Drawing from the Well
Queries Sent: 1
Total Queries: 26
Rejections: 5
Scenes Mapped: 4
Total Scenes: 289
I finally broke the dry spell. There was definitely rust on the gears, but I worked through it and got four scenes down (and a query sent!). Fortunately, finishing those four scenes brings me up to the Second Pinch Point. I’ll carve out some time today to work on that, but it might not be until late. Plus, I’m reworking Meibor’s arc location-wise so I’ll probably write the Pinch for his part last.
Filling the Well
1984: 89%
Bloodwitch: 17%
The Raven Boys: 69%
No progress made here, but that’s okay. Yesterday’s blog went up late and my focus was on writing last night. Plenty of time to read today.
Polishing the Well
Today we’ve got church and then lunch and Aladdin with friends. I’m curious to see this remake of one of my favorite childhood movies. I hope they didn’t ruin the Genie because Robin Williams is still one of my all-time favorite actors in ANYTHING he’s in. Was in. <sad panda>
Well Chat
Super Important Magical Materials…Now With Danger!
What the heck is Applied Phlebotinum? Well, it’s whatever you want it to be. This trope describes the “stuff” that magically makes things work for plot purposes. It is also usually something that the audience would not understand or is currently beyond our technical capabilities.
You see this a lot in the Marvel movies. Nanotech, magic, vibranium, Pym particles, Super Soldier serum, Infinity Stones, and Kree blood all act as the answer to a problem. Do we, the reader/viewer, understand any of this? No, of course not. It’s literary hand waving in order to advance the plot. It gives the hero power to overcome a challenge.
Villains use Applied Phlebotinum too, though. That’s usually when the phlebotinum becomes exceedingly dangerous. The best villains even use the SAME phlebotinum. Obadiah Stane used a suit similar to Tony’s in Iron Man. Red Skull was using the Tessaract from which the Super Soldier serum was derived. Loki had powers similar (though NOT the same) to Thor’s. Hulk fought Abomination who was almost the same as him except yellow and lumpy. When villains use phlebotinum similarly to the hero, it serves as a counterpoint and a warning to the hero of what they could become if their noble intentions were forgotten or corrupted. The same can be true when heroes flip phlebotinum on the villain to overcome them.
Is Applied Phlebotinum bad? No. Lots of movies and books use it. Hell, I use it to some extent. Grant’s applied phlebotinum is willpower while Rorian’s is straight up magic. It’s not bad as long as it is well-applied because it is just the vehicle to exemplify the cleverness and heroism of your hero (or the cleverness and villainy of your villain). I bet if you looked through most books and movies, you could point out some Applied Phlebotinum.
Now what happens when the phlebotinum is exceedingly rare (also for plot reasons)? Well, then it goes by another name: Unobtainium. But that is a discussion for tomorrow.
May the tide carry you to safer shores.
BSG