The Writing Support Thread

[GrizzlyEatsKids]

A large number of active members on this site and its forums are largely into writing. How many times that, as a writer, you've had a question concerning your work? These questions contain an almost seemingly infinite number of topics, with grammar, plot, mood, setting, characters, wording, writer's block, just to name a few. You've likely gone to people for help before, but sometimes get an opinion you aren't sure about, get multiple opinions from different people that don't agree with each other, or sometimes, you don't even ask for help at all. Rather than you not knowing which people to send to your questions to, or you having to open a thread just for a single question about your work, I've decided to simplify this issue by opening this support thread, where anyone is free to post questions about nearly any aspect of their writing and get feedback from multiple other writers at sometimes a quicker pace than you normally would when hunting assistance down yourself. I know that there are many cases where you wish to keep things about your writing secret, and you are by no means obligated to post that here.

Lastly, I just ask that, while it is ok to post a small excerpt of your work here for proofreading, more or less for a specific part of that excerpt (whether it be style, structure, wording, etc.), you please don't post stories, chapters, and a bunch of poems and the like here, as this thread is not made to replace the entire writing section of the forum, but is simply just a place for you to ask questions and get multiple answers easily, without having to look too far. And who knows? There's a good chance that someone else is going to ask a question that you have yourself or that will come up for you in the future.

[Tickles]

I think I will contribute here as well, as I have put up many (albeit unfinished) works here and around the web for everyone's enjoyment. I think for my first contribution is to give would be and already proficient writers little writing tricks to help them get into the mood for writing:

1. Start writing insanity- Just take a break from your work, and begin to write the first thing that comes to mind, and let it flow. If it starts getting crazy, keep going, and see how far you can get until it's completely out of your system. This exercise allows you to vent your frustrations in a controlled environment, and might even help you find a new concept for your main piece.

2. Make an unimportant character important- I'm not saying to completely abandon your work. This allows you to take a break from it and still practice your writing skills. Simply take a character in your main piece that has no effect on the story, and give them a story for a bit. You'll be surprised what you can come up with, and it allows you to focus on something else for a bit. So, make that shopkeeper have a hidden secret, then  when their side story is done, or you feel ready, return to the main work.

3. Act it out- Do this alone, you don't want to look crazy. Or do it in public, your choice. Just act out a scene, say the dialogue, do the actions, scream, cry, laugh. Get in your characters head, and you will have an easier time fleshing out those action scenes as you go.

4. Start a group work- This is the RP section of writing. This can be a good getaway from writing your main work for a bit and learn new skills form other writers. Don't underestimate the power of group effort.

5. If not in the mood to write, set the mood- Put on some music, take a bath, eat, light some candles, get a robe on, wait, that sounds like tips for a special time, doesn't it? No. simply do what relaxes you, empty your mind, and then return to your work when you're good and ready.

I do these, and they work. I am still working on a story of mine, and I know how frustrating it can be when you hit that writers block, or begin to lose interest. These can help you out, but how you use them is up to you.

Since this thread is about writing questions, I am obligated to ask one for my work:

I am writing a medieval fantasy novel. So far, I have character concepts and plot devices, but for a main plot I am torn between a chosen one story, or a rag tag underdog story. Which one should I go for, as both seem really appealing, but I'm not sure which to choose.

[GrizzlyEatsKids]

Those are some great tips Xetroc, and I've actually used some of those techniques before myself. The novel series I'm working on write now is actually fantasy as well, but I'd call it more of a medieval meets futuristic sort of thing, with heavy influences from many different types of mythology.

As for your question, I think it depends on what you're going for in the future of the series, specifically for the protagonist him/herself. While it depends on their personality, generally in the whole chosen one type, I find that the character often has a lot of "why me" moments, and may often be reluctant to carry on his/her tasks, and may often include a lot of mood swings that frequently include anger and confusion. As for the underdog, I find that there's more or less a sort of clear bouncing back between hope and hopelessness for the character. The chosen one may often seem a little more empowered though, as compared to the underdog who will often have the odds stacked against him. This is all generally speaking, of course, but it also depends how you want readers to grow and react to your character. Do you want them to root for the underdog, to always feel like, even though improbable, there's always still hope? Or do you want them to feel thrust into the acton with the chosen one, feeling frustrated that they weren't given a choice, as if they have a role they're feeling forced into? Both are perfectly acceptable options, but they both have large, different effects on the overall tone of the story.

[The-Blades-slave]

If I can throw in my opinion, Xetroc, why not both? Maybe he's chosen, but that's not a good thing. Like Absol, a hero, but mistaken and a symbol for bad luck. He's destined for great things, but people dislike him for that. Maybe his predecessor was a failure and a liar, maybe he comes from a really bad family and no one really trusts him, maybe he has a bad past. A chosen one that is an underdog. I dunno, it's something I've considered before, but neither of those are really my style.

And continuing the trend of asking a question from this thread: Which of my characters is the weakest personality wise, and why? What could I do to change them?

[Humen]

I am unable to contribute anything to this section

[GrizzlyEatsKids]

If I can throw in my opinion, Xetroc, why not both? Maybe he's chosen, but that's not a good thing. Like Absol, a hero, but mistaken and a symbol for bad luck. He's destined for great things, but people dislike him for that. Maybe his predecessor was a failure and a liar, maybe he comes from a really bad family and no one really trusts him, maybe he has a bad past. A chosen one that is an underdog. I dunno, it's something I've considered before, but neither of those are really my style.

And continuing the trend of asking a question from this thread: Which of my characters is the weakest personality wise, and why? What could I do to change them?

I kinda like the idea to go with both, could be interesting.

Personally, I've found Ash to be your weakest, at least for as much as I can remember. He just personally seems less interesting than the others to me, and his personality doesn't really stand out. As for how to fix him specifically, I can't say exactly, but to fix some of my characters, I've felt that it helped to sort of break them down a bit. Recount their past, and determine how it would have changed them, defined what's important to them and how those things correspond to the way they react to situations and how their personality develops off of that. Writing down their general likes and dislikes may also help. I also find that when I write, two questions are almost essential in creating a character:
1. What reaction do I want readers to have to this character?
2. Why should readers care about this character?

I know that you had your own profile template you used to make characters, but I did a bunch of research and put together my own. I could send it to you, if you wanted it.

[Tickles]

Send me that as well. I have to work on my characters, an area that I do struggle with from time to time.

[The-Blades-slave]

Sure, Fenror, shoot me the template.

[GrizzlyEatsKids]

Sent them. Currently stuck on appearances for the major characters of my novel right now, which includes revamped versions of Celine, Leon, and Jack. I pretty much have Celine's down, and a rough idea for Jack, but am completely in the dark for Leon. He needs to be a bit more real, so to speak, than his anime-like appearances from RP's. The same goes for Jack and Celine, but Celine's is pretty much done, like I said. Jack needs a little work, and Leon needs A LOT of work. The main problem is finding an appearance that fits their newly revised personality.

[Humen]

Is Jack Celine's dead cousin ?

[GrizzlyEatsKids]

Jack is traditionally Celine's cousin, in some universes he's dead, some he turns evil, and in others he's none of these.

[The-Blades-slave]

You mentioned the mid evil era, so not sure if they are warriors, but if they are.... Give them scars. So many people make warriors, who fight all their lives, yet they are scarless. never had an injury that severe in the life of a warrior? Yeah, I doubt it.... Sorry, went on a mini-rant. It's one of my pet peeves.

[GrizzlyEatsKids]

It actually takes place far into the future, but scars will be present throughout the series, without giving away too much. I'm also using other physical changes, such as getting or shaving facial hair, getting haircuts, wrinkles, etc. to symbolize an emotional change. I'm about 3/5 done planning the plot out, and I feel like it's missing something. I'm only on my first draft of the plot, but it doesn't quite have that emotional punch throughout the entire thing that I'm looking for, and the environment seems nothing special, unlike what it's supposed to be. Based on the way I'm planning this one out, which is quite different than I normally do, it's a little hard to judge quite how those things will play out, especially emotional wise, until I actually sit down to write the novel. The section of the book I'm actually getting into planning is where the majority of the protagonist's development takes place, so I'll wait and see if I need to make any edits afterwards. As for the environment, I know what I'm aiming for, but the way I've been planning hasn't allowed me to really lay that down yet, but I think that once I hop into the writing it'll be fine.

Also, I would like an opinion. I'm thinking of third person limited as the point of view I'm going with, and while the book obviously mainly follows the protagonist, I'm considering having several chapters told from another character's point of view, some in which the protagonist is present, and others in an entirely different location. It'll give looks into the point of view of mainly supporting characters and one of the antagonists. The prologue and epilogue are a different story, as I'm thinking of making those two third person omniscient, but I'm not positive about that part yet. How does all of that sound? Come February or March, I may be able to get fully into the writing, but I need this worked out first. Plus, it may affect the planning of the plot a little.

[Tickles]

Test it out first with a couple of quick stories involving your characters. It doesn't necessarily need to go into your novel, but it's best to see how it would look before you go into it almost blind.

[Humen]

How can you use the Changing of facial hair to show emotional change. Not trying to be an ass or anything I'm genuinely curious.