I’m trying to do something never done in storytelling. Or possibly never done. It should be very sad, scary, demonic if written any other way. Since I’m writing it, it will be like a long poem, written like a beautiful song. A story when bad things are painted in a romantic or wonderful way.
I love that even when my characters are knocked down I can make them get off their assesand do something about it. My stories always have strong female characters who have been through a lot of shit.
That I can play murder death fun time with my characters on a whim. On a somewhat more serious note: That the worlds and characters are all mine until I share them.
For me, the excitement and anticipation of creating something new... A new world. Breathing life into characters who were previously only a thought. So many things to love about it.. And, when some new idea gives you butterflies... You can't wait to develop each idea. Wonderful.
I think I have an honest protagonist. The protagonist is flawed, vulnerable and strong as and when the situation dictates, they are not a cartoon character written by committee.
I love being surprised by the manner in which spontaneous parts of the story overwhelm the initial idea. How what starts off as relatively ‘mundane’ becomes enriching and opens me up to new interests. I love discovering something, rediscovering, and/or revisiting familiar territory - now I think about it ALL of these are essential and perhaps the most important thing for me is to try and balance them knowing they’re forever pushing and pulling at each other trying to claim centre stage. I love how this plays out EVEN IF, sometimes especially if, it ‘fails’ as a piece of writing. In terms of something comparable to the OP it is the accumulation of knowledge about locations, characters and histories that fascinates me most of all. I am after all writing, and seeing, for the first time my ‘image’ manifest. I love conveying personality in dialogue and description. This is in every story I write. Most of ALL I love when I appreciate what I have written as the best I can do to express what I wished (nothing beats that sense of satisfaction - usually it is only a fleeting sentence, or perhaps nothing more than finding the perfect word to fit the mood intended).
With the project I'm actually working on, the fact that my protagonist is clearly a complete cloudcuckoolander, but because of the setting (a holiday camp in an enchanted forest), he's the second sanest character in it. And also the fact that the sanest character is actually the protagonist's pet dragonfly.
I love that my historical characters are relative unknowns, so even though I'm staying true-to-events there's a lot of scope to add interesting minor characters; sub-plots; characterisations, and the occasional weird woman with a patchy, contradictory past whom no-one can quite fathom. I love that the extreme superstition and religiosity of the characters allows vague supernatural elements to creep in, even though the setting is a real place and time. I love that the debasement of clan chiefship into criminality and warlordism is so wild a concept that I can give thugs with thick Scottish accents Far Cry villain levels of charisma.
I like using all the little historical details, as much as is reasonable to reference in a story, about the dress, the food, the culture and the political organisation. And I relate to the character somewhat as I have interpreted him as being on the spectrum like me. That sounds cool, tell me more!
Dragons!!! Well, I do like dragons but there is a lot more in my world I really like. One of them is just the setting I created. It has it's own technological advancements or retardation but still remains more or less equivalent to medieval europe. Cliche I know, but meh, I like it. I particularly enjoy the history of the countries... like who ruled them anc how, the wars they were in and even thd drama and political shenanigans happening in the background
What I love about my story is that it's a true reflection of my innermost being. It manifested first out of a longing and a whim, and has become something that has to be maintained and respected in order to keep purity of motive. The whim was to write in story form what I felt was true about me. Without this story I wouldn't have as clear of a picture about who I am, or had the courage to let go of perfectionism and be the imperfection that I and my works embody.
I'm never satisfied enough with my writing to use the word "love" and suspect I never will be. There are two characters I unabashedly adore, though: Alexei and Sylvie. Alexei's very polite and well-mannered, but his thoughts aren't always as polite as his exterior, so his dry sense of humor cracks me up.
I am not 'in love' with my writing. I'm in love with what my story does to my life. There's a huge difference Just yesterday I found out that I am able to—for the first time in my life—argue geopolitical strategy with other nerds and win. I was never one who could discuss even a random topic, and now I can discuss such a one?? Is this still the 'me' who started writing, three years back?
I really dig the central villain, from the appearance in my mind's eye to the plan and motive he has. Still early days, but most details of him stretch out well in advance.
Ah. Got it. The phrasing threw me. I'm glad your writing does that for you, L.L.. Very cool! Rephrasing the question to better fit the way I feel about it (because "in love" is never gonna happen for me with writing), I would say that what writing does for me is open doors. I use it as a vehicle to meet interesting people and do cool things. The research for this novel is opening amazing doors to cool experiences.
It's about the late 16th century Macleods of Lewis, in the war that led to their extinction. That took place during an era known as the Linn nan Creach, when Scottish Gaeldom was extremely Balkanised and anarchic (a bit like post-Soviet Afghanistan), and a bunch of squabbling brothers, Lowland Scots colonists, and an estranged brothers' handler all wanted the island for themselves. It's a Pyrrhic victory all round. The main character thinks his main conflict is becoming the warrior he is intended to be as his competitors die away (he kills a few of them), but he ends up questioning the value of the hero-cult and pivots on the fundamental question of whether it's better to sacrifice or fight.
Oh cool, that looks like it takes place during my story. My novel is set in the 1590s, and although those people probably won't be mentioned, Scottish feuding does come up in James VI's part in the story.
I'm writing a comedy at the moment. It's a just-for-fun project to practice my writing. But I do find myself laughing during rereads which is what I love about it and hope to get across in the story.
I love it as an outlet for my mind. A place I can go when I see some injustice in the world that I am too cowardly to fix. Where I can watch my characters feast and dance together when I'm feeling lonely. It is where I can hide from our sometimes ugly world. It is a world I have made beautiful for myself. A world where humanity thrives and suffers. My paradise and my hell.
Who doesn't love the villains really?that's why I like writing my WIP with an anti-hero politician as the protagonist. Action heros are boring.
I love that my stories always have something to say, there is always an important, underlying message.
