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| ""Boo hoo you're an idiot. But you have self awareness. That's the awakening." "What?" "When the iddiot remains awake he becomes curious. Curiosity makes him dangerous." "I don't understand." "But you will. For that is the genesis of a wizard." "You can't go from being an idiot to being a wizard." "Only because I already did." "Tht's different." "Is only different in your mind, child. You'll recover." |
Oh goodness, I forgot all about your review request  there's still a few days. I'll work on getting it read tomorrow  |
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| Ye're not the only place I could put something up and have it neither seen nor commented on. I've got a blank blog elsewhere. So deleting my post without comment as to reason is not optimal. |
Sounds like something that needs (and usually receives) an explanation. Was your post deleted from the Community Newsfeed? Please don't leave without investigating. I can't imagine this was done purposefully or maliciously. I don't think you'd have posted here if you'd asked anyone directly what had happened to your deleted post. This was posted 22 hrs ago as I reply, but I'm tagging The StoryMaster  and Jeff  to pass on your concern if you haven't yet discussed this with an official someone. We're living in painful times, and I understand fully the feeling of being outcast. In a case such as this, asking for help from an upper moderator seems the most effective and efficient solution. I wish you luck.  |
buddhangela's brave & crazy  - Thanks for your concern. First, don't worry: not going Mad Jack and torching my account over one incident. But I checked my email twice without scrolling down far enough to see it. So I easily could have gone days or weeks without any results, views, etc. wondering why. And this was Please Review. They knew they didn't give me an explanation so... I have a theory, but there it is. (non-e description added in the post? as even religious cultists don't conform to e.) |
Finally finished. Answered the dramatic questions if not the thematic ones. And only three thousand more words, topping at a lean ten thousand words.
In a world where little boys are more dangerous than their fathers, where inquisitors hoard magical toys and the best lack all conviction. Is anything really real, is anything really right? If you've held back, now's time to read this. Love to hear if it holds together (first time I tried this kind of layout, with scenes coming way out of order. Curious if it makes sense to you.) (*For those who want to skip to the new stuff, that's sections fifteen and sixteen.) |
| A very tiny edit inspired some thoughts. On how to inject subtle moral presuppositions that have no effect on the plot. It's worth a few moments to think about various characters and the things they might be aware of, and how that might subtly speak to the reader. I've added a new entry to my book, "Thoughts of a Mad Man"  : "Subtle Moral Updates" |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "Thoughts of a Mad Man" : "Phase one or Phase two" I just recently realized that art made ONLY for the self is valid. Inspiration lingers and passes by contagion, so it doesn't matter how large your target market is, if you've reached it. (Nothing to say you can't adapt it for larger, even commercial, markets.) So I propose that there are two phases of art, and the personal phase is the most critical. It is valid even if it only plays on your personal connections. This has a value because the happiness and richness and inspiration are valuable. Yes, they are valuable to.... (follow the link above to read more). Only $50.00 Free while supplies last... |
| Director's Cut? Ever wonder how to shorten your stories? Rereading Swain 1, I found a clue. Bridge by emotion. For example, if Sigrun is feeling daunted by her decision to choose mercy over justice, and she does that again 2/3 of the way through, you can then cut the stuff between. The stuff that matters is emotion. So, moving from this to that scene creates a narrative that is more like the stuff we tell each other. The real stories: I don't tell my friend about the boss jumping on me, then the news story I read on lunch, then the customer who stood up for me. I cut the middle and go from one attack to the next, and tell about the news story some other time. That said, now I realize that for me, this story is also about who Sigrun is, not just one experience. If I can really cut it like this, then the entire saga will need a reorganization. 1 Techniques of the $selling Writer, Swain, Dwight. (Highly recommended) 2. "The People of Glass " Section One 3. "Section 3: The Change You Wish to See" Possible real start. Love to hear if you dive in here. |
| A literal Writer's Plow Protocol A plan for writing when writer, muse, and editor come to a standstill. Step One: Decisions: What do you want to write? When? (Exact time, and a minimum and maximum amount of time) Where? Most likely place. Who (subject and audience) Why? How? (e.g. paper, keyboard, Scrivener or Docs) Step two: Set the timer... (click for more?)"Rx for Writer's 'Block'" An entry in my blog, titled:
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| Writing rules? I want to tell you about what has to be the worst writing I have ever read. You may gather why I do not tell you the title as I describe it. It was a published book, mind you, but none of the unpublished so flagrantly defied all reason. Every word was confusion like listening to a lecture made of words that sounded like English but did not have the same meanings. But there were a few that were absolutely revolting and enraging, as one might want to first burn the author and then the book (if it were not so old that he is likely dead.) He did however market it so that the awfulness seemed to be part of the book--an intellectual hazing as it were. Hell week between the covers of a library book. When the three weeks ended I renewed it; and when I could not renew the borrow it hurt me physically to give it up. It was as it were, a treatise on self help and ethics, and somehow the horrific style of writing had convinced me that I needed it. All the headaches I had gone through to understand even a sliver of his nonsense. There are no rules in writing, but rather as in Jazz--there are reasons. There is cause and effect. A given 'rule' will produce a given result, but it might not be the only way, or the best. It is ironic that this was the theme of the nasty book mentioned above--that if it works it is right. But see to it that you consider this always, and measure carefully what advice you place. Crossposted on My blog: "Do What Works?" |
| Believe it or not I've had several ideas worth sharing today. I can't remember any of them. I think one of them had something to do with Dwight Swain's commentary. How rules are great if you use the right ones for your story, but what really counts is feeling. Follow the emotions and you'll know what to do; the rules will only tell you what to do if you know what you're doing. |
I know I am partial, and that reading your own work is almost always better because you know the part that inspired you. But seriously, I think some of you will enjoy this stuff. A chance meeting? "You can't help." Shock ran over her face. "Caleb!" I didn't have time to help her through this, and that bothered me. "Really. Thank you for trying." She stepped forward. I had forgotten how far apart we were–four hovercar-lengths at least. She had really sliced into my mind. "You'll see. They'll be better off." I mean, depending on another man's borrowed time is not good for anybody. Her enthusiasm fell to my level: her grin closed into a sad smile, eyebrow ridges pinched, her shoulders slumped, and her head bent to the side. That hurt to watch. I doubted many people could resist her charms like I had, even as reluctantly as I did. That added another reason I didn't need her on me during my final days. Having 'won' our battle of wills, I shuffled off, kicking up little storms of dust. When I passed by the remaining wall of the cafe ruins, I saw her still watching me, her green eyes turning a pale shade of blue. Half-remembered stories bubbled in my brain: a mad mindwitch with crimson hair and color-changing eyes. Scarlett, they said, would find you and stitch herself into your life... |
Have you considered entering "Long, Long, Long" hosted by Elisa: Middle Aged Stik  ? The longer the better - ends September 7th…  |
| Amethyst Angel🍂🧡 - I hadn't. Not sure if this was the best one, but I did submit. It's like 200 more words than my estimate though |
| Amethyst Angel🍂🧡 - ooh and I finally have a good title. It's a color changer--it means more after you've read the story. |
| One way to build in a first line is to make the second paragraph start with a statement of the scene goal. I have to get a ride to work now. I've got a fifteen minute window. I am going to be in so much trouble. Okay, that's a second paragraph. But what is the first? Well, the automatic thought is the first phase of the reaction part of the MRU, which is the second paragraph and is what the POV does. The first one is what the POV sees, smells, tastes or touches. So now we have a goal for the scene, what do we have for a first paragraph? What could trigger that thought? You could describe... For the rest, look here: "First Line Technique"
For more about MRU I recommend Dwight Swain's Techniques of the Selling Writer. |
| What five words does your character overuse? I thought of this in learning about the Carver method, a military scale for deciding what to-do items to prioritize. Critical Accessible Recognizable Vulnerable Effective Recoverable Now I thought, if a character were using those five words a lot, say one in every other sentence or every third, that would focus their presence in this space of action. If done at the right frequency, it would telegraph that this person had warrior energy. And subtle things can be done, say two CARVERs might focus Vulnerability differently. For example one might be compassionate and the other high-functioning anxious. Maybe Critical shifts from important to get used in relating to criticism. Or they think of critical situations rather than critical activities. I thought of other groups of words. For example a wizard: Clue Aware Responding Veiled ephemeral Resonating Of course they don't need to be CARVER all the time but I found I got better ones by shoehorning them. Power is a favorite: Please Opt Wait Elicit Reveal Slip This lady wizard is concerned with making small, gentle changes (please, opt, and wait) Recon (elicit, reveal) and timing (Opt, wait.) Contrast that with this front-line witch. He's very different: Provoke Obscure Wrest Endure React Smite Haven't done much with this theory, just some thought. The best words would be those that can be used multiple ways, like slip. Slip could be I did something sly or I did something stupid. Both reinforce the character's gentle, unassuming way. She might even be an undercover wizard. BTW I've done things that sort of seemed like I did a magic trick on myself because something in my brain made me slip into what I wanted. A lot of spells would work like that, oops I knocked over a bottle of ink revealing the clue. I think this is a blog entry but I put it here since nobody reads me LOL. |
| Book/series recommendation: Sean Webb's Mind Hacking Happiness. There are a lot of other things in there but he built an algebraic formula that lays out what people are feeling and why to the point that even computers get it. It's complicated or unnatural at first, little like a fourth language but when you get it it lights things up. With it you can immediately suss complex emotions which means you can predict what your characters are feeling. That means you'll be able to walk your readers through it. Literally, I doubt you even know how much you're missing if you're not thinking of your characters like this. It'll be like going from an 8 bit 80s Atari to a holodeck. |
buddhangela's brave & crazy - Yep Ewe are well come. This increases the prime requisite for writing when used this way, which is really valuable for all sorts of humaning. Also good for increasing happiness and keeping cool. |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "Thoughts of a Mad Man" : "The Tao of an Artists Passion" Passion ... is the flood that overwhelms you and deposits you in the winner's circle. It always makes the tiniest spark and smallest whisper win. It is the elf that knocks things in or out of your path. Seldom seen, always present: It is the glamour that makes distractions pale and work dazzle. It is the divination that reveals the path around enemies. Do not let a lack of inspiration divert you--but do not press on without it. Passion comes from discipline--knowing what you want--not willpower. Place your faith in it and trust in your process. |
| Help Wanted *** I realized I have a bunch of stuff in the same world. The one Scarlett came in, also Brannon. There is both the Holy Terran Empire and Larrikesh. Most feature Scarlett because I like writing about my female characters normally. But not all. I decided they belonged in a folder. So far I named it Scarlett's World Since she's featured in most of the publicly available content. (And all the unreleased.) I need help naming this. Not all of them are going to be set in Larrikesh. Not all will be in the Empire.
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