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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jun 11, 2013 22:29:39 GMT -8
Come here to discuss writing as an art form. How do you prefer to write? What do you prefer to read? How do you feel about the different elements of writing - plot, characters, narrative arcs, and so on?
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jun 11, 2013 22:51:12 GMT -8
... Q: Hey, maybe those of us that want to can list favorite character types, locations, sub genres, monsters, villains, devices, plots, and whatever else we can think of that we find to be fascinating. Then perhaps some inspiration may be born from the hodgepodge? :-D I'm particularly interested in hearing some ideas for villains since my stories have rarely put much spotlight on antagonists. Q: Are we also using this space to share/discuss stories we've written before this expo began? This is a good place for that! Short list of answers from me: Wacky weirdos, slightly corrupted but banal contemporary locations, scifi/fantasy, broken aliens or frolicking brueghelesque demons, conservative jerks gone wild, alternate realities, underdog wins out in deadly combat, zoology, dinosaurs, northern renaissance art, Al Columbia, coyotes, pageantry, kitsch, etc., and what could be born of it? I dunno. Seems clunky, heh... As for villains, the nature of the protagonists could suggest them. Perhaps opposites or rivals?
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jun 11, 2013 23:05:19 GMT -8
Let's see, starting with villains... I don't usually write a typical antagonist into my stories. For instance the Kingfisher really doesn't follow traditional narrative rules. Who is the antagonist? Is it Theodore? He's not really a villain, in the strictest sense. He's allied with the protagonist, for instance. He is some sort of catalyst for change, but I wouldn't call him a villain. Another story I wrote likewise doesn't have a villain per se, it had a monster, but the main 'antagonist' was the situation. Ala Zombie Apocalypse, for instance. No one zombie is the villain. Soo... long story short, I don't really go in for villains either. Character types-- lovable histrionics, laid-back jokesters, neurotic weirdos, cute monsters, charming sociopaths, 'EVIL' characters that overestimate their own evil/power to the point of being funny/silly, put-upon nebbishes... Locations- Either bland/empty suburban office spaces or apartments, or exotic and beautiful places like aquariums, decaying factories, gardens, beaches, abandoned hospitals... Sub genres- High school, apocalypse, 1940's, 1980's, Victorian, mental health, drugs, haunted houses, parody Monsters- Ghosts, demons, serial killers, vampires (natch), mutants, goblins, fairy-folk, zombies... Villains- See above. Devices/Plots- (combined because I'm not sure how they separate) Alice in Wonderland, man vs nature, secret places, forbidden knowledge, collapse of social structures, cheeky parodies of things I hate, survival horror... That's actually pretty tough to quantify what I write about, but interesting to do!
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Post by Kristi is prescribed skeletons on Jun 14, 2013 22:10:30 GMT -8
I personally think of devices as things that start plots, but I guess they're the same thing essentially?
Character types- People with HFA or that are otherwise somewhere on the spectrum, realistic non-humans, old ladies, grumpy ugly bastards, friendly pessimists, disturbed children, eccentric wise folks
Locations- Rainy streets, secret passages, the woods, small old towns, theaters, carnivals/fairs
Sub genres- Edwardian, 1920's, various fantasy settings, fictionalized locations based on reality, real locations/periods fictionalized
Monsters- weird and funny fairies (Not the little winged humanoid ones because I'm not sure the pretty/cute girly fairies are considered monsters. I do like them, as well.), dragons, chimeras, harpies, sphinx, daemons, griffins, basilisks, djinn, gargoyles, goblins, pixies...
Villains- Sympathetic villains, disturbed villains, assassins, mobsters, villains with a fondness for the protagonist
Devices/Plots- Rightfully or framed/misunderstood infamous protagonists, strange mysteries, utter silliness
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jun 15, 2013 19:05:21 GMT -8
I got the impression a plot device is something that facilitates a plot, so a third act deus ex machina would count, but I dunno. Good items there. How could we forget carnivals? Gargoyle assassin carnivals. Dot com!
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Post by Kristi is prescribed skeletons on Jun 16, 2013 21:04:49 GMT -8
A carnival with a gargoyle assassin? Dig it. So far I think I'll run with that, then adding it being set in the 1940's (also taken from Kelly's list) and starring eccentric wise folks (from mine list) and I think I might have something brewing. Any other ideas? :-)
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jun 16, 2013 21:30:17 GMT -8
You'll let people help you concept a story? That's fun. Hey, anyone else have any ideas?
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Post by Dr. Maneep Pamplemousse on Jun 17, 2013 14:09:34 GMT -8
Anthropomorphic Brussels sprouts?
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DKender
Only One Skeleton has the Power to Control both Life and Death, Light and Dark, Words and Blank Space, Our Humble Lives Continue Only by the Grace and Magnanimity of This Skeleton
Nay, let us walk from fire unto firey skeleton ...
Posts: 9,204
Gender: Unknown Skeleton
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Post by DKender on Jun 17, 2013 19:10:10 GMT -8
This might be fun. If Kristi writes about Brussels sprouts, then I will, too.
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jun 18, 2013 0:26:11 GMT -8
OK, it doesn't look like anyone is contributing much for ideas, so I will throw out some words and phrases to consider: Killer ostrich, penguin trainer, nordic heritage museum, a secret emperor, clandestine dancing, words that cannot be pronounced by humans, a cosmological event, velvet science, cauliflower, quilts, handholds become blades, brown and grey flannel bathrobe, divine elbow technique, pin-up goblin, loofa, bauhaus, that monkey is blue, candles or candies?, things that rhyme with oxen, fallen rap star, grow lights, ceramic rabbit, 500 Yen, the walrus was paul, gravitons taste like despair, which color of duct tape should I choose?, nuance, sleight of hand, a series of tubes, glaive-guisarme, teenage warriors, my Stooges tape, cock of the rock, Rhode Island red, and Ninjas can hold their breath for a really long time.
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DKender
Only One Skeleton has the Power to Control both Life and Death, Light and Dark, Words and Blank Space, Our Humble Lives Continue Only by the Grace and Magnanimity of This Skeleton
Nay, let us walk from fire unto firey skeleton ...
Posts: 9,204
Gender: Unknown Skeleton
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Post by DKender on Jun 18, 2013 10:14:08 GMT -8
1=Killer ostrich, 2=penguin trainer, 3=nordic heritage museum, 4=a secret emperor, 5=clandestine dancing, 6=words that cannot be pronounced by humans, 7=a cosmological event, 8=velvet science, 9=cauliflower, 10= quilts, 11=handholds become blades, 12=brown and grey flannel bathrobe, 13=divine elbow technique, 14=pin-up goblin, 15=loofa, 16=bauhaus, 17=that monkey is blue, 18=candles or candies?, 19=things that rhyme with oxen, 20=fallen rap star, 21=grow lights, 22=ceramic rabbit, 23=500 Yen, 24=the walrus was paul, 25=gravitons taste like despair, 26=which color of duct tape should I choose?, 27=nuance, 28=sleight of hand, 29=a series of tubes, 30=glaive-guisarme, 31=teenage warriors, 32=my Stooges tape, 33=cock of the rock, 34=Rhode Island red, and 35= Ninjas can hold their breath for a really long time I'll pick 5 at random for great fiction. Drum roll plees! [dice=35][dice=35][dice=35][dice=35][dice=35] Also,Strange Horizons compiled this list of horror story types their editors receive too often, and I find it amusing. It's also helpful for people trying to get published through conventional methods (not self-publishing). www.strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction-common-horror.shtml[rand=19900817937366222210155319635518873319559438420913311978428432936]
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DKender
Only One Skeleton has the Power to Control both Life and Death, Light and Dark, Words and Blank Space, Our Humble Lives Continue Only by the Grace and Magnanimity of This Skeleton
Nay, let us walk from fire unto firey skeleton ...
Posts: 9,204
Gender: Unknown Skeleton
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Post by DKender on Jun 18, 2013 10:15:23 GMT -8
Velvet science, ninjas can hold their breath for a really long time, my Stooges tape, killer ostrich, and a secret emperor it is! Wow, this will be a piece of work, awwwright!
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jun 18, 2013 12:15:52 GMT -8
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jun 18, 2013 12:55:53 GMT -8
Ahaha nice link Deek! I thought it would be fun to list some stories we've seen too much ourselves. I've taken a few writing classes and had to read some real stinkers.
Disabled/mentally ill person gets 'the cure' for their condition but it makes them evil/'corrupt ' somehow/ ' real' life is too hard to bear ugh! At the end they wish to go back to how they were, and do, or die or something. Basically the evil version of Flowers for Algernon.
Cutesy characters have witty banter for 90% of the story, at the end something extremely banal is the twist. 'They're actually in love!'
Someone has an awful life explained in full detail, but the end they got through it I guess.
Trite story about something fantasy-based/otherwise adventurous, suddenly at the end, unrelated to anything, the world explodes and 'it all meant nothing.' (Yes I really read one like this.)
Some kind of elaborate steam-punk/fantasy universe is lushly described, cool character introduced who postures and is admired but doesn't really do anything.
Some kind of 'beautiful savage' person exists roaming free and wild and is killed by awful, awful modern people.
I'm sure I can think of more of these.
EDIT: as I think of more!
Inbred people are GRODY MONSTARS! 'Normals' discover GRODY INBRED MONSTARS who are scary and stuff. See also-- albino people, disabled people, fat people etc.
Boring zombies menace SUPER COOL GUYS who are cool and lavishly described with their cool weaponry and how they kill zombies. That's it.
Someone is ugly and/or picked on and decides to kill everyone.
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jun 18, 2013 13:18:19 GMT -8
Sci-fi or fantasy messiah stories. You are the chosen one, Muad-dib / Anakin Skywalker / Neo / 700 anime / manga / video game protagonists! Libertarian wet dreams / plucky poor guy struggles way to top, has all the money in the universe, gets to demonstrate inherent superiority to others at every turn. Highly specific sexual fetish or peccadillo is totally normal and public in the future. We were so happy to conquer the alien invaders that we just had an orgy on the spot. Or this: everydayislikewednesday.blogspot.com/2009/06/ultimates-3-1.html (Ctrl-F "1944") Writer has some specific moral opinion which isn't borne out as universal in real life, but it always proven correct and incontrovertible in their stories. Oh hey, it's Hideo Nakata's weird anti-divorce hang-up, for example.
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