2024 Writing Log, Part 21
Jun. 8th, 2024 07:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynling- I finally, finally finished Chapter 17 of an Unfound Door. I originally planned for the scene that was giving me trouble to be much more dramatic, but I came to the conclusion that it better fits the themes of the novel if it’s quiet and anticlimactic.
- I finished my story about the Gerudo archaeologist Rotana for Residents of the Wild, a fanzine focusing on the NPCs of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Although this is a niche zine with a small social media following, the stories and art that people have submitted so far are fantastic. It’s such an honor to be able to contribute.
- I edited the three writing samples I’d like to submit with my application to the Whispers of Hyrule fanzine about the forest creatures in the Legend of Zelda games. The sample I’m most proud of is a slightly spooky piece of flash fiction about the Kokiri in Ocarina of Time. It’s called “Deku Shield,” and it’s on AO3 (here).
- I wrote a lengthy and detailed post on the subject of “How to Commission an Artist” for thegywo writing community here on Dreamwidth. The post is (here), but it’s locked to community members. I might duplicate the post on my public-facing blog at some point in July, but I’m a bit nervous. I’d like to think that I’m giving basic, common-sense advice, but in the past I've found that this is the sort of "my account of my personal experience might not reflect your own experience" post that's in danger of being taken in bad faith.
ETA: The post on GYWO did indeed receive some very intense comments, so I decided to delete it entirely. It's a shame, but that sort of thing gives me horrible anxiety.
- I finished, submitted, edited, and formatted my essay about Machiko Kyō’s graphic novel Cocoon for Women Write About Comics. This story is getting a high-profile animated cinematic adaptation from a highly talented female director who’s been a key animator at Studio Ghibli since the 1990s, and my essay will be the first substantial piece about the artist’s work available in English. Huzzah!
- Horrified and dismayed by the recent closure of so many art colleges in America, I wrote a short blurb about Erica Eng’s graphic novel Fried Rice for a future monthly recommendation post on Women Write About Comics. This semi-autobiographical story is about a Malaysian high school student who applies to and is rejected from an American art college. Aside from being beautifully written and gorgeous to look at, the book contains a substantial endnotes section with a very smart but still very gentle discussion about finding alternative paths to achieve your career ambitions.
- On a lighter note, I contributed to Sidequest’s June roundtable discussion on the theme of “collecting” (here). I’m 100% not joking about Koroks btw. I mean listen. Everyone needs a hobby.
- I’ve been putting this off for far too long, but I finally edited and annotated my list of reading recommendations on my book review blog for Japanese fiction in translation. The list is (here).
- In an attempt to do something with this blog, I also decided to post slightly expanded mini-reviews of the books I post about on my Instagram account, Gingko Books. I’m going to try my best to post every Monday morning, and I set up a page listing these mini-reviews (here).
There’s a lot going on in the world. Especially at a time like this, it’s been important for me to keep working, to keep reaching out to people, to keep making art, and to keep connected to creative communities. I spent a lot of time this week thinking about moss, which is very soft and quiet but also very resilient. Although I may not have the ability to do anything big or dramatic, I think it’s still important to prevent soil erosion while patiently protecting the seeds waiting for a more hospitable climate.
I also spent a lot of time cleaning. Scrubbing and mopping and laundry and such. You know how puppies are.
- I finished my story about the Gerudo archaeologist Rotana for Residents of the Wild, a fanzine focusing on the NPCs of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Although this is a niche zine with a small social media following, the stories and art that people have submitted so far are fantastic. It’s such an honor to be able to contribute.
- I edited the three writing samples I’d like to submit with my application to the Whispers of Hyrule fanzine about the forest creatures in the Legend of Zelda games. The sample I’m most proud of is a slightly spooky piece of flash fiction about the Kokiri in Ocarina of Time. It’s called “Deku Shield,” and it’s on AO3 (here).
- I wrote a lengthy and detailed post on the subject of “How to Commission an Artist” for the
gywo writing community here on Dreamwidth. The post is (here), but it’s locked to community members. I might duplicate the post on my public-facing blog at some point in July, but I’m a bit nervous. I’d like to think that I’m giving basic, common-sense advice, but in the past I've found that this is the sort of "my account of my personal experience might not reflect your own experience" post that's in danger of being taken in bad faith. ETA: The post on GYWO did indeed receive some very intense comments, so I decided to delete it entirely. It's a shame, but that sort of thing gives me horrible anxiety.
- I finished, submitted, edited, and formatted my essay about Machiko Kyō’s graphic novel Cocoon for Women Write About Comics. This story is getting a high-profile animated cinematic adaptation from a highly talented female director who’s been a key animator at Studio Ghibli since the 1990s, and my essay will be the first substantial piece about the artist’s work available in English. Huzzah!
- Horrified and dismayed by the recent closure of so many art colleges in America, I wrote a short blurb about Erica Eng’s graphic novel Fried Rice for a future monthly recommendation post on Women Write About Comics. This semi-autobiographical story is about a Malaysian high school student who applies to and is rejected from an American art college. Aside from being beautifully written and gorgeous to look at, the book contains a substantial endnotes section with a very smart but still very gentle discussion about finding alternative paths to achieve your career ambitions.
- On a lighter note, I contributed to Sidequest’s June roundtable discussion on the theme of “collecting” (here). I’m 100% not joking about Koroks btw. I mean listen. Everyone needs a hobby.
- I’ve been putting this off for far too long, but I finally edited and annotated my list of reading recommendations on my book review blog for Japanese fiction in translation. The list is (here).
- In an attempt to do something with this blog, I also decided to post slightly expanded mini-reviews of the books I post about on my Instagram account, Gingko Books. I’m going to try my best to post every Monday morning, and I set up a page listing these mini-reviews (here).
There’s a lot going on in the world. Especially at a time like this, it’s been important for me to keep working, to keep reaching out to people, to keep making art, and to keep connected to creative communities. I spent a lot of time this week thinking about moss, which is very soft and quiet but also very resilient. Although I may not have the ability to do anything big or dramatic, I think it’s still important to prevent soil erosion while patiently protecting the seeds waiting for a more hospitable climate.
I also spent a lot of time cleaning. Scrubbing and mopping and laundry and such. You know how puppies are.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-10 08:12 pm (UTC)Congrats on finishing the chapter of An Unfound Door!
I don't remember if I told you this before (my brain is for some strange reason a swirling mess??) but in a Discord conversation, someone mentioned having recently read The Cat Who Saved Books and was wondering about the books referenced being largely Western classics and if that was a localization choice, and I went looking for info and wound up on your book review blog, lol. Six degrees!
no subject
Date: 2024-06-10 09:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-03 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 12:47 pm (UTC)I feel like the concept wasn't poorly done so much as it was done without much thought, consideration, or originality. The American publication team but so much love and care into this book, which hurts a little because the book was essentially written by... I don't want to say ChatGPT, but like, with strong assistance from an editorial committee.
I wish there were a word for this. Like, it's not bad? It's perfectly serviceable? It's just no-effort junk food designed to be easily digestible for the lowest common denominator. I guess "bland" is the word, but sometimes things that are "bland" or "junk food" can be quite interesting.
You know what I'm talking about, right? Like, how do you say something is pink slime in book form?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-15 09:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-18 12:31 pm (UTC)But still, when it comes to keeping the publishing industry afloat, better this than the ghostwritten autobiographies of politicians I guess.