New Sound

Author's ♪

A very long author's note ahead. Bahala kayo kung nais n'yo pa itong basahin. Dadaldal lang naman ako rito tungkol sa writing process nitong New Sound, at hihimayin ang ilang detalye ng kwento.

Switch initiated...

Casual talking Klaud...

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Intentions in the Novel

Done. Finally, natapos ko rin ang nobelang ito. I started writing this 9 years ago. Back then I remember I just wanted to write something about music. Something about what I'm passionate about. I remember Yuki's character being inspired with Kousei Arima from Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. Of course, I also remember that my simple goal back then was just to share the beauty of fingerstyle guitar, tsaka mag-share ng songs na tingin ko ay magandang ma-share sa mas malawak na audience.

Writing Process

I originally planned New Sound to be a novel about 5 bands that would just narrate a story of music students with a mix of romance, and a little bit of drama, I guess. Sa una, gusto ko lang talaga silang paglaban-labanin lahat, and send a meaningful message from the lives of them all, with hopes of a good feel for romance. But then, being a mystery/thriller enthusiast, hindi ko maiwasang maghalo ng ga'nong element dito. That's when I realize that the story's direction isn't going to the same ending I originally envisioned before, so I made a decision to revise. Hindi lang isa, o dalawa, o tatlo. If I remember correctly, I revised 5 times, excluding the revision that led me to this version.

In the first revision, I knew that this book needs a prequel, so I introduced new additional characters in this version, pretty early, while pursuing a rivalry concept for the bands, and the romance sub-genre. Pero nawala ito. I think, this is the time when I used to write offline. I remember I've written the first 10 chapters for weeks, and then when I finally decided to go online and sync that up, all my revisions suddenly disappears, so yeah, unto the next revision, we go.

In the second revision, I realized that I wanted to promote Damond as the main love interest. Yes, naisip ko 'yon, so the story in this revision changed a lot. Some chapters in this revision is retained hanggang sa version na ito. Now, because of that I feel like the story turned into something about romance, and not enough music, or at least, the music parts didn't turn out how I wanted to present it. It was leaning towards more of romance, sa madaling salita. So I decided to revise it again. One thing I like in this version is the character relationships. Maganda s'ya para sa'kin. This is when I build their personality very well, na hanggang sa version ngayon ay ginamit ko. 'Just the traits though, hindi 'yung mga chapters mismo. Hehe.

Word count. That's always the first word that I remember every time I am thinking back of my third revision. It was because during this time, I set a goal. To put a standardized word count every chapter. Tada, it's 8 -10k words per chapter. Yeah, that's a lot. Kaya naalala ko, 10 chapters lang din 'ata ang inabot ko dito. But this version really bring out the mystery elements better than the first two revisions. And it was not long before I realized that this version got that elements, but somehow involves unnecessary action elements. Ha, yeah. I'm glad you can't read this version now. 'Di ko kase nagustuhan 'yung action do'n, pero the all the mystery parts, I think, is good.

So in the fourth revision, I divide the chapters into multiple parts, para hindi na masyadong mahaba. Nagtanggal din ako ng maraming scenes at ni-restructure ang plot. Dito na rin ako nagsulat ng plans ko, para may susundan na ako. Hindi ko sure kung tama 'yung natatandaan ko, pero ang alam ko, ni-revise ko 'to, due to plot holes.

Then there comes the fifth revision. Inayos ko na dito 'yung plans. Nagse-set ako ng goals per chapter, and I remember that I have a goal to introduce all the characters within 30 chapters, and yeah, i did it. In this version, naaalala ko na na-balance ko na rito ang music at mystery na talagang gusto kong pagsamahin noon. Kaso sa chapter 30 na rin ako nahinto ng napakatagal. I think I'm gone for 4 or 5 years.

And now, the last revision. This is what led me here- sa ending. No'ng bumalik ako sa pagsusulat nito, ch-in-eck ko 'yung plans ko, kaso hindi s'ya nakatulong para maalala ko 'yung talagang gusto kong mangyari. It was very vaguely written. Binasa ko 'yung mga chapters lahat. I liked some parts, some parts I cringed. Ewan ko, baka iyon lang 'yung nagagawa ng kinatatandaan na 'yung sinusulat. Itong revision ang pinaka mahirap sa lahat. Sa una kase, sinubukan ko s'yang ituloy lang sa chapter 33. And man, I even have an unfinished chapter 33 in the drafts that I don't even know what to do with anymore, pero t-in-ry ko parin ituloy. I think this is around March to April this year. So, nag-decide ako na i-restructure 'yung plot, at palitan 'yung mga hindi ko na ma-gets na scene kung para saan. In this process, I decide to write new chapters while revising the older ones. Sabay, para tanda ko lahat, at madali kong naa-align 'yung mga nangyayari. I did my best. I did my research (for some scenes and characters), I make my outlines, I take notes of my ideas, and just write. Sunod-sunod nalang hanggang sa matapos ko na nga.

'Wag na Mag-Prequel

Yes. upon writing this version, I also made the decision of not writing a prequel anymore. Dito na rin sila, dahil pareho lang naman ang pinoproblema ng mga adult characters ko rito, pati ng mga bata. Also, hindi ko rin kase nai-imagine 'yung prequel in novel length. I knew I only have very specific ideas that I wanted to happen, but I don't think it's enough to be put in a separate book.

The Concept of Cadenza

80% of the Cadenza chapters are those ideas for the supposed prequel that I previously mentioned. Lahat, except 'yung kay Touma. However, Touma's Cadenza is a long time idea of mine simula pa no'ng between second and third revision.

New Intentions

Sure, sa dami ba namang revision ang ginawa ko rito, nag-iba rin syempre along the way ang intensyon ko. I still have that goal to share songs, and the beauty of fingerstyle guitar. But deeper than that, I noticed how the story has become more emotional as I was writing it. At the first arc, it will give you something to think about. Something that will make you go "Ano ba 'to, ba't puro usap? Hindi ko maintindihan." And then sa second arc, I shed a light to that. In the third arc, I go all out telling you about each of my character's struggles, then the last arc wrapped everything up.

To be honest, while writing the rain arc (second arc), I wanted to challenge you. Yes you. Kung huhusgahan n'yo ba 'yung characters midway, or makikinig kayo sa mga sasabihin ng susunod na bibigyan ko ng point of view. The truth that they knew changes shape, the more they listen to others. If you noticed how the fire accident slowly changed to an arson case. Wala lang. Why not, 'di ba? Ginulo ko na kayo sa previous arc eh. Might as well check how much do you really pay attention. Haha. Gano'n lang naman kase ang mystery element dito sa nobelang ito. It's more in the structure— how I decide to present the scenes, more than the things inside.

Over time, an intention of emotional connection is born. Gusto ko rin pala na ma-test kung gaano kayo makikisimpatya sa mga characters dito. Hehe. I hope you do though.

Rika Image

Hehe. Some might go complaining ba't puro si Rika ang center ng lahat. But you know, I noticed that too, but I tried to turn it into an advantage. I suddenly drop a dead character that you, as a reader did not even know about, and the characters aren't telling you much also. Sure I did make her character clearer in the later parts, but before her image is fully painted, I was actually aiming for you to complete the image for yourselves— define her with your own imagination every time my characters vaguely describe her. I wanted you to think about it habang naga-unfold ang story.

'Yun lang. If you reached this part, thank you. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading!

-KorssClefKlaud