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#5201
dpMeggers

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hot_heart wrote...

While I'm here...does anyone put much thought into how their characters curse? :P

I know there are fallback ones for certain races and characters ("Keelah!", "(By the) Goddess!") but I assume some of you are a little more diverse and creative.

Personally, I don't really have much scope for it, and I tend to stick to the game's own language usage both in severity and style. As in, Miranda won't be swearing up a storm, but she'd use damn/damnit/bloody.


Yes (although they don't much - at the moment). Shepard uses good old-fashioned swears of the 4 letter variety. Not just in moments of high emotional intensity, but casually peppered into his conversations (not to a Jack degree, but more than he does in game) because of where and how he grew up. R.J. also uses the 4 letter kind, but less frequently - he's a marine, but he's also pretty laid-back and cheerful. Later on in the story Tess will use strings of sacrees (Quebecois swears based on blasphemy) mixed in with English swears for when she looses her temper, but she won't swear much otherwise. She doesn't speak French often in the story, but for whatever reason blaspheming suits her more than cussing.

Eventually (when I get into the games themselves, which may be a long eventually) Ash and Shepard will definitely be the swearers of the group. Although now I'm wondering what the hell Krogan swears sound like...

#5202
Spiritwolf1

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I should create a character that takes after Debbie from Dexter cause she knows more usages for the f word then any one I have ever seen before

#5203
hot_heart

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Spiritwolf1 wrote...
I should create a character that takes after Debbie from Dexter cause she knows more usages for the f word then any one I have ever seen before

If you've ever seen The Thick Of It or In The Loop, Malcolm Tucker is the king of cursing.

Also, as a Miranda fan, I guess it's my duty to shout, "YVONNE TONIGHT! YEAH!" :P

#5204
Obsidian Gryphon

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MrStoob wrote...

I'd say it depends on the context.  If two factions are part of the same political system they may 'duke it out' in the political forum of that system.  If one is an 'underdog' faction, they may resort to terrorist activity.  Two great powers may resort to war.

A policital stance is based on concepts and ideas, so setting those premises for the two factions would be important, and particularly what points cause the difference or 'conflict'.  The classic right wing VS left wing is a good example.  In its most crude form, it could be descibed that right wing is about the self, left wing is about the many,  I wouldn't use BSN as a bench mark though :happy:


I want to keep it simple without trying for the "huge complicated" vocabulary polticians oft used. :lol:  I understand the left/right wing concept but it's not going to be so clear cut. More of shades of grey which I have intended all along but it's not easy to write, as I said. Maybe because my mind is not really settled these few days. Going to give it another go later though I think I'll flunk in my goal.

BSN is really good for :lol:.  But then, I suppose other game forums also have their convoluted theorists who coined up stuff to support their arguments. The other game forum I go to is at least ordinary, logical and open-minded. :P  But I think it's one of its kind, the players come together to discuss a game they love, despite the faults which I must say, isn't so deffective as ME3's.

#5205
fluffywalrus

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Ugh, I can't wait until Wednesday. I just thought of the best way to handle a specific scene in my fic and I'm super excited to write about it. I even took time away from my monster of an assignment and filled a text file with details :D It'll be my nice little bit of fluff after such a stupidly grueling week (though this scene enters the fic much later, so don't go expecting it soon, readers).

I just want to note...going through ME1's dialogue when encountering Tali (and in Udina's office afterward), there's a lot of craziness and just...condensed dialogue. Like they thought they were out of time and just decided to put out as much information as possible, despite the awkwardness. I'm having a lot of fun wondering how to make that a lot more organic. I mean, how the hell would there just so happen to be information on geth-based religious beliefs on the data core, and info on how the reapers seriously wrecked the protheans? Honestly. How?
And when Shep and Tali meet and she askes who Shep is, Shep is all "Oh Hey I'm commander shepard and I'm on a quest to take down this evil bad dude durr".
Like, seriously? What?

Anywho, should be fun. Wednesday just can't come soon enough...(stupid stats analysis paper...)

On a side note, a reader brought up in a review of my most recent chapter that my Shep seemed like a bit of a know-it-all. Of course, I disagree, but I come from the point of privilege of knowing my characters on a higher level.

That said, I've been writing a fic that relies on my other origin fic a fair bit for character growth, and I also have to write in a way that accommodates those who haven't read my origin fic. I've looked at my writing so far and have noticed that where my character comes across as a bit...holier-than-thou...is when I'm trying to convey to new readers what pisses off my Shep(not every time I bring up what pisses my Shep off, but it's linked exclusively to this type of material). I feel that maybe I'm being a bit too ham-handed, but I also find it's difficult to tone it down without making the links so subtle that readers probably wouldn't pick up on it (and might just think she's a *****), at least for the reasons I'm conveying.

Normally, I convey these bits of character over a long span of time, but with so many new characters about to be introduced, and with new character growth arcs being prepared that rely on some basic knowledge of my character, it's pivotal I let readers know exactly where my character's at fairly quickly...but in doing so, I risk alienating readers because my writing skills just can't push those kind of implied characteristics subtly at a high level. In short, my ability to make an accurate first impression has been called into question, and I can't shake the feeling that my failure in this regard will lead to less successful and coherent plot arcs going forward due to a dissonance between myself and the readership over who and what my Shepard is.

Any tips on how to handle this? I'm kind of at wit's end, and I don't want end up pushing people away just because I suck at communicating subtly and concisely in a strong sense.

Maybe I'm just tired...sleep is a terrific idea. I think I need one of those.-_-

#5206
enayasoul

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hot_heart wrote...

Spiritwolf1 wrote...
I should create a character that takes after Debbie from Dexter cause she knows more usages for the f word then any one I have ever seen before

If you've ever seen The Thick Of It or In The Loop, Malcolm Tucker is the king of cursing.

Also, as a Miranda fan, I guess it's my duty to shout, "YVONNE TONIGHT! YEAH!" :P


Dexter?  I don't get the that channel and not a big fan of serial killers chopping up people.  Let me know what you think of her performance or what happens...! :D  I might have to go watch "Chuck" for a fix!  :unsure: 

#5207
Spiritwolf1

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She was actually pretty hot in it and it kind of left it in the ... she might be back area.

#5208
Spiritwolf1

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fluffywalrus wrote...

Ugh, I can't wait until Wednesday. I just thought of the best way to handle a specific scene in my fic and I'm super excited to write about it. I even took time away from my monster of an assignment and filled a text file with details :D It'll be my nice little bit of fluff after such a stupidly grueling week (though this scene enters the fic much later, so don't go expecting it soon, readers).

I just want to note...going through ME1's dialogue when encountering Tali (and in Udina's office afterward), there's a lot of craziness and just...condensed dialogue. Like they thought they were out of time and just decided to put out as much information as possible, despite the awkwardness. I'm having a lot of fun wondering how to make that a lot more organic. I mean, how the hell would there just so happen to be information on geth-based religious beliefs on the data core, and info on how the reapers seriously wrecked the protheans? Honestly. How?
And when Shep and Tali meet and she askes who Shep is, Shep is all "Oh Hey I'm commander shepard and I'm on a quest to take down this evil bad dude durr".
Like, seriously? What?

Anywho, should be fun. Wednesday just can't come soon enough...(stupid stats analysis paper...)

On a side note, a reader brought up in a review of my most recent chapter that my Shep seemed like a bit of a know-it-all. Of course, I disagree, but I come from the point of privilege of knowing my characters on a higher level.

That said, I've been writing a fic that relies on my other origin fic a fair bit for character growth, and I also have to write in a way that accommodates those who haven't read my origin fic. I've looked at my writing so far and have noticed that where my character comes across as a bit...holier-than-thou...is when I'm trying to convey to new readers what pisses off my Shep(not every time I bring up what pisses my Shep off, but it's linked exclusively to this type of material). I feel that maybe I'm being a bit too ham-handed, but I also find it's difficult to tone it down without making the links so subtle that readers probably wouldn't pick up on it (and might just think she's a *****), at least for the reasons I'm conveying.

Normally, I convey these bits of character over a long span of time, but with so many new characters about to be introduced, and with new character growth arcs being prepared that rely on some basic knowledge of my character, it's pivotal I let readers know exactly where my character's at fairly quickly...but in doing so, I risk alienating readers because my writing skills just can't push those kind of implied characteristics subtly at a high level. In short, my ability to make an accurate first impression has been called into question, and I can't shake the feeling that my failure in this regard will lead to less successful and coherent plot arcs going forward due to a dissonance between myself and the readership over who and what my Shepard is.

Any tips on how to handle this? I'm kind of at wit's end, and I don't want end up pushing people away just because I suck at communicating subtly and concisely in a strong sense.

Maybe I'm just tired...sleep is a terrific idea. I think I need one of those.-_-




Having read both, I really don't see and holier then thou... not that is out of character anyway and even so, Shepard was always a little bit holier then thou anyway. I would take a break then go back see what you think of it... it's your story.

#5209
AustereLemur799

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Hi guys. I moved country successfully, though I'm now living in the back of beyond. Feeling kind of homesick, so it's kind of comforting to see all you guys again.

Post-moving depression (if such a thing exists Posted Image) means that I've really put my fic on a back-burner. Hopefully I'll get my mojo back soon and sort things out.

I probably won't be on that much since I need to descend the mountain I'm living on to get an internet connection Posted Image.

Hope all you folks are doing well. Posted Image

#5210
Obsidian Gryphon

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AustereLemur799 wrote...

Hi guys. I moved country successfully, though I'm now living in the back of beyond. Feeling kind of homesick, so it's kind of comforting to see all you guys again.

Post-moving depression (if such a thing exists Posted Image) means that I've really put my fic on a back-burner. Hopefully I'll get my mojo back soon and sort things out.

I probably won't be on that much since I need to descend the mountain I'm living on to get an internet connection Posted Image.

Hope all you folks are doing well. Posted Image


Good to hear from you, AL. Can I call you AL? You can just call me OG :D  

New digs, new enviornment, take your time. It'll feel like an familiar glove.

#5211
dpMeggers

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fluffywalrus wrote...

On a side note, a reader brought up in a review of my most recent chapter that my Shep seemed like a bit of a know-it-all. Of course, I disagree, but I come from the point of privilege of knowing my characters on a higher level.

That said, I've been writing a fic that relies on my other origin fic a fair bit for character growth, and I also have to write in a way that accommodates those who haven't read my origin fic. I've looked at my writing so far and have noticed that where my character comes across as a bit...holier-than-thou...is when I'm trying to convey to new readers what pisses off my Shep(not every time I bring up what pisses my Shep off, but it's linked exclusively to this type of material). I feel that maybe I'm being a bit too ham-handed, but I also find it's difficult to tone it down without making the links so subtle that readers probably wouldn't pick up on it (and might just think she's a *****), at least for the reasons I'm conveying.

Normally, I convey these bits of character over a long span of time, but with so many new characters about to be introduced, and with new character growth arcs being prepared that rely on some basic knowledge of my character, it's pivotal I let readers know exactly where my character's at fairly quickly...but in doing so, I risk alienating readers because my writing skills just can't push those kind of implied characteristics subtly at a high level. In short, my ability to make an accurate first impression has been called into question, and I can't shake the feeling that my failure in this regard will lead to less successful and coherent plot arcs going forward due to a dissonance between myself and the readership over who and what my Shepard is.

Any tips on how to handle this? I'm kind of at wit's end, and I don't want end up pushing people away just because I suck at communicating subtly and concisely in a strong sense.

Maybe I'm just tired...sleep is a terrific idea. I think I need one of those.-_-


Having not read Feathers (yet, working on getting through Event Horizon first) I can't comment on how Shepard comes off. However - I can say this. It's a sequel. As a reader, you don't just jump into Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince or The Return of the King and expect to understand who all these characters are and why certain things matter to them. (Or jump into the third game in a trilogy and have that be 'an excellent starting point' *cough*) In the same way, you don't jump into Feathers and expect to know everything about Shepard's past that is explicitly laid out in another story. As far as I'm concerned, if you (the reader) want to know what's going on, read the preceeding material first.

This might just be me being ornery, but I fully believe that if you're reading a story, and you know it's not the first one, then it's your own damn fault if you're having difficulty following the plot or characterization. If you want the author to explicitly lay everything out for you, guess what. They already did. It's in that other bit they wrote first that you haven't read yet. Twit. /rant

I realize this probably isn't helpful, but at the same time...you already wrote a solid fic re: her history. Beyond saying 'its all there already' and pointing with big flashing arrows, I don't know what else you can do. 

#5212
Drussius

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dpMeggers wrote...

Having not read Feathers (yet, working on getting through Event Horizon first) I can't comment on how Shepard comes off.


Posted Image Hope you're enjoying it!

fluffywalrus wrote...

On a side note, a reader brought up in a review of my most recent chapter that my Shep seemed like a bit of a know-it-all. Of course, I disagree, but I come from the point of privilege of knowing my characters on a higher level.

That said, I've been writing a fic that relies on my other origin fic a fair bit for character growth, and I also have to write in a way that accommodates those who haven't read my origin fic. I've looked at my writing so far and have noticed that where my character comes across as a bit...holier-than-thou...is when I'm trying to convey to new readers what pisses off my Shep(not every time I bring up what pisses my Shep off, but it's linked exclusively to this type of material). I feel that maybe I'm being a bit too ham-handed, but I also find it's difficult to tone it down without making the links so subtle that readers probably wouldn't pick up on it (and might just think she's a *****), at least for the reasons I'm conveying.

Normally, I convey these bits of character over a long span of time, but with so many new characters about to be introduced, and with new character growth arcs being prepared that rely on some basic knowledge of my character, it's pivotal I let readers know exactly where my character's at fairly quickly...but in doing so, I risk alienating readers because my writing skills just can't push those kind of implied characteristics subtly at a high level. In short, my ability to make an accurate first impression has been called into question, and I can't shake the feeling that my failure in this regard will lead to less successful and coherent plot arcs going forward due to a dissonance between myself and the readership over who and what my Shepard is.

Any tips on how to handle this? I'm kind of at wit's end, and I don't want end up pushing people away just because I suck at communicating subtly and concisely in a strong sense.

Maybe I'm just tired...sleep is a terrific idea. I think I need one of those.-_-


I also have not yet read your fics, either of them, though I swear I will get to both of them and all of the other fics on my list of follows soon. I'm just hesitant to cut back on writing while my muses persist in keeping me motivated!

But on point, without having a frame of reference to speak from, I'll go with generalizations. The only thing I could suggest is that you keep an eye on parts where knowledge of the first fic would be important. If you are introducing John, Shepard's friend from Mindoir, or whatever, you just need to recognize that John was introduced in your first fic, and hence you might need to include an extra paragraph or extra dialogue to explain that John was a neighbor that Shepard grew up with, and the two were always together when trouble found them, or what have you.

That's the only sort of thing I would suggest that could help readers who - for whatever reason - are reading your new fic without reading the first. In the vague example you gave, for instance, maybe a few extra lines to detail why your Shep has an attitude when dealing with situation X... because she was once screwed over by someone similar or whatever... would help to bridge the divide a little.

I apologize for not having read your fic and thus being able to offer more specific advice, but hopefully something I said might help. Posted Image 

#5213
Dark Satris

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Lemur! I'm glad to see all went well!

#5214
MrStoob

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AustereLemur799 wrote...

Hi guys. I moved country successfully, though I'm now living in the back of beyond. Feeling kind of homesick, so it's kind of comforting to see all you guys again.

Post-moving depression (if such a thing exists Posted Image) means that I've really put my fic on a back-burner. Hopefully I'll get my mojo back soon and sort things out.

I probably won't be on that much since I need to descend the mountain I'm living on to get an internet connection Posted Image.

Hope all you folks are doing well. Posted Image


I believe that moving home is one of the top stresses, so moving country as well... I wouldn't be surprised if you felt out of sorts.  Hope you get settled soon and back to writing.

#5215
Dark Satris

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well, chapter 9 for SE is now out (just to let you guys/gals know...)

#5216
Drussius

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Congrats on finishing Chapter 9, Satris. And to Lemur as well, for the safe and successful move. Sorry I didn't comment on either one yesterday. Got a little distracted by answering Fluffy and editing the next Chapter of my story. Better late than never, they say!

Edit: Oh, and for anyone who might know... When the FF.net system deletes your documents from Doc Manager, it doesn't delete the associated Chapters, does it? The document from which Chapter One of my fic was drawn will be deleted in a few days. I'd rather not have to reupload the dumb thing.

Modifié par Drussius, 16 octobre 2012 - 09:33 .


#5217
Lilivati

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When the FF.net system deletes your documents from Doc Manager, it doesn't delete the associated Chapters, does it?

It definitely does NOT delete your chapter. They just don't have the space to store people's documents indefinitely. The chapter remains on the site.

#5218
Spiritwolf1

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Dru, I go back every onece in awhile just just update, I dont do anything but I pretend I do

#5219
dpMeggers

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Right. I'm hereby banning you all from releasing new chapters until I'm finished catching up on everyone's stories. (I'm looking at you Druissus. I managed to get to chapter 17 last night before I had to go to sleep. I wake up this morning and bam! New chapter.)

I kid, obviously. Feel free to write as much as you like. I will scramble to keep up for a little while. (Getting there)

And now, to clean my room and pump out a chapter of my very own.

#5220
fluffywalrus

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dpMeggers wrote...

Right. I'm hereby banning you all from releasing new chapters until I'm finished catching up on everyone's stories. (I'm looking at you Druissus. I managed to get to chapter 17 last night before I had to go to sleep. I wake up this morning and bam! New chapter.)

I kid, obviously. Feel free to write as much as you like. I will scramble to keep up for a little while. (Getting there)

And now, to clean my room and pump out a chapter of my very own.


haha, I'm in total agreement. Huge assignment due Wednesday morning bright and early.
Oh hey, Monday and Tuesdays aren't usually THAT busy in terms of new stories. No worries.
*10 new stories to read, over 70k words*
GAH!

I feel bad that I can't read until Wednesday or maybe Thursday. :crying:

#5221
Drussius

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fluffywalrus wrote...

dpMeggers wrote...

Right. I'm hereby banning you all from releasing new chapters until I'm finished catching up on everyone's stories. (I'm looking at you Druissus. I managed to get to chapter 17 last night before I had to go to sleep. I wake up this morning and bam! New chapter.)

I kid, obviously. Feel free to write as much as you like. I will scramble to keep up for a little while. (Getting there)

And now, to clean my room and pump out a chapter of my very own.


haha, I'm in total agreement. Huge assignment due Wednesday morning bright and early.
Oh hey, Monday and Tuesdays aren't usually THAT busy in terms of new stories. No worries.
*10 new stories to read, over 70k words*
GAH!

I feel bad that I can't read until Wednesday or maybe Thursday. :crying:


But my new Chapters aren't a surprise! I usually put in the author's notes the day on which the next one comes up! Meggers is a bit behind, so I understand why you wouldn't know that, but Fluffy and Spirit should know! In this case, Chapter 23 will go up on Sunday. Posted Image

And there's no hurry to read them immediately, Fluffy and Meggers. It'll be there whenever you have time for it. So don't stress yourselves. Posted Image

#5222
Spiritwolf1

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That's ok Fluffy, although I just might have another chapter up by then, if I get out of this little bout of writers block

#5223
Drussius

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Ugh. I'm sorry to hear about the writer's block, Spirit. That always sucks. But I do wonder, how come writers are the only ones that get a mental block that messes up their profession? You never hear about Doctor's Block, or Carpenter's Block... Posted Image

#5224
Spiritwolf1

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Well, Doctors have nurses and other Doctors that are doing the exact same prcedures to help them along if they get a block and carpenter follow a blueprint... there is no real blueprint for writing... and I think a Doctor with a doctors block would be fired. Or I would hope so anyway.

#5225
Dark Satris

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i have writers block sometimes,

especially like now, when i have to be doing an essay on helen keller for english class that is
DUE TOMORROW, my problem is that my teacher's instructions are confusing as hell