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Who needs good plotting or characters when you have great ideas and genre-shattering style?
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Mar 1, 2017 02:37
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| # ¿ Apr 28, 2024 16:30 |
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It's pretty common in European (definitely French) writing, combined with guillemet dialogue tags. It can be very confusing if you're not used to it.example posted:The boy walked up and shook her hand. Phil Moscowitz fucked around with this message at 15:37 on Mar 7, 2017 |
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Mar 7, 2017 15:32
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Would you say I have a plethora of words?
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Mar 10, 2017 01:03
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A dearth of paucity?
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Mar 10, 2017 01:53
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Chernabog posted:I should of agreed with this but I know better. "Should'f" 
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Mar 15, 2017 19:03
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Question about dialogue and tense. Obviously, keeping tense consistent in a passage is important to ensure it's easily understood. But I'm in the process of writing a scene with a quick flashback to a relatively recent timeframe, and some conversation that happens in that timeframe, and I'm wondering what people think of using simple past dialogue tags as opposed to past perfect. In other words, the scene is unfolding on a naval vessel, with two characters waiting to leave. While they are waiting, the POV character thinks about a meeting that happened an hour or so previous to the narrative. The bolded part is the flashback and the underlined verbs are some examples of inconsistent tenses. quote:“What about Otto’s people?” Virgil asked. This is a first draft and so this is how it came out. I know the simple solution is just to put all of the verbs in past perfect and I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm just wondering how this reads and generally what people think about tense in this context, especially where there are some actions that are actually taking place in the "present," but described in the flashback, e.g. "At the mention of O’Brien, the two officers had exchanged a look that Virgil still couldn’t figure out."
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Mar 20, 2017 21:57
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No abbreviations.
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May 7, 2017 23:35
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Yeah that opening is pretty perfect for the point of the book. You should read it, it's good.
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Jun 2, 2017 19:13
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If I remember correctly the next paragraph talks about him envisioning her brain writhing around like a bunch or worms or something. It's a pretty great setup to the whole premise of the novel.
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Jun 3, 2017 15:38
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Do you have any metroid fanfic
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Jun 16, 2017 22:44
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See the child.
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Jul 24, 2017 20:49
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Agent355 posted:What do people think about character descriptions? Is the description important for any reason other than describing a character's physical appearance? Is the appearance important to develop a character (any character) or the plot? Will the description be jarring to the reader if you wait until 200 pages in before revealing that your main character is in a wheelchair? Spending a paragraph listing physical attributes when a character is introduced isn't worthwhile unless there is some other purpose. You don't need to paint a detailed picture of every character---if you give a good framework, your readers will do it for you and enjoy the process (and your story) more. That's my thought anyway.
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Aug 21, 2017 21:20
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Burkion posted:And I am done with my first ever novel. First draft is done at 88,324 words in 4 weeks. Congratulations! That's some serious churning. Now put it away and do something else for a week or three before coming back to it.
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Aug 26, 2017 18:09
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PIG WHIP WHIG PIP
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Aug 29, 2017 01:48
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Balls so big my rear end shittin on em
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Sep 2, 2017 21:16
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Naerasa posted:The prompt is kind of weird because they're asking for a story but it's written like they want an essay instead. Also, they say they want a nuanced critique, but the whole project seems very pro-UBI in general. Is it a critique they want, or an affirmation of the theory? An exploratory essay or a fictional narrative? Seems like they are looking for people to come up with creative and unforeseen ways UBI can cause discord or problems in society, like a huge brainstorming session for them to springboard off of in their own research. Though their point of view seems clear: quote:
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Sep 11, 2017 18:52
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I know when I am reading a book and come across an unrealistic description of fox-loving, it totally jolts me out of my suspended disbelief and I just can't keep reading.
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Sep 15, 2017 12:48
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Then the boy fox looked at Bobby and it was all matted fur and it said in a totally creepy voice, "Chaos...reigns"HIJK posted:Is this a scene from that Dafoe movie where the fox snaps its jaws at him in slow motion Lol
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Sep 15, 2017 17:55
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magnificent7 posted:DAMMIT what's the best way to say this in this order: How about this: He leaned in close. "Actors," he whispered, in the same tone one might say "cancer" or "creditor." E. "From a time way before I came along." I don't like the repetition of "long" and "along" but that's just me. Also depends on the voice of the character obviously.
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Sep 29, 2017 19:03
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magnificent7 posted:
Attendees?
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Sep 29, 2017 19:31
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Please don't use legal writing as inspiration. I'm sure there is some fine stuff out there, but the vast majority is clunky, passive-voice garbage.
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Oct 10, 2017 12:47
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Al Cu Ad Solte posted:After 3 rejections (all some variation of "this is good but not for me") I finally got a request for a partial. Now onto writing some other bullshit while I wait for the inevitable, delicious rejection. Cool man, good luck.
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Oct 22, 2017 23:42
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magnificent7 posted:edit: somebody explain me how the hell to do this without commas: I think number one is fine. If you want to avoid commas you could do this. quote:A dream like her—a lady who could easily win second or third at a beauty contest—stealing a kiss from an old dried-up sardine like me. The second one I would do as crabrock says and rewrite it into two or more sentences. quote:Each went on insisting the other was a spirit. Neither looked entirely of this realm if you catch my pitch—her with her filthy nails and green teeth; him with his eye sockets as empty as a bone-dry bird bath. If you must have only one sentence, then I think I would go with a full colon. quote:Each went on insisting the other was a spirit, and neither looked entirely of this realm if you catch my pitch: her with her filthy nails and green teeth, him with his eye sockets as empty as a bone-dry bird bath.
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Oct 23, 2017 19:40
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quote:"You are a spirit," she insisted, her nails filthy like a kid who just played in the dirt, her teeth green like when you don't brush your teeth for three or four days. "I insist."
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Oct 23, 2017 21:00
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I don’t know that a single word will work there. You have several phrases that can turn well in that sentence if it’s rewritten to accommodate them. Despite the rigors of courtesy? Despite the obligations of nobility? Despite the rigid conventions of her status?
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Dec 3, 2017 19:04
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Are there any podcasts like the Writing Excuses one, with writers discussing the nuts and bolts of writing, off the cuff as opposed to reading scripts and not trying to sell poo poo? I like those nerds and their discussions.
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Dec 15, 2017 21:47
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Axel Serenity posted:The two big podcasts I listen to are Creative Penn and Print Run. CP does have some salesy stuff from the host Joanna since the podcast is apparently her primary job at this point, but she gets good guests and talks a lot about various subjects both as a writer and publisher. revolther posted:Not quite the same as Writing Excuses, but I like A Way with Words podcast/radio show, people call in asking about the origins of words/phrases/colloquialisms, it's great for word lovers and gives you a ton of oddball expressions to keep in your back pocket. Thanks to you both!
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Dec 22, 2017 23:57
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quote:“An Islander?,” a Tribal exclaimed, “What would bring one so far south to our Northern lands?” What quote:Whatever it was, it revealed in its victim’s pain. Ah yes quote:Burying the dead men, he knelt and made a quick prayer to the One Above. He did not believe in the One Above, not anymore, but he wished it true and that men did not end at death. One Above! I’ve never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. quote:With speed that would put the fiercest wind to shame, Wind that break from he own rear end; a shameful wind quote:Instead of the flat teeth of a dear, the mouth was lined with the fangs of a wolf. Fangs of a wolf that make the bite marks of a deer. quote:Sebastian stood like a statute in defense of the child. Glad to see these wild lands have been tamed by the rule of law. quote:The White Demon had took from them their happiness and family Fool of a took
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Jan 16, 2018 15:12
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Looking at his reflection in a grimy Jeep windshield is the only way Sergeant Flint Hardmeat can stitch up his own facial wounds.
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Feb 8, 2018 14:49
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Lol https://twitter.com/anna_mazz/status/978749557180977152?s=21 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sean-penn-bob-honey-who-just-do-stuff-review_us_5ab9a1bee4b008c9e5fa89a2 quote:“Bob’s boyhood essence set him up for a separation from time, synergy, and social mores, leading him to acts of indelicacy, wounding words, and woeful whimsy that he himself would come to dread.” ― page 12
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Mar 29, 2018 02:07
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On a whim, I started reading the Fifth Season by NK Jemisin. It's a good premise, and interesting, but...it's all in present tense. And one of the viewpoint characters is written in loving second person. It's a struggle to get through. I mean I assume maybe there is a point to her writing this in second person present tense, but I don't see it. Even if I was a psychokenetic black woman lol
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Mar 29, 2018 18:55
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Sitting Here posted:There's a point and it's really good, IMO. Is the point something that is revealed later in the book, or is it just “you are part of the action, this is so immersive“ I’m going to stick with it, because like I said I like the premise and the writing otherwise. So far just seems gimmicky and distracting.
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Mar 29, 2018 22:09
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feedmyleg posted:Thoughts on chapter length variability? I've got a slightly larger than average number of chapters, as my book is two parallel stories that hand off every-other-chapter, so on first draft I was trying to keep each chapter to ~2500 words just to limit myself and keep anything from getting too saggy. On second draft I'm giving myself a lot more room to breathe and just write the chapter at whatever length it should be, but I'm finding that some chapters are sticking around the ~2500 mark while others require more like ~4000 words. Is that an acceptable range, or are the longer/shorter chapters going to provide too bumpy a reading experience? I think that's an acceptable range, but whether the read is bumpy depends on what is written in those chapters. Personally, since it sounds like you are jumping regularly between two totally different plotlines, I would aim for longer chapters. I think short chapters are less jarring when you are not changing POV or storylines between them, though if the two "parallel stories" are something like two POVs of the same events, then shorter chapters are less bothersome.
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May 28, 2018 16:20
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Before somebody (Butthead?) came up with fartknocker, it wasn’t a word. Makes you think.
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Sep 17, 2018 21:30
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Any male POV is going to notice boobs on a woman within 5 seconds of meeting her so not all that unrealistic for it to be the first thing described in that POV honestly
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Sep 29, 2018 16:10
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Stuporstar posted:Boobs everywhere. Everytime I went out in public, all these boob-havers were constantly in my face. I was a nervous wreck having to nagivate through this endless sea of boobs, especially when I knew, theoretically, they were attached to human beings with faces and thoughts inside those faces. Faces that turned angry when you stared into their much-more-important boobies too long. But mostly I couldn't see their faces, which was a relief, because when I did they were mostly angry. Like, how dare I notice they have boobs when I do not. Don't they know how lucky they are to have boobs? I mean, if I had boobs I would play with them all the time, be able to die happy in one endless self-tittyfuck. With boobs you can get all the sex you want. All you have to do is flaunt your boobs. I mean, they don't even have to work at it, because even through a thick sweater, I could still see the boobs. When a woman walked by, every part of her turned transparent, except for her boobs. Even if she had really tiny boobs, boobs is all I could see, they were just smaller and easier to miss in a crowd of bigger boobs. But if they were the only boobs around, my eyes could settle on them ok. Sometimes, but only sometimes, a woman would walk by with a butt that outdid her boobs. I like to thing I'm a man of equal opportunity, but mostly it was boobs boobs boobs. My penis was constantly rock hard and it was torture. Lol Sorry if the joke wasn’t obvious enough
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Sep 29, 2018 22:48
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Terrorforge posted:2 and 3 are pretty closely related. Unless it's explicitly (and I mean explicitly) stated otherwise, a lot of people will assume every character is a white heterosexual man. e: myself included. i try not to, but that poo poo's rooted deep I think most white heterosexual guys do this. Maybe most people in general, because it’s easy. A while back I posted about reading the Fifth Season/Broken Earth books, by NK Jemisin, and they are probably the best books I’ve personally read as far as having interesting, diverse characters both racially and sexually, and there is never any specific description of someone as “black” or “gay” or whatever. They’re really well written and I recommend them to anyone looking to see an example of it. Also they’re just good books in general if you like SF/fantasy.
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Sep 29, 2018 23:18
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Ugh, I said to myself in a relatively high-pitched voice with a high rising terminal. I can’t seem to find a shirt that fits loosely on my bust.
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Sep 29, 2018 23:46
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REMEMBER SPONGE MONKEYS posted:Wait, if you post about boobs in there, does that require you either have them or have touched one? 
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Sep 30, 2018 17:06
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I’m glad for the titty description, and also the anus
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Oct 2, 2018 11:56
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