ARWZ

The Price you Pay

Queen Of The Abyss — Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:07 pm

Author: Queen Of The Abyss

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:07 pm

For DVD's of my favourite movies I usually wait until I see them for $15 or less.

I'm more generous when it comes to books and I will pay up to about $50 for small press books if I want them badly enough. For larger publishers I like to wait for the paperback or trade paperback.

Favorite Setting

Queen Of The Abyss — Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:55 pm

Author: Queen Of The Abyss

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:55 pm

I like stories in settings that are bizarre or twisted reflections of our world, be it metropolitan or rural. In other words, I don't much care for anything in space or completely made up countries. I'm not sure if that makes sense. One example is the Arkham stories of Lovecraft. It is based on cities he was familiar with but seen through a moldy veil.

Oh, dear, ARWZ has gone quiet...

Queen Of The Abyss — Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:48 pm

Author: Queen Of The Abyss

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:48 pm

I, too, am guilty of ARWZ neglect.

I've been back in school the last couple of years so I haven't been able to do much reading except for study purposes. Unfortunately, this also means I haven't done much writing. But don't feel too bitter, my SF friends. I have also had very little contact with my other board, Bestsellers & Literature so you're not alone in your suffering.

I actually am happy this place is still alive, even if it's not quite as busy as it used to be. Thanks so much to Vio and Sarah for keeping it up regardless of Life happening.

Author August 2011 Nominations Open at Science Fiction Board

ljim2000 — Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:22 pm

Author: ljim2000

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:22 pm

The 2011 Author August is upon us at the Science Fiction Message Board! We seek your nominees. With 31 to fill, your nominees are sure to get a day in our annual post-a-thon, if you act now! Come August each day will have an author attached to it for posting photos, reviews, links, biographies, gossip and what have you. Come join the fun!

How happy is your ending?

Nik — Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:25 pm

Author: Nik

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:25 pm

I prefer upbeat endings providing they're the logical conclusion of the story's arc, not a 'deux ex machina' or equivalent , eg a 'with a leap, he was free'...

It's the little things, sometimes: Saving the galaxy is hard to keep credible, but having the hand-built kiln fire its first pots *and* getting a salmon run on the river would do nicely...

Story Cross-Pollination

mephisto — Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:27 pm

Author: mephisto

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:27 pm

It depends how fgar into a story I am; the further in, the less I will be inclined to work on something else. If I am headed for the final climax, I won't want to work on or start anything else until I am done.

Mainly I guess I have a number of things going until one really bites, and then I ride that one through to the end.

Structure

mephisto — Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:23 pm

Author: mephisto

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:23 pm

Hmm ... I hadn't heard that about the events of a chapter making the events of the following chapter possible, but that is essentially how I operate. Let's see, I haveto admit that when I first start I don't have much structure, but I can't get very far that way. First I have to orient myself to the main character and the setting and really get an idea of the "starting point," even though I may come back and change that later. One I have the starting point I can map out some kind of course; where the story will end up, some major events along the way, and that sort of thing. Then I start to connect the dots; how do I get there from here? Since I know where I will end and I know the next major event, I can move the story forward in the right direction and plant any needed seeds along the way. Of course, there are occasionally detours and nothing is cast in stone. Feints and false clues can be handy too, just don't over do it or you will piss off your readers.

Character Development, on the page or off?

mephisto — Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:11 pm

Author: mephisto

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:11 pm

It varies with how centrally the character's role is to the story. For important characters, I usually start out with a general concept of the type of person the character is. Sort of like archetypes; not in the sense of role but personality. Things like how serious the person acts, how loyal, how responsible, how rational, how flawed. Is this character formal or casual in conversation? Is it a Snape-like character that is unlikable and yet an ally?

While that appears to be an off-page origin for the character, the precursor to developing the characer concept comes form the story. As I get my story going, it asks me for certain character types. Of course, one should avoid stereotypes. The Gandalf/Alanon mysterous wizard/mentor character who never tells you everything and despite knowing what has to be done can't, for some obscure reason, be the one to do it has just been done to death. In fact, I brought one into my story just so I could kill him off in the next chapter. Well ... that wasn't the only reason, but he had served his purpose and it was time to exit stage left.

I do tend to use archetypes and stereotypes for peripheral characters .. you know ... the gruff inkeeper, the friendly inkeeper, the inkeeper with a heart of gold and unsavory connections, yada yada yada.

I think it is a good idea to present the appearance of the stereotype and then go the opposite direction with it. Then you get things like the inkeeper with the heart of gold and unsavory connections that sells you out because the only heart of gold he REALLY has is the one he cut out of the chest of his last victim. But even that one is not too uncommon. Not to mention more realistic; most people who really have unsavory connections are themselves unsavory.

But I digress (as is my wont).

For me, the character need comes from the page, is developed in general terms off paper, and then is solidified, developed, and evolved on paper. It's a collaboritve effort between me and the story. The story says to me, "Dude, if we go down this road we are going to need another character or three, and here's some things we can do with them..." I review the options and pick the one that best aligns with the direction of the story without being predictable. I insert the character into the story and see how well the story accepts it. "If it doesn't fit, I make adjustments" (Silverado).

Talent or Practice?

mephisto — Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:32 am

Author: mephisto

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:32 am

That question is raised on just about any subject. In my leadership classes, the question is often posed as to whether leadership is an inborn trait or learned. My answer here is the same as my answer there. evryone has strengths and weakensses. People learn some things easier than others, and some subjects are difficult for some to learn. I remember when I was a kid learning to play the guitar; it was very easy and it never took much effort to learn. I take ballroom and Latin dancing, and I learn faster than most other students, yet I have seen the clunkiest beginner excel with private lessons and pass me up. I remember the excruciation in high school of getting a D- in algebra because the teacher refused to fail a student who was really trying, and the satisfaction I got last year when I took algebra in college and (with much tutoring) actually EARNED a strong B. When I was younger I was not naturally "mechanically inclined" but through effort and force of will I became so.

Whether we start life with a totally blank slate or one that has a few notes already scribbled on it (or things not completely erased) is more of a metaphysical question.

Anything that a person can do, another person can learn to do. The amount of effort it will take to learn to do it well will vary, but it will always take some effort (practice) to really excel at anything. As easy as guitar always was for me, I could be a famous, world-class guitarist. So why aren't I? Because I never put in the effort. If I had I could be up there with Segovia. No matter how easy something is for you, if you don't put in the practice and effort you propbably won't reach a superior level.

At least .. that's my nickel on it.

Start with dialog?

mephisto — Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:01 am

Author: mephisto

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:01 am

Hi Vio,

You were always good at coming up with great questions.

In reference to Queen's "con" (or is it Qota for short?) the writing really shouldn't have anything that doesn't forward the story line. (And before you bring up characterization, Vio, I believe that characterization does forward the story line - you can't really have a story without characters.)

The goal at the beginning of a chapter, especially the first one, is to pull the reader in. There are a number of ways to do that. A few options are: 1) you can plunge the reader into an action sequence, 2) you can start an intruguing narrative, and 3) you can start with an intersting and revealing dialog (not too revealing though, just enough for orientation and to raise intersting questions.)

Of course, equally important is how to end a chapter in a way that ensures the reader will be interested in continuing. I know I am not the only one here who has read late into the night, vowing to stop at the end of the chapter to sleep but the author simply wouldn't allow it and you had to keep reading.

Who's got some input on that one?

Meph

Buy the Cover? (7/15)

Violanthe — Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:55 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:55 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
https://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422

Buy the Cover? (7/6)

Violanthe — Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:01 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:01 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
https://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422

Buy the Cover? (6/23)

Violanthe — Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:17 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:17 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
https://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422

Do you go to your library?

SKS — Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:26 pm

Author: SKS

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:26 pm

Do you use your local library? How often?

Buy the Cover? (6/22)

Violanthe — Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:23 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:23 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
https://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422