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> Your Writing Process, And/Or Problems with Same
Grits
post Feb 11 2012, 10:57 PM
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I once dumped an entire chapter (sixteen posts, IIRC). I had to grieve first before I could start over. Then I made a tiny skip in events so that I wouldn’t get stuck where things went wrong. I realized that I had started second guessing things before I wrote the chapter, and the whole thing was unnecessary. I was much happier when I went back to the original outline.

Realizing that I had made a big mistake was a real learning experience, once I quit kicking myself over it. That was the hardest part. I ended up with a lot more confidence in my characters, because I had seen my mistake.

Of course in this *cough* theoretical example, it sounds like the deleting was the mistake? In which case thank goodness for mALX and that … someone … didn’t finish off by lighting their computer on fire. smile.gif


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mALX
post Feb 11 2012, 11:21 PM
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QUOTE(Grits @ Feb 11 2012, 04:57 PM) *

I once dumped an entire chapter (sixteen posts, IIRC). I had to grieve first before I could start over. Then I made a tiny skip in events so that I wouldn’t get stuck where things went wrong. I realized that I had started second guessing things before I wrote the chapter, and the whole thing was unnecessary. I was much happier when I went back to the original outline.

Realizing that I had made a big mistake was a real learning experience, once I quit kicking myself over it. That was the hardest part. I ended up with a lot more confidence in my characters, because I had seen my mistake.

Of course in this *cough* theoretical example, it sounds like the deleting was the mistake? In which case thank goodness for mALX and that … someone … didn’t finish off by lighting their computer on fire. smile.gif



For future deleter reference, my email is like one of those "hoarder" places. I save everything until I have responded to it, lol. (except junk/spam mail).

This post has been edited by mALX: Feb 11 2012, 11:35 PM


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McBadgere
post Feb 12 2012, 05:33 AM
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QUOTE
Of course in this *cough* theoretical example, it sounds like the deleting was the mistake?


Sadly no, for reasons it's unfair to go into this was actually part of a solution I'm afraid...

And I shall never be able to thank mALX enough for being as cool as she has been of late... cool.gif ...

Aaamywho, thanks to mALX I can now move forward as was planned...You lucky people you... tongue.gif ...
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Darkness Eternal
post Feb 12 2012, 09:07 AM
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Time skip. It's safe to skip four days in a story right? I've seen it done before. I just never really did it.


--------------------
And yet I am, and liveā€”like vapours tossed.
I long for scenes where man hath never trod
A place where woman never smiled or wept
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie
The grass belowā€”above the vaulted sky.ā€¯
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McBadgere
post Feb 12 2012, 09:20 AM
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Er...yeah... biggrin.gif ...

It's safe to say I have no problem with messing about with time... tongue.gif ...
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mALX
post Feb 12 2012, 03:15 PM
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QUOTE(Darkness Eternal @ Feb 12 2012, 03:07 AM) *

Time skip. It's safe to skip four days in a story right? I've seen it done before. I just never really did it.



I remember back at the Bethesda forum that Acadian ended one chapter with Buffy starting out to Bravil, and the next chapter began with her arrival in Bravil. That upset some of his readers, they felt he should have described the trip. I don't exactly agree with that, especially if the trip was uneventful.

With the main character sometimes just a small paragraph giving a brief cover of their activity can be given, supporting characters don't need even that.

Of course, if your main character has been kidnapped and her brother is pretending he knows nothing of it to their father - your readers are going to clamor if four days passes and they don't know what Draken did to find Raven, or the fate of poor Raven herself .... .... .... ARGH !!!!


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treydog
post Feb 12 2012, 03:38 PM
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QUOTE(Darkness Eternal @ Feb 12 2012, 03:07 AM) *

Time skip. It's safe to skip four days in a story right? I've seen it done before. I just never really did it.

One of the JOYS of writing fiction is that you are not constrained to report every minute of every day. You absolutely can time-shift in service to your story.

It may be that you need to give a nod to the passage of time such as- "For the next several days, nothing of significance occurred."

That is the simplest form of time-shifting. However, you can also do flash-backs, flash-forwards, dreams or fantasies- etc. Sometimes those methods can be used to obscure the events or their order- and the is OK, as long as it does not do violence to the story or your vision of it.

An example from back in my English instructor days is the Faulkner short story "A Rose for Emily." It is told in that inimitable Southern U.S. style- with the teller wandering back and forth through time and incidents as they occur to him- rather than in the order they actually happened.

As an exercise, we mapped out the ACTUAL timeline versus the order in which things were presented in the story.

This all comes back to the title of the thread, at least for me- "Writing Process." You start with the things you KNOW need to be in there. But the order or the detail in how you present those things- and all the connective bits- is purely up to you.


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mALX
post Feb 12 2012, 03:54 PM
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QUOTE(treydog @ Feb 12 2012, 09:38 AM) *


It may be that you need to give a nod to the passage of time such as- "For the next several days, nothing of significance occurred."



"Four long days passed, of which the majority of her time was spent hovered over the chamberpot as the poison made its way out of her system in various ways"

Yeah, we will all wonder what exactly went on for those four days, ROFL !! If you leave it up to our imaginations it may turn out worse than just telling us about them, lol. (just kidding).

This post has been edited by mALX: Feb 12 2012, 03:59 PM


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Darkness Eternal
post Feb 12 2012, 04:39 PM
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Treydog: Can you believe it would of never thought of that? Flashbacks! I used it before, but never in a time where it was truly required. Thanks! I will take what you said to heart.

McBadgere: Eww. Sounds like a bad case of defecation to me.


--------------------
And yet I am, and liveā€”like vapours tossed.
I long for scenes where man hath never trod
A place where woman never smiled or wept
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie
The grass belowā€”above the vaulted sky.ā€¯
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McBadgere
post Feb 12 2012, 08:05 PM
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QUOTE(Darkness Eternal @ Feb 12 2012, 03:39 PM) *

McBadgere: Eww. Sounds like a bad case of defecation to me.


Er...As a wise man once said...What you talking about Willis? huh.gif ...
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mALX
post Feb 12 2012, 08:23 PM
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QUOTE(McBadgere @ Feb 12 2012, 02:05 PM) *

QUOTE(Darkness Eternal @ Feb 12 2012, 03:39 PM) *

McBadgere: Eww. Sounds like a bad case of defecation to me.


Er...As a wise man once said...What you talking about Willis? huh.gif ...



Er...I thought he refused to say it ... ? Isn't that what the court case was all about? ROFL !!!


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Darkness Eternal
post Mar 30 2012, 10:21 PM
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I don't know if it was answered here or not, but how many stories can we have? For example, can we just have a second story? Or what?


--------------------
And yet I am, and liveā€”like vapours tossed.
I long for scenes where man hath never trod
A place where woman never smiled or wept
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie
The grass belowā€”above the vaulted sky.ā€¯
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jack cloudy
post Mar 30 2012, 10:26 PM
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I don't think there is a real limit, especially if you finish one before starting another. But assuming you meant simultaneously, I suggest you keep it down to just two or three at most. If you don't, then before you know it you'll be juggling five stories, all with multiple plot-threads. Doing crazy stuff like that has scientifically been proven to lead to burnouts lasting several years.

So yeah, try to focus on two at a time.


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Darkness Eternal
post Mar 30 2012, 10:56 PM
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Thanks. Two was my plan anyways. I can't see a person that has three to four stories at once can be stable. Haha.

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: Mar 30 2012, 10:56 PM


--------------------
And yet I am, and liveā€”like vapours tossed.
I long for scenes where man hath never trod
A place where woman never smiled or wept
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie
The grass belowā€”above the vaulted sky.ā€¯
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Darkness Eternal
post Apr 4 2012, 11:35 PM
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How many of you folks use music in your stories to express a certain scene or chapter? Or maybe even inspiration?

For example:

"Chapter I"

*Insert song here*
Mr.Warrior walked along side the road, eyeing the birds and the bees.

Not Screamo music or anything like that. No, not even rap or hip-hop for Redguard. You know what I mean tongue.gif


--------------------
And yet I am, and liveā€”like vapours tossed.
I long for scenes where man hath never trod
A place where woman never smiled or wept
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie
The grass belowā€”above the vaulted sky.ā€¯
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Jacki Dice
post Apr 5 2012, 05:04 AM
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QUOTE(Darkness Eternal @ Apr 4 2012, 02:35 PM) *

How many of you folks use music in your stories to express a certain scene or chapter? Or maybe even inspiration?

For example:

"Chapter I"

*Insert song here*
Mr.Warrior walked along side the road, eyeing the birds and the bees.

Not Screamo music or anything like that. No, not even rap or hip-hop for Redguard. You know what I mean tongue.gif


I do! I'm doing it now, actually smile.gif Certain songs can bring out certain feelings in me and it really helps to bring things out in my writing.

As for inspiration, the entire story for Nemesis was inspired by Swansong for a Raven by Cradle of Filth. ♥


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Madness Helps Me Save Myself
Nemesis

Standing on the cliffs that kiss burning winds
We are rising together
Brazen, exalting, a hiss of triumph rings
I am yours
...Yours immortally
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mALX
post Apr 5 2012, 05:14 AM
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I have certain songs I play when I'm writing for certain characters. Example:


Vicente: Cry Little Sister


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InRw0Pm89eg



Gils: Unforgiven II


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoTcb6vtGEo

This post has been edited by mALX: Apr 5 2012, 05:31 AM


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Olen
post Apr 5 2012, 07:42 PM
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I tend to set the mood with music and have various playlists. Film scores are good, by design they set a mood but aren't distracting. The gladiator score sees a lot of use. Likewise music from games can be useful (often buried as mp3s somewhere in the install).

While in general I prefer music without lyrics there are a few tracks which are great for setting the mood. Joan Baez Diamonds and Rust is a good example.


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McBadgere
post Apr 5 2012, 07:50 PM
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I'm not sure DE means what music do we listen to to write...

Isn't it -

Chapter 1

(Web-link to song to fit mood - Ernie the fastest milkman in the west)...

Bert walked briskly down the road, bottles jingling in the moonlight. He was somewhat alarmed when Mrs Scroggins from number 24 decided to start chomping on his throat.

"Ere!! Get owff meh!!" he cried, "I've got a round to finish!"

"Rawr!!" said the undead matron sporting bright green curlers, flannelette nighty and floral slippers.

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Sort of thing?...

No, I wouldn't do that personally...

You won't want to be listening to Starship, Yes or the Three Degrees' Givin Up, Givin In... tongue.gif ...


EDIT...As you were...I think that's what's meant... biggrin.gif ...Sorry about that... tongue.gif ...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Apr 5 2012, 07:52 PM
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mALX
post Apr 5 2012, 08:27 PM
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QUOTE(Jacki Dice @ Apr 5 2012, 12:04 AM) *

QUOTE(Darkness Eternal @ Apr 4 2012, 02:35 PM) *

How many of you folks use music in your stories to express a certain scene or chapter? Or maybe even inspiration?

For example:

"Chapter I"

*Insert song here*
Mr.Warrior walked along side the road, eyeing the birds and the bees.

Not Screamo music or anything like that. No, not even rap or hip-hop for Redguard. You know what I mean tongue.gif


I do! I'm doing it now, actually smile.gif Certain songs can bring out certain feelings in me and it really helps to bring things out in my writing.

As for inspiration, the entire story for Nemesis was inspired by Swansong for a Raven by Cradle of Filth. ♥



OMG, Jacki - now that is absolutely fitting and inspiring for writing Tara's character.


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