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A Quick Guide to SimLit - Sims Story FAQ

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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @Maladi777 I tried using family echo but have no idea how to save the tree as a picture :( Thanks btw!!!

    Hi @MISSInsanity245, I just link to the family tree in Family Echo on my site.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
    My Sims Pinterest
  • MISSInsanity245MISSInsanity245 Posts: 80 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 Really? Thank you so much!
  • SpinfurSpinfur Posts: 33 Member
    Yeah I really appreciate this guide because I literally had no idea how to start my SimLit stories so thank you so much it really put me on the right track for writing and formatting and all that.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    You're welcome, @MISSInsanity245.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
    My Sims Pinterest
  • jripliejriplie Posts: 31 Member
    I would love to share my story. Can't wait to get that member status. You would think after all these years I would be there by now. Haha.
  • LillyDovesLillyDoves Posts: 698 Member
    How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!
    TNXKDh4.png
    Of Myth and Magic
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    Spinfur wrote: »
    Yeah I really appreciate this guide because I literally had no idea how to start my SimLit stories so thank you so much it really put me on the right track for writing and formatting and all that.

    i din't either so i said to cathtea lets start a lounge. i think it was up 10 minutes later. :)
  • MegaGirlBossMegaGirlBoss Posts: 28 Member
    @Julyvee94 thanks for the information on SimLit it sounds pretty awesome!
  • AudreyFldAudreyFld Posts: 6,695 Member
    How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!

    Hi! It's good to see you back! <3 I can only speak for myself. But I try to make each chapter help move the plot forward. Sometimes it may not be readily apparent but whatever happens is relevant to something else. I hope that made sense.

    Before I start my story, I create a very high level outline of major events that will happen to get to the ultimate goal. Then I start thinking about how to get to each event along the way so the story moves forward. Then I start breaking down each step required to get to the event in more detail which eventually results in chapter outlines. Sometimes big time jumps are required to move forward and a flashback will fill in the details without having to have several chapters to get there. But that is me. And, sometimes I will pivot and add something on the fly to my story. In other words, once I've created an outline - it's not set in stone!

    I am a plot driven simlit writer, not game driven (the game illustrates my story) But I use the challenges to help derive a story while not actually playing the challenge. Others play the challenge and write about what happens during their game. And those may or may not have an ultimate goal in mind. Or a story for that matter. No one way is right or wrong or better than the other. It's just how you want to do it and what is most enjoyable for you.

    I don't know if this helps, but I hope so. :)
  • LyraTrishaLyraTrisha Posts: 122 Member
    I love writing. Is it possible to create Simlit stories on the vanilla PS4 version?

    If yes, can people give me any tips about doing plot-driven stories on it? I am pretty sure that style would be the one I use most often.

    Also, are screenshots required in Simlit or just recommended?

    This really piqued my interest.
  • LillyDovesLillyDoves Posts: 698 Member
    AudreyFld wrote: »
    How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!

    Hi! It's good to see you back! <3 I can only speak for myself. But I try to make each chapter help move the plot forward. Sometimes it may not be readily apparent but whatever happens is relevant to something else. I hope that made sense.

    Before I start my story, I create a very high level outline of major events that will happen to get to the ultimate goal. Then I start thinking about how to get to each event along the way so the story moves forward. Then I start breaking down each step required to get to the event in more detail which eventually results in chapter outlines. Sometimes big time jumps are required to move forward and a flashback will fill in the details without having to have several chapters to get there. But that is me. And, sometimes I will pivot and add something on the fly to my story. In other words, once I've created an outline - it's not set in stone!

    I am a plot driven simlit writer, not game driven (the game illustrates my story) But I use the challenges to help derive a story while not actually playing the challenge. Others play the challenge and write about what happens during their game. And those may or may not have an ultimate goal in mind. Or a story for that matter. No one way is right or wrong or better than the other. It's just how you want to do it and what is most enjoyable for you.

    I don't know if this helps, but I hope so. :)

    It's great to be back! And I definitely think trying to outline my story and chapters will be very helpful for me in this story. It will be nothing like the Bay's although you might see some of the cast from their story in the new one!
    TNXKDh4.png
    Of Myth and Magic
  • Maladi777Maladi777 Posts: 4,393 Member
    AudreyFld wrote: »
    How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!

    Hi! It's good to see you back! <3 I can only speak for myself. But I try to make each chapter help move the plot forward. Sometimes it may not be readily apparent but whatever happens is relevant to something else. I hope that made sense.

    Before I start my story, I create a very high level outline of major events that will happen to get to the ultimate goal. Then I start thinking about how to get to each event along the way so the story moves forward. Then I start breaking down each step required to get to the event in more detail which eventually results in chapter outlines. Sometimes big time jumps are required to move forward and a flashback will fill in the details without having to have several chapters to get there. But that is me. And, sometimes I will pivot and add something on the fly to my story. In other words, once I've created an outline - it's not set in stone!

    I am a plot driven simlit writer, not game driven (the game illustrates my story) But I use the challenges to help derive a story while not actually playing the challenge. Others play the challenge and write about what happens during their game. And those may or may not have an ultimate goal in mind. Or a story for that matter. No one way is right or wrong or better than the other. It's just how you want to do it and what is most enjoyable for you.

    I don't know if this helps, but I hope so. :)

    I write pretty much similar way to this. Every chapter should include something that moves the plot forward on my story timeline and new info about at least one character. Every chapter is also like a snowball for me. I keep adding more and more as I work my way through it.
    I agree, that the outline is never set in stone. It probably even shouldn't be, because writing process is an evolution kind of. You are a different writer now than you were at the beginning when you wrote the outline.

    @LyraTrisha Screenshots are essential part of Simlit, I believe. We love our sim characters and showing them. In my opinion simlit without screenshots is like a comic book without pictures.
    You don't do a plot driven story in the game. You write a plot driven story and use the game as means to illustrate it. You may or may not use the names of TS4 locations and sims or not.
    heffners_orig.jpg
    HEFFNER LEGACYSimblrHeffner Legacy Discussion │ Origin ID: Maladi
  • pammiechickpammiechick Posts: 12,262 Member
    jriplie wrote: »
    I would love to share my story. Can't wait to get that member status. You would think after all these years I would be there by now. Haha.

    Welcome @jriplie ! I'll give you some likes to help you along. It's a matter of posting enough and getting responses to your posts. :smile:
    LillyDoves wrote: »
    How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!

    Hi, @LillyDoves !!! Nice to see you here again!

    I'm one of those people who does plot driven stories, but I play first, take pictures then write. I'll have in my head what should happen in a chapter and set it up. Sometimes I use poses, sometimes I use EA's animations through playing. I've found that sometimes my sims will surprise me and do things that will add to the plot. But usually, I'm the puppeteer. Once I have all the pictures, then I'll write--and their expressions and what they're doing will give me ideas on what's going on.

    Main thing for writing a good story is to always have some sort of conflict going on, otherwise, it will become boring. Even merely playing, you'll find conflict happening. Also, show with action what's going on instead of telling us what's happening. If you're just telling us what your sim is doing, that doesn't make us feel anything. But showing what's going on with action and internal thoughts help your readers to bond with your characters. That's what sets good stories apart from boring ones.
    iTvMKZ8.jpg
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    LillyDoves wrote: »
    How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!

    i don't. iwas trying to get back to it cause i used too but now with the new career thing where you can switch jobs my story doesn't always make sense. but i'm working on getting back to structure,
  • AudreyFldAudreyFld Posts: 6,695 Member
    I love writing. Is it possible to create Simlit stories on the vanilla PS4 version?

    If yes, can people give me any tips about doing plot-driven stories on it? I am pretty sure that style would be the one I use most often.

    Also, are screenshots required in Simlit or just recommended?

    This really piqued my interest.

    Maladi777 is absolutely correct. In Simlit - screenshots are required! You write the story and use the game to illustrate your story. And sometimes what happens in the game, while you are trying to grab those perfect screenshots, will cause you to change your story slightly!

    You will see a lot of seasoned simlit writers using poses or cheats to create the perfect screenshot. In the beginning you might just use what the game gives you until you get comfortable with the game. Below are a couple of YouTube videos on how to pose and cheats that might help once you get more into it. Good luck! I am sure there are lots of others if you google it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Gg41qaVOE

    https://youtu.be/LuWRGPj3ASw

  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    LyraTrisha wrote: »
    I love writing. Is it possible to create Simlit stories on the vanilla PS4 version?

    If yes, can people give me any tips about doing plot-driven stories on it? I am pretty sure that style would be the one I use most often.

    Also, are screenshots required in Simlit or just recommended?

    This really piqued my interest.

    Hiya! @LyraTrisha !

    As one of the people who coined the term, I thought I'd pop in to share my perspective. I started using the term SimLit in late 2014 as a hat-tip to the writing I found in some of the early TS4 stories (notably, @Bilmonaghan 's legacy, which, alas, is no longer available, and @FloorRaisin 's Wolff Legacy). At the time, the term "Sims Stories" was widely used instead--and since the writing I read in some of these works rivaled anything I'd read anywhere, anytime, I felt calling it literature would acknowledge with respect the art and skill found in this work.

    The term caught on more widely when we started using it in the Writers' Lounge in 2015.

    For me, SimLit is any work that uses Sims. It doesn't need to have pictures--in fact, the most powerful work of SimLit I've read, @rednenemon 's Racket-Rotter Chronicles, has no screenshots. It's written about Sims, and it's set in the writer's Sim universe (with cross-overs to another writer's Sim universe), and so, for me, it is definitely a work of SimLit.

    SimLit can be poetry (check out what @Shadami is currently doing as part of GloPoWriMo!); it can be long or short fiction; it can be Let's Play or Documentary Style ( @Rainydayz179 Multiverse and @DeiraShadeweaver 's Challenge Stories being some of my favorite examples); it can be graphic novel or comic-book style; it can be diary or journal style; and it can be the more standard and widely popular story-illustrated-with-screenshots style.

    If your play of The Sims on PS4 would be enhanced by writing in conjunction with game-play, I'd encourage you to do so! If you wanted screenshots, you could figure out a way to do so (pics with your phone?). If you didn't want screenshots, that's cool, too! Explore, read, and invent--see what you want to write! There's room for your style, no matter how individualistic it is!

    From my perspective, SimLit is designed to be inclusive.
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
  • AudreyFldAudreyFld Posts: 6,695 Member
    CathyTea wrote: »
    LyraTrisha wrote: »
    I love writing. Is it possible to create Simlit stories on the vanilla PS4 version?

    If yes, can people give me any tips about doing plot-driven stories on it? I am pretty sure that style would be the one I use most often.

    Also, are screenshots required in Simlit or just recommended?

    This really piqued my interest.

    Hiya! @LyraTrisha !

    As one of the people who coined the term, I thought I'd pop in to share my perspective. I started using the term SimLit in late 2014 as a hat-tip to the writing I found in some of the early TS4 stories (notably, @Bilmonaghan 's legacy, which, alas, is no longer available, and @FloorRaisin 's Wolff Legacy). At the time, the term "Sims Stories" was widely used instead--and since the writing I read in some of these works rivaled anything I'd read anywhere, anytime, I felt calling it literature would acknowledge with respect the art and skill found in this work.

    The term caught on more widely when we started using it in the Writers' Lounge in 2015.

    For me, SimLit is any work that uses Sims. It doesn't need to have pictures--in fact, the most powerful work of SimLit I've read, @rednenemon 's Racket-Rotter Chronicles, has no screenshots. It's written about Sims, and it's set in the writer's Sim universe (with cross-overs to another writer's Sim universe), and so, for me, it is definitely a work of SimLit.

    SimLit can be poetry (check out what @Shadami is currently doing as part of GloPoWriMo!); it can be long or short fiction; it can be Let's Play or Documentary Style ( @Rainydayz179 Multiverse and @DeiraShadeweaver 's Challenge Stories being some of my favorite examples); it can be graphic novel or comic-book style; it can be diary or journal style; and it can be the more standard and widely popular story-illustrated-with-screenshots style.

    If your play of The Sims on PS4 would be enhanced by writing in conjunction with game-play, I'd encourage you to do so! If you wanted screenshots, you could figure out a way to do so (pics with your phone?). If you didn't want screenshots, that's cool, too! Explore, read, and invent--see what you want to write! There's room for your style, no matter how individualistic it is!

    From my perspective, SimLit is designed to be inclusive.

    Thanks @CathyTea - I guess I never really thought of Simlit as sim stories without pictures. I wasn’t trying to exclude anyone at all. By all means, @LyraTrisha, if you are more comfortable writing one way or another, then do so. The sims community is one of the most inclusive communities I have ever been a part of. I think you will love it here. And Cathytea is a great supporter and mentor for everyone that asks. <3
  • LyraTrishaLyraTrisha Posts: 122 Member
    @CathyTea,

    Thanks for the advise. I several story ideas for some Sims 4 playthroughs, but unfortunately they will all have to wait till summer. Right now I'm way to busy with work and college classes to do any serious playthroughs or challenges, so I'm saving those for a later date. I may do some quick preview runs of some of them using cheats to simulate what I want to accomplish legit when i do the real one just so I can kinda get a sort of outline for the real ones. But other than that, nothing super worth writing about till summer.

    @AudreyFld,

    I honestly wasn't feeling excluded. I was just asking the question, and you answered it. No offense was taken.
  • AudreyFldAudreyFld Posts: 6,695 Member
    LyraTrisha wrote: »
    @CathyTea,

    Thanks for the advise. I several story ideas for some Sims 4 playthroughs, but unfortunately they will all have to wait till summer. Right now I'm way to busy with work and college classes to do any serious playthroughs or challenges, so I'm saving those for a later date. I may do some quick preview runs of some of them using cheats to simulate what I want to accomplish legit when i do the real one just so I can kinda get a sort of outline for the real ones. But other than that, nothing super worth writing about till summer.

    @AudreyFld,

    I honestly wasn't feeling excluded. I was just asking the question, and you answered it. No offense was taken.
    LyraTrisha wrote: »
    @CathyTea,

    Thanks for the advise. I several story ideas for some Sims 4 playthroughs, but unfortunately they will all have to wait till summer. Right now I'm way to busy with work and college classes to do any serious playthroughs or challenges, so I'm saving those for a later date. I may do some quick preview runs of some of them using cheats to simulate what I want to accomplish legit when i do the real one just so I can kinda get a sort of outline for the real ones. But other than that, nothing super worth writing about till summer.

    @AudreyFld,

    I honestly wasn't feeling excluded. I was just asking the question, and you answered it. No offense was taken.

    No worries. Honestly, CathyTea is the best and amazing... It's fun to start out with a small project to get your feet wet and figure out what works for you! :)

  • CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,088 Member
    @AudreyFld Aw, AudreyFld, you're too kind! Thanks for sweet words. :)

    And really, I just shared my perspective because it's fun to have different views on what is and what's not SimLit.
    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: »
    @AudreyFld Aw, AudreyFld, you're too kind! Thanks for sweet words. :)

    And really, I just shared my perspective because it's fun to have different views on what is and what's not SimLit.

    i agree with her. you are sweet
  • StormyDayzStormyDayz Posts: 4,035 Member
    @LyraTrisha

    Since @CathyTea tagged me I looked over the responses of your question. As far as I can tell nobody has mentioned that there is a way indeed to take screenshots with the PS4. One of my friends shares hers on Twitter quite often. I found this link. I hope it helps. Happy simming. :)https://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/how-to-take-screenshots-on-the-ps4-and-share-them-674034
  • jripliejriplie Posts: 31 Member
    > @pammiechick said:
    > jriplie wrote: »
    >
    > I would love to share my story. Can't wait to get that member status. You would think after all these years I would be there by now. Haha.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Welcome @jriplie ! I'll give you some likes to help you along. It's a matter of posting enough and getting responses to your posts. :smile:
    > LillyDoves wrote: »
    >
    > How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Hi, @LillyDoves !!! Nice to see you here again!
    >
    > I'm one of those people who does plot driven stories, but I play first, take pictures then write. I'll have in my head what should happen in a chapter and set it up. Sometimes I use poses, sometimes I use EA's animations through playing. I've found that sometimes my sims will surprise me and do things that will add to the plot. But usually, I'm the puppeteer. Once I have all the pictures, then I'll write--and their expressions and what they're doing will give me ideas on what's going on.
    >
    > Main thing for writing a good story is to always have some sort of conflict going on, otherwise, it will become boring. Even merely playing, you'll find conflict happening. Also, show with action what's going on instead of telling us what's happening. If you're just telling us what your sim is doing, that doesn't make us feel anything. But showing what's going on with action and internal thoughts help your readers to bond with your characters. That's what sets good stories apart from boring ones.

    That is lovely, thanks. <3
  • FeroshaCoutoraFeroshaCoutora Posts: 142 Member
    LillyDoves wrote: »
    How does everyone structure their chapters in their stories? How do you structure your chapters to help plot progression? Any advice appreciated for my story!

    I know you wrote this awhile ago but I’m new to Simlit too and I’ve been thinking about this question so much! Haha, I’ve been a lurker forever and I’m just now getting up the guts to start asking questions so thanks for putting this one out there :-) I learned a lot from the answers.

    Personally, I’ve been using story cards from the book story genius to help me make sure something interesting is happening in each of my scenes to move the plot forward. I’m still trying to make it happen seamlessly in my story (I’m hoping over the course of doing SimLit that my writing will improve) but I love it for how it helps me organize my chapters! Here’s a link to a blog that explains it waaayyyy better than I can.
    Dark Family Comedy & Paranormal Romance

    r0AD3AN.jpg

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