Celestial's 2010 NaNo- Seperation (T)

[Celestial]

xD Might as well try, even though I'm going to be swamped with work. Worst case scenario, I'll just edit my '09 novel.

So, ideas for this year. I don't really have any fully developed ones but there is one I like, though it will be hard. It's not so much a novel as an anthology of short stories linked by one recurring character and a setting. It will be a short story every few days, hopefully adding up to around 15 or 20 stories. I'm still working out the details but the rough premise is as follows:

SPOILER: Click to show

There is a small cafe by the shore in a town which throughout the year is full of tourists. A newcomer to the town (man or woman, old or young, I haven't decided. But it will either be a young or old man, depending on which direction I want to go) comes in and strikes up a conversation with the owner, a nice old lady. The owner (somehow. xD Dunno yet) begins telling them the first story which happened some time ago to a person who frequented the cafe. Thus the newcomer begins frequenting the cafe, hearing a story each day. Through the stories, their relationship (friendship or romantic? Again, need to decide. The age will depend on this decision) and we get hints that the omniscient old lady is not really what she seems to be.

So far I have no character for the characters, no plot(s) and nothing but the premise. xD A perfect NaNo.

But I do want a few more ideas becase this is just too darn complex. I'd have to change my mind's track every few days as I switch to a new story and keep track of the plot with the newcomer and the old owner. So wacth this space because Celestial might get a new idea. =D One thing is for sure though, after last year I want to scale things down a bit and write something simple.

Whatever I do, it does promise to be stressful, sleepless and quite fun.

[Tam]

This sounds like a really cool idea and a very interesting premise, despite the lack of character for the characters and plot and such. =D Lots of room for character development! Although I only have one year's experience to base my claims off of, I think having the opportunity to flesh out engaging characters is a big part of what makes NaNo bearable.

Good luck, Celes! ^^

[Kathleen]

This sounds lovely. ;3 With a very lot of potential.

I keep considering doing a series of short stories for NaNo, and then deciding not to. Good luck with this and the dreadfulness of managing time-shortages. =D

Whatever I do, it does promise to be stressful, sleepless and quite fun.

Well said! =D

[Celestial]

^_^ Thanks for the encouragement guys! But I doubt I'll do this idea this year. It's lovely and I'd love to but I don't think I yet have the skill for it. So it's quite likely that I'll do this idea next year when not only am I a better writer but I'll probably be shipping out to university. That way I'll have more life experience, will meet more new people to turn into characters and, since all the places I've applied to are surrounded by lovely towns, have a place to base the cafe on. ^^

In the meantime, I'm looking into the internal politics of an interstellar colony spaceship, the tension of long-haul voyages among the stars, human nature and how one person would deal with a revolution on said ship. I hope it turns out better than it sounds. >>

Stand by for plot and setting. ^^

[Celestial]

Here comes the (new) premise, here comes the (new) premise! ^^

SPOILER: Click to show

There is an enormous spaceship, many light years into the depths of space. On it, the primary rule is that the captain must never, ever be harmed. Because of this rule, the captain's family grew corrupt and expanded into a ruling class that raise themselves up as gods in order to keep their power. They have slowly lost their identity, all looking alike with individuality discouraged and all differences kept in check by inbreeding and genetic engineering. Among the lower classes, poverty, strife and corruption reigns supreme, with solutions being kept out of their hands by the Captain's Children, hoping that their problems would occupy them long enough not to bother with rebelling.

Three hundred years after they first set out, one of the Children ends up slipping through the cracks out of the perfect, corrupt home she knew all her life and into the seedy underbelly of the ship. There she meets Wren, a boy who happens to be involved in an organisation which might bring about the end of the Children's regime. It seems too good to be true. As she learns more of individuality, can the girl uncover the truth about the planned rebellion and perhaps, improve the ship's life while keeping both parties happy?

[Rikku]

Aw. The first premise was beautiful as well. D: And switching from story to story would stop you being bored ... but waiting a while for it seems like a reasonable idea.

And starship politics! =D This sounds kinda intriguing and awesome. And I'm always up for people acting like deities! Might be tricky 'cos you'd need a fair number of characters, but I'm sure you could manage it, and it just sounds so interesting!

... I will lay back on the exclamation marks now! =D

[Celestial]

Thanks for the encouragement, Rikku! ^^ *late reply'd* I'd have loved to do the first premise but yeah, I need some more writing experience (and free time. xD And inspiration.)

I'm looking forward to writing this. <3 It will need lots of characters but I have ideas for what they're like and a small outline of plot (Not really but I know roughly what is supposed to happen. Not sure what to do with the middle bit but I'll work it out. xD)

And speaking of characters, with only one freaking hour (I'm terrified. ) to go, I might as well put up character sheets summaries outlines. ^^;;

SPOILER: Click to show

The Captain's Children: A tall, androgynous race of humans who all look alike, sound alike and think alike, having no individuality of their own. They have been genetically engineers to stand out from the people who live below deck of them, called 'Beneathers'. All of them are tall and slim, having a long, angular face with long white hair and golden eyes. All their needs are taken care of via machines who collect the resources that the Beneathers offer in tribute. They all look alike in order to preserve the image of being immortal. If a Child dies, another takes their place. This keeps the populace bent to their whims. They are in actually shallow, petty and unused to any physical hardship. They spend all their days relaxing. All are born in machines which take DNA at regular intervals from adult Children. All children are taught the same things and any individuality is repressed early on through brainwashing and lessons. Old children are taken away from doing services at the temples around the ship and nursed by robots until they die, all at exactly the age of 50.

Lilly (13): A spoilt, typical Captain's Child who has been drilled her whole life that the people Below are inferior to her. She has no personality of her own, being programmed with the basic knowledge that a Child should have. However, before all the personality repression she was a curious and kindhearted child and as she gets more in touch with the Beneathers, this begins to manifest again.

Wren (12): A Beneather. Has short, ragged brown hair and hazelnut eyes, as well as darker skin, an indicator of living close to the engines. A strong, independant boy who longs for justice. He is a runner of an underground rebellion against the Children and the one who discovers (and names) Lilly. He despises liars, is stubborn and is extreamely idealistic, almost to a fault. Despite this, he carries with him the pragmatism, cold-heartedness and temprament of living in the rough world Below. He can go wherever he pleases due to having a neglectful mother and really couldn't care less about the neglect, or so he likes to show. In actuality, he joined the rebellion to make her happy. Is a survivour. Does not know who his father is. Always wears misfitting clothes.

The Iron-Masked Man (??): Leader of the resistance. A man who wears a long heavy cloak and an iron mask that supposedly hides his deformities which were inflicted upon him by the Children torturing him. A ruthless, intelligent man who wants to capture a Child to convince his rebellion that the Children can bleed and are humans. He knows how to manipulate people and is ambitious. The rebellion he started was not so much for equality as it was about him having power yet he is a beacon of hope for the oppressed people of the Below.

Oban (45): Wren's mentor and the one who had looked after him when his mother wouldn't. A big, grizzled, tough man who knows the ways of the world but retains a soft spot for children and animals. He is a warrior but a kind one, who would not harm anybody who did not deserve it. Smokes a lot, having connections with a tobacco farm. He does not like the Iron-Masked leader but only has a gut instinct to back it up. Is prone to fly into rages if he sees something he does not like. Pragmatic but a traditionalist, having a sword and dagger always by his side just in case.

The Captain (32): The Captain has a destinction of being different from all the other Children in that he has a personality. Captains are singled out from other children and taught by machines instead of the others on how to pilot the ship. (Which is called Shangi-La because it sounds cool. x3) A misanthropic and tired man who acts twice his age, he does not believe that anything can change and just does his duty in piloting the ship. Does not indulge in pleasures beyond what is necessary to remain sane and fit. He considers the ship to be his only friend as he cannot relate to any other Children and never seen a Beneather. Exhibits depression and apathy.

Rada: Wren's mother. A cold-hearted, distant woman who does not care what happens to her son and wants him gone, out of her life due to painful memories of his father. She is uncomfortable around people and actively despises the Children, blaming them for her sorrows but not having the guts to do anything about them. Emotionally weak and hindered by her past which masks her true strength.

There will probably be more but for now, that's the main cast. =3

SPOILER: Click to show

• Lilly (unnamed for now) is has strayed onto the lower decks of the Children's quarters after being jostled out of position to see a star formation that they would be passing.
  
• She falls through a crack there which formed due to poor maintenance. Ends up stumbling through the upper levels of Below.
  
• Found by Wren and Oban. They are excited as their leader has promised a great reward for anybody who manages to find a Child.
  
• Captured and taken to a jail cell. Anger between her and Wren.
  
• Taken out of her cell and put on display in front of the assembled rebellion. The Iron-Masked man (without inducing too much Squick) demonstrates to the crowd (via means of...deep scratches with a knife) that the Children are human. Lilly has to endure the disdain and being her, she doesn't take it well.
  
• Cell-moping.
  
• Oban comes over and frees her. He did not like the demonstration that the Iron-Masked man gave. Tells her to run.
  
• Wren catches them in the act. Big massive argument between student and mentor.
  
• Wren is finally persuaded to go with her. Oban stays to face the consequences.
  
• The guards discover that Lilly is missing, with Oban sitting in her cell. He fights off several before being captured and sent to the Iron-Masked man.
  
• Iron-Mask orders a search party to go look for her, saying that she will warn the Children of their arrival. Keeps Oban with him.
  
• No love between Wren and Lilly. They bicker about their differences. Lilly stays with him because she has nobody else and Wren stays out of respect for Oban, figuring that if she was important enough to risk his life for, he must have a reason and so it is Wren's duty to protect her. Gives her a name.
  
• An escape from the guards that spot them. Wren decides they cannot stay there.
  
• Steal clothes for Lilly. Go to his mother's.
  
• When his mother sees Lilly, she gets angry. First stirrings of sympathy from Lilly for this broken woman. Begins to break out of selfishness.
  
• Iron-Mask drags Oban to his chamber in order to figure out how to get rid of him in the best possible way, as Oban is highly respected among the rebellion. Oban takes the chance to attack and knock's off the man's mask.
  
• The man is a Child, albeit a heavily scarred one.
  
• Meanwhile, guards find Wren and Lilly. His mother tells him to go to the farm districts.
  
• Big chase though Below decks. Want to include busy markets.
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• All ends with Beneathers and Children coming together and living happily ever after with them heading towards their promised planet. ^^
  

[Schoolrikku]

I think I rather adore the Children. <3 All pampered and pretty and petty. It'll be fun to write Lilly's mindset becomin' all indiviual-like, yes?

[Schoolrikku]

... *discreetly kills typo*

[Celestial]

Thankies, Rikku! And yes, yes it will be. <3 In fact, it will be a challenge also since it is the most dramatic bit of character development I've ever written but I'm looking forward to that.
-----
So, first quota completed. Sod's law says that I'm not going to enjoy this kind of success for long with my workload but for now, I'm happy. Having an hour before school to work on just my NaNo (nicknamed 'The Power Hour') is really nice as not only do I get most of it done, leaving my evenings for schoolwork but I also get the good feeling of having written something before school hits. Here's hoping it lasts because I can get used to it. =3

So here's how it goes: Do the majority of my daily quota during the Power Hour, then the rest when I get home from school and after studies, do anything extra. We'll see how it goes. One thing is for sure, I'm going to do a lot of juggling to fit everything in. xD

And if I have time, I'd love to read what other people have done with their NaNos, although I doubt that will be the case.

[Rikku]

Writing before school is so good, isn't it? xD I only get about three-quarters of an hour, but it's so ... driven. 's awesome.

... And I really ought to be spending it, y'know, actually writing. >.>; *scuttles off*

[Celestial]

<3 Yes, yes it is. Especially with the dawn coming up and lighting up the room.

>> That does happen. But with enough motivation, it's nice.

----
So, calling it quits today after reaching the 4.3k mark. Not doing to badly, considering I have schoolwork to do. Time will tell if I suffer for it but for now, its good. Just up to the part where our main character, acting like the spoilt brat she is, is brought to the door of the Resistance HQ where her, Wren and Oban are greeted by amember of the rebellion who is an alcoholic French black man called Remy.

I had a lot of fun writing his character, even though I probably won't see him again. He's a joker, an alcoholic who drinks moonshine (that's all there is Below) and a generally nice guy. It was also nice to write the character relationships between the resistance members, especially the banter. It was also good to show how Lily mimicked their behavior when they were laughing, implying a little of how the Children actually learn and develop (Ie: mimicking the behavior of those around them so that if one laughs, they all laugh. No individuality. Or so my NaNo mind thinks.)

I'll post an extract if anybody is interested. xD

Still having trouble getting into the swing of things but it's only the 2nd. We'll see what happens. =3 And maybe Remy will make an appearance again, maybe with some dramatic irony thrown in (or maybe I'll avoid the cliche. xD).

[Celestial]

So, yeah. NaNo stuff. Because this is totally turning into my writing diary instead of my actual diary. >>

So I tortured my MC. It wasn't conventional torture per say but a whole roomful of people (and I mean a huge room) got to hit her and generally inflict non-lethal, healable wounds on her. I didn't get too creative (much. >> Not sure how much of it is deliberate and how much is me being lazy) but I still feel like a complete jerk for putting her through this, even though the plot hinges on it. Especially because now I have to write the aftermath where the girl questions herself, suffers cognitive dissonance and begins to feel the full spectrum of human emotions. I feel so sorry for her. ;_;

And in the back of my head, I keep thinking that "torture makes you good" feels like the most Unfortunate Implications, cliched piece of tripe I've ever written. It's supposed to be NaNo, yes, not good but...the fact that something can come out of my head is disturbing. Granted I do try to explain but this niggling feeling won't go away. And it's not like she instantly does this, at least I'm hoping to avoid it.

Feeling the second week blues already, people. Nevertheless, I'm going to carry on because despite everything, I like where this is going.

And I realise that yes, Slobs Versus Snobs isn't the most original plot but I would like to think I'm showing that both sides have their good and bad points.

And the sky is pink so that the piggies can camoflauge themselves against the two-headed ninja-cyborg salmon of Kingradie. ^__^

[Celestial]

What time is it? It's EXTRACT TIME! (whether you like it or not. =P)

SPOILER: Click to show

They turned into the fourth tunnel on the left, which did not do anything to ease their tense mood. It was full of rubbish and the layer of grime on the bottom was even greater than usual, full of small bits of hair and bone which lay littered at random intervals. There were also torn pieces of paper on the walls, each one of the same face. It made the whole place feel as though the tunnel was full of silent watchers who would record your movements and report them to some unknown force. To two fugitives, there could be nothing more unnerving. However, they had to press on for not to do so would obviously put them in even more danger.

The last stretch of the route was navigated in silence, with even Wren trying to keep his ritualistic whispering of the directions down. They quickly spotted the enormous tunnel, the unmistakable green, brown and gold lettering saying simply ‘Farming District’ over it. There were the remains of some statues of fruits, crops and cattle all around what looked to the children like a long curling basket with fruits pouring out of it. It looked beautiful once but time and neglect had worn it down to a rough shape, a mere suggestion of its former glory.

But the pair did not care about the once beautiful sculptures. They rushed into the tunnel as quickly as they could, like rabbits rush into a burrow for safety. It was well lit and they could smell the wondrous, mingling scents of grass, flowers and fresh air whispering down the long winding tunnel. Compared to this, the scents of Eda’s garden were a cheap imitation. In his excitement, Wren broke into a run and Lily did the same. They were exhilarated, filled to the brim with the prospect of safety and the thoughts of the wonderland that lay beyond the tunnel.

The farming districts were the most important part of the Shangri-La. They supplied the oxygen and the food for the whole population, Child and Beneather alike. It was a land full of greenery under the open starry sky, as close to old Earth as possible. There were forests as well and huts where people lived. The dirt and grime of it was not like the ones found in the lower decks, it was instead an earthly type which, while still needing to be washed off, was not as sickening as the artificial filth spewed up as a by product of the unmaintained Below. But the most important thing was that the farming districts changed. As the crops were planted, matured and harvested the farms took on a completely new characteristic each time, like actors swapping masks. The farmers kept up with that dance and guided the fields along it. Their work was hard but at least their air was clean and their sky was beautiful. They were aware of their role in the grand scale of the running of the ship and did it as well as they could. They were the protectors of life and the makers of beauty, to the eyes of the Beneathers. To the Captain’s Children, their complicated world did not exist. The farmers were, by and large, independent of everyone. Only the Captain themselves could give them orders. It was a as free as you could possibly get.

The children ran out of the tunnel and stopped immediately, transfixed by their beauty. All around them there were swathes of green in a myriad of tones and shades. There was the rich green of mature leaves, the dark green of pine and the pale green of unripe wheat to feast your eyes upon. It was pierced by splashes of all the colours of the rainbow, some of them flowers and some of them people. There were streams and ponds everywhere, each one clear and still with thousands of creatures swimming beneath the lilies and the lotuses. Everywhere however, there were traces of the pure brown earth which sustained everything, going deep until it hit the metal hull of the ship that not even the roots of the biggest trees would touch. If it was not for the struts supporting the glass roof above, they would be convinced that they had stepped off the ship and onto another world.

The lights that lined the metal struts were dimmed and turned off, the action as sudden as thunderclap. Both of the children briefly cried out but their cries were replaced with wonder. The darkness was an unfamiliar concept to the two but there was no time for fear. The sky above them was filled with a thousand lights. None of them burned too brightly or too dimly but instead were sharp pinpricks in a midnight world. Their light though was soft and natural, soothing the children’s mind like a song. They could do nothing but stare up at the stars, transfixed at their unspeakable beauty. The stars just shone in the sky, unaware of the two children who saw them in this state for the first time.

“They’re...beautiful,” Lily said, barely able to speak. Even though she knew she had seen the stars before, now it was different. She had never felt like this before. It was a feeling of awe, not just of looking at a beautiful object but being humbled by it and experiencing it. She wished she could pass the nebula that she tried to get a good look at when this whole affair began. The girl wondered what she would see in it.

[Kathleen]

Pretty excerpt, with nice descriptions. =D Stars. <3 I love stars.