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Post by CNGoodhue on Aug 25, 2015 0:49:02 GMT
I have a great idea for a story. I have the motivation. I have it all planned out in my head. So I sit down, and stare at a blank white digital page...
and then i'm like "crap how do i do this"
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Post by NightBlade on Aug 25, 2015 17:20:15 GMT
You brainstorm with NightBlade. That's what you do
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Post by CNGoodhue on Aug 25, 2015 19:31:01 GMT
You brainstorm with NightBlade. That's what you do ;) i know what to do, i just don't know how to do it hahaha it's like i forgot how to string a sentence
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Post by Ellron Silvertree on Aug 26, 2015 21:16:56 GMT
I know that feeling, to an extent, Ced. Maybe not as much with writing a story, but in general. You know what you have to do and how to do it, but for some reason you don't know what to do at the same time. I think part of it is just having so much to do, and you know how to do it all, that you just don't know where/how to start. It happens to me with cleaning ;) :P
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Post by CNGoodhue on Aug 26, 2015 22:53:14 GMT
I know that feeling, to an extent, Ced. Maybe not as much with writing a story, but in general. You know what you have to do and how to do it, but for some reason you don't know what to do at the same time. I think part of it is just having so much to do, and you know how to do it all, that you just don't know where/how to start. It happens to me with cleaning ;) :P Exactly! When I clean my room, it's such a mess I don't even know what to do with myself. :P
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Post by Lylyss on Aug 27, 2015 20:52:24 GMT
Gah, I feel ya, CNG. :( Sometimes, when I don't know exactly how to phrase a paragraph, I just give myself permission to write trash as a framework, then clean it up with a couple of edits. Or maybe writing by hand will help?
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Post by NightBlade on Aug 27, 2015 20:54:39 GMT
LYLYSSSS WAZUUUUP Oh, er, stay on topic...Words...writing...
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Aug 28, 2015 22:11:54 GMT
CNGoodhue: I often find it really hard to write the first few words of a story. I don't know my characters, I don't know where to begin, I don't know how to make it perfect. But the thing is, it doesn't have to be perfect. I have to remind myself of that a lot. Write your worst and fix it later. Ignore any perfectionist tendencies you have. Ignore the voice that tells you this is terrible. Ignore grammar if it distracts you. Jerry B. Jenkins said there was only one way to write, and that was with seat in chair.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Oct 24, 2015 3:30:16 GMT
I'm looking for a good way to make chronologies for my books that doesn't require extensive erasing and rewriting on paper when I decide to switch a few things. I've tried Googling a few chronology apps, but I can't find a good one. Any ideas?
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 24, 2015 11:28:21 GMT
Chronology as in time line? How long is this timeline? Depending on how much time it covers, you might be able to make it on Excel/whatever the Mac equivalent is. (Go Teen Writers had two posts on it, here and here.) Otherwise, not sure. Sorry.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Oct 26, 2015 3:32:58 GMT
A timeline, yes. It's a timeline that covers many thousands of years. Thanks for your ideas; Excel/Numbers is a possibility, but not one of my first choices.
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Post by NightBlade on Oct 26, 2015 3:53:47 GMT
I just use OneNote and use basic outline . Simplest way to break it into smaller and smaller organized pieces I. Millenia
A. Century
1. Decade
a. Year
b. Month
etc
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Post by jliessa44 on Oct 26, 2015 22:50:57 GMT
I usually just used word and I do it in ten year increments with summaries.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Oct 27, 2015 6:07:55 GMT
Thanks guys! I tried Aeon Timeline, an application designed for timelines, but it's too complicated for me. I think I need a simpler way. Thanks for your ideas! I'll try them…I hope.
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Nov 9, 2015 23:18:30 GMT
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Nov 18, 2015 1:08:13 GMT
Ok, quick question: my characters are trying to figure out a plan of attack against my story's villain, and I need help figuring out their strategy.
The villain's main power is that she can manipulate nonliving matter in general. (Actually, the villain is Eira from the Supers Battle with a few modifications, for those familiar with that character/thread.) Said villain has essentially driven everyone out of a medieval-ish city and has taken up residence in the city's main temple. One character has suggested surrounding the temple with warriors and Seekers (like Rangers, but slightly less elite, and there's more of them), and then sending a smaller party (about 6-8) of skilled fighters and magic-users to actually attack her. The issue with this, as another character pointed out, is that the villain could potentially just bring the ceiling down on everyone except herself.
The issue with trying to attack the villain out of the temple is that they don't know where she'll be at any given time, and also that the villain would be more on guard and it would be harder to surprise/surround her.
The villain is normally very powerful, but her source has been depleted, so she'll be somewhat weakened. The characters are uncertain how weak she'll be, however, and she'll still be able to use the normal magic that the other characters can use.
What type of attack will give my characters the best chance of success, under these circumstances? Any help/advice would be appreciated!
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Post by WookieeElf on Nov 18, 2015 1:12:38 GMT
Leilani Sunblade: Is the villain prideful? If so, they could issue a challenge/taunt: "If you're so tough, why don't you come out and face us? If you don't, you're a baby, haha." Something like that. XP
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Nov 18, 2015 1:16:30 GMT
Leilani Sunblade: Is the villain prideful? If so, they could issue a challenge/taunt: "If you're so tough, why don't you come out and face us? If you don't, you're a baby, haha." Something like that. XP The villain (both this one and her predecessor, who's kind of not in the picture anymore) actually issued several taunts of that sort . . . so I can't see the MCs using the same strategy. I guess they could maybe say something like "You wanted to fight- here we are", but IDK. Thanks for the suggestion.
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Post by Lylyss on Nov 18, 2015 3:00:56 GMT
Maybe you could tempt her to manipulate something harmful? Perhaps, in making the Temple cave in, she would unwittingly trigger an explosion. Something that moves too quickly for her to stop. Of course, you could always have the characters conclude that she is impossible to defeat with force. They have to go after her emotionally. Kill something she loves, dangle a delicious opportunity in front of her face. :P
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Nov 18, 2015 3:34:30 GMT
I have to agree with Lylyss's idea of an emotional assault. Either that or have magic-users standing around the temple to keep it static and basically nullify the villain's abilities. That is, if your magic-users can do that. I mean—even though the villain appears to be the single most powerful magic-user in that situation, a group of magic-users should be able to nullify her abilities, especially if she's weakened.
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Nov 18, 2015 12:06:25 GMT
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Post by NightBlade on Nov 26, 2015 3:10:37 GMT
Leilani Sunblade Bait with a few characters coming from the North, then another sneaks around from the South and puts an arrow through her skull?
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Nov 26, 2015 12:53:21 GMT
Is that in any way based on the events of the Supers battle? xD And thank you! I think I've already mostly figured out how to deal with her, but thank you all the same.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Dec 15, 2015 4:55:32 GMT
Arright here's the steps! BUT WAIT before you start storming away...we're gonna do it step by step and share with each other as we go! Everyone should look at each others' and comment, so we can all learn from each others' unique perspectives. No matter how many worlds you've made, someone else will always think of something you haven't! Alright let's start with #I shall we? I. Describe the world's geographical characteristics: A. World size B. Land mass type(s) C. Climates D. Defining physical features II. Describe the world's behavior A. Cosmic position (suns, moons, day cycles) B. Weather and seasons III. Inhabitants A. Dominant inhabitants (humans, aliens, elves, etc) 1. Different people groups a. Location b. Governments c. Religions/Mythology 3. Current nations/kingdoms/empires B. General social histories 1. Wars 2. Nations/Kingdoms/Empires IV. History A. Creation origin B. Major events 1. Cataclysms 2. Invasions 3. Dominations
When this is filled out (it'll be huge! Haha) then you'll have a whole world that will practically write a story for you!
Are we going to continue this?
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Post by jliessa44 on Dec 15, 2015 5:07:21 GMT
I can't tell you how many times I've started and restarted my thingy.... But I'll probably end up posting it to my thread rather than here.
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Post by Starsinger on Dec 17, 2015 6:16:33 GMT
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Post by jliessa44 on Dec 17, 2015 6:31:10 GMT
Ooh. It's cool.
ETA- I was poking around and I've found the best name description ever.
"In American, the name Helushka means - fighter.The name Helushka originated as an American name. The name Helushka is most often used as a boy name or male name.
American Name Meaning - fighter Origin - America"
I feel like I don't speak American that well, I've never heard of Helushka.
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Post by NightBlade on Dec 17, 2015 14:57:21 GMT
Dmitri Pendragon I'd love to resume if people would like to participate with me (didn't really happen much before)
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Post by Starsinger on Dec 17, 2015 15:10:00 GMT
jliessa44 I've noticed they use 'American' in place of 'Native-American' and awful lot. So that's probably why.
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Post by NightBlade on Dec 17, 2015 15:11:44 GMT
Ooh. It's cool. ETA- I was poking around and I've found the best name description ever. "In American, the name Helushka means - fighter.The name Helushka originated as an American name. The name Helushka is most often used as a boy name or male name. American Name Meaning - fighter Origin - America" I feel like I don't speak American that well, I've never heard of Helushka. Sounds like it might be a northern Natives style name, like maybe from Canada, or an American-Russian name
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