The second Silent Hill movie has no redeeming features for me. None at all. The first one at least made a decent attempt and I can see where they were going with it. Plus Rose is a more believable Harry than Sean Bean could ever be.

Plus in 3D Revelations Harry should have died... and didn't. And to add insult to injury he's Sean fricken Bean XD And didn't die. I facepalmed so hard...

Oh- in other news, I made some progress in my re-outline of my NaNo 2013 project this evening ^^ Yaaay!

Redeeming Factor: Sean Bean not dying in a role that he should've died in is beyond amusing to meXD

But I understand I'm a minority for even having a little bit of love for the film :)

And congrats =D

- Yay progress!

... I know nothing about Silent Hill.

LOL it's true. There is a certain amusing irony there.

Yeah I kinda derailed the topic XD Sorry about that...

Right... So... I decided to work on Haegan's story line (represented by Inheritance on here) and what I had fell apart almost immediately. I've spent the past 10 days alternating between trying to ignore the fact I should be writing and pleading with Haegan to please pretty pretty please tell me what it is he wants. Finally, about five hours ago, he filled in the blanks so I can get started on the plot line. -rubs forehead- I'm not going to get very far at this rate.

Anyway, I'm gonna go back and read what I've missed here after I get some sleep. I hope you all are having better luck with your writing than me.

Oh no! That sounds really rough :/ Here's hoping you're able to work things out.

At least you're getting somewhere now :)

Just take whatever time you need :)

The worst part's that Haegan's story is the start of the historical AE series. I have to figure it out before I can figure out the three other stories associated with it.

Anyway, my next challenge is figuring out exactly what scene is best to start the story. I've got three options and every time I think I have picked one I decide that one of the others might work better, so I start over again. -shakes finger at muse- "Make up your mind!"

Also, I don't know if you've figured out a name you like for your character but I've come up with a couple suggestions. (The modern equivalents may take some imagination, but that's not that uncommon. I mean, I still haven't figured out how some common pet names come from the name they are referring to. XD) Anyway here they are: Damokles could be Damian, Les/Lesley, or Amos. Nicander could be Nick/Nicky, Andy, or Andrew. Paramonos could be Amos (again LOL), Park/Parke, or Ray/Ramon/Raymond.

Most longer names have at least one or two ways to shorten or modernize them, if you give yourself a little freedom with the process.

- It's never fun to be stuck at the beginning knowing nothing will work until you get it down! GL with that. And as for your three options, try writing all three and then decide! Or tell each option to a trusted friend and ask them which they like best :) I did that for my story during nano a few times.

I agree with that maybe you might want to try writing out at least some of each idea. It's possible that you might meld bits and pieces of them together into something new you hadn't even thought of before, or you'll find exactly which one fits and the other two could be molded into something you can use elsewhere :)

My three options are all aspects of the story that will have to be included somewhere. It's just deciding at which point I should start. One starts the story off sad with the death of a family member, one starts off optimistic with Haegan's coronation, and one starts off tense with Haegan in "danger"... My mom, who has had to listen to me verbally brainstorm almost every aspect of the story, seems to think that the last one is the best option. At this point, I'm inclined to agree with her but I know which ever one I pick will set the tone and I am trying to decide if the story - well, series really - should be more sentimental or more action-oriented.

What do y'all think? Which "tone" do you think would be best?

I think option 2 or option 3. Option 1 sounds like something that would have a bigger emotional impact once you've gotten more info on the characters. If you open with it, chances are that your reader won't have had enough time to "care" about this person who died and how the other characters have to cope with it.

Option 3 could potentially have the drawback of feeling like you (the reader) have been dropped into something without enough information. It depends on what it is, of course! It also has a strong positive in that it would still be exciting to the reader - and what you really want with the opening of a book is to make the reader want to read the next sentence!

Option 2 is pretty safe all-around. It sounds like it would provide a lot of exposition up front and inform readers what they're getting into and help them get situated in your world.

These are, of course, my opinions... picked up from reading a lot of books and seeing a lot of people talking about 'writing tips' on the internet! lol

Number 1 sounds good (because I love depressing stuff) but, as pointed out, if you want the death to MEAN something that won't be a good option.

Number 2 is good if you want to go from hopeful to dark. But that's really a transition thing and I don't think that will necessarily be the tone of the overall series.

Number 3 is good if you want to start in the middle of something. But that really depends if you're good writing that way.

- It kind of depends on the feel you are going for. I think the third option would have the best grab to draw people into the story, but depending on the feel/mood of the story overall, you don't want to create an expectation, and then not follow through, like if you start with the danger you might give the impressions that this novel is going to be filled with thrill and adventure, but if it's not, you'll lose the readers.

I really appreciate the input! Each of you had wonderful points for me to consider.

The series, at its core, is a combination of m/m romance and social change, which is a theme I have used before. (The fact that I've used the theme before is making it more difficult because I am trying to be careful it doesn't mirror the other concept.) The tone will be tense, but not all of the time.

I'm trying now to decide if it makes sense to have him start the story in peril but not in immediate danger. It would give him the opportunity to reflect on how the heck he got there and reveal aspects of his back story both by inner monologue and conversation. So Option 3 as the opening image, but 1 and 2 swiftly introduced in the opening scene?

Does that sound reasonable? Does that imply action and adventure which, while present in my story, is not going to be the true focus? Or does it allow for something that is more... -cringe- political intrigue? (Gah. I don't want to be writing political anything. But if social change is a theme, what choice do I have really... -sighs- /random rant)

- Sounds like a good plan to me. I don't think that'll be too actiony, it would be kinda Robin Hood-y.
My story is ending up all politically too, and I don't like it, but it kind of needs it :( Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!

Whoa, forums are being really weird for me...

I agree with ! Sounds like a good plan to me, too :)

(Also I'm glad I'm not the only one who cringes at having to write political things...)

- Forums is being weird, when I clicked the link from your ping I got redirected to some profile coding thread. Writing political stuff is hard, but a bit easier in a fantasy type world where I get to make up the whole governmental system. :P

Yeah, when I was trying to post it I kept getting redirected to a locked thread. So weird!?

And yeah there are pros and cons when you have to make it all up - it's easier but it's also harder! I feel like I have to build the entire internal structure like a Jenga tower, hoping it doesn't all crash down on top of me while I'm trying to map it out... so much world building to make things believable!

Have time to read? :3 I'm ready to send!