Web as poetry
Category: Writing About Writing
The Arcane Blog – because the Monster in a Box is half about the process of writing itself
Introduction to the Arcane Diary
Author’s Intro
The Arcane Diary is a project that I have been working on for a really long time.
On one hand, I am somewhat ashamed that it has taken this long to see the light of day.
Conversely, the fact that it means as much to me as it does shows simply in how long it has been nagging at me to get done. I felt like it was a good story then, approximately fifteen (fifteen!) years ago, and it has never left my mind since. I still think it will be worth your time now. So that’s why it is in the final push to get it done.
Photo by hannah grace on Unsplash I have decided on publishing The Arcane Diary to the web for several reasons. First of all the cost is minimal for me, and nearly free for you, the reader. If that helps to facilitate more people having access to the story, then that is the best possible outcome. I decided that worrying about something as irrelevant (to the story) as anticipated revenue was at odds with actually getting the thing done, so here it is. With the medium of a website, the story does not have to even be completed before it is shared, and this is another huge hurdle for a first-time novelist — the looming question of will anyone even read it. It’s just more irrationality, admittedly, but this solves that problem since I can publish pieces of the story as they become polished enough to do so, and this will inspire momentum in finishing it in a timely fashion. Another huge plus is that it can be updated, indeed as a good website, should be updated regularly. This allows for the possibility of an evolving story, not just one that once finished is set in stone.
That is not to say that I plan on muddling through without having a plan for the finish (because I’m glad to say that I do have one!) but it allows for parts to be added onto if need be to provide a dynamic reading experience that I hope you will particpate in with your time, and feedback.
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash As a writer, I appreciate the need for accountability to my audience, and I truly believe that this format will allow for real-time interaction between us and hope that it gives a platform for as many people who are interested in the work as well as an opportunity to create a constructive dialogue. In addition to the story, I will continue to write meta-articles like this one, as I often find myself inspired to write about writing while writing. I sincerely hope this will also add value to the readers’ experience, as it will certainly give an insight into the thought processes and inspirations behind the story. The internet is a great meeting place for ideas, and I want to embrace the potential exchange of thoughts in both directions, not just mine to yours. So feel free; I can’t wait to hear from you, dear reader!
One of the very real and exciting potentials that I can see is in the layout since the Arcane Diary is really the story of multiple fascinating (or at least I think so) characters with interwoven storylines, the timeline for publication and final arrangement can be more fluid than if it were just a single character. Originally the title was going to be The Arcane Diary of Nick Savoy, written by Xander Mercurio. Way too long, first of all, and it quickly became evident that while Nick is the first character I created, the rest of the cast were to be equally, if not more so, important to the overall picture that formed. So the title got axed, and rightly so, and as I explored each character I realized that The Arcane Diary couldn’t exist without them. As key as a protagonist is in developing a story, the other characters deserved better than to exist as merely supporting roles but had diverse and interesting stories themselves to merit being heroes or villains in their own right. The same can be said about the relationship between the author and readers. This web format will hopefully provide an opportunity to let the characters speak for themselves, and to be able to tell their stories simultaneously in a way that does justice to each. What the final form may take I’m still not certain, but that’s okay. I am confident that it will work out and the journey will be satisfactory for all parties involved.
Come. Follow me, weary traveller.
Take my hand, beloved
S. Alim Reza
let me lead you through this labyrinth of oddities.
Feel free to wander off the path – if you choose.
But be warned;
this collection has hungry things that might follow you home.
But don’t let that keep you up at night,
there are plenty of scarier things on the news.
(once you start looking…)
If the weird intrigues some deep, inner part of you:
you are among friends here!
Peruse at your own risk!Sarcastic, pointed satire bestseller titles about draco/grey
How to conquer a world and enslave its people for your own gain without them ever finding out – Alpha Draconin
Eugenics Cult Tales
Howto eliminate all undesirables out of the gene pool and stick yourself in a lower vibration to evade your inevitable extinction – some supremely genetically pure grey intellectual androgyne homunculus
The magic of divination. I can see that now.
(pun intended)
Clairvoyant humour: is that a thing?
For more serious consideration of all the “clair-‘s”, check out our glossary-turned-research obsession, schoolofmystery.arcanediary.com!
A must-see for all fans of The Arcane Diary! (presumptuous, admittedly…)
formula for the arcane diary
Perpetual Motion = experience + research + imagination (loop)
3 Levels of Semi-Autobiographical Fictional Insanity
1. Truthful, honest journal entries
2. Twisting reality to create an alternate existence
3. Hiding both truth and creation behind a veil of anonymity for fear of the consequences of storytelling.
Pull This Thread
Here’s the game plan.
I am writing a book. Enough of the puzzle has come together to see how the seemingly unrelated pieces threaded into one story.
I have put all the work into this story – writing down every glimpse I got, collecting and organizing them obsessively, and further digging in to see more. Writing, re-writing, and reorganizing, and now it’s ready. It all makes sense now, and I plan to deliver it, piece by piece.
I want to show you the finished product when it’s done. In the meantime, I will release pieces to you in a way that I hope will balance sufficient depth while remaining in a digestible portion. I will continue to fine-tune this content with your feedback, and when it is ready, it will be published as a book, e-book, and audiobook in various formats.
Once the first part of the story is complete, we will move on to the next in the same manner, in a way that will make for an entertaining read online.
The final version of the book may differ slightly in format and in editing. Some of what you read may not make the final cut. This will make the process pieces that are put aside some rare, early edition experiences of the story that only you, the early supporter, will have read.
The goal is to make the story available to many people interested in reading it as soon as possible. The freshest material will always be exclusive to my paid supporters first.
After a time, this material will be made available to more people and replaced with the next step in the story’s development. This way, there will always be progress on the project, and the finished product will be delivered according to your level of support.
Let me tell you, it has been a hell of a ride so far, and I look forward to sharing it with you. I hope this will build a community of like-minded people to help propel this creation into the hands of whoever would appreciate its flavour.
Pay whatever you can or think the story deserves, and know that I sincerely appreciate your help to make this dream a reality.
I hope you are entertained and intrigued by reading it and your thoughts provoked. May it bring something of value to your life.
Thank you for joining me in this endeavour. I can’t promise that it will always be to your taste or to your liking, but I solemnly promise to deliver it faithfully and to the best of my ability.
Dare to open The Arcane Diary?
the arcane diary continues
to defy expectations
having taken on a life of its own
its characters became sentient, aware
its fictions
became reality
then what?
