Firstly, I’d like to say how annoying it is to discover that people have stolen names that you worked very hard to come up with, and then build web sites and/or businesses around them. It’s not flattering in the least. It just says you were too lame to come up with something on your own. I wish bad karma on each of you.

That out of the way, I’ve been sick all week (still am, actually) and have been dodging any and all writing responsibilities. This week’s writing project? Nope, haven’t touched it (and it’s due in a couple of weeks). The manga script? Still sitting at the end of the first chapter (at least, I have a storyboard…sort of…now). NaNoWriMo planning? Really hasn’t happened outside of a fever-inspired wild idea that everyone likes a lot.

This week’s writing project is giving me no end of grief anyway. Right now, the piece is full of licensed information and just doesn’t feel real. Unfortunately, no other option has presented itself yet. I’m going to end up writing and editing this thing with my back against the wall at the last moment. It does seem to be my modus operandi.

The manga script is going fine. Last weekend, just before I got sick, I started working out a storyboard of sorts. It’s actually more of an outline, but it was enough to encourage me. The manga now looks like it will span at least ten chapters, possibly more depending how story arcs play out.

During my manga script research (I swear, there needs to be a book/web site just on writing these scripts!), however, I came across this great article on whether or not comic book characters should age. I wrestled with this over the summer while writing fan fiction. The fandom I was writing for has had its characters locked in an ageless time warp for nine years. You know the age of most of the characters, but have no idea how much time has actually been covered by the manga/anime. The one character I needed an age on, however, doesn’t have a current age. You know that he was sixteen when the last major event in his life happened, but there’s no telling how long ago that was. Quite annoying.

Personally, I like the idea of generational superheroes. I’m not comfortable with the Superman of my childhood trying to save the world from my grown-up world’s troubles.

I’ve also been toying with this NaNo plot problem all week. For a while, I briefly flirted with the idea of novelizing the manga I’m trying to write (which is actually how the storyboard came into existence). I didn’t really like the idea. I’ve been thinking for several months now about writing something in a cyberpunk vein, but my background in cyberpunk is only strong enough for me to look at something and say whether or not it’s cyberpunk.

Apparently, my subconscious is really hooked on this sci-fi/archaeology blend idea. I love both space and archaeology. The novel I’m currently working on is archaeology. One of my favorite movies is a lovely sci-fi/archaeology blend (Stargate, in case you’re curious). It’s not completely out of the question. The reason I say my subconscious is married to this train of thought is becuase the past couple of days have seen a couple of interesting articles show up in my Bloglines account.

Really, I ought to wait until I’m feeling better to start attacking any of my writing projects, but i hate sitting here doing nothing but reading and playing sudoku!