For writers - the purpose of this board

[Myla Starchild]

I just can't write short stories. I get too involved with characters and stories.

 

[polymorphikos]

In Unit 3 Literature they let me write a thirty page story based on Oedipus Rex and entirely in my own time, but then when Unit 4 rolled around we were only allowed to write for two hours at less than 800 words, and the source material was A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE!!! I could have written a novel inspired by that thing.

Fate is a cruel mistress, but she's excellent in the sack.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Fate is a cruel mistress, but she's excellent in the sack.

LOL!! I am definitely going to remember that one.

 

[Vodstok]

I just can't write short stories. I get too involved with characters and stories.

I feel your pain. i had that problem for a long, long time. The problem was, i wasnt writing because everything got so big, and since i have so many interests, i had 3 or 4 massive epics that i had mapped out. I have since learned to keep it small, but even my short stories blow out bigger than i think they will. Father Dillon's Funeral was going to be a 5 page short, but now it is 14 typed.

And that is just a zombie survival story.

 

[Esioul]

Oedipus? Aaagh, don't mention Oedipus to me...

 

[Myla Starchild]

I have three epic stories I'm working on, and various other stuff. Like I said, when I create characters I do really extensive character building, and I end up getting attatched to them.

 

[Chefo]

Myla,

The best way to not get too attached to them is to kill them off at regular intervals .

A person who has read a big part of my novel once asked me:
"Why did you have (name) killed? He was the best of the bunch..."

Another pleaded me not to kill his favorite character off...

I think it kinda' shocks the reader when that happens, which in my opinion is a good thing. Basically when you do that it catches the reader off guard for it is assumed that if you take the time to develop a character, he/she is worth keeping around. Besides, it gives you the opportunity to, in a way, start fresh with a new character/s.

Otherwise, it can get too boring. As good a series of books as LOTR is, I never doubted that Frodo or any of the main characters will somehow survive. So, rather than keep the reader wandering whether the characters will make it at all, the reader starts thinking about how the characters will make it. Knowing that your favorite characters will survive no matter what takes some of the excitement out of a story, in my opinion at least.

Just my 2 cents .

Chefo

 

[Brian G Turner]

I think the moment you let your characters seem invulnerable is the moment the plot dies. Characters have to seem vulnerable - to me characters have to always have the "will they get killed?" having over their heads. And at some point, you just have to do it - but only as the story demands.

 

[KajiunVu]

I agree too! My teachers usually gave me B's and Grammer I do last after I write. When I read through something I correct all mistakes in my head without even noticing. Writing is one of the greatest things to do if you write about what you want!

 

[Sarek]

My opinion; there's nothing wrong with becoming attached to ones characters, after all you have created them, work on them, given them life. They become part of you, your friends.

When I submitted my first novel to my editor, he killed off two of the main characters in the early stages; a few choice word from me leting him know they appear largely in my other three soon changed his mind.

He now doesn't attempt to kill off anyone.

I do not write short stories; those who do have my admiration for being able to complete a story in such a short space. most of my stories are 100,000 words.

 

[scalem X]

Okay compared to most people I haven't done anything yet. (in english offcourse).

I am now trying to write a short story, but since I hardly got any time it isn't going that fast(approx. one page a month a ).

I've written a movie script in Dutch,(inspired on my own life) but I'm too lazy to translate.

The english we get at school is ridiculous, it's just boring and we don't have to write anything like an esay or something. (I grow tired of these stupid interviews, and stupid 'correct the mystakes', or 'listening activity ')
Since I'm doing scienses-math's (6 hours of maths and 2 hours of germans instead of 8 hours maths), the vocabualry we get are scientifical terms(booorinnggg).

(If I would have done languages, I would have had a lot of romanic languages and these are not my favourite)(3h. french/2h. Spanish)(and only an extra hour dutch and english)