9962 réponses à ce sujet

[fluffywalrus]

BlueMoonSeraphim wrote...

 So is anyone doing NaNoWriMo?  I know most people do original works, but fanfiction is also allowed under the rules (at least going by their forums).  Has anyone ever done NaNoWriMo?  It sounds crazy.... 50,000 words in one month!

50k in a month isn't too terribly difficult if you pace youself and plan. This past August, I did about 120k in stories, and probably a good 40k in outlines. That said, I had a bit more spare time on my hands.
Still, 50k is definitely possible, you just need to get into a rhythm and know what you want to write ahead of time to at least some degree.

I won't be participating because November is my hell month, as usual (last year, all of my november chapter submissions were written that october), but  I certainly have enough unpublished stuff lying around to maybe be ale to fit the challenge. Not sure if it would count, though, seeing as it was done in october, but it was across the span of 3 or 4 days, so technically it was written in the span of a month.

Writing challenges like these are pretty exciting, I always like seeing what comes of them

[YurigirlzCrush]

*dances*

i'm a trend setter! I posted and it brought other people out of hiding! *grins* oooo! and I can attest to fluffy's love of writing challenges! I read all of the ones she wrote for a challenge this summer!

but I can't even imagine writing 50K words in one month. that's... a lot more writing than I can make time for, sadly. i'm having a hard time just nailing down my outline! I keep outlining the rest of my ME story, then I get an idea I really like and have to rework half of it to make the new idea fit!

[Rixatrix]

Wow, fluffy! Your writing discipline is impressive! You can laugh in 50k's face, haha! :happy:

I'm with Yuri... 50k in one month is daunting.   Between work, keeping up the house, and finding time for my husband (lol), I rarely get much time for myself. And when I do, I end up staring at a blank page more than I end up filling it in! *snaps fingers* 

I recently picked up the program Scrivener to try and organize my creative writing and for (dubious) work purposes... :devil:I must admit, it makes things seem a lot more doable. I imported my ME3 fic (the one I'm currently editing), and it made moving scenes around and planning the rest a breeze! There's also a little sidebar thing (I forget what it's called) for notes, pictures, labels and such... I abuse the heck out of it! I wish someone had told me about it sooner. I just randomly saw it mentioned in some comments on a fanfic editing article, lol.

Modifié par BlueMoonSeraphim, 21 octobre 2013 - 10:52 .

[MrStoob]

50k words in a month? Pah! Easy.

50k quality words? Hm. I'll get me coat.

The way my writing is at the mo, I'm lucky to do 5k. XCom hasn't helped recently... as damned addictive as the original great game.

[Ignis Mors]

Fifty-K in a month isn't too hard if I can get stuff that isn't absolute garbage. In the last week or so I wrote seventeen K.  I could probably do it, if I could ****ing focus on writing a novel. I've tried to recently write something that was a novel, but couldn't focus on it. 

Modifié par Ignis Mors, 21 octobre 2013 - 11:08 .

[Seracen]

Ignis Mors wrote...

Fifty-K in a month isn't too hard if I can get stuff that isn't absolute garbage. In the last week or so I wrote seventeen K.  I could probably do it, if I could ****ing focus on writing a novel. I've tried to recently write something that was a novel, but couldn't focus on it. 

I am much in the same camp.  I did a word count on my current novel, it's coming in at around 120k.  Granted, most of that was written over the course of 3-4 months.  However, the last  10-20 k have been hell to write.  It also doesn't help that I've allowed myself to get distracted.

As for REGULARLY writing 50k a month...I don't think I could reliably do that unless writing was my job.  I tend to divvy up my hobby times, and I don't like writing unless I am in the zone.

[Ignis Mors]

Seracen wrote...

Ignis Mors wrote...

Fifty-K in a month isn't too hard if I can get stuff that isn't absolute garbage. In the last week or so I wrote seventeen K.  I could probably do it, if I could ****ing focus on writing a novel. I've tried to recently write something that was a novel, but couldn't focus on it. 

I am much in the same camp.  I did a word count on my current novel, it's coming in at around 120k.  Granted, most of that was written over the course of 3-4 months.  However, the last  10-20 k have been hell to write.  It also doesn't help that I've allowed myself to get distracted.

As for REGULARLY writing 50k a month...I don't think I could reliably do that unless writing was my job.  I tend to divvy up my hobby times, and I don't like writing unless I am in the zone.

I have the exact opposite problem. I can't get past the first five thousand.

[fluffywalrus]

BlueMoonSeraphim wrote...

Wow, fluffy! Your writing discipline is impressive! You can laugh in 50k's face, haha! :happy:

I'm with Yuri... 50k in one month is daunting.   Between work, keeping up the house, and finding time for my husband (lol), I rarely get much time for myself. And when I do, I end up staring at a blank page more than I end up filling it in! *snaps fingers* 

Haha, well, sometimes I just get on a roll. And sometimes I have droughts, but it all tends to even out somewhat in the end, though.

I honestly try not to think about wordcount, and just think about the idea, and if I have trouble, I usually rely on a few little tricks. Trust me, i'd had some pretty intense stare-downs with blank word documents in my day:P

-Sometimes, I take the advice that my profs in uni keep stressing. Basically, you think of an idea, a topic...in this case, it could be a character, a location, and event...and you write. You don't stop writing, even if you've suddenly ventured off into writing about ice cream cones and how amazingly yellow daisies can be, you just keep writing and writing and let yourself relax, loosen up and all. And maybe, after about 10, fifteen minutes of this, you'll have a few weird little anecdotes for your characters to talk about, or as historical events, or character traits/hobbies/pet peeves, etc.

-Another thing I do, and feel free to call me crazy for this, but I step away from my computer. *GASP* I know! It's wild! But I sit down oon my bed, grab some paper or an empty journal/diary/word receptacle, etc. and I write everything I know about that character. Everything. Spare no details. Because the sooner that your character is a person, the sooner you can relate to them, and predict their reactions and behaviour, which DOES help the writing process. You want to know how I can throw out 50k in a month? My characters write themselves, I just set the stage for them at this point. Sometimes, if I hit a roadblock, I step away from my computer (DOUBLEGASP) and converse with the character, or character(s) about where I am in the story. As in, I literally have a verbal conversation with myself, and my working knowledge of these characters. And THAT helps too, and sometimes the solutions they find me are so simple. 

-And thirdly, another trick is, and perhaps this works for me because I'm kind of silly, I take what I know about the thing I want to write, and I insert an absolutely ridiculous scene. I touched on this WAAAAY back when this thread began, but Whenever I hit a rough patch, wondering how to continue, I'd take the universe I was writing in, and ask myself a really strange question, like how would a krogan rendition of the Nutcracker play out with the Council in attendance, perhaps from one of their points of view? It's a silly exercise but it gets me relaxed, and in a better mood to tackle issues involving outlining and plot progression. I never use these scenes in my fics, but I always provide some weird segeu into them from my fic, and back from them, just to get me into a flow and maybe a new start for a scene, now that I'm on a roll.

-Lastly, outlining is a great idea. Just make a document and fill it with ideas. maybe you won't even use a fifth of them for your story, but maybe you will, and it'll give you a lot of ideas to fall back on if you get stuck, or are looking to expand lore, or whatever.

Modifié par fluffywalrus, 22 octobre 2013 - 12:55 .

[YurigirlzCrush]

fluffywalrus wrote...

-Another thing I do, and feel free to call me crazy for this, but I step away from my computer. *GASP*

you're crazy. *grins and runs* i'm kidding! please don't hit me or forbid me from reading your stuff!

my biggest problem, aside from time, is that I have this weird lack of attention. like ADHD. *sigh* i'll sit down, all excited to write, and I actually do write a little (very little... maybe two or three paragraphs) and then my brain says... hey! you have episodes of K-ON right here on this computer! just watch one... it'll be a nice break! then you can write more.

three hours later, I've watched six episodes, I still have reading to do for school, and i'm too tired to write + do schoolwork. *sigh* i'm so hopeless sometimes.



ooooo! side note! were any examples of asari language ever given in the series? i'm kicking around the idea of having my OC ask Liara to help her learn to speak asari dialects... but i'm not sure i'd feel up to trying to actually make up a language. *ponders*

[fluffywalrus]

YurigirlzCrush wrote...

fluffywalrus wrote...

-Another thing I do, and feel free to call me crazy for this, but I step away from my computer. *GASP*

you're crazy. *grins and runs* i'm kidding! please don't hit me or forbid me from reading your stuff!

my biggest problem, aside from time, is that I have this weird lack of attention. like ADHD. *sigh* i'll sit down, all excited to write, and I actually do write a little (very little... maybe two or three paragraphs) and then my brain says... hey! you have episodes of K-ON right here on this computer! just watch one... it'll be a nice break! then you can write more.

three hours later, I've watched six episodes, I still have reading to do for school, and i'm too tired to write + do schoolwork. *sigh* i'm so hopeless sometimes.



ooooo! side note! were any examples of asari language ever given in the series? i'm kicking around the idea of having my OC ask Liara to help her learn to speak asari dialects... but i'm not sure i'd feel up to trying to actually make up a language. *ponders*

Haha, I have issues focusing too, which is why i have so many story ideas and outlines written. I have a one-shots notepad file of pretty minimal outlines and notes, and it's 77k. I'm always thinking up something fun and new, and I never ever find time to write it for real because of my crazy schedule Hell, today between classes I wrote a K or two of outlines for a weird little story idea that just flooded out of me. And I'm sad because I know I'll never find the time to do it for real, not with all my other projects, but I'll probably occasionally add onto it when I feel like it, in hopes that one day I'd get around to it. So yes, i get attention issues too, but mine tend to be "Oh hey, that's an awesome idea, what if..." and i abandon any opportunity to work on something I'm actively writing to write chapters for


As for asari dialect, I do not believe there is anything in the games, sadly

[YurigirlzCrush]

fluffywalrus wrote...

Haha, I have issues focusing too, which is why i have so many story ideas and outlines written. I have a one-shots notepad file of pretty minimal outlines and notes, and it's 77k. I'm always thinking up something fun and new, and I never ever find time to write it for real because of my crazy schedule Hell, today between classes I wrote a K or two of outlines for a weird little story idea that just flooded out of me. And I'm sad because I know I'll never find the time to do it for real, not with all my other projects, but I'll probably occasionally add onto it when I feel like it, in hopes that one day I'd get around to it. So yes, i get attention issues too, but mine tend to be "Oh hey, that's an awesome idea, what if..." and i abandon any opportunity to work on something I'm actively writing to write chapters for


As for asari dialect, I do not believe there is anything in the games, sadly

I've done that a little bit too. I have three complete outlines for different stories and two partial outlines. and a file with three very, very vague ideas. but sadly most of my distractions aren't good ideas. they're just distractions that I really really shouldn't be indulging in. for example, I keep coming back here to check and see if anyone said anything new instead of finishing my reading assignment! *grins sheepishly*

[Rixatrix]

That's some good advice, fluffy. I think I'll be staring down the page a little less if I do some of that! 
My problem is usually, I'll come up with a premise I think is great, a few characters I adore, and get writing.  I'll hit a halfway mark in my outline (20k, 40k, even 50k words) in a few months, and then, one of two things happens:
1) I start going over the story from the beginning, making "edits" and "improvements" until I eventually lose sight of my ending or lose my nerve ("This is horrible/contrived/primitive/otherwise inadequate"), or
2) I have this great "what if" idea that completely derails the story, requiring me to go back to the beginning and do scene rewrites.  

My writing enemy is doing a draft from start-to-finish without yanking on loose threads and reveling in the destruction!  So, that's why I'm deciding to participate, as impossible as it may seem to me.   I want to see if I can get over my self-destructiveness as writer and actually complete a draft.  NaNoWriMo seems like the perfect challenge.

@Yuri: Kudos for taking on the construct-a-language challenge! I always love coming across a well thought-out new language in books.  For asari, there may not be much to work with because of "everyone has a language translator" thing, but you can take some liberties and use existing asari names for inspiration.  You could try compiling a list of the names of people, places, and things relating to the asari and look for common syllables and combinations.  I think we see a lot of -ar, -ara, -essa, th-, and sa-, for example.  Even working with just that a few common asari consonant sounds (I'm thinking "L," "R," and "S"), you can come up with some mixes that sound like elegant asari words!  ISee what your creativity comes up with. 

[Ignis Mors]

 Since we're talking about being having a bunch of random ideas for stuff that we write, I don't really use outlines that are written. I just work them through in my head. 

[Seracen]

Ignis Mors wrote...

 Since we're talking about being having a bunch of random ideas for stuff that we write, I don't really use outlines that are written. I just work them through in my head. 

I'm glad I outlined the story.  It really helped me blaze through that first 100k.  Of course, I've changed the game plan quite a few times.

I prefer to write out the skeleton prior to writing, just to act as a guide.  The character worksheets (for OC's) are also helpful.  There are a few cases where the character came out of my psyche, fully formed, and didn't need a sheet outlined for them.

Those are rare, as are the "insert characters and see where the action takes me" mode.  While fun to write, it's nigh impossible to have an nuance and foreshadowing, except for what you do subconsciously.

[hot_heart]

For me, writing without a chapter-by-chapter/scene-by-scene or at least a treatment is just asking for trouble. It's pretty much setting out on a long journey without a map; you might be able to get so far, but sooner or later you'll get lost and have to stop or wind up miles off-course.

Hence, my current slow progress.

[Fatiguesdualism]

Fifty thousand words? In a month?  [cue muffled screaming and other sounds of soul-searing terror] Ahem! Sorry, that's way-way-way outwith my capability!  (Seriously it's taken me almost ten minutes to type this waffle up) I like some of fluffywalrus' ideas though - spending time away from the computer is a favourite (I usually try to think of outlines on the hour-long bus trip into town - note the use of try! )

I like outlines for chapters - but I'm not so good with extending them beyond that, events become more nebulous the larger the outline becomes. Also story outlines tend to go out the window once I throw characters into the mix.

Modifié par Fatiguesdualism, 22 octobre 2013 - 06:40 .

[AustereLemur799]

hot_heart wrote...

For me, writing without a chapter-by-chapter/scene-by-scene or at least a treatment is just asking for trouble. It's pretty much setting out on a long journey without a map; you might be able to get so far, but sooner or later you'll get lost and have to stop or wind up miles off-course.

Hence, my current slow progress.

Actually I can really relate to this - it's the reason why I've all but given up on my fic.

Hey, guys and gals - sorry to crash in like this!  I hope everyone's doing well!

Sorry to ask a potentially stupid question but I was just wondering if anyone could either explain to me why Saren is 'bare-faced' (has no colony/clan markings) or point me in the general direction of articles/fanfics explaining/giving ideas.

I'm pretty sure that I once came across a fanfic about it, but it was a while ago and unfortunately I can't remember the name. It could well be on the fanfic list here on the BSN, but I'd be grateful for any advice.

As always: all the best to everyone

[Seracen]

Hey there Lemur!

I imagine it's a personal preference thing. I mean, the whole point of ritual painting and tattoos would be to express one's cultural beliefs, or to represent their clan.  Moreover, the most important people in Saren's life died in the 1st Contact War, so he might not have a clan or family anymore.

Thus, if Saren was indoctrinated, he'd have no use for such things. I might posit that he was more prone to acting like he did BECAUSE he didn't have a great sense of cultural pride. Sure, he hated humanity, but that doesn't mean he loved his fellow turians any more.

I could be off base with this, as my only exposure to Saren outside of ME1 is in the prequel novel.

Modifié par Seracen, 23 octobre 2013 - 02:04 .

[AustereLemur799]

Seracen wrote...

Hey there Lemur!

I imagine it's a personal preference thing. I mean, the whole point of ritual painting and tattoos would be to express one's cultural beliefs, or to represent their clan.  Moreover, the most important people in Saren's life died in the 1st Contact War, so he might not have a clan or family anymore.

Thus, if Saren was indoctrinated, he'd have no use for such things. I might posit that he was more prone to acting like he did BECAUSE he didn't have a great sense of cultural pride. Sure, he hated humanity, but that doesn't mean he loved his fellow turians any more.

I could be off base with this, as my only exposure to Saren outside of ME1 is in the prequel novel.

Hey, Seracen; thanks for your response!

I'm grateful for your opinion on the matter.  I can't really talk about anything ME related anymore since my opinions have become really warped.  Also I gave up but I'm trying to pick up where I left off.

As for my original question and Saren; I actually think that he was lead to Sovereign and the Reapers because of what happened to his brother (I'm referring to the comic Mass Effect: Evolution). I think that he has good intentions (i.e. to save the turian species) to begin with - but then he ends up getting indoctrinated, as does Matriarch Benezia when he brings her aboard.

Anyways I was just wondering about the clan markings. My very limited understanding of them (sorry! ) is that all turians were marked for their colonies after the Unification War(s)? I just wondered if perhaps Saren wasn't marked because he was a biotic (they were treated with suspicion and fear) - but that's assuming that he was born a biotic instead of being given biotics via Reaper manipulation (I know I've asked that before and, personally for my story; I'd like Saren to be born with biotics - that way he could be a kind of outcast).

Actually, on that note; can biotics be conferred via Reaper intervention? Is that even possible?

I know that I really need to go back to ME 101 - I'm trying to do just that by working up the courage to replay ME1 (and get over all my nostalgia and grief).

Thanks again, and sorry if I'm being a nuisance!

Modifié par AustereLemur799, 23 octobre 2013 - 02:22 .

[Ignis Mors]

AustereLemur799 wrote...

Seracen wrote...

Hey there Lemur!

I imagine it's a personal preference thing. I mean, the whole point of ritual painting and tattoos would be to express one's cultural beliefs, or to represent their clan.  Moreover, the most important people in Saren's life died in the 1st Contact War, so he might not have a clan or family anymore.

Thus, if Saren was indoctrinated, he'd have no use for such things. I might posit that he was more prone to acting like he did BECAUSE he didn't have a great sense of cultural pride. Sure, he hated humanity, but that doesn't mean he loved his fellow turians any more.

I could be off base with this, as my only exposure to Saren outside of ME1 is in the prequel novel.

Hey, Seracen; thanks for your response!

I'm grateful for your opinion on the matter.  I can't really talk about anything ME related anymore since my opinions have become really warped.  Also I gave up but I'm trying to pick up where I left off.

As for my original question and Saren; I actually think that he was lead to Sovereign and the Reapers because of what happened to his brother (I'm referring to the comic Mass Effect: Evolution). I think that he has good intentions (i.e. to save the turian species) to begin with - but then he ends up getting indoctrinated, as does Matriarch Benezia when he brings her aboard.

Anyways I was just wondering about the clan markings. My very limited understanding of them (sorry! ) is that all turians were marked for their colonies after the Unification War(s)? I just wondered if perhaps Saren wasn't marked because he was a biotic (they were treated with suspicion and fear) - but that's assuming that he was born a biotic instead of being given biotics via Reaper manipulation (I know I've asked that before and, personally for my story; I'd like Saren to be born with biotics - that way he could be a kind of outcast).

Actually, on that note; can biotics be conferred via Reaper intervention? Is that even possible?

I know that I really need to go back to ME 101 - I'm trying to do just that by working up the courage to replay ME1 (and get over all my nostalgia and grief).

Thanks again, and sorry if I'm being a nuisance!

It would be reasonable to assume so, since it is through manipulation of tiny modules of eezo in the person's body. So, one could reason that the reapers are capable of giving someone biotics. 

[AustereLemur799]

Ignis Mors wrote...

It would be reasonable to assume so, since it is through manipulation of tiny modules of eezo in the person's body. So, one could reason that the reapers are capable of giving someone biotics. 

Thanks for your response!

But does that mean that the subject in question has to have eezo already present in their body, even if it was too small to develop biotics on their own (or by getting sent to biotics academy)? - if that makes sense?

What about when Cerberus staged a crash over a human colony to incite biotic candidates in pregnant females (Kaidan Alenko is one of these products)?

I orginally believed that the Reapers were capable of gifting subjects with any kind of power simply because they were the Reapers and therefore technologically advanced.

[Seracen]

Agreed. I tend to consider Saren a natural biotic. However, I also feel that the Reapers could simply choose to grant a non-biotic with such abilities via Indoctrination.

Heck, I could see certain cycles viewing Indoctrination as a blessing through such boons (obviously prior to the actual "reaping").

[YurigirlzCrush]

this has absolutely nothing to do with ME or fanfics, so I apologize in advance... *sheepish* but anyone who has siblings, have you ever been torn between being really really mad at one for doing something sketchy and wanting to laugh because of their insane-level cruelty?

a few hours ago, I walked into the kitchen to find my youngest sister in tears and devouring cupcakes while the eldest of my younger sisters was practically rolling on the floor laughing in the next room. so... I demanded to know what happened.

has anyone ever seen the Yoplait commercial where there are cupcakes with smiley faces on them and when the woman chooses yogurt instead, they turn to frowny faces? well, Lisa went all out on this one. a half dozen cupcakes with smiley faces, a half dozen with frowny faces, a random comment when my baby sister got an apple for a bedtime snack, a quick switch when Heather's back was turned and... well... Heather hates to disappoint people (and desserts apparently)... *sigh*

does it make me a horrible person that I kinda wanted to hit Lisa and yet I was practically in tears trying to hold in laughter? *hangs head*

[fluffywalrus]

YurigirlzCrush wrote...

this has absolutely nothing to do with ME or fanfics, so I apologize in advance... *sheepish* but anyone who has siblings, have you ever been torn between being really really mad at one for doing something sketchy and wanting to laugh because of their insane-level cruelty?

a few hours ago, I walked into the kitchen to find my youngest sister in tears and devouring cupcakes while the eldest of my younger sisters was practically rolling on the floor laughing in the next room. so... I demanded to know what happened.

has anyone ever seen the Yoplait commercial where there are cupcakes with smiley faces on them and when the woman chooses yogurt instead, they turn to frowny faces? well, Lisa went all out on this one. a half dozen cupcakes with smiley faces, a half dozen with frowny faces, a random comment when my baby sister got an apple for a bedtime snack, a quick switch when Heather's back was turned and... well... Heather hates to disappoint people (and desserts apparently)... *sigh*

does it make me a horrible person that I kinda wanted to hit Lisa and yet I was practically in tears trying to hold in laughter? *hangs head*

Just gotta pop in here and say that's a genius-level prank

[IdesofJuly]

BlueMoonSeraphim wrote...

 So is anyone doing NaNoWriMo?  I know most people do original works, but fanfiction is also allowed under the rules (at least going by their forums).  Has anyone ever done NaNoWriMo?  It sounds crazy.... 50,000 words in one month!

I'll be doing NaNoWriMo, it's my first year and I'm unsure about what'll happen. I have a beginning, I have an end, I have no idea what'll be in the middle, and that's okay.