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The Bouncy Castle: Bounce off Some of Your Ideas Here! ALL GAMES WELCOME

15aewar15aewar Posts: 1,051 Member
Since this idea was suggested in the Writer's Lounge, I thought it deserved its own thread.

Need some help working with an idea? Does typing things out help you think it through? Just want to throw things at the wall and see what sticks? Do you have a plot that you're just dying to share? You've come to the right place!

All games and story types are welcome. Oh! And here are some guidelines from @CathyTea that I'm stealing (just because they're really well-written.)
CathyTea wrote: »

You'll find that we're really welcoming, and we're really cool. We have a few common sense guidelines to help keep it that way.
  1. Treat each other with kindness, acceptance, appreciation, and respect.
  2. Follow the EA Forum Guidelines.
  3. Remember that this is a public forum, meaning that anybody anywhere with Internet access can read what you write. If you're a youngster, don't write anything you wouldn't want your mom to read. If you're an adult, don't write anything you wouldn't want your kid or niece or nephew to read.

Please don't feel bad if we pop in for gentle reminders if things get really OT or if we start to veer from the forum guidelines. We still love you!

Post edited by 15aewar on

Comments

  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    15aewar wrote: »
    Since this idea was suggested in the Writer's Lounge, I thought it deserved its own thread.

    Need some help working with an idea? Does typing things out help you think it through? Just want to throw things at the wall and see what sticks? Do you have a plot that you're just dying to share? You've come to the right place!

    All games and story types are welcome. Oh! And here are some guidelines from @CathyTea that I'm stealing (just because they're really well-written.)
    CathyTea wrote: »

    You'll find that we're really welcoming, and we're really cool. We have a few common sense guidelines to help keep it that way.
    1. Treat each other with kindness, acceptance, appreciation, and respect.
    2. Follow the EA Forum Guidelines.
    3. Remember that this is a public forum, meaning that anybody anywhere with Internet access can read what you write. If you're a youngster, don't write anything you wouldn't want your mom to read. If you're an adult, don't write anything you wouldn't want your kid or niece or nephew to read.

    Please don't feel bad if we pop in for gentle reminders if things get really OT or if we start to veer from the forum guidelines. We still love you!

    you might want to add for all games so no one feel excluded. but i love the idea.
  • KarilanKarilan Posts: 2,935 Member
    Thanks for this @15aewar ! Bookmarking for later. :kissing_smiling_eyes:
    D2vFwMN.jpg
    My hubby causes chaos in How To Live With Grace - - Pine Point tells Miranda Cole's survival tale - - Criminals build legacies in Glassbolt Prison
  • 15aewar15aewar Posts: 1,051 Member
    15aewar wrote: »
    Since this idea was suggested in the Writer's Lounge, I thought it deserved its own thread.

    Need some help working with an idea? Does typing things out help you think it through? Just want to throw things at the wall and see what sticks? Do you have a plot that you're just dying to share? You've come to the right place!

    All games and story types are welcome. Oh! And here are some guidelines from @CathyTea that I'm stealing (just because they're really well-written.)
    CathyTea wrote: »

    You'll find that we're really welcoming, and we're really cool. We have a few common sense guidelines to help keep it that way.
    1. Treat each other with kindness, acceptance, appreciation, and respect.
    2. Follow the EA Forum Guidelines.
    3. Remember that this is a public forum, meaning that anybody anywhere with Internet access can read what you write. If you're a youngster, don't write anything you wouldn't want your mom to read. If you're an adult, don't write anything you wouldn't want your kid or niece or nephew to read.

    Please don't feel bad if we pop in for gentle reminders if things get really OT or if we start to veer from the forum guidelines. We still love you!

    you might want to add for all games so no one feel excluded. but i love the idea.

    It's right here, but I'll add it to the title as well :)
  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    Awesome! I'm so glad you started this! I'm tagging @LillyDoves since she asked if we had a thread like this!


    **trying to think what ideas I want to bounce off**

    OK... here's sort of a stylistic question. @15aewar and @Karilan and sissy @friendsfan367 I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, since I think you're also writing a lot of stories in diary/journal/letter form...

    Currently, I've noticed that most of my active stories are written as diaries/journals or letters. This always leads me into somewhat of a stylistic dilemma. If you read most people's letters or diaries, they tend not to be that descriptive and, unless written by someone with a literary bent, they tend not to be that literary. For example, you won't often find dialogue in a letter... Most letters and journal entries written by real people are written in summary or reflection, rather than in scene.

    I usually start my letters or journal entries in reflective mode or summary, but then, once I feel the reader has transitioned into them, I slide into scene, showing what happened, using dialogue, and so on...

    Does this break the illusion of the letter or journal entry?

    Does it matter if it does?
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    CathyTea wrote: »
    Awesome! I'm so glad you started this! I'm tagging @LillyDoves since she asked if we had a thread like this!


    **trying to think what ideas I want to bounce off**

    OK... here's sort of a stylistic question. @15aewar and @Karilan and sissy @friendsfan367 I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, since I think you're also writing a lot of stories in diary/journal/letter form...

    Currently, I've noticed that most of my active stories are written as diaries/journals or letters. This always leads me into somewhat of a stylistic dilemma. If you read most people's letters or diaries, they tend not to be that descriptive and, unless written by someone with a literary bent, they tend not to be that literary. For example, you won't often find dialogue in a letter... Most letters and journal entries written by real people are written in summary or reflection, rather than in scene.

    I usually start my letters or journal entries in reflective mode or summary, but then, once I feel the reader has transitioned into them, I slide into scene, showing what happened, using dialogue, and so on...

    Does this break the illusion of the letter or journal entry?

    Does it matter if it does?

    bouncing in a thread sounds painful.
  • MunterbaconMunterbacon Posts: 5,082 Member
    CathyTea wrote: »
    Awesome! I'm so glad you started this! I'm tagging @LillyDoves since she asked if we had a thread like this!


    **trying to think what ideas I want to bounce off**

    OK... here's sort of a stylistic question. @15aewar and @Karilan and sissy @friendsfan367 I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, since I think you're also writing a lot of stories in diary/journal/letter form...

    Currently, I've noticed that most of my active stories are written as diaries/journals or letters. This always leads me into somewhat of a stylistic dilemma. If you read most people's letters or diaries, they tend not to be that descriptive and, unless written by someone with a literary bent, they tend not to be that literary. For example, you won't often find dialogue in a letter... Most letters and journal entries written by real people are written in summary or reflection, rather than in scene.

    I usually start my letters or journal entries in reflective mode or summary, but then, once I feel the reader has transitioned into them, I slide into scene, showing what happened, using dialogue, and so on...

    Does this break the illusion of the letter or journal entry?

    Does it matter if it does?

    If you think on it as more of a "Blog Entry" instead of a letter or journal, than it all fits. Blog authors tend to be a bit more descriptive and definitely have a sort of flair to their writing.
    dustshaela.jpg
    Origin ID: Munter_Bacon
    Ironbound (end of season break) | STRIKE! (currently updating) | The Colours of my Heart (on hiatus)
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    15aewar wrote: »
    15aewar wrote: »
    Since this idea was suggested in the Writer's Lounge, I thought it deserved its own thread.

    Need some help working with an idea? Does typing things out help you think it through? Just want to throw things at the wall and see what sticks? Do you have a plot that you're just dying to share? You've come to the right place!

    All games and story types are welcome. Oh! And here are some guidelines from @CathyTea that I'm stealing (just because they're really well-written.)
    CathyTea wrote: »

    You'll find that we're really welcoming, and we're really cool. We have a few common sense guidelines to help keep it that way.
    1. Treat each other with kindness, acceptance, appreciation, and respect.
    2. Follow the EA Forum Guidelines.
    3. Remember that this is a public forum, meaning that anybody anywhere with Internet access can read what you write. If you're a youngster, don't write anything you wouldn't want your mom to read. If you're an adult, don't write anything you wouldn't want your kid or niece or nephew to read.

    Please don't feel bad if we pop in for gentle reminders if things get really OT or if we start to veer from the forum guidelines. We still love you!

    you might want to add for all games so no one feel excluded. but i love the idea.

    It's right here, but I'll add it to the title as well :)

    it was just a suggestion since the thread that inspired this is also in sims 4 people from other games felt they couldn't post there.
  • InfraGreenInfraGreen Posts: 6,693 Member
    @CathyTea: I don't think it breaks the illusion or that it matters. At least I haven't noticed it when reading your stuff. ;)

    I did throw around the idea of writing a story with journals, letters, and a lot of misc. "found material" in the vein of Dracula, and letting the words say the barest minimum and pictures tell the parts of the story we missed. I guess having them function like memories. It's really hard to make that sacrifice though. Dialogue is too much fun. :p
    A thousand bared teeth, a thousand bowed heads

    outrun / blog / tunglr
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    InfraGreen wrote: »
    @CathyTea: I don't think it breaks the illusion or that it matters. At least I haven't noticed it when reading your stuff. ;)

    I did throw around the idea of writing a story with journals, letters, and a lot of misc. "found material" in the vein of Dracula, and letting the words say the barest minimum and pictures tell the parts of the story we missed. I guess having them function like memories. It's really hard to make that sacrifice though. Dialogue is too much fun. :p

    i do both. i had recently named the thing the benders write updates in but then the game broke and i had to start over. tonight i had fun confusing jes . that should get her back for all the nights i don't sleep.
  • MadameLeeMadameLee Posts: 32,748 Member
    @InfraGreen which is interesting which is exactly how I write my Swanson Legacy.
    6adMCGP.gif
  • KarilanKarilan Posts: 2,935 Member
    CathyTea wrote: »
    OK... here's sort of a stylistic question. @15aewar and @Karilan and sissy @friendsfan367 I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, since I think you're also writing a lot of stories in diary/journal/letter form...

    Currently, I've noticed that most of my active stories are written as diaries/journals or letters. This always leads me into somewhat of a stylistic dilemma. If you read most people's letters or diaries, they tend not to be that descriptive and, unless written by someone with a literary bent, they tend not to be that literary. For example, you won't often find dialogue in a letter... Most letters and journal entries written by real people are written in summary or reflection, rather than in scene.

    I usually start my letters or journal entries in reflective mode or summary, but then, once I feel the reader has transitioned into them, I slide into scene, showing what happened, using dialogue, and so on...

    Does this break the illusion of the letter or journal entry?

    Does it matter if it does?

    Hmm, now that I think of it, Seb's journal entries do tend to slip into narrating a scene. Honestly though, I didn't notice until you brought it up and I don't think it's a bad thing or a bad way of writing. I think by the end of the chapter I'm aware that it's not quite a journal entry anymore, unless you include a paragraph of reflection which you often do. Perhaps ending on reflection is key.

    I'm chatting with my fiance about this and he suggests making the transition between journal and scene obvious. Perhaps finding a way to simulate the "fade in/out" scenario that TV shows have when someone is reminiscing about a conversation? I think you could do this with line breaks or filters on the screenshots that occur during the conversation portion?

    First person is my absolute favorite because I find it easier to explore a character's feelings. Pine Point is the first story where I call attention to using a journal for chapters and you're right, I write the entries reflectively. I get off easy since there is no dialogue to be had, but I struggled to include music to the chapters.
    I do intend to switch perspective once a new character is introduced specifically to avoid the concept of Miranda stopping mid sentence to write down dialogue in her journal :D

    For my Alien Adoption story I'm adopting a similar cheat/crutch. My caregiver will tell the story through journal entries, and again there is no dialogue to be had, but my alien's chapters will be first or third person, not written in a journal.
    D2vFwMN.jpg
    My hubby causes chaos in How To Live With Grace - - Pine Point tells Miranda Cole's survival tale - - Criminals build legacies in Glassbolt Prison
  • MadameLeeMadameLee Posts: 32,748 Member
    edited October 2017
    I'm trying to think of how to do a Rashmon effect for um "Act 2" of Gen 7 for when Jane's the unconsciousness one. Also how to I get Henry (her bridegroom) into the story since the whole family (including Jane) thought he was MIA (he enscripted into the military at war for about 72 years)
    6adMCGP.gif
  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    InfraGreen wrote: »
    @CathyTea: I don't think it breaks the illusion or that it matters. At least I haven't noticed it when reading your stuff. ;)

    I did throw around the idea of writing a story with journals, letters, and a lot of misc. "found material" in the vein of Dracula, and letting the words say the barest minimum and pictures tell the parts of the story we missed. I guess having them function like memories. It's really hard to make that sacrifice though. Dialogue is too much fun. :p

    That's what it always comes down to with me: dialogue is SO much fun to write! I've thought about trying to write realistic letters... but, at least for me thinking on most of the letters I've received, they tend to be kind of boring! My sister, though, she's a great letter writer! She had this huge adventure on the Northern California coast last winter--in the midst of flooding rains!--when her rental car broke down on this tiny road near the beach, and she had to rely on kind strangers to help her... when she wrote about that adventure, it was riveting!

    I try to get past it by having very literate characters, like Sebastion, or very reflective characters, like Sept... I'm glad you haven't noticed it break the illusion! :)

    Do you remember S-GAS and Summer Camp? I tried to tell those in documentary style, with journal entries, v-logs, transcripts, and so on. That was very fun!

    I like your idea of using "found material..." That sounds neat, especially if it's for a second story or for fill-in, so that you still get the fun of writing dialogue and more descriptive parts, too! :)

    I might sometime try writing realistic letters. I corresponded through email for a while with a high school friend, who, although conventions of writing seemed to elude him, wrote some of the most interesting and engaging emails I've ever read! (Of course, deciphering his spelling may have contributed to the level of engagement! :) )

    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • KarilanKarilan Posts: 2,935 Member
    On a similar topic of diary/journal/letter told stories though...

    I have a story I hope to release soon that is exclusively told through letters, but you only get to read one half of the letters (not the responses)

    I'm having trouble deciding whether to only include screenshots that the character would include as photographs in the letter, or include screens of the writer's life as well.

    For example, I have one birthday entry where she sends a gift with the card, but obviously does not state what the gift is because everyone opens the card first. If I don't include any "over the shoulder" type screen shots of the writer's life, you'll never know what the gift was, but to be honest I'm not sure if it's important?
    D2vFwMN.jpg
    My hubby causes chaos in How To Live With Grace - - Pine Point tells Miranda Cole's survival tale - - Criminals build legacies in Glassbolt Prison
  • MadameLeeMadameLee Posts: 32,748 Member
    CathyTea wrote: »
    InfraGreen wrote: »
    @CathyTea: I don't think it breaks the illusion or that it matters. At least I haven't noticed it when reading your stuff. ;)

    I did throw around the idea of writing a story with journals, letters, and a lot of misc. "found material" in the vein of Dracula, and letting the words say the barest minimum and pictures tell the parts of the story we missed. I guess having them function like memories. It's really hard to make that sacrifice though. Dialogue is too much fun. :p

    That's what it always comes down to with me: dialogue is SO much fun to write! I've thought about trying to write realistic letters... but, at least for me thinking on most of the letters I've received, they tend to be kind of boring! My sister, though, she's a great letter writer! She had this huge adventure on the Northern California coast last winter--in the midst of flooding rains!--when her rental car broke down on this tiny road near the beach, and she had to rely on kind strangers to help her... when she wrote about that adventure, it was riveting!

    I try to get past it by having very literate characters, like Sebastion, or very reflective characters, like Sept... I'm glad you haven't noticed it break the illusion! :)

    Do you remember S-GAS and Summer Camp? I tried to tell those in documentary style, with journal entries, v-logs, transcripts, and so on. That was very fun!

    I like your idea of using "found material..." That sounds neat, especially if it's for a second story or for fill-in, so that you still get the fun of writing dialogue and more descriptive parts, too! :)

    I might sometime try writing realistic letters. I corresponded through email for a while with a high school friend, who, although conventions of writing seemed to elude him, wrote some of the most interesting and engaging emails I've ever read! (Of course, deciphering his spelling may have contributed to the level of engagement! :) )

    like the *cough* the newspapers *cough* in my Swanson story?
    6adMCGP.gif
  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    @MadameLee *kachoo!* err... gesundheit! Dang allergies... YES! Just like that! *hiccup!* oops.
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    i'm still stuck on how to write ericas dad dad stepmom.

    i think first there should be a conversation between adrian and maggie about how to explain it but iget stuck after that.

    why do i love the benders so much they complicate my story?
  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    i'm still stuck on how to write ericas dad dad stepmom.

    i think first there should be a conversation between adrian and maggie about how to explain it but iget stuck after that.

    why do i love the benders so much they complicate my story?

    Well, you could go ahead and write that conversation... sometimes I find that solutions come to me after I've written the first bit of the tricky part...
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    CathyTea wrote: »
    Awesome! I'm so glad you started this! I'm tagging @LillyDoves since she asked if we had a thread like this!


    **trying to think what ideas I want to bounce off**

    OK... here's sort of a stylistic question. @15aewar and @Karilan and sissy @friendsfan367 I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, since I think you're also writing a lot of stories in diary/journal/letter form...

    Currently, I've noticed that most of my active stories are written as diaries/journals or letters. This always leads me into somewhat of a stylistic dilemma. If you read most people's letters or diaries, they tend not to be that descriptive and, unless written by someone with a literary bent, they tend not to be that literary. For example, you won't often find dialogue in a letter... Most letters and journal entries written by real people are written in summary or reflection, rather than in scene.

    I usually start my letters or journal entries in reflective mode or summary, but then, once I feel the reader has transitioned into them, I slide into scene, showing what happened, using dialogue, and so on...

    Does this break the illusion of the letter or journal entry?

    Does it matter if it does?

    i love writing letters well not in real life but in sims.

    i do include dialoge which up until yesterdday wasn't confusing . last time i finally came up with a name for what i call the book that the benders write in i mentioned it once then my save broke.

    and tonight that distracted from the story. but thats what edit is for.


    so my anser is no. i'm basing my answer on the fact guliana and ayden write each other and i only get confused as to who needs to write,
  • 15aewar15aewar Posts: 1,051 Member
    edited October 2017
    CathyTea wrote: »
    Currently, I've noticed that most of my active stories are written as diaries/journals or letters. This always leads me into somewhat of a stylistic dilemma. If you read most people's letters or diaries, they tend not to be that descriptive and, unless written by someone with a literary bent, they tend not to be that literary. For example, you won't often find dialogue in a letter... Most letters and journal entries written by real people are written in summary or reflection, rather than in scene.

    I usually start my letters or journal entries in reflective mode or summary, but then, once I feel the reader has transitioned into them, I slide into scene, showing what happened, using dialogue, and so on...

    Does this break the illusion of the letter or journal entry?

    Does it matter if it does?

    I've thought about this, too. Although, as @Karilan and @InfraGreen said, I don't think it matters too much.

    If it helps, here's my thoughts on writing letters in The Shadow Over Newcrest.
    Try comparing Bliss's style of writing
    We met for luncheon at the Wobbly Mizzenmast. Asenath said that she had heard about the Whateleys, too. She said that no one would tell her anything. What had the Whateleys done to become anathema to everyone in town? Why was the church open every day but Sunday? Why does no one know who J. Curwen was, despite the library being dedicated in his memory? Even Curwen Derleth, the owner of the public house, would not say.
    to Alexander's.
    Mortimer must have noticed the faraway look in my eye, for he soon changed the subject to books. “Have you finished The Llama Boys series yet?” he asked me.

    I had. Those books now seemed so childish. It was hard to think that, but a few months ago, I had been so eager to pry beneath that yellow spine that I risked life, limb, and weeks of grounding to get my hands on the next one.

    “Alex?”

    “Yes.”

    “What’re you thinking, old sport?”

    “I can’t believe that great-grandpa didn’t let you read anything,” I lied.
    Notice anything? :wink:
    With these letters, I was trying to hint at another of Alexander's peculiarities: he can recall entire conversations verbatim.
    Another passage that hints at his eidetic memory:
    “Well, that’s not exactly true,” Mortimer replied. He shifted in his seat. “I was allowed to read anything in his personal library. He kept some really strange books, though, especially for a man of science.

    “Underneath a letter he had written the night before (which had mentioned something about one Pierre Morel, something about ashes of the deceased? Boring stuff, really,) there was a large, antediluvian tome. I couldn’t read the title – as it written in Old Simlish – but I did notice a little stem sticking out from between the pages.”
    Mortimer, like most people, only remembers the gist of things. If it were Alexander, he'd have the whole letter written down.
    But didn't Bliss recall the words of a sailor, misspellings and all? Yep, but she was probably looking at a transcription of the original documents at the time.
    I don't know if any of that helped answer your question. I just love to talk about my writing, is all. :blush:
    In summary, this question has helped me characterize Alexander.
    Post edited by 15aewar on
  • LillyDovesLillyDoves Posts: 698 Member
    So what does everyone think about a more mundane plot for Generation two where it's everyday struggles?

    Or something more dramatic like the current generation?
    TNXKDh4.png
    Of Myth and Magic
  • 15aewar15aewar Posts: 1,051 Member
    LillyDoves wrote: »
    So what does everyone think about a more mundane plot for Generation two where it's everyday struggles?

    Or something more dramatic like the current generation?

    Everyday struggles can be lots of fun - especially if your child sims go through phases.
  • LillyDovesLillyDoves Posts: 698 Member
    15aewar wrote: »
    LillyDoves wrote: »
    So what does everyone think about a more mundane plot for Generation two where it's everyday struggles?

    Or something more dramatic like the current generation?

    Everyday struggles can be lots of fun - especially if your child sims go through phases.

    True, he's going to have to deal with his dog driving him nuts and a certain girl chasing him everywhere.
    TNXKDh4.png
    Of Myth and Magic
  • 15aewar15aewar Posts: 1,051 Member
    How would you guys feel about reading a chapter of a story in Twine (that is, if I can get it working?)
  • StoriedStormStoriedStorm Posts: 3,004 Member
    Yay another place to discuss writing, like I don't already have enough excuses as it is :P

    One topic I've been thinking about lately and would be interested in opinions on is balancing the downtime of a story with the more exciting/dramatic parts. Obviously a story can't just be exciting 24 7 and needs it's ups and downs to keep things from being overwhelming, and especially with my story the whole idea of light and dark necessitates the more serious plot driven moments and the lighter family moments being there, but I still keep feeling especially with the lighter last couple chapters that the lighter downtime stuff is just kind of boring in comparison. I do try to mix in some plot or character progression and I don't necessarily want to spice things up to make it interesting because it's supposed to be downtime where the characters get to just relax and have a bit of a normal life but I also don't want people to feel those chapters are boring or filler either. Do you think it's okay to have those "boring" segments of a story or do you think there needs to be some form of aspect to constantly grab and hold the readers attention. Do you have any methods you use to try to keep things interesting during this kind of chapter when you are trying to give the characters some quiet time or doing a set up chapter before things get more dramatic?
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