NationStates Jolt Archive

If you want to write one part of a story with a lot of description and then gloss over a lot, is that alright? Or do you have to stick with a lot of detail if you start off with it?

You can do whatever you want.

It depends on the style, in my opinion. Usually everything goes in creative writing as long as it's done well, and that itself is open to opinion. One thing you don't want to do is set someone up for something and then not deliver. One of my old teachers told me, "Don't mention a pack of cigarettes on the table top if nobody smokes one later." I have a feeling I'm not helping.

It depends on the style, in my opinion. Usually everything goes in creative writing as long as it's done well, and that itself is open to opinion. One thing you don't want to do is set someone up for something and then not deliver. One of my old teachers told me, "Don't mention a pack of cigarettes on the table top if nobody smokes one later." I have a feeling I'm not helping.
No, I think that that's actually quite helpful. It makes sense not to mention smokes unless they're going to come into play later on, although I could see mentioning something like a painting if no one's going to admire it later... to set the scene and all, but a pack of smokes doesnt' really do much unless it's relevant.

Oh, also I'm awful with picking character names that don't sound awful and cheesy... any suggestions for coming up with names that don't sound stupid (or like the names of the people you're basing the characters off...)

Oh, also I'm awful with picking character names that don't sound awful and cheesy... any suggestions for coming up with names that don't sound stupid (or like the names of the people you're basing the characters off...)

www.behindthename.com

For the love of everything good and chocolatey, though, don't do what J.K. Rowling did. Remus Lupin, honestly. Narcissa Malfoy. Her character names are transparent even to someone with such a rudimentary knowledge of myth and etymology as I did when I was ten and first read the books.

Oh, also I'm awful with picking character names that don't sound awful and cheesy... any suggestions for coming up with names that don't sound stupid (or like the names of the people you're basing the characters off...)
Well, I'm glad I was some help. You could try a baby name generator.

www.behindthename.com

For the love of everything good and chocolatey, though, don't do what J.K. Rowling did. Remus Lupin, honestly. Narcissa Malfoy. Her character names are transparent even to someone with such a rudimentary knowledge of myth and etymology as I did when I was ten and first read the books.
Well, I just don't want to end up with all my male characters named either like really simplistic names like Bob and John or like, Xander or something weird like that...

You can do whatever you want.
In jazz it takes a long time to get to the point where you realize this is true. With the rare protege exception aside, a jazz improvisor starts off with this and sounds like total crap and must unlearn it to learn it again.

The lesson is nicely summed up by the greatest jazz educator I ever encountered-"It's a sin to wanna."

You can do anything, but you have to be in charge of it, not just hit any note that falls under your fingers. I've taken this sage advice to my other endevors. Know what your doing, be in charge of it. If your not going to consider what you're doing, why should I read, listen or watch it?

I'll add an extra bit from one of the greatest jazz band leaders ever, Art Blakey when handed a knotted chart from a young buck in his band, "Anyone can write something no one can play. It takes talent to write something that's good."

You should put an addict in your stories whenever possible. Make him(!) the hero and give him superpowers. All superpowers. And have each power be called Super-Atomic...

I'll add an extra bit from one of the greatest jazz band leaders ever, Art Blakey when handed a knotted chart from a young buck in his band, "Anyone can write something no one can play. It takes talent to write something that's good."
Oooh, that's good! And exactly my point. As long as it's good it doesn't matter if it follows a formula or whatever lit professors think is good writing. Sure, if you're just starting to write, or play, or whatever, following the numbers is ok, but just while you get enough 'feel', then throw them away.

The important thing is that you like what comes out.

You should put an addict in your stories whenever possible. Make him(!) the hero and give him superpowers. All superpowers. And have each power be called Super-Atomic...
It's not really that kind of story.

It's a story about how love can suck. I haven't deceided how much it will suck towards the end of the story, but it starts out sucking hardcore.

Oh, also I'm awful with picking character names that don't sound awful and cheesy... any suggestions for coming up with names that don't sound stupid (or like the names of the people you're basing the characters off...)

Go through a phonebook and find real names.

It's not really that kind of story.

It's a story about how love can suck. I haven't deceided how much it will suck towards the end of the story, but it starts out sucking hardcore.
Put lots of humour in it! :)

Go through a phonebook and find real names.
Well, I'm thinking that I'm going to try to keep things on a first name basis as much as possible. Actually, I still haven't brought in my main character's first name and she's been the focus of the story (she does have a name though). Maybe I should slip that in early on instead of randomly throwing it in later...

Put lots of humour in it! :)
I don't know how well I do humour, usually (especially in writing) my humour is really dry and often pretty deadpan.
I'm really concerned that I'm going to end up producing some sort of cliched piece of crap.

Although perhaps I shouldn't be so worried about chiches since my writing style isn't so great anyways. :P

It's not really that kind of story.

It's a story about how love can suck. I haven't deceided how much it will suck towards the end of the story, but it starts out sucking hardcore.
Those stories suck. All love stories suck. Even those that say loves sucks.

Those stories suck. All love stories suck. Even those that say loves sucks.
Awwww, you've made my love story sad:

Love story: "Yes, I suck, but I have feelings too, you know? I'm not just a bunch of letters that you can throw around and use however you feel like. It's not like I chose being like this."

Me: "C'mon, it's alright. I'm sure Dosuun didn't mean it like that, don't take it so hard."

Love story: "What do you know? In fact, I've had enough, I'm killing myself."

Dosuun: "Try not to jump from a building, you suck so hard you'll get stuck! Ha ha!"

Love story: "See? This is what I have to put up with every day! How can I go on like this?"

Me: "Maybe if you got a sense of humour?"

Love story: "Oh, sod off!"

In the end Love story decided it would be better to have a trans-genre operation and became a mistery.

Those stories suck. All love stories suck. Even those that say loves sucks.
Well, if something else had inspired me to write then it wouldn't be a love story. As it is, it's one that starts off with the suckiness of love.

It may not end up dealing with love at all towards the end, just moving on... I haven't deceided. It may be more interesting if everyone just ends up screwing each other over though, although that's not the happiest of endings.

Those stories suck. All love stories suck. Even those that say loves sucks.

preach on brother

Love stories are so stupid they could jump off a building and miss the ground.

Love stories are so stupid they could jump off a building and miss the ground.
Stealing blonde jokes?

No, I think that that's actually quite helpful. It makes sense not to mention smokes unless they're going to come into play later on, although I could see mentioning something like a painting if no one's going to admire it later... to set the scene and all, but a pack of smokes doesnt' really do much unless it's relevant.
Well, if the painting is owned by one of the character, doesn't metioning it help define on personality of the character?

Well, I'm thinking that I'm going to try to keep things on a first name basis as much as possible. Actually, I still haven't brought in my main character's first name and she's been the focus of the story (she does have a name though). Maybe I should slip that in early on instead of randomly throwing it in later...
Still, you should have a full name for the each character, and have a good list of traits that you want them to have. I'd recommend writing down their histories and appearance just so you do not contradict yourself.

Try to slip it in. You don't wanna be half way through (reading) the book and be like "Who's Mary?" Or you could try to have nobody refer to the main character by name. That could be fun.:)

Still, you should have a full name for the each character, and have a good list of traits that you want them to have. I'd recommend writing down their histories and appearance just so you do not contradict yourself.

Try to slip it in. You don't wanna be half way through (reading) the book and be like "Who's Mary?" Or you could try to have nobody refer to the main character by name. That could be fun.:)
This is true--even if you never use the information in the story, you need to know as much about your characters as possible. Otherwise, you won't know what they'll do when faced with a set of circumstances. It sounds cheesy, but it really is a case where the writer needs to be as surprised by what happens to his or her little darlings as the audience is.

Well, if the painting is owned by one of the character, doesn't metioning it help define on personality of the character?
Yes, which helps set the scene. :) But the smokes sitting out on the table that no one smokes don't do anything really... it could be that a forgetful relative left them there.


Still, you should have a full name for the each character, and have a good list of traits that you want them to have. I'd recommend writing down their histories and appearance just so you do not contradict yourself.
I'm basing these characters heavily on people in my life, I don't think that will be too hard to remember their traits. But yeah, I'll pick last names from the phonebook I suppose.

Try to slip it in. You don't wanna be half way through (reading) the book and be like "Who's Mary?" Or you could try to have nobody refer to the main character by name. That could be fun.:)
Yeah, I slipped it in since it might become important later on, but I've only used it once, so... yeah... It became necessary to use names for the other characters.

A little LSD and some paint fumes really get the creative juices flowing.

Good advice here:

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/turkeycity.html

Oh, also I'm awful with picking character names that don't sound awful and cheesy... any suggestions for coming up with names that don't sound stupid (or like the names of the people you're basing the characters off...)

Look at recent stories in the news. Pick them from there.

If you want to write one part of a story with a lot of description and then gloss over a lot, is that alright? Or do you have to stick with a lot of detail if you start off with it?

You don't have to have a consistent level of detail throughout the whole thing. Detail emphasizes what's going on. It could also be used to indicate that the character whose POV you're using is undergoing anxiety at that point.

Detail=intensity. Vagueness=casualness/triviality.

#

Bathos

A sudden, alarming change in the level of diction. "There will be bloody riots and savage insurrections leading to a violent popular uprising unless the regime starts being lots nicer about stuff."

#

Squid on the Mantelpiece

Chekhov said that if there are dueling pistols over the mantelpiece in the first act, they should be fired in the third. In other words, a plot element should be deployed in a timely fashion and with proper dramatic emphasis. However, in SF plotting the MacGuffins are often so overwhelming that they cause conventional plot structures to collapse. It's hard to properly dramatize, say, the domestic effects of Dad's bank overdraft when a giant writhing kraken is levelling the city. This mismatch between the conventional dramatic proprieties and SF's extreme, grotesque, or visionary thematics is known as the "squid on the mantelpiece."

You don't have to have a consistent level of detail throughout the whole thing. Detail emphasizes what's going on. It could also be used to indicate that the character whose POV you're using is undergoing anxiety at that point.

Detail=intensity. Vagueness=casualness/triviality.
Ah, good point.

Love stories couldn't hit the water if they fell out of a boat! Most stories suck. It doesn't matter what kind of story it is, most just suck. It'll suck even more if it never makes it to print.