We decided to start a general discussion thread about, well... creative writing. Bring all of your questions, suggestions, reading materials, book suggestions (to read, to help with writing, etc), and dead hookers on school bus that you have and lets discuss it here. We're trying to achieve the whole writer's circle thing here afterall.
OK I'll start: Since I am currently planning a re-write of a large piece following the reviews of a certain (non-SB) critic and his feelings on repetition and lengthy beginnings, I'll pose this question: -How do you best propose balancing continuity (in the sense of a strong continuing central plot) and variety in your typical story? What is a good balance?
I'm not a writer(not a trained or learned, or particulary good one) but I would suggest that you can have variety and new changing situations and settings, but just keep the same characters and the same endgoal.
I guess I've got some questions What do people think of these names I've thought up for the characters I've created? Do they work well or do they need changing? Grandyn/Grandon (I'm not sure which spelling of the first two I'll use) Adam Akarias Syken Yorksman Zmite Charles Onfrie Sagdieb Cimpoesu (trying to make an Eastern European feel) Delatrix/Delatroix (not sure which either) Moyna (want it sort of Middle Eastern) Arexal (compression of the word 'solar exalted')-Sentient plasma being Chou Frite (asian feel) Also when do you feel homage or such becomes a rip-off?
Well generally I find names to be unimportant, as long as they're pronouncible, and you can make a character into anything whatever their name (I'm convinced you could make a guy called 'Freddy' into the nastiest archvillain ever concieved if you tried hard enough). Still, I'll do me best: Grandyn/ Grandon sound exellent and I love 'em. Yorksman likewise, though 'Zmite' seems a little off (overall I like it, mind). Ditto with Charles Onfrie; mad-bonkers surnames the lot of 'em, but good stuff. I'm not convinced. Looking up some more common east-European names might be a better idea, and play mix, match and mess. I mean, 'Sagdieb' could almost work if no east-European person ever reads your work*, but the surname is unpronouncible, sadly: You end up shortening it to 'simposer', which sounds like a sympathetic poser. For most names I do what you do: Choose a first name and make the second name at random with letters on the keyboard, but for foreign sounding names it's probably best to go to lists of foreign names (baby-name sites are easy ones for that). They all sound good, but again make sure you check your foreign-ey names, in case an actual foreigner reads 'em. If you feel unimaginitive, chuck in a 'Mohammed' or two. When does a string become a rope? Dunno. I'd say it remains a homage if your characters are unique, though follow the same archetypes and your plot is original, though once again uses similar archetypes. If your reaction to reading is "This is familiar" you're OK. If it's "This is a copy" you're in trouble. Fine lines indeed. *I entered 'Sagdieb' into Google to see if anyone else, anywhere, is called that. You should try that too: The result is funny.
Following your advice about looking at website for authentic names. I've renamed Sagdieb 'Drazen Mikulic' (Bosnian from what I recall) and Dela 'Karimah Mazlum', how do those sound? What I was thinking about when I inquired about that was not so much an archetype as a character design, I was thinking about incorporating the character design of Lord Nyax from Rebel Stand, having a bad guy similar to him (3 metre tall psion with six blades) but I'm not sure if it's getting too close to a rip-off or not
Physical appearances are easy to rip-off without consequence, as everyone often sticks to common archetypes anyhow (short raven-hared beauty walking head-down in the rain, that kinda stuff). As long as the character acts and thinks in a fairly original fashion, and does different stuff, I'd say you're fine.
Why can't the unfolding of your plot be the result of various unique situations/revelations/etc.? Heck, for that matter, why wouldn't it be? A bit of specific info in this regard would probably help, since by default there is no "balance" necessary here.
A bit of backstory on this idea of mine before I begin Recently I watched Bram Stoker's Dracula and just today I was thinking about Jesus while listening to a song called 'Red blooded woman' and something occurred to me. From what I understand in the Last Supper Jesus says his blood is the wine and his flesh the bread This leads me into the idea of a vampire story where the vampire is a very dedicated Christian, perhaps even being one of Jesus's original apostles who drinks blood out of his religious beliefs and perhaps is granted power by God However I have a problem, I've never read the Bible so could some of you point out some verses where the blood is wine and bread is flesh thing are apparent and any that describe the apostles behavior and nature
