46 replies to this topic

[Diabolical_Jazz]

Girls allowed.

Also, non-writers are also allowed. Feel free to cajole us and poke us and whatnot.

But in general, this is a thread for the writers of Nerdforum, of which there are several!
Discuss how enthusiastic you are about your most recent ideas! Discuss how much more difficult it is to actually flesh those ideas out!
Complain about writer's block! Write haiku's about your love of coffee!

Especially, encourage each other to write more.

Because we all need that sometimes.

[Diabolical_Jazz]

I hate when my characters do mundane things. I'd much rather they be on fire, or being chased by undead.
But sometimes they have to do ordinary things to get between horrible dangers.
~sigh~

[Calvary]

Aye, a book is never 100% action and it always feels hard to write in between the action, I usually get bored because I take too long to get into the bits which I know will be the most interesting - it's necessary to put the meaty chunks in later but I hate waiting to do that...usually that means I never finish anything.

[Bowsette]

I tend to spend a lot of time with scene-setting and such, but there's one key thing I tend to ignore, which often leads to my downfall. I use the same character in many different pieces, set in many different time periods etc. So I often forget to describe the character properly, which leads to problems later on >_>

As it stands I've got something like 10 different stories all on the writers block list. One was started in 2009 >_> heh

[No-Danico]

I disagree. The mundane things can drive character development. Wizards throwing fire at werewolves? Sure. Those same wizards going to a little cafe on a date shows you who they are during their downtime. In the end, people are still people, and I’d imagine those that live lives filled with demons and zombies would make the most of their downtime.

By the way, I like this idea, this writer’s club thing. The Oxford comma must be discussed at some point.

[Calvary]

Most definitely.

I don't disagree that it's vital to do write about all the mundane things. I discuss a lot of politics in my novel which gives you an idea of the actual back story so that the world evolves through discourse as organically as possible. It's not the most interesting way to describe it but it feels more natural coming from two blokes sitting in a tavern together rather than the omniscient narrator just telling you.

Maybe I should talk about my heroes pooping.

[Diabolical_Jazz]

Aye, a book is never 100% action and it always feels hard to write in between the action, I usually get bored because I take too long to get into the bits which I know will be the most interesting - it's necessary to put the meaty chunks in later but I hate waiting to do that...usually that means I never finish anything.

I can usually slog through the ordinary bits. The problem with the book I'm writing lately is that it's got reasonably good pacing. That takes a lot more discipline. My first novel was a lot easier because it has horrible pacing.

Do you ever write out of chronological order?

[Diabolical_Jazz]

I tend to spend a lot of time with scene-setting and such, but there's one key thing I tend to ignore, which often leads to my downfall. I use the same character in many different pieces, set in many different time periods etc. So I often forget to describe the character properly, which leads to problems later on >_>

As it stands I've got something like 10 different stories all on the writers block list. One was started in 2009 >_> heh

Honestly I don't always mind when the author doesn't give a long description of their character right at the beginning. Sometimes it's okay to not know that the fmc has black hair until that becomes important.

The thing about writer's block is that you've just got to smash through it. You can always delete a bad bit in editing, but if you never finish it never gets done.

[Diabolical_Jazz]

I disagree. The mundane things can drive character development. Wizards throwing fire at werewolves? Sure. Those same wizards going to a little cafe on a date shows you who they are during their downtime. In the end, people are still people, and I’d imagine those that live lives filled with demons and zombies would make the most of their downtime.

By the way, I like this idea, this writer’s club thing. The Oxford comma must be discussed at some point.

I wasn't trying to argue that the mundane bits are unimportant, just saying that they're difficult.

So I hear about the Oxford comma a lot, but I don't actually know what it is.

[Diabolical_Jazz]

Maybe I should talk about my heroes pooping.

Hey, some of my best internal dialogue takes place on the can.
In real life, I mean.
So I don't see why that shouldn't be true in fiction as well.

[Calvary]

I can usually slog through the ordinary bits. The problem with the book I'm writing lately is that it's got reasonably good pacing. That takes a lot more discipline. My first novel was a lot easier because it has horrible pacing.

Do you ever write out of chronological order?

I have millions of years of in-world history spread over two laptops. Plus a multitude of drafts from different points in the world's past, in that sense I write out of order sometimes, for instance I have a battle that happened 200 years or so before the present day that shaped the world's current politics. I wrote about that before anything when I was trying my sixth or seventh draft even though it'll be put in towards the halfway point of the series in a sort of recollection. When I wrote CotM though, it was chronological because the whole story happens in one night.

Honestly I don't always mind when the author doesn't give a long description of their character right at the beginning. Sometimes it's okay to not know that the fmc has black hair until that becomes important.

The thing about writer's block is that you've just got to smash through it. You can always delete a bad bit in editing, but if you never finish it never gets done.

Aye, I describe my characters very minimally, the audience usually likes to build their own image of the character in their head any way so I leave any description vague. If I do build up a character it'll usually be done over time as well, for instance I might allude to someone's height page five, then the colour of their eyes page 10, that way it stays more natural and organic. If you describe all your characters as soon as you introduce them you'll break up flow and confuse the reader. The number one rule of creative writing is of course never to confuse your audience.

[DaRatmastah]

Oh hai.


Dude, attempting a non-fiction book for the first time ever. Reeeeaaaallly weird. Cool weird, but weeeiiiirrrd. My typical writing process usually involves just pouring my brain out onto a page, and occasionally checking random sources online. It's strange to suddenly be extremely concerned with real world facts, figures, and formatting. O_O

Also, anyone know any good software for formatting/developing e-books? Currently just writing in OpenOffice, but I'm wondering if there's more professional packages out there.

[Affray]

I have been gearing up toward writing a book.
I have had several ideas throughout my life that I thought would make a decent novel, but never followed through on them.
Recently I was trying to go to sleep and from behind the dopey fog of slumber peeked an idea.
An idea that turned into a thought, that turned into a concept, that started developing plot, that is now a full on possibility in my mind.
So I plan on actually doing something about this one and not just letting it slip away from me.
My main issue, as is the same with countless writer I believe, is the simple act of sitting down and doing it.
Once I make myself feel guilty enough to take that step things should fall into place I think.
The way in which I write is beneficial to the way I think and create story.
Once I start writing I just go, no stops, no editing.
I just write until I am done saying what needs to be said.
My mom on the other hand, writes in a manner in which she stops if a sentence isn't perfect and can't go any further until it is.
Constantly self editing as she writes.
both methods work, but mine allows me to make serious headway once I get going.
Which I will be doing.
Seriously this time.

[Calvary]

Oh hai.


Dude, attempting a non-fiction book for the first time ever. Reeeeaaaallly weird. Cool weird, but weeeiiiirrrd. My typical writing process usually involves just pouring my brain out onto a page, and occasionally checking random sources online. It's strange to suddenly be extremely concerned with real world facts, figures, and formatting. O_O

Also, anyone know any good software for formatting/developing e-books? Currently just writing in OpenOffice, but I'm wondering if there's more professional packages out there.

Look at Amazon KDP for help with e-books and self-publishing, it also tells you how to format your book to make it readable on a Kindle, if you're looking for a good word processor, Microsoft Word (the full - most recent package) is without doubt the best for the job.

[Diabolical_Jazz]

I have millions of years of in-world history spread over two laptops. Plus a multitude of drafts from different points in the world's past, in that sense I write out of order sometimes, for instance I have a battle that happened 200 years or so before the present day that shaped the world's current politics. I wrote about that before anything when I was trying my sixth or seventh draft even though it'll be put in towards the halfway point of the series in a sort of recollection. When I wrote CotM though, it was chronological because the whole story happens in one night.

Dude, that's crazy. That's so much more than I have planned for Traverse. It makes me feel like I should write more history. <__< But mostly I just make things up as I go along. I have a basic idea of what's happened over the course of the history of the world, and that's really it.

I can never write out of chronological order, though. I find it discombobulating. Occasionally I write two separate scenes that happen simultaneously, but that's as close as I get.

Aye, I describe my characters very minimally, the audience usually likes to build their own image of the character in their head any way so I leave any description vague. If I do build up a character it'll usually be done over time as well, for instance I might allude to someone's height page five, then the colour of their eyes page 10, that way it stays more natural and organic. If you describe all your characters as soon as you introduce them you'll break up flow and confuse the reader. The number one rule of creative writing is of course never to confuse your audience.

I describe general impressions moreso than specific features when I first introduce a character, and then I pretty much do the describing just like you said.
I probably confuse my audience a lot, though. <___<

[Diabolical_Jazz]

Oh hai.


Dude, attempting a non-fiction book for the first time ever. Reeeeaaaallly weird. Cool weird, but weeeiiiirrrd. My typical writing process usually involves just pouring my brain out onto a page, and occasionally checking random sources online. It's strange to suddenly be extremely concerned with real world facts, figures, and formatting. O_O

Also, anyone know any good software for formatting/developing e-books? Currently just writing in OpenOffice, but I'm wondering if there's more professional packages out there.

OH HAY PASYCOSHEEP!

I'm sorta glad you find it weird. Otherwise I'd have to look at you like an alien, because nonfiction is so completely foreign to me it's not even funny.

Y'know, there's a book that they give away on the kindle store that's basically an instruction book on how to publish on kindle. The exact title is "Building Your Book for Kindle."
I don't know how much of the formatting stuff is transferable between other e-book thingies, though.

[Diabolical_Jazz]

Affray, you write the same way I do. I can't do much editing while I write or I come to a dead stop, so I just plow through for the most part.
Editing is for afterwards.

[DaRatmastah]

Look at Amazon KDP for help with e-books and self-publishing, it also tells you how to format your book to make it readable on a Kindle, if you're looking for a good word processor, Microsoft Word (the full - most recent package) is without doubt the best for the job.

OH HAY PASYCOSHEEP!

I'm sorta glad you find it weird. Otherwise I'd have to look at you like an alien, because nonfiction is so completely foreign to me it's not even funny.

Y'know, there's a book that they give away on the kindle store that's basically an instruction book on how to publish on kindle. The exact title is "Building Your Book for Kindle."
I don't know how much of the formatting stuff is transferable between other e-book thingies, though.

Thank you, gentlemen. I honestly should have thought about looking on kindle in the first place O_O Oops. =P

[Calvary]

Dude, that's crazy. That's so much more than I have planned for Traverse. It makes me feel like I should write more history. <__< But mostly I just make things up as I go along. I have a basic idea of what's happened over the course of the history of the world, and that's really it.

I can never write out of chronological order, though. I find it discombobulating. Occasionally I write two separate scenes that happen simultaneously, but that's as close as I get.



I describe general impressions moreso than specific features when I first introduce a character, and then I pretty much do the describing just like you said.
I probably confuse my audience a lot, though. <___<

Aye, but I've been planning this story for three or four years now. If I ever manage to get it published it'll probably be my piece de resistance as it were. Therefore, I've had a lot of time to do the background. Plus, a lot of the ancient history is just a creation myth, so one of the gods will seed the Earth with life, then nothing for say, five millions years, then another event. There's probably more covered in the last 500 years of recent history in story than there is in the 100 million years prior.

That reminds me, how is Traverse coming along? Have you got around to putting it on Kindle?

[Diabolical_Jazz]

Aye, but I've been planning this story for three or four years now. If I ever manage to get it published it'll probably be my piece de resistance as it were. Therefore, I've had a lot of time to do the background. Plus, a lot of the ancient history is just a creation myth, so one of the gods will seed the Earth with life, then nothing for say, five millions years, then another event. There's probably more covered in the last 500 years of recent history in story than there is in the 100 million years prior.

That reminds me, how is Traverse coming along? Have you got around to putting it on Kindle?

That's mildly less intimidating, but still. XD Five hundred years of history is still a pretty epic background. Sillmarillionesque.

I was actually going to put Isaac's Crossing on kindle and try to publish Traverse through a publisher when I get it done. I wrote a little bit last night. The first I've written since November, so that's encouraging.
Isaac's Crossing is going to go up on Kindle shortly after the girl I have working on the cover art gets the damn cover art done. <___<