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[yuuago]

Feeling kind of frustrated at my lack of background in history. I know that the only cure for it is to read more nonfiction, but it's still a pain in the ass. It's kind of embarrassing just how much I don't know about big historical events - I'm talking things that are considered common knowledge, I guess - and I just, argh. I don't know.

It's not just the "not having the background" part that bothers me; for some reason it's really difficult to read things and really, truly understand what is being said. I can't just read something and understand what's going on the first time. I need to read about the same thing over and over and if I'm lucky, it'll click. But usually it doesn't click, and I end up thinking that I understand what I'm reading, but actually I'm reading it incorrectly, and I get things wrong.

At least this is a problem that can, theoretically, be fixed. I have a lot of books, and if I read them, and try to keep reading until I actually understand what I'm reading, then maybe that will help things.



I guess it's not that big a deal, but I've been feeling kind of self-conscious about the stuff I write lately. It's a really frustrating situation.

Anyway, leaving that aside, lately I've been thinking about my trip to Halifax. I kind of hope that while I'm there, I might get some inspiration to work on an old story that I had planned out, but never started writing. It's an original story, set in Halifax, about two brothers who work in a haunted restaurant. It's kind of inspired by the Five Fishermen restaurant (which has great food, by the way), though more from the general idea of that setting, rather than the stories about that specific place.

So, I'm hoping that while I'm there, I'll be able to soak up the atmosphere a bit and decide how I want to go about writing that story. Get a feeling of Halifax again, remember the atmosphere, maybe head to the library to do a bit of research, and - of course - take lunch at the Five Fishermen. Purely for writing purposes, of course. ;)

It'll be interesting if I do manage to get this thing written, or at least started. Horror is definitely not a genre that I usually write, and I tend to write things that are more character-driven than plot-driven. But... with luck, this will be both challenging and fun. That is, if I can get started.

Anyway, as far as Hetalia fic goes, I found an old one that I wrote in 2010, finished sometime in 2011, and then promptly forgot about. I read it over today, and it actually isn't that bad, so I decided to clean it up a little. It definitely isn't as good as some of the things I have written, but that's all right. It's kind of an unusual story for me in that it has something resembling an actual plot (and without porn, even!). I don't write a lot of things like that. So, it'll be fun to work with, even if it's not as good as some of the things I've written.

Comments

[diplopod.livejournal.com]

Ugh, I know what that's like. All I learned in social studies was how to cram for tests, then forget everything to make room for the next test, etc., etc. I probably learned more about history from watching Time Squad. But I'm sure not having any interest didn't help. I wish I could offer some useful advice, but I can't get things to "click" either. Well, unless I simplify things into notes, but that's really boring, especially when you're just trying to read.

Oh, and I hope you have fun in Halifax! I didn't get the chance to comment on your last entry, but it sounds like you've got a pretty solid plan. Takes lots of pictures and share them with us, coastal cities are the best. <3 /so not biased at alll

Also, if this fic is the one I'm thinking of based on those WIP threads, I'm looking forward to it. *3*b

[yuuago]

UGH. CRAMMING. Don't even talk to me about cramming, bro. I just. Eugh, I'm so glad those days are over. And yeah, not having an interest didn't help here, either... the few times we actually learned anything about history, it was mostly early Canadian history, when I generally find kind of dull, at least the way that it was taught. Though I probably would have liked it more if we'd learned something about, say, actual people, rather than just vague things about provinces being established and such.

I certainly will enjoy Halifax, though! I'll do my best to take lots of photos, though I suspect there'll be snow, so who knows how it'll turn out. Well, snow or rain. It's a really beautiful city, though. I think you'd like it. In some ways, Helsinki reminded me of it. Though Stockholm a little, too, as well.

And the fic is the same one you're thinking of, if you mean the stuff I've posted in the last couple of WIP threads. I... really have improved a lot since the time I wrote it, and there are some things in it that I usually don't prefer in fic, but it's fun and cute and whatever, I hope you'll like it, anyway. '3' <3