Sunday, May 15, 2011
Progress Today
I drew another page of the novel today. For some reason, the inspiration that I had for the past few days has been particularly absent today, and I don't understand why. I also spent time practicing on paper too, since I didn't have my laptop with me in the morning.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
More Progress
I sketched two more pages today, which was pretty good work, I think.
Since starting at a slightly later point in the story, I've gotten four pages done. What I mean by "slightly later point" is this: I did start from the very beginning a few weeks ago, but I've run into a lot of trouble since starting it. The biggest part of it is Terry's lack of emotion as drawn in the first few pages, which kind of makes any dialogue between him and Leo... extremely boring. I couldn't really figure how to transition out of the beginning scene, so instead I'm starting from a later point, after Terry and Leo arrive at the planetary base. I hope that makes at least a little bit of sense.
I'll probably be scrapping the first few pages for that reason.
Since starting at a slightly later point in the story, I've gotten four pages done. What I mean by "slightly later point" is this: I did start from the very beginning a few weeks ago, but I've run into a lot of trouble since starting it. The biggest part of it is Terry's lack of emotion as drawn in the first few pages, which kind of makes any dialogue between him and Leo... extremely boring. I couldn't really figure how to transition out of the beginning scene, so instead I'm starting from a later point, after Terry and Leo arrive at the planetary base. I hope that makes at least a little bit of sense.
I'll probably be scrapping the first few pages for that reason.
Mentor Meeting (Journal #4)
On Friday Ms. Backus and I talked again about the future of the graphic "novel". At this point it seems highly unlikely that I will finish 60+ pages like I originally planned. A much better goal, I think, is to finish one "chapter" - about 15 - 20 pages.
As I've learned, most manga artists don't actually publish directly into volumes, but rather in a weekly magazine first. They write and illustrate one chapter every week - so basically, it takes them five whole days (drawing is their full-time job, of course) to produce one chapter.
I obviously don't have the same amount of time, but I think if I devote this month to finishing a "chapter", it's definitely a goal I can reach.
As I've learned, most manga artists don't actually publish directly into volumes, but rather in a weekly magazine first. They write and illustrate one chapter every week - so basically, it takes them five whole days (drawing is their full-time job, of course) to produce one chapter.
I obviously don't have the same amount of time, but I think if I devote this month to finishing a "chapter", it's definitely a goal I can reach.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Today
I felt pretty good about my progress today - I could actually sit down and work on the graphic novel for two hours and enjoy it as well.
I don't know what suddenly made it more enjoyable to write, but I sure hope it stays with me throughout the week.
I don't know what suddenly made it more enjoyable to write, but I sure hope it stays with me throughout the week.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Another Update
Because of AP's and everything I haven't really gotten the progress that I've needed this week. Time for some serious crunching over the weekend, I think.
It really feels like the end of the year is approaching fast. For once, I wish I had more time before the school year is over.
It really feels like the end of the year is approaching fast. For once, I wish I had more time before the school year is over.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Spring Break Update
Frankly, I didn't spend my Spring Break as productive as I should have.
I was away until Wednesday, which meant I still had a couple of days to work on the graphic novel, but I struggled to get much done. I was a bit sick then, but it was mostly a lack of inspiration and motivation for me. I was stuck in a tough spot, where I had to transition scenes from the airship to the base. I then tried to skip a few "pages" in the plot, but I had another problem: the way I portrayed Terry in the first few pages is incredibly dull. He should've been a quiet, thoughtful guy, but now he's just a quiet guy. Anything that comes out of his mouth seems out of character.
I don't know what to do right now.
I was away until Wednesday, which meant I still had a couple of days to work on the graphic novel, but I struggled to get much done. I was a bit sick then, but it was mostly a lack of inspiration and motivation for me. I was stuck in a tough spot, where I had to transition scenes from the airship to the base. I then tried to skip a few "pages" in the plot, but I had another problem: the way I portrayed Terry in the first few pages is incredibly dull. He should've been a quiet, thoughtful guy, but now he's just a quiet guy. Anything that comes out of his mouth seems out of character.
I don't know what to do right now.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Modified Plot
I've said before that I was getting frustrated with the way my plot was working out. Well, now I feel like I have one that makes more sense, without really taking away the fundamentals or anything.
Here's a summary that I just wrote:
A background of Mr. Hart and the Time Beacons
Professor Max Hart was the world's leading chronologist*. He was invited into the Tempus research and development team to engineer a creation known as the "Time Beacons" - which were giant structures placed all over Tempus that would stabilize the length of day on Tempus. While the beacons were set up on Tempus, Hart chose to remain home with his family during the construction (which wasn't a problem because of the ease of communication between Hart and the crews on Tempus).
Construction finished on March 25, 2031, and Hart and his son Morgan embarked on a trip to Tempus to inspect the beacons shortly after, planning to stay for three months. The voyage to Tempus lasted more than one full month, and they arrived on May 1st, 2031.
Eleven of the time beacons were fully inspected before a catatrosphe occured at the base, where strong, unidentified animals began to attack the base. In the process, Morgan and many others were killed. Hart, with his extensive knowledge of time flow, modified the beacons to warp the entire planet back in time two months, back to May 1st, 2031. Any research that had been done in that time were preserved by being transmitted to Earth.
Hart and the rest of the residents of Tempus were then informed of everything that happened in the next two months. The residents agreed to let him re-modify the time beacons so that it would allow them to loop back two more months in case another catastrophe occured. It did, and this time it was even stronger - everybody was killed. Thankfully, the beacon sent the planet back in time, reviving all of the residents.
Hart decided that he would keep looping the planet back in time until the creatures had been identified and eliminated. But the creatures attacked so close to the last day that not much could be researched about them. After a year, Hart resolved to keep the beacons permanently in loop mode, and plans were made so that it would be as effortless as possible to modify the time beacons after each loop.
(graphic novel starts here)
It's now May 1st, 2032 on Earth (May 1st, 2031 on Tempus), and the first group of researchers are arriving on Tempus - among them is Beryl Hart, Professor Hart's daughter. Beryl then mysteriously disappears, which triggers a series of events that causes the creatures to come well before their expected arrival... meanwhile, Terry and Beryl are stranded at one of the time beacons, Morgan is dead again, and it's a difficult choice for them to either destroy the central time beacon and potentially save the rest of the students, or preserve it but leave Morgan forever.
*When I say "chronologist", I do not mean in the sense that he is a historian (more or less the actual definition of "chronologist"), but rather one who studies and manipulates the passage of time (which is completely possible in the scope of this fictional universe where a planet such as Tempus exists).
Probably the first thing that might come to mind is how confusing it is. I understand that, but I think it'll be a lot more clear when I can take the time to explain through the graphic novel.
The two differences in this and my original plot (which I don't think I've posted, so don't look for it) are 1) the backstory is much more developed here, and 2) it actually has a conflict now. I have to admit, my original plot was rather aimless and didn't really have too much of a struggle going on anywhere.
Here's a summary that I just wrote:
A background of Mr. Hart and the Time Beacons
Professor Max Hart was the world's leading chronologist*. He was invited into the Tempus research and development team to engineer a creation known as the "Time Beacons" - which were giant structures placed all over Tempus that would stabilize the length of day on Tempus. While the beacons were set up on Tempus, Hart chose to remain home with his family during the construction (which wasn't a problem because of the ease of communication between Hart and the crews on Tempus).
Construction finished on March 25, 2031, and Hart and his son Morgan embarked on a trip to Tempus to inspect the beacons shortly after, planning to stay for three months. The voyage to Tempus lasted more than one full month, and they arrived on May 1st, 2031.
Eleven of the time beacons were fully inspected before a catatrosphe occured at the base, where strong, unidentified animals began to attack the base. In the process, Morgan and many others were killed. Hart, with his extensive knowledge of time flow, modified the beacons to warp the entire planet back in time two months, back to May 1st, 2031. Any research that had been done in that time were preserved by being transmitted to Earth.
Hart and the rest of the residents of Tempus were then informed of everything that happened in the next two months. The residents agreed to let him re-modify the time beacons so that it would allow them to loop back two more months in case another catastrophe occured. It did, and this time it was even stronger - everybody was killed. Thankfully, the beacon sent the planet back in time, reviving all of the residents.
Hart decided that he would keep looping the planet back in time until the creatures had been identified and eliminated. But the creatures attacked so close to the last day that not much could be researched about them. After a year, Hart resolved to keep the beacons permanently in loop mode, and plans were made so that it would be as effortless as possible to modify the time beacons after each loop.
(graphic novel starts here)
It's now May 1st, 2032 on Earth (May 1st, 2031 on Tempus), and the first group of researchers are arriving on Tempus - among them is Beryl Hart, Professor Hart's daughter. Beryl then mysteriously disappears, which triggers a series of events that causes the creatures to come well before their expected arrival... meanwhile, Terry and Beryl are stranded at one of the time beacons, Morgan is dead again, and it's a difficult choice for them to either destroy the central time beacon and potentially save the rest of the students, or preserve it but leave Morgan forever.
*When I say "chronologist", I do not mean in the sense that he is a historian (more or less the actual definition of "chronologist"), but rather one who studies and manipulates the passage of time (which is completely possible in the scope of this fictional universe where a planet such as Tempus exists).
Probably the first thing that might come to mind is how confusing it is. I understand that, but I think it'll be a lot more clear when I can take the time to explain through the graphic novel.
The two differences in this and my original plot (which I don't think I've posted, so don't look for it) are 1) the backstory is much more developed here, and 2) it actually has a conflict now. I have to admit, my original plot was rather aimless and didn't really have too much of a struggle going on anywhere.
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