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The Art of Sims Storytelling

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  • MonaSolstraaleMonaSolstraale Posts: 1,372 Member
    @DaniRose2143 Thanks for the explanation. I'm with you now :smiley:
    I'm not familiar with the Wheel of Time series, so I had to look it up on Wikipedia.
    I have read the first four books of Game of Thrones and lost my energy in the fifth book. You can probably also talk about a slow pacing there, although there is plenty of tension and adequate descriptions of environments.
    I don't know if I'll ever finish the series. I am ashamed to say that I have not seen the films, as I am very sensitive to violent scenes.

    I haven't considered too many pictures take a very long time to load on some computers... I think I lost those readers long ago :flushed::joy:
    I think you are right that it is about finding a good balance. That is why I really appreciate a thread like this, where it is possible to exchange experiences and views.
  • DaniRose2143DaniRose2143 Posts: 8,663 Member
    @MonaSolstraale If it's any consolation, you're not alone in not finishing the Game of Thrones books. The author hasn't even finished them either. George Martin has been saying for roughly a decade that the sixth book will be ready any day now.🤣 I gave up on the books, but I have a feeling he gave up long before I did. There's nothing to be ashamed of, lots of blood and violence just isn't your thing. I'm finding that I don't enjoy those kinds of shows as much as I used to, but I still have a handful that I follow.

    The spoiler tags help some with load times, but it's not perfect. I'm so happy I finally decided to jump in this thread. There is so much to learn from and share with each other.
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    SnowBnuuy wrote: »
    The funny thing about handling pacing is I just...don't actually XD I do TRY to pace, I'm just not very good at it. Especially w my current story which is meant to span like...30 years. I've just accepted there'll be some necessary time skips and bits that don't make sense because seemingly nothing happens in some of these time skips. I think all of my readers are just used to my mess at this point. : P

    It's REALLY hard to get pacing 'right' because it depends on so much more than the plot. Like in the case of a romance, it's more dependent on the character on how quickly (or not) they get involved, then it really is on the plot.

    me either with the ececption of ayden and elsa and rylan everything and whoo ends up with who everything is always kind of chaotic like right now lauren and noel are expecting but i guess she upset him somehow ccause they live together but aren't a couple at the moment. i had to keep them together so the twins would get the right names,but he hates her. lol.
  • haneulhaneul Posts: 1,952 Member
    riverbloe wrote: »
    So, how do you guys deal with pacing? I often don't know if I'm getting it right, I've had some critique that my pacing is off, so it'd be interesting to hear your take on how to deal with it?

    @Riverbloe Do you know why they said your pacing is off? In their opinion, was it too fast, too slow, too jumpy? When it comes to criticism I try to first understand what the criticism actually is. Then, I decide if I want to make changes to address it. Sometimes, it's a matter of taste. I like things that are slow-paced, so something that may be too fast for me may be just right for an author's intended audience. How do you feel about your own pacing?
  • MonaSolstraaleMonaSolstraale Posts: 1,372 Member
    edited November 2022
    @DaniRose2143 Are you saying the author has also given up on completing the story? Then maybe I'm excused 🤣

    I see you share your story in a thread in this Forum. It could be the loading time has something to do with the Sims Forum's Server.
    I originally started writing stories on the Danish Sims Forum and I remember a reader suggested that I reduce the image resolution because of the loading time.
    You may consider the following…
    When the Danish Sims Forum was deleted, I chose to buy a private WordPress domain. I'd say it's not necessary as a free WordPress.com site is just as useful.
    There are a lot of free WordPress themes that you can use as a template. Browsing through the selection of free themes, you're sure to come across one that appeals to your form of expression.
    I really like WordPress because I can work on a chapter in pending view until I'm ready to upload it. Almost all my images are linked to an external image server (Imgur) so they don't take up space on the web page. It's pretty easy to resize the image from there.
    The WordPress.com Reader makes it really easy to see when a new chapter is posted in the stories you want to follow.
    Another advantage is that your readers' comments are placed at the bottom of the chapter, which makes the chapters easier to read. You can also choose to have a Forum thread on the Sims Forum for comments and news regarding your story.
    I will not unilaterally promote WordPress as there are other free options. I know there are other writers who use Blogger or Wix. (However, I'm not entirely sure that Wix is ​​free)

    @riverbloe I think @haneul is asking some pretty important questions. Too slow, too fast too jumpy?
    I also want to ask if they are professional writers or teachers? What is their intention with the criticism? How important is their opinion?
    I remember a reader once called me a hopeless romantic on several occasions. It almost blocked me in fear of writing something that could be perceived as romance...because none of us want to be hopeless, do we? ;)
    Again, I would say that really said most about her personal preference.
  • DaniRose2143DaniRose2143 Posts: 8,663 Member
    edited November 2022
    @MonaSolstraale I think he has given up. He's released close to 40 books and consulted on several tv shows including the new Game of Thrones prequel.

    I have thought about moving my current story but I don't think a lot of my current readers would follow me if I did and in all honesty I don't feel ready to face the wider world which won't have moderators to keep things civil. I'm about to add another story soon and that one will stay here too. The stories that come after that will be the ones that are more likely to be on a blog. The current story started as one I created for my own entertainment but it's become something much bigger than I ever thought it would be. I'm a people pleaser and since so many people have told me they enjoy the story very much I want to keep giving them a story they love. Now it's a 50/50 thing, I still do it for myself but I also do it for the readers too. You wouldn't be wrong for saying that I get satisfaction and confidence from the validation. The comments, likes, and awesomes feel good and build my confidence. I was scared half to death when I made the decision to share it. I expected that people were going to come in and rip it to shreds. I've gained so much confidence but I'm still not quite ready to go with a blog.
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member

    I was a film student in university, so I've done countless analytics of story and plot, and also written my fair share of scripts, and I have to say that it helps a lot! It enhances the enjoyment if you understand the way that a story is constructed.

    Same with me; I went to film school and worked in the industry for a few years after that. I learned about scriptwriting, especially the work of John Truby and his ideas on plot structure. It also influences my writing: I have lots more dialogue than normal prose fiction because I'm used to writing for that format. It also helps with my screen grabs as I like to frame them in the Classical Hollywood style rather than just take an in-game shot from an elevated camera angle.

    For screen capping I recommend focussing on what illustrates the story. So you have an establishing shot to set the location and space the scene is taking place in. Go to a 2 or 3 shot of the characters interacting. Then close up on a character but I like to have the back of the other character's head in shot and then cut to the reverse angle. Then go out wide to show them in full before cutting back to the close ups. I reckon I put in between 20-25 screen caps per chapter.

  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    @haneul I also make sure to really back up my saves! Couldn't deal with losing everything. I definitely make things move too quickly, or I write at a good pace at first, and then suddenly things explode. I think it has to do with me getting into a specific rhythm after a bit. But I'm certainly going to just do what I want, I'll grow as a writer if I keep at it!

    @MonaSolstraale Not quite a bit of criticism. It was well-intended feedback (which was taken as well-intended) about the pacing in one of my stories. And I totally got where they were coming from, so it wasn't anything bad at all! I always welcome critique (or feedback as you call it). I'm just looking for inspiration, knowledge, and insights, I learn a lot about myself through seeing what others do, and it's fun to know how other writers work as well. And getting knowledge from others that have done this for longer than me is fantastic as well!

    @SnowBnuuy You make me feel more secure in it all. I can just write and do my own thing and the readers who stick around I know enjoy my writing for me, and not for what I'm trying to give them, so to speak.

    @DaniRose2143 That's very interesting. One thing I learned about myself is that I write worse if I have the screenshots in my mind while writing. That's why I started writing the whole chapter down first, then inserting fitting screenshots afterwards. That's my process, though, and I'm glad I realized it.


    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

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  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    @haneul It was good in the beginning, but then it suddenly jumped, the pacing picked up too fast or something like that. I think I'm just not one for writing out the mundane so much, I like to get into things, haha.

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • MonaSolstraaleMonaSolstraale Posts: 1,372 Member

    @DaniRose2143 It really sounds like story writing has helped give you more faith in yourself. I am happy to hear that :smile:
    I also love likes and comments. I guess it's quite human. I always try to remember to like others to mark that they have been seen and that they have value. Especially at the beginning it is encouraging and later a comment can be very inspiring. As long as it doesn't become the only thing you pin your self-confidence on.
    I will admit that there may be a risk that your readers will not follow a blog outside of SimsForum, but you should not be afraid of losing a moderator. Everyone who writes comments must be approved by you before they appear on a WordPress blog and it is quite simple to exclude trolls.
    However, I thought it sounds like the Forum is a good place for you right now, so I would definitely encourage you to cultivate what fuels you to grow <3
  • DaniRose2143DaniRose2143 Posts: 8,663 Member
    @riverbloe Its funny because for me each chapter is unique. Some chapters the pictures inspire the text, some it’s the opposite. I never know which one will break the ice. The first paragraph is the hardest every time and a couple of times its taken as much as two days to get it where I like and the words start to flow. I’m sure that last part happens to a lot of writers.

    @MonaSolstraale I did go through a period recently where I started relying on the comments and likes to make decisions about storylines and characters. I let that be my guide instead of staying true to the story as I had been telling it. I love and truly appreciate the kind words my readers leave me very much. But when planning the next chapter I lost sight of the fact that they became readers early on because I was simply sharing the story that I had in my mind and that was all I needed to keep doing.
  • HermioneSimsHermioneSims Posts: 774 Member
    edited November 2022
    Wow, it's so nice to see this thread back to activity!

    And there is also a lot of interesting points being addressed, let's see what I can say about my writing...

    how staying organized and motivated
    I actually have a lot of ideas about a lot of stuff that will happen way ahead of what I'm writing in that period, to be honest I've already in mind most of the story I'm planning to focus on once I finish with my current legacy. It's the time for playing and writing which is lacking instead, so for me more than finding the motivation not to drop an ongoing story I need to find the time to actually complete the project I've already in my mind XD

    Getting ahead of the posted story
    With gameplay I don't tend to move too much ahead of what I'm writing instead. With my legacy, I sort of picture the dialogues I want to write for a particular scene when still playing and, often, I find myself thinking: "Ehi, that's a brilliant idea! Let's play this next, it's a good continuation to this!", etc... Then, so that I'm too lazy to take notes when still playing, if I let more than a week pass between when I took the screenshots and when I reorganise them and start to write though, I forget a lot of the details I had in mind and I'm usually less satisfied with the final chapters I manage to post.

    With more story-driven projects instead, I tend to write several chapters ahead of the gameplay part and then I move to the game to take the screenshots, often I don't even play the scenes in the right order. I also tend to prepare whole story arcs in advance before starting to post that part of the story, because I tend to make changes in the earlier chapters on the basis of the ideas I get when preparing the final ones. Let's say that if I see a legacy more like a never-ending TV series, my story-driven projects feel more like books to me instead.

    how do you guys deal with pacing?
    With my legacy it's just a mess, I always feel like I'm rushing many things too much just to keep the same pace as the "normal lifespan" of my sims. Also, I tend to play day-by-day trying to make something happening almost every day, so there are always days where a lot happened and others which are much more ordinary in comparison, resulting in a quite bouncing pacing.

    With my story-driven projects instead, I tend to prefer the pacing I manage to write for stories covering short time-spans, like adventures of one or two weeks at most. On the other hand, most of the ideas I've in mind at the moment are related to plots covering periods of years, and so I need to adjust my pacing a bit.

    Also, in my story-driven saves I tend to have much slower paces than in my legacy. To try to put this in number, most of the generations in my legacy contain about 20 chapters (+/-5), while with the next story I'm planning and which I will never manage to finish I would like to make something like 100 chapters to cover about 7 years.
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    You can follow the Legacy Miller from my blog and the forum thread, *Chapter 8.12 posted on the 25th of March 2024*
  • GlacierSnowGlacierSnow Posts: 2,301 Member
    Pacing... is tricky, because everyone likes different things. In trying to learn how to make a story well paced with a good plot, I've often come across the advice "leave out the parts the readers skip" (can't seem to find who that quote is originally attributed to at the moment). But the problem with that advice is that different readers skip different parts.

    I, for example, tend to skip all the action scenes and any visual description longer than about two sentences. But I slow down and read carefully (sometimes over and over) all the dialogue and emotional stuff. And wish there was more of it. My brother does the exact opposite. If you tried to please both of us, you would have no story at all.

    I've tried for a long time to learn to write better plots, and how to pace stuff well. But that took all the fun out of writing for me. So eventually I decided to quit worrying about it and just write whatever I have the most fun writing. Which is mostly very character focused. The plot (assuming there is one) will progress however it wants to.
    Forum-Banner-01.jpg
    Seventeen & Maldusk Forum thread link
    My name on AHQ (and the upcoming sims forum) is "GlacierSnowGhost".
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    I love seeing this thread so lively again! It's been a while, and reading discussions like this is always interesting! 😄

    I agree with @GlacierSnow and @MonaSolstraale . Pacing is important but it's also highly subjective, as in, every reader has a pace that is their sweet spot, scenes that they prefer, and scenes that they don't care for. I wouldn't worry too much about getting the pacing just right for your audience. If anything, it's the other way around. Adjust your pacing and scenes to what you like and what brings you the most fun to write, and an audience that likes the same style as you will find you in due time 😊
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    Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
  • haneulhaneul Posts: 1,952 Member
    To continue the conversation on pacing, I think it would be nice to see people's responses to some of the questions in the other thread.
    • How long are your chapters or posts? Do you limit yourself to a certain number of words or screenshots?
    • What do you try to cover in each chapter? (ex. an event, a day, part of a plot arc)
    • In addition to having chapters, do you break your story down into seasons or parts?

    I don't think that there are any right answers or best practices here, but because everyone seems to be different, it's fun and inspirational to discuss/exchange ideas and ways of doing things.

    To answer my own questions, my chapters/posts for my legacy are short. I try to keep them between 600-1500 words and 7-20 screenshots. In the beginning, I focused more on keeping things very short (around 600 words, 10 screenshots). Now, it's more like 1000 words, 20 screenshots. I really appreciate everyone who reads my legacy and comments or gives other feedback, and ideally I want to have general appeal, with each chapter taking only a few minutes to read - and there being various points of entry into the legacy (start reading at the beginning or start somewhere else - whatever). For those who skim, I try to have my screenshots be pretty or otherwise entertaining.

    Some of my posts cover a couple Sim days, but most don't cover even an entire day. I'm slow-paced. For the latest generation, from birth until mid-childhood for the first child, it's 29 posts. Each post can be thought of as a chapter and there's also a division between generations.

  • DaniRose2143DaniRose2143 Posts: 8,663 Member
    edited November 2022
    Interesting questions @hanuel.

    - I’ve never considered the word count. I just ask myself if I would read something this long. That’s probably not a great way to go about that. I’m writing about characters I love, of course I would. I’ve mentioned it before, I do feel like my chapters should be shorter. Some chapters I look back on and I pick up on the fact that I was starting to rush the final couple of paragraphs. In those cases it would be better to split the chapters and wait a few hours or even post the second part the following day.

    I try to keep the number of screenshots under 15. If I didn’t I’d easily have 25 or 30.

    - What I cover varies. Lately it’s been events, but I also like to take a few days 2 to 4 and show up what that household is, and has been, up to. A day in the life kind of thing.

    - So far I haven’t done anything to break it up. That’s something else like the word count that I never gave any thought to at any point in the creative process. I probably should but at this point I’m not sure how I would go about it now.
  • hellohannah2hellohannah2 Posts: 839 Member
    @haneul Yes! Keep these questions coming, this conversation is so so interesting to me

    i think i said this in the other thread, but my chapters are usually between 2000 and 4000 words, however, I just finished one that was almost 7000, which is long, but it's what the story needed at that point. I try to feel it out, and if it doesn't feel right to end the chapter then I don't. This kind of leads nicely into the next question, which is what do you try to cover in each chapter. For me, something has to change for the chapter to be complete. So either the character has learned something or changed direction by the end of it, or some important event has happened. If the beginning and the ending of the chapter leave us roughly in the same place, I don't think there's much use to it being there. Equally if i'm about to do a time jump or something I'll just end the chapter before that happens.
    Also yes! I'm doing parts, but only because it makes sense to do so for me! Part one is all set over the course of about 2 months, but after that time jumps on a lot quicker. I wanted the first part to be really contained, because it's a very vivid time that the character will spend the rest of the story remembering.

    I have a question too! For everyone doing romance, how do you build suspense and tension between the two characters? Do you prefer a slow-burn kind of romance or something quick and intense? Do you have any tricks up your sleeves to help the reader to feel invested?
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  • DaniRose2143DaniRose2143 Posts: 8,663 Member
    edited November 2022
    @hellohannah2 I let my couples set their own pace. I wanted Danielle, Summer, and Liberty to take their time finding the right partner. They chose not to waste time or got lucky and they found their soulmate quickly. Danielle and Liberty did, Summer and Darian haven’t reached that stage where they are absolutely sure they’ve found theirs. I think they’re at that point but I’m waiting for that phone call to one of the others about finding a ring in their bag.

    Liberty and Matteo moved kind of slowly but the passion is there so it was time for Matteo to propose. That took about two sim months. Danielle and Londyn were totally magical and incendiary it the best of ways. The spark was instantaneous. It was like being close to a lightning strike where the flash of the lightning and the crack of the thunder happened simultaneously. I just knew something extraordinary was happening and they haven’t let up.

    I guess if I have a trick it’s probably the use of screenshots to show the look of love and longing, passion and desire, to hopefully sweep the reader off their feet right along with the character.
  • MonaSolstraaleMonaSolstraale Posts: 1,372 Member
    I have a question too! For everyone doing romance, how do you build suspense and tension between the two characters? Do you prefer a slow-burn kind of romance or something quick and intense? Do you have any tricks up your sleeves to help the reader to feel invested?
    I feel almost obliged to try to answer that question. Since I have been told before that I am a hopeless romantic, I assume that I often deal with the romantic subject.
    I had to look up the definition of the word in a dictionary and it said romance: characterized by love, eroticism, passion, etc., often with a tendency to be distant from reality or idealizing people, feelings, moods, etc. (At least one of these words will probably be covered in EA flowers, so you'll have to use your imagination to see the unmentionable)

    I cannot excuse myself from being idealistic and emotional in my stories. I often write about relationships between people in all guises and I have an inner need for my characters to undergo a positive transformation during the course of the story.
    I would say that I have characters who experience stormy crushes and those who require a long run-in. I have written about unrequited love. About the fear of surrendering to love. About those who enter into a relationship without reservation.
    Relationships between people is a subject that occupies me and where I find my inspiration. Questions such as: What do they dream of achieving? Why do they make the choices they do? What makes a person choose the partner they do? What does friendship mean?
    Topics such as: manipulation, failure, deception. ...Now I am probably moving too far away from the real question.
    I have no tricks other than writing from the heart. It can be your own experiences or the love you dream of experiencing or maybe inspired by your favorite romantic movie.
    I think the regular readers I have become invested in my characters and others may just drop out quickly because the topics I write about do not meet their needs or expectations.
  • MonaSolstraaleMonaSolstraale Posts: 1,372 Member
    haneul wrote: »
    To continue the conversation on pacing, I think it would be nice to see people's responses to some of the questions in the other thread.
    • How long are your chapters or posts? Do you limit yourself to a certain number of words or screenshots?
    • What do you try to cover in each chapter? (ex. an event, a day, part of a plot arc)
    • In addition to having chapters, do you break your story down into seasons or parts?
    I love all these questions as it creates so many reflections <3

    I never count my words, as I rarely write particularly long texts. I don't even know how to associate a word counter.
    Since my stories are largely visual narratives, I use a lot of screenshots. I really try to limit the number of screenshots to under 200 per chapter (yes you read the number correctly) but the last few chapters I haven't been able to meet this limit.

    I always try to tie a bow, make a connection between the different sections of the chapter. You can probably describe it as a common topic or problem that is part of the headline.

    I have a passage of time in my story, but not in a concrete sense as I do not use seasons and holidays in my current story. This is solely because this story is a retelling of a story that was written in a Danish forum before the seasons were published. I had no idea that this would take on a life of its own that has moved it far away from its original starting point.
    My next story will definitely include seasons....whenever that will be.

  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    I have a question too! For everyone doing romance, how do you build suspense and tension between the two characters? Do you prefer a slow-burn kind of romance or something quick and intense? Do you have any tricks up your sleeves to help the reader to feel invested?

    Depends on the characters. I know that's a cop out answer but some characters jump right in more than others. This is where gameplay helps; some romantic interactions escalate quickly, some take wrong turns and time to develop and some start off great but end up badly. I go with the flow and can write for either eventuality.

  • SnowBnuuySnowBnuuy Posts: 1,767 Member
    I have a question too! For everyone doing romance, how do you build suspense and tension between the two characters? Do you prefer a slow-burn kind of romance or something quick and intense? Do you have any tricks up your sleeves to help the reader to feel invested?

    Answer under spoiler cut:
    I think it depends on a lot of factors, mainly the character themselves: how they show someone they love them (Kind of like a love language sort of thing), how quickly they come to fall in love, past relationships and how they may have affected them. Whether they want long or short-term, or even just a one night thing-

    and so on. To be fair I don't really have much of a framework for writing romance. Some of mine have been a gradual build-up to falling in love, others have been a sort of enemies-to-lovers thing. One of the romances in my current story is the gloriously cheesy 'love at first sight' since the character A thought character B was pretty cute right from the get-go : P I like to try and show love in all its breadth, not just the textbook relationships we're all used to reading. I do need to work on that more, but still. I'd like to try and write a poly relationship someday, but that hasn't come up in any story yet.

    I think one thing to bear in mind is there's more to love than just your standard kind of relationship. There's always the little complexities, and one thing I'd love to see more of is friends who are affectionate (or more) towards each other. I saw one SimLit on Tumblr where both of the male friends are very affectionate towards each other and it's really different as well as adorable. I never used to write romance, SimLit was actually my proper starting point for writing it properly.

    I think the main way to keep the reader invested for romances for me is mainly to show the complexity of relationships in some way or another. Let them disagree / argue at some point, show the 'fallout' of that, and how (if) they get back together and such. Or maybe there's a life event that might challenge their relationship somehow, and how they deal with it or something. In a challenge log or challenge story, maybe share what moodlets they get for each other and what Sentiments for that little bit of extra depth.

    For me, in challenge stories or challenge logs I want the character and their lover to get together as quickly as possible : P In a narrative story I like to see the build-up of the relationship, even if it's a quick build-up. I think both slow-burn and quick and intense works depending on character. Some folks don't want a relationship, some just want a little...maybe not necessary love, but something close.
    they/them or she/her
  • EllupelluelluEllupelluellu Posts: 6,779 Member

    Very interesting thread to read :) I confess, I only did read last few pages, sorry :p

    I wish there would also be a thread like what us readers love to read. though Im not sure would it be very popular :)

    Just reading how and why and when and where you all write your stories, made me think what I, lowsy writer, but very invested in reading of some of the stories, here in forum and elsewhere too, want to read.

    What makes me come back?

    What makes me even to do an account on outside the Sims forum just to read and maybe comment*

    Romance? What kind of love story keeps me reading more, hoping or wishing some couple to "end up together" (or stay together)?

    Pictures? "1 picture tells 1000 words" , do I think so? Maybe someone uses poses or other way is very creative in pictures and stages a lot? Thats even mandatory in some kind of stories.

    Or do I prefer the author to write proper dialogues and totally tell me their vision what is happening without any doubts?

    Drama all the time? Happines and light moods?

    haha okay I babled enough off topic, but, as a reader, I do have one question.


    *comments aka feedback. How do you like to receive those or do you? You prefer people leaving only hearts, likes, awesomes, or actual written comment?
    My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
    Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
    My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
    Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..

    My Story:Villa Catarina
  • HermioneSimsHermioneSims Posts: 774 Member
    edited November 2022
    Lots of other interesting points to address on the last page, let's see...
    • How long are your chapters or posts? Do you limit yourself to a certain number of words or screenshots?

      I tend to try to remain below the 2000 words mark, if the chapter is getting significantly longer I often tell myself that I should probably split it into two or more parts. In my legacy (and in particular in the earlier generations) I very often posted way shorter chapters though. I never count pictures instead, but I prefer to use them instead of writing very long descriptions.
    • What do you try to cover in each chapter? (ex. an event, a day, part of a plot arc)

      I try to insert an underlying idea, theme or new plot element per chapter, so even when a chapter covers a longer period of time there is usually something connecting the sections. However, with my legacy in particular I struggle quite a bit with that, and more than one chapter is more like independent scenes I play written one after the other. I have the impression I'm getting a bit better with this as the story proceeds, but legacies proceed so quickly that it's hard to avoid it sometimes.
    • In addition to having chapters, do you break your story down into seasons or parts?

      The legacy is clearly divided into generations, more or less the generation change happens when the new heir turns into a young adult or soon after, when the story arc of the current generation is reaching its end.
      With other stories instead I still divided the story into parts, school years etc..., but the number of chapters and the time span covered could vary a lot between one project and the other.
    • For everyone doing romance, how do you build suspense and tension between the two characters? Do you prefer a slow-burn kind of romance or something quick and intense? Do you have any tricks up your sleeves to help the reader to feel invested?

      Ouf, that's a difficult one for me. IRL I'm very bad with anything related to romance and relations, so I really struggle with writing a lot of kinds of relationships. I think that the relationships I write about are rarely based on attraction first, but tend to start as close friendships instead. I also try to leave clues soon enough in the story, hoping that the readers will ship the couple for a bit before it becomes official.
      I never make the romantic scenes turn into something too intense or too physical either, that just makes me super-uncomfortable when I'm writing. I'm sorry for the readers who would like to see more, but I prefer to leave certain things to the imagination.



    About the comments from the reader's point of view, @Ellupelluellu , I'm really more of a writer than a reader and so I don't really know how to answer. Mostly I tend to follow stories belonging to the genres I like, and continue reading if I like the first chapters.
    As for the comments instead, I like all sorts of feedback. I passed some periods in which no one seemed to be reading at all for months though (and probably there really was no one around), and that was quite tough.
    Post edited by HermioneSims on
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    You can follow the Legacy Miller from my blog and the forum thread, *Chapter 8.12 posted on the 25th of March 2024*
  • SnowBnuuySnowBnuuy Posts: 1,767 Member
    @Ellupelluellu to answer your question: comments aka feedback. How do you like to receive those or do you? You prefer people leaving only hearts, likes, awesomes, or actual written comment?

    I'm not gonna pretend I don't prefer written comments because I do : P I love hearing what it is specifically that people like about my story, or their thoughts on characters. I'm lucky now that I have a little circle of regular readers. But that's not to say that I don't like 'likes' or 'reacts' of any kind. Any kind of validation is always fun and it's always nice to know that someone is as into the mess you've created as you are : P Also it's good to see differing perspectives on characters and situations, especially when people discuss it amongst each other or when people have conflicting views on certain characters or scenes.

    However I acknowledge that some folks don't like to comment. Some people are shy, some people don't have time, others don't know what to say about one chapter or a story, or sometimes there might be a sort of language barrier to full understanding of a chapter- so I think a like says enough there. I try to comment where possible and where I have time, since there's no point in me preferring written comments and then not extending that same effort to other writers (which some people in creative circles seem to do, sit there and not interact with the community and wonder why no-one is looking at their stuff. Thankfully that's not a common attitude here on the forum.)
    they/them or she/her

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