Discussion: Q1 Volume 41

Bump?

still all quiet on the front here! Between the recent Q3 results and the pending Q4 deadline I think people are still preoccupied... myself included, though I will say the Q1 story is written, its just 'marinating' right now.

Thanks Dustin!

I'm tinkering for Q1 at the moment, but unsure if what I have is what I'll be going with just yet.

Well, I think I'm committed now--my current WIP will be my entry for V41.Q1, and I have my main draft of it completed, with quite a number of initial minor revisions already done and dusted. Next up, though, is the harder part--the deeper improvements. Strengthening and magnifying critical elements, and making sure that the story's integrity feels solid throughout.

4th QTR has been in. Now I'm brainstorming 1st QTR v41.

I'm still working on Q4, but have several ideas for Q1.

I found inspiration in several vignettes I wrote a couple of years ago. I'll call them practice because the intent was to get a feel for a story set in my old stomps in Colorado, but no end occurred to me, so I abandoned them. Still, the rereads zapped me back there instantly, so I knew I had something to work with.

The premise and setting remain the same but once the milieu changed, the new reasons for decisions gave the story real direction. I identified an end quickly, completed the outline, and have begun to write.

I've mentioned this piece of process because world building surrounding the new milieu defined the pressures involved in character decisions. Just like evolution requires selective pressure, character change requires an external reason to make decisions. Decisions lead to conflict and boom, story.

Hope this helps somebody.

Off to have fun.

Already struggling to write something new. I have a HM I started editing, but writing something new is my goal for Q1.

@toddjones 

Coming up with story ideas has never been difficult for me, so I'm wondering if OSC might help you. Orson Scott Card, one of the contest judges and a great writer and instructor, came up with a process for developing ideas that he calls "A Thousand Ideas in an Hour." Details are in his books Characters and Viewpoint and How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy.

The process helps discover character, story, and milieu, and helps the writer steer away from "used" ideas. It also opens a writer's eyes to the fact that there are an infinite number of things that are worthy of stories if one asks the right questions.

DM me if you think I can lend a hand. (Please note that I have never given a fellow writer an idea or a prompt for a story - that is the writer's business. What I have done in the past is to ask questions about story elements that have moved a character to do what they do and be who they are. The answers to those questions are entirely up to the writer.)

Have fun

@kent isn't that part of the free online workshop?

Posted by: @kent

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@toddjones 

Coming up with story ideas has never been difficult for me, so I'm wondering if OSC might help you. Orson Scott Card, one of the contest judges and a great writer and instructor, came up with a process for developing ideas that he calls "A Thousand Ideas in an Hour." Details are in his books Characters and Viewpoint and How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy.

The process helps discover character, story, and milieu, and helps the writer steer away from "used" ideas. It also opens a writer's eyes to the fact that there are an infinite number of things that are worthy of stories if one asks the right questions.

DM me if you think I can lend a hand. (Please note that I have never given a fellow writer an idea or a prompt for a story - that is the writer's business. What I have done in the past is to ask questions about story elements that have moved a character to do what they do and be who they are. The answers to those questions are entirely up to the writer.)

Have fun

 

Thank you for the info.  I'll look into reading through those suggestions. They sound good to have in the back of my mind for fleshing out ideas too.

Got tons of ideas and some have a brief outline filed with them.  I'm Just struggling to be creative at all and work on those ideas. Just on that writer roller coaster of ups and downs right now.

I do have some stories I am trying to smooth out and could use a set of eyes on.  I'll look through what my best option for Q1 is and PM you.

Thank you for the offer.

@toddjones "Write what you know" - what's a human flaw you have that you wish you didn't? Create a character with that same flaw, perhaps amplified. What conflict would give that character opportunities to correct that flaw? Perhaps injecting one of your ideas could provide that conflict? Then drop that into a setting you like (ideally that echoes the tone of the conflict/flaw, and also potentially from your list of ideas) and massage the plot into a rough structure and bam, you have a whole story. 

Disclaimer: I've never done the above approach, but intend to for my next short story. For my winner I just had an eerily real-feeling dream and wrote it down, and then added a little structure. #cheating That said, the MC's flaw is one I've always had and have been actively working on for a decade.

@ease Thanks for the continued support and encouragement.  I'm going camping and hiking for a few nights with my wife to try and regenerate. (family health issues over the last year are starting to settle) Once my brain sheds some of that stress, I would expect my writing to start up.

My plan is to look at my last two HMs and try and apply flaw/morale conflict/antagonist suggestions at least mentally if not on paper. I have something new (newer than the one I've been talking with you on) I want to try and outline the story and write with less pantsing involved.

I'm in for Q1! Yay! 

Posted by: @crlisle

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I'm in for Q1! Yay!

Whoa, way to go! I'm still getting reads for my opening at the moment. I have my draft complete, but I'm expecting to sub late in the quarter for this one.

Posted by: @crlisle

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I'm in for Q1! Yay! 

Impressive!  

Hey all! I used to offer full crits to forum members and I just do not have time anymore. However, I miss it here! If anyone would like my eyes on their first page and half (so page 1-2 of the manuscript in Shunn), please send me a DM. Good luck with your Q1s!

@crlisle nice work!

Posted by: @rschibler

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Hey all! I used to offer full crits to forum members and I just do not have time anymore. However, I miss it here! If anyone would like my eyes on their first page and half (so page 1-2 of the manuscript in Shunn), please send me a DM. Good luck with your Q1s!

Don't sleep on this offer, folks. Rebecca looked at one of my openings last year, and the comments she gave me were eye opening. Undoubtedly contributed to my level-up from HMs to SHMs.

Posted by: @ease

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Posted by: @rschibler

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Hey all! I used to offer full crits to forum members and I just do not have time anymore. However, I miss it here! If anyone would like my eyes on their first page and half (so page 1-2 of the manuscript in Shunn), please send me a DM. Good luck with your Q1s!

Don't sleep on this offer, folks. Rebecca looked at one of my openings last year, and the comments she gave me were eye opening. Undoubtedly contributed to my level-up from HMs to SHMs.

I second this--I would eagerly take her up on it myself, but I'm trying to deal with a messy six page opening, so I'm not in a good place to work with her right now. But my loss should be your gain -- catch her before she vanishes!

@ease Aww I'm so glad my feedback was helpful! You did the work to make that SHM happen, though!

@doctorjest I miss reading your work! Good luck with those messy pages, I know how that goes!

And, submitted--officially in for Q1.