Ask A Writer

[Vacant]

Well since we have an "Ask An Artist" thread, it only makes sense to create a writing version! Same rules again. Post a question to the Writers on the forum and wait for those sweet, sweet replies.

To start us off...... What do you believe is a specific aspect of writing you excel at? Is it your plotting? Proofreading? Dialogue? Action sequences? WHAT THE HELL IS IT? TELL ME!!!?

[OhGodHelpMe]

Man I don't know  I think I'm good at making good opening chapters. Like, those first one or two chapters that really hook you into a story. I prefer to let readers testify to that though.

Anyway, one question I have is how long it takes you guys to start writing something. And once it starts? How long, on average, does it take to finish the chapter? Some people blaze through chapters and others need to take their time. The variation in volume and time of story output is a great interest to me

[Shinpi Tekina]

i'm just good at making something interesting like in overall story.

[SWRUManga]

Tenacity, and planning. Perhaps overplanning, it's been half a year perhaps since starting planning our first project, even now we spotted a plot arc which needed strengthening, we've printed off timelines for each character's emotional growth and arc and tried to align them to serve the story best. It's taken a long time and will be a while longer before we even put pen to paper properly.

We want to do our project justice, so we are our own worst critics, but I think that's a good thing.

We're also going to lay our project plan and future as honestly as we can too, we want to maintain a truthful and honest relationship with any of our fans, if and when we grow a community.

We here at SWRUManga have put a lot into our work, we hope it pays off - we hope anyone who puts the time and effort into their stories, also receive rewards proportional to their work.


-SWRUManga

[GreenTrap]

Dialogue and Sketches. This is partially because of my script-writing classes which emphasize short plots and dialogue over action but also because I was brought up on sitcoms such as Blackadder, Some Mothers Do 'ave 'em!, and Jeeves and Wooster.

I think I'm not so good when it comes to context in relation to audience understanding. I could write a sci-fi and forget to inform the reader about the physics of Zero-G. I might write a history and over elaborate on a simple thing such as what a blacksmith does. I just, uh, cannot get the right balance on what I should describe to the audience and what is unnecessary.

[Walter B]

I am good at making interesting fight scenes.

[lexamangaforum]

I'll have to repeat what GreenBeverage said, I think my strong point is dialogue.  I love, love a story with lots of speaking and love writing it too.

[Vio]

ATM I'm trying to describe a character who can finish a task but has difficulty starting it. I know there are a few phrases I can use to describe this type of characteristic, but I would like to use a single word. What word would best describe this behaviour?

Lazy isn't the word I'm looking for.

[Misyne]

ATM I'm trying to describe a character who can finish a task but has difficulty starting it. I know there are a few phrases I can use to describe this type of characteristic, but I would like to use a single word. What word would best describe this behaviour?

Lazy isn't the word I'm looking for.

Lax? Slack? Neglectful? Delinquent? Procrastinator?

[Vio]

Lax could work. Thanks, Misyne!

[Misyne]

Glad to help

[Mafioso55565]

Where do you guys get inspiration and or reference for the dialogue from? I know that real life is often the most interesting place but I find it very inconsistent with what i am writing. For example i am on a ship in the medeterean writing a story about a girl from scotland so its hard to find reference because everyone around me is millitary... Online provides some insight but it also feels very robotic and doesnt flow as well. And when it comes down to using my head it all sounds cliche and done before.

on one of my stories I used modified qoutes from classic rock songs to make the dialougue for one charecter, and modified lines from different plays for another and I feel it sounded decent but dont know if  thatll work for very many stories...

[Walter B]

on one of my stories I used modified qoutes from classic rock songs to make the dialougue for one charecter, and modified lines from different plays for another and I feel it sounded decent but dont know if  thatll work for very many stories...

That sounds like a cool idea. Keep doing that but with different sources.