Random thoughts

[Coldboots]

So I have yet another new story idea swimming around in my head. I have the very basics of political dynamics between three kingdoms written out, physical descriptions of natives versus immigrants from other nations, etc; and I know my MCs' genders and orientations as well as their relationship with each other (mostly).

The one thing I don't have? The aforesaid MC's names! *headdesk* Or their kingdom's names, for that matter. They're just A, B and C for now. The MCs are Princess A and Princess B.

I know what this is like. I'm perfectly fine at coming up with names or have plenty of resources to rely on if I'm not feeling great about naming them. It's just a pain when you're introducing characters left and right in the middle of writing or brainstorming.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

My main character in my new story [Oeuyia] has the potential to turn into a world destroying-purifying 'super' being, but I already did that in my last story, and I'm trying my darnest to make sure both stories are equally unique.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

The one thing I don't have? The aforesaid MC's names! *headdesk* Or their kingdom's names, for that matter. They're just A, B and C for now. The MCs are Princess A and Princess B.

Don't I know this!! I have a character in Red Nights who I called [guy's name] because I couldn't think of a name for him. He's still [guy's name]. And I still don't have a name for him. Also I have lots of places named City Name, etc, etc...

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

^I have two baby name books at my house. If I am totally stuck for a name and nothing's coming to me, I'll go from A-Z until the best names jump out at me.

I have one in which I have all my favorite names highlighted. Half the back cover is missing, the front covers been taped back on, pages are falling out, the whole book broke into two halves when the binding came loose so it's been taped back together several times, and recently I spilled water all over it so it's water damaged. I need a new one but I've grown so fond of this one.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

My main character in my new story [Oeuyia] has the potential to turn into a world destroying-purifying 'super' being, but I already did that in my last story, and I'm trying my darnest to make sure both stories are equally unique.

I'm guessing you made her name all the vowels on purpose?

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

Yes, I did, actually. Although so far her name has only been mentioned once in the entire story Her 'back-up' name [if I ever want to change her name] is Shion.

The main antagonist of my new story, Mio, was unceremoniously labelled 'this character' for days.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Yes, I did, actually. Although so far her name has only been mentioned once in the entire story Her 'back-up' name [if I ever want to change her name] is Shion.

The main antagonist of my new story, Mio, was unceremoniously labelled 'this character' for days.

I like Oeuyia better. It's cool.

My friends mostly know my MC as "my MC" because, y'know, I hate admitting that my MC is literally named after a SAT vocabulary word.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

I only just realized that without her heart, Oeuyia will die. That's definitely an important development that came out of nowhere. She will forthwith collapse dramatically in the next scene and have to be carried back.

 

[TheCatholicCrow]

Don't I know this!! I have a character in Red Nights who I called [guy's name] because I couldn't think of a name for him. He's still [guy's name]. And I still don't have a name for him. Also I have lots of places named City Name, etc, etc...

Oh I totally do this only I usually use letters so it's something like "She went down to H street" or "That's X, he has family ties to the mob." or "Z is lovely this time of year. We should plan a trip."

 

[Thomas Laszlo]

Oh I totally do this only I usually use letters so it's something like "She went down to H street" or "That's X, he has family ties to the mob." or "Z is lovely this time of year. We should plan a trip."

Man i need to start using this so I can go ahead and write instead of freaking out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheCatholicCrow]

Man i need to start using this so I can go ahead and write instead of freaking out

Just make sure you Find & Replace when you're done

I had to start doing this after I spent about 2 months obsessing over what to name the antagonist (I started out with the same name as a protag in another book I was writing and when I made the connection I couldn't let it go ... I needed to change it for my own benefit ... but to what? [Thus was born the Character X habit])

First drafts are already hard enough to get through without getting caught up in issues like what to name minor characters. A name usually comes to me within a couple chapters of the characters' introduction. By that point I have a better grasp of who the characters & settings are which puts me in a better place to decide. Write now, name & edit later.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

I am as surprised as my characters at recent plot twists.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

I am as surprised as my characters at recent plot twists.

That happened when I was writing Red Nights.

(It felt like a disaster while I was doing it, but pantsing is actually fun...)

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Just make sure you Find & Replace when you're done

I had to start doing this after I spent about 2 months obsessing over what to name the antagonist (I started out with the same name as a protag in another book I was writing and when I made the connection I couldn't let it go ... I needed to change it for my own benefit ... but to what? [Thus was born the Character X habit])

First drafts are already hard enough to get through without getting caught up in issues like what to name minor characters. A name usually comes to me within a couple chapters of the characters' introduction. By that point I have a better grasp of who the characters & settings are which puts me in a better place to decide. Write now, name & edit later.

Yeah, names are easy to get hung up on! I'm really picky about names, so I'd get stuck for a day or a week every time a new character came in if I tried to name them something permanent. Thus the [guy's name] thing...

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

Somehow, against all odds, the plot twists sort of make sense and don't directly contradict anything! How that happened is beyond me.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Somehow, against all odds, the plot twists sort of make sense and don't directly contradict anything! How that happened is beyond me.

I was less lucky, lol. I had to clean up a lot, and I still have a lot to clean up in my revision. But, a lot fell together just like that. Stories have a way of knowing what to do. I've found that if you trust them, very often they'll work for you.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

I'm sick, lol. I have a cold. I haven't eaten all day, but I have no appetite.

 

[TheCatholicCrow]

I'm sick, lol. I have a cold. I haven't eaten all day, but I have no appetite.

Sorry bro. I'm right there with you. Been sick for about 8 days now About 3 weeks ago my little sisters got sick - it slowly passed around the whole family (there's a lot of us) and I thought I was in the clear .... but then (while everyone's immune systems were frazzled) someone brought a second bug home and we all got hit.

I can't offer you any sage advice except that you should try not to spread it Oh and watch it so it doesn't turn into bronchitis (ain't nobody got time for that). If it does - raw honey & cinnamon should do the trick.

Don't over medicate but do make good use of Vicks

But yeah ... I feel you buddy. There there.

[video=youtube_share;K-Z5wQHGn5g]https://youtu.be/K-Z5wQHGn5g[/video]

 

[TheCatholicCrow]

Made good progress in rewrites / revisions yesterday. Haven't heard from my client in a few days so I decided to take the weekend off & use it for my own book (which is taking me way too long already). To clarify, I'm ahead of schedule on my ghostwritten chapters - this isn't me just being rude.

Got three chapters posted for critiques (not here because it isn't Fantasy) and edited a couple others. Caught a massive plot hole / opportunity where Car Chase A ends with MC going into police station, & the next chapter started with him coming out (progressing into Car Chase B) ... forgot to put in a scene with MC interacting with police. Seriously ... how the heck did I miss that? I've reread it before too ... so glad I caught it this time around though. Been thinking about everything from a structural standpoint and rearranging scenes accordingly. Not sure if this'll interrupt the flow from Car chase A to Car Chase B ... but it does provide me with a great opportunity to brush up on one of the subplots which I hadn't mentioned in awhile. Plus it just makes more sense for that be in there ... considering he's being investigated for murder, the MC's interactions with police probably shouldn't be glossed over at any point.

The big murder scene is great (as opposed to the earlier little murder scene) and I couldn't be more pleased with it, but I'll definitely have to rework the beginning of the chapter since I've changed some of the motivations and stuff leading up to it. No worries though - I'm taking some weaker drafts and am pounding them into a page turning beast. Gotta expect that some stuff will change along the way.

I know this doesn't mean much to anyone (unless you've been reading my book on Scribophile but I don't think any of you are ... it's Author of Death by Stephanie Villegas btw ... in case anyone is interested in giving it a peak. It's my 1950's Noir /Psych. Thriller... about an emotionally unstable pulp writer stalking his coworker, while being stalked by an ex, and trying to keep himself from being a patsy for the mob). I've been told by several people that it feels "like a real book" (whatever that means). </end self promotion> Probably not the kind of stuff most of you read (I know) but it just feels good to talk about (I'm sure you understand).

To anyone reading this - How's your weekend going? What have you been up to?

 

[skip.knox]

Oh I totally do this only I usually use letters so it's something like "She went down to H street" or "That's X, he has family ties to the mob." or "Z is lovely this time of year. We should plan a trip."

I do the same, with a modification. I use multiple letters, so abc or aaa. Just whatever; as you say, so I don't get distract ... what's that?

My modification is that I enclose the letters with square brackets. I do this so I don't have to account for every possible letter string across thousands of words. I never have occasion to use brackets elsewhere, so a search on [ will return every place where I need to substitute a real name.

The greater difficulty, which I've yet properly to manage, is making sure the person [abc] in Chapter Five is also called [abc] in Chapter 12 when he reappears briefly. I have a bad tendency to grab a letter string then forget with which noun it is to be associated. I've tried keeping a separate list, but by the time I hop over to the list, I'm already in Distracted Mode and too readily go squirreling off somewhere. I've tried being disciplined about the choice of letter strings, but that's just laughable.

In desperation, I've come up with a new plan, which I intend to try out with my new novel. Since I am firmly in a medieval fantasy setting, I know for sure no character is going to be named Jimmy. So when I need a name, I will choose modern ones; diminutives best. I'm more likely to remember that Minor Character #7 is named [Arnold] than I am to remember he is [bbb]. Same for place names, where I'll use street names in my neighborhood, or maybe American city names. Objects may be tougher. I'll torch that bridge when I come to it.

Oh, and for those writing longhand, I use curly braces {word} because they're easier for the eye to pick up. I don't use them typing because, Shift.