Writerly Ramblings 3 - A Writing Playlist

Hi all!

Writing is - surprisingly - going well! I've passed the halfway point in the story, and it's so rewarding to see how everything is fitting together. Plots and subplots are coming together, relationships are being made - or broken, as I am an evil writer! -  and I feel comfortable in the world finally.

One of the hardest things about creating a fictional world, I think, is making up customs and a feeling that these are a normal thing in the characters' lives. I've had to sit down and focus on what different things my characters do in this world, and more importantly why; I don't just want to have a tradition just to have a tradition if that makes sense.

Character-wise I think they're what I intended them to be. For the first time in my writing I'm really thinking if a character would say what I want them to say, if their actions are typical for them or if they need justifying or changing. I'm writing from two different points of view - Esme's and Marisol's - and one thing I'm finding hard is trying to keep their voices distinct. They're both strong independent characters but in different ways, so it's a task to keep them in line!

I thought I would share some of the songs I listen to while writing! I have a playlist of about 30ish songs that I just put on a loop when I write, which mainly consist of Ruelle, Halsey, and Broods (Sidenote: I just discovered Broods and they are AMAZING!). Here are 10 songs that I find create an epic, let's-go-write-a-kickass-scene atmosphere.

1. Live Like Legends - Ruelle
2. Bridges - Broods
3. Is There Somewhere - Halsey
4. Alive - Sia
5. If You Leave Me Now - Foxes
6. Don't Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers
7. Bad Dream - Ruelle
8. Rise Up (Reprise) - Foxes
9. Figure 8 - Ellie Goulding
10. Conscious - Broods

All of these songs help me set the scene for a certain chapter, and most of them make my characters feel more badass. I believe that music can help you create emotions in your writing, and sometimes you'll stumble along a song that completely fits your novel. For my story, I think either Rise Up or Conscious work well.

Let me know if you like this playlist, and I'll make another! What are some of your favourite songs to write to? How is your writing going? I'd love to hear from fellow writers!
Thanks for reading (:

Beautiful People: March

Hey everyone!

The questions from last month's Beautiful People for writers thing (Still don't know what to call it!) really got me thinking about the characters in my series, and you seemed to like the post (See here for my reply to the February questions), so I thought I would do March's questions too! I found them on the blog Paper Fury. Without further ado, here are my answers!

1. What first inspired this character? Is there a person/actor you based them off?
Esme is based on another character I created for an earlier version of this story, and I can't remember what first inspired the early draft of her character! I know she was called Arianna, but I prefer Esme now. Looks-wise she was based on Lily James, as I was watching War and Peace when I started redrafting this series...I haven't watched the end because I'll cry!

2. Describe their daily routine.
Esme generally wakes between eight and nine, and arrives at the Department of Supernatural, which she is the head of, by about ten. She stays here, sorts out any business - attending meetings, visiting struggling supernatural people - and stays at the Department for most of the day, getting lunch during a small break. Then, she goes home, perhaps meeting some friends for tea, but mainly just stays inside. She isn't too exciting before the books start, but she's very dedicated to her job.

3. If they joined your local high school, what clique would they fit into?

 To be honest, I feel like Esme would be in a popular clique! Either that, or she would have her own clique that annoys the popular people constantly and gets into a bit of trouble but manages to get their way out of it again...that seems to be her speciality at the moment!
 

4. Write a list of things they merely tolerate. Ex: certain people, foods, circumstances in their lives…

• When people underestimate her
• Most of her colleagues in the government
• Coffee
• People insulting her uncle
• Mushrooms (unlike myself...as I hate mushrooms!)

5. How do they react in awkward silences?

She's the type of person that would allow an awkward silence to go on for only so long before she remembered something they needed to do! Esme always has plans whirring away in her head, and she can be quite bossy when she wants to be. 

 

6. Can they swim? If so, how did they learn?

Esme can't swim as she lives in the middle of a city, even though it is a coastal city. Her uncle never thought that she would need it, and she was never that bothered to learn how to swim either. 

 

7. What is one major event that helped shape who they are?

The biggest event that happens in her life occurs a few months before the series begins, and it is the death of her uncle. Esme has been raised by her uncle all her life as her parents passed away when she was a baby, and she has to mature a lot in a short space of time to take over her uncle's role in the government.

 

8. What things do they value most in life?

Esme values her friends most, and loyalty is very important to her. She loves her house as it was where her uncle and father grew up and it contains lots of happy memories for her, and later on in the series she values a certain ring as well... no spoilers! The portraits of her parents and uncle are incredibly important to her.

 

9. Do they believe in giving other people second chances? Do they have any trust issues?

If Esme really cares for the person who has wronged her, she will give them a second chance as she doesn't let a lot of people into her life and doesn't want to lose anyone. As for trust issues, she doesn't particularly have any, but because she didn't have many friends when she was young she isn't very open and doesn't share things with lots of people, although as the story progresses she does try and share more.
 

10. Your character is having a rough day…what things do they do to make them happy again? Is there anyone they talk/interact with to get in a better mood?

If Esme was having a rough day, she would find her love interest, Henry, and he would know the way to cheer her up, or let her rant until she feels better. If Henry was busy, she would probably find her best friend Jay and they would complain together and Jay would go beat up whoever had made her unhappy! And, if all else fails, Esme would go and sit in her uncle's study and read one of his favourite books.

Hope you liked my answers! Let me know what you think of Esme!
(This post took a lot longer than it needed to because I kept getting distracted by Hamilton...)
Thanks for reading(: