One word. Argh.

[Starblayde]

"I'm an author-in-progress," I say

"What are you writing?" you say

"A porno sci-fi space opera," I say

"Really?" you say

"Yup," I say, "its 20,000 words,"

"Wow," you say, "Can I read it?"

"No," I say, "Its not finished,"

"Wow," You say, "How far have you got?"

"Not too far in," I say," but I'm not writing it in order."

"What have you done?" you say, obviously interested

"Well, I've vaguely plotted human history from today to the time when it is set. I've created detailed technical, sociological, political and other theories to back it up. I have a host of characters all revolving around my main man. It charts the course of his life and military career, making him the most important and influential human in history."

"Crikey," you say

"Any ideas on how i can progress quicker?" I ask, pleading for the smallest minutae of aid or advice

<insert your answer here, if you would be so kind>

 

[NoJo]

A plentiful supply of dope might help.

Other than that, pin a picture of JRR Tolkein on your wall.

 

[Starblayde]

A plentiful supply of dope might help.

Other than that, pin a picture of JRR Tolkein on your wall.

Across from my computer, i have the LotR trilogy, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and god-knows-how-many guides and compendiums to Tolkien.

Its my Mum's fault, giving me Fellowship of the Ring when i was 9.

 

[Starblayde]

Oh yeah, and nobody sells it in the countryside

 

[NoJo]

Sells what, Tolkein? You can get some dynamite Tokein in New Mexico, I hear.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Sells what, Tolkein? You can get some dynamite Tokein in New Mexico, I hear.

Yeah, but you gotta be sure it hasn't been sprayed with Paraquat.

RF

 

[cahab]

Which part are you stuck on? Is it first person? At what point in their life is it set? Is it chronological, or does it skip around?

If it's first person a good trick is to start writing, from the characters point of view, about how hard it is to write, and why, Why he/she is writing now, how people feel like them about him today but they are wrong, and so on. Some of that can be done by a narrator, as well.

Basically, as any Nano participant will tell you, the trick is just to write, and not care about what comes out. The work is all in the editing.

 

[Starblayde]

Which part are you stuck on? Is it first person? At what point in their life is it set? Is it chronological, or does it skip around?

Basically, as any Nano participant will tell you, the trick is just to write, and not care about what comes out. The work is all in the editing.

Its a thrid person saga, chronological but i'm skipping around as i get tired of writing about the same situation for days on end.

Editing does make things easier. I wrote a couple thousand words then went through it later. A lot was crap, but i think i rescued most of it. Thanks for the advice

 

[raphy]

Um, I'm a bit confused as to what you're asking for here

Do you need help on a specific plot device that's giving you problems?

General help on writer's block?

Help on fleshing out your characters?

Raph, wanting to help once he understands what ya need

 

[NoJo]

Star, I can guess what the problem might be-- something that happened to me: people keep saying to you "can I take a look at your work" and the longer you leave it, the more you have to feel like you have to produce something huge. Meanwhile the world you're creating grows and grows and grows.

I don't think Tolkein really did think out Middle-Earth before creating his stories.

I notice in "The Hobbit", something similar to C.S. Lewis first "Narnia" story, "The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe". In both of these stories, there are all kinds of things that jar with the created worlds. In the Narnia case, there are beavers using a little sewing machine. He'd never have stuck a sewing machine in the later stories. By then he'd been influenced by Tolkein, and tried to create a self-consistent world.

In The Hobbit, the Dwarves all come to Bilbo's house and have cups of tea. No explanation of how Tea came to Hobbiton.

All of this is to say, write the story, create the world as you're go. Just focus on the story and interesting characters.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I hate to sound harsh, but until you start writing the story, actually putting the words down on paper (or into the computer) all you've got is a daydream.

---dr.M.

 

[Starblayde]

Thanks for the help guys, a lot of it has been very useful. I was probably rather too vague to begin with.

What I have got is one big daydream, you're right, Dr. M. Lots of it is drawn, doodled or noted down, but near-on 25 thousand words of it is in digital black and white, waiting to be finished.

I guess I'm looking for general carrot-and-stick approaches, or general guides/advice to actually make me sit down and type my brain off.

The rest of this story is all in there, its just a matter of getting it out.

Thanks guys

Star

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I don't think you can finish it. I think you're afraid to finish it.

There, now write out of spite and prove me a liar.

---dr.M.

 

[Starblayde]

I don't think you can finish it. I think you're afraid to finish it.

<snip>

---dr.M.

Well I'm gonna bloody do it then! And get it published and maske a fortune, You Doubting Dr Thomas!



So there!

 

[cahab]

Star, I can guess what the problem might be-- something that happened to me: people keep saying to you "can I take a look at your work" and the longer you leave it, the more you have to feel like you have to produce something huge. Meanwhile the world you're creating grows and grows and grows.

I don't think Tolkein really did think out Middle-Earth before creating his stories.

I notice in "The Hobbit", something similar to C.S. Lewis first "Narnia" story, "The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe". In both of these stories, there are all kinds of things that jar with the created worlds. In the Narnia case, there are beavers using a little sewing machine. He'd never have stuck a sewing machine in the later stories. By then he'd been influenced by Tolkein, and tried to create a self-consistent world.

In The Hobbit, the Dwarves all come to Bilbo's house and have cups of tea. No explanation of how Tea came to Hobbiton.

All of this is to say, write the story, create the world as you're go. Just focus on the story and interesting characters.

Interestingly enough I believe Tolkien and Lewis were acquaintances and colleagues at the same university, though I think 'Out Of The Silent Planet' and it's sequels are much more Tolkien influenced and discussed than Narnia.

 

[Guest]

Cahab,

Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and others were a group at Oxford known as the Inklings, also referred to in academic circles as the "Oxford Christians."

A friend whose father is a retired Oxford don recalls, as a boy, Tolkien visiting in their garden.

Perdita

 

[Lovepotion69]

I have no ideas to give...

I just wanted to say LONG TIME NO SEE! How you doing babe? Thought you had left Lit for good. Do send me a PM when you get the chance and update about your life.

Oh, and great that you're writing!
/LP

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

P & C & Sub Joe, too,

A friend of mine said that as an anthropologist, she always admired the way Tolkien managed to create a world that was so logically self-consistent. According to her, most writer's compelled to deal with an anomaly in their self-generated universe just fell back on magic or happenstance

Rumple Foreskin