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Your Writing Process, And/Or Problems with Same |
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| treydog |
Mar 17 2006, 03:51 PM
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Master

Joined: 13-February 05
From: The Smoky Mountains

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As we seem to have achieved a "critical mass" of writers here, I thought I would begin a thread regarding how it is we do this thing called "writing." The idea of this discussion is to maybe help each other with the creative process and also talk about how we deal with "writer's block."
Here is my process- please note that I do not believe that everyone (or anyone else has to write this way. It is simply what works for me.
Before I ever wrote the first word of Trey, I had made up my mind as to who he was, how he felt about certain things, what his "values" were. He dislikes Imperials and the Empire, hates slavery, isn't very good with authority figures, is perfectly willing to steal (although not from the poor or weak), etc.
I keep a spiral notebook in which I write dialogue, scenes, etc. in longhand. Even though I have been using a computer for (mumble-mumble) years, the act of actually writing in pen and on paper helps me connect with the material. Although I try to maintain a certain flow (chronological in the case of Trey), I have learned from bitter experience to write down EVERYTHING right when I think of it, even if it won't show up in the story until much later. To assist with finding those orphan ideas, I use different colored pens and assign them numbers. Then, when it is time, I just make a note to myself, thus "Insert 15." I usually do not write every word that appears in the final, just as much as I need to get going. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less.
Because I am doing a straight MQ story, I depend heavily on the Construction Set to get the in-game dialogue right. On the other hand, I consider how Trey will react to certain characters and situations and "create" conversations are needed if things are to make sense
Once I have enough (usually 3-6 pages) manuscript, I go to Word and begin turning my scribbling into real story. A lot of composing and creating takes place at the keyboard. The manuscript may simply say "Temple Informant." I will take actual dialogue, plus maybe some additional conversation to show the interaction between Trey and the NPC and develop the scene. A quick spell check (Word hates ES names), and I am ready for the next step.
The most important part of the process is the read-through. This is the place where I read the installment out loud to the talented and patient Mrs. Treydog. The purpose of this is to ensure that the writing "flows." If something I am reading "clunks" when read out loud, it needs to be fixed. I also find typos or missing words during the read-through. Additionally, Mrs. Treydog may ask questions or provide other suggestions.
Example- in the scene with Delitian she asked me, "How does the captain know who Trey is?"
So I wrote in the "I am Trey of High Rock" bit. Interestingly, the "... I've heard the name" response is already in-game.
Once I have fixed whatever did not work on read-through, I post the installment.
If this thread survives, I will talk later about dealing with writer's block.
Edited to fix typo and to add:
One of the hardest things for some writers to do is to decide when is "it" finished. The read-through also helps with that question. Bottom line- you have to let it go sometime. If you polish the story long enough, you will be left with nothing- particularly not the enjoyment.
This post has been edited by treydog: Mar 17 2006, 04:41 PM
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The dreams down here aren't broken, nah, they're walkin' with a limp...
The best-dressed newt in Mournhold.
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Replies(780 - 795)
| Pseron Wyrd |
Jul 14 2021, 02:12 AM
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Finder

Joined: 8-February 13
From: Franklin, Pennsylvania

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QUOTE(treydog @ Jul 13 2021, 08:20 PM)  In S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" it is spelled "socs". (Which I would have thought was "socks", but there ya go).
Wow, I haven't come across that term in decades. The dominant cliques in my high school were divided into "socs" (which we pronounced "sosh-es) and "greasers". A lot of drama revolved around those terms and the people who identified with them. And then there were people like me who did not fit into either group. I was an outsider even among outsiders. Since "socs" is an abbreviation of "socials" I would assume that is a good spelling. This post has been edited by Pseron Wyrd: Jul 14 2021, 02:16 AM
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| Pseron Wyrd |
Jul 14 2021, 06:03 AM
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Finder

Joined: 8-February 13
From: Franklin, Pennsylvania

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QUOTE(SubRosa @ Jul 13 2021, 09:48 PM)  it feels weird writing from her POV and also saying "Barbara said this" or "Romulus said that".
Here's a little trick: insert a short sentence of description identifying a character before a line of dialogue. Once the speakers have been established in the reader's mind there is no need to bother with "Barbara said this". The following lines are awkward but they illustrate the point: Barbara poured herself a glass of milk. "Are you going to work tomorrow?" Romulus narrowed his eyes. "Why wouldn't I go to work?" "Your boss called this morning. He wanted to know where you were." "I had to visit a sick friend. Yes, that's it. I was at the hospital." "I see. And exactly which hospital would that be, Romulus?" "The one over on 12th street, I forget the name." This illustrates another trick: one character identifies another character within the dialogue itself. Have January give the parents nicknames. This not only side-steps the awkwardness of "Barbara" and "Romulus" but does double duty telling us how she feels about the parents. Here are nicknames that give dialogue a sarcastic tone: Her Highness poured a glass of milk. "Are you going to work tomorrow?" His Majesty narrowed his eyes. "Why wouldn't I go to work?" Or a more affectionate tone: Didi poured herself a glass of milk. "Are you going to work tomorrow?" Gogo narrowed his eyes. "Why wouldn't I go to work?" This post has been edited by Pseron Wyrd: Jul 14 2021, 06:07 AM
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| Renee |
Jul 14 2021, 02:45 PM
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Councilor

Joined: 19-March 13
From: Ellicott City, Maryland

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Interesting discussion going on here! Hope I have time to read it all; maybe this weekend. I just don't want my characters to wind up sounding like me.  Unless they are supposed to sound like somebody from suburban mid-Atlantic America, and I do have a character in Oblivion (Renee Gade III) who does. Otherwise, if they speak with some extreme inflection or accent, or don't use English properly, or they speak some other language entirely, so be it.  I'd rather read something (or hear something in a movie) and not be able to understand 100% what they're saying than have everything read or sound like it's obviously been filtered for the masses. I often use Free Writing *Link* when trying to get a feel how my character is speaking. Just open my mind to what's being said. And then in some cases I'll edit what was just written, just for fine-tuning purposes. ... Or not. I can remember with one of my Skyrim characters (Mycharonna) I'd almost never edit her bizarre poetry. I fact, half the time even I had no idea what the heck she was trying to communicate! Thank you. Time for some Stormcrow.
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| Adella |
Jul 14 2021, 05:47 PM
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Evoker
Joined: 22-May 21

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I expect as avid writers everyone knows this…..but just in case I shall offer it anyway. On You Tube if you search “Writer Tube” or “author tube” it will open an entire community of writing advisors. Some are professionals, some are published, some trying, some post grad students mastering in English and some just wannabes with unpubbed drafts (me…only I’m not on there ha!). Names like Alexa Donne, Jenna Moreci, Shaelin and many others provide oodles of good advice on how to approach every aspect of writing in First/Third Omniscient etc and dialogue help that impresses editors if you want to be published instead of binned. They also cover structuring, plot planning, character arcs time and world building. You’ll find videos by successful pros like Brandon Sanderson teaching how to write like the best of them and pitfalls to avoid. In short…..advice to turn any story idea into something indistinguishable in quality to a tome you might have picked off a shop bookshelf by a famous author. Take a look, a few enjoyable hours self education and you will never be stuck on how to dialogue nicely ever again. My problem….Is remembering it all Adella
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| macole |
Jul 14 2021, 06:04 PM
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Mouth

Joined: 10-January 20

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QUOTE(Adella @ Jul 14 2021, 11:47 AM)  I expect as avid writers everyone knows this…..but just in case I shall offer it anyway.
On You Tube if you search “Writer Tube” or “author tube” it will open an entire community of writing advisors.
Thanks for this. As you may have guessed by reading anything I've written my formal training was short and a very long time ago. QUOTE Take a look, a few enjoyable hours self education and you will never be stuck on how to dialogue nicely ever again. My problem….Is remembering it all Adella Remembering is a growing issue.
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Vampire Hunter, Endure and through enduring grow strong.
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| macole |
Nov 30 2022, 04:56 PM
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Mouth

Joined: 10-January 20

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QUOTE(Renee @ Nov 30 2022, 07:58 AM)  Hey, which is more correct?
By 1966, Gygax was active in the wargame hobby world and was writing many magazine articles on the subject.
English class with Sister Mary Frances was a long time ago but for reading clarity and to emphasis the date of the action I would use the first line with the comma after 1966. I may not be correct but no chalk board erasure has bounced off my head so I don’t think I’m totally wrong. I still have dents in the head from many erasure direct hits.
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Vampire Hunter, Endure and through enduring grow strong.
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| ghastley |
Nov 30 2022, 06:34 PM
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Councilor

Joined: 13-December 10

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My opinions: For the first comma, the decision is whether the "By 1966" is part of what you're saying in the rest, or separate from it. Both versions could be correct, but they'd mean something slightly different. The comma adds emphasis to the date as a milestone, and the other implies it's an arbitrary start point where the observation began. The second comma is just wrong. If you add it, then it should read "... world, and he was ..." Eats, shoots, and leaves, or he doesn't. 
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