Okay, so maybe my commenter was right. I can't stand tragedy. Actually, it's not so much that I can't stand it, it's more that I can't handle it. I'll cry and be depressed for weeks. Unless it's bittersweet. Then I'm good with it. But all I can ask you tragedy-loving fiends is...why? I mean sure, you could simply use the excuse that not everything in life is all sunshine and lemonade, but really, isn't that the point of liking happy endings versus the sad ones? Don't you want to get away from the horrors of life and relax knowing that there's a beautiful, happy ending at the end of a book?
Besides, it's not even about the tragedy versus comedy (or happy, whatever), JB. It's about the ending. When you're reading a long, boring book, and from beginning to late-middle chapters it's a fight to keep your eyes open, but then the ending hits you with a wham, it's like...
"Wow. That was an amazing book." And then you rant to all your friends about it and how great it was and then they start to read it and think you're a boring person. What a buzz-kill, eh?
What I want to do more than anything is write a book with an ending at which people will cry in happiness and frustration at it taking so long to get to that point. I think that when this book of mine comes out, you will read it, you will cry, and you will think of me. And then you will be motivated to write one of your own. You, in turn, will than make many more people cry. Wow, how sadistic (Zsadistic!!:) of me...wanting to make people cry. Well, what can I say, there's been crueler authors out there.
One example I'd like to give is Sherrilyn Kenyon's "Dark Hunter" Series. The leading men in these books are beyond tortured. It's like she wants to rip their souls out of their asses and feed it to them! Now, these books are, by far, some of the best books I've read, but they just eat away at your heart! I die a little everytime I read one, but oh my god, do they have the most amazing endings. It warms you to your core, how they turn around in the ending! It's a struggle to get there though. Throughout the course of one Dark Hunter book, I'd say I cry twice. Once, right before the end when you realise nothing will ever work out for these poor guys, but it will, in fact, get worse. The other time would be when it ends and I cry tears of joy that it worked out. God, those books just...they're love 'em or hate 'em, I tell ya.
This has been another of my most random rantings.
'Till next time.
Chloe.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Things that Annoy me
As you can guess, my dear readers, from my last rant/blog, many things annoy me. Especially when it comes to books. Now, you don't see me with published books (that you know of) so if I say anything unfavorable about a book, I mean no offense whatsoever to the author. My opinion is solely on plot, and it is just that: my opinion. Agree is you want, but I in no way believe my way is the only way. Hurray for Free-Thinking.
Now, there is a book that I am not particularly fond of, as you might have guessed. That book is Stephenie Meyer. Now, I mean no disrespect to this author, but her characters are more than a tad unbelievable. In fact, they're downright ridiculous. Edward throws fits that could rival those of a pregnant teen one minute, and then is calm and as unshakable as a rock formation the next. The other characters are not quite so bad... but still, it is that classic, cheesy vampire-falls-in-love-with-human plot that has been done time and time again that really annoys me. Sure, each time it is done the author manages to put a little of their own twist on it, but it really just boils down to the same thing. Blech.
Another thing that annoys me is the instant-falling-in-love thing. Sure, the soulful romantic in me likes the idea of love at first sight, but really, could you be one hundred percent positive from the first glance that you are truly and (as the back of Twilight's cover puts it) "irrevocably" in love with them? No. Perhaps you felt something, and then after you got to know them realized that you'd been in love with them all along, but in one second of eye contact? Nope. Not likely in the slightest.
A thing you'll probably notice about me; when I like something, I might mention it. When I hate something with a fierce passion that burns within my very soul, I'll give you an earful. It's that simple. There is one more thing that I'll speak of today that I hate. Those stupid, sappy scenes where the hero and heroine of the story are confessing their undying and unyielding love for one another. Here's an example I wrote, with an ending common to most television anime:
Picture the scene...
"John..."
"Yes, Jane?"
"I've been meaning to tell you something I mean with all my heart..."
"What is it, my dearest, my soul, my heart, my life-and-beyond personified? Tell me what weighs upon your heart, so that I may bear it's weight for you."
"Oh, John..."
"Yes?"
"Oh, I don't know if I've the strength to say...it's as if the gods themselves are trying to seal my lips!"
"Please, my precious, tell me! Save yourself by uttering the words I've known you'd speak to me for so long! Speak them with all your heart!"
"Oh, but how?"
"Scream them, love, scream them at the top of your lungs!"
"Alright! I believe I can!" *Pauses for deep breath* "I-" a single shot is fired from a flintlock pistol at a close distance, killing Jane instantly and leaving John alone in this cruel world to forever wonder what his lover's last words were meant to be.
This entire scene was riddled with cliches I hate. Worry not, those of you who know I'm a writer, my writing isn't usually so cheesy, or so poorly written, or so juvenile. It's just something I've always wanted the world to see. How dumb these scenes are .
'Till next time.
Chloe.
Now, there is a book that I am not particularly fond of, as you might have guessed. That book is Stephenie Meyer. Now, I mean no disrespect to this author, but her characters are more than a tad unbelievable. In fact, they're downright ridiculous. Edward throws fits that could rival those of a pregnant teen one minute, and then is calm and as unshakable as a rock formation the next. The other characters are not quite so bad... but still, it is that classic, cheesy vampire-falls-in-love-with-human plot that has been done time and time again that really annoys me. Sure, each time it is done the author manages to put a little of their own twist on it, but it really just boils down to the same thing. Blech.
Another thing that annoys me is the instant-falling-in-love thing. Sure, the soulful romantic in me likes the idea of love at first sight, but really, could you be one hundred percent positive from the first glance that you are truly and (as the back of Twilight's cover puts it) "irrevocably" in love with them? No. Perhaps you felt something, and then after you got to know them realized that you'd been in love with them all along, but in one second of eye contact? Nope. Not likely in the slightest.
A thing you'll probably notice about me; when I like something, I might mention it. When I hate something with a fierce passion that burns within my very soul, I'll give you an earful. It's that simple. There is one more thing that I'll speak of today that I hate. Those stupid, sappy scenes where the hero and heroine of the story are confessing their undying and unyielding love for one another. Here's an example I wrote, with an ending common to most television anime:
Picture the scene...
"John..."
"Yes, Jane?"
"I've been meaning to tell you something I mean with all my heart..."
"What is it, my dearest, my soul, my heart, my life-and-beyond personified? Tell me what weighs upon your heart, so that I may bear it's weight for you."
"Oh, John..."
"Yes?"
"Oh, I don't know if I've the strength to say...it's as if the gods themselves are trying to seal my lips!"
"Please, my precious, tell me! Save yourself by uttering the words I've known you'd speak to me for so long! Speak them with all your heart!"
"Oh, but how?"
"Scream them, love, scream them at the top of your lungs!"
"Alright! I believe I can!" *Pauses for deep breath* "I-" a single shot is fired from a flintlock pistol at a close distance, killing Jane instantly and leaving John alone in this cruel world to forever wonder what his lover's last words were meant to be.
This entire scene was riddled with cliches I hate. Worry not, those of you who know I'm a writer, my writing isn't usually so cheesy, or so poorly written, or so juvenile. It's just something I've always wanted the world to see. How dumb these scenes are .
'Till next time.
Chloe.
Friday, April 17, 2009
My first posting.
Hello to all readers. This, as is evident from my title, my First Posting. While what a blog really is is different to many people, my blogs will simply consist of thoughts, rants, and things I find interesting. In advance, I feel compelled to infrom you that my zodiac sign (as you may have read in my profile) is Leo (Leo? The Leo? How are you supposed to phrase it? Am I correct or incorrect here?!). And as such, I am prone to exaggeration, egotistical rants, as well as a number of other equally unflattering things (but there are, without a doubt, more good than bad!). You may also notice my excessive comma use. I feel they are necessary. Well, enough warnings, and onto my topic of choice.
Books. They are my life source, and as such deserve preservation. It's bad enough that movies are being turned into mass-produced, thin-plotted, over-budgeted pieces of C-R-A-P crap, but now it seems authors everywhere are attacking a similar theme: vampires. And not just any vampires, the soft-hearted teenage variety. Ugh! Even if you were going for a teenage romance, have a little class. Heaven forbid an author has a little originality! Jeez! Anymore of this human-and-vampire-fall-in-love-and-have-problems-which-they-end-up-over-coming-in-the-end stuff and I may vomit. In the name of all that is Vampiric, STOP! Take a little break from the fanged-ones and revamp (pun intended) your vocab and your over-all character traits and plot! Think up a heart-wrenching twist or two and make your readers care. Not think they care in a sort of "Awwww, this poor wittle vamp-y needs a huggy-wuggy" sort of way, the kind that makes reader's throats tight and their eyes wide.
But here you must be thinking to yourself, "Oh, Chloe! You've pointed out all of my major writing flaws and I desperately need your help!" (ha ha, no, you're probably not, and if you are you have bigger problems than your writing) well, worry not! I know the genre is a difficult one to write under and not sound cliche in light of all the pressure put upon you by readers everywhere and what they think they want. However, these readers do not really know what they want. They think they want something because some "cool" person said they liked it and soon enough everyone's reading it because subconciously they crave the sense of self that fitting in will give them. What people really want is a book they'll talk about for months and months and eventually years later still make references to characters or lines or happenings within the book. I know, because that's what I crave with every inch of me...then again, this is just the rantings of a crazy author striving to make it in the world. If what I say makes no sense, than take no heed.
However, if deep down in your soul you know what I say is true than pick up a pen (or open up Word, or whatever the hell program s Mac's have) and make history. But more importantly, take with you the destiny and hearts of readers everywhere and give them what they crave with their souls. Give them hope. Hope for a future of original stories, novels, and poems.
This has been one of my most random rantings, thank you.
Chloe.
Books. They are my life source, and as such deserve preservation. It's bad enough that movies are being turned into mass-produced, thin-plotted, over-budgeted pieces of C-R-A-P crap, but now it seems authors everywhere are attacking a similar theme: vampires. And not just any vampires, the soft-hearted teenage variety. Ugh! Even if you were going for a teenage romance, have a little class. Heaven forbid an author has a little originality! Jeez! Anymore of this human-and-vampire-fall-in-love-and-have-problems-which-they-end-up-over-coming-in-the-end stuff and I may vomit. In the name of all that is Vampiric, STOP! Take a little break from the fanged-ones and revamp (pun intended) your vocab and your over-all character traits and plot! Think up a heart-wrenching twist or two and make your readers care. Not think they care in a sort of "Awwww, this poor wittle vamp-y needs a huggy-wuggy" sort of way, the kind that makes reader's throats tight and their eyes wide.
But here you must be thinking to yourself, "Oh, Chloe! You've pointed out all of my major writing flaws and I desperately need your help!" (ha ha, no, you're probably not, and if you are you have bigger problems than your writing) well, worry not! I know the genre is a difficult one to write under and not sound cliche in light of all the pressure put upon you by readers everywhere and what they think they want. However, these readers do not really know what they want. They think they want something because some "cool" person said they liked it and soon enough everyone's reading it because subconciously they crave the sense of self that fitting in will give them. What people really want is a book they'll talk about for months and months and eventually years later still make references to characters or lines or happenings within the book. I know, because that's what I crave with every inch of me...then again, this is just the rantings of a crazy author striving to make it in the world. If what I say makes no sense, than take no heed.
However, if deep down in your soul you know what I say is true than pick up a pen (or open up Word, or whatever the hell program s Mac's have) and make history. But more importantly, take with you the destiny and hearts of readers everywhere and give them what they crave with their souls. Give them hope. Hope for a future of original stories, novels, and poems.
This has been one of my most random rantings, thank you.
Chloe.
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