief, and he was angry for some reason.

He came up behind me, and I spun around. His face was terrifyingly angry, and I cringed away. He grabbed me roughly by the arm and I tried to pull away. His grip was too strong, and I found myself being led somewhere. My hand found the hilt of my knife, but I didn’t pull it out. As stupid as it sounded, I was curious to know what I’d done to deserve such wrath, and I didn’t want to risk hurting my dark fantasy. So I let myself be led into the unknown, feeling strangely exhilarated.

I could only hope I didn’t regret it later.

My New Shawl

Of which I am dang proud, so here's a picture.

The pattern is frozen leaves, which can be found here. Although, it really doesn't hurt to have the reworked charts on hand, as can be found here (you need a Ravelry account). But that's beside the point. What I really want to talk about is the similarities between knitting a shawl and writing a novel, as occured to me when I finished my shawl. They really are quite striking.

Step 1: The Beginning
You've decided what you want to knit/write, and set about your task with speed and dedication. The intial work passes quickly, leaving you wondering how quickly you'll have it finished. You start daydreaming on how it will look/read once it's finished.

Step 2: The Dreaded Middle
As the stitches/words rack up, things start moving slower. You realise that it is going to take longer than you thought, and maybe turn out quite differently than you expected. At this point you may take some time out from your project and pursue something else, promising you'll return to it. This is the stage at which your work is in the most peril of remaining a work-in-progress forever.

Step 3: Completion
You find that as your work nears the end, you become more and more excited. You speed up your progress as you near the end, vowing to have it finished soon. Finally you knit/write that final stitch/word. The End!

Step 4: Or maybe not...
Before you can say that you've completed it, you need to turn this...

...into this.

And that takes work. You want to show it off, but first it has to be perfect. So, on to the blocking/editing. Most of the work is done, but there are a few tweaks that need to be implemented. Finally, now you can wear/read it!

And that is why you need to think of your novels as lace shawls. You wouldn't leave a half knitted shawl lying around, would you? I know I wouldn't (as demonstrated by my completion of this masterpiece). Just think of your work as a bunch of yarn lying in your room, taking up space and screaming at you to finish it. It needs to be dealt with, so deal with it.

Keeping Track

Now, if there's something I am, it's an excel nutcase. I use it to keep track of everything, from uni timetable to writing. Incidentally, it is the last one I am interested in today. There are several spreadsheets available online to do with tracking your writing achievements/goals. Since I am so particular, I didn't like any of them. So, being the person I am, I decided to make my own. And here they are!

The NaNoWriMo Spreadsheet
This one is to track your progress both during NaNoWriMo and to help you set a goal for subsequent months. Simply plug in your wordcount for the day and your goal for the given month, and the spreadsheet will do the rest for you. For continuing projects, there is the existing wordcount box, which lets you plug in the words you already have so as not to mess up the average words per day box or the 'Daily Goal' column.

The Writing Log
This one is for those who don't need a goal, or who can't be bothered to write every day. Plug in the date in dd/mm/yyyy format and your total wordcount, and watch the percentages climb. You can customise the daily wordcount goal, but it won't affect any other part of the spreadsheet. Your total wordcount goal is just a point of reference and a way to calculate the percentages, giving you something to shoot for.

A couple more things before I go and actually do some writing. Please do not mess with the formulae unless you know what you are doing. Otherwise excel could have a spaz attack and spit out error messages. If you find any errors (the spreadsheets haven't been tested by anyone other than myself) please let me know and I will fix them. Enjoy!

Infodumps: The Fact Sheet

Now, I know the words 'infodump' and 'fact sheet' are scary, but stay with me at least for a little while. These ugly babies need to be dealt with wether you like it or not, so let's get started.

What is an infodump?
An infodump is a chunk of text where the author attempts to explain/justify their plot developments through long passages of rationalisation. These will often contain overly complex scientific or supernatural phenomena which strain the boundaries of plausability. They should not happen.

Why shouldn't it happen?
There are a couple of reasons why infodumps should not exist. The first is that if you have a plausible and well crafted plot line, there should be no need for infodumps. If you are adding infodumps it may be a sign that you are trying to push the plot in a direction it shouldn't go. The next is that there are really simple things you can do to avoid the need for an infodump, as explained below.

What can I do about it?

1. Show don't tell. This is the simplest and most straightforward way of avoiding an infodump. If there's something you want to explain about an event, write a flashback or a diary extract or something.
2. Your characters should not be know-it-alls. What this means is that if there is a concept you want to explain, have you characters discover said concept instead of having it handed to them on a platter by an all-knowing being or having the characters explain it to the readers. Not only will your readers understand the concept better than with an infodump, but your characters get to feel smug about having found something out. Double win!
3. Let the story go where it will. If there's a concept earlier in the book which doesn't fit with what you're writing now, either bin it or write something which fits with what you already have. That way you don't need any infodumps to fix your convoluted plotline, and you aren't sending your readers to sleep.

The worst kind of infodump.
This is so annoying it needs a section all on its own. There is a certain kind of infodump which trumps all others. For the sake of categorisation, I'm calling it the series infodump. It's that block of text you get at the beginning (and sometimes throughout) the continuation of a series of books, explaining the events which happened previously. It's often written as such a short synopsis of what happened in previous novels as to be no use whatsoever to the person reading.

How to fix it? Screw the people who haven't read the last book, and I mean that seriously. If they didn't put the time or effort in to do so, they cannot expect you to sum it all up in a few paragraphs. Think of it as tuning in half way through a conversation. You may miss some things, but you'll pick up on stuff fairly quickly. By all means refer to events in previous novels, but do not go out of your way to explain them. If they want to know what happened, they can just read the book they skipped.

Now I hope you take at least some of that on board. There is absolutely no reason for an infodump, and I hope never to see one again. Unfortunately that probably won't be the case. Even the best writers end up with infodumps. Take Vampire Academy, for example. The constant restatement of events (the series infodump) turns an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable series into a cringe-fest worthy of a sit-com. And that, my friends, is nothing if not a damn shame.

NaNoWriMo Wristers: Knitting Pattern

Hey there, I thought it was time for another post. This time something I knitted for my sister for christmas. I still need to make myself a pair, but for the moment may I present: NaNoWristers! These are the perfect way to show of your proud NaNo win (or participation) on your wrist.

Pretty cool huh? And not that difficult if you know how to double knit.

Materials
One ball fingering weight yarn in purple
One ball fingering weight yarn in white
(or you can mix it up, whatever colour you like)

One set double pointed needles or a circular needle.
Extra dpns for binding off.

A small amount of scrap yarn.

Gauge is not imporant, just make sure it's small.

Directions
Using this method, cast on 39 pairs of stitches in the round, then knit one more row. If you don't like that cast on, simply cast on and knit three rows in the round. Make sure your colours are the right way around, remember that the reverse side will show mirror writing.

Begin knitting the pattern using the charts below. Since I am a dpn user I like to draw a line on my chart where each needle starts and ends. This helps me to keep track of my work. Once you've finished knitting the chart, knit three more rows.

Take a strand of the main 'background' colour you are using, and cut it leaving an end at least three times the length of your wrister. Using extra dpns, divide your stitches ont two needles, separating your colours. Then, graft your stitches together.  Knitty has a wonderful page on it here. You're done, rejoice. Now you just need to make a second one.

Charts
You can mix and match these charts as much as you like, which is why I have included charts for the numbers 0-9. These can be squished up further if necessary. Note the space at the end of each chart. This is there so that the words don't run into one another. Whatever you do, don't forget the space!

That's all for now! Happy knitting.

Congratulations, you're a sell-out

Today's post is about the line between accessibility and academia. Quite a wide margin, one might think. But the pitfalls are the greatest for the people who fall on one side or the other. So, what's the difference?

First, let's examine the difference between the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings, as you may well know, is academia at its heaviest and least accessible. You can read it, sure, but its lumbering prose lulls you into a stupor faster than almost anything else. The lengthy musings on bloodlines and rightful heirs only serves to worsen things. I've read it, don't get me wrong, and I plan to read it again. It's just a bit more of a chore than I would like it to be.

Okay, so how does the Hobbit differ from this? Well, first off, the Hobbit is often described as a children's novel. Not that I think it detracts from the book at all, it simply means that the writing is a little more light-hearted and the story a little less gloomy. To me, this is a very good book. It may skim over the bad parts, and the story and characters may be a little underdeveloped, but it succeeds in what it attempts to achieve, and that is to entertain.

Now let's enter the other end of the spectrum entirely. Take a series like Twilight, or Fifty Shades of Grey. The two are interchangeable for me. The writing is in first person, description is almost non-existent.It focuses on an obsession with a single man - his life consumes the protagonist's existence. It's supposed to be a book one can slip in to - to be the protagonist, to forget she's even there. Simplistic writing (read: no big words) lets the less academic demographic, and the readers who are not avid readers, engage easily with the story. This expanded readership results in widespread liking for the novel, resulting in a cult following (or at least very high sales).

Before you consider writing a book like that and becoming filthy rich, observe the trends in the market. Since both Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey, thousands of copycats of each have flooded the market, some of them vastly better than what came before. None of them have reached the cult popularity of the first. If you're going to write something, either make sure it's sufficiently set apart from the current obsession, or make it good. Really good. Maybe it's not accessible enough to create a cult following, and you may not get movies, but it will last a hell of a lot longer than Twilight.

A Fantasy Serial - Chapter 1

May I present to you a new project of mine. This here is a novel idea I never managed to finish. Let's see if a little more experience and the incentive of the internet won't spur this one towards its finish. So tell me: what would you like to happen next?

I shouldn’t have been out that night. It was a silly and reckless thing to do, brought on I think by an excess of drink and an absence of disapproval. There was no one to mind me, all of them occupied with other things, the doings of a young girl holding little interest to them. I was no more than an irritating puppy, to be played with at times and shooed away when it got tiresome. So there was no way they were going to miss me.

The night was cold, and I wrapped my shawl tighter around my shoulders. What was I doing out here? Heaven only knew. All I knew was that I had to get out, to clear my head. I took deep breaths of the night air, drinking in its cool freshness with slightly drunken pleasure. I did not notice him creep up on me, and when his hand was clasped over my mouth, I was too stunned even to scream. He gagged me, binding my hands tightly behind my back. He then dragged me, stumbling, into a side alley. Only then could I get a proper look at my captor.

Chocolate coloured skin was the first thing I noticed. It had a richness to it, as deep and dark as fine wooden furniture. The whites of his eyes looked out of his face with a startling contrast, as if he were merely a shadow, simply a pair of eyes staring at me from the darkness. His expression was neutral, neither kind nor ruthless. He checked my dress for pockets, his fingers moving deftly. Soon enough he had realised that I carried no purse. Instead he groped for my necklace.

No. I began to struggle, as futile as I knew it was. Tears pooled in my eyes as he undid the clasp, and he thrust the necklace into one of his pockets. If he noticed, it didn’t show. I might have run then, if I had any notion of where I was. Instead I stood there and waited for him to finish taking my belongings, swaying slightly with the wind.

It didn’t take him long. He drew a knife, and I shrank back in fear. But he grabbed my shoulder and swivelled me around, too strong for me. I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable.

It never came. He cut my hands free and started to run. I reached up and undid my gag. “Wait!” I screamed madly. “Please.”

Did he halt in the darkness? I did not know. Perhaps he didn’t care. I decided to talk regardless. Maybe he would hear me. “Please,” I said again. “It’s all I have of them.”

“Do you not have memories?” The voice which spoke to me sounded educated, not brutish in the slightest. “Funny how we hold on to objects, assign them special value.”

I swallowed and tried to calm my breathing. “It helps me to remember.”

“Don’t those memories make you sad?” he asked. His voice was coming from somewhere elevated, like a rooftop. “Don’t they make you want to rail at life itself for being so unfair? Memories are trash. Better not to think of the dead, and occupy yourself with the living.”

I wanted to scream at him, but that would not help me. If anyone came, he would simply flee, leaving me with nothing but memories and a bare neck. Instead I calmed my breathing and spoke quieter. “To me, they are valuable memories. They make me want to cry, but it is sweet in its bitterness. I laugh at the same time.”

I waited for a response, but the night was still. Eventually I came to realise that he had left me here, stolen away while I was speaking. I returned home. An educated, well-spoken thief was still a thief, after all. I had been a fool to think that he would listen to me. Perhaps in time I would learn not to keep up such hopes, and be glad that all he had wanted were my jewels.

It's Been A While

Okay, a couple of things. First, I've been a bit lax with posts, as you might have noticed over the past month. I've been busy making Christmas gifts for my family, but that's really no excuse. I could have made time if I wanted to. That's what this post pertains to. Maintaining consistency in your writing habits can be a real problem.

Well, why should we keep consistent writing  habits, and not just write when the mood takes us? There are a couple of reasons, but I'll start with the most obvious. There will always be other things, and if you don't set aside at least a little time, you will end up with a lot of ideas and very little on paper. Also, keeping a writing schedule helps keep your story fresh in your mind, avoiding embarassing things like plot inconsistencies.

So, what to do? Think through your day. What time do you have for writing, and how can you use it most effectively? Is it evenings when you most like to write? Set them aside, then. Your morning commute is a chore? Use those few precious minutes to get words on paper.

I suppose the best advice I can give at this point is to soldier on. Even if you don't really feel like writing, do it anyway. Make a commitment that you will get those words written. If you like word count goals, you can set yourself one, like NaNoWriMo. Anything to motivate you. And if you're terrible at motivating yourself, get someone else to do it for you. My sister does a great job.

That's it folks, short and sweet. I'll be back soon with a new kind of post. I've been thinking about how to spice this little blog up, and I think I've got something. See yas.

Jump off a Cliff, See if I Care

This post deals with making characters likeable and interesting. I have been recently playing Assassin's Creed III, which has brought this question sharply to mind with Connor Kenway. Though he has a wonderfully interesting backstory and cool skills, I still don't really like him as much as Desmond, Ezio or even Haytham Kenway, his (SPOILERS) evil templar dad. So why is this, I wonder. I guess to find the answer I had better pick apart the characters.

First, Desmond. He is an unwilling and unlikely hero, to begin with useless at being an assassin. He is captured by the templars and stuck in the Animus, a device which allows him to relive the memories of his ancestors. He finds what they want before escaping with Lucy, who brings him to a small group of assassins. Then he relives the memories of Ezio Auditore, in order to recieve Ezio's skills. Now, why is he interesting. For one thing, his reactions are something we can all relate to. We believe we would react the same way in his situation. We have also had four games to 'bond' with him. It helps as well that his story compelling.

Now, Ezio. Ezio Auditore da Firenze loses his father and brothers when he is a teenager, and he and his mother and sister run to the small village of Monterregione. His story is one first of revenge towards the ones who killed his family, then a struggle against the Borgia family. We can relate to Ezio because he is also human; though he has an innate goodness and nobility and later wisdom (plus assassin skills), he also has the very human desires for love and revenge.

Haytham Kenway is an example of a character I probably shouldn't like, but I do. Is it his english accent, his quickness to come up with a plan, or his self-assured manner? Maybe it is a combination of the three. He seems gentle and understanding, dealing with the captured Native American woman as he frees her brethren. He is patient, waiting several months before again meeting with the Native Americans. And he shows a dislike for undue conflict, preferring a well thought out plan.

So, why doesn't Connor measure up to any of these? He is the most fully developed character in the game, with the circumstances of his birth explained fully, and his training lasting a very long time. He doesn't have an objectionable personality, apart from the occasional bad judgements and a slight arrogance and unwillingness to see people as anything but evil. But perhaps it is these last traits which make him unlikeable. It is, it seems, the Harry Potter effect. These are the traits which Mr Potter displays most prominently, and consequently turn him into a character which I can't really relate to. The stubborness of his disposition mean that character development is really out of the question (if AC characters develop), and makes him seem a bit flat. I know such people exist, but they make me cringe.

Maybe it's just me, but now that I look at it, Harry seems far too perfect. Just look at some people's character traits lists: brave, hard working, kind, caring, clever, independent, optimistic, humble, loyal, giving, self sacrificing, loving, smart, etc. Perhaps J.K. killed her character with kindness. He has faults, but they're faults which make me cringe, and in everything else he's bloody perfect.

I need to know if it's just me! And please, don't shoot me, I'm a huge fan of HP too. I don't mind Harry at all, I'm just indifferent to him. Sayonara!