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Willingly Writing Reading Circle (On Hiatus)

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  • WiggleyTuffWiggleyTuff Posts: 600 Member
    @Simcraft81 I'm doing just fine, busy with school and work as well as trying to get my building done for my stories. Though I keep getting slightly distracted by my newest bought game lol but ill prob be more active here when my unofficial winter break arrives
  • xJojoxxJojox Posts: 6,878 Member
    ive had a busy week, ive fallen behind in my reading, and it took me nearly 1 whole week to do an update (very unlike me) im currently in the middle of finding a new house and going to endless inspections ... and doing current inspections of my current home. OH and packing. its been sooooo stressful. over it. lol. but im okay :) and doing well!

    fine lines chapter 63 is out!
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    Simcraft81 wrote: »
    I haven't seen anyone around lately. I hope everyone is doing alright :)

    Hi @Simcraft81 Thanks for checking in. I was on vacation for 6 days, had a crazy controversy ensue on my college campus that affects the graduate program and a class I am currently in, and had a massive project for work due recently so I've been swamped. Also a nonprofit ministry I'm involved in just completed a 30 day challenge and I was the chief writer so I've been busy with nonfiction writing. I've got something every night this week too so life is busy.

    I hope things will calm down after the weekend and I will be finished with this semester of school next Tuesday and can better participate in things here on the forums, plus get back to writing SimLit which I love.

    How is everyone else doing?
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    Any final thoughts on @xJojox's Fine Lines, anyone?

    I would like to ask you a question, Jojo, what's your writing process? Do you outline/write then screenshot, or screenshot/game then write? What strategies do you use to combat writer's block? What's your scheduling process like?

    I know images are important to you and you utilize a lot of CC and photo editing. Can you describe this process also and how you choose pieces of CC or poses, and what you decide to edit versus what you don't?

    On December 2nd we will move onto discussing @JLBDreamer's Vampiracy, unless you would prefer to move to @Niemalyn97 's Evermore Legacy because I know you have been busy too, @JLBDreamer.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • xJojoxxJojox Posts: 6,878 Member
    edited November 2016
    What's your writing process? Do you outline/write then screen shot, or screen shot/game then write?

    Well as you know Fine Lines is pre written :) And I followed along the original story line.
    But I changed things from about chapter 40-ish. And though I have the original plot in the back of my head ... I don't follow any of the original writing any more. I was always extending the chapters and adding more feelings, content ... etc. But now its all written from scratch.

    My process is this, I think about what I want to happen, think about the original plot and what I wanted to change, write it usually over a night or two days, then I make some of the poses in blender (typically couple poses) that I know pose player or the game cannot provide ... for instance the last two or more chapters, I've made all the poses for most of the pictures (at least 3/4 pictures).

    BTW if any of you have Sims 4 and need a certain pose because your game just cannot do it I will be happy to make it for you. I am quite experienced in blender and making poses is very very easy for me. And can pull off a couples pose in about 10 minutes. And I enjoy making them and want to help my circle if they need it. Sometimes it takes the right pose to really capture what you want to say without using words.)

    My sets are already done, so usually I move my characters around to the set I need and do my screen shots, edit them (lighting and cutting etc.), proof check - A LOT I miss words all the time, my grammar is often shocking and its all about getting it down while its in my head otherwise some of my good ideas are gone! lol :) , then send them to my proof checker (because I still don't trust my own checking) ... then I post.
    What strategies do you use to combat writer's block? What's your scheduling process like?

    Play the piano. It actually helps me think. Sometimes to get inspired. It's relaxing and it unwinds my mind (Yes I'm a pianist like Abby!) I often read back on my original plot ... realise how bad the copy was and read my previous chapters and that can inspire me too. I use a lot of how people act around me to emotions into my characters. Particularly my teenagers because this story is targeted for young people and young adults. Even though I have readers as old as 40 and 50 that enjoy it just as much.

    My scheduling for my story ... is scattered. While i am on a time line of two chapters a week. It also depends on my real life plans. Right now i'm moving house, packing and going to endless inspections and and such my mind is a little all over the place!! I'm actually going to 4 inspections today (because the owner is selling my house underneath me!!!) So I'm really stressed trying to find a house. And before Christmas ... GOSH. I'm thinking how can they do this to us?? I possibly could be trying to set up a house on Christmas week. It all seems very impossible right now.

    That aside, I stayed up till like 4am the other day and wrote up to chapter 66. And I've made all the poses for chapter 64, and i hope to get it all posted today or tomorrow. But I'm also competing in contests, and hosting contests in the sims modelling section. Soooo I'm quite the active simmer!
    I know images are important to you and you utilize a lot of CC and photo editing. Can you describe this process also and how you choose pieces of CC or poses, and what you decide to edit versus what you don't?

    I love CC your right! I appreciate great quality CC ... sometimes i download some and it's not up to par and i delete it. Because my computer gives out pretty good pictures, when my sim wears bad quality CC ... it doesn't look right. The way i pick my CC is by choosing what I know the sims style to be. Abby is quite full on about how she looks. She likes to look good, wear makeup, and wear fun clothing. And Justin is a skater type who likes jeans and showing off his chest! lol. All the characters have their own personal style really... and I like to change their clothes/styles all the time.

    As far as editing goes ... my actual fine lines pictures are not like the artistic modelling I do. In fact i cant really compare them (my pictures are on flickr if your curious - in my signature). The editing I do mainly in fine lines is lighting.
    FOR AN EXAMPLE:: Before and After
    MSBDbI1.png
    Some of my scenes are a little off, or the wrong time of day. I don't sharpen my pictures at all, more individual sharpening of certain things, because sharpening can often kill the quality or make it too intense. I always make my pictures 800x600 so the backgrounds and sets are often quite trimmed. Sometimes i take a picture of the background and cut the sims out and put them on it, but you would never notice. As i mentioned slightly before about picking poses ... I do them myself unless I'm lucky to find what I need made by someone else.


    Post edited by xJojox on
  • Simcraft81Simcraft81 Posts: 499 Member
    Glad to hear from you all! I'm fine. I'm learning how to make 'let's play' videos and maybe I'll do a 'Create a Sims' video on youtube some day :) I'm also glad about finishing the 'Most Wanted' Series
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    edited December 2016
    Today is Purple Day! The day is set aside for remembrance of Sims who have passed on. I'm not sure if you've had Sims die in your stories, but if you have, please share the names here today in remembrance, and maybe say a few words about the Sim.

    My Sim I would like to remember is Jennifer Martinez. I wrote an official post over on my blog today in honor of Sims who have passed on.
    I will always regret killing her off before I really got to develop her character as the wonderful mother Gage Briody remembers and also as a somewhat mentor to Kass. If you recall in KCLKF, Kass and Jennifer have a conversation about love and relationships in Chapter 20, Making Sense of Love. Jennifer had a fairly influential career in politics in SimCity and also had volunteered in Mexsimco where she met Pablo, her husband. Jennifer and her husband, Pablo took in foster children, and Gage lived with them from age 13 onward. Jennifer was unable to have children of her own due to health complications. She ultimately chose to move to Sunset Valley and work as a legal consultant for the Head of State with a panel of other attorneys. Jennifer and Pablo were a loving happily married couple. In my Sims story, she slipped in the shower, hit her head, and died. In game, she died by drowning. She was a wonderful wife, mother, and had a successful and influential career. She will be missed.
    22.jpg?w=474&h=356
    Post edited by AdamsEve1231 on
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • JLBDreamerJLBDreamer Posts: 622 Member
    edited November 2021
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  • JLBDreamerJLBDreamer Posts: 622 Member
    edited November 2021
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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    Hi @JLBDreamer, we've sort of abandoned the specific chapter set and we're just openly discussing the stories at any point and putting things in spoilers for those of us not caught up. If you'd prefer a set section of chapters, we can pick up where we left off with your Vampiracy around chapter 3 I think.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    edited December 2016
    @xJojox Thanks for your answers. Sorry if I've asked the same kinds of questions over and over again. I am curious and I guess my brain keeps thinking of the same stuff. Lol.

    I do have other questions while we wait for the next story discussion.

    Who is your favorite character to write in Fine Lines? What is one of your favorite chapters/scenes? How is writing this version of Fine Lines been a different experience for you than the first time?

    To everyone, what do you think is the funniest moment in Fine Lines? The saddest? The happiest? What moments have been inspiring? Which character do you most resonate with and why?

    You can use spoilers if you are worried about those of us who aren't caught up.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
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  • JLBDreamerJLBDreamer Posts: 622 Member
    edited November 2021
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    Post edited by JLBDreamer on
  • Simcraft81Simcraft81 Posts: 499 Member
    I enjoy classical work adapted into modern times. Actually it could be any type of work. It's like a new perspective rather than remake. Just my opinion.
  • xJojoxxJojox Posts: 6,878 Member
    edited December 2016
    Who is your favourite character to write in Fine Lines? Definitely Justin ... because he is more mature and i can relate more to the reaction of a trouble teenager. I do enjoy writing with Abby, but i enjoy Justin's personality more.
    What is one of your favourite chapters/scenes? Theres too many to count! But i did like how i dragged out the first kiss between two characters. It was fun to tease the readers a bit! I also liked the part in recent chapters (there was about 4 chapters in a row of Justin) ... it truly showed his emotional side and a little more depth into his character.
    How is writing this version of Fine Lines been a different experience for you than the first time? Very different. I had a lot more followers the first time around. I had a lot more feedback to the writing i was doing back then. Sometimes i feel like i'm winging it, because sometimes i don't know what the readers like and what they don't ... so its harder for sure.
  • xJojoxxJojox Posts: 6,878 Member
    edited December 2016
    @JLBDreamer

    1) What do you think about adaptations of classical works of literature/film into modern/alternate settings? Im actually not much of a classical book reader, i do like modern readings and modern film. Often movies and books done back before the 80's don't interest me ...but i do like reading history in general.

    2) Are there any that you personally have/would like to try yourself? Nope.

    These are a follow up to my previous question about Erica's character arc last discussion:

    3) Did Erica end up as you expected her to initially? Not really ... I kinda wished she didn't turn out like she did. I was happy that she bettered her life, but i kinda wanted her to stay human. But on the other hand i knew her and vlad would make a better couple if they were two of the same.

    4) What do you think about how her relationship with Vlad developed over time? He treated her oddly at the start, but i knew that was part of his character. But still as time went on the progression of their relationship got better but part of me wanted her to end up with Freddy... Don't know why though. I just liked the idea of them together.
  • Simcraft81Simcraft81 Posts: 499 Member
    @xJojox I kind of wanted Erica to end up with Freddy as well. Vlad kind of got under my skin when he'd disrespect him in front of Erica like that. He was like a bully or maybe territorial is a way I'd describe it. The way Vlad was, Freddy seemed like the good guy in all of this.
  • Simcraft81Simcraft81 Posts: 499 Member
    edited December 2016
    Hey, @JLBDreamer :) I would probably borrow ideas from Classical works rather than adapting it. I like the reader to be surprised and not know where the story is going. I actually watched a movie that was adapted from a play but didn't know until later on in the film. Up until that point I was hooked and wanted see where this was going but after realizing what was going on i started predicting what was going to happen next lol. I think that's the only down side to adapting which really isn't that bad. If you know what you're watching, then this wouldn't be an issue at all. I just prefer to use my ideas and maybe pay homage to work that already exists by small references and nods.

  • xJojoxxJojox Posts: 6,878 Member
    Yeah i agree! I think that was his way and thats how JLB made him. I think it was his vampire way. Much older and strict and often belittling.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    I promise everyone I will stop by soon and answer questions. Life's been chaotic and I'm recovering from the tail end of a horrific cold. Now that I'm officially on winter break from grad school I should hopefully have more time. Although with the holidays things are bound to stay busyish. :)
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
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  • Simcraft81Simcraft81 Posts: 499 Member
    @xjojox or maybe he knows the power he possesses and feels he can push ordinary people around
  • xJojoxxJojox Posts: 6,878 Member
    yes! u just say it way better! lol
  • Dancer-freakDancer-freak Posts: 223 Member
    Hey all! *shyly walks in* I was just wondering if I could fill up that open spot you guys seem to have? :smile:
  • xJojoxxJojox Posts: 6,878 Member
    im sure i could speak for liz (our group thread manager) and everyone here to accept you :) i'm sure there is no problem with this at all. I'm sure Liz (adamseve) will message you soon with the details... shes been a little busy and under the weather :(
  • Simcraft81Simcraft81 Posts: 499 Member
    edited December 2016
    NEW ENTRY!
    oraj%2Bad2.jpg
    Post edited by Simcraft81 on
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