Update: On retellings, writing, and not giving up

Posted by Raven M on 4:44 PM in inspiration, ready. set. write!, retellings, snow white, unfair, update, writing,

So writing hasn't been going well for me these past couple of days. I have been writing a lot...it's just...none of it is going anywhere. I almost gave up a few times but thanks to the updates/progress from all of the other writers participating in Ready. Set. Write! I am not going to get discouraged. It's better to keep trying than to not try at all, right?

I think my lack of progress has a lot to do with the fact that I haven't written (other than boring college essays...blah) in over nine months (or however long I was in school...it felt like centuries). Then there's the fact that I nitpick over everything I write, something I need to learn not to do. I know it's not wise to read over your writing as you write but...sometimes I can't help it. I say that I only do it so that I can remember where I left off but then I find a part I want to rewrite, spend hours going all Oscar Wilde on a sentence until I come to the realization that I do need the comma.

It'll be a miracle if I come out of this summer with a shiny first draft (of something) and my sanity.

But, like I said, I am NOT giving up. We're only about a week in and I still have a lot of time to get myself together. I just have to keep telling myself that I finished writing one novel before, and I can do it again. Seriously, though. I'm thinking about leaving Post-It notes with words of encouragement in random places around the house. My mom might get upset but...it's a risk I am willing to take.

Speaking of risks. Did I mention that I'm writing a retelling of Snow White? It was only supposed to be a side project to work on when Starfall wasn't cooperating with me (and at the moment...it's sadly not cooperating) but now it has turned into the story that won't leave me alone.

I talked about it in my last What's Up Wednesday post. It's called Unfair and it's not told from the POV of Snow White. So how is it a retelling of Snow White, you ask? Well it uses all the elements of the original story...just in a different way. I have been having a lot of fun playing around with the darker elements of the original story because...let's face it...the Disney version sugar-coated EVERYTHING. And though I get why... I like the darker side of stories a lot better.

So knowing that I asked myself: What if this isn't really how everything happened? What if Snow White got even? And who is the person in the mirror?

I know there are already stories where Snow White is portrayed as the evil one and not the Queen (see: Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman. It's a darkly beautiful story and...you should read it when you get the chance.) but I don't want to portray the Queen as being entirely innocent. I just don't think Snow White is the sweet victim that other versions make her out to be, so from there...I got the plot for my story.

I read a short story where instead of being seven dwarves there were seven knights that helped Snow White and that also got the creative juices in my head spinning. My main character isn't a knight (or a dwarf) but she is one of seven mages who are tasked with stopping dark magic from consuming the kingdom. There's romance, magic, sword-fighting, and...poisoned apples. Lots of them. Don't worry the green ones are safe.

The prince and the Huntsman also factor into the story but they're not who you think they are.

This is all that I'm going say. ;)

I just hope that I can do this retelling justice. It's a story that I really want to read and...I don't want to mess it up. My new goal is to have at least 4K written by Wednesday. If I reach that goal, I will post a snippet.

Okay let me get back to writing. I have a goal to reach.

Happy Writing everyone!