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Creative writing

Whether you enjoy writing sci-fi, fantasy or fiction, join our Creative Writing forum to meet others who love to write.

Original poster

Please come and talk to me. Just for some general writing chat and support...

858 replies

BiglyBadgers · 30/12/2017 13:47

I am about a third of the way through editing my stupidly long book (this'll teach me for writing epic fantasy) and need some chat!

I really loved the chat and support on the nano thread, but now novel writing month is long gone and I am alone! There must be other people out there bumbling along needing a friend to chat to...surely....I can provide coffee, cake and excellent free WiFi Smile Brew Cake

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Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 19/02/2018 08:31

Oh dear. That's awkward when you realise that two people who should be falling into each others arms just aren't that bothered by each other at all. Confused

I was going to do a classic bit of romance with two of my characters, but realised that while one of them will certainly go wide eyed squiffy at first sight the other one would not in a million years have any romantic interest in them at all. I think it's just going to turn into a bit of unrequited hero worship instead.

Not so much of a problem for me, I admit, as it isn't really the central point of the story. Are you going to have to adjust your characters a bit or do they need a new situation that will make them see each other in a new light?

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Honeybooboo123 · 19/02/2018 09:38

it's a tricky one. They had a one night stand, which he didn't realise was going to be a one night stand and then get thrown back together three years later. There are some complicating factors (e.g. criminal activity which is why she had to leave when she did) and he's furious with her. She thinks its due to the crime... but it's not. He doesn't easily trust people, trusted her and opened up and then he feels she betrayed him.

Honeybooboo123 · 19/02/2018 09:43

Bigly nothing like a bit of tragic unrequited hero worship!

My story seems to be going a bit Pride and Prejudice actually, except with laserswords...I have a Lady Catherine de Bourgh like character turning up to warn her off him, but since he seems to be ignoring her and not interested in anything than threatening to throw her out an airlock my poor female character is getting rather annoyed and planning to leave.

QueenHalloween · 19/02/2018 10:01

Placemarking. I'm still catching up on studying Blush

Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 19/02/2018 10:36

Pride and prejudice with laser swords sounds pretty awesome! Grin

I think I see what you mean. Sounds like the problem is finding something that will convince him to see past his current anger at her. Tricky when you have someone who is resolutely stubborn and unforgiving. How would he feel if she did actually leave? Or do you need a giant laser eyed kitten attack they have to work together somehow to defeat? Or in true pride and prejudice style his mind is changed when he visits her huge spaceship and watches her diving into a terraformed lake. Grin

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Honeybooboo123 · 19/02/2018 11:11

a large silver toaster person tries to kill her, on instructions from someone who sees her as a threat to their relationship and control over Emotionally Unavailable man (in theory a working relationship but there are HIDDEN DARK FEELINGS), who then does start to see her as someone he doesn't want to lose... but then Space Lady De Bough turns up and tries to dissuade him from forming any unsavory connections and scare her off.
BUT in the end, they do get back together and commit murder, hurrah!

Honeybooboo123 · 19/02/2018 11:15

ok, in my defence of my plot, it's sci fi, and on the basis of many film and tv show plots, they are all as equally daft. And it's fanfic.
My poor family though, this is only a 20-30k story, the poor things when I am writing a longer, original piece!

Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 19/02/2018 11:44

I think it sounds beautiful Honey Grin

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Witchend · 19/02/2018 12:58

Pride and Prejudice actually, except with laserswords I love it!

BUT in the end, they do get back together and commit murder, hurrah!
I think this is one of the occasions when the phrase "don't ask" is used.Grin

I'm hopeless at writing romance. I either cringe or totally pass it by, so they go from no interest to married. Which is why I don't write it. If I did then I think I'd go for "Heaving Bagpipe" (Hoffnung) style. That is, I think a hoover falling in love with a bagpipe if I remember rightly.

TippetyTapWriter · 20/02/2018 14:16

P&P with zombies did well, so why not laser swords! Sounds like you've got lots of drama plotted which is always good. Conflict, conflict, conflict. If the romance isn't appearing, could you set up a scene that somehow recreates aspects of the night they first got together? Recreate the mood... or remind them of what they liked about each other. They have this shared memory, and that creates an intimacy.

Thanks for all the thoughts re my question. I'm always curious about how others do it. I wish I was more of a planner... I'm finally starting to understand the importance of structure and having a really good idea, and that a book isn't just a collection of nice sentences... but because I don't plan anything, I end up imposing the structure retrospectively, and I also launch into a book without taking time to consider if it's really an idea worth writing about. Then I get halfway through (like now) and it seems too late to stop.

Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 23/02/2018 19:10

Hello everyone! How are you doing? I'm still in the throws of massive rewriting. Just wrote a big new chunk, which I am now about to delete and redo. Still, it is getting better...at least I think so...Confused

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TossDaily · 23/02/2018 21:59

I'm in the middle of applying to my old uni to join the MA in Creative Writing.

Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 23/02/2018 22:01

Wow! That's really exciting Toss. Good luck Grin

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Witchend · 23/02/2018 23:59

I haven't been writing much, but have now joined as a full member to Scribophile and have had some lovely critiques with lots to think about, so would be doing lots of editing tonight only the computer's packed up and I don't think doing it on my phone is an option.
I'm quite enjoying doing critiques too, and it's giving me lots of good stories to read. I'm half way through a rather good one about nuclear war and time travel and have another about a girl stolen by fairies I'm enjoying too.

Honeybooboo123 · 24/02/2018 08:32

I was chatting to someone at work about writing and found out about a writing group which I have asked to join. Because of where I work, however, I suspect the sort of writing will tend to the literary fiction or non fiction, but what the hell eh?

Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 24/02/2018 09:21

I've been so busy on placement and doing messy rewrites I haven't got on scrib for ages. I need to find some time to do some crits and put some stuff up I think. Hopefully the end of March I will have a free week. Yay!

Might as well give it a go Honey, you never know who you might meet Grin

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Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 26/02/2018 19:27

Phew! Did loads of writing over the weekend and feeling pretty awesome about it.

This is all I have to say. Grin

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Witchend · 26/02/2018 22:10

Well done! My computer decided to go to sleep for 48 hours and refuse to wake up until Sunday evening, which was an excellent excuse not to do the editing which is way overdue!

Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 27/02/2018 14:32

You will just have to let everyone know you couldn't do your editing due to your computer suffering from severe exhaustion. Grin

I need to go back and edit some of the new chapters I wrote before I can get on with rewiring my next few bits. I'm focusing a lot more on the character development and motivation now, so am trying to do it by storylines rather than completely chronologically, if that makes sense. I'm finding it easier that way to keep in the zone with the characters, but then have to keep an eye on the interlinking dependencies between them. I think I'm going to be going through it in different ways a few times before I'm happy.

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Honeybooboo123 · 28/02/2018 19:53

So i've posted two chapters of new story and said I'll update every week... most chapters in first draft format so it will keep my on track to commit to finishing and uploading. I'm trying to work on my writing...but lordy it's hard work to think how to improve. Trying to read more and learn. Good luck to us all!

Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 01/03/2018 17:36

Well done Honey. Hope you get some good feedback. I find it can be really hard when I read something I have written and I know it's not great, but I'm just not sure what to do to make it better. That's when I get a bit dispirited and annoyed with the whole business. Cake

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Original poster
BiglyBadgers · 03/03/2018 13:37

How's everyone been doing during the snow? I couldn't get into placement yesterday, but got my short formative essay written, started another chapter of my novel and set up a blog for personal reflection and general ranting about student nursing. All in all a productive day with lots of writing. Grin

I also made cake, which was nice Cake

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Honeybooboo123 · 06/03/2018 11:05

About to post next chapter of my lazer sword P&P story. Main character is a bit morally chaotic so trying to write in that voice is interesting, and make sure that I show that enough in the action...
I've had the flu, so had time lying on sofa but no energy to do much but a little editing.

TippetyTapWriter · 06/03/2018 21:53

I haven't written anything for two weeks because my brain has gone all splonky (technical term) and I just can't get in the zone. I think it's mostly tiredness as the toddler has decided to start waking up several times a night. Joy.

QueenHalloween · 07/03/2018 15:44

All the time spent writing in January caught up to me and I've got so much studying to do it's ridiculous so I'm writing shorts instead. Have you found the balance yet Bigly?

I think I've lost the plot a bit on the novel, but I'll get back to it eventually. I must catch up on scribophile when the worst is out the way, haven't felt qualified to comment when I've not been writing much at all Blush