-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
WritersEra |OT| Publish before you die, writing writer writes
- Thread starter weemadarthur
- Start date
- OT
I feel this so deep in ma bones
That was a very well done tribute to Le Guin. You continue to astound Bork Bork
So I've got the beginnings of what I think could make a good little short story, but am not sure where to take it from here. I like the tone and idea I've got, but it's all about the setting and I'm not sure where to carry the plot. I wrote out a few paragraphs to help me set the tone, and I like where it's going so far.
A few thoughts
A few thoughts
- I want to keep the gender of the protagonist ambiguous
- Going for a kind of dystopian future/maybe not even "our" world. The idea is that the people of the city do believe that the city is all that exists of the world. This may or may not be the case, and if it is not, that's probably where the story will end.
- Definitely want to keep this as a short story rather than the basis of a novel, as 1. I'm not an experienced writer so that feels like a more manageable way to get my feet wet and 2. I think learning some kind of secret about the city that expands the world of the protagonist is a good way to leave it, open ended.
- Too edgey?
OP
OP
Sounds interesting to me, westegg. Not edgy at all. Was it supposed to be edgy? Cause it isn't. It's just a setting.
Could have a lot of fun learning about vertical gardening, and how they're building that spinning tower in Dubai, and stuff like that.
Could have a lot of fun learning about vertical gardening, and how they're building that spinning tower in Dubai, and stuff like that.
Thanks. Yeah, wasn't going for edgy, just kind of distopian and a little grim, like cyberpunk if not necessarily that aesthetic. Vertical gardens have always seemed cool to me, I've got an idea called crop towers, which would be like really tall parking garages, but with crops instead of cars, and lights/sprinklers on the ceilings of each layer.
my thoughts are write what you want to write, worry about what demographic it fits, or how you should change it when you go to edit.
Well, after a break since last NaNo I finally got my map into a shape I'm happy with. Still have some finishing touches, but then I'm jumping head-first into editing. Lots of stuff I need to change, but I've got a lot of the specifics written down already, so that's something at least. :D
There are no universal ways to write something. Some things that work for some don't work for others.
Like I do some planning, but in general I don't really do world building unless I need it for my current bit of my story. I just don't care unless I need that information. Over time and drafts that information gets filled in and becomes a detailed plan of how the world works. I run the risk of contradicting myself as I need things to change, which can result in complete rewrites.
Others plan their world in detail. This can lead to a very consistent world but I also know a lot of people who use this method who struggle to create characters that fit in their world (if they even manage to start a story). They run into issues where what the character wants to do, doesn't work with how the world works, and they have to compromise one way or another.
The important thing is that you should try to get some sort of routine and try to write consistently. It's a lot like playing a sport. If you train and train you will get better, if you take a long period of time off your skills will rust. You can take periods that are easier (offseasons) but you still have to train from time to time to stay in shape. Not everyone can do the same things as others, learning fundamentals can go a long way, but you also need to figure out your limitations and work on surpassing them or just accepting you have to do something differently than someone else. All that is really important is that you are trying to create something, and want to continue to improve.
If you ever actually think, "I'm a great writer" the reality will likely be that you are actually mediocre and don't want to look at your faults. Keep trying to improve, constantly read things you want to learn from. Polishing things on your own is good, but seeing what others are doing is also important. Why waste years trying to come up with a method of how something works when you can look at someone else's end result and learn from it, figuring out what you would do differently, and evolve it.
Anyways hope that helps some :)
I suck at the reading part >.>
WestEgg I really like the premise. It reminds me of one of Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities, in particular this one: https://sketchboardz.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/invisible-cities-cities-and-the-dead/
Would be pretty neat to actually flesh out the city concept from the perspective of someone who lives there.
Would be pretty neat to actually flesh out the city concept from the perspective of someone who lives there.
So here's a question: How do you define a visual identity for a character through writing?
Two of the stories I've brainstormed deal with superheroes. One character I kind of gave a simple look that's easily definable through writing, but the other, who is basically a cyberspace toku hero, feels like he can't be shorthanded that way.
I'm reminded how I always picture Harry Dresden as improbably tall and always with a fedora and coat on, even though he never actually wears the hat in the actual books.
Two of the stories I've brainstormed deal with superheroes. One character I kind of gave a simple look that's easily definable through writing, but the other, who is basically a cyberspace toku hero, feels like he can't be shorthanded that way.
I'm reminded how I always picture Harry Dresden as improbably tall and always with a fedora and coat on, even though he never actually wears the hat in the actual books.
So, I finally started my book yesterday. I finally feel the motivation to write after years of apathy via depression. I used to write everyday. Then things fell apart for a long while. But I really want to do this now. I've had these characters in my head for decades but only recently have I tried to piece things together.
Wish me motivation, folks 😊
Wish me motivation, folks 😊
Good luck. It's a tough road, but it can be a hell of a journey.
you can do it, and you can hang out on the discord if you need motivation :P
i went to a writing + other stuff con this past weekend because a friend was in town to attend it
i think i'm going to get back to writing
i think i'm going to get back to writing
I'm mostly mentioning this to create a bit of accountability so I at least get to like a chapter 5 or something, but I decided to start working on a new novel and am in the middle of planning phases. My big problem with writing novels is I always lose motivation to finish them half way through but I need a long project to keep me busy so I figure I might as well mess around with plot outlines and what not.
I try to keep in mind maybe three very important visual details and while I'll describe them in several different ways through out something, use those key details when I need to point to them in an important way.
It sounds like you've already got motivation so I only hope that it lasts long enough for you to get a good running start.
Was it fun? I wish my city had more writing cons. There are a couple local writing groups but I'm usually too nervous to ever learn more about them.
I try to keep in mind maybe three very important visual details and while I'll describe them in several different ways through out something, use those key details when I need to point to them in an important way.
It sounds like you've already got motivation so I only hope that it lasts long enough for you to get a good running start.
Was it fun? I wish my city had more writing cons. There are a couple local writing groups but I'm usually too nervous to ever learn more about them.
Just push through and fix it in editing.
And remember your outline isn't set in stone, if while writing you think of a more interesting route, don't be afraid to take it even if it doesn't fit your current outline. Sure it might crash and burn and you might have to throw it away, but it's rarely ever a waste as you get to learn more about your world and how your characters react to help make the quality better over all.
oh yea, it was a blast
if you have writing groups in your city you owe it to yourself to check them out
(I know you were talking to Flowers but...) I'm sure I have plenty in my city, as I live in a college town, I have no interest in checking them out. I don't like dealing with people in person, and I don't want to subject anyone to my writing lol.
if you'd rather be antisocial then that's on you
but since most people aren't like that, i'd always advice to trying a writing group out if you're writing
having other people support you is nice
I've been to a a few writing groups but my current one is really helpful. We email work around in advance and then rip it to shreds at the actual meeting.
pretty much everyone I tolerate enough to become friends with is antisocial lol.
I think of my 20 or so friends that I regularly talk to only 2 of them are actually social.
I'm one of the more social people in my group.
I agree that if you can find a GOOD writing group, that's invaluable. Nothing levels you up faster in terms of your writing skill. But it's a hard job finding that good group in the first place.
Unfortunately, a bad group can be traumatic, and can set you back just as much as a good group can lift you up. If you have to choose between no group, and a group that actively shreds you for no good reason, is petty and political, and is more interested in cutting each other down than helping each other, you're better off going alone.
Those good groups, however? Absolute GOLD. Hold onto those as long as you possibly can.
Totally failed at actually writing this month, though I did get a good prologue and opening. Going to focus my efforts on Camp Nanowrimo next month.
Anyone else signing up?
Anyone else signing up?
Hahaha god damn it. That one sci-fi story about entering a computer I had basically turned out to be Code Lyoko.
Then again I kind of went into it as a deliberately cliche send up to that kind of story. It just turned out the original ideas I had already existed.
Then again I kind of went into it as a deliberately cliche send up to that kind of story. It just turned out the original ideas I had already existed.
Hey everyone,
I am back into working on my novel again. I've put in a ton of work the past 2-3 months, on and off. I thought I might share snippets here and there. I am doing some lite edits and thought I could share both the pre and post edit snippets. The names of places are placeholders (and changed for this).
Original:
Merlivv is greeted by with the smell of cooked meats and spices as she exited the Almog Inn located in the town of Awoti. The awaited day to enter Sabah-khun has arrived sooner than she thought it would and the weather was fantastic. It was a warm, cloudy summer day with just a little bit of fresh cool air blowing in from the ocean which was wafting through the dense forest carrying hints of herbs, sweet flowers, and juicy fruits. Today was a stark contrast to her travels here, that had ended just a few weeks ago.
Post-edit:
Merlivv is welcomed with the smell of cooked meats and spices. She is standing by the exit of the Almog Inn of Awoti. She waited weeks to enter Sabah-khun, and today arrived sooner than expected. It was a warm, cloudy summer day. A slight breeze from the ocean tickled her. It carried hints of herbs, sweet flowers, and juicy fruits from the dense forest. The weather today was quite different from her travels.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or constructive criticism. Many thanks.
I am back into working on my novel again. I've put in a ton of work the past 2-3 months, on and off. I thought I might share snippets here and there. I am doing some lite edits and thought I could share both the pre and post edit snippets. The names of places are placeholders (and changed for this).
Original:
Merlivv is greeted by with the smell of cooked meats and spices as she exited the Almog Inn located in the town of Awoti. The awaited day to enter Sabah-khun has arrived sooner than she thought it would and the weather was fantastic. It was a warm, cloudy summer day with just a little bit of fresh cool air blowing in from the ocean which was wafting through the dense forest carrying hints of herbs, sweet flowers, and juicy fruits. Today was a stark contrast to her travels here, that had ended just a few weeks ago.
Post-edit:
Merlivv is welcomed with the smell of cooked meats and spices. She is standing by the exit of the Almog Inn of Awoti. She waited weeks to enter Sabah-khun, and today arrived sooner than expected. It was a warm, cloudy summer day. A slight breeze from the ocean tickled her. It carried hints of herbs, sweet flowers, and juicy fruits from the dense forest. The weather today was quite different from her travels.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or constructive criticism. Many thanks.
Welcome to the coolest thread still not listed in the community list!
Oh no!!
Also I don't really have much to say about your snippets since they are sooo short, but you've got the right idea for editing: shorten things up and make it clearer.
it's why when there is a writing thread in normal ecterera I typically try to link to this one :P
How does this sound as an explanation for a character being able to physically enter a computer?
So in this world every computer in the country/most of the world is connected to the Nexus and developed by the Big Evil Corporation who have a monopoly on computer creation and distribution since the Great Net Crash that destroyed the internet as we know it. The main villain, an evil AI, is able to "scan" people through the cameras on computers and digitize them ala TRON, and the main character is able to access the Nexus from any computer because he's bonded to a heroic AI.
I like this idea because it's sort of a way for anyone to be able to enter computers, either by being pulled in or through having access another way (I was also thinking there could be people who only have VR avatars and don't physically enter save for the protagonist), but I'm worried it stretches the pseudoscience from "fun campy toku" to "has this person ever seen a computer in his life?" It's meant to be a send up to the 90s VR trend but I'm worried it's lacking in at least a base amount of sophistication, although now that I think about it I wonder if I can lean into the pseudoscience even harder by making the AIs of the story almost godly and mystical.
Alternatively the main character could just enter through a sort of secret gateway only he knows about, but then that raises the question of how other people get in.
So in this world every computer in the country/most of the world is connected to the Nexus and developed by the Big Evil Corporation who have a monopoly on computer creation and distribution since the Great Net Crash that destroyed the internet as we know it. The main villain, an evil AI, is able to "scan" people through the cameras on computers and digitize them ala TRON, and the main character is able to access the Nexus from any computer because he's bonded to a heroic AI.
I like this idea because it's sort of a way for anyone to be able to enter computers, either by being pulled in or through having access another way (I was also thinking there could be people who only have VR avatars and don't physically enter save for the protagonist), but I'm worried it stretches the pseudoscience from "fun campy toku" to "has this person ever seen a computer in his life?" It's meant to be a send up to the 90s VR trend but I'm worried it's lacking in at least a base amount of sophistication, although now that I think about it I wonder if I can lean into the pseudoscience even harder by making the AIs of the story almost godly and mystical.
Alternatively the main character could just enter through a sort of secret gateway only he knows about, but then that raises the question of how other people get in.
Last edited:
I take a shower, and then force myself to write no matter how terrible I think it is. Eventually I will hit a sentence I don't feel is horrible, and with time I slowly get in the flow of things again.
In very rare cases I just work on something else for a bit, or hunt down things that are similar to what I'm stuck on for inspiration.
I liked the first one slightly more but i think in both they are a bit too descriptive without having any hooks to draw the reader into the scene (if thats what you intend). I don't know if this is the first time we meet this character or where they are going but I think a bit more could be done to expand on why the things you point out about the scene are significant, either to her or the reader. For example the cooked meats and spices. What does that mean to the character? Does it remind her of home? Or something she has gone without during her travels? Why is arriving early to Sabah-khun significant? Does she dread it? Or is she excited. Stuff like that.
Hope that is useful.
Thanks for the feedback from both of you.
When I get around to going through a first edit of the entire first chapter I'll post it here.
I'll likely continue edit for readability but likely a little more complex than the second example.
I read that it's a good idea to get your reading grade very low for higher readability. Does anyone have thoughts on this?
I guess it's safe to say the writer's block is over. Finished writing 9 pages today and have more interesting ideas to get to!
Both paragraphs have their strengths and weaknesses. The first has more personality but is somewhat protracted. The second is snappier but has problems slipping between present and past tense. I would find a balance between the two.
Trying to get back into writing after focusing on illustration for a while, then spending a couple of months in recovery mode. One of the most frustrating things about being visually impaired is that I'm stuck with the reading ability of a twelve year-old, even when, as a twelve year-old, I had the reading comprehension of someone much older. And, naturally, that impacts on my writing ability (and illustration abilities, too - I chose my interests in life rather poorly, lol).
Read. Consume inspiring material. Remind yourself why you write. Sometimes, if it's applicable, it's good to go back and read stuff you wrote in the past, both to see how much you've improved and to, again, remind yourself why you write.