The Writing (and Artistic) Ranting Thread

[Angel]

Yeah, it's utterly reliant on body language and facial expressions. These characters have had their tongues removed, so it's been a challenge to convey the subtleties of communication using no words. I've managed ok so far, but I'm having to stop often and re-read things to make sure it tracks properly. I'm very visual, so in my head I can see it all perfectly. I just need to convey what I'm seeing in my mind to those on the outside.

It definitely puts my written skills to the test

 

[therogis]

Yeah, it's utterly reliant on body language and facial expressions. These characters have had their tongues removed, so it's been a challenge to convey the subtleties of communication using no words. I've managed ok so far, but I'm having to stop often and re-read things to make sure it tracks properly. I'm very visual, so in my head I can see it all perfectly. I just need to convey what I'm seeing in my mind to those on the outside.

It definitely puts my written skills to the test

That actually sounds pretty damn interesting. Like, I don't know how much does your story rely on that, but on a thematic level studying how people without ability to speak communicate. Eventually that leads into some kind of an inner culture between these individuals, and strengthens the conception of body language and visual cues.

For me, direct dialogue has always been the easiest part, and in our writing club it has been said several times it's certainly the strongest part of my writing. The problem is that I tend to neglect body language and non-verbally signaled emotions (which, again, are a weakness of mine, according to both myself and the club). So yeah, it definitely would be a skill test for me as well!

 

[Angel]

The idea kind of ran away with itself - it's three characters, brothers, who have been made unable to speak, so there's now an element of their sibling connection on a subconscious level to the whole thing. They play a large, if not main, role in my story, so it's both fun and really quite tricky to see how they fit with different speaking characters.

What started out as a small element of half a chapter has now become quite major - for example, they witness the murder of a relative, whilst it is expected they do not react to it, I still need to convey emotion - albeit tightly controlled. So micro-expressions are essential here.

I haven't had any time to really sit down and write recently, because of work, but after this week I'm hoping to get some more done. Because I really want to add some humanity to these characters, even though they are the bad guys in my story. Or, at least, three of the bad guys.

I'm trying to create a level of complexity and depth that kinda makes someone stop and think about how they judge a character and what makes them pick a favourite/favourites to champion, even if it's usually not a conscious decision. No one in my story is outright good or bad - I guess I got sick of reading books that sort of forced the reader to champion so and so, when in reality that character wasn't all that anyway.

I dunno. Prolly being overly ambitious, but why not?

 

[therogis]

Darn. Due to a massive imposter syndrome, I skipped participating in a major writing contest - it would've been the first time for me in that ring, and when I say major, I mean it's the biggest one within the genre, with prizes that are actually worth something and real authors as your opponents.

Now that I've gained my confidence back, I thought about sending in the short story that has been ready for some months already...
...
... just to notice that the deadline was two weeks ago.

Would someone like to slap me in the face? Preferably with something like The Lord of the Rings or thicker. Make sure it's hard-covered, I deserve that.

 

[Morgan]

Would someone like to slap me in the face? Preferably with something like The Lord of the Rings or thicker. Make sure it's hard-covered, I deserve that.

I still have a hardcover copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. That should work.

 

[therogis]

I still have a hardcover copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. That should work.

Go for it, and if this happens again, repeat
Oh well.. it's an annual competition anyway, so it's not that big deal to miss it.

 

[therogis]

More related to thesis writing, but anyway: Whyyyyyyyy are you so shy in commenting, fellow students?!? Just lash me with it when I literally ask you to

+ I told them I don't give a damn about receiving unnecessarily softened critique with so called "sandwich methods" or anything like that (there is a point when it gets just ridiculous, you know) which led me to wonder that isn't such a method actually a pretty bad metaphor for giving praise-critique-praise? I mean... who actually likes the bread more than the fillings? Shouldn't it be critique-praise-critique?

Or maybe that's the joke... there is the forced praise part which no one cares about because it's basically just processed wheat flour, tasteless and unhealthy... and then there's the actually useful part aka the critique... but it just has to be wrapped in two unnecessary health risks

 

[Morgan]

I mean... who actually likes the bread more than the fillings? Shouldn't it be critique-praise-critique?

Or maybe that's the joke... there is the forced praise part which no one cares about because it's basically just processed wheat flour, tasteless and unhealthy... and then there's the actually useful part aka the critique... but it just has to be wrapped in two unnecessary health risks

Well, skipping my response #954340834 on why Feedback Culture Is Dead Because Pussy Authors Poisoned The Well Beforehand And Now No One Wants To Drink,
this is why I order my burgers and sandwiches breadless/as a bowl, or with a lettuce wrap.

 

[V's patron]

I came up with a short story about a poker player who sabotage his rival.

I've been reading too many crime stories.

 

[therogis]

I came up with a short story about a poker player who sabotage his rival.

I've been reading too many crime stories.

Sounds intriguing

Also, tagging @Morgan because I'm too lazy to quote: this is why I love our writing club. No one spares their words there, no one even thinks about sandwiches, we just let it all out in complete honesty in whatever order of praise and critique, and sometimes we disagree with each other and the person who gets the feedback has to decide who to listen to
I personally think my own writing developed more during just the first year of our club than it had in previous 3 years, so I owe a lot to them.

Also, we've got 4 active members and 2 members who were very active but had to leave because of life situation. So 6 in total... Four of which have got either published or succesful in writing contests during their"club career", or both.

All our members are really talented too (we don't accept new members automatically: you don't join the club, you apply in it so we can keep it useful) so I am sure the whole club would be succesful on their own as well, but at least for me, the progress would have been so much slower without them.

 

[lorddemolatron]

Well for me possible im most strangest writer, i have so much ideas and so small chance i sit down and write and that makes me mad as i have literary imagined good fics scenarios

 

[therogis]

Well for me possible im most strangest writer, i have so much ideas and so small chance i sit down and write and that makes me mad as i have literary imagined good fics scenarios

One page, one sentence, one word at a time, dear. One line of scribbles, brainstorming ideas. There's always time for doing things you love to do. Is there a 5-min break for you in a doctor's waiting room? 10 minutes between lectures? Can you get up 15 minutes earlier to get some extra time? Sometimes you have to hunt for it a bit, but you'll find your chances to sit down and write.

You're on better track than some writers already. At least you're not blaming the world-famous Inspiration Fairy™ for this. That counts as a skill already

 

[therogis]

This is the negative part of getting my story ideas from these dream-like visions inside my mind: there is a vivid image of a dragon flying over a HC cyberpunk setting harassing my mind and yelling WRITE ABOUT ME, buuuuuut one could say combining dragons and cyberpunk is a bit over-the-top.

Hard to find a solid reasoning for that, really.

 

[Morgan]

This is the negative part of getting my story ideas from these dream-like visions inside my mind: there is a vivid image of a dragon flying over a HC cyberpunk setting harassing my mind and yelling WRITE ABOUT ME, buuuuuut one could say combining dragons and cyberpunk is a bit over-the-top.

Hard to find a solid reasoning for that, really.

/Taps mic
It's a video game.
Specifically, a Metaverse setting like Ready Player One but that's Legally Distinct and without the 80s incel wankery.

You're welcome.

 

[V's patron]

@therogis
That's the fun of writing tho. For all you know, you could be the pioneer of a new fantasy/scifi sub-genre.

 

[Morgan]

Seconded. If every author worried about following existing conventions/tropes in order to not upset the framework of a genre or the notions of its fanbase, we wouldn't get any new stories.

The only reasons you need to write something that otherwise wouldn't fit is "Because I f#cking said it works" and "It's not going to write itself." Take every opportunity you can to weed out the complacent readers that just want to read comfortable Same Sh#t Different Day conveyor-belt stories.

And anyway Monster Hunter has lore that fits in with that.

You never said the dragon itself wasn't cyberpunk or otherwise tech-based so F it. Make the cyberpunk society create a chimeric abomination against God that's conspicuously dragon-shaped in their attempt to fight an actual dragon that exists outside the city and have it Mewtwo its way out and lay waste to its masters.

 

[therogis]

"Because I f#cking said it works"

Because of this I love you.

*grabs a notebook and starts brainstorming*

 

[Morgan]

Because of this I love you.

Implying you didn't love me before... Hmm....
Nah I'm just kidding. Brainstorm away!

 

[therogis]

Implying you didn't love me before... Hmm....
Nah I'm just kidding. Brainstorm away!

Rather pointing out this type of stuff is the reason for that

The writing club has a get-together tonight at my place. Let's see what they think about it.

 

[V's patron]

I started working a new project called "False Star". It's a science fantasy story and I'm hoping to write it as my first novel/prose project. That's my 2022 goal and I'm gonna spend the rest of the year outlining/brainstorming.

the logline is "Seeking a new life away from his rundown space station, a delinquent hustles his way onto a squad of space alien army cadets".