10369 réponses à ce sujet

[Maria13]

LupusYondergirl wrote...

Ah, nice to know my "AOA updates=ffnet breaks" streak remains unbroken!
It doesn't break every time I update... but I do seem to update immediately before every time it breaks.
Bah.

Also, from what I remember in The Calling, they didn't really "make camp" per se in the deep roads. It was more "Let's just try and steal a few hours sleep here" before the darkspawn find us again. Although they're not as dangerous during the blight, it is still "their" territory. Even with someone on watch you'd still have to hope to get back into your armor immediately after being woken up before they're on you, and that's still depending on from how far off they are before the wardens can sense darkspawn or anyone who isn't a warden can hear them.

Good point... Going for half and half, then...

[DreGregoire]

"Oh look here's a building that is still standing. We can defend ourselves in that right? Let's get some shut eye."

"Look those rocks make a ring there. We can defend ourselves there as long as they don't come from the air. Whose on first watch?"

"Wait who forgot my tent?"

*giggles*

Modifié par DreGregoire, 18 novembre 2010 - 08:02 .

[Maria13]

"Where's the bloody bronto? It's run away with my cheese..."

[Maria Caliban]

Sialater wrote...

I actually think Andraste's Ashes are better guarded by the dragon. The cult needs to go, though.

It depends on what you think the dragon is getting out of the deal.

mousestalker wrote...

Mini rant

My stupid characters keep running down bunny trails. I'm starting to feel like a slave driver, with whips and chains to keep them in line and headed in the right direction. Is there any merit to letting them run free for a bit?

/mini rant

I envy you. My characters are lazy gits.

Modifié par Maria Caliban, 19 novembre 2010 - 02:29 .

[Gilgamesh1138]

ROFL! Maria!

[Gilgamesh1138]

I was working on 95 of "Soulmates", but my other story grabbed me instead. Question, what do you all do when (and if )that happens? Do you force yourself to continue to struggle with one chapter, using the whips and chains (oooh kinky), or do you go where the muse seems to be leading you? I don't know that my characters are going down the bunny trail, but I am. Do I do the slap and tickle on myself?

[jackkel dragon]

Gilgamesh1138 wrote...

I was working on 95 of "Soulmates", but my other story grabbed me instead. Question, what do you all do when (and if )that happens? Do you force yourself to continue to struggle with one chapter, using the whips and chains (oooh kinky), or do you go where the muse seems to be leading you? I don't know that my characters are going down the bunny trail, but I am. Do I do the slap and tickle on myself?

I can't say, but it's happening to me right now. I'm spending a lot of time with the new Assassin's Creed, so most of my Dragon Age time is spent writing my module. Tayte is starting to get impatient, I'll bet. She still hasn't left Lothering.

[Gilgamesh1138]

Poor Tayte! Lothering sucks! I like her, please save her!



I think Kai just wants out of the Wilds, it's cold and clammy and full of darkspawn.

[Firky]

Firky checking in. Been super busy but finally have time to write for fun tonight!



Here's a question. It looks to be tied in with what Gil is saying above too. Do you ever get, like, totally inspired and think you've got a brilliant idea and knock yourself out on it, only to find that the very next time you sit down to work on it, you're like "Nah, that was crap" and can't even be bothered to read what you have? I do this all the time. Why is that? Is it really crap? Is it a common creative writing thing? Do I need some kind of mood stabilizer? I'm such a creative writing noob.



Seriously, I started on a larger work of fiction the other day and I was like, "Wow, this is the best idea I've ever had" and it possessed me for about 3 days. Now, I'm like "Meh." (???)



Also, what the hell is a bunny trail?

[Raonar]

Bunny trail is when characters start doing whatever it is they want in your head and you end up writing the chapter in that direction.



It can turn out totally relevant and awesome or meh-ish. Like when I started on the chapter on what was happening in the Fade and ended up stretching it over three full chapters because characters had a lot to say and much character development they would not give up on.



So I had to abide by their wishes.... and it turned out well... I think...



As for how a great idea can seem meh-ish... I don;t know, I guess it depends on your mood or maybe you're just developing really fast as a writer.

[casedawgz]

http://www.fanfictio...ins_of_the_Past



My HMN/Leliana fic if anyone's interested in checking out. I will warn you, however, that it's going to have a fair to moderate amount of adventure type stuff and isn't a straight romance. I know that usually keeps readership low, but I just can't do write a purely romantic story.

[Firky]

Raonar wrote...
As for how a great idea can seem meh-ish... I don;t know, I guess it depends on your mood or maybe you're just developing really fast as a writer.

Ah, this nice glass of red is easing me back in.

You know, I think it's the "idea" part. I think having clever ideas is the thing I do best and then the more I write it down, the more I'm destroying it, until it's Meh. My short things are always better than my long. Always.

It's like that idea I had for a companion that was a Tranquil impostor, as a story told through dialogue with DA characters. That's a really good idea but I just couldn't get it to all hang together right. It became a big mess.

The problem is that I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Hmmm. Maybe I should try to go back to basics. Anyone got any starter tips? Like, what do you do very first?

Modifié par Firky, 19 novembre 2010 - 08:44 .

[Esbatty]

Raonar wrote...

Bunny trail is when characters start doing whatever it is they want in your head and you end up writing the chapter in that direction.

It can turn out totally relevant and awesome or meh-ish. Like when I started on the chapter on what was happening in the Fade and ended up stretching it over three full chapters because characters had a lot to say and much character development they would not give up on.

So I had to abide by their wishes.... and it turned out well... I think...

As for how a great idea can seem meh-ish... I don;t know, I guess it depends on your mood or maybe you're just developing really fast as a writer.

So thats what that is... ugh, they need to stay out of my head when I shower. Showering is my time, not fictional character time. What I do in there is for me... like shaving and brushing my teeth (to save time, pervs), not "listening" to their conversations and hoping I remember it when I sit down with a notepad or computer.

[inquartata02]

I can't say, but it's happening to me right now. I'm spending a lot of time with the new Assassin's Creed

…this. Except I spent two freaking hours on one of those Leonardo's guns missions and got angry with the game and stalked off to write. If any AC fans are wondering, the mission involved heavy use of the glider-thing. I hate it. It needs to die.

But, I'll go back to it. I loves me some Assassin's Creed. There's just something refreshing about a stealth air-assassination from three stories up. Especially when you kill a guard captain and it makes the other guards literally say, "Enough of that. I'm going home."

The problem is that I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Hmmm. Maybe I should try to go back to basics. Anyone got any starter tips? Like, what do you do very first?

Personally, I keep a scratch pad (if I'm away from my laptop or ipad or droid) or notepad (if I'm at my computer) of ideas that come to mind. Eventually, you get enough of them were you can weave them into a pretty good story. At least, that's been my experience, and I know a few other writers who work the same way. It's like all the little ideas are marinating together or something. Wow… that sounded way more dirty than meant it to.

As for me, my characters tend to start conversations in my head. As in, snippets of conversations will spring to mind, and I tend to built off of that a lot. That's a lot less crazy than it sounds, I promise.

Anyway, ideas sometimes need to… wait, if that makes sense. And sometimes they need other ideas thrown in with them to really make the work sing.

not "listening" to their conversations and hoping I remember it when I sit down with a notepad or computer.

Like this! I actually had to get out of bed to write something down because it just wouldn't leave my head. I rather like my sleep time.

[Maria13]

Bunny Trails

Ali: (excited) So now I’m in Orzammar and there’s a Grey Warden headquarters here, right?

Me: That’s right.

Ali: I’d like to meet some Wardens after all this time, can I take them out for a drink?

Me: Sure [types a couple of paras]

Next day.
Ali: Y’know they told me they’re leaving on an expedition to the Deep Roads…

Me: (wary) Yeees.

Ali: I’d really like to go with them…

Me: You can’t go with them.

Ali: Why not? I’m supposed to be a Warden, aren’t I?

Me: Because not. Because I need to get back to the main story arc, I’d like to finish Dark Ritual by the end of the year so I can start the next book in 2011 and hopefully finish that before March, ‘cause if I don’t know-one will read this stuff anymore… If I send you away with the Wardens that’ll mean at least two chapters more ffs, and screw all my deadlines…!

Ali:(indignantly) Sometimes I don’t understand you… It’s like you’re speaking Fereldan but you’re not making any sense… ‘Story arc’, ‘chapter’, ‘deadlines’ what the hell are those?

Me:…

Ali: Anyhow, as I said I’m supposed to be a Warden… And that Addai, she said she’d enjoy some wardening, didn’t she? Besides, I need to kill some darkspawn, so let me go…

Me: Oh to hell with it! [headdesk]

Modifié par Maria13, 19 novembre 2010 - 09:15 .

[Corker]

Firky wrote...
The problem is that I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Hmmm. Maybe I should try to go back to basics. Anyone got any starter tips? Like, what do you do very first?

I try and figure out what went wrong the last time.

I'm quite serious.  The only times I've ever gotten better as a writer was when I went back to what I'd wrote, read it, winced, and then tried to notice where I winced and why.  What was bad about it?  What was I doing or not doing that didn't read well?  Where were the parts where I wanted to skim so that I could avert my eyes from the mess on the page?  What was bad about them?

Be more specific than, "It doesn't sound right."  Try and figure out how it sounds wrong.  Too rushed?  Clunky?  Do the canon characters not sound like themselves?  Is the descriptive text too dry or too over-the-top?  Is the writing uneven or jerky (scene transition problems)?  Am I showing or telling?

You don't have to fix it all at once.  Pick something and focus on doing that thing better next time. 

Then, write a lot.  That's the usual advice on how to get better as a writer, and it's good advice.  But if you're not analyzing your own work, you're going to get a lot less out of practice than if you do.

[Sialater]

Maria Caliban wrote...

Sialater wrote...

I actually think Andraste's Ashes are better guarded by the dragon. The cult needs to go, though.

It depends on what you think the dragon is getting out of the deal.

 

Crunchy Pilgrim Crackers ™?

What's a few less religious fanatics in that world?

(I'm kidding.)

[DreGregoire]

inquartata02 wrote...

I can't say, but it's happening to me right now. I'm spending a lot of time with the new Assassin's Creed

…this. Except I spent two freaking hours on one of those Leonardo's guns missions and got angry with the game and stalked off to write. If any AC fans are wondering, the mission involved heavy use of the glider-thing. I hate it. It needs to die.

But, I'll go back to it. I loves me some Assassin's Creed. There's just something refreshing about a stealth air-assassination from three stories up. Especially when you kill a guard captain and it makes the other guards literally say, "Enough of that. I'm going home."

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Yeah, I've been play this too but it isn't really keeping my attention, because I keep having to run around building things. LOL. And now I have to go away for thanksgiving week. Guess my writing is going to have to wait till after then. I did write a few paragraphs but not enough to post.

[Addai]

Maria13 wrote...
Ali: Anyhow, as I said I’m supposed to be a Warden… And that Addai, she said she’d enjoy some wardening, didn’t she? Besides, I need to kill some darkspawn, so let me go…

Me: Oh to hell with it! [headdesk]

LOL  It's a conspiracy. 

[Merilsell]

Oh, surprise, FF.net is currently down due to server-probs. That's news, huh? Well *shrug* then I won't update today, I guess.

Edit: Now it works again...question only is...for how long, lol.

Modifié par Merilsell, 19 novembre 2010 - 05:02 .

[LupusYondergirl]

of course they're not working properly. I have a finished chapter to post, after all.

(and it seems to be down again...)

[Liliandra Nadiar]

Amazing, with how popular that site is, that it has so many server problems.

[LupusYondergirl]

I suspect that's part of the problem... they get more traffic than they can handle.
I don't know why they don't offer a paid account to finance improvements and take some of the load off. I'd chip in a couple dollars a month if it meant I didn't get ads, or I could have five more documents in my library or something stupid like that.

But hey, seems to be working now...
off to upload chapter!

Modifié par LupusYondergirl, 19 novembre 2010 - 07:02 .

[inquartata02]

I wonder if it has to do with the fact that the site hosts fanfiction? Could be a legal thing, perhaps. Or I could be talking out of my rear. That, too.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Yeah, I've been play this too but it isn't really keeping my attention, because I keep having to run around building things. LOL

I actually like that part. It also helps that I got distracted by one evening by something shiny on the living room TV and left my 360 on and unattended for a few hours, so 40,000 florins collected while I was away.

[Merilsell]

Ads? There are actually ads on FF.net? I see none of them...why? o.O Okay old Firefox/Noscript/Adblock Plus joke but still Yeah but I hear you...they could actually offer that to improve the server performance. It's a pain in the ass at times -__-