Go ask the lizard-guy something....

If you want to publicly ask a specific member a question, do so here.
User avatar
Sstavix
CCGR addict
Posts: 2950
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:47 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Eastern Washington. Not the crazy side.
Contact:
Chozon1 wrote:
Sstavix wrote:Lo, it hath been decreed - since the world hath produced one such as Bieber, and so hath the world produced ones that shall follow him, then lo, the world must suffer for its crimes....
Yeah, but...but...but...I don't even really do pop music at all, and rarely even secular, so I'm being punished for other peoples evils. And I don't even like those other people. *_*
That's a quotation from "Reasons Why the Scaled Folk Must Rule the World Instead of the Softskins, volume 8." It's a work in progress, in which the sentient reptiles continually add updates.

AHEM... not that I'd know anything about that, of course.... :wink:
Chozon1 wrote:I listened to the song and looked it up, and it's sad...doesn't bring me to tears, though. And I have a soul; I cried at Up. I may have pretended to have accidentally poked myself in the eye with the remote, but those were tears.
Really? Hmm.... *begins to write something down in a big, heavy book....*
Chozon1 wrote:When you need epoxy, there will surely be none to be found?
I can relate, but with a whole slew of other tools, instead. It even goes beyond that, too - for example, I can find scissors all over the house, whenever I turn around. When I actually need a pair of scissors, they've all mysteriously disappeared.....
User avatar
Emwok
CCGR addict
Posts: 2081
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:00 pm
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: SPAAAAAACE!
Contact:
Sstavix wrote:
Emwok wrote:Dante's Inferno?
Now there's a hot topic. It's considered a classic now, but I hear the critics really burned it when it first came out. In fact, in some on-line literary communities, discussing its merits can still start a flame war.

... OK, I think I'm done. I'm sorry to put you through such Hell....
:lol:

Living Card games?
Spoiler:


User avatar
Chozon1
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 22806
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:00 am
Location: In the shadows. Waiting for an oppurtune moment to create a dramatic entrance.
Contact:
Sstavix wrote:That's a quotation from "Reasons Why the Scaled Folk Must Rule the World Instead of the Softskins, volume 8." It's a work in progress, in which the sentient reptiles continually add updates.

AHEM... not that I'd know anything about that, of course....
All hail our new reptilian overlords...It's hard to imagine they'd do a worse job in our current political climate. >_>

Also, I lost a pair of scissors earlier...that I had literally, 30 seconds ago, had in my hands. O_o I don't understand...

When the tasks are piling up, the clock is running down, the only thing to do...is dance?
Image
User avatar
Sstavix
CCGR addict
Posts: 2950
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:47 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Eastern Washington. Not the crazy side.
Contact:
Chozon1 wrote:
Sstavix wrote:That's a quotation from "Reasons Why the Scaled Folk Must Rule the World Instead of the Softskins, volume 8." It's a work in progress, in which the sentient reptiles continually add updates.

AHEM... not that I'd know anything about that, of course....
All hail our new reptilian overlords...It's hard to imagine they'd do a worse job in our current political climate. >_>
All they would ask for is mindless, unquestioning obedience... and the occasional human sacrifice.

So... not too different from what we have now, actually....
Chozon1 wrote: When the tasks are piling up, the clock is running down, the only thing to do...is dance?
Make it part of the to-do list, and then you can cross it off when you're done boogying.
User avatar
Deepfreeze32
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 7041
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:00 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: On the run from Johnny Law; ain't no trip to Cleveland
Contact:
So how does one go about improving the pacing/tension and release of a story?

Right now, I feel like my peaks in tension (When major events/action scenes happen) are either too sudden, not dramatic enough, or setting too high a bar for future sequences.
User avatar
Chozon1
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 22806
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:00 am
Location: In the shadows. Waiting for an oppurtune moment to create a dramatic entrance.
Contact:
It's so bad at the moment, I can't remember to right a list. XD

The fidgits?
Image
User avatar
Sstavix
CCGR addict
Posts: 2950
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:47 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Eastern Washington. Not the crazy side.
Contact:
Deepfreeze32 wrote:So how does one go about improving the pacing/tension and release of a story?

Right now, I feel like my peaks in tension (When major events/action scenes happen) are either too sudden, not dramatic enough, or setting too high a bar for future sequences.
Great question. A big part of this gets into wordplay - quite literally, playing with words!

Think about how things are done in TV shows and movies. I'll choose the original "Star Wars," just because its topical right now. :wink: There's often some sort of action sequence at the beginning, in order to catch the attention of the audience (the big Star Destroyer captures the Rebel ship and Leia over Tattoine). This also is the place to give the audience a taste of the conflict that is occurring. Then there's a "cooling" period, where the audience learns more about the setting, the reasons behind the conflict, and possibly gets a few laughs along the way (the droids are on Tattoine, meet the real hero of the story, and we learn about his past and are introduced to the Jedi). Then there is some sort of conflict that occurs that leads into the next scene. (The crew meet up with the smuggler and the walking hair monster, get on board a ramshackle spaceship and leave the planet, the Empire hot on their tails). If you think about breaking the narrative into smaller chunks - basically, each chapter or scene could be construed as a mini-story in itself - then it will help. Each mini-story gets bigger and the conflict / climaxes get grander until you hit the big spot at the end.

Another thing to help with pacing is the words you use. For example, in a fight scene, or a scene where you want a lot of tension, keep your sentences short and your words clipped. It allows the reader to read quicker and helps to fuel the frantic atmosphere you're trying to establish. And for crying out loud, don't interrupt the action to go into lengthy narratives or huge monologues! For example, if the dragon knocks Sir Shinypants into a new chamber with a swipe of his claw, you don't want to interrupt the action by providing a detailed, 12-sentence paragraph of the new chamber. Sir Shinypants is going to be focused on defeating the dragon, and so will the audience.

This kind of writing takes practice. Be sure to watch for this in the works of other people. Once you are aware of the techniques that authors use, you can explore books at a deeper level ... and maybe figure out how to use some of those techniques yourself!
Chozon1 wrote:It's so bad at the moment, I can't remember to right a list. XD

The fidgits?
Or spell "write?" ;) As for "the fidgits," that reminds me of my son. Seems like he's always wiggling. If he isn't fidgeting, then he might be sick....
User avatar
Chozon1
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 22806
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:00 am
Location: In the shadows. Waiting for an oppurtune moment to create a dramatic entrance.
Contact:
Yes. It's a bad day when I mix up my homonyms. -_- I was falling asleep at my keyboard yesterday. I blame being ill.

Speaking of Star Wars, Star Wars: the Force Awakens?
Image
User avatar
Sstavix
CCGR addict
Posts: 2950
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:47 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Eastern Washington. Not the crazy side.
Contact:
Chozon1 wrote:Yes. It's a bad day when I mix up my homonyms. -_- I was falling asleep at my keyboard yesterday. I blame being ill.
Same here. I think I may be coming down with a cold. :(
Chozon1 wrote:Speaking of Star Wars, Star Wars: the Force Awakens?
You know, I still haven't even taken the time to watch the trailers yet? I've been so disappointed in the prequel trilogy - I still haven't seen the third one - that I'm not too hyped up to see the latest one in theaters. Possibly when it comes to DVD or Netflix, but that will depend on my mood.
User avatar
Chozon1
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 22806
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:00 am
Location: In the shadows. Waiting for an oppurtune moment to create a dramatic entrance.
Contact:
I'm more concerned about the flu...but I was feeling better today, so perhaps it's just sinuses.

As for Star Wars...no spoilers, but it actually felt a lot like the originals; I've no complaints. I would have walked into the theater and watched it again.

I feel you should see the third prequel though; it's the best of the three. Of course, I'm one of the few that really enjoyed them, so take that for what you will. :P

Filling out Christmas cards?
Image
User avatar
Emwok
CCGR addict
Posts: 2081
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:00 pm
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: SPAAAAAACE!
Contact:
Sstavix wrote:
Chozon1 wrote:Speaking of Star Wars, Star Wars: the Force Awakens?
You know, I still haven't even taken the time to watch the trailers yet? I've been so disappointed in the prequel trilogy - I still haven't seen the third one - that I'm not too hyped up to see the latest one in theaters. Possibly when it comes to DVD or Netflix, but that will depend on my mood.
I actually saw it Thursday night and it was amazing. Won't spoil anything, but it was so much better than the prequel trilogy.

Strategy games?
Spoiler:


User avatar
Sstavix
CCGR addict
Posts: 2950
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:47 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Eastern Washington. Not the crazy side.
Contact:
Chozon1 wrote: Filling out Christmas cards?
I'm terrible when it comes to Christmas cards. I like what we've done the past few years - take a picture of the kids, design a photo card on Walmart's Web site, and just mail those out. Saves a lot of hassle. :)
Emwok wrote: Strategy games?
I do like good strategy games. If we're talking video games, turn-based ones with RPG elements tend to be my favorite (like Reverse Crawl, which I just recently reviewed). If board games are the subject, then Risk and Stratego are great, classic options too. :)
User avatar
Chozon1
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 22806
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:00 am
Location: In the shadows. Waiting for an oppurtune moment to create a dramatic entrance.
Contact:
We do ours the old fashioned way...and have been doing them in that way for at least a week now. -_- It would help if my handwriting could be readily distinguished from ancient Aztec, allowing me to fill out the addresses, but...that can't be helped.

Proof reading as you write, or as a completed work?
Image
User avatar
Sstavix
CCGR addict
Posts: 2950
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:47 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Eastern Washington. Not the crazy side.
Contact:
Chozon1 wrote: Proof reading as you write, or as a completed work?
I used to think the former, but my experiences with NaNo makes me think the latter is the better option. Don't get distracted by editing and proofreading - just get that chunk of literature out of your head and onto paper first! Once you have that in a solid form, then you can go back and edit, rewrite and proofread to your hearts content. Multiple times, if possible (my NaNo from 2012 I've edited, rewritten and expanded on six times before I've determined it suitable enough to send to a publisher).
User avatar
Emwok
CCGR addict
Posts: 2081
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:00 pm
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: SPAAAAAACE!
Contact:
Living card games?
Spoiler:


Post Reply