Firstly I'd just like to state some information on exactly where I am now. In terms of progress to first draft, I'm about 70% complete on Chapter 6. I've not actually touched it this week either since I'd not been well and wasn't of right mind, so I've been working well on it. The rest of the chapter is outlined and waiting to be filled it as soon as I get the opportunity.
One thing I noticed was the more I've been writing this the better my first draft is getting without me actually meaning to do so. The point of my first draft is that I get the story all written out in a full draft rather than just an outline and bullet points. It was only afterwards that I planned on going over it and improving on the writing and spelling mistakes that I know are there.
However since I've been getting into it a lot more, it makes me want to add more too it, which is a really great thing, and means there's less to go over when I finish up the first draft.
An even bigger however though, is that I have been going over the first chapter "Chapter 0: The Beginning." and improving what needed to be improved upon, especially after I realised how much better I'd been writing the later chapters. Chapter 0 was a far cry from how well I've written Chapter 6, and it made me want to go over it sooner than orginally planned, hence why I said I would give up an update with how it looks today.
I've also been updating my character sheets, I don't know if this is something that a lot of writers do, but when writing and planning all of this, I spent a lot of time creating the world and its people and how the world works. One way of doing this was to create character sheets, I did this to ensure I had all my key information and I wouldn't forget it. I couldn't imagine how embarrassed I would be if I forgot the colour of a characters hair and then they changed from blonde to black or something like that.
My character sheets work like this:
Name:
Age:
Sex:
Race: Human
Alignment: Neutral
Occupation:
Personal
Goal: To...
Description:
Eye Colour:
Hair Colour:
Clothes:
Full Description:
Equipment/Weapons:
Skills/abilities:
Family
Relations:
This has worked pretty well for me, expecially when I've gone back over my work and added more, because this way I haven't forgot anything and I always know what I'm talking about. Another important feature of this is so the characters are not two dimentional. Every character has emotions, opinions and personal goals. It's definately important for me to ensure that characters have their own goals and storyline regardless of if it features as a main part of the story.
I decided on the next update that I could share some of these with you so you can see some of the characters within the story. Granted, I'm going to remove some of the information such as "Personal Goals" as I don't want to ruin everything.
I decided on the next update that I could share some of these with you so you can see some of the characters within the story. Granted, I'm going to remove some of the information such as "Personal Goals" as I don't want to ruin everything.
Anyway, here's a small section taken from the beginning of "Chapter 0: The Beginning." which basically introduces Ayithe to the reader.
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Chapter 0: Leaving Home.
The
spring sun beat down upon the proud and expensive town of Rium, sat comfortably
in the north of Toltheria on the edge of the infamous Great Forest, and West of
the mountain range that shrouded the Dragons Basin on the other side. Designed
and built to host some of the most influential people in all of Toltheria, Rium
was an expensive place to live and left no room for anyone of poor means. Ayithe,
a young woman who had grown up in Rium most of her life, was preparing to leave
for her first adult journey. Her older brother was also leaving, not for the
first time, but now partnered with her for the trip around Toltheria as they
visit the various towns and their people. More experienced than his younger
sister, he would be her guide looking after her like he had been doing most of
his life.
Her families proud fighting
tradition was something she had spent her whole life training for and only now,
after finishing up at Rium's fighting academy did she have her first
opportunity to leave and experience her first tour of Toltheria before seeking
out even further venture over Carnus in the far future. Her family renowned for
their skill and yet modest attitude had high hopes for Ayithe and her brother
Arckry, she had a lot to live up to. It had been a busy day preparing for
tomorrow, but for now Ayithe could relax, only the thought of grabbing some
fruit from the market place lingered in her mind.
Ayithe was to meet her brother
within Rium's marketplace, having left him while he talked to friends she
casually walked down the long paved residential road towards the shorter but wider
open area of the marketplace. Knowing all of Rium like the back of her hand she
calmly veered off the main road and down some small back allyways that would
eventually help her to arrive at her destination. Stroking her soft fingers
along the wooden fence beside her, old as it was, it still stood strong and
sturdy, the large wooden beams and panels locked together, seemingly laced
together with cobwebs old and new. She liked the feel of wood, and Rium's grand
buildings were built from the finest trees in Toltheria. Stopping only as she
reached the carved out stone posts that signified the change of the local to
the market area.
Her crystal blue eyes immediately
browsed the eventful stalls before her, and a light breeze blew back her healthy
long light brown hair allowing the sun to catch the slight tints of blonde that
hid inbetween sea of brown colours. With no clear direction in her mind, she
simply followed the layout of the stalls, shaped into small walkways to direct
the traffic of customers as they passed through. Walking with a slight sway of
the hips, her movement would easily catch the eye of any young men that passed
her by. Yet, she had no desire to grab herself a man during this time, her
confidence and belief in herself however, was forever powerful and on show. She
paused by the first fruit stall, a large array of fruit from inland Carnus
littered the stand from the ground up. It was only then she considered the idea
of a bag, bringing with her only the clothes that lay upon her she couldn't
carry much.
The tight attire she wore
pronounced her beauty and sexual shape, wrapping around her firmly and showing
off the natural curves of her slim but shapely figure. Made from a creatures
skin known as a Darkling, rare and expensive it showed more than just her
attractive shape. The Darkling is a dangerous and feared creature of Toltheria,
its dark skin formed from two colours, an eye catching blood red and a shadowy
black that merged together like the sea and the sand to form a striking and
indistinguishable fabric tougher than any other form of pelt. It fit neatly
around her upper torso while wrapping comfortably around her breasts that sat
ever so slightly on show the low cut front. Leaving her belly on show, the
attire continues below wrapped round her hips and down to her ankles, stopped
short only by the boots that comforted her feet from the same material. The
dark blend of colours were a deliberate match to her beauty, she wanted to be
noticed, and enjoyed the attention. The whole attire was laced together at key
points while her belt latched over her hips held space for her weapons and
money pouches.
Usually this was all she ever
needed, but being prepared to live away from a single home, she needed to
ensure she had a better utility for carrying her items that she would be
travelling with. The store owner, not a local but a traveller who came in for a
few days each week to sell his fruit that arrived from the port of the capital
Canden. Quickly finishing with his previous customer he latched onto Ayithe's
fruit intrigued eyes and stepped into view.
"What is one looking at
purchasing today madam?"
Looking for something alternate
to what she would normally buy Ayithe picked out a lime green fruit that looked
like a flower pod. Giving it a slight squeeze, it felt juicy and it wasn't
something she had seen before.
"What is this?"
"One often calls it a Dragon
Purse." He explained expecting a sale. "Soft and green outside, but a
fiery red on the inside."
The name was just as intriguing
as its appearance, anything labelled with the name dragon was often expensive
and certainly not common.
"I'll buy one to try, then if
I like I'll come back for more."
"Five silver coin
please." He asked holding out the palm of his hand.
Ayithe dipped into her belt pouch
and dropped five silver coin into his hand, even with the knowledge that five
silver coin for any fruit was expensive, she did it anyway, used to the cash
flow that stemmed from her parents. Stepping away from the stall, she looked
down curiously at the fruit and its bizarre shape, tempted to take a bite and
see what it tasted like. It felt smooth, much like the common peach, but its
unusual appearance made Ayithe wonder exactly where to start. Dipping her teeth
directly into the peak of the curved fruit, she cupped her second hand
awkwardly to help protect the falling juice that immediately poured out from
the fresh and surprisingly juicy Dragon's Purse fruit.
Literally slurping and licking
the sides of her mouth the catch the delicious juice inside. The sweet flavour
was refreshing and even thirst quenching, it's cool temperature suddenly
reminded her of the warm sunshine that beat down during what was a beautiful
day for being outside. It rained a lot all year round in Toltheria so day's
like today were welcomed by the many and enjoyed while it lasted. The inner of
the juice abundant fruit was indeed a bright fiery red and it drew Ayithe's
attention away from the many pedestrians around her.
Yet, it was a surprise to Ayithe
as a large metallic shoulder bashed into her and knocked her boorishly to one
side. She clinched onto her expensive fruit almost dropping it in the process
of being barged to one side by the impolite brute of a man. Ensuring she had a
firm grip of her fruit first, she then turned to him ready to shout as her
temper at being knocked began to rage with annoyance.
"Excuse me!" She
shouted loudly to provoke a response from the man while staring angrily at the
back of his large stature.
"Excuse me?" The man
exclaimed in surprise to her disgust.
Standing with a group of familiar
friends, they paused staring towards her while he turned slowly as if to
dramatically and arrogantly raise his prestige above her. His board stature
helped significantly by the unnecessary extra armour that he wore over his expensive
casual wear. Knowing full well who she was, and enjoying the fact he was going
to get a rise out of an ill tempered Ayithe. He stared down at her with his pretentious
brown eyes and laughed sarcastically while rubbed his hand through his rough
blonde hair in a jaded manner.
"Gier..." Ayithe
muttered with a thick repulsion towards him.
"Are you not sick of just
getting in my way all the time?" He said mockingly.
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Hope you like it. :)
