Hi all!
This week I'm going to talk about how pets can influence your writing, as promised in last week's blog post.
They help with animal characters.
The behaviour of the dragons in Elemental Dragons is based off the behaviour of my cats, Rocky and Mishka. Take Drea, Marco's dragon, for example; she likes nothing more than to sleep in the peace and quiet. She doesn't like being bothered by other dragons. This reflects on Rocky in real life, as he loves to sleep and hates other cats getting too close to his territory.
You can put them in your projects.
Rocky is a main character, as a human, in Elemental Dragons. This is because he inspired me so much and was always around when I wrote Blood and Water (asleep of course). I want to make sure a part of him will live on in my books after he's gone.
They help with designing creatures.
If you're having trouble designing creatures, aliens or monsters make sure you look to your pet for inspiration. The way they move, their personality and their looks can be integrated into a creature design. For example; a canine-like alien with twin tails and toxic breath.
Rocky, in one of his favourite sleeping spots
Giving pets to your characters can show their softer side.
Everyone treats their pets differently to how they treat other people. Your pet is a part of your family, your baby. Use your relationship with your pet as a base for how your characters interact with their animals.
They'll entertain you when you take a break.
Mishka starts meowing when I spend too long writing, she's like a furry timer. Whenever I step away from my writing I use that time to play with her and give her cuddles (until she's had enough).
They are a great distraction.
Getting frustrated with your work? Just go to your pet for a play session. Taking a break for a minute or so will give you some much needed time to think about new ideas and how to fix the problems in your stories.
Mishka, snuggled up in
They're great for stress.
Pets are amazing for stress. During my exams in secondary school Rocky was great, he would sit near me as I revised and did homework and let me pet him whenever. Mishka has been wonderful for when I stress about self publishing, hearing her purr and scratching her chin helps me relax.
Their antics make great stories.
With all the funny things animals do you can create so many stories. I once wrote a story about the time when Rocky went outside for the first time and how he explored his new territory. He kept trying to jump on the garden wall but couldn't quite make it because he was too small.
They will do the writing for you.
If your pets are anything like Mishka, they will walk all over the keyboard adding a bunch of random letters or words to your story. At least they're trying to help!
That's it for this week! Next time I'm going to write about what you can do when the dreaded writer's block hits.
See you next week!