Page 3 • Have you ever considered writing a novel? • Non-Gaming • General Non-gaming • Eurogamer.net

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:05:56

"a woman who knows what she wants"

/writes to Guinness Book of Records! ;0)

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:14:12

Shinji wrote:
That horrifying moment when you look up from what you've just written and realise that one of your characters has just gone and done something that completely derailed where you wanted to go with your chapter structure. .. Probably sounds completely ridiculous to anyone who's never experienced it too, but it's true

Something similar happened to me. The first thing of any length i wrote was a sci-fi adventure. A minor character just turned out to be the one who was most interesting. Instead of trying to get things back on track i changed focus and told the story from his point of view.

jaxon58 2 Mar 2005 13:15:10 2,555 posts
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Yeah, she knows what she wants.

Hugh Grant...
or Colin Firth...
or Hugh Grant....

etc...

Daryoon 2 Mar 2005 13:17:59 5,912 posts
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Writing a novel is like assembling a jigsaw. At least to me...

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:20:28

sam_spade wrote:
Kalel, I think you have to take heart in what, I think, Hemmingway said, "There are no good writers, only good rewriters"

It's very true, but I still think I should put this one down to learning experience.

I've written several one Act plays, but this was my first novel, and when I say it is a mess, it really is shafted. However, I have learnt so much from writing it, more about how to write one than anything else, that I'm pretty confident about doing another one.

I'm seriously considering taking a sebaticle. An opportunity seems to have arisen where I can go and live in Japan rent free for 6 months next year, and I'm very tempted to save for a year for food and living expenses, and then go out there and write for six months. It could be just what I need I think.

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:21:27

Daryoon, that kind of assumes you've got all the pieces

Daryoon 2 Mar 2005 13:25:54 5,912 posts
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Mr Sleep wrote:
Daryoon, that kind of assumes you've got all the pieces

Not really - you just need the final image, or a decent idea of what it should be

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:38:05

I couldn't write a novel. I suck at writing. One of my best mates is an author though. Some of you may even have read some of his stuff. His name is Andrew Harman.

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:38:41

So the analogy of a jigsaw puzzle is perhaps not quite right, it's more like a Magic Eye, study something for long enough and it eventually takes shape.

Pedantry \o/

I was reading the other day about Kazuo Ishiguro and the review was pointing out that the major problem with his recent releases is that every single character has the exact same way of speaking and acting as the butler in his first novel. So while he is a good writer he has embued every character with the same polite, quiet and furtive characteristics. It is perhaps something to bear in mind when writing a novel, it's can be very difficult to make a character that doesn't take on your general dialogue and character type.

Edited by Mr Sleep at 13:41:07 02-03-2005

Shinji 2 Mar 2005 13:48:22 5,902 posts
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Kazuo Ishiguro's latest is interesting, from a literary perspective. It's a quite interesting semi-SF premise novel which has a bunch of teenage characters and so on.... Who all act just like the restrained, repressed characters in The Remains of the Day. I found myself waiting for the explanation of why this was until I realised that it's because that's all he's able to write.

The Remains of the Day was superb, but it really seems that Ishiguro is a one-trick pony in terms of the types of characters he can write.

pjmaybe 2 Mar 2005 13:50:38 70,666 posts
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Some intelligent posts here which give me at least some hope that one of you lot will chuck out a novel soonish.

Given the latest "Name your top 100 books" thing the beeb are running, and the utterly soul-draining unoriginality of same we could seriously do with some new writers in this country that aren't either trying to be the next JK Rowling or Phillip Pullman or Mark Haddon...

Peej

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:52:23

Given that there's plenty of would-be authors here how about a short story competition? Agree on a topic or theme, set a word limit and forward on to each other. Everyone who enters votes for winner. Unless there are any would-be literary critics who'd like to judge, of course.

Any takers?

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:53:32

pjmaybe wrote:
Some intelligent posts here which give me at least some hope that one of you lot will chuck out a novel soonish.

Given the latest "Name your top 100 books" thing the beeb are running, and the utterly soul-draining unoriginality of same we could seriously do with some new writers in this country that aren't either trying to be the next JK Rowling or Phillip Pullman or Mark Haddon...

Peej

I actually am trying ot be the next Phillip Pullman if that's ok...

@Fozzie - Do it.

markh 2 Mar 2005 13:54:17 3,599 posts
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Fozzie_bear wrote:
Given that there's plenty of would-be authors here how about a short story competition? Agree on a topic or theme, set a word limit and forward on to each other. Everyone who enters votes for winner. Unless there are any would-be literary critics who'd like to judge, of course.

Any takers?

i might be interested in doing that..despite having no aspirations to write at all. It may be a bit fof fun though!

pjmaybe 2 Mar 2005 13:54:23 70,666 posts
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kalel wrote:

pjmaybe wrote:
Some intelligent posts here which give me at least some hope that one of you lot will chuck out a novel soonish.

Given the latest "Name your top 100 books" thing the beeb are running, and the utterly soul-draining unoriginality of same we could seriously do with some new writers in this country that aren't either trying to be the next JK Rowling or Phillip Pullman or Mark Haddon...

Peej

I actually am trying ot be the next Phillip Pullman if that's ok...

@Fozzie - Do it.

He's a nice bloke I just don't think he's all that..

Here's the list anyways if anyone wants a looksee..

Oink

Peej

pjmaybe 2 Mar 2005 13:55:15 70,666 posts
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Oh and what Fozzie said - Yep, sounds like a plan!

Someone giving out subjects or everyone write from the same title?

Peej

Daryoon 2 Mar 2005 13:55:35 5,912 posts
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The biggest problem I have with my writing is that no matter how much I love it, or people I know love it, I can't help thinking "no one would publish this, it's not commercially viable".

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:56:52

Fozzie_bear wrote:
Given that there's plenty of would-be authors here how about a short story competition? Agree on a topic or theme, set a word limit and forward on to each other. Everyone who enters votes for winner. Unless there are any would-be literary critics who'd like to judge, of course.

Any takers?

I think this is called 'short story deathmatch' and I'm in

How about 2000 words about the 'off screen' life of any game charater... Doesn't need to be a complete story...

Deleted user 2 March 2005 13:58:21

I find writing for the sake of writing is a good way to write.

Try and use this exercise:

Imagine yourself sitting against a large oak tree. On the other side of the tree imagine that there is a writer. Now tell the writer the sort of story you'd like to read.

pjmaybe 2 Mar 2005 14:00:36 70,666 posts
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Djini wrote:

Fozzie_bear wrote:
Given that there's plenty of would-be authors here how about a short story competition? Agree on a topic or theme, set a word limit and forward on to each other. Everyone who enters votes for winner. Unless there are any would-be literary critics who'd like to judge, of course.

Any takers?

I think this is called 'short story deathmatch' and I'm in

How about 2000 words about the 'off screen' life of any game charater... Doesn't need to be a complete story...

Lovvit! Good idea...!

Peej

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:00:58

There might well be issues with how this stuff is published to the interent, intellectual copyright and that kind of thing. Of course you'll just have to make sure they're all shite so no one will nick them anyway

Daryoon 2 Mar 2005 14:02:44 5,912 posts
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Mr Sleep wrote:
There might well be issues with how this stuff is published to the interent, intellectual copyright and that kind of thing. Of course you'll just have to make sure they're all shite so no one will nick them anyway

If people are worried about copyright, surely they can just print off a copy and have it dated (I know the old method of posting something to yourself, dunno what the kids do these days though)

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:03:28

Daryoon wrote:

Mr Sleep wrote:
There might well be issues with how this stuff is published to the interent, intellectual copyright and that kind of thing. Of course you'll just have to make sure they're all shite so no one will nick them anyway

If people are worried about copyright, surely they can just print off a copy and have it dated (I know the old method of posting something to yourself, dunno what the kids do these days though)

Well it's dated on here isn't it?

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:15:16

Mario pulled the ear plugs out of his tanned ears for the second time that weekend saying

"Jesus fucking Christ! If I have to hear that bloody song one more time I'm gonna scream! Who is this kid playing anyway" He asked no-one in particular. The Turtle answered baring showing his head out of the green and off white shell.

"I dunno, but he keeps dying in the same place... Doesn't he see the exit? The fool's made you jump on me twenty times already, then he dies, then he does the same damn thing over again"

Mario turns off the annoying jump sounds from his shoes and walks up to the edge of the green rolling landscaped level to some constant-wave water that's all too blue for his liking and pulls out his smokes.

"Hmm," he grunts as he takes a lung-full and loosens his belt a little, �You know, back in the days before all this second hand pre-owned non-sense you knew what was what� You know?� he says to Turtle rhetorically. �Now you get an owner who instead of playing until he finished with us, and gives us a great 10 years off on a nice warm shelf, he takes us back to the shop, and any simpleton can buy you up again��

�You�re not the one who�s heads been squashed twenty times in the last ten minutes!� Turtle exclaimed, hurt at the lack of feeling Mario had to his health.

Mario brushed his tash with his pudgy hands and flicked his smoke into the water before bouncing onto his feet. �Turtle, look, I gotta split, mate. Princess is waiting for me at world 2, and she�s promised me meatballs tonight. Can�t sit here chatting all evening, even if it IS the weekend�nd all!�
�Well I have to go get my shell repaired too� It�s not like you�re the ONLY busy one round here you know,� then hid in his shell a little, just in case Mario�s super-flippy mood turned on him. Luckily, Mario had already double-jumped down a green, shiny pipe, taking the short-cut to world two where the Princess was waiting.

�Stoopid idiot player!� Turtle shouted at blank screen, before heading off to the nearest Shop, to get some repairs and a fresh coat of wax.

****

Almost 400 words now...

Edited by Djini at 14:31:10 02-03-2005

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:15:19

Great idea djini. And I like the 'short story deathmatch' title

) Everyone ok with 2000 words?

Now - we just need a time limit... and somewhere to post them. Shall we stick them up on a new forum thread or has anyone got some web-space (and the inclination to post our randaom tat?).

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:20:59

Not sure about if you have to make the character 'aware' he's in a game though... Just my idea you know

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:23:40

This could turn into the worst kind of fan fiction... or the best, depends on how many gay fantasies there are I suppose.

pjmaybe 2 Mar 2005 14:23:47 70,666 posts
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Fozzie_bear wrote:
Great idea djini. And I like the 'short story deathmatch' title ) Everyone ok with 2000 words?

Now - we just need a time limit... and somewhere to post them. Shall we stick them up on a new forum thread or has anyone got some web-space (and the inclination to post our randaom tat?).

Might be worth doing what we did with the Reader Reviews, starting up a blogspot here and just allowing everyone to email their entries into whoever wants to look after the thing...

Definitely up for writing a bit though.

Peej

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:32:59

pjmaybe wrote:

Definitely up for writing a bit though.

Peej

Peej, can you set it up (The blog thing)... And lets make it 1000 words, 2k is quite a bit (for round one anyway).

I'm on about 400 now... This can be a good 'example' for the deathmatch if anyone else is thinking of having a crack at it...

Edited by Djini at 14:34:20 02-03-2005

Deleted user 2 March 2005 14:34:19

There's going to be more than one round? o_o

Have you ever considered writing a novel? • Page 3