Some of you may remember that I was working on a project for Nanowrimo in November called Seas’ Game (formally: Pirate by Blood). I am still working on it, but feel it would be better as a TV series, so I am working on the pilot, which I hope to have completed by the 19th April for a BBC Writing opportunity.
So far, I have 70,000 words of my project in prose form.I like to write stories down in both, prose and screen, to get a clear idea of a story. The different forms force me to think and write the same story but in different ways. It is interesting to see the different ways the characters act on screen and in print. Because of this, I feel that I have a good idea of what my pilot should include, and who the characters are.
The challenge is to just get my mind to actually focus on writing the pilot! Only 19 days to go! But I know I can do this. Wish me luck!
I’m not sure yet how many episodes there should be in my Pirate By Blood Series yet, I think there is going to be at least 10, and hopefully enough for a continuing series. It’s challenging to adapt a story into a new form, but I always feel strongest in script writing, prose was always more of a challenge for me, and we won’t talk about poetry…
Characters
I feel that characters really bring the story alive and give it depth. Without character, all you have are events. That’s why I try and get to know as many of my characters as much as possible.
One of the ways I do this is by creating a character profile. I believe George R R Martin does something similar purely by the explanation of the characters in Song of Ice and Fire.
In mine, I include their personal believes, values and life events – as well as the ones that contradict with them, after all a person is full of contradictions.
A character may believe in true love, but believes that duty should override relationships for example.
I also, sometimes add Sims Traits to my characters, and (if I am especially mean to them) the Sims Medieval traits…
Struggles
One of the characters I am struggling with is the romantic love interest, Percy. I struggle with Romance as a whole, so I’m not surprised by this, but also most of the action takes place away from the love interest?
Oops!
So far, he doesn’t appear in Pirate by Blood’s Pilot episode, I am starting to consider whether I really need him, but I know he helps ONE of the main characters get out of a sticky situation later on.
What do you think?
Also, if you would like a copy of my Character Profile, please do sign up to my newsletter, where you’ll be given a link to download it. Just let me know what you want me to call yourself using the form below.
Building the Seas’ Game’s world
Anyone born into piracy in my world has a feature that gives them away, a scar given to them during their ‘christening’ that marks them as a pirate. Legend has it that this mark has some supernatural properties.
This scar is often the initials of their pirate father, in my character’s case, it is P(irate) C(aptain) J(asper) G(ibbins)
So, unfortunately for my runaway protagonist, it isn’t easy to hide in the world of Seas’ Game!
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