I’ve quite enjoyed the animated offerings from a galaxy far, far, away. That it expands on the live action universe I’ve grown up with, is a comfort, as the world awaits the upcoming series and movies in and around the Star Wars franchise. Today, I share my non-spoilery love about Star Wars: The Clone Wars spin-off series, Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
A show about a group of clone rejects, misfits, non-conformists who like to color outside the lines but get things done for the greater good, despite how others see and treat them? I’m in.
Clone Force 99, also known as the Bad Batch. Most of these clones have genetic mutations. Hunter has enhanced senses. Tech, with his heightened intelligence, is the groups IT department. Echo, who joined the squad more recently, doesn’t have genetic mutations but has augmented cybernetics from the result of experimentation while held captive. Crosshair’s sharp eyesight makes him an excellent sniper. Wrecker, and his amped up strength, lives up to his name as a wrecking machine. He loves hand to droid combat.
I was about to start the series, now seven episodes in, when I realized I needed to finish Clone Wars first. Despite the final season taunting me for a while on Disney+, I dragged my feet because I knew it would be the end of a series I’d grown to love. Naturally, by the time I finished the twelve episodes, it was bittersweet. I liked the storylines, but it left me wanting more. Good thing I already had this next series lined up that continued in the same story and timeline as Clone Wars. I still miss the characters from Clone Wars. I hope to see some character crossovers, where applicable, of course. Fans familiar with what happens in the original Star Wars trilogy already know the fate of several of the characters from the series. Still, it’s fun to explore the what-ifs.
Again, non-spoilery, so I’m going to wait at least until the first season has passed before going into more detail, but I already enjoy the character dynamics. It’s easy to laugh and yell along with this rowdy bunch. There are some interesting new characters we get to meet, as well. Interesting, not necessarily ones I’d like to hang out with. I’m sticking with Clone Force 99. The great writing makes you care about these guys.
If you haven’t binge watched these shows yet, I highly recommend them.
Stay creative, stay weird, be kind to yourself and others.
Did you play the game Guess Who? when you were a kid? There were these pictures of people’s faces and each player had a set of multiple faces on their board. Each player would ask questions to describe the character they have in front of them. All questions needed to be answered with yes or no. Were they brunette? Did they have freckles? Did they have brown eyes? Players would continue to ask these questions until they could make an educated guess if they think they knew the exact picture the other player had. Seemed like a simple premise.
What about when you’re writing a story? Do you know what kind of story you’re writing? Do you know the audience you’re writing it for? What happens when you’re confronted with such questions that challenge the identity of the story you thought you knew?
I mean, come on. It’s your story. It started as an idea in your head and blossomed into what you hope is a beautifully crafted work of art.
What happens when you think you know what you know but discover you’re not sure if what you know is what the reader needs to know, you know? Ain’t so simple now, eh?
This is the current challenge I’m facing with the revised draft of a manuscript (formerly known as the MG Fantasy) that I so brazenly believed I could whip into shape in a couple of weeks to shove off for querying.
Well, shove off is right. Right off a cliff. I’m certainly grateful I asked the questions and had those questions give me pause. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if I were to toss this manuscript into the sea, as is, and hope a literary agent somewhere in the big blue yonder would bite.
I’ve certainly made progress in this work in progress, but it begs the question, how do I proceed with what I’ve learned? Well, there are many avenues to explore, as I touched upon in my Camp NaNo Week Two Roundup.
I’ve since connected with MG/YA author, Michelle Schusterman, who had a similar issue with her manuscript when she ran it by a critique partner. What she believed to be an MG book was actually YA and thus, the author had to rewrite the entire story with this in mind.
So what is the difference between MG and YA?
In her presentation on “The Magic of Middle Grade” on reedsy, Schusterman was told this distinction between the two categories: “it isn’t about the physical age of your protagonist. It’s about their emotional age. A Middle Grade protagonist is discovering how they fit into the world. A Young Adult protagonist is discovering how they can change and affect the world.”
You can watch the reedsy video here and check out Michelle’s YouTube channel here to learn more about the writing life of an author from draft to publication.
When it came to my WIP, the various feedback received included:
MG stories shouldn’t have adult POVs because children don’t want to read what the adults are doing/thinking. They want the kids to be the focus of the story.
You should only have X amount of POV shifts, and only written in a particular sequence.
Make sure you have recent comps when querying.
Then, I also heard the following:
Why wouldn’t you want adult POVs in the story? MG kids are the perfect age where they eavesdrop on what the adults are talking about, especially if they try to keep the kids out of the conversation.
The POV character should have a character arc and stakes that move the story forward. You can have over two POVCs, but they need to deserve their chapter. Don’t just give them one because you like the character.
Recent comps are nice when querying, even if you do a combo with a show or film. However, they’re not a deal breaker. A literary agent is interested in a strong query and synopsis that appeals to them.
I can take any, all, or none of the feedback shared. The goal would be to take these elements and analyze how they would best serve my story. Right now, I’m leaning towards MG Urban Fantasy because I feel that the MC’s age works in how I want to tell the story. I have considered experimenting with scenes and aging the MC. This could serve as a workaround if I were to change the POV to a single character (his) and not include some adult POVs that were necessary in my original draft because they involved those adults in scenes needed to move the plot forward.
What I have, at the moment, is a draft that has a mix of POV shifts. Some, I agree, can merge into other existing POV chapters and admittedly, I thought it would interest the reader to have scenes from those characters’ perspectives. However, if they’re only going to have one or two chapters in an entire book, then it’s unnecessary for them to take the reins of a chapter. Other than that, there’s no particular sequence of who’s POV comes next. Each POV follows the organic progression of the story.
While it’s a great compliment to be told I’m a visual writer, it also worked against me, in this case, because I wrote this cinematically. In a movie, you can easily switch to a scene that doesn’t have the MC (who is a child) and the story still makes sense. However, in literature, there are a lot more conventions to keep track of to ensure I immerse the reader in a solid story.
All this is before I’ve even begun working in the possible Asian Folklore into the narrative. I just might table that for another story idea and focus on polishing this draft even further. Maybe when it’s gone through more beta reads, other writers will tell me if that other layer is even necessary for this story.
For now the revising continues. No one ever said writing was easy, but so far, it definitely hasn’t been boring either. We write on!
Stay creative, stay weird, be kind to yourself and others.
It’s the fifth day of the fifth month. How’s it going in your corner of the interwebs? When life hands you lemons, make chocolate chip cookies, because why not? April ended and May began with some moderate setbacks. But I’m hoping to get back on track this week.
I’ve got a whole new list of submissions to work out, some critique partner work coming up, as well as a beta read, and I plan on continuing to revise my MG Fantasy manuscript. Then I’ll do some genre reading on the side, so, you know, I’ll have a steady flow of words coming at me, at all times.
I haven’t considered doing simultaneous submissions, as yet. I wonder if I should submit it, as is, or see if I can tweak it, in case something came to me after the other submission? Have you ever done that before? Which story outcome would you prefer to use, in such a case? Or would you submit identical pieces to multiple publications and see who bites?
Other submissions seem like they’re not my jam, but I’ve noted the theme and filed them away in a story prompt folder. Who knows, incorporating multiple ideas might work for a different submission and you’ll have a masterpiece on your hands. I stand by the practice of never deleting previous drafts. You never know if you can repurpose something discarded from an earlier draft into a greater story.
Besides all this, because of elevated stress levels affecting my health, I’ve taken more active measures at self-care, this month, even if it means, I step away from the keyboard to recharge, refuel, and reassess the situation to see how best to proceed before I burn out. I’m walking more, thanks to the nicer weather. Masks (yes, double layer), and socially distant. I will continue this once I get vaccinated, as well. We all have to do our part. Reading for leisure is also high on my list of relaxation methods, as well as streaming shows I’ve fallen behind on, or discovering new ones that will thrill, inspire, and awe.
Life’s been overwhelming, both health and work wise, but I’m chugging along, rolling with the punches, adjusting where necessary, and everything is five by five.
Stay creative, stay weird, be kind to yourself and others.
Two more days and Camp NaNo closes for another couple of months.
Have a bit of bad news, then we’ll zoom into the good. First up, I got an email regarding my internship application to the literary agency. They said they were going with another candidate. It was a personalized rejection, and I appreciated the person taking the time to do that. While that would’ve been an amazing intro to the publishing industry, let’s look at the bright side here. The position would’ve been for three months. There’s no guarantee that they would ask me to stay on with the agency. Besides, this was literally my first attempt at diving into the biz and I’m 99.9% sure there were dozens upon dozens with more experience in the industry than yours truly.
Sliding into the good news? Well, more opportunity-fueled, really. Right after that email, there was one from an independent film school that is also hiring. I had applied for a remote position there with the same expectations as the literary agency. I’m inexperienced but eager to learn. This time, however, they would provide paid training will the possibility of the part-time position becoming something more permanent. I’m filing this in the “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” category, and I’ll apply for the position. When one door closes, and all that, right?
I’ve fallen behind on the two 5K short stories, but I’ve still got time. One’s due on Friday and the other one Saturday. Of course, as I was busy prepping for them last weekend, I happened upon another publication opportunity that was for 2-6K due last Sunday. I still had that file open and ventured into the potentially gainful territory. Since that deadline was first, I had to take my shot there. I’ll keep you posted on the progress for that and all the other submissions.
So, I went into the final week expecting to produce two short stories and have since hopped back on track after writing a third one to squeeze into the week because, why not?
All of this, along with the notes and recent information I’ve gathered for my MG Fantasy manuscript, and I have to say this has been the most productive NaNo I’ve every done.
I’ve got plenty to keep me occupied in the months to come. I’ll be sharing more details in upcoming posts.
I hope your April was as productive as mine, if not more. I’ve got to keep the momentum going and will head straight into May with a plan and positive determination.
Stay creative, stay weird, be kind to yourself and others.
This generation has got it good. We’re living in an amazing era of technological advancement and innovation. <cue curmudgeonly mentor voice> Why, back in my day, we didn’t have this, this Google, you speak of. Ever hear of a library catalogue? Familiar with the Dewey Decimal System?
Between that and waxing poetic on walking 15 miles to school through three foot snow drifts uphill–BOTH WAYS–in the dead of an extended Indian Summer, you get the idea, right? Information, these days, is truly at our fingertips.
So when we’re not typing various questionable entries into our trusty search engine, or bombarding Siri or Alexa with weather updates or what to make for dinner, what other methods do you resort to for information gathering?
BG (Before Google)
We didn’t always have the world at our fingertips. We literally had to do our own legwork. Libraries were, and still are, our brick and mortar haven for knowledge. Speaking of legwork, as long as we’re social distancing, there are benefits of going to the library for research or leisurely reading. Writing challenges and other literary enthusiasts will tell you to get butt in chair and write. However, we need to take breaks to stretch because the sedentary lifestyle isn’t doing us any favors.
That’s not to say that libraries are there just for research purposes. They have activities, events, and rooms to rent for private use, group chats (book clubs, writing clubs, etc.) I used to tutor students at the library, conducted business meetings, and even had documentary screenings with college organizations. There’s way more to a library than its book aisles. It’s like the world is at your fingertips–AND you’re amongst likeminded creatives. Libraries are among my most favorite places to visit.
Eavesdropping/Peoplewatching
I’ve experienced the most intriguing, and sometimes intensely WTF moments, by being adjacent to, or in the vicinity of the strange and otherworldly conversations that happen around me. Thanks for the (sometimes mind-boggling) entertainment, humanity.
Start off small. Coffeehouses, on the bus, at the mall, during a walk in the park. You name it, there are seeds of a story waiting to grow once the idea reaches the earshot of a writer. You’re surrounded by diverse groups of people from every age group, or a combination thereof. Many of my story ideas have begun this way. However, set the bar low. It might be strange, at times, but never boring. There’s plenty to hear, but some situations aren’t worth repeating. But, boy, when you do find that nugget, it’s hard not to run with it.
And who knows? On the way to the library, that walk/commute/drive might provide you with the much needed insight you’d been looking for. Or, you might find inspiration in the change of scenery, versus staring at a screen most of the day.
Writing Groups
I may look to Google for an initial query, but oftentimes, when I know my topic could be tossed in a group post in a writing group, I look forward to that method of brainstorming. Give or take a few hours, to account for international time zone differences, there’s active real-time discussion that you couldn’t get from search engines or online wikis that are edited, at will. These discussions are shared amongst people with experience in that subject and who can add nuances to your topic based on their particular background and geographic location. Of late, my writing groups are online, but when it’s safe to do so again, in-person writing groups are fun and motivating, especially when you’re in exciting conversations or revved up to do writing sprints. Online or in-person, find your tribe.
Social Media
Whether you go to Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram. Ideas are everywhere. There’s tumblr, Reddit, random memes. I use these as story prompts all the time, and they’re fun. Heck, you’ve seen a cornucopia of memes that I’ve included in my posts since I returned to my blog. They. Are. Everywhere. Ideas a-plenty. If not for a story prompt, use the visuals as inspiration for settings or actor pics as your character inspo.
Of course, we’ve got the ol’ standbys of books, television, and film. There are great (and not so great) stories out in the universe. As the reader/viewer, that perception is, of course, subjective. As a writer, however, these are extremely effective tools, because you can see final products out there in the world. You have the ability, along with the rest of the world, to determine what worked and what didn’t.
Just because an idea has been done before, that a story’s been done before, that shouldn’t deter you. Your idea, your story hasn’t been told yet because that’s uniquely you. You add the flavor and nuances from your own life experiences and knowledge that another writer can’t offer. You bring something new to the table. Remember, the majority of plot lines found in books, television, and film are also found in the bible. Brother against brother, massive calamity, plague, public persecution and discrimination. It’s all been brought up before. How will you take these ideas, some old, some outlandish, and create a fantastic read to share with the world?
Stay creative, stay weird, be kind to yourself and others.
Textploits of the Writerly Persuasion 