@NyteRose I finished your story as well and I really love the relationships between your characters and your writing is so descriptive I actually found myself wondering what movie I’d been watching the other day coz I wanted to finish it...and then I realised it was your simlit
@ajamkeevin@kamio Awww, thanks guys! I'm a crazy perfectionist when I write. I will write and rewrite a scene/scenario a half dozen times if I feel the wording is just not right. That's part of why my updates are so slow lol. The chapter must be perfect.
To quote ajamkeevin directly from my blog (hope I don't make you uncomfortable) What a lovely little gift from Caleb! He’s not holding back at all, is he?
Caleb puts all of his heart and soul into loving someone, and I've tried to show that in his actions/reactions. It's his greatest strength and greatest weakness because when he loses someone, it's beyond devastating. He cut himself off from love and relationships in the past after losing someone.
As for my story being cinematic, it's heavily inspired by the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula with a sprinkle of Vampire Diaries and Interview with the Vampire for good measure. Speaking of the movie, I always hear "Love Song For A Vampire" in my head whenever I'm writing a scene with Jasmina and Caleb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhG8zC4npsE
@ajamkeevin I'm up to episode 3 of Kev & Get It season 2. Sorry I'm so slow but I want to take my time and enjoy the story Here's the insights that stood out to me in this episode:
Marjan strongly reminds me of a typical Valley Girl-type airhead who only cares about makeup, clothes, shopping and hot guys (sorry to say.) In short, a major bimbo. I don't like her. Charlee and Todd both come off as opportunistic backstabbers. They'll turn on each other, I'm calling it now. The budding romance between China and Gabriel is cute, I hope they get together off-screen.
@Kamio Just read The Prequel Parts 1 and 2 and the photo editing is amazing! Thinking you're just a normal everyday high school student and finding out that you're actually a prince must have been a huge shock for Nick. I feel sorry for the poor guy.
@NyteRose no worries at all! Sometimes I take aaaaages to write, so it's OK if you don't blaze through it Interesting thoughts! Hopefully a couple of these characters surprise you as you read more; I know for sure some of them come off one way and then they reveal some secrets~
Here's a lil question for some discussion: how do y'all work in character development? Sometimes it's hard to make it seem natural in shorter stories and it's definitely something that I've struggled with at points. Like, how to make someone more nuanced without the effort being sudden and hamfisted? I love giving each of my characters backstories but sometimes some of them just don't want to cooperate with the story (and that's why it's convenient my fic is an elimination challenge - it's easy to write some of them off! )
I don't feel like I've gotten into the backstory of my characters as much - coz I'm more documenting the sims and what they get up to with random bits thrown in. I've always found it more naturally when you can stereotype and glen more nuances about the character as the story goes so they grow to become individuals as time progresses. I always think that we know more about our characters than readers ever will and I so know what you mean about them no cooperating! I learnt a long time ago that my characters have minds of their own...and more often than not they end up telling me THEIR stories instead of them telling MY stories. I don't know I think that it is fun! It's like a little adventure.
Do you ever find that you hit a road block/get writers block because you want something to happen a certain way and your characters just flat our refuse? As in...it doesn't matter how you try and write it...it just doesn't work? I've found I move past writers block when I stop trying to force my characters into things and let them kind of solve it on their own. I find it flows once I follow the character.
I think character backstories are both developed by the writer and guided by the character(s) themselves. They also take on personalities of their own. In some ways, they write their own stories, and the writer just steers the ship, so to speak.
I first got the idea for my story after playing around with the Vampires pack and laying eyes on Caleb. Then I looked at his traits and I was like, "No, no this is wrong! This is not how I see him at all." I used both imagination and the Gothic Victorian aspects of the pack to cobble up his backstory (and who can resist a handsome, brooding vampire?)
Jasmina's character and backstory was almost as hard as Caleb's to create. Did I want a strong, confident woman who took the bull by the horns and got all the guys or did I want someone who was strong in her own ways and more reserved and timid but still chased her dreams? I went with the latter after writing out scenarios, and glad I did. The dance of confident -timid balances the story despite deep issues on both sides.
As for the writer's block/road blocks, I'm experiencing that right now. I'm trying to write out a scene I'm stuck on and the words/wording ever looks or seems right! I'm also having trouble getting inspired to just write period. I'm at a loss at what to do.
Sorry for the late responses! I've been a bit busy, moving to a new house at the moment so everything's been on hold for a bit.
Your answers were insightful, and I identify with what you said. @Kamio you're totally right in the sense that the characters seem to come alive and take control of their own stories regardless of how much planning we may put into them. More often than not, that's the most fun part of it! I do write intricate backstories sometimes (and I document them extensively on my own wiki because that's the level of extra that I am, haha) to be able to utilize them when I've run into a wall with the characters.
And TOTALLY. There have been times when I've been stuck waiting for weeks for something to come out but it just can't, and it won't. It's frustrating, especially because I love writing and my stories, but sometimes they won't come out no matter how hard I try. It's true that when I stop trying to force them to happen, sometimes I'll get the exact idea as I do something else. Like, one of my favorite character arcs in my current story comes from a character that was complete filler at first, and then as I didn't know how to edit her, she somehow slowly developed into the most nuanced character... and that was when I stopped trying to make her happen! She just happened on her own :P
@NyteRose it's true, there's a little bit of both when writing the stories. You create the characters but it's almost like they take your hand and guide you to where they want to go, your intentions be 🐸🐸🐸🐸! Haha.
I really like how you've developed your characters so far. There's a good balance, and the chemistry that you've created between them is interesting to read and, most importantly, believable. There are some stories that try to force chemistry between characters (and I've been guilty of this sometimes) but there's something about the way you write that makes the characters fit perfectly.
And yes, I'm also kind of blocked right now, too. It's frustrating because I want to write, but beyond just being a bit blocked (since my show/story is nearing its end!), I'm also battling feeling discouraged sometimes because I feel like I want more feedback since I spend so much time doing this. It's not that I want to be popular or anything :P but I guess sometimes I feel down because I don't get too much love and I see so many stories that do and can't help thinking - is mine just not good enough? How do y'all deal with these feelings, if you have them? Do y'all have any advice?
@ajamkeevin Readers can be fickle, I guess. Sometimes they expect a lot of updates in a certain amount of time and wander off/lose interest if that quota is not met. I haven't updated my story in about 2-3 months due to severe writer's block/uncreative but am trying to remedy that . I say just write if/when you feel like it and to heck with a so-called "schedule" if that makes any sense.
That's true. I guess there are so many stories happening at any given moment that people have so many choices! I feel you, I've been writing my story for sooooo long (mainly because the episodes are kind of long, eek), and I feel like most of the people that began it are not the ones that are currently reading.
Either way, I hope we can both power through this writer's block soon! :P
I posted this on my blog but thought I would post here as well.
My Dear Readers,
This post is an update about the current chapter to my story that I have been working on for nearly three months. First, I'm sorry for the lack of updates to my work. I've been going through a creative drought that is finally starting to well up again, and I felt it would be better to wait to write quality content than pump out something that did not meet the high standards for my work.
Now, onto the good stuff: a tiny sneak peek at the upcoming chapter. It's a roller coaster of emotion and drama, personal accomplishment, love, and heartbreak. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter when it's published, which should be soonish.
@NyteRose that's excellent! It's wonderful that you're feeling up to writing again. I'm really looking forward to reading the full chapter! Now, I'm off to read the sneak peek
Update- "Two Halves of the Same Coin" is now finished and published. It may be shorter in length than usual, as I wasn't really sure what to do with this chapter. Enjoy.
Eeek! I've been really busy in the last few months, but I see this hasn't been popping too much. @NyteRose , I'll catch up with your story soon! I'll do a whole re-read to refresh my memory in preparation for the new chapters.
@Kamio is this still happening? Hope you're doing well, I know you're busy being a mama!♥
Comments
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
To quote ajamkeevin directly from my blog (hope I don't make you uncomfortable)
What a lovely little gift from Caleb! He’s not holding back at all, is he?
Caleb puts all of his heart and soul into loving someone, and I've tried to show that in his actions/reactions. It's his greatest strength and greatest weakness because when he loses someone, it's beyond devastating. He cut himself off from love and relationships in the past after losing someone.
As for my story being cinematic, it's heavily inspired by the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula with a sprinkle of Vampire Diaries and Interview with the Vampire for good measure.
Marjan strongly reminds me of a typical Valley Girl-type airhead who only cares about makeup, clothes, shopping and hot guys (sorry to say.) In short, a major bimbo. I don't like her. Charlee and Todd both come off as opportunistic backstabbers. They'll turn on each other, I'm calling it now. The budding romance between China and Gabriel is cute, I hope they get together off-screen.
@Kamio Just read The Prequel Parts 1 and 2 and the photo editing is amazing! Thinking you're just a normal everyday high school student and finding out that you're actually a prince must have been a huge shock for Nick. I feel sorry for the poor guy.
Here's a lil question for some discussion: how do y'all work in character development? Sometimes it's hard to make it seem natural in shorter stories and it's definitely something that I've struggled with at points. Like, how to make someone more nuanced without the effort being sudden and hamfisted? I love giving each of my characters backstories but sometimes some of them just don't want to cooperate with the story (and that's why it's convenient my fic is an elimination challenge - it's easy to write some of them off!
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Do you ever find that you hit a road block/get writers block because you want something to happen a certain way and your characters just flat our refuse? As in...it doesn't matter how you try and write it...it just doesn't work? I've found I move past writers block when I stop trying to force my characters into things and let them kind of solve it on their own. I find it flows once I follow the character.
I first got the idea for my story after playing around with the Vampires pack and laying eyes on Caleb.
Jasmina's character and backstory was almost as hard as Caleb's to create. Did I want a strong, confident woman who took the bull by the horns and got all the guys or did I want someone who was strong in her own ways and more reserved and timid but still chased her dreams? I went with the latter after writing out scenarios, and glad I did. The dance of confident -timid balances the story despite deep issues on both sides.
As for the writer's block/road blocks, I'm experiencing that right now. I'm trying to write out a scene I'm stuck on and the words/wording ever looks or seems right! I'm also having trouble getting inspired to just write period. I'm at a loss at what to do.
Your answers were insightful, and I identify with what you said. @Kamio you're totally right in the sense that the characters seem to come alive and take control of their own stories regardless of how much planning we may put into them. More often than not, that's the most fun part of it! I do write intricate backstories sometimes (and I document them extensively on my own wiki because that's the level of extra that I am, haha) to be able to utilize them when I've run into a wall with the characters.
And TOTALLY. There have been times when I've been stuck waiting for weeks for something to come out but it just can't, and it won't. It's frustrating, especially because I love writing and my stories, but sometimes they won't come out no matter how hard I try. It's true that when I stop trying to force them to happen, sometimes I'll get the exact idea as I do something else. Like, one of my favorite character arcs in my current story comes from a character that was complete filler at first, and then as I didn't know how to edit her, she somehow slowly developed into the most nuanced character... and that was when I stopped trying to make her happen! She just happened on her own :P
@NyteRose it's true, there's a little bit of both when writing the stories. You create the characters but it's almost like they take your hand and guide you to where they want to go, your intentions be 🐸🐸🐸🐸! Haha.
I really like how you've developed your characters so far. There's a good balance, and the chemistry that you've created between them is interesting to read and, most importantly, believable. There are some stories that try to force chemistry between characters (and I've been guilty of this sometimes) but there's something about the way you write that makes the characters fit perfectly.
And yes, I'm also kind of blocked right now, too. It's frustrating because I want to write, but beyond just being a bit blocked (since my show/story is nearing its end!), I'm also battling feeling discouraged sometimes because I feel like I want more feedback since I spend so much time doing this. It's not that I want to be popular or anything :P but I guess sometimes I feel down because I don't get too much love and I see so many stories that do and can't help thinking - is mine just not good enough? How do y'all deal with these feelings, if you have them? Do y'all have any advice?
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Either way, I hope we can both power through this writer's block soon! :P
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
My Dear Readers,
This post is an update about the current chapter to my story that I have been working on for nearly three months. First, I'm sorry for the lack of updates to my work. I've been going through a creative drought that is finally starting to well up again, and I felt it would be better to wait to write quality content than pump out something that did not meet the high standards for my work.
Now, onto the good stuff: a tiny sneak peek at the upcoming chapter. It's a roller coaster of emotion and drama, personal accomplishment, love, and heartbreak. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter when it's published, which should be soonish.
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Daughters of Hesperia
I have a story that I will start to write soon, I have the ideas in my head already. Can I join you?
@Kamio is this still happening?
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Chapter 19: "Another First Date" is now posted. It's a tad longer than usual. Enjoy