Writing goals

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

*Crawls out of the cringe old writing trenches*
*plops screen shots down on table like old fish*
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Is that first one from a scene I think I've read a bit of before?

 

[Isabella7Storm5]

I'm so excited though Hopefully it'll help me not be as stuck as I was getting cause I have more to work with.

I remember when I pulled Attempt Infinity from the bottom of my Google docs and sat down and looked at it.
I liked the story but it wasn’t working and I was trying to figure out why and then the reason hit me like a steam engine— all my characters sucked. They were literally the worst most boring characters ever.
So then I spent a while figuring out how to write characters more than just a plot

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I'm curious for some thoughts on if this does seem like an improvement or if it just feels like it to me

Spoiler

Also, the cat paws are canon now, cause I need them and I'd already been debating it for a while

 

[Isabella7Storm5]

Is that first one from a scene I think I've read a bit of before?

It’s one of the first scenes in my WIP lol

General shenanigans

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

OKAY BUT IN MY DEFENSE
I did a weeks worth of school this afternoon so im all on track except for one class and im gonna work on that tomorrow
SO AFTER THAT
I’ll be good
And I’ll sit and write

Isa, I need help on getting Stephen to STOP SMILING-

I can't help it, I'm terrible.

Just picture him like this:

Spoiler

And suddenly, that problem is taking care of.

I'm at the point that as I go through I'm dropping the word entirely, it's hardly needed, I'm not sure what I'm thinking when I write it In the original he smiles like 24x and grins 4x... Which I guess out of 7000 words isn't too bad but idk, is he just too happy or something?

You know what, I've discovered that helps a lot. On one of my chapters, I realized that every character had this thing about putting their hand on this specific character's shoulder... Like, all the time. Constantly. And these were all male characters too. Males can try to comfort another, but not like that, or at least not like that all the time.
The repetitiveness of it all ended up annoying me and I believe I cut every instance of it from the chapter. And if I didn't, I cut enough of it out that if any instance did remain, it read more natural and I didn't notice it. (I did just read this chapter recently, so I know.)

But, yeah. You have to watch the repetitive words and actions. There's always one. You find it, kick it out, then you realize you've replaced it with another repetitive. One thing on the repetitives, use them to try writing something unique instead of allowing yourself to fall back into those traps. For my characters placing a hand on that one character's shoulder, it became them just saying something, or doing something entirely different. Some of the replaced action went toward showing more about the character in other ways, like personality and such, and how they truly handled stressful situations.

 

[Isabella7Storm5]

I'm curious for some thoughts on if this does seem like an improvement or if it just feels like it to me

Spoiler

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Also, the cat paws are cannon now, cause I need them and I'd already been debating it for a while

Getting rid of the grinning in the beginning was definitely the right call imo

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

You know what, I've discovered that helps a lot. On one of my chapters, I realized that every character had this thing about putting their hand on this specific character's shoulder... Like, all the time. Constantly. And these were all male characters too. Males can try to comfort another, but not like that, or at least not like that all the time.
The repetitiveness of it all ended up annoying me and I believe I cut every instance of it from the chapter. And if I didn't, I cut enough of it out that if any instance did remain, it read more natural and I didn't notice it. (I did just read this chapter recently, so I know.)

But, yeah. You have to watch the repetitive words and actions. There's always one. You find it, kick it out, then you realize you've replaced it with another repetitive. One thing on the repetitives, use them to try writing something unique instead of allowing yourself to fall back into those traps. For my characters placing a hand on that one character's shoulder, it became them just saying something, or doing something entirely different. Some of the replaced action went toward showing more about the character in other ways, like personality and such, and how they truly handled stressful situations.

Okay, on that though, changing from Stephen to Thing, how much do you think I can get away with repetitive stuff? Because she's allowed to do that... to a point, obviously. The repetitive word I've noticed with her is "look" because when she's not talking... or just observing... That one annoys me sometimes.
Repetitive action would be "flicking" her wings. Because she doesn't have a ton of emotional indicators, at least that I've worked out, and this covers a lot of emotions depending on context. I try to word it differently when I can...

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Getting rid of the grinning in the beginning was definitely the right call imo

Considering he smiled FOUR sentences/paragraphs before, YES IT WAS-

The first time was kinda important so this grin was completely useless.

 

[Isabella7Storm5]

Okay, on that though, changing from Stephen to Thing, how much do you think I can get away with repetitive stuff? Because she's allowed to do that... to a point, obviously. The repetitive word I've noticed with her is "look" because when she's not talking... or just observing... That one annoys me sometimes.
Repetitive action would be "flicking" her wings. Because she doesn't have a ton of emotional indicators, at least that I've worked out, and this covers a lot of emotions depending on context. I try to word it differently when I can...

I think the actions are fine if they’re done right.
Like in a way where it’s more of a personal habit?

Like Arne is always…idk what it’s called…
Regulating himself through small amounts of pain?
Like he’ll pluck his feathers and jab sticks into his hands and he does it all the time but it’s not important to the story line really.
The repetitive words tho, those are tricky because they sound lazy after a while.
Like I’m probably gonna have to go back and address all the gazing later

 

[Isabella7Storm5]

I think the actions are fine if they’re done right.
Like in a way where it’s more of a personal habit?

Like Arne is always…idk what it’s called…
Regulating himself through small amounts of pain?
Like he’ll pluck his feathers and jab sticks into his hands and he does it all the time but it’s not important to the story line really.
The repetitive words tho, those are tricky because they sound lazy after a while.
Like I’m probably gonna have to go back and address all the gazing later
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I shouldn’t have done this
Now I’m seeing it and it’s bothering me and I TOLD myself I wasn’t gonna edit yet but now I really want to…