TidalDragon .:|:. Various

[TidalDragon]

WELCOME TO THE DRAGON'S LAIR
(A/K/A a collection of unfulfilled promises)

This year - because I can never hit my word count with just one project - I am planning to work on three. There is both method to the madness - relieving the pressure of single-story focus - and madness to the method - a jack of all stories is a writer of none. Welcome to Thunderdome.

PRIORITY 1: Evolution

(Dope banner by elenia @ TDA)

Have you heard me promise to finish this story before? If you have ever talked to me, probably. So I will yet again confront my obsession with editing and try to finish this going on eight year-old novel. By God I have to finish this before it's actually been eight years. Camp will totally help...

In case you haven't heard of it in the dusty shadows where it's still spoken of, it's the slowest slow-burn Jily novel in human existence with a ridiculous number of sub-plots to tie up and the desperate need for late-stage Jily build-up and consummation that doesn't suck. WIP of WIPs.

PRIORITY 2: No Accounting for Taste

(Splendiferous artwork by down-in-flames)

This is the novelization of an entry for the a 2017 tropes challenge - a CollegeAU!SeekerBell. It's about Katie making it through school, making friends and evading enemies, and just generally being awesome. And she figures out Harry is her dream dude along the way. Chapters are segmented by month of each school year with one for each summer too.

PRIORITY 3: don't | believe the hype

When you're stuck, start a new novel, right? This one is about Rionach O'Neal - the Gryffindor rando - who shows up in the credits of one of the HP movies and her ascension from sporting obscurity to the highest echelons of the quidditch world. Explores pros and cons of fame as well as the price of getting there.

PRIORITY 4: STUFF

When you can't even a new novel won't give you words, you turn to random ideas - or worse still, the Discord bot. What could happen here? Best not to think about it. Both okayness and horror are born from this fourth circle of writing hell.

Should you remain even remotely interested or even vaguely intrigued in any of these - stay tuned. They (or part of them) are coming to an archive near you (hopefully) in the next month. And yes, that almost inevitably includes the fourth circle stuff of your dreams and/or nightmares.

[starlitcastles]

Hey there!

All of these novels all sound highly intriguing especially No Accounting for Taste and third story (don't believe the hype right?--correct me if that's wrong and you still don't have a title for it) as they all sound wonderful as well!  I also do  have some questions regarding your works as well and they're listed below:

 

1.  So you've been writing Evolution for eight years has me thinking about this question apart from getting around to finishing it and that question is: what other struggles have you faced in terms of writing the story? Why?

2.  Has there been a challenge you encountered when writing No Accounting For Taste, if so, what are some or one of the challenges you faced? How did you overcome it?

3  What are three words you would describe Camp NanoWriMo to somebody who's never participated in it?   

 

Those questions aside,  I'm hoping and wishing you the best of luck with this and here's to hoping you reach your goals of either completing and or doing your best during this Camp Nano!   You can do this!  You got this!  

[grumpy cat]

i know don't | believe the hype is only priority 3 but kevin. i love quidditch fics and i'm already intrigued by the idea!

[TidalDragon]

Howdy Anni! Thanks for stopping by, let alone asking questions!

1.  So you've been writing Evolution for eight years has me thinking about this question apart from getting around to finishing it and that question is: what other struggles have you faced in terms of writing the story? Why?

So, I think there have been a few central struggles actually. First is that, for many reasons, I developed an obsession with editing that I don't have for any other stories I've written. I generated almost all the chapters (albeit much more poorly written) withing a couple of years. I've edited that stuff like...I don't know how many times. I think another has been characterizations - between the Marauders' pranks, a number of significant OCs, and the James/Lily dynamic where James is more serious than he's often portrayed in fic, it's kind of a challenge to keep all together. Finally, side-plots. Post-edits I actually view the ones that remain as legitimately important, but there are a lot. A lot.

Also, I used to be a challenge entry fiend.

2.  Has there been a challenge you encountered when writing No Accounting For Taste, if so, what are some or one of the challenges you faced? How did you overcome it?

This is weird to say, but No Accounting for Taste hasn't been terribly difficult for me to write. I'm actually about three chapters ahead of what I've published. I think a big part of that is because it's a novelization of a prior challenge entry that I felt was too short to reach its potential. If I had to pick out a few things, I'd say they're keeping Katie's main hobby an integral part of the story, making the story as much or more about Katie and her growth throughout university rather than straight SeekerBell, and associated with that, making sure Harry isn't too tangential for too long.

As far as overcoming those things, with the first, I think it's been helpful to look at the hobby from different lights and use it for different purposes, whether it be matching or altering her mood, tie-in with her personality (being pretty private), and tying it to some specific conflicts in the story have mad that work decently well. I think the fact that they're at university, the fact that she's got a core friend group that are influences on her, and peppering in classes (with serious tidbits I've forced myself to research) has really helped with the second. The last part is really the ongoing struggle. He really enters in and out of the story a lot from where I am (about halfway through). He makes significant contributions during those times and gets to connect with Katie, but I'm not sure it's consistent enough for a few reasons, so I'm working on that.

3  What are three words you would describe Camp NanoWriMo to somebody who's never participated in it?   

Entertaining, helpful, and war

Seriously thank you for questions! Sorry about the novel - I have a tendency to do that.

6 hours ago, grumpy cat said:

i know don't | believe the hype is only priority 3 but kevin. i love quidditch fics and i'm already intrigued by the idea!

There's no telling which priority it will actually end up being.  Hopefully you'll get to enjoy it one of these days!

[Guest Rumpelstiltskin]

Kevin I've come to frolic through your nest!

On 3/24/2020 at 7:58 PM, TidalDragon said:

When you're stuck, start a new novel, right?

That seems to be my mantra.

The from-lame-to-fame story with rando Gryffie Rionach O'Neal sounds fun. It sounds like you'll get to explore the ins-and-outs of professional Quidditch, which is interesting and also sounds like it cal result in pure chaos so I'm all here for that. 

 

Ahh Evolution. I wish you the best of luck in completing Evolution before you turn 80. I'll light a fire in hopes that it somehow fuels your slowburn to spark up a little bit . 

 

On 3/24/2020 at 7:58 PM, TidalDragon said:

Discord bot.

the bot is a manifestation of all that is good and evil. And I can't stop touching it. 

 

 

Good luck! I'll probably be by at some point during camp to cheer or start some fires in your nest! \O/

[Predictable Chaos]

In the (adapted) words of Ron Weasley. . . He needs to sort out his priorities.

In my humble opinion, No Accounting for Taste needs to move up to #1. I've thoroghly enjoyed the SeekerBell--very well written and characterization.

[victoria_anne]

Hiya penpal! So glad I was paired with someone whose nest is actually a dragon's lair!

I'm so proud of your determination to finish Evolution! I've only read a couple of chapters but I know its been around for a while, and I'd love to see you get  it  done  

The rest of your projects are new to me, but they sound amazing! No Accounting For Taste sounds really interesting, and I do love a good AU every now and then. I read your answers to Anni's question, and it sounds like you've got a pretty good grip on the story (and you're even ahead!) so good luck as you keep chugging along with that one!

I love the fact you got your character for Don't Believe the Hype from the credits of one of the movies, haha! How are you going with that one? Do you have much planned?

I'll be here to cheer you on and help with whatever you need! 

 

[Guest Noelle Zingarella]

Hi Kevin! How is your NaNo going so far?

I applaud you for your determination to finish Evolution; and I was wondering if you could tell us a little more about this more serious James.

 

[TidalDragon]

Wow. I have sucked at responding to these.  And I have learned that people really dislike my priorities

On 3/30/2020 at 7:03 AM, Rumpelstiltskin said:

The from-lame-to-fame story with rando Gryffie Rionach O'Neal sounds fun. It sounds like you'll get to explore the ins-and-outs of professional Quidditch, which is interesting and also sounds like it cal result in pure chaos so I'm all here for that. 

I hope it turns out to be a good read. While it will turn out much deeper than its inspiration, like so many delightful fics, the thought popped into my head after re-reading Escape Velocity (because reasons) and hearing "Lucky" by Britney Spears (yes, that's right). Originally, I thought it could make a good Ginny POV of that story (frankly it still could, but I don't know if I would like that because it might end up pro-Hinny and SeekerBell can only come after Hinny in my mind), but decided to do something more original that would also explore not just the league structures, but also how people work their way up to first-league and first-team status (in more detail than would be possible in the Ginny POV). Plus It gives a little limelight to an obscure credited character who I think will be fun to play with as an OC (and who I have also written in a somewhat similar (but far less driven) career situation in Starving Artists).

On 4/4/2020 at 11:32 PM, victoria_anne said:

I love the fact you got your character for Don't Believe the Hype from the credits of one of the movies, haha! How are you going with that one? Do you have much planned?

Right now I do not have a lot planned. Mostly just the general concept. At this point the story opens with Rionach as an older (for quidditch purposes) reserve player for a top BIQL team. She's obviously really frustrated and then has to deal with her team's top draft pick being someone who plays her position (though that goes better than she worries over). She gets her shot in the first team because their star chaser suffers a season-ending injury very early in the season and they don't think draft pick girl is ready. Rionach proceeds to kick absolute ass leading to a series of events that question the pros and cons of fame (especially a rapid rise to fame) and have her really dealing with something of an identity crisis/questioning what she wants, how she can have it all, and whether she can have it all. I have no idea how it ends, though I imagine it will be either very positive or a situation where she got famous and everyone thinks she's living an amazing dream, but she winds up 'having' to settle for less than her dreams in other aspects of life.

On 3/30/2020 at 7:03 AM, Rumpelstiltskin said:

Ahh Evolution. I wish you the best of luck in completing Evolution before you turn 80. I'll light a fire in hopes that it somehow fuels your slowburn to spark up a little bit .

Update: It could actually going to happen this very month. So hah. At the very least by the end of May. Double hah. Hope I didn't curse myself.

7 hours ago, Noelle Zingarella said:

Hi Kevin! How is your NaNo going so far?

I applaud you for your determination to finish Evolution; and I was wondering if you could tell us a little more about this more serious James.

 

Howdy Noelle! So, NaNo is going really well as I've finally really devoted myself to finishing Evolution. I've actually already met my original goal of 25K and I've still got a good long way to go so I'm trying to make it the full 50K for the month instead. It probably still won't be finished at this rate, but if not, NaNo will have been the kick in the ass I needed to make sure it gets done in the next month or two because it's taught me that yes, I can still write this story and yes, I can still love writing it.

As for more serious James...he's still a funny guy - I mean, he's James - and he still has a really happy-go-lucky light-hearted dynamic with the other Marauders, but the story basically opens with him realizing that he's been a real asshole for five years and needs to get himself straight. Deciding he's actually into Lily (because JKR be damned, I don't subscribe to the notion that James asked Lily out zillions of times because he actually liked her back then - I believe he was solely doing it to annoy her and in a way further annoy Snape, who's obviously in love with her) is the catalyst, but it stops being the only one reasonably quickly.

His background is also more serious. Have his parents spoiled him? Yes. But they've also made him do things he didn't necessarily want to that have given him certain skills and an appreciation for things he might otherwise never discovered. He is still jocky, uber-talented quidditch captain James Potter, but he's also very deliberate about what he wants to do both in terms of the way things are in the world and making an actual career about of quidditch, whether he 'makes it' on the pitch or not. He has an actual serious relationship for the first time (pre-Lily) that wakes him up in a few ways.

TL;DR: More serious James is still a quidditchy, jokey James, but he's written in such a way that it's very much only a facet of who he is. He basically grows up and opens up and shows Lily (and the world) that he's more than the persona they've come to know the previous five years at Hogwarts.

Thanks to all of you for stopping by!

[TidalDragon]

FINAL UPDATE: Those of you who wanted me to work on NAFT or Quidditching Rionach have received zero words. Though Evolution is still not done (somehow), I was able to crank out 56,706 this month and am really psyched about both it and how close I am to being done with the novel. I feel like I'm only about five to seven-ish chapters away and it will be over! HUZZAH progress!