Official Writing Advice Topic

[ZOMBI3S]

On the topic of outlines: I do outline, although very briefly. The majority of my story I already have planned out in my head, so I use that as my main jumping-off point, but I find it does help to note down key points, just to make sure I cover everything and don't leave any plot holes.

 

Aside from that: does anyone have any ideas/tips on how to get people to review your work? I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a very active member of bzpower (especially recently), but I do try to post in various forums to get my name out there. I know feedback isn't the most important thing in the world, but I would like to see if I am accomplishing what I set out to do with my story. Plus, I'm only human, and I just want people to read what I work on, you know?

[(Daedalus)]

*Incoming Transmission*

 

Okay, so I have a question: Has anyone else ever came up with a fairly ridiculous premise for a story, but treated the story very seriously? Not jokingly seriously, either.

 

A long time ago, I came up with this idea of telling a story about white blood cells fighting off infection and sickness and stuff. It was a military-type story that, despite the weird premise, was very serious. Another that I came up with more recently is about a group of friends who love bacon. All they want is more bacon. They concoct this plan to hijack a bacon-delivery truck, and though I don't have any details just yet, in the end, they all end up either dead or in jail.

 

The one that I would have the most fun writing, though, is the one I thought of when I was watching my cat running around like a maniac. If you have a cat, you have probably witnessed it look up at something invisible and then take off running, or look at something invisible and arch its back. I started wondering why, and then, because my brain just works this way, I started thinking about it like a story. A boy asks his grandpa why cats do that. The grandpa tells him that he is going to let him in on a secret known to few people. He then proceeds to tell the boy a long, dark tale about a war that took place between two armies of cats long ago. It was long and bloody and mentally scarred many of them. Because cats carry memories on through their genes (yes, I made that up for the story), every newborn cat gets those memories. Sometimes, a horrible flashback will occur, and that's why cats randomly flip out.

 

Kind of weird, I know, but does anybody else ever do that?

 

*End Transmission*

[Jedi Knight Krazy]

*Incoming Transmission*

 

Okay, so I have a question: Has anyone else ever came up with a fairly ridiculous premise for a story, but treated the story very seriously? Not jokingly seriously, either.

 

A long time ago, I came up with this idea of telling a story about white blood cells fighting off infection and sickness and stuff. It was a military-type story that, despite the weird premise, was very serious. Another that I came up with more recently is about a group of friends who love bacon. All they want is more bacon. They concoct this plan to hijack a bacon-delivery truck, and though I don't have any details just yet, in the end, they all end up either dead or in jail.

 

The one that I would have the most fun writing, though, is the one I thought of when I was watching my cat running around like a maniac. If you have a cat, you have probably witnessed it look up at something invisible and then take off running, or look at something invisible and arch its back. I started wondering why, and then, because my brain just works this way, I started thinking about it like a story. A boy asks his grandpa why cats do that. The grandpa tells him that he is going to let him in on a secret known to few people. He then proceeds to tell the boy a long, dark tale about a war that took place between two armies of cats long ago. It was long and bloody and mentally scarred many of them. Because cats carry memories on through their genes (yes, I made that up for the story), every newborn cat gets those memories. Sometimes, a horrible flashback will occur, and that's why cats randomly flip out.

 

Kind of weird, I know, but does anybody else ever do that?

 

*End Transmission*

 

 

Well, you probably couldn't make novels out of those, but they might possibly work for short stories...

 

But what they really sound like, to me at least, are the premises for indie video games. Really, a game is one of the few places where you can get away with having a completely non-nonsensical premise, a fairly serious plot, and very loose details on what actually happens.

 

Your first idea is actually such a good fit for a game that I'm pretty sure it's been done before! But I could definitely imagine some sort of squad-based tactics game in the bloodstream.

 

As for the bacon heist, can you think of a person who would not pay a dollar for that on the App Store? The gameplay hardly matters because the premise is so relatable!

 

Finally, regarding the genetic memories of cats... you've basically got the feline version of Assassin's Creed. But I'd probably do it as a strategy game, because it's based on a big war rather than... uh, whatever Assassin's Creed is based on (I only know the basics).

 

Of course, games come with the added requirements of being able to either program or draw art, ideally both.

[(Daedalus)]

 

*Incoming Transmission*

 

Okay, so I have a question: Has anyone else ever came up with a fairly ridiculous premise for a story, but treated the story very seriously? Not jokingly seriously, either.

 

A long time ago, I came up with this idea of telling a story about white blood cells fighting off infection and sickness and stuff. It was a military-type story that, despite the weird premise, was very serious. Another that I came up with more recently is about a group of friends who love bacon. All they want is more bacon. They concoct this plan to hijack a bacon-delivery truck, and though I don't have any details just yet, in the end, they all end up either dead or in jail.

 

The one that I would have the most fun writing, though, is the one I thought of when I was watching my cat running around like a maniac. If you have a cat, you have probably witnessed it look up at something invisible and then take off running, or look at something invisible and arch its back. I started wondering why, and then, because my brain just works this way, I started thinking about it like a story. A boy asks his grandpa why cats do that. The grandpa tells him that he is going to let him in on a secret known to few people. He then proceeds to tell the boy a long, dark tale about a war that took place between two armies of cats long ago. It was long and bloody and mentally scarred many of them. Because cats carry memories on through their genes (yes, I made that up for the story), every newborn cat gets those memories. Sometimes, a horrible flashback will occur, and that's why cats randomly flip out.

 

Kind of weird, I know, but does anybody else ever do that?

 

*End Transmission*

 

 

Well, you probably couldn't make novels out of those, but they might possibly work for short stories...

 

But what they really sound like, to me at least, are the premises for indie video games. Really, a game is one of the few places where you can get away with having a completely non-nonsensical premise, a fairly serious plot, and very loose details on what actually happens.

 

Your first idea is actually such a good fit for a game that I'm pretty sure it's been done before! But I could definitely imagine some sort of squad-based tactics game in the bloodstream.

 

As for the bacon heist, can you think of a person who would not pay a dollar for that on the App Store? The gameplay hardly matters because the premise is so relatable!

 

Finally, regarding the genetic memories of cats... you've basically got the feline version of Assassin's Creed. But I'd probably do it as a strategy game, because it's based on a big war rather than... uh, whatever Assassin's Creed is based on (I only know the basics).

 

Of course, games come with the added requirements of being able to either program or draw art, ideally both.

*Incoming Transmission*

 

If I ever wrote any of these, they would most definitely be short stories. I can barely get myself to spend the time to write something that long. A novel? Pfft.

 

I could see these as games, too, now that you mention it. But alas, my programming skills are, well, nonexistent. Oh, well. One can dream, right?

 

*End Transmission*

[Jean Valjean]

I totally do that. Even if something would seem otherwise cliche or overused, I tend to play things dead straight, just with my own writing style. Or if something is strange and abnormal and weird, I still play it dead straight. After all, if you think about it, many superhero comics have very weird premises, but when played straight it turns out that they make brilliant stories. You just need the proper imagination. Also, since when was having a story with blood cells as characters outlandish? I see a ton of potential there, and not even as a joke.

 

Right now I'm writing as a form of journal writing. My mood of the day usually brings out some sentimental scene in my mind, something meaningful, and I find that it's a good ideas to keep these in my mind until I have a keyboard at hand. Actually, I plan on working on a scene as soon as I'm done with this post.

 

24601

[(Daedalus)]

I totally do that. Even if something would seem otherwise cliche or overused, I tend to play things dead straight, just with my own writing style. Or if something is strange and abnormal and weird, I still play it dead straight. After all, if you think about it, many superhero comics have very weird premises, but when played straight it turns out that they make brilliant stories. You just need the proper imagination. Also, since when was having a story with blood cells as characters outlandish? I see a ton of potential there, and not even as a joke.

 

Right now I'm writing as a form of journal writing. My mood of the day usually brings out some sentimental scene in my mind, something meaningful, and I find that it's a good ideas to keep these in my mind until I have a keyboard at hand. Actually, I plan on working on a scene as soon as I'm done with this post.

 

24601

*Incoming Transmission*

 

I see your point about superheroes, though some are just so ridiculous that no amount of seriousness can overcome the silliness.

 

As for the blood cells, I guess the idea isn't really outlandish; I just tend to think of it that way because the image that always pops into my head is the picture that gave me the idea. I think it was in my 3rd grade health book. In the section about white blood cells there was a cartoonish picture (I guess drawing might be a better word) of white blood cells with arms and legs, wearing helmets and carrying guns. I think there might have also been a tank somewhere, too. That's what I think of every time I start to play with the idea, so I have a hard time thinking of it seriously.

 

EDIT: Now that this semester is coming to a close, I have decided to (most likely) join a TBRPG here on BZPower. I'm not sure which one, yet, but I want to get back to actually writing instead of just coming up with story ideas. I've heard that RPGs are a good way to hone one's writing skills, so I'll see how it goes.

 

I also hope to get some short stories done over the summer. To that end, I may join the Ambage. If I feel required to write at least a few stories, I think it'll help get my creative juices flowing.

 

*End Transmission*

Edited May 9, 2013 by (Daedalus)