I have the same problem with writing! The story I'm working on right now is one I've been kinda conceptualizing for the past few years, actually. I think my problem stems from the fact that I know exactly what I want from it and what kind of writing it will be, so I tend to get discouraged if it's not perfect, just the way I want it from the first time. I've been trying to just sit down and write without worrying about it, for the sake of writing instead of achievement, you know? Actually, that's something I should learn to do more in general...
I'm interested in going to med school, too. Anyway, don't be too hard on yourself! I doubt there's anyone that is so strong-willed that they can't let themselves do anything other than the subject at hand; obviously such a person would be successful, but really unhappy. I think people need 'lazy time' to be healthy--that's exactly the same logic as taking study breaks or snacks, except applied to days instead of minutes. If you've been working hard for a few days, you should also take the time to give your mind a break over the next few. If not, your focus would waver just because you're human. Everyone works at their own pace; don't sweat about being 'determined', I think it's more important to do what you set out to do while remaining comfortable and unstressed. As for motivation, what always works for me is studying far from anything...whenever I study, I don't study in my room, but in the dining room where it's always louder, mostly because my laptop and music aren't there to distract me. I tell myself, 'you will NOT unstick your butt from this chair until you finish THIS!' I'm ranting about personalities and habits more than I usually do today XD. Best of luck in school! My own school year's starting in a few days...*holds back tears*
A big reason why I especially love the novel Shiki is because although the events are pushed forward by the Shiki and the things they do, it still has strong (and not so strong) and well-rounded characters that make it all the more entertaining to read and also push the plot forward. I guess the anime does this too, but I adore good characterization; the novel made me see a lot of characters in a new light.
As tempting as it is to ask for the spoilers, I wouldn't do that to myself! I actually love sad endings, lol. Or if they're happy, I want them to be bittersweet. I would say Shiki is bittersweet, actually? Because although Sotoba is gone, the Shiki are gone too. I would have liked it a lot less if at the end, Sunako triumphed, or if Ozaki triumphed (despite that he's my fav character).
I would like to see a fem!Ozaki! I'm wondering, if in the story, fem!Ozaki was canon, and was pressured to get married, what kind of a husband would she have? Assuming she doesn't get together with Seishin, ofc. I think Takae would try to find her good suitors and marry her off, and...actually, she would probably consider Seishin a good suitor. But then fem!Ozaki would have to go live at the temple (or vise versa) and I don't know if that would be acceptable.
Oh man, now I really wish Ono would have written about that too! D: It's definitely right that Takae would mock Seishin (she's already jealous because the temple outranks the Ozakis), gosh what an annoying mom...my parents also sometimes make fun of my friends, and it makes me really furious. I think it would be in character for Ozaki to talk to Seishin about it openly; as he's different from the rest of the villagers and not all that bent on delicacy, he would be more upfront. But even Ozaki would maybe realize it's nothing to joke about, and unlike normal people that he teases, he really does care about Seishin's feelings here, so he may be subtle like the rest of the villagers. I wonder if this wouldn't make Seishin resentful, though, and disappointed in Ozaki because he'd expect his friend to treat him different from the rest of the villagers.
That's another reason I really enjoy Shiki; it explores all kinds of relationships, not just romantic ones. If you go to the movies or even look at other anime, all of them feature romance as the default relationship, whereas there's so many variations of them to explore. Even if Ozaki and Seishin aren't romantic, they still have an interesting and deep friendship that's lasted for a while, and starts fraying from the tragic events around them. It's absolutely heartbreaking. Also, there's Ozaki and Kyoko--not In Love although they're husband and wife, but they still have mutual respect and a lighthearted partnership in banding together against Takae. Or even Natsuno and Tohru. Akira and Kaori (sibling love). Masao with his family. The nurses and Ozaki. I could go on all night, but the point is...they're all unique relationships, and I like em ^^
I feel like the writings that Ozaki did read, he didn't take them that seriously, unfortunately; he did put them out for clinic visitors to read. I wonder about Seishin's reaction to this. I imagine him thinking wryly "I knew that'd happen. Well, I did want to reach out to a wider audience", or something. But by doing that, the writing also lose some of their privacy and personal-ness. Instead of something that Seishin poured out of his heart, they're now just abstract works about his hometown that most people have read. I also imagine Ozaki reading more of his works and thinking about them over a cigarette for a while, and then saying that it's Seishin all over, kind of like how he accepts Seishin's "betrayal" at the end.
Lung cancer...Toshio...nooo! Shiki needs more fanfics. And art ;-; Maybe we should collaborate on something.
no subject
I'm interested in going to med school, too. Anyway, don't be too hard on yourself! I doubt there's anyone that is so strong-willed that they can't let themselves do anything other than the subject at hand; obviously such a person would be successful, but really unhappy. I think people need 'lazy time' to be healthy--that's exactly the same logic as taking study breaks or snacks, except applied to days instead of minutes. If you've been working hard for a few days, you should also take the time to give your mind a break over the next few. If not, your focus would waver just because you're human. Everyone works at their own pace; don't sweat about being 'determined', I think it's more important to do what you set out to do while remaining comfortable and unstressed. As for motivation, what always works for me is studying far from anything...whenever I study, I don't study in my room, but in the dining room where it's always louder, mostly because my laptop and music aren't there to distract me. I tell myself, 'you will NOT unstick your butt from this chair until you finish THIS!'
I'm ranting about personalities and habits more than I usually do today XD. Best of luck in school! My own school year's starting in a few days...*holds back tears*
A big reason why I especially love the novel Shiki is because although the events are pushed forward by the Shiki and the things they do, it still has strong (and not so strong) and well-rounded characters that make it all the more entertaining to read and also push the plot forward. I guess the anime does this too, but I adore good characterization; the novel made me see a lot of characters in a new light.
As tempting as it is to ask for the spoilers, I wouldn't do that to myself! I actually love sad endings, lol. Or if they're happy, I want them to be bittersweet. I would say Shiki is bittersweet, actually? Because although Sotoba is gone, the Shiki are gone too. I would have liked it a lot less if at the end, Sunako triumphed, or if Ozaki triumphed (despite that he's my fav character).
I would like to see a fem!Ozaki! I'm wondering, if in the story, fem!Ozaki was canon, and was pressured to get married, what kind of a husband would she have? Assuming she doesn't get together with Seishin, ofc. I think Takae would try to find her good suitors and marry her off, and...actually, she would probably consider Seishin a good suitor. But then fem!Ozaki would have to go live at the temple (or vise versa) and I don't know if that would be acceptable.
Oh man, now I really wish Ono would have written about that too! D: It's definitely right that Takae would mock Seishin (she's already jealous because the temple outranks the Ozakis), gosh what an annoying mom...my parents also sometimes make fun of my friends, and it makes me really furious.
I think it would be in character for Ozaki to talk to Seishin about it openly; as he's different from the rest of the villagers and not all that bent on delicacy, he would be more upfront.
But even Ozaki would maybe realize it's nothing to joke about, and unlike normal people that he teases, he really does care about Seishin's feelings here, so he may be subtle like the rest of the villagers. I wonder if this wouldn't make Seishin resentful, though, and disappointed in Ozaki because he'd expect his friend to treat him different from the rest of the villagers.
That's another reason I really enjoy Shiki; it explores all kinds of relationships, not just romantic ones. If you go to the movies or even look at other anime, all of them feature romance as the default relationship, whereas there's so many variations of them to explore. Even if Ozaki and Seishin aren't romantic, they still have an interesting and deep friendship that's lasted for a while, and starts fraying from the tragic events around them. It's absolutely heartbreaking. Also, there's Ozaki and Kyoko--not In Love although they're husband and wife, but they still have mutual respect and a lighthearted partnership in banding together against Takae. Or even Natsuno and Tohru. Akira and Kaori (sibling love). Masao with his family. The nurses and Ozaki. I could go on all night, but the point is...they're all unique relationships, and I like em ^^
I feel like the writings that Ozaki did read, he didn't take them that seriously, unfortunately; he did put them out for clinic visitors to read. I wonder about Seishin's reaction to this. I imagine him thinking wryly "I knew that'd happen. Well, I did want to reach out to a wider audience", or something. But by doing that, the writing also lose some of their privacy and personal-ness. Instead of something that Seishin poured out of his heart, they're now just abstract works about his hometown that most people have read.
I also imagine Ozaki reading more of his works and thinking about them over a cigarette for a while, and then saying that it's Seishin all over, kind of like how he accepts Seishin's "betrayal" at the end.
Lung cancer...Toshio...nooo! Shiki needs more fanfics. And art ;-; Maybe we should collaborate on something.