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Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025

5:47am EST

Members: 640

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Writing Blog Number 2

by S 🤦

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2311764

This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC

This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario.

An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"

Feel free to comment and interact.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Adherennium - Maybe Writing?

about 24 hours ago
In response to "20250117 My Most Hated Tropes"

Trope 2 above is a staple of all British soap operas. The thread weaves its tedious way to the inevitable line, "We've got to talk." Whereupon the misunderstanding that has spawned fire, murder, theft, adultery and more is explained and resolved. Till next time. I'd personally rate this my least favourite of the three, but they are all terrible.

4 Like

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jan 13, 2025 at 2:17am
In response to "20250113 Vocabulary Matters"

Hmm... Thai:

ใจดี heart-good 'kind-hearted'
ดีใจ good-heart 'happy' translates as 'delighted'

I use these two words to make the contrast between heart-good and good-heart.

But:

ความสุข 'happiness'
มีความสุข have happiness 'be happy'

ความ changes a verb into a noun. รัก 'love' is a verb. ความรัก is the noun.

The structure of the language is different and it's very easy to mistranslate as so much is contextual. On top of 5 or 6 tones there's 'tone' (attitude) as how it is said and to whom can change the meaning. Body language and knowing what is the proper exchange is also a key to what is going on. Loses so much in translation!

Audio-visual media is a delight though as Thais are expressive.

Subtitles work if the translator is fluent in both languages and culture. Yet, even then, both make distinctions that the other language does not.

So... in using a word or two a knowledgeable writer might get away with it; but, everything should be checked with a native speaker.

Same with English dialects and slang by-the-way. Street language has it's own vocabulary and grammar. And then there's jargon... which is why so many PhDs and Powerful-People can't hold a conversation. They literally do not know the common language.

As an aside: why do I think you should write in Australian? Because that's authentic. Maybe provide a translation into English, Irish or American... Or submit the translation as "translated from Australian". Always keep an Australian original copy. Your voice matters.

[Visit the entry for more...]

Elisa: Snowman Stik

Jan 10, 2025 at 9:32am
In response to "20250110 The 'Of' Naming Trope"

Would you consider City of God to be a Thing of Thing example? (Note: this movie is a far cry from sci-fi/fantasy.)

Cubby~Trip Delayed-Still Sick

Jan 8, 2025 at 8:32am
In response to "20250108 Naming Characters"

That's a great idea, keeping a list of all previously used names.

I also try to avoid using names that sound similar in the same story, like Mary and Marie, Mark and Marty, etc. It can get confusing to the reader (me, included!)

Character names are important. Thank you for posting this!

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jan 8, 2025 at 4:55am
In response to "20250108 Naming Characters"

The choice between James, Jim, Jimmy, Jimmie... contrasts with James Edward the 3rd (a.k.a. Third-Wheel or less flattering... Da Turd).

Attitude matters!

The choice between Jaime, Jamie, Jamal, Jan, Jan-Anders... also makes a slight difference imho. Both Jaime and Jan can be non-gender.

I don't want a story longer than 300 words with names that sound the same. In novels it's easier if none of the names start with the sane letter: Angie, Max, Xenobia (shorter, longer, different sounds) is better than Mick, Mack, Mork.

But... I've also dispensed with names altogether. In conversation the characters know who they are talking to.

— Didja see how Third-Wheel butted in when Xenobia was batting her eyes at Angie?
— Rude. Da Turd still think he hot shit. Ain't true. His crap be old.

Even without names the reader gleans some insight into speaker 1 vs 2.

Robert Waltz

Jan 4, 2025 at 12:32am
In response to "20250104 Balance between too much and not enough"

As a reader, my brain just skips over descriptions. They're like ads to me: obstacles that get in the way of what I'm there for. Occasionally, I'll come across a description that speaks to me, but it's rare, and I don't recall any that used "all the senses" (and I agree there are many more than five) without seeming contrived.

Quilli ☕

Jan 3, 2025 at 7:55am
In response to "20250103 External Writerings XII"

Clicked and read them all. They were all great and I am most thankful for the list of horrible holiday movies. I found a couple I can recommend to my brother as payback for making me watch "The Lobster".

1 Like

Ichabod Crane

Jan 2, 2025 at 7:07pm
In response to "20250103 External Writerings XII"

Just went through them all. Very interesting! Loved it. Hope it helps.

1 Like

Robert Waltz

Dec 29, 2024 at 7:41am
In response to "20241229 Debunking "Facts""

I've railed on some of these before. Like "theory" and "evolution." And why "evolution is only a theory" is like saying "gravity is only a theory."

Common sense usually isn't, and facts are subject to change, but primacy bias is a really tough thing to overcome.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 29, 2024 at 1:30am
In response to "20241229 Debunking "Facts""

Dairy may be great for children, not so great for adults (my sister was lactose intolerant since childhood).

Processed dairy... like cheese... has its uses. Thailand has fresh local food year round. Montana and areas of extreme weather or supply chain issues do not and need preserved staples (pickled, sugared, salted, dried). Many cheeses keep well.

I have panic attacks! do.not.polygraph.me

Evolution however... may I add that just because I don't have offspring doesn't mean I haven't contributed to the next generation (or change).

Theory (some of which evolve over time)... and traditions (some of which evolve over time). Ignorance, however, doesn't evolve without some sort of experience or education.

Brains... how much is consciously being used may not be 100%. I'm sitting so my sense of 'balance' may be sleeping in the background. However, it better wake up when I stand up! Had issues with numbness yesterday (not fun).

Ancient knowledge and ancient 'knowledge' need to be rethought. The Earth evolves, so do humans. Well, some do. People still stuck in Leviticus... seems to be an American issue.

December 5, 2024 at 6:12pm

#1080859

20241206 2 Videos On Writing

Videos!

Here's two videos for writers.

This details everything I hate about magic in fantasy and does it so well! If you are writing fantasy - watch this!

This is about the art of writing metaphors and contains a heap of stuff I had not considered before!

Both are long, but well worth it for your writering improvement.

1 Like • Comment

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