10369 réponses à ce sujet

[SurelyForth]

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...

re: Writing demons (of the non DA:O variety)

The worst one for me is producing something that seems like it's taking *forever* to get out, realising it's not good enough purely because I'm not enjoying writing it, but having spent *so* *much* *time* on it that I simply don't want to cut it and start again. I can do dialogue, I can do descriptions, I can do action scenes, but if I'm not 'in the zone' then it all feels like some massive, unpleasant chore and I end up procrastinating.

A workaround that seems to have been working for me is cut/pasting all these scenes into an outtake file. Sometimes I find a use for what's been written that slots nicely into a later scene, and it just feels better than straight-out deleting a whole chunk of text.

I do that quite a bit with my fic. Both with chapters where I'm struggling to just get words out and making any sense AND on chapters where I have too many ideas and can't stop writing.

I'm experiencing the latter right now. I could seriously make this chapter 20,000 words and I was hoping to keep it at 5,000. So now it will probably be two 5k chapters (and that's with tons being cut out and slotted for another story). 

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Surely - David Eddings (RIP ;_ once said that when you're on a good run with writing, it feels like you're pulling down fire from heaven. I tend to agree.

Modifié par Shadow of Light Dragon, 02 septembre 2010 - 03:06 .

[Sarah1281]

Is it weird if you want to write a story about a Warden doing something so morally repugnant that you have to create a new character beceause you don't want to tarnish your existing ones like that?

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

I don't think it's weird at all, Sarah. Preserving character integrity is one of those things

[Addai]

Sarah1281 wrote...

Is it weird if you want to write a story about a Warden doing something so morally repugnant that you have to create a new character beceause you don't want to tarnish your existing ones like that?

Is it weird that I stopped playing certain characters because I did something with them "just for RP purposes" and then was so disgusted with them I didn't want to play them anymore?

So, I guess my answer to your question is- no, I don't find that weird at all!

[LupusYondergirl]

Seriously, all hail the outtake file. Mine's like novel length.  It's also my writers-block file. "oh hey, I remember that idea.  I'll go with that now!"

@Sarah: not at all. Some characters just won't do certain things. If you think it wouldn't fit with the personality you've established for them it makes more sense to create a new Warden.

Modifié par LupusYondergirl, 02 septembre 2010 - 03:47 .

[Addai]

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...

re: Writing demons (of the non DA:O variety)

The worst one for me is producing something that seems like it's taking *forever* to get out, realising it's not good enough purely because I'm not enjoying writing it, but having spent *so* *much* *time* on it that I simply don't want to cut it and start again. I can do dialogue, I can do descriptions, I can do action scenes, but if I'm not 'in the zone' then it all feels like some massive, unpleasant chore and I end up procrastinating.

A workaround that seems to have been working for me is cut/pasting all these scenes into an outtake file. Sometimes I find a use for what's been written that slots nicely into a later scene, and it just feels better than straight-out deleting a whole chunk of text.

I think a scraps file is a really good idea.  Lots of writers swear you should never throw out anything.

I tell myself that in my editing stage, absolutely everything is fair game for the chopping block, even my most cherished phrases and scenes.  I try to err on the side of streamlined/ tight.  But it's so hard sometimes.    Especially when you don't have a real editor who says "you have to cut this or you won't get paid."

[Sarah1281]

LupusYondergirl wrote...

Seriously, all hail the outtake file. Mine's like novel length.  It's also my writers-block file. "oh hey, I remember that idea.  I'll go with that now!"

@Sarah: not at all. Some characters just won't do certain things. If you think it wouldn't fit with the personality you've established for them it makes more sense to create a new Warden.

Yeah, seriously it's one of the most evil things in the game if not the most evil. But I really want to do a reaction piece if she actually got away with it...so I guess that means new, evil character.

I don't really have an omake file so much as a word document with all my story ideas for whatever fandom and currently I'm at...339. I'll never get around to writing all of them (mostly one-shots, of course) but it's nice to have options to pick from. Like the one I wrote yesterday? It said 'Loghain and Alistair trapped in room, Alistair mocks Loghain about Riordan' and I got a 1,417 word one-shot from there.

[LupusYondergirl]

Oooh, now I'm curious. Most evil thing in the game...

Siding with the slavers in the alienage? (for almost anything else I can think of a way a non-evil character can somewhat justify it.)

[Sarah1281]

LupusYondergirl wrote...

Oooh, now I'm curious. Most evil thing in the game...
Siding with the slavers in the alienage? (for almost anything else I can think of a way a non-evil character can somewhat justify it.)

Well, my story list has it at 'Shianni dead after bribe.' If no one makes it back, she really will get away with taking Vaughan's blood money and so she returns to the Alienage before the Landsmeet and everyone's so very sad about what happened but they know that she and Soris tried their best...

[Dean_the_Young]

jackkel dragon wrote...

@Dean: I'm creating a file of your ideas. I'll put it next to the quotes text file I made last year.

I've come up with some crazy ideas for mods, both for Origins and standalone, but I always thought inside the box! You have some great ideas.

Um... where are your stories? I want to read what you've released, see what you did.

I don't write much, from a lack of time and interest in putting the effort, and what I do have is primarily for other series.

That said, I do have one Dragon Age piece I am rather fond of. It was supposed to be the first of a series of character-relationship introspections on the part of a misanthrope city elf, and while that never played out I still consider it one of my most intense pieces.

Hatred

[Sialater]

That was very good, Dean. I'm not too big a fan of exposition only stories, but that one worked since it was entirely in your CE's head.

[MireliA]

The next chapter of the Round Robin 'The Brewmaster's Daughter' is available to read.

[Sarah1281]

Does anyone else hate it when reviewers tell you where they're expecting the story to go (they think they've figured it out) and it's not at all accurate because you don't want to disappoint them? Or do you guys think it's better that they can't tell where you're going?

[LupusYondergirl]

I had someone guess a big upcoming plot thing in a review not long ago. It bugged me, I didn't realize I was that transparent. I'd rather someone be completely off base, to be honest.

[Dean_the_Young]

Sarah1281 wrote...

Does anyone else hate it when reviewers tell you where they're expecting the story to go (they think they've figured it out) and it's not at all accurate because you don't want to disappoint them? Or do you guys think it's better that they can't tell where you're going?

Far better the second than the first. Predictable stories are, as a rule, over-simplified stories.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

I'd rather keep people guessing. I don't mind speculation, and I don't mind people saying "I *knew* this was going to happen!" when it actually happens, but guessing correctly if it's something I was hoping to be a big surprise? That'd probably take the wind out of my sails.



I don't think that aiming for a goal people can't guess correctly means they'll be disappointed.

[Raonar]

The biggest challenge is making a story unpredictable but still leaving sufficient hints in the previous chapters so as to not seem hard to believe when said even does occur. It's a fine line between unpredictability and lack of believability, or so it seems to me.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Raonar wrote...

The biggest challenge is making a story unpredictable but still leaving sufficient hints in the previous chapters so as to not seem hard to believe when said even does occur. It's a fine line between unpredictability and lack of believability, or so it seems to me.

Agreed. But it's awesome when it works out and people say "It all makes sense!"

[Sarah1281]

The problem is that people have the 'if it's in the story, it's significant' mentality and sometimes that's true. I didn't want to be accused of an asspull in one of my earlier stories and so I had a character say that they brought their own drink...and then, like, twenty different people figured it out. Fortunately, I didn't do anything more with that for a few weeks/months and so most people had changed their mind or forgotten about it by the time I actually confirmed it.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

I think it depends what sort of story you're writing as well, and what your style is. If you're doing crime or mystery etc. people are going to look more closely at your details and off-hand comments. If you, as a writer, have an established pattern of using apparently innocent remarks as IMPORTANT STUFF later on (like, say, JK Rowling), people will also pay close attention.



Whether this means you're predictable or you have some clever readers...

[Sialater]

I'm actually about to pull off a giant twist in one of my fics.



I'm terrified.

[Sarah1281]

Good luck!

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Seconded

[Dean_the_Young]

I actually have a Dragon Age writing project in mind to try sometime this weekend, inspiried by one of my current play through decisions.

Everyone's probably gone through a phase where they try item collection: whether keeping a copy of every item, never selling sentimental items, and so on. In this play through with a male human noble, I just wanted to keep a copy of every 'significant' item I came across: unique items and weapons, in short, things that couldn't be bought elsewhere. Those items that give you codex, the sentimental family treasures, the impressive works of craftmanship, and so on.

Then I paused to myself and began wondering: why? Why would my Grey Warden do this, collecting enough weapons to make a museum? And it came to me: to do just that. Diplomacy, and education.

Thankfully I'm playing a noble, to really justify the foresight and emphasis on diplomacy. But the general idea is just that: my Warden, even before he became the de facto group leader, knew that the Wardens were alone in Fereleden... and that they would have to come back to various places as often as not. So when he, his party, and perhaps Leliana's sticky fingers came across something notable, unique, and person, he kept it around as a potential gift at a later time when the Wardens might return. A 'lost' First Enchanter's cap from the tower? Give it to the next First Enchanter I need something from. A Keeper's Ring? Well, pity I sided with the Werewolves, but 'returning' it to the next Dalish clan I have to deal with may help some.

Later on (and, having planned through, I've preplanned this narrative playthrough), he ends up with an even greater hoard of items, some of them surprisingly advanced, like a repeating crossbow, and even some artifacts from previous Blights. And, since he has a Grey Warden fortress to store all these great and advanced weapons in, as well as a Warden mage who's discovered secrets to let Wardens live not a paltry thirty years but generations... let Queen Anora have her university, if only so King Couseland can turn the Warden's Keep into a Warden College, where the training, education, and research of future Wardens can take place in secret. (And, of course, the Wardens can occasionally give diplomatic gifts on their behalf.)


I look forward to attempting the concept this weekend. How many parts might I need: three? Four? An initial early-game justification for scavenging, a dialogue with Avernus, an argument with the Queen over policy and funds...ah, and a gift-giving scene, of course, though I have a hard time thinking of just one in particular. I do love my Helm of Hornelleth... but the Wardens (and Avernus) would want to study the late Mage Wilhelm's office and affects, especially a Demon-restraining room.

Maybe the cheese knife instead? Was there anything else unique picked up from the town other than, well, Shale?

Modifié par Dean_the_Young, 03 septembre 2010 - 11:05 .