The Writers' Room

[Acehilm]

Would anybody be interested to read Peasant Blurs if I continued it? I'm honesty thinking of ditching it.

[Mokrie Dela]

I'm still following it, Coat. I think I'm still a chapter behind, but I'm following it. You have to remember that this section can be slow - even the most popular stories can seem like they're ignored. Patience, young skywalker

[MacAshford]

I'll keep reading it too

 

EDIT: Finished posting the whole of WTTE now, hope you all enjoy it

Edited March 30, 2014 by Vice President

[Mokrie Dela]

So I've taken the plunge and uploaded the next chapter of Fallout. I think this has more drama than The Road! haha.

Anyway, let's see how that goes down. About as well as those burgers in VP's sig, i bet

[MacAshford]

I just read the chapter, I enjoyed the previous chapter but the this latest is much better.

I feel like Mark, I didn't know what a half-life was either, had to google it

 

I'm going to improve my knowledge of fiction and narrative or whatever they're called soon so that I can do feedback posts and help out around here.

 

In other news, I've been getting in to a ton of different books lately, one has stood out in particular, it's called Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. It's quite a popular book, I've not finished it yet but I'm pretty far into it. If you're all into that conspiracy theory shish, then you'd probably enjoy it. Despite the fact that it's aimed at adults, it's extremely easy to read, not going off and using complicated words while still maintaining great description skills.

 

(That was my first sort of book review I think)

 

I'm definitely going to have to read this infamous "The Road" sometime soon.

 

On a different topic, do any of you guys read manga?

[Mokrie Dela]

Well one of the things that sparked this story was the contrast between the characters i played FO with - and contrasting aspects of the human psyche (or at least my own). My mate loves mark - for one reason alone: the incident with a fork when he's introduced.

[MacAshford]

Yeah, I noticed how the characters seem to be quite different to each other. One of my problems when I write, is I just have all of the characters almost the same, I just can't make them unique. Maybe it's because they sort of have to be like that for the stories. I'm not sure.

 

My next project is probably loosely based on a manga I read a few days ago about a framed criminal and his suicidal hostage being on the run for a couple of months, the kidnapper and the victim end up falling in love. I'm trying write a story like that but I'm going to make it quite different to that. I've been experimenting with a few different ideas lately and so far I have that a criminal is forced to kidnap a rich heir to a huge company and take him to a warehouse to ransom him but the gang that the criminal is in tries to steal the ransom money for themselves so the criminal sets the victim free but instead the kidnapper follows the victim and goes on a road trip across the country where they become best friends and each chapter is set in a different city where they get dragged into hilarious situations. Like I said, it's quite different but it should be okay.

 

EDIT: http://random-name-generator.info/random/ this seems to be the best RNG around lately, the names aren't batsh*t-crazy fantasy names like some of the RNG's spit out

 

EDIT 2: Keep getting ideas flooding in to my head for my road trip project, must be a sign to hurry up and get to writing it

 

EDIT 3: Planning on having the two main characters the exact opposite so I can test out if I really can make unique characters

 

EDIT 4: Sorry for all of the edits

Edited April 2, 2014 by Vice President

[Acehilm]

VP, your signature reminds me of that South Park episode.

[Mokrie Dela]

Haha I had to youtube to remind me what you mean but yeah. I clicked the related

one, as i remember that making me laugh.

Why do people always think black people can play the bass so well?

 

Ah. Okay then. Haha. Edited April 2, 2014 by Mokrie Dela

[MacAshford]

Aha, my signature is from the TV show "Supernatural" which is pretty kickass.

[Acehilm]

Just (sort of) finished an essay for advanced English which involves me writing a 1,500 body about ideologies; liberal humanist, post structuralist and how in Dead White Males (by David Williamson) the views are portrayed through conflicting characters with close textual references. Then, choose our own text to write on about the same subject matter; which I chose 'Waking Life'.

 

The whole 1,500 word thing isn't a problem for me. I have a problem wiring over the limit and not being able to "cut off the fat" - same problem I have with writing Peasant Blurs, as Tyler pointed out. I have almost 3,000 words on it and going over the limit will only deduct marks.

 

Don't mind me while I slip out and kill myself.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Coat.

[MacAshford]

I guess that sucks, maybe you could split the essay into sentences and chose which sentences have a higher priority than the others but I'm not exactly the best person for giving advice on this, I can never seem to reach word limits

 

 

In other news, I had a strange idea that at Christmas, Writers Discussion could have a "secret santa" type of game. Each person would be paired with another (randomly of-course) and they would both (seperately) write a short fan-fiction of each others work. Just a thought, although the holiday season is months away

 

In other, other news, I've been having quite a problem of choosing what to write next... I have two ideas: one is for a short novel and the other is a gamescript/concept thread... Which would you guys rather see?

 

EDIT: I tried writing a little bit of the short novel, here's a small part of the prologue, just to show the contrast between the two main characters...

 

 

 

North Carolina, USA

 

Damon rested back into his yellow armchair, frowning and staring at his huge flatscreen TV. A few seconds of silence reminded him that he was just staring back at his own arid reflection, he glared down at the remote in his lap and tapped the on button. Quickly flicking through the channels of antique shows, he tossed the remote on his orange rug, next to his tattered copy of Le Père Goriot. For an eighteen-year-old, his lifestyle was depressing, although the doses of Prozac seemed to fix that.

 

Rising from his "throne", he yawned and strolled to the kitchen, opening the tin-filled cupboard and grabbing a can of baked beans. His record player automatically turned on to play smooth jazz. As almost everything does, the jazz only made Damon more depressed. Even the millions of dollars in his bank account made him feel worse.

 

Once again, he found himself facing his own reflection as he placed his beans into the microwave. Damon was a little bit chubby, he had short, blond hair, usually combed-over. His eyes were a dull brown colour, duller than his personality and his late 60's fashion sense...which obviously means a lot.

 

*

 

New Jersey, USA

 

Ryan lay back on his single bed, smiling and listening to punk music through his bright purple headphones. Stuck haphazardly along his walls were band posters and signed merchandise. Dirty clothes covered most of the floor, with videogame controller wires trailing beside them from one side of the room to the other. Across the ceiling was a huge mirror, framed with strips of multi-coloured neon lights that flickered aggressively.

 

Besides his bedroom, his appearance was a little bit untidy. His clothing could only be described as "emo-punk" and his dyed-black hair hosted a fringe that almost fully covered his eyes, had it not been brushed slightly to the left. Despite that, his face was completely smooth, not one trace of facial hair. His eyebrows remained perfectly formed, not too thick yet not too thin. They complimented his shining, crystal blue eyes.

 

He reached into a the small box of pizza beside him and yanked out a slice, dripping with tomato and stuffed it into his mouth in one, whilst nodding his head to the beat of his aggressive songs. Another smile shot across his face as he sat up and stared out of his window, watching the neighbour fall over her own shopping bags on the lawn. Ryan giggled and shut his curtains.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2014 by Vice President

[blitz]

I was thinking about writing a short piece regarding a small time high school drug dealer that sorta gets way too much control and sh*t starts to go down (people overdose, gets busted by cops, house gets raided). Sort of inspired by Jesse Pinkman's younger years.

[MacAshford]

Go for it, what's the worst that could happen?

Edited April 10, 2014 by Vice President

[Ziggy455]

I'd read that if you uploaded it.

[Mokrie Dela]

Man, I love that idea about writing a short piece based on someone elses work. I really do, it'd be a great way to offer a fresh take on the original, but also a nice way for some people to write something outside of their usual comfort zone.


How to do it secret, though? When you upload it, we'll know.

But saying that, I (or someone else) could very easily set it up:

We all "sign up" by the 1st Dec. then I will do the random draw out of a hat, then everyone writes their FF. They send it to me, I upload it in one topic, and maybe we'll have a vote for the winner. I might even have a quiet word with mods about prizes.

I was going to say I'd do the draw on a youtube video, but then that'd eliminate the secret aspect....

I do like this idea though...

Blitz: do it!

 

VP: Go with whatever you feel better with. Sit down, plan, storyboard, write character dossiers, draw the map of where it's set, draw the characters naked - whatever your planning process is. Get the basics down, and you'll most likely know which one you need to carry on with first. Get your head into it and you heart will lead the way.

Personally, I'd prefer a novel/traditional format story. I'm better at feedback for them, and am more comfortable reading them. Gamescripts... well, while I'm half planning on resurrecting GTA Thames City, either via a story or "concept", I find novels easier to deal with.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Mokrie Dela

[MacAshford]

Thanks for the advice, I'm gonna mix it up a bit and write both then randomise which one gets posted first ....

[Ziggy455]

 

It seems my days are consisted of working long hours, and as such it means that my writing is becoming non-existent. It kind of sucks really, that it's not really apathy but exhaustion that causes me to throw away my writing hours. I mean, come on, seriously? Nobody wants to write after they've been awake for thirty hours, and if they are, they soon won't be. I can't write when I'm that tired! It's monumental to even eat a wagon wheel when I'm that tired.

 

Also, I find that I have this recurring habit of getting through the chunk of a story, and then looking back and questioning the dimensions of my characters. Are they real enough? Do they come off in the way I want? Do they live and breathe off their own accord?

 

It's that recurring voice of damnation that toys with me, and why my stories pile up after 40,000 words each way. This has happened with everything: Portland Chase, Innocence and Loneliness, What Truly Counts, URA Redemptio. I'll be glad when I get to Uni and get some free time to really start sending some short stories away to magazines, because right now, the real world seems to be taking up my time, and that is something I really, really can't stand when my writing is in serious need of some work and development.

[Mokrie Dela]

Oh man, wagon wheels. Jammy ones? They're the sh*t.

[Ziggy455]

I'm all about that blue Wagon Wheel sh*t, son!

[Mokrie Dela]

Good man. But f*ck you, man, It's gone midnight, it's been a long couple of days, and I really want one.... f*ck going out just for one though. AGH

[MacAshford]

Guys, don't kill me for this but I was thinking of uh writing a GTAV fan fiction...*hides on a planet far far away*

[orbitalraindrops]

is eminence still around?

[Real_Badgirl]

This is kind of a stupid question, but is this thread essentially for pitching ideas and pimping stories?

 

I'm in the process of writing a GTA IV horror fic, and while I've put up the first two chapters on both FF.net and AO3, I haven't gotten a single review. Maybe people there just don't want to read scary fan fiction.

 

 

Here's the summery of my story. Hostile, shapeshifting creatures are infecting the citizens of Liberty City. (Ever seen John Carpenter's 'The Thing'? Those are the kinds of monsters in this story. You don't know who's infected and who's still human until its too late.) As both group tensions and the body count rise, Niko must work with allies (Roman, Packie, Kate, Little Jacob, Elizabeta, Badman and Mallory) as well as enemies (Dimitri and Bulgarin) in order to survive when the city is quarentiened. It will feature lots of blood, gore and violent character death, so don't expect this to be an uplifting tale.

 

I know it's a very bizarre concept, but would anybody be interested if I posted it here?

[Eminence]

is eminence still around?

 

You rang?

[Mokrie Dela]

Guys, don't kill me for this but I was thinking of uh writing a GTAV fan fiction...*hides on a planet far far away*

I actually have one in the works....

 

This is kind of a stupid question, but is this thread essentially for pitching ideas and pimping stories?

It can be.

 

As for your idea, i like the concept of not knowing who the enemy is. Not knowing who's "infected" or not could create a lot of tension and suspense. That would be your best pal in such a story i think. Crossovers can be interesting but also difficult as you A - have to almost justify making it FF-based, and B have to create another or merge 2 worlds.

 

I think the concept's a good one - most works these days have the bad guy signposted for all to see. It's one thing Cloverfield did well (though i'm not a fan) - you never see the monster, the enemy is never revealed. that kinda makes it worse

 

 

I've also found FF.net to be very slow in that sense - you have to really inbed yourself with the community - review a lot of people's works. You review 10 people's works, you might get one review back.

[MacAshford]

 

Guys, don't kill me for this but I was thinking of uh writing a GTAV fan fiction...*hides on a planet far far away*

 

I actually have one in the works....

 

I don't think anybody in the world is as happy as me right now. I really can't wait to read that, I'm hoping it will be as deep as CoL and JiF

 

Secondly, it's always nice to not be the only one doing something

 

In other news, I found another one of my old notepads with an unfinished adventure (somewhat comparable to Assassins creed/fallout/skyrim) concept thread in it, I'mma revamp that sheiiiiit up and get it posted (with all missions wrote up) before I write anything else. So that should set me back by a few weeks but atleast it gives me more time to get my GTAV and my road trip story ideas to a maximum.

[Acehilm]

I'm thinking of giving a fan-fiction based story a go.

Edited April 14, 2014 by Coat.

[Mokrie Dela]

 

 

Guys, don't kill me for this but I was thinking of uh writing a GTAV fan fiction...*hides on a planet far far away*

 

I actually have one in the works....

 

I don't think anybody in the world is as happy as me right now. I really can't wait to read that, I'm hoping it will be as deep as CoL and JiF

 

Secondly, it's always nice to not be the only one doing something

 

In other news, I found another one of my old notepads with an unfinished adventure (somewhat comparable to Assassins creed/fallout/skyrim) concept thread in it, I'mma revamp that sheiiiiit up and get it posted (with all missions wrote up) before I write anything else. So that should set me back by a few weeks but atleast it gives me more time to get my GTAV and my road trip story ideas to a maximum.

 

It'll be a long while until it's here. I have Fallout still needing work, and i'm finding less and less time to work on it It'll come, but It'll be a while. In the meantime, for anyone wanting a "COL" sort of story, well, VP, it's up to you!

 

I'm thinking of giving a fan-fiction based story a go.

Go for it. I've voiced my thoughts before that FF is underrated. Writing should be fun, above all else, and if you want to, do it.

The decision would be yours to make, though, of course, but don't feel that FF isn't proper writing.

How's Pleasant Blurs going? I'd like to see how that finishes....

 

edit: Look what I got Ziggs!

Edited April 14, 2014 by Mokrie Dela

[Ziggy455]

I need mah Wagon Wheel.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Ziggy455