http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ Web Fiction Guide Forums » Forum: Writing - Recent Posts en Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:20:11 +0000 http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/writing-inspirationmotivation#post-7760 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:01:20 +0000 Ryan Span 7760@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>I've recently turned my methods upside down, because they weren't working for beans. What I do now is set aside a space just for reading and writing. In that space, I do one or the other, and nothing else -- no TV, no games, no internet. Big headphones and loud music drown out distractions. When one activity doesn't come easy, I switch to the other.</p> <p>It's been working well for me so far! </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/writing-inspirationmotivation#post-7759 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:26:00 +0000 Wildbow 7759@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Nothing really gets me revved to write like reading a fantastic story, especially in the same general genre.</p> <p>I never itch to write more than when I can't or shouldn't. Like, say, if I happen to have a 20 page paper due in 2 days and I'm 5 pages in. What I -really- want to be writing, right then, is a short story or whatever. Often I'll go do that, then return to the thing I gotta do, and just use the momentum and put words to page.</p> <p>I also get ridiculous amounts of writing done if I'm chilling at my family's cottage (no electricity, yes plumbing) with a good pen &amp; some notebooks. Also on car trips, though my writing is often so bad when I'm being bumped &amp; jostled by the movement of the car that I'm remembering what I wrote more than I'm reading it.</p> <p>If I'm home, though, I find it's mostly to do with my mood. Get my usual daily web browsing and household stuff out of the way, crank up some music (something like Yuki Kajiura, Era or Sigur Ros, depending on the atmosphere of the chapter), then either sit in front of the computer or lie on bed with a laptop &amp; puppy resting her head on my shoulder, and get 'er done. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/writing-inspirationmotivation#post-7758 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:47:59 +0000 Verydien 7758@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>I've been thinking about this quite a bit, and I'm not sure how it is for many of you out there, but for me, writing really seems to come in stages. I can write most of the time, but the inspiration to type out a whole chapter of a story in one sitting happens far more sparingly.</p> <p>Which brings me back to my question. Is there something that helps motivate or inspire these writing sessions for you?</p> <p>Mine consist of several things. My mood/health (the worse it is, the more I seem to write), listening to a specific music artist (VNV Nation) or driving. I drive a lot for school, so plenty of time for thinking.</p> <p>So what about everyone else? What works for you? </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/help-support-an-indy-kids-book-production#post-7699 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:57:31 +0000 Alexander.Hollins 7699@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Wow. I suck. Thanks!</p> <p><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/289230880/lorelei-has-a-dream-i-want-to-show-it-to-you" rel="nofollow">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/289230880/lorelei-has-a-dream-i-want-to-show-it-to-you</a> </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/help-support-an-indy-kids-book-production#post-7697 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:51:29 +0000 ubersoft 7697@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>... link? </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/help-support-an-indy-kids-book-production#post-7695 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:14:55 +0000 Alexander.Hollins 7695@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Hey all, I know I've been absent a while, and I feel kinda bad being a little spammerific as my first message here in months, BUUUUT!</p> <p>A couple of good friends of mine are working on a wonderful project and are trying to launch it. They have written and illustrated a wonderful children's book, and have a kickstarter for it! </p> <p>Please, please, pretty please, consider sharing with your readers? These guys have an awesome product, and I want to see it become a reality. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/interesting-article-on-the-value-of-knowing-the-ending#post-7369 Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:48:07 +0000 ubersoft 7369@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>I don't know. I don't mind knowing the ending but I don't mind not knowing either. Glad I could add to the conversation in such a helpful manner. ;-) </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/interesting-article-on-the-value-of-knowing-the-ending#post-7364 Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:54:55 +0000 LeighC 7364@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Hm. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Some of my favorite stories are my favorite stories simply because they managed to surprise me, and that's not easy to do... But I do check the endings of certain movies before I see them, and I don't feel like it makes me enjoy them any less...</p> <p>~ Leigh<br /> <a href="http://www.storiesinpieces.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.storiesinpieces.wordpress.com</a> </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/interesting-article-on-the-value-of-knowing-the-ending#post-7269 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:58:49 +0000 S. D. Youngren 7269@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>It would depend on the story--what you're actually driving at and what you need to emphasize to get there. I may have some more thoughts once I'm done grumping about how "(t)he literary stories were the least preferred." (Or, for that matter, once I can get the <em>Psychological Science</em> page to load so I can look at the original.)</p> <p>I said I was grumpy; I didn't say I was surprised.</p> <p>--Shelley </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/interesting-article-on-the-value-of-knowing-the-ending#post-7259 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:30:09 +0000 Sarah Suleski 7259@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Interesting... The Darth Vader example particularly makes me want to comment that part of the reason knowing Darth Vader is Luke's father is good from the outset is that it's the bit of the story where the plot thickens and you go "ooooh, Darth Vader isn't just a two dimensional villain, he's a guy with a fascinating backstory, oooooOOOOOooooOOOO!" I knew about the twist before ever watching Star Wars and when I did finally watch the movies I spent the entire first two movies anticipating the moment when Luke goes "Nooooooooo!" Did it enhance my enjoyment? I think yes.</p> <p>Another example which backs this idea up, for me at least, is the recent HBO series, "Game of Thrones." I knew nothing (heh heh) about the Song of Ice and Fire books when I started watching the series. I was confused about all the characters and who they were and how they were related to each other ("wait, who is this Theon Greyjoy and why is he living with the Starks even though he isn't one? There was another rebellion after Robert's Rebellion? My god, I can't handle all this backstory, I need to go to Wikipedia and sort it out...") I found backstory information but also a whole slew of spoilers for the entire book series... and yet, instead of saying "Well now that I know what's going to happen I don't need to keep watching the show" my reaction was basically "Oh. My. God. I have to read these books." (And so I did.)</p> <p>And then there's "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. He had his narrator (Death) state Right The Fuck Away that the main character's best friend dies. I knew the entire book that this kid's death was coming... and yet, I cried my eyes out when it finally happened. I wept so bitterly that my mother was alarmed, but I kept insisting through the tears running down my face that this book was the most amazing thing ever.</p> <p>I can't really think of an instance where being spoilered ruined something for me, actually. So I have to agree with the article. (However, I recall being blown away when Bruce Willis was dead at the end of Sixth Sense -- though I did not jizz in my pants -- and so it can be fun to be surprised... but only so long as you can go "oooh, that makes sense!" instead of sitting there going, "who with the what now?") </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/interesting-article-on-the-value-of-knowing-the-ending#post-7243 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:14:06 +0000 Alexander.Hollins 7243@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>I'm with Traylor. I can't read most modern mystery as I figure it out a chapter in. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/interesting-article-on-the-value-of-knowing-the-ending#post-7225 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:02:08 +0000 M.E.Traylor 7225@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>At first I kind of balked at the idea. My dad always tries to figure out the ending of stories, which drives me nuts. I like to &lt;i&gt;discover.&lt;/i&gt; I love the not-knowing, those little "Aha!" moments as pieces fall into place. For me the longer the ride of not knowing can last, the better (there are obvious cases of overkill). It's an atmosphere I try to create in &lt;i&gt;Guts and Sass&lt;/i&gt; all the hints, references to things the characters know about and don't explain to the reader, the hints you don't even know are hints until later. It didn't really resonate at first.</p> <p>But gradually I found there was a way I could relate. Sometimes when I hear about stories through other people, I hear about this particularly cool scene or moment, and that's what gets me hooked. I want to experience that story because of that one moment. And the anticipation of that one moment is what carries me through the story. It's gotten me through some pretty terrible stuff for that one awesome moment. Similarly, with comics, when artist/authors do a chapter illustration that hints at some long-awaited face off or hookup, I'm like "OH SHIT MAN," and the anticipation is amazingly satisfying. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/ive-figured-out-what-im-going-to-do-next-i-think#post-7157 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:55:16 +0000 ubersoft 7157@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p><em>The Place of the Lion</em> is the only one I haven't read yet. :-)</p> <p>Hmmm... I wonder if it's available in the Nook or Kindle store... ?</p> <p>*wanders off muttering* </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/ive-figured-out-what-im-going-to-do-next-i-think#post-7156 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:30:38 +0000 Jim Zoetewey 7156@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>I've read <em>The Place of the Lion</em> and enjoyed it. I'm sure part of that's because I'd recently done an independent study on medieval theology, and thus was familiar with Plato's philosophy (which plays a big role in the story). </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/ive-figured-out-what-im-going-to-do-next-i-think#post-7155 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:59:47 +0000 ubersoft 7155@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>My favorites are <em>Descent into Hell</em> and <em>All Hallow's Eve</em>. </p>