The Writing Process

Hi all!

So, Eirini has already talked about how she goes about drawing a scene, so we figured it's about time I talked about how I go about writing, so here goes.

Let me start by saying that working on an adaptation is quite different than working on an original story. When you are working on an adaptation, you are working within a fixed frame and while you can alter things, it’s only up to a certain degree.

You already know where your story starts and where it ends and you know your heroes too, so you are already “limited” in a way, whereas in an original story, the possibilities are (theoretically) countless.

Having said that, allow me to further explain; I am only going to talk about writing for this project, because I wouldn't want to bore you to death talking about the Victorian Project we are also working on. :-p

So, the "easiest" for me to write are the stories for the "Mythological Couples" series, because it usually goes like this: I study the myth (if I don't know it already) and make a few keynotes about the characters first; and then I re-read it, trying to figure out the dynamics between the characters, because I strongly believe that if you've got them right, they will guide you through the story. 

And then of course I have to decide if I will be making a story based on the entire myth (like I did with Daphnis and Chloe) or I'll just focus on a particular part of their story (like I did with Perseus and Andromeda)

Naturally, I always keep in mind that there's an illustration that goes along with each of the stories, so they have to go nicely together. See, the "deal" Eirini and I have about these stories is this: whoever comes up with an idea about the couple first, we go with that.

For instance, when we did the story about Meleager and Atalanta, I had finished the story first and the illustration followed, but when we did Perseus and Andromeda, Eirini had done the illustration first and I built the story around that (of course that's not a new thing for us; I've written countless things based on one of Eirini's sketches, so no surprises there).

The same things, more or less, apply to the myth of Eros and Psyche as well, multiplied by a thousand, quite possibly two. :-p

What's different about that myth is the insane amount of research that goes with it: past adaptations, papers on the heroes' emotional growth and change, psychological analyses, symbolisation and meaning; you name it, we've read it! :-p

This myth is a very beautiful one; and at the same time so very difficult. When writing the adaptation, I always try my hardest to keep its' messages intact, and, at the same time, "own" the myth, so the way we perceive it is made pretty obvious too. And to top all that, I have to make sure that my personal writing style is not getting lost in there somewhere. Piece of cake, right? :-p

Honestly? No. But I am not complaining; just because it's not easy, that doen't mean it's not worth it.

Until next time!