|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 3:11 am
|
|
|
|
I was thinking so, yeah. :3 I also want to bring the characters back to Cassie's original home at some point, perhaps as she goes back trying to find something, evidence or whatever, to go to the police with. But, of course, they get found there.
Bahaha. Now I have it in MY head.
I think a series like Ochrasy needs a pretty hefty introduction, though. You've invented a lot of stuff that readers could have problems getting into if you don't give them a proper intro. But I guess it's all about striking that fine line, because you don't want to end up with info dump. Is there no way you can start small, and end the first chapter or two with an action scene? That way the readers get a little information (or whatever) and then go on to see the action so that they know what kinda stuff is coming...?
Bah, I don't know. It's a very complex problem. X3
Edit: Also, I think I'll probably be around in AIM a little more now that my work has died down somewhat. Although I have to stick to a sensible sleep schedule (damn classes) so I'll be going to bed around 11pm my time. Will I catch you online at all? =D
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:59 am
|
|
|
|
I had a whole response typed, and Firefox crashed and ate it. emo
It seems to me that if Cassie's involved with a thief, she wouldn't want the police involved in her life, although I guess that's not an option, since they must know the husband is dead and she's run off. XD But I could see that working, actually, if the police and gang were tracking her, and then Carmen knows so well how to avoid detection... ninja
I think I'm just calling everything in the first quarter of my novel 'intro', which does make some sense, but it's still funny to see them all listed like that.
Ochrasy isn't really as big and impressive as I'd like it to be. I've been reading those Forgotten Realms books, and their world is insanely complex. Makes Ochrasy look like a finger painting. In... words. Erm. Yeah. D=
I've tried several different ways to open. Using the rats in the theatre would probably turn away a lot of readers, just because of how weird and confusing it is. I thought having Descartes and the sparks was a nice intro to a foreign place, but overall, the response to it wasn't that good. o_< Trying to make a Maven chapter with action presented its own problems. Now, the new first chapter begins with a battle between the soldiers and an ether beast... I'm trying to tack on a small, quiet scene with Maven and Spaz. Then it would go to the action scene and hopefully get people hooked? Bleh. I dunno.
I'll turn AIM on, and I should be around most days, unless the weather turns nice and I get ambitious enough to mess around in the garden. XD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 1:22 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:45 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:37 am
|
|
|
|
I SWEAR I replied to this. Perhaps I just didn't hit enter. xd
That is, indeed, the truth. It could be fun to play with.
That's a very good point. I don't know if I could ever judge it from a realistic distance since you have spoken to me quite a lot about the series. Although, having said that, I still don't know that muc.? The problem, as you've said, is the Twilight generation. XD I've just given up.
I had a chat with a girl from my creative writing class today. She's really nice, but I'd never thought of her as a particularly 'good' writer from what I've seen in class. Yet, today she told me that her grades are on average 10 marks higher than mine in creative writing. I feel disheartened. If she can score these marks, then why can't I? Her work is often silly and trite (quite fun, I guess - hardly ever serious), and her characters don't ever develop. Her plot is pretty good, but it's not exactly anything I've not heard before. You know? I've never had feedback enough to tell me what's wrong with my writing - and when I say that I feel like she should get the same grades as me makes me sound really conceited... I'm not saying I'm good at writing, I'm saying that her writing doesn't usually seem any better than mine, and she still scores SO much more highly. Graaagh. >____>
Oh. Dear. That sounds horrible. D= I don't want to know any more!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:05 pm
|
|
|
|
Most days, I'm not sure I even know that much about Ochrasy. rofl It's still slowly evolving in my head. A big problem is that I first intended it to be a little surreal, not matching up with realistic science, politics or economic development but kind of... not allegorical but... something. XP But as it's gotten bigger, I've had to make it a bit more realistic, and now I have some things that just won't fit. The timeline and history of the cultures is a total mess that I've pretty much given up on. *dies*
Speaking of messes, I'm trying to stitch together the first chapters from a mix of old and new prose. Please, kill me now. gonk
I don't think writing quality determines grades. Actually, grades don't seem to bear any connection to life, in general. It could be that what she writes appeals to the teacher more, or they just plain like her. I know that stuff isn't supposed to matter, but it does. o_< Maybe they are grading more on solid plotting, regardless of the rest? Like it doesn't matter if it's generic, so long as she's got a completed product?
Anyway, I think all writers feel that way. We're either in awe of someone else's greatness or we're thinking 'They're not that great...' We can't just be neutral. XD
Isn't the whole point of the class to get feedback? =/ Well, if you need an opinion, I'm always available to give feedback, even though my uneducated thoughts aren't worth much. XP
And here's a page of inspirational famous people, which might be more helpful - http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/efficacynotgiveup.html I think my favourite might be Walt Disney, who was fired by an editor because he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas". rofl
I thought you were coming to America for the culture? XP It'll be fun. You can see how fascism starts. In Texas, they're passing a law that all voters have to have photo ID - but if you have a conceal-carry gun permit, you're exempt. Meanwhile, an official from NPR just had to resign because he made the horribly offensive remark that the Tea Party was a bunch of gun nuts. Oh, irony.
PS: I've had AIM on from about 11am my time until like 11pm. Are you not online at those times, or is my AIM broke? o_<
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:21 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:24 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:30 am
|
|
|
|
XD I wish I could finish, I really do. I mean, these days I can't even finish first drafts. I struggle an awful lot for no reason other than I guess I just don't have the time that I used to. Or the motivation.
To be honest, I just wonder how it's turning out. I've not read enough of it to be able to give you ideas. You should let me read some, and then I might be able to. ninja
Yes, you did say that. I should have listened. xd You're often right. The problem is, I was hoping that it might help me with the whole formal feedback side of things. I think that maybe I've gotten better at accepting feedback, and figuring out what parts of feedback are useful, but that's probably about it. My grades aren't improving, I still can't figure out what seminar leaders want from me (and therefore figure out what I SHOULD be writing, if you know what I mean... XD) and I'm not any more confident. In fact, since coming to uni I've lost faith in my ability to write. One teacher said that there was "signs of talent" in my work, but that they were buried. Or something like that. I don't know what that means. Does he mean that if I just did what he wanted I'd have 'talent', or does he mean that it's buried so deep it only SMELLS like a flower but doesn't have any chance of ever being anything more than a pile of dirt? >_>
Oh, dear. I should stop rambling. There's a creative writing scholarship on offer, for a 1,500 word piece of fiction. I'd like to enter, although I know I don't have a chance in hell of winning. The prize is £1000, which shows just how little of a chance I have. But, I feel like I'll never stand a chance of winning anything if I don't give things a shot... 1,500 words isn't very many, though. And March 31st is coming up quickly. =S
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 4:36 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:30 am
|
|
|
|
Mmhm. That's how education kills writers. XD They take people who had the heart to do it, then load them down with doubts until that's gone. The only ones who survive seem to be the people totally brainwashed into the academic, literary stuff, or the genre people too stubborn to believe they're anything but awesome. So quick, pick one of those paths and stick with it! ninja
Trust me, thinking about words doesn't make them better. In fact, it probably makes them worse. XP I only think because I have to, my brain works in jerks and starts, stopping in mid-sentence and leaving me hanging. Then I HAVE to think, but if you don't have to, then for goat's sake, don't. Write first, think later. Well, unless it's a little structural planning to make sure the plot points are right. I guess that thinking should be done first. Then the writing. Then the rest of the thinking. dramallama
Maybe it's because the teachers haven't seen enough of your writing to make general statements? Or they're confused about what feedback you want. Or they just think analyzing the one piece will translate to all the writing. I dunno. Teachers are complicated. =P
omfg. They're remaking ThunderCats. Seriously? Like we seriously don't have anyone with any new ideas? We've gotta keep remaking old crap? D= Blergh. Well, maybe it'll be good... At least it'll be a break from the endless sea of Caucasian action heroes? (Symbionic Titan just had an episode where the white princess brings education to the black tribespeople. Nevermind that this is an alien planet. Royalty is white. Natives are black. It's just how the universe works. rolleyes We'll also overlook how this creates totally the wrong impression of what Western imperialism was really like for native peoples... Whitewashed history? Yes, plz. I'll take some of that.) Yeah... I should stop ranting now. XD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:02 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:29 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
|
Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 3:52 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|