10,000 Words

An engaging promise to the thoughts in my head.

Apologies for the delay (corporate), kind reader, as you might've been wondering where I've been the past couple of months. A false start to my writing career with the launch of three random pieces on a blog that is barely maintained, then vanishing into the void of holidays, birthdays, and travel. It's giving Aang from Avatar the Last Airbender (ATLA for you nerds) - the world needed me most and I just... you know... poof.

Well, I'm here, and I've been writing secretly in the background. I'm discovering that parts of this writing journey are vulnerable and difficult to navigate. The stories I want to tell include parts of me I haven't looked at in a long time, and sometimes painful memories surface. Those memories, for me, create a beautiful blend of life and depth that stories these days are starting to lack. Life is gritty and grungy (yay, 90s kid!), but lately the entertainment that I've been consuming has been plastic, cold-hard-shiny plastic.

Plastic isn't inherently bad in entertainment; it's spoon-fed playtime. Which could be a real source of comfort, and it is for me on occasion (let's go Secret Lives of Mormon Wives!), but I need more. What I want is to trade in the plastic for solid glass that lets people see through the glitz & glam and encourages a stimulating connection to the world. Like our food, our entertainment has become too processed (at least in America).

Wicked critique incoming! Ariana & Cynthia deserve their flowers for acting, singing, and marketing; they're not who I'm criticizing.

Let's look at Wicked: Part 1 & Wicked: For Good, purely at the entertainment value. There are moments in both films that are incredible pieces of art, meant to be shared until the end of time, and then there is the plastic. I think society likes to gloss over disappointment whenever it can, and I feel like we did with these two films.

A budget of $300-$350 million created a cheap-looking amusement park of fanfiction wonder. While performances were stellar, the visuals were rough and felt too fake. I know it's an imaginary place, but it felt like the imagination became too cartoonish. Gold didn't feel gold, the Emerald City didn't feel like a city, and the magic wasn't magical. I'm someone who wants to see the magic happen with physicality; all the magic in both films was arguably just floating & invisible, with the exception of Storm... I mean Madame Morrible (flip it around, Wicked Witch!).

Tornadoes, I choose you! (without the sepia tone, sad)

The fandom of over 20 years from Wicked on Broadway is what has brought these films the success we've seen. Unfortunately, with the second film, we're seeing cracks form; even stellar performances can't hide the emptiness of a world meant to be vibrant and alive (even with fascism).

Plastic critique aside, it's exciting to see the light return to my eyes after years of business dread left them somewhat lifeless. Chatting with close friends and seeing them light up & get excited with me as I pursue this passion has been the best sign that I'm on the right path here.

I reached 10,000 words (~45 pages) in November.

So, I've been writing my first draft EVER (eek). In it, I'm playing with magic influenced by The Witcher & The Lord of the Rings, while bringing elements of politics from Game of Thrones and Star Wars; all of which are guiding my world-building. It's heavy to carry the ideas, characters, and arcs all in my head at once. Having to navigate what story to tell, when to tell it, and how. Not to mention allowing the characters you created & actually like to face adversity to drive impact. It's uncomfortable, but it allows for beautiful storytelling.

More to come, and I honestly can't wait to share it with you.