Smart Dummies
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A New Cinderella Story
I want to give some more information about taking a Public Domain story and making it into your own story. You don’t need to edit the story. If the story is written by a specific person you would put them as a writer on your book. The Cinderella I’m using in this example was published by George Routledge and Sons. The author of the story is anonymous. You can find a copy of the story here in many formats: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23303
This story is very close to that of Disney’s Cinderella. I’m going to be transcribing my notes under each picture in case you have trouble seeing the pictures or reading my writing. If you can’t read the picture please click the link above and download a version you can read! If you’ve read/seen Cinderella you will not need to download the story to understand these notes.
Want to join Smart Dummies? Here is the link so you can sign up: http://ngi.c96.myftpupload.com/register-for-smart-dummies-2019/
Before the story think about what can be changed. Can the setting be different? How about the style? Could this be a steampunk Cinderella or Cinderella in space? (Like Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood and Illustrated by Meg Hunt.)
Which details are important for your story? I highlighted a lot of things I felt were “important”. Using the quotation marks because some of them were less important and more iconic in the way we think of Cinderella. Also to see what could be changed in the story.
History Highlights: Did her mom really need to die? Did her step sisters need to be terrible?
Text says “She bore all her troubles with patience”. How boring is this? Should she have been patient and internalize all her struggles? I don’t know if that’s a good lesson.
The Ball: How could my ball be different?
The Godmother: Is there something else she could be?
Description of Cinderella’s Carriage: Does she need all this stuff?
Description of Cinderella’s Clothing: Could her shoes be something else? What else could she leave behind? Maybe she doesn’t need to leave anything behind.
Clock Striking 12: Could a different limit (time or otherwise) work just as well? Maybe she’s not limited but has another reason to leave. What would have happened if she had stayed.
The Entrance: I used orange for the part of the Prince welcoming Cinderella and how everyone was amazed by her. We get it, she’s pretty. Does that even matter? What if she was ordinary?
The Prince: The prince seems to be more of a background character in this story. Which is weird because Cinderella falls for him. What did the prince say to Cinderella at the ball. How is he so important and yet completely unimportant. What if his role was bigger? What if he was vital to the story?
Lost Slipper: I didn’t write notes on this, but the prince says he’s going to marry whoever can wear the slipper. He talked to Cinderella two nights in a row. That’s a bit much!
Pocket Slipper: Cinderella has the other slipper in her pocket. I’m wondering if some other move could be just as impactful.
Final Thoughts: How much can ge changed in this story and it still be seen as Cinderella? Does the story need to be seen as Cinderella. You might get your inspiration from a fairy tale like Cinderella but it could end up your story is not like the original. That’s okay too!
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Pre-Smart Dummies Schedule August 12-17th
Pre-Smart Dummies is going to run a little slow this year. Honestly the whole event will be running slower. I want to make sure that more time is given to actually get a dummy done. This week we are working on story. Today and tomorrow I want you to look through the stories you’ve written. If you can’t find a book you like, then find a fairy tale, folktale, nursery rhyme ect you want to make. You can find public domain stores at the Gutenberg Project: https://www.gutenberg.org/
If you are using a story that’s not yours, please make sure it’s in the public domain. Anything published before January 1st, 1924 is now in the public domain.
This Week’s Schedule:
Aug 12-13: Chose your story. If you have a story great! If not you can choose a fairy tale, folk tale or other story.
Aug 14-15: Editing your story (or rewriting an old story).
Aug 16-17: Plan Your Pages (page 4).
I need to make a lot of edits on the Smart Dummies Schedule part of the planner. For now the planner can be found here: http://ngi.c96.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Smart-Dummies-2019.pdf
Make sure to register for Pre-Smart Dummies here: http://ngi.c96.myftpupload.com/register-for-smart-dummies-2019/
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Pre-Smart Dummies Starts Now
To sign up for Smart Dummies go here: http://ngi.c96.myftpupload.com/register-for-smart-dummies-2019/ and be sure to sign up for emails!
This year Smart Dummies is going to be a bit different. I’m going to work to make this more of a community event! I’m hoping we can help each other to make stronger dummies. Not only that but I want as many people as possible to actually finish their dummies this year!
What’s leaving Smart Dummies 2019?
Besides being on this new web address Smart Dummies will not be having guest and likely not prizes this year. I will be removing the calendar from the Smart Dummies booklet.
I’ve had to think hard about this, because I don’t have time to run it like I have in previous years. However I’m hoping what we lose will be regained in new parts of the event.
What’s Staying the Same?
We’ll still be having critique groups, badges, and the Smart Dummies digital workbook will be back soon! Weekly posts will let you know what we are doing all week long!
What’s New?
I’m hoping to get a few more people helping out with Process Posts (see below). These posts will be hosted on other blogs with links from my blog. I’m hoping to have (or find) answers to all of your Dummy Creation Questions! There will be more action on the Facebook Group (BTW everyone is welcome to post non-promotional material there). There is the possibility of a twitter/video chats. And maybe a few surprises. I will be adjusting the calendar in the Smart Dummies booklet to reflect the different subjects we are covering.
Process Posts
The post below is something I’ve already posted on Facebook. I’m looking for help with process posts. Do you have any of these posts already on your blog? Great, just let me know, send me a link and photo from your post and I’ll share it during Smart Dummies!
Looking for people who have a technique or process they’d like to share. Your post about this does not have to be on my blog (but it can be). It can be something from an old post of yours. Here are some of the subjects I’m looking for, but it doesn’t have to be limited to these:- Turning Public Domain Stories into Picture Books
- Marking up a Script for Illustration
- Researching Images
- Doodling
- Character Design
- Character Emotions
- Thumbnails
- Loose Page Drafts
- Preparing Substrates (traditional artists)
- Any Posts About Technique
- Anything Else to do with Art or Dummies