Typing Monkeys! (writing accountability thread)
Replies
- Damn, I wish I could do that. I always forget stuff. I should re-read my story, I'd remember more of it then. Going through and editing it would probably help me a lot >.< Your method reminds me of RPing, something I need to do more of.
I collect these:
Who doesn&;t want a piece of our bad zombie selves?
Yeah, I don't quite have a photographic memory but it's something along the same lines as that. I love editing my stories, but I usually wait until I'm done so I it discourages me from changes huge sections of normally fine things. I RPed once before and I didn't like it, mainly because I found out the other person was using characters and the plot of an already published book/horrible TV series. I didn't really like it, lol, I like to have complete control over the situations my characters are put in.
Character development is easy if you have the right tools and no irl friends like I do, lol, just kidding, I have friends they just live a whole country away from me now. I have a character development sheet/template that helps a lot and I could share if you'd be interested. First person is my preferred method, third person with me gets far to complicated because I want to tell everyone's story. lol, I had to go through everything I have to find something I think is semi-decent and then settled on something almost 5 years old.
Warning, kind of long...
“You don’t belong here, Demon.”
The demon looked up un-amused from her vegetarian soup. It had been weeks since she had had last introduced meat into her system. Unlike the people that had been serving her food, she was not made for such weak nutrients.
“Excuse me?” She asked, she felt the cats under the table stand from their nap. They were exhausted but ready to fight if she asked them to.
“What? Are you as deaf as you are ugly, demon?” The tall Elven man asked, laughing, the other men in the tavern joined in, while the serving women began to look nervous. She rolled her eyes; she didn’t look any different from Elves aside from her dark skin and ears that resembled those of the Humans. Her cheek bones were high, her eyes large, dark green, and set evenly apart. Her skin hadn’t been taken care of since she arrived on the new continent some months ago but it maintained a smooth and health appearance. Her hair, an odd pale shade of blue, though tied back in a braid had fallen loose in a few areas with her travels of the day. She knew she was fair from ugly.
“Your manners certainly match your looks but that is not my case,” She answered, taking one final gagging sip of her soup.
“What did you say to me, Demon?!”
“I’m simply matching your etiquette and wit,” She answered. “If you were hoping for a more…meek response from me you went about it in all the wrong ways.”
“How dare you?!” He made to grab her by her collar. She was too fast for him. Standing before he could find a grip. Thin metal pressed against his abdomen.
“How dare I?” She hissed as every person in the bar rose at her sudden action. “I was merely trying to enjoy a…meal before I moved on. You addressed me first, sir, I answered in the attitude you presented me with. Perhaps if you hope for better results from women in the future you should try first picking someone in a better mood, and secondly with a little more respect.”
“You’ll never make it out of this town alive, little demon,” He growled at her.
She pushed the dagger further into his abs. “You, sir, are in no position to be threatening me. I could be making you the same promise.”
“Enough,” Every face turned to the bartender as he came from round the bar. “I’ll have no trouble started in my Inn, you’ll have to leave.”
Omoide stepped back, returning her weapon to its hiding place within her undercoat. She made to sit back down.
“I was talkin’ to you Demon,” He said firmly. He motioned to the man that had started the altercation. “You’ll stay here free of charge tonight, sir.”
She clicked her tongue, to alert the cats that they were leaving. She reached in her pocket, everyone gasped; afraid she was going to pull another weapon. She sighed and threw a few coins on the table. “Disappointing,” She said as she walked pass the two men.
She pushed the doors open so forcibly they slammed against the outside walls, announcing to everyone, including the men being entertained for a price in the rooms above the bar; that she had in fact left as she was asked.
“Did we not tell you that going to such a public Inn was ill advised,” The albino hairless cat asked, trotting to keep up with his master.
“I have told you both, time and time again, that if I’m to find what I need I must make my presence known.” She kicked a lose rock, which landed near a group of horses tied to a post. One of her pale eyebrows lifted pass her bangs.
Both the cats followed her eye line. “No, Mistress, this is also very ill advised,” the first said.
“Which one belongs to our new friend?” She asked.
“I cannot tell you,” The white cat looked up at her in a panic. “The trouble we could get in.”
“Hush Menkali,” The demon’s mouth twisted into a smirk, her gaze never leaving the horses, which were beginning to feel uneasy under her stare. “Audrin, which one?”
The long haired calico perked up, “The painted stallion.” She had been uncharacteristically quiet since they entered the Elven country side. Which could have been attributed to the stern talking to her mate had giving her to not start trouble for their young mistress. “Would you like him killed, Mistress?”
“We can’t punish the beast for the actions of his master can we?” She crept closer to the steed, putting her hands out to show she meant him no harm. “I doubt it’s the stallion’s fault his master is so-“
“Un-agreeable?” Audrin asked.
“Exactly.” She pressed her palm against the horse’s muzzle. “Would you like to taste freedom my friend?”
She ran her hands up the tight muscles of his face to find the latches holding it in. He pushed closer to her. She could imagine his breaking, what he was before he was captured and forced be the legs of the lazy man inside. The fields he had run through, the pure streams he had drank from, the soft grass he had used as his bed, the mares he had mated with, the colts he never got to see into their adulthood.
She dropped the leather harness to the ground with a smile. “What a great leader you must had been,” She whispered to him.
He pushed his nose against her right shoulder.
“He wants to know if there is anything you wish of him,” Menkali told her.
“You owe me nothing,” She rubbed his mane affectionately. “Just promise if that hypocritical man finds you again you’ll not forget who you are and kill him rather than let him use you in such a way.”
He rubbed against her before taking off into the dark of the street.
She smiled at the dust cloud he created.
“Mistress,” Menkali said slowly. “It is a good thing you have done for him, but perhaps we should be moving along so we are not to be caught.”
“You are right,” She answered. “Though I really hope that man knows it was me. Such people don’t deserve such a beautiful animal.”
“We are being followed,” Menkali stated a ways into their journey.
The other two stopped and looked at him. He was alert and ready to fight. Menkali quickly stepped between them and where they had come.
“How many are there,” the demon asked, putting her right hand on the sword hanging at her side.
“It’s hard to tell,” Menkali answered.
“Hard to tell?” She said in a harsh whisper. “How many footsteps do you hear?”
“It is hard to tell,” Audrin repeated her mate. “They are moving too fast.”
“Could it be horses?” She asked.
“No,” Menkali answered. “They’re in the trees.”
“The trees?” She asked looking up into the dark branches. She closed her eyes and tried listening for anything that wasn’t made by nature. She could hear her pulse, the cats breathing, their heartbeats, and the wind playing in between the trunks. She pushed these out of her mind, searching for a sound that was moving, moving quickly.
Something moved within her mind, searching. Just when she heard the soft leather against tree branch. She smirked. The seeker in her mind made every single one of her senses stand at attention. Her spine tingled. Every one of her natural instincts told her to fight against the invasion of her thoughts. She ignored her damn instincts, totally surrendering her thoughts to whatever it was.
“It’s one,” She took her hand off her sword. The soft noise stopped once it realized it was being tracked by her strong ears.
Menkali and Audrin tensed. “It stopped.”
“I know,” She answered. “Stand down.”
“But-“
“I said stand down.” She snapped. “You are to stay put. Not a single move, not unless I tell you. Understood?”
They both lay down in the dust of the road they had been traveling down.
She tried to reach out to the tiny invasion. It moved through her memories and emotions. She welcomed it. It left a slight numb feeling on everything it searched through.
She stood many moments in silence, following the seeker, volunteering information she thought it would find interesting. She was trying to learn as much as she could about it as it was her.
It finally pushed to the front of her mind, filling her head with muffled laughter. << You aren’t like any Demon I’ve ever come across. >>
“Have you met with many demons?” She asked the stillness. Audrin and Menkali both jumped at the sound of her voice addressing the nothingness.
<< None that had your breeding that’s for sure. >> There was laughter again.
“I assure you I am no different than any other Demon you’ve met.”
<< No? >> She heard the sound move again, out of the trees, not much but enough. << You speak differently, due to your father, I know. >>
“There is no need for me to answer,” She smirked. “You already know all the answers I’d ever give you.”
<< Yes. >>
“Then why bother even speaking with me?”
There was silence a moment. << You don’t want to collect me. >>
She opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. It stopped again.
“Does that mean you’ll help me?” She asked. She knew what he was speaking about. She knew she couldn’t possibly be the first to hear of the golden eyed Halfer that could read thoughts. She knew he was rare, even the most powerful of creatures couldn’t read thoughts. To have such power would mean control, utter control.
Control is what she searched for, what she needed.
<< I can’t. >>
“Can’t or won’t,” She asked, a bit sharper than she meant to. The presence in her mind withdrew a bit. She reached out for it desperately.
<< I don’t understand why you need my help. >>
She laughed. It felt strange to her. It had been a long time since she laughed. She needed this presence to stay in her mind, it calmed her just knowing it was there.
“What is your name?” A sense of uneasiness rushed through her mind. “It’s only fair for me to know isn’t it? You know mine.”
The noise started again, a figure slowly began to appear out of the darkness. Both of the cats tensed. It hesitated.
<< Snix Amira, my name is Snix Amira. >> He answered, starting towards her again. << My father’s name was Mojin Amira a Forestina Demon, my mother’s name was Mika Copperleaf of the Elven tribe of Gheata. >>
“These are my Animal Alters Menkali and Audrin.” She motioned to the cats, though she wasn’t sure he could see her just yet.
<< I don’t trust animals. >> He said.
“They won’t do anything to hurt you.” She reassured him.
<< I can’t read animals. >> He stated. Motionless in the darkness, looming just beyond her sight. Not beyond the cats she knew.
“Really?” She asked genuinely shocked. She felt that she could read animals better than people most of the time.
“He’s armed, Mistress.” Audrin said tensely.
Her eyes scanned over his figure, a cross bow to his left wrist, a short sword in his right.
<< It’s for my protection. >> He defended.
“You don’t know how to use that,” She referred to the sword. “We can dodge the arrow, you know that, and if you were to get close enough to use the sword any of us would kill you, this you also know. This explains why you stay far enough away.”
She felt embarrassment swim through her mind. She smirked.
“I could teach you.”
There was silence. << And I’d have to repay you? >>
“Only if you feel the need.”
Silence fell again. She felt him withdraw from her slightly to think his next action over. She waited patiently.
<<Okay, Odoime Warui, >> came his answer. << I’ll go with you. >>
- I also like to wait to edit until I'm done, but my story is over 125k words now and I'm forgetting things that already happened! RPing is hit and miss, you have to find someone you can work with well.
I collect these:
Who doesn&;t want a piece of our bad zombie selves?
Holy crap! 125k words! That is an awful lot to remember. Maybe (if you're typing it that is) you can cut it into shorter different documents that have a short going-ons of the section as a file name in a folder all to its self and number them so you can easily go back and re-read. That's what I'm doing with my current story cause there is a lot of history-ish things that have to be explained and I want to be able to go back quickly.
Yeah, I would definitely be interested in seeing your process, I think it would really help my writing. I loved the extract, by the way; more from the Demon girl please! As for roleplaying, it's not all about using a book or someone else's characters. You can use your own. It's mostly just writing practice, in the end. I find it really useful, and it can be really fun. I'd be willing to help you try again, with our own characters, if you wanted?
- How'd everybody do this week? I got my document written for my meeting (glad it's over!) This week, I'm going to be really busy working overtime, so I'm going to make my goal another paltry 500 words toward my thesis. Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Share with us your victories and defeats!
I failed at my goal. I wrote about half as much as I was anticipating. Ah well, at least I got some content done. This week might be a busy one with my part time courses and a list of chores as long as my arm x_x So I'm thinking 1.5k would be a good mark to try to reach.
Happy typing, fellow monkeys ;)
Good job =)
I know, this watermelon gif is so captivating, I can't get over it lol
Monkey Help
Honestly, I think that if a writer accidentally inserts themselves into a story, it's a sign of inexperience. I don't know much as far as adult/erotic fiction goes, but that's just my opinion. I'd tell her that her story needs work unless this self-insertion of hers is actually something she meant to do. I personally don't like reading anything sexual written by friends or siblings, it's just a bit creepy for me. Kinda like I'm getting too much information lol so I get why you're feeling a bit uncomfortable. If it gets too awkward, just tell your friend. You won't be able to give her a good critique if personal feelings are influencing you.
I just noticed the Neil Gaiman quote in your signature. He's my all-time favorite author =D Kudos.
Maybe it should be assumed that I'm a bad monkey, unless I say otherwise...
- Yeah, it is. And it's probably mostly crap! lol. I like the idea of splitting it up into smaller documents though, I think that will help.
- Well it would figure that I would actually hit the 1500k mark the week I decide to up the ante to 2000, so I didn't quite make it. I tried, but the vampire party was too tempting to pass up and I got no writing done on saturday evening like I had planned. I did however, surpass the section that I hand wrote, so now I can just type on my computer. I'll miss my notebook though (even though I only wrote about 2000 words in it so far)
- It should go back together in reverse, it would be so cool. I'm not entierly sure it wasn't on purpose. I was supposed to talk to her this weekend, but again, vampire party.
- Yeah, same probably goes for me!
I collect these:
Who doesn&;t want a piece of our bad zombie selves?
I had a slot planned in my timetable to do it today, then on my way back from my lecture I was sidetracked by posters. They're very pretty though :p
I . . . I have been a horrible monkey and too caught up in art and life to actually get any writing done lately so I've been hiding in shame. hangs head in shame But that never accomplishes anything, so I'm going to try a different kind of goal for me this week--this time my goal is to get some kind of story written up for one of my pets since I've been meaning to actually get info up for them.
- Bad monkey! :P Go write for your poor neglected pets!
I collect these:
Who doesn&;t want a piece of our bad zombie selves?
My goal is actually on my 'to do' list for tomorrow. Yes, I'm cool enough to have a 'to do' list. I feel the urge to write, though, so after my lecture, I'm going to get something written :p
Yeah, learning that my RP partner was using a preset plot by someone else kind of ticked me off... a lot. I'm so inconsistent with my own writing I don't know if I could keep up with RPing at the moment. lol, I'm glad you liked it. I have lots more of Odoime, she's literally the oldest characters I have. She somehow worms her way into everything I write, somehow. Below is my character developing process, before I ever start writing a story I make sure I can answer each one of those questions in extreme detail.
Character Developing Process (super long)
Character Chart
Full Name:
Reason or meaning of name:
Nickname(s)
Reasons:
Physical Appearance
Age:
How old does s/he look:
Eye color:
Glasses or contact lenses:
Hair Color:
Wears hair how:
Weight:
Height:
Type of body or build:
Skin tone:
Skin type:
Shape of face:
Distinguishing marks:
Predominant feature(s):
Looks like:
Is s/he healthy:
Favorites
Favorite Color:
Favorite music:
Favorite food:
Favorite literature:
Favorite expressions:
Favorite expletives:
Habits
Smokes, if so what, when and how much:
Drinks, if so what, when and how much:
Hobbies:
[/b]Background[/b]
Hometown:
Type of childhood:
First Memory:
Minor Regrets:
Biggest Accomplishment:
Minor Accomplishments:
Darkest Secret:
Who, if anyone, knows about it:
How did they discover it:
Perception of Self
One word would use to describe self:
Complete description of how character describes self:
What is considered best physical characteristic:
What is considered worst physical characteristic:
Are these realistic assessments, why or why not:
How character thinks others perceive him/her:
What would character change about self and why:
If that change occurred would the character be as happy as s/he thinks they would be why or why not:
Interrelations With Others
How does character relate with others:
How is s/he perceived by:
Strangers:
Friends:
Wife/husband/lover:
Hero/heroine:
Character’s first impression of hero/heroince:
Why:
What happens to change his/her perception:
What do friends/family like most about character:
What do friends/family like least about character:
Goals
Immediate goals:
Long term goals:
How does s/he plan to see these goals accomplished:
Problems/Crises
How does s/he react in a crisis:
How does s/he face problems:
What kind of problems does character face:
How does character deal with new problems:
How does character react to change:
General
Most important event that still affects character:
Why:
Education:
Religion/practicing:
Why or why not:
Financial:
Family
Mother:
Relationship with her:
Father:
Relationship with him:
Siblings, how many, names:
Birth order:
Relationship with each:
Children of siblings:
Attitude
Most at ease when:
Ill at ease when:
Priorities:
Philosophy:
How s/he feels about self:
Past failure:
If granted one wish, what would it be:
Why:
Personality
Greatest source of strength in character’s personality (if they know it or not):
Greatest source of weakness in their personality (if they know it or not):
Character’s soft spot:
Is it obvious to others:
Why or why not:
Biggest vulnerability:
Why:
Traits
Is s/he a optimist or a pessimist:
Introvert or extrovert:
Drives and motivations:
Talents:
Good characteristics:
Character flaws:
Mannerisms:
Peculiarities:
Biggest regret:
Favorite clothes:
Least favorite clothes:
Why:
Favorite jewelry:
Least favorite jewelry:
Drives:
Why:
Place s/he wants to live:
Why:
Spending habits (frugal, spendthrift, etc.):
Why:
What does s/he do too much of:
Too little of:
Most prized possession:
Why:
Un-catergorized
Who does character secretly admire:
Why:
Person character is/was most influenced by:
Why:
Who is the most important person in his/her life before story starts:
Why:
How does character spend the week before the story starts:
Yes! Neil Gaiman is my favorite too! I actually get to go listen to him lecture this November! It is literally going to be the highlight of my year, maybe life.
I actually made my goal this week, and then some. My story board is done, my prologue is complete and in the process of getting shipped off to the person who commissioned me and I edited a whole bunch of old stuff. It has been a very successful week... writing wise that is.
I'm sure it's not crap, probably just needs some editing, everything is better with editing. The cutting into sections is helpful, I try to do it with all things that end up in chapters.
Yes. That would be just beyond epic =o
That. is. awesome. I. am. so. fucking. jealous. I would probably collapse in shock if I was ever in the same room as him. Have fun! :) It seems that every time I have the opportunity to actually meet Neil Gaiman, something turns up and stops me from going so I've just kinda accepted that it'll probably never happen D= but I absolutely adore everything the man has ever written. He's got such a unique style compared to most authors I've read, it's so refreshing. I own just about everything he's ever written lol
Tell me about it, I have the tickets but I won't believe it's happening for real this time until I'm seated and he's on stage. Then I'll cry. lol. I got lucky this time because he's not teamed up with Amanda so she's not tweeting the Hell out of it. lol, not that I can knock her, if I ever got the chance to see both of them at the same time I probably would die. I own most of his works too, I'm missing most of kids/teen books, a movie, and the book he made with Amanda Palmer. I can't get enough of his style, I could reread his books a thousand times and still not be sick of them. Though I've listened to enough of his audio books that I can't read anything he's written now without it being in his voice. lol, even the Batman graphic novel, which about made my head pop because my favorite author writing a comic of my favorite superhero!
Ok, I'll stop being a little fangirl now. lol.
- lol, maybe after it's edited, but for now, crappy. :P I think I have that character sheet thing filled out for some of my characters somewhere. OMG, jealous, that lecture should be amazing!
- Asplode! Reassemble!
I collect these:
Who doesn&;t want a piece of our bad zombie selves?
Edit, edit edit. Maybe take a break from it and while you're cutting it apart you can edit? My friend found the sheet for me and it's helped a lot, I go over board though (so she tells me) and add in cultural traditions and how different races compare to the others roaming about in my head. She joked once that I could probably publish the character sheets alone with how much history and notes I add to them. Wish I knew where she got it. I'm so excited for the lecture! I'm afraid my head may explode before it happens though. lol
- Yeah, I think I got the sheet from some Nano buddies. It took a really long time to fill out. I should revisit them, I feel like I've forgotten key features about my characters. No! Don't be like Fortune's watermelon! Go listen to Neil Gaimon and let him cause the world around you to asplode instead.
I collect these:
Who doesn&;t want a piece of our bad zombie selves?
lol, oh I know! It didn't take me long the first few times I did it but now it takes me forever. XD I think I need to make back ups of mine because the only copies I have of them now are print outs in a binder. I don't know why I decided to keep them that way but it's time to update now. lol! I will try. World asplode I shall enjoy! lol.