Writing process: The soul with green eyes
In this post I will show how I write some parts of my Chapbook. Currently, I finish Introduction and begin to write details about Chapters.
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| Mavka Poster Designed by AliceBlakeArt |
So, there is how my writing looks for now. There is not a final option of the text, overall there is main points which can be changed or re-writed in process. Firstly, as my book based on the legend about Mavka from old cultural traditions I am going to research some detail about that character, her view, her clothes and other factors. "In most of the cases mavka is represented as a long-haired girl in blinding white shirt, but our mavka looks more in Slavic fantasy design to make it more attractable for players. The feature of this creature is an absence of skin on their backs, resulting in all entrails are in the plain view. This is a reason why mavkas often called “with-no-back”(Gods, 2021)
Of course, as it is more my story plot, I can make changes to main characters and her motives of life. In my story Mavka would be more gentle, and she do not have a purpose to kill anyone from beginning, then I want to lead her character through certain changes that have become forced.
Same time I based on describing Mavka in a point of design and elements of design to my book, espesially in point of describing nature of Mavka. "Mavka (aka niavka, navka, from Old Slavic nav ‘the dead’). A mythological female figure, tall, round-faced, long-haired, and sometimes naked. The nymphs known by this term represented the souls of girls who had died unnatural deaths. They were believed to live in groups in forests, mountain caves, or sheds, which they decorated with rugs. They made thread of stolen flax and wove thin transparent cloth for making clothes for themselves. They loved flowers, which they wore in their hair. In the spring they planted flowers in the mountains, to which they enticed young men, whom they tickled to death. On Pentecost (known as Mavka's Easter) they held games, dances, and orgies." (Internet encyclopedia of Ukraine, 2001)
Other factor of my inspiration was a pictures of representation of Mavka and her environment, which helped me create the view of main character:
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| Mavka in Ukrainian Mythology |
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| Mavka old fairy tale |
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| Slavic mythology from A to Z |
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| Girl in the forest |
Next, I did cut my story plot for 4-6 parts, where currently I have idea about three part:
Chapter 1
This old legend starts in the 1620 years of difficulties for normal people, a world where the main role has a deep belief and power of religion and at the same time constant wars of humans with each other and death. Despite all of those horrible events, there is a period when nature was untouched by people and virgin with her wildness. Oceans, deserts, forests and jungles were full of animals, dance of life and breathing of nature. This story starts in the dense forest, where between the sun's light and tall trees exist the soul with deep and green eyes on the name of Mavka. Her body was almost the same as the human form of woman, but only for people.
There are rumours that the Mavka appears only in the form desired by the one who looks at her. She was described as a most beautiful and almost naked woman with light skin, tall legs and deep green eyes.
Chapter 2
Mavka was afraid of humans, because she knows that it can be dangerous, especially to someone or something that they can’t explain. She could make a breath of forest as a wind, or when she was frustrated she could cry, and there was rain. Despite trying her hardest to make changes to the environment, sometimes she felt lonely and wanted friendship.
The people of the village quietly whispered about her presence, her deep green eyes and incredible beauty caught the imagination of those who dared to talk about her. However, Mavka remained hidden, preferring forest loneliness to human company. Despite her deep desire to find friendship, she was stopped by memories of past meetings with people, meetings that left scars on her soul. She remembered the fear and suspicion in their eyes, the way they reacted aggressively to her ability to use natural powers.
One memory in particular haunted her - a chance meeting with a group of hunters who had stumbled upon her hiding place deep in the forest. They whispered to each other about harming Mavka and discussed the cruel intentions of their actions. The worst thing for her was the complete non-understanding of their motives, because they did not even try to talk to her or understand her, all they had in their human hearts was the desire to destroy something unknown to them. Their eyes glittered with hunger and anger as they pounced on her, their weapons raised and ready to attack. In this moment of desperation, Mavka released the full force of her power, summoning a powerful storm to drive them away. She managed to scare the attackers away that time, but the memory of their cruel laughter and attempted murder of Mavka remained in her mind long after they disappeared into the shadows.
References:
Gods, P. (2021). Mavka in Slavic Mythology. [online] Medium. Available at: https://inoworlds.medium.com/mavka-in-slavic-mythology-c167c48b98da [Accessed 10 Mar. 2024].
Internet encyclopedia of Ukraine (2001). Entry Display Web Page. [online] www.encyclopediaofukraine.com. Available at: https://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CM%5CA%5CMavkaIT.htm [Accessed 10 Mar. 2024].
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