Of new ventures and old recipes, different genres and different ingredients, and setting challenges for ourselves


Following on the footsteps of my latest post, I must confess to having been unable to do with myself anything other than writing the first draft of that mistery novel I found myself obsessed with. I forsook all other ventures as even when I am not sitting down, laptop in front of me, I am writing scenes and whole chapters inside my head, and going from A to B without giving too much away and still keeping up the suspense.


And so I set myself a wee bit of a challenge, that I will have exactly twenty five days in which I can obsess about this new story and characters, worry about plot and narrative, research, and write, write, write. If after this time I haven't yet finished or happen to be dragging my feet in it, having lost all interest in the story and the characters, I must file it away and strive to get my mojo back on the other novel, and move on with that one.


Because sometimes it happens that you hit a wall, and cannot for the sake of whatever, cross that wall, climb it, move away form it. So you must take a step back, or try another road, or simply go off in search of other tools, and that is what happened with my fantasy novel. I hit a wall, and am taking a step back, letting my mind rest from it, so the problem I came across can solve itself - solutions tend to present themselves when one is not looking for them. While I do take this step back, I might as well keep my writing muscles exercising everyday and venture on with a new project.


Because trying out other genres is a good thing. Like the custard pies I shared here. I decided to try out another genre, with them, by taking away the lemon zest and using orange and vanilla instead. It does not alter their creaminess, nor their texture, and yet, it's almost as if you're tasting a different type of cake. You try your hand at something new, not knowing what may come out of it, and sometimes, great things do. You might even surprise yourself.


The cooking method is pretty much the same, the results are an explosion of flavours that hit you right in the face, making  your tastebuds sing, making your stomach believe one is not enought. This is the kind of sweet that being small, is just a tiny bite, and so perfect for a mid afternoon snack, or elevenses. You can find the whole recipe here, and just ommit the lemon, while you use vanilla and orange instead. A vanilla pod is quite enough for this amount of batter, just scrape the seeds from the inside, and remember you can use the rest of the pod for vanilla sugar or to make vanilla extract, using rhum or vodka. You all know how I detest wasting food!


 Writing different genres is pretty much the same, the content may vary quite a lot, but the form turns out to be pretty much the same, yet it poses a challenge if you're unused to the meanderings of said genre. I find it really hard to build up suspense, I still find it hard to write dialogue, and have just realised I tend to write a narrative that is much more descriptive and intimate when it comes to fantasy, filling page upon page with the characters' thoughts, the way they perceive the world and the events taking place, scrutinizing their feelings and analising their every word. When it comes to writing mistery, I have found myself using a lot more dialogues, at which I honestly stink, so it will be a good exercise, and I am only to gain from it. So back to the grind it is, for now, wishing all along I had one of these pies here at hand so I could nibble on while I write!


Comments

  1. Acho que não conseguia escrever suspense por nada deste mundo. Acho um género muito difícil. Quanto aos bolinhos...omg que bom aspecto!!!!

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    1. Pá, deve estar a ficar uma bela merda, porque eu não consigo manter o suspense, acho que quem ler topa logo quem foi, mas está-me a dar um gozo a escrever que nem te passa pela cabeça!!!

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  2. Na escrita o que mais gosto são os diálogos, gosto de os ler e de os escrever. Na comida, o que mais gosto são os bolos ahah
    a minha avó tinha uma pastelaria, uma grande pastelaria <3 good times

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    1. 1: por favor vem escrever os meus diálogos, são terriveis, é só ele disse, ela disse, sério ABOMINOOOO.
      2: tenho tanta mas tanta curiosidade relativamente á tua avó que nem tu sonhas!!!

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  3. este cenário,estes bolinhos deliciosos e a tua novel...que rico serão!!!!!!!!

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    Replies
    1. tenho mesmo é de voltar a fazer estas queijadinhas!!

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