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I went out to the rooftop meditation area after lunch today, and I was just letting my mind wander. Starting thinking about how the character that Julia used to be, Corey, used to wear a black velvet ribbon around her neck. Like, always. She was known for it. I did this mainly because it made her a little odd; it reminded me of the ghost story of the woman who always wore a velvet ribbon around her neck - and when her husband untied the ribbon, her head fell off. Not that I was referencing that particularly, but hey, I wanted it to remind people of something, but not know what they were reminded of.
This was in 1991-1992. About a year after I starting writing Corey with the ribbon, velvet chokers came into style, and bloody well everyone was wearing them. *scowl* So the ribbon was written out. And, years later, so was Corey. Essentially, she was a paper-doll of a character - she knew she was the Lishaya, she was living outside the City, she moved back, she took over, the end. No real personality or motivation. But I didn't really realize that that's what was keeping the story so static until Julia started tapping the microphone in the back of my head. "Hey, is this thing on? Yeah. Okay. What the hell are you doing? That's not me!" And so, all in one day, Corey was replaced by Julia, who pretty much writes herself (sometimes too well).
This happens a lot with characters. Johnathan's a good example. He was *meant* to be an unlikeable Mansonite (Marilyn, not Charles), an Anne Rice fan, hand-staple-forehead, and then Mouse started drawing him... and I said, "He's wearing a Danzig or Misfits shirt." Huh? Where'd that come from? And I stopped and listened, and yeah, that's Johnathan. And he started to unfold more for me. The upshot is, now I like him better, and so will you, and it makes a major future conflict a lot less black-and-white, which is a Good Thing.
So Mousie was drawing Alanna, our Bitch Queen, a character that only started existing, oh, 8 or so years ago. After Corey's time, anyway; in Corey's time, there was a false council, but no figurehead, no puppet queen. Got her spot-on. We consulted on what she would wear, on her smirk, or everything, and she turned out perfectly.
Upon getting home, I verified that what had struck me at the end of my post-lunch meditation was correct.
Alanna's wearing Corey's ribbon.
Obviously, that ribbon was meant to be there. :)
This was in 1991-1992. About a year after I starting writing Corey with the ribbon, velvet chokers came into style, and bloody well everyone was wearing them. *scowl* So the ribbon was written out. And, years later, so was Corey. Essentially, she was a paper-doll of a character - she knew she was the Lishaya, she was living outside the City, she moved back, she took over, the end. No real personality or motivation. But I didn't really realize that that's what was keeping the story so static until Julia started tapping the microphone in the back of my head. "Hey, is this thing on? Yeah. Okay. What the hell are you doing? That's not me!" And so, all in one day, Corey was replaced by Julia, who pretty much writes herself (sometimes too well).
This happens a lot with characters. Johnathan's a good example. He was *meant* to be an unlikeable Mansonite (Marilyn, not Charles), an Anne Rice fan, hand-staple-forehead, and then Mouse started drawing him... and I said, "He's wearing a Danzig or Misfits shirt." Huh? Where'd that come from? And I stopped and listened, and yeah, that's Johnathan. And he started to unfold more for me. The upshot is, now I like him better, and so will you, and it makes a major future conflict a lot less black-and-white, which is a Good Thing.
So Mousie was drawing Alanna, our Bitch Queen, a character that only started existing, oh, 8 or so years ago. After Corey's time, anyway; in Corey's time, there was a false council, but no figurehead, no puppet queen. Got her spot-on. We consulted on what she would wear, on her smirk, or everything, and she turned out perfectly.
Upon getting home, I verified that what had struck me at the end of my post-lunch meditation was correct.
Alanna's wearing Corey's ribbon.
Obviously, that ribbon was meant to be there. :)
Tags:
Not to sound weird or anything...
Re: Not to sound weird or anything...
Re: Not to sound weird or anything...
It helps alot =)
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