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[yuuago]

Today I received a doujinshi package I've been waiting ages for, which is awesome. Two Den/Nor, a Ned/Bel, and the second of the Sweden/Norway djs by that one artist. By far the favourite is the longish Den/Nor book by Risheehat titled "I also think so"; it has tons of things I like (Prickliness and references to history and awkward kisses and Norway looking cute in knitted sweaters, yessss). The Sweden/Norway one is - actually kind of disappointing. I mean, I knew it'd be R-18, but I was expecting at least something vaguely resembling a plot in there. ... Maybe it's all in the narrative/dialogue.

Anyway. I'm just glad it arrived. But there are two things I'm sure of: 1. My collection should have more doujinshi with Netherlands in it, considering how much I love him and 2. I won't be getting any more doujinshi for a while, partly because of cost, and partly because I'm running out of space in that shoebox I've been keeping them in.

... I see my internal resolutions are at odds with one another. Well. Anyway, I told a friend that I'd be making an entry about the djs I have, with photos - but that will have to wait until the weekend.

So, moving on - thanks, everyone that talked to me after I threw that little fit about struggling with understanding history, heh. I appreciate it. Especially those who dropped links and recs and things.

I feel better about that whole business now. Partly because I've let it sit, and partly because I grabbed a history book this morning to read on the bus on the way to work. Not related to the early 1800s, mind you. It's about cultural exchange between the Dutch and the English in the 1600s. Should be pretty interesting. I don't know why I keep latching onto the 1600s, but it keeps happening - not that I mind. ;) And the Low Countries during the 1600s... hmm... I have some vague ideas kicking around for a story involving Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway during that century, so maybe reading something somewhat related will shake a few ideas loose.

Part of the problem I run into when thinking "I want to write something in X historical period" is, I've realized, I tend to not have an actual storyline going on. Having a plot is just as important as knowing the details of the setting one wants to work with, right? ... 'Course, then we get into an entirely different issue, namely the fact that I'm not so good with plot. Er. Well, it's something to work on, anyway. Gives me some direction.

It'd better than flailing around blindly, at least!

Comments

[dhampyresa.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, I hear you about plot. I can never seem to have any (coherent) idea of what I want to do/where I want the story to go.

The thing that's helped me most with that is a bit of advice I read in idk what magazine that went something like: "Writing a story is like putting your characters on a train to Moscow. Maybe they'll get off the train in Bavaria and buy a farm or maybe they get attacked by ninjas, but it wouldn't have happened without them going on the train." Whic why I usually start writing as soon as I know where I want to go, journey be damned.

Sometimes thinking about themes helps me out. Or a feeling or a specific sensation. I find having a color in mind to be a fun and useful thing.

In short: write. Plot'll come later.

Also ninjas. Ninjas are really useful to debug plot problems.

(I'm sorry if this makes no sense, I've jsut spent hours coding a stupid program that doesn't work.)

[yuuago]

Heh. The problem is, I often find myself not even at the "Okay, they're going to get on a train with the intent of going to Moscow (whether they actually get there or not, and what happens along the way, is yet to be determined)". After I decide on that, then I can just write and figure out everything that'll happen in between. But usually I'm at the point where it's this: "Okay, I have two characters. What are they going to do? Uh... I don't know...."

I just have trouble figuring out what I'm going to start with.

But I think with Hetalia fic specifically, a problem I run into is that there's this dumb feeling in the back of my mind that historical fic has to be Big And Deep And Intelligent And Significant. But lately I've thought about it, and -- well, why can't I just write some silly romance story, or some slice-of-life thing? Who says? ... Nobody, so I shouldn't be afraid of writing something like that and sticking it in a historical setting.

I think maybe I just take everything too seriously.

(... Of course the other problem I have is that I don't really have time to write. It really sticks a wrench in things. :/ )