Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

[jij]

Have you got writing questions?  Have you got writing issues?  You know you do.  'Fess up here.  *grin*

Comments

[wachey]

This is more of a character question, but who is that girl that looks more or less like a girl version of Kon? She has short, black hair, blue eyes, and wears a black shirt with a red 'S' scribbled on it. I think Kon called her 'S-girl,' once. I just want to know what her story is and why I've only seen her twice.

Also, how does one go about writing action sequences? I can't write a fight scene worth crap.

[bradygirl_12]

Hmm, I'm no expert, Wachey, but the way I do it is I first try and visualize the action scene in my head and play it like a TV show or movie. An example from my story "Waiting" when the Teen Titans are attacked at the Tower: I write down certain things I saw, like Speedy using his arrows against the human attackers and Starfire and Cyborg using their special powers to take out the heavy machinery used as weapons. I write down who I want in this battle, too, and give each person an assignment if my visualization didn't include all of them. I put Robin in the middle of things because he's the leader of the Titans (this is my odd universe set in the present but using a lot of pre-Modern Era characters and situations, so it's kinda like '80s Titans with Dick as the leader in the present day) and directing the battle while doing his share of the fighting. I write this all out and then comb through it to make sure I have a rhythm and I'm not forgetting anyone, and also that I have some sort of logical sequence going. I try and make it

[arch_schatten]

I can't write fight scenes worth a crap either.. but if it's of any help, I find that having a limited POV helps the writer. Maybe the fight scene won't seems as epic as you have it in your head, but it's easier to keep it manageable, sticking to what a character can see, instead of being all over the place over what everyone is doing and how everyone is percieving it. It's hard, because the temptation to hop POVs always gets me, but since I do really crappy POV hops, I try to keep it limited. It's definitely not the best way to write fight scenes.. but it's *a* way...

And that's Cir-El, as El pointed out! I know nothing of her. Crazyness.

[bradygirl_12]

Does anyone else have the spooky experience of having an idea and knowing where you want to go with it and start writing, and then the *characters* say, "Uh, uh," and despite your best efforts, they take the story someplace where you weren't expecting or planning them to? And you *could* go back to your original plan and write the story the way you wanted but it wouldn't feel right?

Am I totally insane? :)

[magnolia_simms]

I have a big problem when a character has an internal struggle. I can do dialogue, I can do action sequences, but internal monologue is always a struggle for me

[magnolia_simms]

That does make a lot of sense, thanks!

I've just been struggling with this fic for a long time, I think I'm just getting frustrated. I know you can't force it, but at the same time, I'm sick of being stuck on it.

The advice helps. I have an idea of where I want the story to go, it's just getting there that's the problem. But this has sparked an idea or two, so thanks!