New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Writing Project

  1. - Top - End - #1
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Jbr208's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Gender
    Male

    Default Writing Project

    Yeah, the title's a little vague, but I'm running on empty here.

    Put simply, I'm working on a writing project I promised myself I would resurrect after I lost my original files about four or five years ago to unhealthy computer practices. It's a piece of historical fiction I started back in high school and worked on for about two years before my laptop failed and I couldn't recover the files.

    I'm currently having trouble working past a prologue. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm having trouble writing much of anything I'm fully satisfied with. If some of you wouldn't mind reading my prologue and offering a bit of constructive criticism I'd appreciate it - sometimes a jolt of perspective can help with a writing funk I've been told.

    Spoilered for those who have lost interest by now.
    Spoiler
    Show
    It all comes back to the lies we tell. Whether we lie to ourselves, to our friends, to strangers, or even to lovers, they all catch up eventually and we must reap what we sow. I sat in bed for hours trying to remember why I lied to Stephanie in the first place. I looked over Stephanie, her arm stretched across the bed as though reaching for me in her sleep, and I hated myself for lying to her.

    It seemed innocuous enough, one of those little white lies we tell to everyone because the truth is either too much to say or because they wouldn’t care in the first place. She’d come to my apartment after I missed our dinner date, when I didn’t answer the door she got my building manager to open it for her with a quivering lip and a sad story about the pathetic guy that lived there. The last bit is purely speculation, I have no idea how she got the door open.

    She came in and found me drunk, the same state I’d been in for the last several hours. When she asked me what was wrong I told her something I have said to hundreds of other people on thousands of other occasions, and regret now for the first time because she deserves better: “I’m fine.”

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Tawmis's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2004

    Default Re: Writing Project

    To help you with the issue of writing -

    Find music that helps set the mood. Sound track music is the best, depending on what you're writing. (For example, a lot of my writing is fantasy based, so I have the sound track of Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age, and the like to try and help my mind capture the mood and feel I am trying to convey).

    Plan your story out - not one big arch of "Point A to Point B" - but narrow it down. Specify Point A to B per Chapter. What do you want to happen in each chapter? That way, you can also foreshadow what is going on within chapters that fit.

    Develop your character; write out their history. What makes them who they are? Why are they doing what they're doing? What's in it for them? And give each character unique traits and voices, so that they don't come across as cardboard cut outs.
    Need a character origin written? Enjoyed what I wrote? How can you help me? Not required, but appreciated! <3

    Check out my 5e The Secret of Havenfall Manor or my character back stories over at DMsGuild.com! (If you check it out - please rate, comment, and tell others!)

    Subscribe to my D&D Channel on Youtube! (Come by and Sub)

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Dumbledore lives's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Hamilton, New Zealand
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Writing Project

    That's a nice prologue, but what happens next? If you know then write it, it doesn't have to be good but just put some words down on paper. I find the best way to do something like this is to put out a lot of crap and find the gold nuggets in it.

    That metaphor got away from me but the point is that the only way to write something is to well, write it. In all likelihood you won't be fully satisfied with what you write but that's okay because one of the main things about writing is revising and editing and all that.

    If you find you can't write the prologue write something else, somewhere in the middle or the end or anything really, as long as you're writing.
    Avatar by Diabhan
    Shapperdash, movie reviews amongst other things.
    Natural 1, a tale of critical failures
    Spoiler
    Show

    Quote Originally Posted by Aquillion View Post
    If you're ever in a situation where you can't survive, go for the broke and fill all of creation with chickens. Just imagine the reaction of people halfway around the world when every square inch of space in their world is suddenly and completely full of chickens.
    Homebrew
    1st in Iron Chef XXXIV with a Warforged bard

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Miopic's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    The Realm of Death
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Writing Project

    Holy.... Well That blows What I'm writing in to the trash. You have talent, I would read what you write. But what advice I can give depends on what problems your having. And mostly the posts above me answered the advice I have. But really, keep writing.
    When I think of vegans I get sad, just like I get sad when I think of starving children in Africa.- Deisserbia.
    Fear the Baaard- Daniel Mercury of Firstaria, If I put any more he will sue me for plagiarism :D

    I wish I was a beetle... -super dark 33

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    HalfOrcPirate

    Join Date
    Aug 2010

    Default Re: Writing Project

    Quote Originally Posted by Tawmis View Post

    Find music that helps set the mood. Sound track music is the best, depending on what you're writing. (For example, a lot of my writing is fantasy based, so I have the sound track of Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age, and the like to try and help my mind capture the mood and feel I am trying to convey).

    Plan your story out - not one big arch of "Point A to Point B" - but narrow it down. Specify Point A to B per Chapter. What do you want to happen in each chapter? That way, you can also foreshadow what is going on within chapters that fit.

    Develop your character; write out their history. What makes them who they are? Why are they doing what they're doing? What's in it for them? And give each character unique traits and voices, so that they don't come across as cardboard cut outs.
    1. I agree on the music part. For instance, when I write action and battle scenes I listen to Final Fantasy battle music and during those long, uneventful traveling times I listen to good ol' LOTR.

    2. This one really just depends on your style of writing.

    3. I agree with this. despite not using this myself, I have a pretty good idea of my characters before I use 'em.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    leakingpen's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Arizona, USA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Writing Project

    You've caught my attention, that's for sure. Keep writing! Just write non stop and DO NOT READ WHAT YOU'VE WRITTEN! do not go back and reread and edit until at least 24 hours later. Just WRITE!
    Writer, editor. See my works at http://theleakingpen.net

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •