Barmy Blue's Bland Blog

Last night, when I went to bed, I started thinking about this old story I was writing. I was writing it at school mainly out of boredom, in my last year or so. I spent a lot of time browsing Wikipedia looking up Greek mythology, then a couple of other mythologies as well, but mainly Greek. It wasn't for any real reason, I just wanted to know some more of the stories. At that time I had a serious itch to write something, even if it wasn't good, I just wanted to write but I wanted it to be something with a solid enough plot instead of making up little stories based on one thing then stretching them out because I didn't want to finish them, thinking of something to happen much later on in the story when I got stuck and when I couldn't move forward I threw in that idea in a last ditch attempt to continue the story, which utterly destroyed it. (Most needlessly long sentence ever. Sorry about that.) Kind of like throwing in an epic battle scene for no reason I guess. I'd think of that epic scene and how it would happen but I knew the story wasn't ready for it, not enough build up, like the psychic alien in one of my early space pirate stories is actually a princess. I put that in on something like the second page when it was something that should've gone in at least a few chapters later. This isn't supposed to mean anything, I'm just trying to explain one of my fatal flaws pretty badly. Anyway, I remember this particular story pretty well, although I've forgotten some of the needlessly long bits in it. This was back when I was really mad at Tom and his whole going all the way to America to get laid (those of you new to this will have to refer to an earlier post regarding Tom, I'm not repeating myself again, besides, I just don't have the hatred to write about it anymore).
Let's see. Basically it was about a boy who lost his virginity to a witch (he didn't realise she was a witch) during which time she stole his soul (not exactly sure how that worked out, and I can't even remember what for since I changed the details a couple of times. I didn't exactly pin down this definition of a soul either, it's certainly not the same as his life). When the villagers discover this they cast him out. He then meets a female traveller who is also a witch but hides it and her lover who is a werewolf. She and the other witch are old enemies and are actually centuries or so old (but don't look it). I never properly pinned down the cause of their rivalry but basically the bad witch kidnapped and killed the other witch's baby. and the bad witch stealing the boy's soul is somehow linked to the final showdown between these two women. Something like the soul somehow allows her to escape the prison she's been in these past few centuries or so or somehow helps her regain her power, I can't exactly remember, and like I said, I didn't really get much pinned down. The best scenes in it were actually two dream sequences the boy has. In the first he sees his dead family but as gold and silver deer and the second was about the ghost of the good witch's dead baby reaching out to him. I know, kind of creepy but I pictured those scenes so vividly (mainly because I thought this would be awesome as a film and pictured it as such and padded them out with not so subtle imagery). I keep all the old stories I've tried to write, mainly for sentimental reasons but also for inspiration. Maybe one will have an idea that I can use in another story and such. I've been thinking, maybe I'd like to try and rewrite that story, it could be fun.
What actually started me thinking about it was my current story which I want to become my first actual novel. It's the one I started for uni. I've been grappling with various elements of it for a while now, about a year in fact. Recently I've had some great ideas that actually make sense. You see when I started this story I threw in various things, ideas, character quirks just because I thought it would be fun. However. Because I thought it would be fun won't cut it in the literary world now will it. There has to be a reason or it's not worth it. And also things like the opening and ending scenes. They were okay as an idea but somehow lacking. And I'm not willing to change any events in them but I've thought of some good reasons for why these events happen which actually sound like they could stand up to scrutiny. I'm so proud of myself.
So, I thought of that old story for one main reason, what inspired me back then. That was a pretty fun story, how did it become so fun? Answer. Because I plucked elements from other stories and wove them into mine. That's why I liked it so much and that's why it seemed pretty good to me (have to confess though, never got anywhere near to finishing it). So, how does that story relate to my current one? Exactly the same thing, but instead of Greek mythology I'm filling this one with pieces of anime. There's one part taken straight from Air TV (I don't advise watching it unless you want to cry. I couldn't stop crying at the end) where one character turns into a crow. My lead female's mind and soul (I know, again with the soul thing) has been separated from her body and deposited into an alternate universe (I won't go into why but there is a good reason). I was never exactly sure how this would work out. Every scene I thought of for her has her walking around in her normal human body. She can even bleed. So what the hell is going on? It's really taken you a year to think this is a problem? I know, I'm pretty damned slow. Anyway, I've decided that her mind and soul have actually been put into another body. Wait for it.....The body of a crow dun dun duuun. Which actually explains some of her vagueness at the beginning of the story because human minds don't normally inhabit crows now do they. This crow of course is a special crow with some kind of magic spell on it that projects the image of her real body and not that of a crow. As far as she or anyone else knows, she is a human. (I know I'm being a little vague here but I don't want to give it all away before I've properly written it up so please bear with me.) To begin with it takes a while for her mind and soul to merge with the body of the crow so when she sleeps she turns back into a crow but as she gets stronger she can maintain a human form for much longer (I must add she is completely unaware of this until the end but her companions are).
Another element straight from anime are the knights. Each knight's sword has a name that reflects the owner's personality and ability. Because they have names the swords are more powerful that a regular sword and require a password to be drawn (one knight recites a poem to draw his swords) this is pretty much inspired by Bleach and the shinigami's zanpakutō and their shikai forms.
There's also Gintama which has recently spawned earlier parts to the story, that won't actually appear in the novel, regarding my lead male's early life and how he interacted with other people. Of all my characters he was the most puzzling because I gave him several fun character traits that had no reason to exist and his personality was tricky to pin down. However, by exploring his past I can make him a more rounded individual.
I have to say one thing. I recommend Gintama to absolutely anyone. It's by far one of the most fun anime's I've encountered so far. I defy anyone not to find at least one episode funny.
Ah. I need to take the dog out.
Bluebiird out.