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| bio | website | cloudedmemories.com |
|---|---|---|
| location | ||
| age | ||
| visits | member for | 1 year, 9 months |
| seen | 5 hours ago | |
| stats | profile views | 20 |
Those who can, do. Those who can't, write.
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Feb 22 |
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Writing from the middle As a slight variation on this, you could start off with writing the key scenes first as a reference. FWIW I tend to start with them because they're what gets me excited enough to get onto my not-so-interesting lead-up scenes, then go back to the beginning and write everything from start to finish with those scenes in mind. Yes, the key scenes get rewritten in the process and they can change drastically. |
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Feb 6 |
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Killing off a character: deciding if, when and how +1 Let me add my signature to that petition |
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Jan 30 |
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How do I change a novel from first person to limited third person? Oooh, yeah, definitely not. The change in POVs happen by chapter. :) |
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Jan 30 |
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How do I change a novel from first person to limited third person? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought it was common to switch viewpoints in third person? Especially when using limited, which is pretty much the norm these days. |
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Jan 2 |
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Is it a bad idea to vary the voice of the narrator in third person (limited omniscient)? I'm with Lauren on this. It sounds brilliant. |
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Dec 31 |
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alternatives to “he said” in dialog That's true, you definitely need to mix it up. I've edited my answer with an additional example to show how you can vary it. :) |
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Dec 20 |
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Peeking through character's mask You could consider not rescuing him. :P He may crack, but humans are pretty resilient. He could break, run away, take days (weeks, if your timeline allows) to put the facade back up, and then you'd also have a good reason for him to let it slip more often throughout the story. |
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Dec 14 |
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Non-cheap ways to make villains evil? @SF: That would be interesting, and for me the question would be why he abandons his 'noble' ideals so easily. Was he psychopathic all along and only using the ideals to draw people to him? Or did the struggle for power unhinge him in the process? Because I think that to simply drop beliefs that you have fought hard for isn't generally something we do (though I could be wrong). |
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Dec 14 |
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Non-cheap ways to make villains evil? @Lauren: It's definitely a YMMV thing - I would think it depends on what qualities in a person you admire the most. |
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Dec 14 |
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Non-cheap ways to make villains evil? But if they've been using whatever power they have to torment the heroes the whole time, for me it goes beyond contempt to 'I hope you die a horrible, drawn-out death'. :P And then when they sell out everyone around them to save their skin, I wish for an even more terrible one because they're clearly not a human being. |
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Nov 26 |
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Effective ways to enrich your active vocabulary? Years of learning other languages does help you find out what works and what doesn't. ;) |
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Nov 22 |
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Should it be a Short Story or Full Story Yeah, I find I never know how much of a story is left until I actually start writing it. Something you think should be short and sweet (ie. "This will be my climax and the last quarter of my book!") turns into something else completely (ie. "Crap, that was only the middle..."). |
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Nov 15 |
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Is there a description of location required in intense moments of the story like in a love story If you want to use the setting, then think about how different places give off different feelings. A sunny, well-lit room with bright colours will have a different feel to a dank basement with dripping pipes and a tiny barred window. Think about the emotions you want to convey and give us just enough description of the place to convey it. |
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Nov 15 |
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Is there a description of location required in intense moments of the story like in a love story All I was saying is that you should only describe what is necessary to set the mood and give us an insight into the characters. If the answer is nothing (which really, it shouldn't be) then either come up with a new setting or keep it out so that the scene stays tight and tense. |
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Nov 8 |
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Does this opening paragraph grab your attention? (very normal setting) @me, or @JR? :P |
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Aug 8 |
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Synopsis - multiple POVs and time periods Connie Willis did something like this in her Blackout/All Clear books, but with four or five POVs and a similar number of time periods. I'd suggest looking up some synopses for them - you might find it helpful. |
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Jul 2 |
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How can I develop my ideas? Oh wow, that's a HUGE compliment. Glad I could help you see writing with new eyes! Though I'll admit, it's much easier to say than do. :P |
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Jun 22 |
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How do you determine if a plot device is too coincidental? Fearless: Let me know if I've missed the gist of your question. I've edited it down - I think it could be a good question. I know there's a thread talking about suspension of disbelief (writers.stackexchange.com/questions/2730/…) but I feel this is more specific to determining how to determine if a plot device is overly contrived. Feel free to close if I'm wrong. |
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Jun 22 |
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Motivation Reaction Units? @JAE: Agreed, I should have said "and reading books on writing". Mainly because it's possible to read lots, but not read critically. I find the books on writing help me to pick out specific techniques writers are using, and understand why something does or doesn't work. |
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Jun 19 |
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My first act is lengthy. And I cannot shorten it. Any Suggestions? I'll also add that it's more than likely you'll get to the end, spot a theme/concept/underused character that you want to bring out, and have to trash a lot of your 'perfect' writing anyway. Unless you're a genius who can write a single draft and be done with it, of course. ;) |
