On Writing (Novels, Short Stories and Editing)

[Spacescifi]

5 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

I totally agree!  

What is really fun is after a while your characters will start to write themselves in your head. It's weird, but true. The more you start to define them, the more you know them... the more you can predict what they will say and do in a certain situation without having to really think about it.  I've had it happen a lot writing Emiko. Without me reall r doing anything, I would sit and dream up all the dialog between my characters just by sitting back and listening to them in my head.

The great J. Michael Straczynski sums it up really well in this:
 

 

 

Thank you much! If any guy can write it's JMS. I think is Bab5  is leagues above DS9, since even though DS9 is good with Bab5 there are far more consequences and a lot of pain involved. The drama and stakes feel a lot more real.... whereas with DS9 they had to rely on dramatic music scores more than the story itself to sell the drama.... which to be honest... compared to the drama on Bab5 was underwhelming.

[Just Jim]

I would like to share a couple more videos that I think you might enjoy.

This first is by Stan Lee, and is one of my favorites. It is mostly about creating problems and conflict for your characters. I found this while I was writing Emiko, and in many ways it was a sort of affirmation of what I had already been doing.

 

This 2nd video is by Joston Ramon Theney and about going too far with the conflict... It is something I always worried about and a great counter-balance to Stan's video
 

And this last is by Neil Gaiman, and is about where writers get their ideas, and is just a great clip
 

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Just Jim

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

45 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

Joston Ramon Theney

That vid is fantastic... thanks!

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

Back before I took the wind out of this thread with some late night (early morning) whiskey fueled and maudlin ramblings... I brought up the power of editing, which is something I'm struggling to gain skill in.

I found this - and while it's about film - is really about story telling and pacing.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!