My Little Pony, From a Writer's Perspectve

I've just watched the season finale of My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic.

For anyone that is a fan, and hasn't seen this, and doesn't want to know what we all know happened, don't read on.

This isn't going to be a critique of the show from the point of view of a fan, this is a critique for the point of view of a writer.

The writer of the episode, M. A Larson, has just bumped up what us fans knew was inevitable. But should it have been done at this point in the story? As a writer, I find that this is entirely the wrong thing on the part of the company and on the part of the series.

My first reason for being against this, is that it throws of the balance of the series. No matter how many times they say that nothing changes, everything changes. They took six perfect characters, at least one that anyone can identify with, and just gave one of them demigod status. Now it's the mane six, including a princess.

The second anti-alicorn point is that it's far too soon into the series to do something like this. I watch a lot of anime, but with anime, you know from jump street that it's going to be a full story. Only rare series like InuYasha seem to go on indefinitely, even then, I knew that they were going to eventually have the facedown with Naraku and get the entire jewel. Most shows have arcs that consist of a few episodes, and each arc leads towards the end. With American shows, they seem to go on indefinitely. People don't feel that their shows will end because the plot continues to go. A lot of shows in the west end in ways that really don't resolve anything, or make you feel as if you've been told an entire story; for me the show leads up to Twilight reaching her destiny. This season finale feels like the end of the story.

Who in their right mind would make a choice like this is an idiot that obviously doesn't listen to their demographic. Granted, I'm a bit out of the age bracket, but I'm still part of the majority that watches the show.

Hasbro is not doing justice to the characters at this point. Last season, they also released the Littlest Pet Shop, as if it's going to make the same money, especially when they have repeating color schemes. In a race to make money in the short run, they're losing in the long run. I know now for damn sure, I'd never buy a Hasbro pony toy; I'll take a custom artist piece over their shitty versions any day.

Although I'm being urged by my friend to watch the next season, I'm incredibly disappointed.  I really thought that Lauren Faust leaving wouldn't leave that much of a difference. I don't think this would have happened under her watch. She said that she had ideas for Twilight, but that they don't matter at this point, because, well, she's not in charge anymore.

I really hope that Lauren Faust's Galaxy Girls becomes a show because I'm losing faith in American animation and writing styles.

I've never thought about show writing, or screenplays, but I've always read that you have to "be the change you want to see in the world".

How Do You Write With an Aching Heart?

The biggest problem that I've encountered with my writing has been writing even when I'm depressed. I want to make writing my business, but so many times, words are said, their emotions are felt, and it hurts.

Quite often, I pretend that I don't have emotions so close to the surface, and that I have a heart that is made of stone, but it's a lie, and everything that is said to me, hits home. Sometimes I will hear something, and my writing will stop mid sentence, and I'm frozen, locked behind something that I don't know how to get through. I know everyone out there has felt this.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't a writer; I wish that words weren't the easiest way for me to express myself, that I had a talent in another field, or another something to which to put my passion. I don't know how much time I've spent crying, and believing the worst of myself to be my majority. Even right now, at this moment, I'm not sure if I should continue. I think that I should put my pen down, and pick up something that I know would make money for me.

Is there anyone out here that reads this blog, or at least this post, that has advice? Anyone that knows how to write and continue to write, no matter what feelings go through your mind? Please, any and all advice will be considered. I'd hate to think that moments like this will be the sum of my existence, that I might become known for my work after I'm dead. When I think like this, I realize just how young I am in this industry.

My Bondage and My Freedom: A Review

The first book I decided to read for Black History Month, is My Bondage and My Freedom, Frederick Douglass' account of his life as a slave, and how he achieved freedom.

From the first page, I can see how powerfully he used his words. This is the first full length narrative of someone who was enslaved that I've read, and it's definitely the most detailed. The picture he paints is a life of sadness, heartache, and dehumanization of both slave and master.

He was an incredibly intelligent child, one that felt the full burden of his life as a slave, and what it means. When I watch things like Roots, I see how historically inaccurate they are, compared to what Douglass reports. Even Django is inaccurate in ways, although it has a bit more of a ring of truth (as far as the treatment of the slaves).

Douglass' has a very unique writing style. When I'm reading, I feel as if he's literally narrating the story to me. He doesn't use plush language often, and he doesn't go into horrific detail about the horrific moments. During the most brutal period of his slavery, he only elaborates on one beating, and tells the reader (he really talks to us and calls us "reader") that the only proceeding were just as horrible as the first. He also elaborates on particular slaves, their lot, personality, and how they were to him. There were some slaves, belonging to other people, that were treated horrifically.

There are a lot of differences between the treatment of house slaves and field slaves; just as there are differences between city slaves and slaves on large plantations. Douglass experienced all parts, including some kindness, which makes him the perfect teller of this tale.

To me, the most scandalous theme of the story, the part that I know was definitely scandalous during the time it was published, is that he uses the real names of people. Considering this is the time of "tell-all" books, this is like the original. And he definitely isn't Super Head. I wonder if there are people that read this book, who are related to the people that are being put on blast. I've never read something where so many details and government names are being used, and the true character of people are put on display.

Because this is a review, I'm not going to get into specific parts, and how they affected me, or anything like that; that's more appropriate for an essay. I don't want to spoil it for potential readers, but I will say one thing that I found incredibly interesting. Out of all the slaves on his original owners plantation, hell, in the whole county, his mother was the only one that could read. She was a field hand; many people seem to want to credit his intelligence to the bit of European in his blood, but he gives the credit to her. By some miracle, she was granted knowledge, something that Douglass stresses is the key to freedom. If only such a mindset still existed amongst our people.

As for the copy of the book (downloaded free on my Kindle), it's very good. There is this weird habit Douglass has of outlining a chapter at the beginning, in bold. I almost feel as if he's writing it while I'm reading, making sure that all the points are gone over. There are some links, and footnotes that are one click, and the e-book copy is good for most of the difficult language.

This book is definitely for someone with a high school reading level or above, because the words have become somewhat archaic, and he uses words that I had to look up. Some words I looked up, but I didn't find definitions for, just like what happened when I read the slave narratives. All in all, I think every American should read this book; hell, everyone in the world should read this book, it's amazing.

Should Writers Work on Multiple Pieces at Once?

While studying writing, I found this website that gives writers advice.

The first thing that Henry Miller says I should do, is work on one piece of writing at a time.

For me, this is the one thing I don't do. I work on multiple pieces of work at one time. Personally, I get blocks on my longer works, and need to write something else to give my brain another direction. That's just how my though process works with my fiction.

Sometimes I take a break from some plot to write a short scene or story. I've figured out that's basically my plan with one of my stories, completely changing my writing style.

I do finish things. I've just finished my story about mermaids, and it's in the editing stage. But working specifically at that one piece of writing, even with an outline, can become stale for me. I have so many ideas flowing, some of them short pieces telling me about my character, and then some of just smut. Either way, I'm going to jump back and forth.

And on top of all the fiction, I also write my opinion pieces down, and those also give my fingers some time away from writing made up stuff.

This is something that I know will always be a part of my style. Do a lot of writers work on multiple things at once? Or is the majority in the single idea mindset?

I guess that's it for right now. I have a lot of writing to get back to.

Black History Month Reading List and Side Note

Usually, I don't really observe and follow months or observances. But, since I'm Black, and a writer, I decided that for this Black History Month, I will exclusively read Black authors.

I've read Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and I've read the majority of the work by the amazing Toni Morrison. I've read Langston Hughes, and an essay by Audre Lourde.

But there are many, many, many authors that I haven't read. I remember reading a collection of poems called I am the Darker Brother. I remember reading it, and finding the work beautiful, and only recognizing two of the names in the book. Two names. I felt so stupid, so uninformed, so outside of the world that I considered myself. I still can't name many of them.

Starting off my chocolate author reading list is Frederick Douglass' groundbreaking autobiography My Bondage, My Freedom. Yes, it sounds like something that I would write or enjoy, but it's not that kind of bondage or freedom. I'm 20% through, and there have already been parts that made my cry.

After this, I'm not sure what I will read, because there's a book around my house by Ralph Ellison that in paper, and I want to try and work my way through it.

I'm thinking of expanding my Black History Month reading to include works about the Black experience and perceptions of Black people. My Dad got me another book (before the poetry) called Documents of American Prejudice. This book is amazing, and the ideas and pseudoscience being put forth about my people (I've only gotten as far in as the lengthy Black chapter). This counts as Black History in my book.

I will write my review of Frederick Douglass as soon as I'm done.

I almost forgot to mention: I finished my PG short story. It is currently in the very capable and well moisturized hands of my beta, and being looked at. I know it's rougher than sand paper, but it will be properly put online in due time.

Writing Terminology: My Way

If there is anything I try to stress about myself, it's that I am not a professional writer. I am not a technical writer. To be quite honest, I don't know much about technical English (hence my reason for wanting to go to school for it), and I skated through all my years of school by knowing how to form sentences, and not necessarily being able to name sentence parts.

In the writing world, or what I've gathered, there are a bunch of fancy terms for literature, different parts, and plot devices. These are also things I'm unfamiliar with. Most of the time, when I write, read or review something, I use descriptive words from my own vocabulary, words that other people might not know or be familiar with. That's why I'm writing this entry. I will start with a word that I use frequently:

Sceney:

A sceney is a short piece of writing. It can be as long as a chapter, or as short as a page. A sceney can be an excerpt from a story, or a small stand alone situation in and of itself. The majority of short stories are sceneys. I think I consider a sceney anything under ten pages, but usually more around five. Better terms for sceney may be excerpt, short short, short story, or essay.

Plush:

Plush is a word I use to describe a certain style of writing. Plush writing has very long paragraphs, incredibly descriptive language, and delves deep into each thing it covers. Plush writing is a double edged sword, because it can enthrall a reader, or make the person drift away. Plush stories are definitely not everyone's taste, and more often than not, are not as awesome as the author thinks. Some examples of plush authors/books are "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, and "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" by Gregory Maguire (he's the man that wrote "Wicked").

Fluff:

This word goes back to my fan fiction roots. Fluff is anything that is sweet, mushy, sometimes romance novel-esque. Fluff, fluffer, or fluffy as a character description usually means that the character is sweet, mushy, soft. Sometimes the character is stereotypically good, with predictable actions and responses to certain stimuli. Sometimes a character, especially if a dominant character, is fluffy, it means that they are more of a kind, caring Dominant. I used this in a slightly derogatory manner when referring to Wanda in Venus in Furs. This definition is strictly for literature, because fluff has definitions outside of this when used in other contexts.

I think these are the big three words that I use that aren't standard. If any reader has any other terms they've found, and are confused by, I'd love to know. I will add more, and I do check this blog frequently.