This character popped up in a sketching session over the weekend. I think I know who she is. I'm looking forward to finding out if I'm right. In the meantime I'll flesh out some more sketches for her.
Changing Gears
Slight change of plans. A good change. I had dinner with my editor a couple weeks ago, mainly to discuss the picture books. He was however, very interested to hear how this novel was going, and asked when I'd be willing to show him something. So I'm doing some rough re-writing, and if he likes what he sees, I'll hopefully have a final commitment to publish the book.
That also means I'll be doing some posting on the re-writing process.
Sights Unseen
I love exploring the world of this novel through my sketchbook. A couple reasons why. For one, it's a great way to flesh out scenes, and specifically, details of the world that can zip through your head before you get to jot them down. Another benefit is getting to see things that will never make it into the book. Like this guy here.
Why would you create something that's not going in the book? Seems like a waste of time. Quite the opposite for me. Even if much of what I create doesn't make the cut, it helps give the world of the Conjurian an added sense of reality. It becomes a real living, breathing organic system. And that's key for a fantasy book. I certainly don't want the reader feeling as if the book is just a bunch of made up places and creatures strung together. Rather I want to give them the sensation that they have stepped through a window into a world that already was and continues to be. A rabbit's hole made from bound pieces of paper.
Creating such an experience is the joy and torment of writing.
Shakespeare’s Clowns
Well, my clowns to be exact. I'll have to post some of the initial sketches of these guys, the Grubian Brothers.
I did this sketch after writing the chapter in which they first appear. Just a chance to really get them to come to life.
Random Doodles
Some quick doodles form my sketchbook.
Brainstorm doodles
Here's a section from a page of brainstorming doodles. Not sure if this guy will make it in the book, but its nice to have a full cast of extras if you need them.
And there he was
This was a random doodle that turned into one of the characters already in my book. I also posted a sketch of him a while back. What's interesting about this incarnation is how ominous he looks here. It gave me an insight into his place in the book.
A New Species
Following up on the Pimawa sketch, this is one of his cousins. They're called Jimjarians. In short, they are kind of like butlers for magicians. And of course they also work as assistants during performances, but in our world they disguise themselves as rabbits.
Fleshing out the Cast
The rabbit looking dude on the left is Pimawa. He's an important mentor type character. And you might have guessed from his appearance, his race gave rise to the association of Magicians and rabbits.
I have no idea what the guy on the right is or might be in the book. For now he's on the callback list for extras.
Foreshadowing
I thought I'd post this poem from the beginning of the novel. I wrote it probably four years ago and forgot about it. I only remembered it after starting work on "The Conjurers" novel. I kept having this feeling that I had written something that would fit perfectly with this book.
After some digging through old files, I found it. Funny how the imagination works. Apparently my subconscious knew I'd get around to writing this novel sooner or later. So here it is:
Opening Night
It all started with a whiz, a bang and a clang
But no one could see for it was very, very dark
Then they all heard the small voice as it sang
'Oh my, I believe I see a spark!'
The curtains were raised with a great whooshing
And bright light assailed the audiences’ faces
Then began the screaming and pushing
As people ran from their places
What horror had come to the theatre this night?
A new play begun for the merriment of the masses
Transmogrified to a tragedy and put them affright
A reflection of flames danced on someone's glasses
The evening patrons towards the exits scrambled
From the stage danced the curtains like fiery dragons
Screams as the doors were found to be securely bolted
More combusting carrion dove from the bastions
The dramatic author in the wings stood unfelled
Gladdened tears lay upon his lips upturned
From the shrieking scheol a young child questioned:
"How are you without fear and by sorrow not impelled?"
His first reply was a hideous cackle
The form he took raised above any civil wrong
His wings spread to give flight to a rusty grackle
"My dear child, I had planned it all along"
Myst Fish
Here's another concept I did after writing about this creature. These are really fun background characters in the chapter I wrote yesterday. Big, lunky fish that swim above ground in dense fog.
Bandi-whats?
This was a creature that showed up while I was writing. After finishing my 'words' for the day I did a quick sketch.
Populating a World
This is a new sketch of an inhabitant of the Conjurian. Not sure he is yet. It's one of those drawings I keep on file until I meet him along the way. As I meet the characters in the Conjurian I'll do a little more fleshing out, both in drawing and writing.
Brush Stroke Concepts
One of my favorite ways to create new characters is to simply fill pages with different brush strokes. Then I start fleshing a few out. Here are a couple characters I made using that method. From here, since I'll be using these guys, I'll jot down some background notes in my notebook.
These two creepy thugs will populate the prison colony of Grimgoria (working name as it sounds awfully familiar but I can't place the reference).
Some don’t make the cut
This is one character that I don't think will make the cut. But that's part of the fun. Sketching away, populating an imaginary world. I like this lumbering guy, but he just doesn't fit with the type of world that I'm creating. I'll post some characters that did make it shortly.
Production
Guess I should've posted this last week, but I'm in the midst of actual 'production' writing on the book. That's my term for when the real writing starts. I still make notes in my journal, and of course sketches. More sketches later once I get around to scanning them in.
Monday last week began my 2500 word per day quota. That's roughly fifty pages a week. It's carry over from my screenwriting schedule so there might be some tweaks here and there. Especially considering a script is usually 18,000-20,000 words. Novels are a wee bit bigger; anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000. I had three chapters (plus the prologue) written before last week, but because of the two children's books I'm working on, hadn't committed to cranking out the novel. Well, since there's a bit of a pause right now on the kid's books, I couldn't hold off on the novel any longer.
There'll be sketches o'plenty as I go along, but I'll also be writing more about the actual writing. This being my first novel, I'll be learning a lot along the way and that's mainly what I'll jot down here on the blog. Oh and yes, I've started some sketching for the actual Conjurers website. The blog will stay but there's many things I'd like to add. On that note, feel free to fire some suggestions my way about what you like and don't like about book sites. I certainly don't want the website to be just a billboard for the book (like many movie sites). I'll be relying on my internet background to drum up some new and creative things that can be done on a book's website.
My main goal in all my sites (including dogeatdoug.com ) is to not just promote the product, i.e. a comic strip or a book. Rather I love the idea of building a franchise and not in the McDonald's sense or just in terms of merchandise. Really the goal is to find new mediums to explore ideas. For the comic strip I'm working on children's books. That's one example. But I also want to explore doing fully animated strips on the site. I still have a lot of brainstorming to do on the novel in regards to fleshing out the franchise. Obviously the first priority is writing the book...and re-writing it, and re-writing it again. But I'd love to spin it off into comics too. We shall see. I'm new to this, but the possibilities are dazzling.
To get a 'tip of the iceberg' idea on what I'm talking about, check out Atherton. It's the upcoming series from Patrick Carman, and he's done some really cool stuff on his site.
New Pen Test
Okay, this sketch may or may not have anything to do with the novel. But I just had to try out my new brush pen. It rocks! I've actually started using it to ink my comic strip.
Who are you?
Part of the fun I'm having with this book is doing the concept sketches as I write. In this case, I have no idea who these people are or if they'll make the book. But as I've learned from previous "mystery" concepts, you sometimes stumble across these characters while writing.
Getting to Know Your Characters
Here's where concept sketches really help. By watching your characters in your head and jotting down a few notes or sketches (as in this case) really helps bring them to life once you get around to plopping them into the novel.
Uncle Mordo is one of the main characters even though he vanishes in the first few chapters. But that brief appearance is critical to pulling the reader in emotionally. By spending some time with him before writing he pops to life in the book.
Sketches
Today, some more concepts from the sketchbook. The first is of the Darsian Gates. Kind of a intermediate passageway into the Conjurian. It takes a leap of faith to get through (something central to the novel).
These gates are in the Novel. The sketch was a way for me to better picture the scene when writing. The second image is just a random idea. Right now it's not in the book, but you never know. So many surprises along the way.
