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ah, descriptions
Apr. 29th, 2025 10:49 pmWhile stymied on one work, I went to work on another. And realized I hadn't described the characters.
Lucky me. The opening scene is when the viewpoint character remembers her life in another world. Nothing is more natural than her looking at her own reflection and at the members of her family and trying to remember whether her family looked like that. Her real family. If it was real. . . .
At least the descriptions are in.
Lucky me. The opening scene is when the viewpoint character remembers her life in another world. Nothing is more natural than her looking at her own reflection and at the members of her family and trying to remember whether her family looked like that. Her real family. If it was real. . . .
At least the descriptions are in.
What In The Woods
Apr. 25th, 2025 03:25 pmThe heroine has gone into the woods. Several other scholars are with her.
I know that they will threatened by monsters of shadow. Probably lions. I know that her woodcraft will be vital -- you can tell you really reached the top of a hill when you see the sky ahead of you.
Nothing else is clear.
Furthermore, this will lead into an eruption, where the villain, having been foiled at every turn by our heroine, goes all out to make her play.
Nothing about that is clear, either.
sigh
I know that they will threatened by monsters of shadow. Probably lions. I know that her woodcraft will be vital -- you can tell you really reached the top of a hill when you see the sky ahead of you.
Nothing else is clear.
Furthermore, this will lead into an eruption, where the villain, having been foiled at every turn by our heroine, goes all out to make her play.
Nothing about that is clear, either.
sigh
juggling two stories
Mar. 7th, 2025 11:58 pmOh you plot bunnies!
Two very different stories about a character who finds herself in another world. The means by which they are moved differ, the situations they find themselves in differ, their powersets differ, and the reasons they have powers differ. Their enemies differ, and so does the conflict.
This probably means they should have different reactions to arrival, perhaps all the more in that they do not glide over it as a machine that the readers will simply accept as not relevant to the plot. (It is relevant in both cases, though -- the reasons differ.)
Both are going to have metaphysical questions, though. No matter how different I make them.
(And I don't even know if either one is a full story yet.)
Two very different stories about a character who finds herself in another world. The means by which they are moved differ, the situations they find themselves in differ, their powersets differ, and the reasons they have powers differ. Their enemies differ, and so does the conflict.
This probably means they should have different reactions to arrival, perhaps all the more in that they do not glide over it as a machine that the readers will simply accept as not relevant to the plot. (It is relevant in both cases, though -- the reasons differ.)
Both are going to have metaphysical questions, though. No matter how different I make them.
(And I don't even know if either one is a full story yet.)
big, little, big, little
Feb. 14th, 2025 10:52 pmWas plugging along on a story.
Knew there was a character, a servant, who knew about a cursed prince. Needed him as a plot device to keep the prince alive, and also he gave me a way to keep the prince busy. Made him a big solid guy, a huntsman.
So writing along on the outline and realized that I had to name this servant. I dug up a name, decided it looked good, and if it's a diminutive, it's ironic he has it.
Put it down on the character list. Character started to wonder whether he could be a lean and wiry huntsman instead.
Ah, the game of names.
Knew there was a character, a servant, who knew about a cursed prince. Needed him as a plot device to keep the prince alive, and also he gave me a way to keep the prince busy. Made him a big solid guy, a huntsman.
So writing along on the outline and realized that I had to name this servant. I dug up a name, decided it looked good, and if it's a diminutive, it's ironic he has it.
Put it down on the character list. Character started to wonder whether he could be a lean and wiry huntsman instead.
Ah, the game of names.
cloak's got to go
Feb. 2nd, 2025 12:12 amI lay out the plan. The heroine goes somewhere wearing a cloak, so she can take it off and be recognized.
A scene opens with her waiting and thinking about how hot and heavy it is. It ends with her being recognized.
But I never actually took the cloak off. . . .
A scene opens with her waiting and thinking about how hot and heavy it is. It ends with her being recognized.
But I never actually took the cloak off. . . .
thinking this through
Nov. 9th, 2024 11:01 pmI forgot that there were two other characters hanging about when six of them got into trouble.
Then I realized that there's no way for the hero to find out.
So I had the two of them exhaust their ability to help tracking him down with the news.
Sometimes plot holes annihilate each other.
Then I realized that there's no way for the hero to find out.
So I had the two of them exhaust their ability to help tracking him down with the news.
Sometimes plot holes annihilate each other.
backwards runs the revision
Nov. 6th, 2024 05:44 pmOn both stories I am working on, I realize I must go back and establish things.
One is a magical bird. The characters have to have reason to think it is where they are going.
The other is trivial magical charms that the hero and his associates have to have because they do routine things to exclude many nuisances that I don't want to deal with.
Such is the life of a writer.
One is a magical bird. The characters have to have reason to think it is where they are going.
The other is trivial magical charms that the hero and his associates have to have because they do routine things to exclude many nuisances that I don't want to deal with.
Such is the life of a writer.
the third time -- how charming
Sep. 12th, 2024 11:32 amThe time has come. For the third and final attempt of the sorceress to catch our fleeing prince and princess, and their companions. It is only right and proper for this to be the conclusion.
Only, in fairy tales, it's a lot easier to just have it change the third time, without setting it up or dramatizing it.
I think my hero's going to have to put some extra work into this one.
Only, in fairy tales, it's a lot easier to just have it change the third time, without setting it up or dramatizing it.
I think my hero's going to have to put some extra work into this one.
cut to the chase
Aug. 17th, 2024 11:50 pmPlowing on in the story. Had a woman complaining to the heroine. Didn't know quite what to do
Oh, yes, the next thing is for more people to arrive. That will interrupt the conversation so that she doesn't have to respond.
Oh, yes, the next thing is for more people to arrive. That will interrupt the conversation so that she doesn't have to respond.
simplify, simplify
Jul. 13th, 2024 11:42 pmThe heroine goes to the manor court because the noble holding it asks her to.
Thus making any case moot.
And -- he already has a motive. Showing she is alive and well.
Thus making any case moot.
And -- he already has a motive. Showing she is alive and well.
back and forth goes the plot shuttle
Jul. 11th, 2024 10:43 pmA character is being a pill.
He might even hail the main character before the manor court through some chicanery. Oh, wonderful, the idea runs off because the main character could do things and learn things through the manor court.
Then a cold gimlet thought looks at the way the character is being a pill and is not happy with it.
Do I have to invent a different reason to get her there? Ah, plotting.
He might even hail the main character before the manor court through some chicanery. Oh, wonderful, the idea runs off because the main character could do things and learn things through the manor court.
Then a cold gimlet thought looks at the way the character is being a pill and is not happy with it.
Do I have to invent a different reason to get her there? Ah, plotting.
ah the killjoy
Jul. 2nd, 2024 11:59 pmAdults being killjoys can be quite useful for children's tales. It means you have to go around them. (Just like other authorities for adults.)
But -- one character is being a killjoy when it doesn't move the story forward. The problem is that it's annoying.
You're a supporting character, dear. You don't get to do that. . . .
But -- one character is being a killjoy when it doesn't move the story forward. The problem is that it's annoying.
You're a supporting character, dear. You don't get to do that. . . .
