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problems and panic
Feb. 10th, 2025 11:32 pmHeroine started to wonder what would happen to her at night.
Problem is that things will happen to her at night. Panic may not be the wisest reaction on her part. So perhaps she should not work herself up into a frenzy.
Decisions, decisions
Problem is that things will happen to her at night. Panic may not be the wisest reaction on her part. So perhaps she should not work herself up into a frenzy.
Decisions, decisions
ah Kilmeny
Dec. 23rd, 2024 11:58 pmThere I was, circling around on some stories.
And Kilmeny wandered back in, reminding me that I had worked on her story before. . . .
As soon as I dragged it back out, I remembered why I was stymied on it. But I did get further
And Kilmeny wandered back in, reminding me that I had worked on her story before. . . .
As soon as I dragged it back out, I remembered why I was stymied on it. But I did get further
adventures in juggling
Dec. 7th, 2024 10:04 pmThe one upside of keeping works running in parallel is that you can switch between them when one is stymied.
And then you have a day when you know that this story has a character telling a story, so you have to pick one, and you're stymied; and that story has a problem in that you need to go back and put in the set-up for characters to do things, and you're stymied; and the other story has a scene where you aren't sure where you put it, and when you start to revise, you remember, and you have to revert your revisions because the location was wrong, and you're not sure how to handle the remembered location except that obviously you have to clarify if even you can't tell.
And then you have a day when you know that this story has a character telling a story, so you have to pick one, and you're stymied; and that story has a problem in that you need to go back and put in the set-up for characters to do things, and you're stymied; and the other story has a scene where you aren't sure where you put it, and when you start to revise, you remember, and you have to revert your revisions because the location was wrong, and you're not sure how to handle the remembered location except that obviously you have to clarify if even you can't tell.
ah, adventures in stickiness
Oct. 25th, 2024 08:32 pmWorking chiefly on two stories. One revising, one writing.
Both bogged down.
One because I realized that I put in things that the point of view character could not have seen, and I was wrestling with how I could fix that most neatly -- since I didn't want to introduce new errors while fixing it.
The other because I realized that I had hand-waved having the hero give a traumatized character a place to rest and recover. He's going to have to set up the place better, and give orders that others are not to intrude.
Ah, the writer's life. I plug on through the mud.
Both bogged down.
One because I realized that I put in things that the point of view character could not have seen, and I was wrestling with how I could fix that most neatly -- since I didn't want to introduce new errors while fixing it.
The other because I realized that I had hand-waved having the hero give a traumatized character a place to rest and recover. He's going to have to set up the place better, and give orders that others are not to intrude.
Ah, the writer's life. I plug on through the mud.
twisting and turning
Aug. 22nd, 2024 10:34 pmFelt stuck. Poked something else, and the original problem fell into place. The heroine's path was going too smoothly. I needed a problem.
Then I felt stuck on the problem for a bit. Fortunately, just a twist that can be resolved by some quick thinking worked, but I did need a twist.
Some principles of story-telling work independently of medium. Notice how few webcomics have installments that do not shift the course of the story, even if not a full-blown peripetia.
Then I felt stuck on the problem for a bit. Fortunately, just a twist that can be resolved by some quick thinking worked, but I did need a twist.
Some principles of story-telling work independently of medium. Notice how few webcomics have installments that do not shift the course of the story, even if not a full-blown peripetia.
sitting around
Jun. 29th, 2024 11:17 pmThe thrilling and exciting moments when you are just sitting there -- trying to draw no attention from the people who definitely want to take you prisoner and may kill your companions just because.
You can't talk to your companions, of course.
Interesting to write.
You can't talk to your companions, of course.
Interesting to write.
juggling threads
May. 29th, 2024 12:46 amQuite as fun as the metaphor suggests.
The hero has done things, and I have let the rumor get back to the secondary hero. It helps that because both of them have white hair while rather young, the rumors said the secondary hero did the things.
BUT -- the hero is now dealing with other characters. It occurs to me that they may have heard the rumors, too. And being rumors, not perhaps the truth. Definitely not the whole truth. . . .
sigh
The hero has done things, and I have let the rumor get back to the secondary hero. It helps that because both of them have white hair while rather young, the rumors said the secondary hero did the things.
BUT -- the hero is now dealing with other characters. It occurs to me that they may have heard the rumors, too. And being rumors, not perhaps the truth. Definitely not the whole truth. . . .
sigh
the DM vs the writer: time
May. 24th, 2024 11:51 pmThis is closely related to revision, but a major difference is the ability of the writer to take time.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
ah, realization
May. 15th, 2024 11:59 pmThere I was, stymied in the tale.
Then I realized that the venture out into the woods should be bright and wonderful until the complications hit. The woman teaching them should not be strict.
Now all I have to do is recast several pages to fit that. . . .
Then I realized that the venture out into the woods should be bright and wonderful until the complications hit. The woman teaching them should not be strict.
Now all I have to do is recast several pages to fit that. . . .
Ah, the adventures in writing
Apr. 25th, 2024 11:51 pmIn one story, I have to put the character on the path where she meets someone.
In other I have to consider whether to change the time of day so the hero does not to worry about where to spend the night before acting.
In a third, I need to develop a custom where people gather to tell stories in a minimal way so that it does not distract from the main story -- it's a plot device of two functions.
sigh
In other I have to consider whether to change the time of day so the hero does not to worry about where to spend the night before acting.
In a third, I need to develop a custom where people gather to tell stories in a minimal way so that it does not distract from the main story -- it's a plot device of two functions.
sigh
the plot clumpens
Mar. 11th, 2024 11:54 pmAs the meme goes:
Well, this story is clumpening. The outline hit the high points, which is good to ensure that it doesn't die on me half way -- BUT --
It's moving very sluggishly between the high points. At least the stuff is moving. Even if I do have to go back and put in things. Lots of things.
Well, this story is clumpening. The outline hit the high points, which is good to ensure that it doesn't die on me half way -- BUT --
It's moving very sluggishly between the high points. At least the stuff is moving. Even if I do have to go back and put in things. Lots of things.
time management
Feb. 27th, 2024 11:59 pmI'm tempted to say that I'm vacuuming the cat, which can fixed by shifting works. (In my experience. YMMV.)
But I'm dawdling on other stuff, too. I think I need to buckle down on time management.
But I'm dawdling on other stuff, too. I think I need to buckle down on time management.
the end, the future
Feb. 23rd, 2024 12:17 amI know where the story will end.
So it's going to end there.
Despite vague knowledge of what will happen after that. That gets to be its own story after it coughs up the rest of itself.
So it's going to end there.
Despite vague knowledge of what will happen after that. That gets to be its own story after it coughs up the rest of itself.
info dump by dialog
Jan. 7th, 2024 12:37 amAm trying to work up the scene where our hero rescues children instead of taking down the bad guy.
Muse is having fun having the children babble to the secondary hero that they were rescued by an angel because of his specific powers. Secondary hero is annoyed, partly because he can do what the hero did, and he knows he's human, not an angel. (No wings, even, in either case.)
Muse is having fun having the children babble to the secondary hero that they were rescued by an angel because of his specific powers. Secondary hero is annoyed, partly because he can do what the hero did, and he knows he's human, not an angel. (No wings, even, in either case.)
writing a scene from the middle out
Dec. 3rd, 2023 11:36 pmTwice I have written a scene and promptly had to go back and revise it on the spot. to expand it with a lot of detail
It's a long standing habit of mine. At least with computers rather than typewriters or longhand, it doesn't involve margins and arrows pointing where things belong.
It's a long standing habit of mine. At least with computers rather than typewriters or longhand, it doesn't involve margins and arrows pointing where things belong.
