Ya Boy Kongming and Writing More

I finished the anime, Ya Boy Kongming (Paripi Koumei in Japanese), and it was definitely one of the surprise anime of 2022, for me, as far as being a very good anime that no one was anticipating or expecting to be good. Besides the strategizing, comedy, music and energy, it was just a lot of fun and had a lot of heart. A military strategist from the Three Kingdoms era reincarnated in modern day Japan while being a bartender and helping the career of a songstress was not something that should work as well as it did. The characters and positive energy of the series really helped it stand out. It also goes to show the one fact about anime, and that is that there is an anime about anything and everything.

My stories are heavily influenced by anime. Whenever I imagine The Mustard Prince playing out in my head, I imagine it as an anime. I am currently finishing up with editing The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom, and I am spending much more time on it than usual. I just really want to get it done and have the story finished. I have other stories on the docket as well. Thankfully, I am getting much more used to spending more time on it, and just being disciplined by not allowing distractions get in the way.

I think about working six to eight, if not more, hours a day on writing as a career. I know that at times, it will be boring, and editing can be quite a chore. Other days, writing can go by quickly, and I’ll be at a good part of the story where I am just really into what is going on. At the end of the day though, the end product and finishing a story is very satisfying.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Free Time

I finally got around to watching Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have been something of a mixed bag as of late, but this one was good in my opinion. It kept my attention throughout, and the cameos that they presented obviously foreshadow who could be in future MCU films. It definitely opened up many possibilities for the MCU, and I am at least curious to see where they go from here. There is not a clear end goal so far, or defined supervillain or evil that must be stopped.

I actually had a lot of free time this weekend, which is rare for me. I did a little more writing than I usually do, which I suppose is practice if I ever reach my goal of becoming a professionally published author. I will have to sit for hours writing and/or editing novels as a profession, and it will take much discipline and time management. Distractions are everywhere, and it is easy to get caught up in something else.

The more that I do this writing thing though and dedicate to it, the more that I want this to be something of an end goal for me. As it is, I sit around in an office chair in a cubicle for hours entering data into a computer. I would much rather enter my thoughts, ideas and stories into a computer and structure it the way that I want.

4th of July 2022 and Dialogue

I spent my 4th of July with friends having a barbecue and watching classic martial arts movies. I did not mean for this to happen, but we watched Future Cops which was made in the 90’s, Bloodsport which was made in the 80’s, and Blackbelt Jones which was made in the 70’s. While all of them were cheesy in their own ways (and Future Cops was just flat out bizarre), they were all products of their time from the music, dialogue and the clothes that they wore.

One thing that was very noticeable was that the farther back we went, the less “politically correct” the dialogue became. Many of the things said in Blackbelt Jones could not be said today, and there are arguments that it is for the better, and arguments that it is for the worse. The argument could be made that dialogue today in entertainment is reserved and at times, robotic. Of course, others would argue that the dialogue back then would be too offensive for today’s audiences.

Creatively speaking, the less restrictions, the freer the work. However, there is an audience that needs to be appealed to, so some level of restraint has a necessity. Sometimes, this can get controversial, and other times, creative people have managed to find the right balance.

Honest Discussions and Arguments

It is interesting to see how people view the world and what narratives that they fall into. I have to wonder about some people who are so focused on one particular narrative if they are looking at the other side of the argument. Maybe there is some level of pride that prevents people from looking the other way, and it could be that most people just do not want to be wrong, which is normal human behavior. Admittedly, I do not like reading critiques of my work, but I have to admit that especially as of late, it has helped my writing quite a bit.

I am not particularly interested in bad or intellectually dishonest arguments, but that does not stop individuals from expressing them. I am of the opinion that things should generally make sense and be logical, and that goes for arguments or stories. When things do not make sense or are on an illogical foundation, then cracks form and things tend to crumble. We see that in arguments and in bad stories as well. Of course, the world does not always operate in this manner.

I do like listening to people, and that gives me various ideas. Everyone has what is called a “blind spot,” and it is good to hear what others have to say in order to fill that blind spot, even if it is something that one might disagree with. In the end, I think that just makes a stronger and wiser individual.

Finishing a Story and Remembering Characters

I have recently finished the graphic novel version of “Return of the Condor Heroes” by Louis Cha (pen name Jin Yong), and I felt happy and melancholy at the same time. This is a sequel to “Legend of the Condor Heroes,” and I have read the novels for Legend translated to English, but the novels for Return have not been translated to English yet, so I bought and read the graphic novels. With these being a part of a trilogy, I got to read about the heroic exploits of these characters, see them grow and read new adventures of different heroes who are connected to the original characters. As cheesy as it sounds, it really is saying goodbye to an old friend. I put my time reading about these characters with emotional investment. Thankfully, it ended well, and I have the third part of the trilogy in graphic novel format.

My plan for The Mustard Prince series is to have it in multiple volumes. I want audiences to experience growing with the characters and reading about their heroic deeds. I would like a child to read about The Mustard Prince and grow up still remembering the character fondly. The first book that I read, and that pretty much taught me how to read was “Puss N’ Boots.” When this character was in Shrek, I felt like I was the only person excited to see him as I still remember the character into adulthood.

For a deeper reason outside of money, this is the primary reason for me wanting to be an author. I want audiences to read about the exploits of my characters and hopefully remember them in the future. I would like them to have fun, be entertained and escape for a bit while reading my works.

The Roundup and Straightforwardness

I watched a South Korean movie called “The Roundup” starring Don Lee over the weekend. It was a sequel to “The Outlaws,” and The Roundup is just a lot of fun. Don Lee plays a detective who does not always play by the rules, but nonetheless, has a strong sense of justice. There was no messaging, but the movie had a lot of action and comedy and was relatively straightforward. Asian cinema lately has been destination viewing, as I have just been fond of watching good, fun movies that were not trying to sell me on something else. While the U.S. will have a movie like Top Gun: Maverick that I must see on occasion, regularly, I seek out Asian movies in the theater.

I want to go back to that type of story just to entertain with my books. The protagonist and antagonist are clearly defined with one being good and the other being evil. There is hardship with the protagonist that he must overcome and become stronger and wiser for it. I do not feel that the formula has to be tweaked or diluted so much, as it works with the basis of any story and reveals something about people and the human condition in general.

Right now, I am working on making my works longer, and it has produced good results. These new chapters needed to be in The Land of the Wooden Statues and The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom, but it was my own impatience that did not see it. I am actually growing impatient as these stories are almost completely done.

Revue Starlight and Artistry

I watched Revue Starlight the Movie, which is a continuation of an anime series, and I enjoyed it. It is more artistic than most anime that I have seen and contains meta commentary about the stage and the audience who watches the performers. I enjoy the symbolism, metaphor and allegory that this series produces, and it does not hurt that there are extensive action scenes. As far as other anime that I would compare it to, the easiest would be Utena, and another would be Princess Tutu, both more Avant Garde in style and substance.

As a writer starting out, I am hesitant to go to that artistic length. My stories tend to be much more straightforward and grounded, as I am not trying to reinvent the wheel. I think that a certain level of vision, wisdom and experience is necessary to break away from conventional norms in writing, which also applies to other endeavors like martial arts or sports. It just looks haphazard when an amateur tries to be “different,” and it becomes an exercise of being different just for the sake of being different, yet not writing anything of substance.

I will think about writing more outside of the box later. I believe that there is a learning process in most things where the basics are important and must be abide by. Once those basics are mastered, then one can break convention and try to become more unorthodox and artistic.

Hiking and Real Experiences

I went on a hike the other day at Newport Beach, California, and it was just nice to get out of the house. Being outdoors occasionally, and not looking at screens while being a sloth on the couch is something of a necessity. While I endorse media, and we watch media mainly on screens, unless we are reading a book or manga, sometimes the best stories are just going out there. I went with two friends on this hike and encountered a rattlesnake, hiked up until we could see the ocean, saw birds flying freely on top of the last hill and sweated up rocky hills. We talked and conversed without checking our phones every five seconds, and it was good.

In social media, we see other people’s stories. When watching a television show, movie or another type of media, we are watching ideas from a person’s mind play out in real life. As an aspiring author, that is pretty much what I am doing with my stories. I have an idea in my head, and I am actively putting it onto paper. Real experiences play a factor into this as well, and the use of real locations or individuals bring about ideas that go into stories.

As cliché as it sounds, life is one big story. Lately, it does seem like we are enthralled in someone else’s story instead of our own and watch that story play out on some sort of screen. I think that it is important to sometimes get away from someone else’s story and play out our own.

Hawkeye and Character Development

I watched Hawkeye on Disney Plus the other day, and I enjoyed it. I like some of the things that they do to humanize the character and the experience overall. There are consequences for Hawkeye, Clint Barton, to be an Avenger and save the world, good and bad. Things are not just hunky dory for the character. People on the street recognize him and want something of him whether it be a selfie, a handshake or something else. They will thank him as well. It also has a negative affect on his family, and he is relatively aloof and indifferent to it all. For me, I have always liked to focus more on characters than plot, so character development is always welcome to me in any story.

When I edited some of my stories, specifically The Mustard Prince, I had to delve into the characters a lot more. I had to think about how a character will react in a totally new situation and write it out. For example, The Mustard Prince has never been to a tavern full of people that are rough around the edges, so he cannot just enter as if he has been there before. I made the mistake on earlier drafts of him entering the tavern normally, but that does not make sense when putting some thought into it.

While that may seem obvious now, that was a lesson learned over time. It goes to show that this whole writing thing is a process and a journey of learning and discovery.

Bad News and Not Rushing

I received some bad news today (it was not regarding a life-or-death situation, thankfully), and it was tough. I put on the movie from 2008, Role Models, and it did its job in getting me out of the moment and making me laugh at times. I have seen it before, and it was better on this watch than when I first saw it years ago. I am not saying that it is some great movie or anything like that, but that as a form of entertainment, it did what it needed to do for its audience.

Editing was one of the big things that I was working on with my stories. Now, I am looking to extend my stories to make them longer. I did not realize how much that I can stretch out and expand upon with my stories. I compare it to martial arts, but when one rushes something, it leaves open mistakes and openings. I rushed my stories too quickly, and it left narrative openings. This writing thing is definitely not a sprint, but a marathon.

I always say this with my own writing, but I am not trying to reinvent the wheel with my stories. The bottom line is that I want to entertain an audience. I do not know how far my stories will reach, if ever I get published professionally, but I would like to reach as many people as I can.

Mother’s Day 2022 and Creating

I celebrated Mother’s Day with my parents today, and it was a good time. Before, it was something that I felt that I could skip, but as I got older, it is something of greater importance. Mothers give birth, nurture and raise the next generation selflessly. They are creators, obviously, as they create a new life into the world, and that is something to be celebrated. It really is something of a superpower that only mothers can do.

Making a book, novel or some other form of media is the birth of a new story. Mothers create one of the ultimate stories to be told and to be lived, of course, but the creating of a new story has its ups and downs. It can be fun at times, but also a real slog at other times. There is a battle between what is in the creator’s mind and how it needs to be written on paper. Some days, the author cannot wait to write, and other days, the author must be dragged into writing. It can be very mercurial.

Despite the hardships, we create anyways. There is always a new story to be told, and a new journey to experience. It can be tough at times, awesome at other times, but worth it in the end.

The Girl on a Bulldozer and Over-Powered Protagonists

I watched a Korean movie the other day called The Girl on a Bulldozer, and it amazes me to see the cultural differences in Asian movies as opposed to movies here. For one thing, The Girl on a Bulldozer has a very strong female lead, but she is not a “Mary Sue” character who can just do anything and is perfect. She goes into situations with anger and violence, and she is wildly ineffective in trying to solve problems in that manner. Add to that, she will face physical violence at times herself in retaliation. In movies over here, that type of assertiveness will usually win the day in movies, but not in this one or in other Asian movies that I have seen.

I personally like that more flawed character than what we have been seeing lately, even in anime. In anime, there is what is called the over-powered protagonist, but we have seen that character in Star Wars, Marvel movies and the like. Sometimes it can work when taken in interesting or comical directions, but I think the problem with the protagonist already being immensely powerful is that it pretty much defeats “the hero’s journey.”

It is more satisfying to me to see the main character work to that point instead of already being there. I think that lately, we have been seeing the opposite. In the case of comic books, the hero starts with their powers, so the adversity must be world-ending or just so overpowering. I personally like things more grounded and relatable.

The Invisible and Comfort

I read an article where a former UFC fighter, Spencer Fisher, had a private lesson with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and just all-around legend, Rickson Gracie. Gracie did not teach him crazy new moves but just a certain mentality of being always comfortable even in the worst positions and “invisible” aspects of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As someone who is halfway to a black belt, these concepts resonate with me. The invisible aspects interest me greatly as it speaks to a higher and more spiritual approach, and I think that this can apply to things in life as well.

In writing, there are the more material aspects to it that we can all see such as the grammar, style, mechanics, etc. However, it does make me think about the invisible aspects of writing. I am just starting out, so I am a white belt with this whole writing stuff, but when we consume top-quality media and stories, there are unseen aspects that make something very good to excellent. There is something more to Lord of the Rings, for example, than just an adventure, or else it would not stand the test of time. I watch anime, and there is a distinct difference from a good anime to a great anime. Part of it is a mastery of the basics, but an ability to think beyond in complex ways and convey that in a particular media.

Right now, as a writer, I am just trying to get the basics. I am not trying to reinvent the wheel but just tell a good story. I think that is a mistake in trying to reinvent the wheel right away, as people end up just being different for the sake of being different but not telling anything of substance.

Sleeping Beauty and Simplicity

I went to the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles to watch Sleeping Beauty. It was nice watching a Disney classic on the big screen, and it really has a charm that I do not see in much media today. Maleficent is of course just an iconic character and villain in all media from her design to behavior. The story, in my opinion, is basic but done well and creatively. I can appreciate things like the art, colors and backgrounds much more now as an adult.

I subscribe to the idea of keeping it simple and not over-complicating a story. Like in Sleeping Beauty, there is a protagonist, a villain and a conflict that needs to be resolved. Writing my own fantasy stories, I generally abide by that simplicity, but in a book, I can draw out the characters and conflicts much more than in a time-constrained movie. Some writers can do twists and turns quite well, but I am just unequipped to do so.

I am still learning this writing stuff, as I am pretty much self-taught. Even after years of writing The Mustard Prince, I am improving on the story and the characters. New criticism and different media bring something that I did not see before.

Complacency and Mentality

I noticed a regression in my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lately. I was giving up bad positions, not really putting effort in advancing and electing to getting into stalled positions. After some contemplation, I realized that my mentality was negative, and it reflected in my performance. Part of it was due to complacency, and another part may have been coming back from injury. A strange thing happens in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu though, if I don’t exert a lot of effort, maybe because I don’t want to get too tired, I end up getting more tired. It is not as if my partner stops working just because I have. I end up working harder, not smarter.

I think that this mentality also transfers to writing as well (among just about everything else in life). If I get lazy, I’ll go on the internet or look at my phone more frequently, but the consequence is that less of the story gets created. I am stopping myself from reaching my goal quicker when my mentality, which is a part of discipline, is compromised. Now, I have to work harder, when it is smarter not to be lazy and subsequently distracted. It’s not like the internet will go away after I am done writing.

It is understandably a tough thing though to have a positive mentality at all times when it is needed. Under situations of stress and duress, it is easy to surrender even if it is not in one’s best interest to do so. I think that it just goes to show that in reaching goals, the biggest obstacle truly is yourself.

Opportunities and WrestleMania 2022

I sent The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom to a publisher even though they were not asking for any such content. My thought processing was simply that I have already faced a lot of rejection from Literary Agents, so I have nothing to lose and have learned to take rejection in stride. However, my friend told me that I am presenting them with something that they did not know that they wanted. It was simply an opportunity that I could not pass up, and I will wait and see what happens. It is a longshot, so I do not have much in terms of expectation anyways.

I also watched WWE WrestleMania Night 2 with some friends. Many did not know the current product but used to watch it in its heyday. I am admittedly a big fan of professional wrestling, and as I got older, I got more into the stories that are being presented. Now, we are not getting Tolkien or Shakespeare in the ring, but when done right, professional wrestling can provide entertaining stories. There is a good guy (the babyface) and the bad guy (the heel). There is a story that leads to a match between the two, and there is the story that is being told in the match itself. Despite not being current on the product, my friends seemed to enjoy themselves and had a good time.

That type of distraction and escape really is a basic tenet of any story. I make stories hopefully to entertain and create a vehicle to escape to a different world in my stories. If done well, the characters become “real,” and the audience feels a personal connection to those characters with a vested interest in their journeys, not unlike professional wrestling when it is done right.

Critiques and Introspection

I sent a Query Letter to a Literary Agent recently for my story, The Land of the Wooden Statues. I got a rejection saying that this story is far too short for a Young Adult audience. After thinking and meditating about it, this agent was absolutely correct. I started to analyze the story and realized that I pretty much rushed through so much of it. For example, in the story, a built up this evil and nasty place that the characters get thrown into, but I only gave it one chapter. The story does indeed move hurriedly, and it is a problem with my writing. This critique really made me analyze things, and I need to allow the story to breathe at times.

There is a connection here with the martial art that I practice, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Rushing things in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will get me swept, out of position or submitted. Pretty much, mistakes are made when one rushes things. It applies to martial arts, and it applies just as aptly to writing a story as well. With writing, rushing things will not allow the audience to really soak in and digest any big events or battles that happen in the story. Instead, it is on to the next thing.

I have learned to take criticism a lot better with my stories and learn from them. This particular criticism turned on a light bulb for me, and it has made me look at The Mustard Prince and where things need to breathe with that story. I thought that there wasn’t much else that needed to be said in The Land of the Wooden Statues, but I was wrong about that. Hopefully, after adding a few things here and there that it will be a much stronger story.

Jujutsu Kaisen Zero and Good Stories

In my last blog, I wrote about a bad movie. Today, I watched the Jujutsu Kaisen Zero anime movie, which was in my opinion a very good movie. A new character, Yuta, was introduced as the protagonist, and we got to some him grow, become stronger and more confident. There was humor, horror, action and other things that made the story very good, along with awesome animation. The villain had a particular motivation that uses that villain logic that is not totally untrue, but morally and ethically dangerous. All in all, it was just a good story in about two hours utilizing a movie platform.

One thing that I am seeing more these days is complexity in stories that I do not feel always has to be there (that and a myriad of reboots). A villain cannot just be bad or evil, and not everything has to be in some moral gray area, for example. I am finding that simplicity in telling stories has been one of the better practices as of late, with substance over style, especially when we are seeing so much style over substance. To its credit, I think that Jujutsu Kaisen Zero blended well the substance of the story and characters with the style that the series is known for.

I suppose that it is good to watch good stories and bad stories. There is a lesson in what not to do with bad stories, and obviously, a lesson in what to emulate with good stories. Understandably, this is easier said than done as what is in my mind that I put to paper seems like a good idea, but I do not know if an audience will accept it.

Bad Stories and Expectations

I just watched a Japanese movie called The Cherry Bushido. I really did not feel that it was very good and was really disjointed at times. The movie started out well enough with some interesting ideas, but by the end, it really went off the rails. It did not help that the middle of the movie just dragged on to the point where both me and the friend that I watched the movie with fell asleep during the middle of the movie. I have a higher expectation for Asian movies in general compared to movies here in the U.S. (yes, I am an international film snob), so it was a bit disappointing how bad this movie was.

It also concerns me a bit as a writer. I question if my works become available to a wider audience if they will enjoy what I write or not. This goal of being a professionally published author has always been a gamble, and I am aware of that. I can see how the middle of the movie can drag on, as for me, the middle of a story can be something of a grind to write. It’s easy to start writing a story, but the middle part has always been the most difficult because writing it can be a bit tedious at times.

While I am confident with what I write, there is something of anxiety and anticipation presenting my works to a wider audience. I am writing something that came from my own head and putting it out there with the hope to entertain and intrigue. I can only hope that people will find reading my works will be time well spent, and not something that they will fall asleep from.

Demon Slayer and Mistakes

I bought the whole Demon Slayer manga series a few months back and finally got around to reading it. I recently finished it and enjoyed it very much. I will not spoil it, but it had action, drama, tragedy, and so many other things going for it. Personally, I like what I see from the anime a little more than the manga, which is quite rare as personally, manga in general tends to be better than the anime. When I write fantasy, I tend to model my stories more on Japanese anime, manga or JRPGs. Demon Slayer has those fantasy elements that I like to write about.

I can only hope that my stories will get out there, but I cut myself off at the knees and did not realize it. When sending query letters, many literary agents will ask for the synopsis of the story and a short biography. I did not have these items, and I still submitted The Land of the Wooden Statues to different literary agents. It was admittedly an amateurish move on my part, as it is a reflection on my professionalism not having the required items. It also does not allow the literary agent to get a full grasp of the story.

The good thing is that I now have those items and am somewhat excited to send queries to literary agents. I think that I have a worthwhile fantasy story and hope that it gets accepted.