~ Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~
BRILLIANCE!! That’s what I live for. To witness moments that are of an essence that you cannot explain but you know is something very special that must be cherished, for they don’t come along very often. © 2009 Danielle N. Bilski
~ Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~
I know that there will always be people in the world who focus on the negatives and choose to believe the bad things that people say. However, if you search for the truth beyond all the lies, you will find peace within yourself and have more faith in others. © 2009 Danielle N. Bilski
~ Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~
To quote one of the ultimate literary greats, William Shakespeare wrote in his original 1597 version of Romeo & Juliet
‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet’ (Act 2 Scene 1, line 85).
A possible answer to this question is investigated by US economists Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt in their 2005 book Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything. According to Dubner and Levitt, a person’s name can determine how successful they are in life. (Dubner S & Levitt S, 2005, ‘Chapter 6: The socioeconomic patterns of naming’ in Freakonomics, William Morrow)
Considering this issue of the importance, or pehaps lack of, a name at its most basic level is part of a language system of identification.
In relation to My time with you, over the last two days I have worked on naming the main and minor characters to identify them in a modern social context. I did some research on the most popular male and female names in Australia from 1929 – 2008 using an online database.
I then tried to think of names that would make my characters unique in a literary sense. I tried to avoid naming them after family members and friends for privacy reasons and after other well known characters in historical and contemporary literature, television or film nor after celebrities.
The one thing I insist on is that my characters stand on their own two feet, in order to earn respect from the audience as ‘every day, believable Australians’ who could just as easily walk among us as they do through words on a page.
In naming the characters, I have also worked out their age, year of birth and decided which characters will celebrate their birthday within the narrative with what significance. While naming someone identifies them in the ‘real’ world and can be a humbling experience for some or a terrifying experience for others, in this case it is a vital task in the writing process. Giving a character a name is ultimately giving them a unique voice and acknowledging their existence.
By giving the characters names and ages has in turn enabled me to establish the timeline of events and develop the plot more precisely, including a conflict and a twist.
Things are getting juicy and I am thoroughly enjoying the journey. I hope you are as well and thank you for sharing it with me.
For a bit of fun, why not research the origin of your name?
I also highly recommend:
Spend some time with them and they will stay with you forever. © 2009 Danielle N. Bilski
~ Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~
Last night I was thinking about how I should start and wondering whether I had enough of a unique, captivating story. I wondered what it was about the story that gave someone a reason to read it.
Funnily enough I was watching ‘The Ring’ at 1:00am on television and decided that I wanted to write in such a way that maybe one day my novel could be adapted into a film. So I thought more about the elements of constructing a story and what events would fit in that were believable, pivotal moments that would work as well in words as they would on a screen.
We learn very early in our childhood that every story has a beginning, a middle and end. However, with the help of editing techniques, stories as they were traditional told in a linear form can now consist of flashbacks, predictions and repetitions.
So this lead me to think about the broader picture and develop the relationship between the two main characters. I decided that there needed to be a hook or an unexpected twist in the story, conflict and cause-and-effect while maintaining or building on the original message that I want to convey through the narrative.
I made detailed notes and excitedly discussed the ideas with my Mum over breakfast this morning. She was very enthusiastic and asked a lot of questions which helped me develop the ideas even further to a point where I know the characters even better, the intricacies of their lives, the twist, the conflict and main events, the effects they have and why. This is all while staying true to my original theme and giving me room to incorporate other ideas as the story is told.
Every writer works hard for that moment when the story becomes clearer to a point where it takes on a life all of its own. It has taken 8 months, but I have experienced that moment and I couldn’t wait to share my sheer excitement with you!
I can now feel confident in knowing whose voices I am speaking with and the eyes I am seeing the world through. This is the official beginning of My time with you as my characters share their stories with me, you and the world. © 2009 Danielle N. Bilski
~ Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~
My uncle shared with me a wise piece of advice last week. He said, ‘The quickest way to get something done is to start it.’ Seems like common sense, but sometimes it is a lot easier said, than done.
What others would call procrastination, I like to call the ‘the planning stages with the intention to achieve’. This is so as not to place negative pressure on myself which can discourage me even further for actually being able to begin. Writers and artists go through a myriad of emotions when creating, but I have learned that it is important to focus on the positive energies you feel and direct (or channel) them into what you want to achieve.
Don’t forget to enjoy the journey, as these moments enrich the final product. If you don’t have the good times and the hard times to look back on, you will not be able to truly recognise how far you have come and remember why you decided to do it in the first place.
I love philosophy and hope that one day someone will quote me, so all my personal philosophising isn’t done in vain. I must acknowledge all those people who have taught me what I know as a basis for identifying what I believe in and choose to live by.
Over the last 8 months I have been thinking a lot about the structural elements of writing a novel, such as setting the scene, introducing the characters, introducing the setting, building a rapport with the audience, engaging the audience, being humourous, showing commitment to the story, maintaining consistency and maintaining the narrative voice or perspective.
I have also documented extensive ideas about the story I endeavour to tell including the characters and their development, the theme and genre as well as the basic plot.
I have researched the average word count of a commercial novel, which range from 80,000 to 120,000 words. However this is only a guide and you should use as many words as you need to tell the best story.
So the biggest step I am now getting ready to take is beginning to tell the story and making sure I know my main characters well enough to know how they would act and react when placed in particular situations and settings.
Your characters’ attitudes and values are tested in a range of different ways and can effect their likeability and also their believability. Therefore, unless you are basing your character on someone you know (be very careful not to defame them), it is a continuous process of development as the story progresses.
I have decided the best approach for me to take is by writing from each of the main characters’ point-of-view (POV) in any given situation. I hope that by experiencing along with them how they interpret the situation, will help me to gather a more objective and informed view, so as not to get lost in just one persons’ eyes.
Who knows, I may even learn more about myself along the way.
So here we are at the beginning, pen poised. To see what happens next and what my characters are up to, stay tuned for my next post.
Thank you again for your support. I really appreciate this time spent with you. © 2009 Danielle N. Bilski
~ Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~
I just wanted to say a sincere ‘thank you’ to everyone who has been so supportive of me and my writing. It is always a difficult thing for an writer or artist to know how their pieces will be received by others and I believe that you become your harshest critic, with the expectation of perfection that you place upon yourself.
However, I am confident in my ability and have been shown nothing but encouragement and genuine interest by those closest to me, which is all the motivation I need to carry me through even the most difficult moments this chapter of my life will offer.
So I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to you as well, for your support and interest in mytimewithyou.com.au and I hope you are inspired to take those first steps to making your wildest dreams come true!
Anything is possible if you believe.
Thank you for believing in me as I share my time with you. © 2009 Danielle N. Bilski
~ Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~
Welcome to mytimewithyou.com.au.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to anyone who is visiting this blog for the first time. Thank you for choosing to take this special journey with me.
My time with you is in its early planning stages and I had the idea to document the process for anyone who is interested in literature, is a writer themselves or is simply interested in the creative and emotional experiences one has while producing a publishable standard of writing and telling a poignant, original story.
I will also showcase my favourite quotes from inspirational writers and philosophers, both past and present as well as other interesting features as the website evolves.
I truly appreciate your support.
Are you ready? Let us start from the beginning of my time, with you. © 2009 Danielle N. Bilski