[Crimian]

Galenmarek, on 16 February 2010 - 11:41 AM, said:

On Vampires: I think this is a legend that can be used to create interesting stories. Twilight is not a good guide, but they can be very useful as a fantasy element. They represent, to an extent, the depravity of humanity. I have considered using them in some instances.

Pretty much my take on them. For instance, in that story I mentioned, the vampires represented what I'm putting in spoiler tags below. (Doing so because some might want to avoid the "squick" of it all.)

Spoiler

My vampires represent sexual predators, with the specific one in my story representing a child molester.

[SeriousGamer]

Galenmarek, on 16 February 2010 - 10:41 AM, said:

C. Randomly make something up that sounds cool.

I did that for the name of my antagonist in my first book and the overall antagonist for the entire series. Surprisingly, it worked.

Galenmarek, on 16 February 2010 - 10:41 AM, said:

Nobody should ever compare themselves to Tolkien in a writing aspect. ninety times out of a hundred, that'll discourage a prospective writer. Tolkien was too amazing to be compared to.

I know that feeling. But I'd like to live up to that too.

Galenmarek, on 16 February 2010 - 10:41 AM, said:

On Vampires: I think this is a legend that can be used to create interesting stories. Twilight is not a good guide, but they can be very useful as a fantasy element. They represent, to an extent, the depravity of humanity. I have considered using them in some instances.

Funny, in my series, I've considered putting vampires in. I have the same take basically as you. Like Crimian, I'll put my take in spoilers.

Spoiler

I thought about usimg them to represent fallen man but also not lost entirely. In my story, some regret becoming what they are. Some even become humans again.

[Red Five]

Galenmarek, on 16 February 2010 - 11:41 AM, said:

To be honest, my writing sorta flows and changes as I go along. In my five or so main ideas, I have no idea how four will end. I really experience the story the same way a character would: I go along, knowing only the present and having hazy, foggy ideas about how the future might end. It is pretty interesting.

That's a good way to do things, actually. I prefer to write as a mixture. I know how my story's going to end, and vaguely how it's going to get there- it helps me stay consistent with the actual plot and allows for some foreshadowing. But knowing too much takes the joy out of it.

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I listen to a lot of music when I write. I find it prevents me from getting overexausted from writing, a little. I usually listen to my normal tastes: Christian rock and hard rock, and some classic rock. I yam what I yam.

I'm all over the place on this one. I listen to classical sometimes, rock others, pop, Celtic, punk, acoustic, worship, movie soundtracks... Absolutely whatever fits what I'm writing at that time.

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Which brings me to a point: What fantasy creatures do you add to your stories, and why? How do you depict them? Are they good, evil, neutral?

The novel I just finished is the first one I've written more with young adults in mind... It's a Redwall-esque fantasy, so I didn't exactly use "fantasy" creatures. As to your typical stable of fantasy creatures, like goblins, centaurs, vampires, etc., I haven't done anything with those. I'm planning (as in, the premise is there, but the storyline is not nearly to where I want to start writing it) a novel about werewolves, but that's a while a way.
I work in lots of aliens, though, and where they're good or evil is fairly spread out. I actually think most of them are probably good, but there are evil ones as well. My core characters tend to be human.
EDIT
Out of curiosity, does anyone else have publication aspirations? Or are you mostly just into it as a hobby?

[SeriousGamer]

Red Five, on 16 February 2010 - 03:15 PM, said:

EDIT
Out of curiosity, does anyone else have publication aspirations? Or are you mostly just into it as a hobby?

A little of both actually. My series I plan to get published. The rest, I just do as a hobby.

[boyward]

I don't really have those aspirations for myself. I like to share my movies with local people and friends, but I don't think I need them on DVD. And I don't need to see my sermons or children's stories bound together in a book.

That's one thing I forgot to mention-- I write and illustrate children's stories for my Sunday school class. But I only have a week to work on them, so none of them really had time to be shaped into a "final draft".

[Lord Traith]

I enjoy writing. I've always written little stories here and there, and I even began an English Major in University (which I didn't finish ;P). Some of you may remember the days of the G2GN, when I wrote some fun little things. I have included in this reply the first two posts from "the Muuse", my satirical tirade of goings on on the G2G forums. I'm sure this will stir up memories of the glory days, and, perhaps, a bit of revulsion:

Quote

Friday, September 02, 2005

SIEG HEIL! the Board Nazis Have Arrived!

Germany - 1944

11:47 PM

The streets were dark this day. The great Luna provided some illumination, but not enough to really see by. The N00bs were hiding in all manner of crevices and holes and tunnels, biding their time until the next battle would overwhelm them. They had fought valiantly, sometimes with nothing but pure desparation and large numbers. The few weapons they had barely worked, and there was not nearly enough to go around. Spam grenades were all that the N00bs had left in any sort of surplus.

They would score a hit here and there, and every so often they would miss, but when their grenades hit their intended targets, they would take out several of the dreaded Board Nazis. A cheer of glee would soon follow, as the N00bs raided the broken Nazis for items such as spellcheckers and ban hammers. Of course, these items rarely had a positive effect for the N00bs, as they did not know how to use these mighty weapons. Instead, they turned them on each other, sometimes right on themselves. The ensuing mayhem and disaster would call yet another strike of merciless destruction from the Board Nazis.

Battle went on like this for a long, long time. No matter what the Board Nazis would do, even if they scored a hit with the ban hammer here and there, they could not overwhelm the massive numbers of N00b soldiers lying in wait for them.

After a year of pure fighting and dying, the Board Nazis looked to the powerful Administration for help. The Administration was the Board Nazis last chance. Comprised of powerful beings and led by the mighty man known only as "Der Silvered Dragoon", the Administration set to work at once to find a solution to the N00b infestation.

One member of the Administration, a certain "Herr Duckweiler", came up with a brilliant proposal. "Fellow Administration and Board Nazis, I hereby propose a joint society with the N00bs." Met with anger and threats from those present, Herr Duckweiler pressed on. "However, we will use a strict rating system. If the N00b soldiers present themselves in an orderly fashion, and we all agree, we will allow them to live peacefully with us. However, if they demonstrate any sort of N00bish-ness, they will be forced to wear a yellow star with the word "n00b" written in 1337 on them. If they then continue in their ways for more than a certain amount of time, they are to be banned on site, using the mighty ban hammer."

The Administration thought this over very carefully, for a very long time. In fact, they still haven't decided what they are going to do. But let us hope and pray that we, the Advantch Der Membacht, do not fall prey to such a society.


Auf Wiedersehen!

---

Monday, September 05, 2005

Der Administration Collapses

Germany - 1946

9:07 PM

Da war is over, but civil unrest remains in this broken country. Der N00bs have taken over, and der great Administration has begun to crumble. Da leader, Der Silvered Dragoon, has not been seen nearly as much as usual, and Herr Boyward is feared missink and presumed dead.

The only one who remains is Herr Duckweiler, and his ultimate weapon, Der Baag.

Many suspect dat Herr Duckweiler has indeed been "Baaging" other members of der Administration, because it was certain members of der Administration that agreed to surrender to der N00bs.

Has Herr Duckweiler, indeed, been using Der Baag? Vill we ever see anything of Herr Boyward again? And with Der Silvered Dragoon being spotted less and less, will he follow der same fate as Herr Boyward?

Only der Yodellers know for sure, but veel do our best to find der truth, and bring her to der light!

Ah, it still makes me giggle. Can you believe that was written almost five years ago??

[Colonel Link]

Wow, that brings back many memories. And it kinda shocks me to realize that I've been here for 4+ years.

I miss Nazi grammar lessons.

[boyward]

Lord Traith, I actually don't remember that, but remember at that time I was feared missink and presumed dead.

[Emblem 180]

Quote

What are your guys' pen names? Or if you don't have one, what would you use?

I don't really have one, other than my username when I write my blog posts. If I had a pen name, I'd probably go with Harold G. Harrumpfuss. Or not.

Quote

As to pen names, I avoid those. I thought about it once, but everything I came up with was really, really stupid.

I wouldn't know what that's like.

Quote

To be honest, my writing sorta flows and changes as I go along. In my five or so main ideas, I have no idea how four will end. I really experience the story the same way a character would: I go along, knowing only the present and having hazy, foggy ideas about how the future might end. It is pretty interesting.

That's how a used to write my short stories, but my current series has been much more planned. Of course, I haven't actually written anything in a really long time. It's all been backstory and plot stuff.

[quote]Use existing names based on meaining. I like to go to www.behindthename.com, I think it is, to find meanings. [/quote[
That is a good method... I've used it a few times.

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Which brings me to a point: What fantasy creatures do you add to your stories, and why? How do you depict them? Are they good, evil, neutral?

I have the kind of classic fare of fantasy beings (humans, dwarves, goblins, elves, etc.) but I also have my own races that I thought up myself. I was greatly inspired by World of Warcraft's take on elves, and I ended up making my own varieties of them as well. I also have a number of other made-up species.

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Out of curiosity, does anyone else have publication aspirations? Or are you mostly just into it as a hobby?

My series started out as a slighter more complex short story. Then it slowly got bigger, I got more experienced at writing, and it slowly evolved into a five-book series. So I certainly didn't start out with such a goal, but if my actual writing turns out good enough, I'd love to try.

Question: Who do you guys show your work to? Friends? Family? Nobody? I just kept my story to myself for the longest time, but I needed feedback badly, so I let my brother in on most of the secrets. It's helped enormously, though I've been looking into some kind of writing group too. Hearing other people's ideas and reactions to my ideas can bring out a lot of important points.

[Red Five]

Emblem 180, on 17 February 2010 - 12:43 PM, said:

Question: Who do you guys show your work to? Friends? Family? Nobody? I just kept my story to myself for the longest time, but I needed feedback badly, so I let my brother in on most of the secrets. It's helped enormously, though I've been looking into some kind of writing group too. Hearing other people's ideas and reactions to my ideas can bring out a lot of important points.

A friend of mine reads my work basically as I write it. I really can't overemphasize how helpful it is to have a proofreader who knows what he's talking about. Both encourages and improves you.
Otherwise, my dad reads my work now and again. Generally, I'll hand him whatever I've written, and he'll get through three or four chapters in just a few days, then have something come up, and eventually bury it underneath a stack of papers somewhere and forget about it. We've agreed that he'll read it once I have it in a bound form he can carry around with him.

[Rexman64]

Oh, hey, I keep ignoring this topic... I'm aspiring towards professionally writing. Currently majoring in English with a writing specialization- I like to work with prose fiction, light sci-fi/fantasy/horror stuff (think Twilight Zone). Haven't actually finished a lot of stuff, but I love the work (usually).

[Evili]

I've been floating around a few ideas in my head for a weird post-apocalyptic world. I'm trying to find some main focus point that I can work off of. I'm hoping to get this outline done within a week or so, and being writing!

[Red Five]

Cool. You leaning towards a full-length novel, a short story, or what?

[Evili]

Red Five, on 22 February 2010 - 08:53 PM, said:

Cool. You leaning towards a full-length novel, a short story, or what?

Depends on how much information and story I can rake my mind for. It'd be nice if it could fill 100 pages, but like I said, I have problems filling in gaps between the beginning and the end. Though, this is the first story where I am doing an outline, so lets hope that makes a big difference

[Red Five]

Well, good luck then. Have fun.

[Galenmarek]

Well, My take can kind of be more like this

Spoiler

to become a vampire is to be both infected and to have lost all humanity whatsoever. Or something like that.

I have vague dreams of publishing, but I don't think I'll be able to for a while. Gotta actually finish some stories, too. And yeah, if I knew everything about my stories, it wouldn't be much fun to right. I only really know the ending on one story, though.
I personally like creating a diverse fantasy world with a bajillion different creatures, animals, and such. Like LOTR and the Chronicles of Narnia.

On Lycanthropes

Spoiler

Actually, my main, favorite storyline is about werewolves. I believe that they aren't evil, nor uncontrollable monsters, but people, just more powerful. And that they have a baser instinct to do good, not evil. Vampires are the real evil. and humans, sometimes.

This post has been edited by Galenmarek: 17 March 2010 - 06:25 PM

[Red Five]

I think it can be useful to have a vague idea of the end. That's just me, though. I guess writing's cool that way; we can all do whatever works. But I worry that if I don't know where the story's going, it'll wander around forever and get really derivative, and characters will get lumped in for no reason, and then I'll eventually just slap on this sudden, half-baked climax. It just doesn't work for me.

[Crimian]

The urge to write hit me hard a couple weeks back. Fortunately, I've been able to track down an old copy of that vampire story I mentioned. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find the time to actually do anything with it. Also, my "magnum opus" has evolved in my mind, and the first series of stories would involve a steampunk setting, a floating city, two orphans, and a lot of misdirection. The series will be vaguely young adult, although some really screwed up stuff starts happening later in the series (and, to an extent, within the first book).

[Colonel Link]

Another poem for school (don't expect too much, as it took me 3 minutes):

Quote

I looked down the windy road
As it crisscrossed around the mountain’s face.
I sped down it, anxious to arrive home
Before the sun completely set
And left me in the dark again.
The last light was hitting the ridge
Spreading a sunset half covered by the clouds
And half covered by the empty sky.
The road turned once more
This time around the shady side of the mountain
And by the time I came out from behind it
The sun was completely gone
And I was left in darkness once more.

This is essentially a description of what I see whenever I get near the end of the trip that takes me home.

[Galenmarek]

Red Five, on 17 March 2010 - 02:06 PM, said:

I think it can be useful to have a vague idea of the end. That's just me, though. I guess writing's cool that way; we can all do whatever works. But I worry that if I don't know where the story's going, it'll wander around forever and get really derivative, and characters will get lumped in for no reason, and then I'll eventually just slap on this sudden, half-baked climax. It just doesn't work for me.

THat sounds like my stories . You had me at half-baked climax.

Seriously though, you make a very good point. And perhaps because I don't always have the same focus on the story as a whole, some (well, most) of my stories seem to be a bit eposodic. One thing happens, comes to a climax and end, then something else happens, so on.