Weeks 14-18: The Curtain Rises
The Skinny
I've caught World Cup fever and my productivity has dipped, but I will make a full recovery after the Final this Sunday. Nonetheless I've completed my outline; the plot is a logical chain of events; and I've written the first four scenes.
What I Learned From Outlining
Outlining is the hard work, for me. It's the left-brain, the editor, the naysayer, the constant reminder "That's been done before." In short, the buzzkill.I have written versions of The Dagger-Pierced Heart before. I have several drafts that I am working from, and reading through the old material has been illuminating. Whenever I approached a scene without an idea of what would happen, I did a very poor job of coming up with a clever way to narrate the section. If I didn't know what, I had a difficult time with how.With the plot laid out in front of me, all my research at my fingertips, and all my notes on Scrivener cards, writing a scene feels easy. It may not read well at first. But it comes out hot, and in my experience that's how I know when a piece will be worthwhile.So what I have learned from outlining is that I will always outline. Outlining is where I pay my dues to logic and let my doubts run free. Could that actually happen? Who was President in that year? Would that character do that? I answer the questions now so that later I'm not interrupting my creative flow by googling "Russia Minister of the Interior 1994." Outlining is eating your vegetables first so that later your ice cream isn't interrupted with a carrot.I'm enjoying my ice cream so far.
Russian Myths
Russian mythology, like many elements of Russian culture, is an interesting blend of Eastern and Western ideas. Folk religion, which strongly resembles Chinese folk religion in its emphasis on spirits of place, merged with Christian themes. Even today in some regions, the saints are called "gods." The old gods are called "devils."Here are a few of my favorite creatures from their mythos:
The Domovoi. The spirit of the household. He appeared as a dwarf-like old man, but had hair on the palms of his hands and soles of his feet. He could take the appearance of animals. He often bore resemblance to the previous master of the house, and so represented the ancestral spirit watching over the home of descendants.
The Leshii. A forest demon, the Leshii could change its appearance at will, even resembling a family member. A small detail would betray its disguise, usually a detail that confirmed his relationship with the forest: hair the color of grass, bark-like skin. The Leshii's most frightening past-time was to lead its victims from the forest path, guiding them in circles with false trails until they died of exhaustion. He needed souls to populate the twilight realm of his forest.
The Vodyanoi. A water demon, the Vodyanoi drowned its victims, and was not limited to existence within the river or lake. He often had dark black hair from head to foot, and left wet footprints when he walked on land.
The Rusalka. The spirits of women who were murdered or killed themselves near or in a lake or river. They would use their charm and beautiful appearance to seduce men to come into the water and drown.
I've learned about these creatures from Russian Myths by Elizabeth Warner, which I recommend for further reading.