Lili's Land(s) Options

[Acadian]

Those are nice screens!

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Your first question: If you mean a written prologue that provides her background, the answer is no. Parcel it out as her story provides natural opportunities to reveal it. Your first episode is fine as long as it gives a sex and possibly a race. Adding a name if it fits into the first episode is fine. Then begin showing us who she is by her actions and dialogue.

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Your second question: First person vs third person.

I prefer first person for the following reasons:
- Intimacy. My character is full of rumination and emotion; there is nothing more intimate than being inside her head in her own words, using ‘I’. First person is wonderful for character-driven fiction. It is not as useful for plot-driven fiction.
- Story vagueness. By definition, the reader can only know what the character does. That provides loads of mystery because there is so much she won’t see. Sounds odd, but I find the ‘fog of ignorance’ to be a plot blessing rather than a curse.

Are there challenges with first person? Yup.
-You can’t tell the reader that the character is kind or grumpy or a jerk or even pretty. It has to be revealed via their actions and dialogue with others. Again though, I consider this an advantage.
- Also, you must write in a style that is consistent with the character’s own words. The story of a poorly educated twelve year old in first person might say, “The grass looked real purty.” If using third person, you are free to elegantly describe golden grasses swaying in a gentle Abecean breeze. The answer for me was to write like my character would, but gradually educate her in the story. Indeed, after a full University education and being knighted into minor nobility, she has learned to write in a more sophisticated manner.
-It is much more awkward to shift perspectives to another if your basic story is in first person. In third person, it is not too much of a stretch to occasionally provide an episode from the perspective of another character as long as it is a clear, clean break. With first person, the effort is to make it seem like an intimate diary, so popping in an episode from another perspective is rather awkward in my opinion.

Regarding third person, I don’t honestly feel qualified since I have so rarely used it. If trying to learn third person however, I would go straight to our own SubRosa for advice.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing Myrin in print.

This post has been edited by Acadian: Nov 5 2011, 02:27 AM

[SubRosa]

Oops, looks like Acadian ninja'd me.

Oh, a fan fic then. In that case do not give us a prologue telling us all about the character. That is one of the biggest mistakes made by fan fic writers, because it is incredibly boring. All we need to know at the start of any story is the character's name and a basic description of them. That way we can form an image of them in our head. Let the rest of the character's history and abilities come out naturally as the story progresses. H.E.R. does this masterfully in Old Habits Die Hard. I would like to think I did a decent job of the same in the TF.

When it comes down to 1st or 3rd p.o.v. First ask yourself this. Will Myrin be the only character whose eyes we see the story through? If not, then 1st person is not a good option. For example, in the TF, I wrote some chapters or just scenes from the point of view of Simplicia, Methredhel, Vols, and of course Tadrose. That just does not work in 1st person, as it is incredibly confusing for the reader.

If you are sure it is only going to be Myrin whose eyes the story is told though, then give 1st person serious consideration, as it gives intimacy that you just cannot get in 3rd person. Being able to use the word "I" is very powerful stuff.

It also comes down to whatever you feel most comfortable writing in. Writing in 1st person is just not for me. I am a 3rd person girl all the way. But other writers are quite skilled at it. Find which works best for you. You might try writing the first chapter in each style, and see what feels more natural to you.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Nov 5 2011, 02:39 AM

[liliandra nadiar]

Sort of starting up another who is, for the moment at least, scheduled to be the MF's Champion of Cyrodiil. She's also my shot of the week.

This won't hurt a bit. It'll hurt a lot.

[SubRosa]

Yay, its an orc chick with a big... hammer is it? How is it hanging?

Orcs are such fun to play. It is like being a Tiger tank in a world of Shermans.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Nov 11 2011, 03:20 AM

[King Coin]

Awesome screen! Even though I can't see it well, I like the hair style.

[liliandra nadiar]

Yes, it's a War Hammer. Unfortunately, I couldn't start the attack while in free-camera mode and wasn't sure I wanted to risk using a Pose with the goblin right there.

[mALX]

Yes, it's a War Hammer. Unfortunately, I couldn't start the attack while in free-camera mode and wasn't sure I wanted to risk using a Pose with the goblin right there.

That was one weird looking goblin! Can't you turn off his AI for the screens? Great shot, and pretty brave to go into freecam with the enemy still "active" !!!

This post has been edited by mALX: Nov 11 2011, 03:32 AM

[King Coin]

If you click on the goblin while in the command prompt and type "tai" you can turn off his AI and lock him in place.

[liliandra nadiar]

I did not know that! Thanks! *scuttles off to play with poses and a poor Goblin*

And new shot.

[mALX]

I did not know that! Thanks! *scuttles off to play with poses and a poor Goblin*

And new shot.

HA !!! That is great !! Awesome shot !!!

[King Coin]

Haha! *whack*

[SubRosa]

I did not know that! Thanks! *scuttles off to play with poses and a poor Goblin*

And new shot.

That looks like she's really swinging for the fences there! It is too bad there is no Babe Ruth pose, where you can point to the bleachers with the hammer on your shoulder.

[liliandra nadiar]

Poking some in Skyrim with, got a possible new Myrin, circa 4E 201.

Also a Bosmer who held true an old saying about wood elves and water.

This post has been edited by liliandra nadiar: Nov 12 2011, 04:29 AM

[King Coin]

It's going to take me a while to get used to the elves' new looks. Those eyes on the Dunmer are so red.

The Bosmer looks a bit more familiar. She looks great!

[Grits]

I like the tougher Dunmer look. The Bosmer looks great, too!

[mALX]

who held true an old saying about wood elves and water.

GAAAAH !!! Where did you get a bathing suit??? Are there clothing mods out already? I want ... I want ... GAAAAAH !!!

[liliandra nadiar]

No mods. Just vanilla game from taking off their outer wear.

[mALX]

No mods. Just vanilla game from taking off their outer wear.

Oh, that is great !! Finally some undies that don't look like diapers (and a body on a female that doesn't look male, lol).

[Acadian]

Love your shot of the week!

Yup, those Bosmers and water. . . .