Self-challenge: Non-Star Wars Writing

[Gav Mortis]

In an effort to broaden my horizons with regards to writing I'm hoping to do a piece of writing no more than 2,500 words in length on something that is completely unrelated to Star Wars. Aside from that I'm also bored! :p

The reason why I've suddenly felt the need to tell everyone this is because I'm at somewhat of a loss for what theme/approach I should adopt in order to do this. Therefore I was hoping that some people would give me some suggestions on what themes to address in the piece and perhaps how to approach them; for example, should I do a romance piece in first person narrative?

Not only that, could those who make suggestions give me some advice in the sense that if you have made a suggestion then could you then say what features of writing and style you think would enrich the writing further.

For example, again on the theme of romance, one might say: "Now could you pull this off without having the characters to whom the romance concerns touch or perhaps even meet face to face?"

I need a real challenge. Give it your best shot! :)

[ReaperFett]

Third person is always best IMO, unless there is a REAL reason for first.

The way I think is by thinking what I would want to see if it was a TV programme or film. Then, modify it to make it more bookable, and write :)

[Charley]

first person / noir narrative is the bestest :D

[ReaperFett]

Ah, but then you miss out on others POVs.

[Charley]

but gain infinitely more descriptive power.

[Gav Mortis]

Bloody hell! If I used extended similies used in noir on top of my usual description I'd never get the writing finished. Third person, in my opinion is very convenient, allows a perfect omiscient perspective in writing and is extremely versitile. On the other hand, first person narrative is very challenging, which is what I'm looking for, it allows one to pry deep inside the inner workings of a characters mind but is dangerous as it can make other characters seem too secondary. Another advantage of first person is the element of suprise, it really allows someone to unravel the different layers of a story as it develops rather than having events running in parallel.

Ack, decisions decisions. :huh

[ReaperFett]

Doing 1st will be hard to pull off, as you only get one persons motivations. 3rd can give you as much descriptions, plus more from the other people.

If the story was only about one person, then FP would work fine

[HaeLari Draevyn]

You could always do what I do sometimes. Do it in first person from one character's POV, then do it again in first person in another's POV. It makes the reader have to re-adjust and get used to something else, thus making it more exciting and challenging for them. :D Plus it gives a different feel for the storyline when done in someone else's pov.

[Kaman Jeris Deliai]

I have a story I wrote for English this year. It's pretty good, considering that we had to choose from a random list of antagonists, protagonists and settings. I used two of each. And it has nothing to do with SW. Anyone want to see it? I could post it in a new thread if anyone does. Just tell me. Thanks.

Kaman "K.J. Deliai" Maxwell

[Mu Satach]

I'd say the use of 1st person or 3rd person would depend on what type of impact you want the reader to feel.

do you want them to feel as if whatever is happening is happening to them? then use 1st person,

If you want the reader to know more than the protaganist then use 3rd.

So first I would decide on your story and the type of impact to want to create, then decide which style would help achieve that impact.

the first thing I do is start with a situation and work from there.

Say... oh... there's a woman standing on the top ledge of a sky scrapper...

now I decide what genre... mystery, romance, comedy, black comedy, sci-fi, roll the dice and see what comes up...

then I just start writing and see where the story takes me... don't worry about little things, just go...

after the first draft then I think about what p.o.v. it should be in, what the whole thing is about, what impact I want, etc. Then I go through and edit the whole thing to fit those to my mind.

then I let other people critique it... I don't tell them what I was going for, just let them tell me what they got out of it, then I take their comments and rework the story again and then ask for another critique, and so on and so on until I get it to where I want it.

[Q]

LL - If you're creative enough (and I do think you are), you can get the same amount of descriptive power in third person writing. Stephen King is excellent at doing this. Basically, it's a method of interpreting a charater's thoughts into the narrative. And I hate to say it, but I'm guilty of blantantly ripping off his style, in that regard.

Non-SW writing is indeed a challenge. Because, to be frank, Roleplaying amounts to extensive amounts of fan-fiction, which is infinitely easier than coming up with original material. You don't need to describe how a lightsaber works... everyone already knows that. Heck, you don't even need to describe what it looks like.

I applaud your effort, Gav, and I intend to do something similar (albeit much more lengthy) myself.

[Marcus Telcontar]

I just come up with an idea that will entertain me for long enough. And then just type whatever flows and works for me. Whickh makes it hit and miss - miss and its crap. Hit and it's superb. But the hits are few and far between right now :/

[Charley]

I feel that first person does offer more levels of expression, almost endowing the work with as much descriptive devices and elements as a piece of poetry. And I've found that to give it a more artistic form than you can get in a 3rd person work.

[HaeLari Draevyn]

Originally posted by Gav Mortis
Bloody hell!

:D I love that expression LOL

But anyways, I think that first person makes it much deeper because you can get into a certain person's mind, rather than having to sift through many paragraphs without really understanding what is going on in that head of theirs.

[Marcus Telcontar]

You can do that with either 1st or 3rd person, depending on the way you write them. I personlly perfer 3rd person, my wife prefers 1st and is one of the better people at it - yeah as if I'm not bias :p

What I do tend to find is that 3rd person can be easier to grasp what is going on and is less monotonous. I this and I that is a common error and after too many of those, I just wont read any further.

[HaeLari Draevyn]

Hmm. LOL I see your point with the monotone, but it really depends on what you're more comfortable with. Some see it other ways, and thats what makes us all different. :D I guess, though, if you're looking for a challenge, then go for the one you least do!

[Kar'awyn Lai]

Hey Gav...good idea!

:) I'm waiting for inspiration to hit me for starting a book. Non SW, as I don't think I could write EU...although, perhaps I could. but it would be set so far in the future, so I wouldn't have to use any of the existing characters.

And you could always use 3rd person, from a Non Omniscient point of view. Although you wouldn't get any thoughts from the character/s and so it would be sort of boring in that way. Heheh, maybe from a stalker's POV...:lol

[Sith Ahnk]

How about an on again, off again romance with someone who has split personalities?
It would give a lot of sympathy to both characters and their vigilence and drive to psuh forth through something like that... or maybe incestral love where they are forced to deny their passions and it drives one to suicide?
Or am I a sick wierdo who you want nothing to do with?

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I pick....C!

"Survey SAAAAAAAYS: " *ominous pause*

*dingdingding!*

Correct! I've won! OMG! *jumps around in delight*

[Sith Ahnk]

And after that beautiful AIM convo we had

[Lilaena De'Ville]

No, my leg is NOT cold.

[Sith Ahnk]

But the portection of the fabric for heat absorbtion is only offered, currently, to one of your legs... how you remain with both legs at equal tempature is a mystery beyond my meager cognitive abilities

[Old Man Jedi]

is a mystery beyond my meager cognitive abilities

That.... does not surprise me in the least

[Mu Satach]

:lol

[HaeLari Draevyn]

*both the applause and laughter signs light up*

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

[Garrett Blade]

God! I hate this. It kills me to be serious!

My only advice to you, Gav, is this.

Write what you know

You won't catch me writing a romance novel anytime soon as I've only ever read one (Wuthering Heights). I've seen all the movies, read all the books, and read an exstensive number of the comics - and that's why I'm writing an Aliens novel. After that I plan on writing a vampire novel (thanks to my background info from the rpg from White Wolf). Also - write something only if YOU would enjoy reading it. Because if you write it and don't enjoy writing it, chances ar few people will enjoy reading it either.

Also, I can see where Fett is coming from about writing it as one would like to see it on a TV screen. But that's because I'm directorial minded. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I doubt that is the style for you. So once again - write what you know.

[Gav Mortis]

Thanks for all your imput guys. Your help is very much appreciated! :)

I'm thinking of doing something different; a number of perspectives accomdating different dramatic themes juxtaposed into...something! :p

I don't know exactly what the piece will comprise of but it will be something very new to me and challenging to which I am very much looking forward. I'll keep you posted as to where I'm at in this, I think it will end up being much longer than I'd previously thought, but I suppose that depends on how much I enjoy doing it.

Once again, many, many thanks! :)