Week 8: Reading and Writing

PART ONE: Blog and Website Check-Up.

I liked my original layout, but one classmate pointed out the bright blue colored text was very contrasted against the black screen so I switched to black text and a soft blue/teal background. This isn't the aesthetic I was going for in my blog, since I try to write sad or scary stories but teal is my favorite color. Maybe when I get bored Ill try something darker that still isn't an eye strain.

I love my project website, the only thing is I can't figure out how to make a black background for the text - but I don't want to cause a case of eye strain again so I'm happy with just creating banners and adding images to adjust the mood of the story. I am less in-love with my project title, but I can't really think of anything other than Making a Murderer; although, it might be confusing to some. I have never watched that show, but I am borrowing the title because it basically sums up what happens - the witches (subjectively) make Lady Macbeth a murderer.

PART TWO. Reading and Stories.

My reading notes have definitely gotten less descriptive as the class has gone on - that something I'll need to work on if I want to write better stories. The reason I chose to write my most recent story on a Russian reading notes instead of that weeks Asian/Indian notes was because I didn't like the stories I read; however, it could have also been because I didn't take detailed notes or ask myself questions. The headless princess story prompted a lot of questions that inspired me to write the story I did. So if I don't like the story or it isn't long enough to write detailed notes, I need to make sure I ask questions that I could write answers to.

PART THREE: Blog Post.

I'm happier with my website than my blog, but I think that's because it is one project verses many stories mixed with posts about the class or assignments. My biggest accomplishment is a tie between Shuffle in the Night and the storybook project.

Shuffle in the Night was a hard story to write that I got very frustrated with because it didn't end how I wanted it too. It was also my first story, so I was a little embarrassed and didn't want to post it. But the story came out better than my original idea, teaching me it's okay to go off course. And just like with my paintings, although I do them for myself, it's nice to show the world something I created.

My storybook is something I'm proud of because I was really scared to commit to something and didn't think I was a good enough writer to work on a large story all semester long. But here I am, two stories in and they were both written in single sittings. I am also excited to write the last two stories, which I already have a million ideas for. Although I am writing it like a Shakespeare play, I am considering switching it up to a normal book-type narrative (if I ever have the free time to do that, that is).

The photo above is from my second set of reading notes over Macbeth. I chose this because while it represents a part of the story where a gate keeper is babbling about being the gate keeper of hell instead of the kingdom, it found it's way into my storybook project; the witches receive a message in the introduction from Satan telling them soon the veil will be thin enough to open his inferno doors. 

As I said, I am really looking forward to writing the last two stories and I hope they aren't so long that they deter anyone from reading. For my reading notes, I need to ask more questions and engage myself in the stories - something that is very important when it comes to stories I am not very interested in.