Legend of Korra

This post is going to have spoilers for the current series of Legend of Korra proceed at your own risk.

I love Avatar the Last Airbender.  There are so many good things about it, I've blogged about it before. One thing that the writers have not shied away from is having an arc of growth for their characters. Aang's arc was maturing from a child to an adult (at least in so far as responsibilities go) and learning to act decisively.  In the new series the current avatar Korra has the opposite problem.  She acts decisively but with out thinking or planning.  She has no contact with the spiritual side of bending but she has been able to bend every element but air from a very young age, younger then her predecessor.
Just that simple choice of flaws helps radically define her character and make it clear that this is her story and not a continuation of Aangs.  Throughout the series a character behind a mask by the name of Amon has been threatening benders in Republic city.  There has been a lot of speculation as too who he/she really is under the mask.
I am finding as I look at this series through the eyes of a writer (mired in one novel's revisions and another first drafting) that I am guessing some of the plots trajectory.  You don't put a character under a mask unless removing it would reveal to much information to the people.  That's led to some speculation that Amon is one f the characters from the original series, that he was Tarrlock, that he was Tenzin, and many more.  My pet theory is that he is a spirit but we'll see how that speculation plays out.  Another theory that was brought out was that the avatar was split into to beings, the physical side with Korra and the spiritual with Amon.
There's one problem with that theory.  Korra would have no growth arc.  The logical progression to that kind of arc is some sort of melding and it means Korra doesn't have to grow and change and learn spirituality.  So far she seems to be changing. She's had contact with Aang's past life last episode and she's starting to learn patience.  I am going to stick with my spirit theory.

Writing Excuses

Have you had your fifteen minute break today?  http://www.writingexcuses.com/2012/06/17/writing-excuses-7-25-writing-capers/

Today's episode is about creating a heist or crime plot. 

Pixar's guide to stories

Pixar has created some of my absolute favorite movies.  Up makes me cry every time. Incredibles, amazing. These story guidelines are on par.  Check them out.  http://www.pixartouchbook.com/blog/2011/5/15/pixar-story-rules-one-version.html

Opps!

We've had the husband away for 2 weekends and about half a set of weekdays over the last few weeks, jury duty, end of school and now a birthday all this month.  It's made things a little hectic.  I haven't stopped moving forward though.  This week a kind friend is going to suck out my netbook's hard drive so I have access to my old files (and my son's baby pictures!)  Today my replacement is coming.  I decided to go lowtech this time and I ordered an alphasmart.  It's cheaper then any laptop/tablet/netbook and best of all, there is no internet, solitaire or anything else to get in the way of my word count. 

I have also set my desktop up with Ywriter. I can not first draft with this software.  There are too many awesome little distractions built into it.  It is amazing for editing a work.  While still keeping everything in one file you divide your novel into chapters and scenes.  You can create character reference notes, settling notes, and plot notes in the file to pull up as needed with out leaving them in your finished "manuscript" file.  It was written by a writer for writers and it's free. 

More interesting historical sources

Today we have a podcast about history from Colonial Williamsburg.  I enjoyed their latest one about tailoring and fashion in the 18th century.

Negative reviews

This is the best reaction to negative reviews I've ever seen : http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-respond-to-negative-reviews.html

Stay at home mom

Posting has been a little light this week as I am doing my normal stay at home mom gig, plus sitting with out a net.  Mr. of Cricket house has been away.  Posting should be more normalized soon, whatever that will end up being.  We are still neck deep in first draft land over here which means microwave meals and absent minded professor moments.  In the mean time have an episode of Writing Excuses.