Writer's Corner

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Exactly what they sound like, LOL! They are the product of a transformed dragon (gold in this case) mating with an elf or other humanoid race. Half-dragons typically look like their mother's race (only male dragons can create them- dragon physiology is not compatible to carry such offspring, since they lay eggs, even if a female uses magic to change to the humanoid race) but they have attributes of a dragon like horns, claws, reptilian eyes, skin of the color of the dragon parent, and sometimes tails or even wings. They also tend to develop draconic abilities like breath weapons (greatly reduced of course) immunity to the element of their dragon parent's type- reds would be immune to fire, blues to lightning, etc- and occasionally magic gifts. They are almost always outcasts from both sides- most dragons feel far roo superior to accept such abominations among them, and the mother's race usually fear or mistrust them even if they were the children of the "good" dragon types. They make for some unusual but generally powerful PC/NPCs. This particular pair are a holy knight (aka paladin) and a sorceress. He adheres strictly to his faith's code but is a bit of a bigot while his sister is kind and willing to guve anyone a chance.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Exactly what they sound like, LOL! They are the product of a transformed dragon (gold in this case) mating with an elf or other humanoid race. Half-dragons typically look like their mother's race (only male dragons can create them- dragon physiology is not compatible to carry such offspring, since they lay eggs, even if a female uses magic to change to the humanoid race) but they have attributes of a dragon like horns, claws, reptilian eyes, skin of the color of the dragon parent, and sometimes tails or even wings. They also tend to develop draconic abilities like breath weapons (greatly reduced of course) immunity to the element of their dragon parent's type- reds would be immune to fire, blues to lightning, etc- and occasionally magic gifts. They are almost always outcasts from both sides- most dragons feel far roo superior to accept such abominations among them, and the mother's race usually fear or mistrust them even if they were the children of the "good" dragon types. They make for some unusual but generally powerful PC/NPCs. This particular pair are a holy knight (aka paladin) and a sorceress. He adheres strictly to his faith's code but is a bit of a bigot while his sister is kind and willing to guve anyone a chance.

So dragons can transform? I wasn't sure how the... childbearing... was supposed to happen. :teek:

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Some are able to use magic spells to do so, yes. Others have an innate ability to take other shapes to disguise themselves. It depends on the type of dragon and whether it has knowledge of those spells. Have you ever read the Dragonlance novel series? A few of the dragons in it even choose to live in a humanoid form to better understand and blend in with the "mortal" races- and half-dragons live a VERY long time, as long as or longer than even elves. (D&D elves are not immortal like Tolkein elves but they do live for hundreds of years. Dragons live up to two thousand.... )

[Allio]

I can't say I'm familiar with any of those references... got any Wikipedia links for me to educate myself with? :tsmile:




Kamen Rider Kiva is a japanese live action hero series from 2008, in it the main character outside of his basic "Vampire" form, is able to obtain other forms by using his monster allies; werewolf, Merman (black lagoon style), and Frankenstein Monster.

XrNM71HM-qg

And then Monster Harem. Just look up anything like Rosario + Vampire or Monster Musume.

So my idea is basically.

You have this main character that acts as an exorcist/exterminator for monsters/Yokais. He has a transformation where he turns into a White Knight/Paladin warrior to fight them.

From here, the harem works as there are monsters that he has made contracts with, and they get to live; they make a contract and they wear a ring on their hand that symbolizes the contract they have made. I haven't decided if he should have eight rings or ten rings, one for each finger.

Because of the contract, The main character is able to use the monster's powers to obtain new forms and abilities. The monster girls' bodies will turn into keys called "Keyjins" and he will use them on his transformation device to unlock the other forms. Werewolf gains a wolf speed forn, Vampire a red power form, Harpy flight; etc.

Transformation call: "Lock and Drop"
Then whatever finishing move he wants to use, he will pull out the key and use it on the monster's corresponding weapon: "Lock and Loaded"


The monster harem itself will have the "harem" tropes

Basic Group (ie. Monsters he has before the series began)
Werewolf - Speed form
Harpy - flight
Mermaid (styled in "Creature from the black lagoon) - Water

Later gets:
Vampire - Power form
Ghost - allows for spirit battles
Frakenstein - a "mid season power-up" form, allowing for fusion forms between keys; ie. Mermaid + Harpy = Siren form
"Succubus" - allows for dream fights. We find out the Succubus is actually a cross dressing Incubus

The main character also gets a device which is called "King's Gate" as a "final form" it allows for new transformations of previous forms: Ghost becomes Reaper, Werewolf -> Cerberus, Harpy -> Angel, etc.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Finally finished the latest chapter of Some Other World. It's relatively short, but it digs a little deeper into Donnie's plan, and there is some tension between Leo and Raph (naturally!) and they go into their mission in this chapter. The link is in the fan-fic update threat in the writing forum, but I'll add it here, too. Check it out!


Link:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10795684/6/Some-Other-World

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

@Duckie: I'll have to check that out soon.

Me, I'm closing in on page 400 of the sci-fi novel. On course to finish by the end of the year. Feeling good about it.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Congrats Cy! That is great to hear. Do you have a publisher yet or is this one unsolicited? I'd love to read it once it is published if that happens.

[Allio]

just finished Silent Ever After (Silent Hill x Ever After High) chapter 3.

man, I'm excited once I get to the ending, and everything is explained.

[Krutch]

So I guess I'm the only original content contributor in this thread? :tlol:I'm not terribly active in this thread when it comes to posting but I always like to see what others are up to. I only write original works, currently halfway through my first horror feature script. Though lately my buddy and I have been thinking about doing a short TMNT comic, so, I've been toying with ideas for that.

'Grats on your progress with your novel! :)

Hey, what do you guys tend to listen to when writing? I usually listen to Tycho (https://tycho.bandcamp.com/album/awake) or 2814 (https://dreamcatalogue.bandcamp.com/album/rain-temple).

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Congrats Cy! That is great to hear. Do you have a publisher yet or is this one unsolicited? I'd love to read it once it is published if that happens.

For the moment, unsolicited. Shopping around for publishers and agents was a miserable experience for me with my horror/paranormal novel back in 2014, so I'm backing off on it.

I've got a couple of friends who are beginning to make waves with publishers, so I'm selfishly planning to wait a little while and see if I can use their positions to my advantage. Not in a dickish way, of course, but a "Hey man, any chance you can get somebody impartial to look this over?" I'm also planning to have an arsenal of three to four completed novels, all in different genres, and THEN go back to the publishers/agents front.

I'm not terribly active in this thread when it comes to posting but I always like to see what others are up to. I only write original works, currently halfway through my first horror feature script. Though lately my buddy and I have been thinking about doing a short TMNT comic, so, I've been toying with ideas for that.

'Grats on your progress with your novel! :)

Hey, what do you guys tend to listen to when writing? I usually listen to Tycho (https://tycho.bandcamp.com/album/awake) or 2814 (https://dreamcatalogue.bandcamp.com/album/rain-temple).

I only do original, too. I don't have the extra time to invest in projects that I can't lay 100% ownership to or maybe someday do something with. Although, I did do some Sherlock Holmes, but that's different. Public domain. :twink:

A lot of instrumental stuff and soundtracks; Half Life 2, Battlestar Galactica (new), Celldweller, Within Temptation. I wrote a kick-ass chapter full of tragedy that reduced me to tears by listening to "Baltar's Dream" and "Apparat - Goodbye" on loop last week.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I tailor my writing playlist to what I'm working on. For fight scenes, I like heavy metal with a hard edge, especially if it has themes or lyrics about death or war. Savatage's Of Rage and War or Black Sabbath's Shot In the Dark are good examples. For romantic scenes, my go-to music is 80's love ballads like Journey's Open Arms, Foreigner's I Want to Know What Love Is, or anything along those lines. I have character-specific lists as well as "musical storyboard" lists that sort of follow along with the action of a particular story I'm working on. As an example, one particular playlist follows the general plot of Love Is Shell in a musical format- I think of it as like making soundtracks for my work.

[Allio]

so I wrote something for Disney's "new" show Star Darlings

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7864678

[BubblyShell22]

I'm starting to get back into writing my Truth and Lies series again so I hope to have chapters up for that soon. It feels good to get back into the swing of things.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Broke 400 pages. Still got an evening and all day tomorrow to crank out at least another chapter.

The novel is all downhill from here and has been for a couple of weeks. I should probably pick up a bottle of champagne for the final page...

[BubblyShell22]

Just posted chapter three of Game of Lies. Hope to get more out soon.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Congrats, Cy! Great to see it's going so well. I expect an autographed copy when it gets published, LOL!

Currently working on the latest chapter of LIS- hoping to get it finished by the end of the weekend. Nice to have two days off in a row to just relax and write. Meanwhile, I've got Star Trek TOS on for background noise- Kirk and Spock on an alien planet with Nazi rule. Hmm, I'm suddenly thinking of turtles time-travelling back to WWII Germany.... Are there any Dimension X analogs for Nazis? Could be interesting.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Congrats, Cy! Great to see it's going so well. I expect an autographed copy when it gets published, LOL!

Currently working on the latest chapter of LIS- hoping to get it finished by the end of the weekend. Nice to have two days off in a row to just relax and write. Meanwhile, I've got Star Trek TOS on for background noise- Kirk and Spock on an alien planet with Nazi rule. Hmm, I'm suddenly thinking of turtles time-travelling back to WWII Germany.... Are there any Dimension X analogs for Nazis? Could be interesting.

I remember that episode. :tlol:

And thanks. A couple of my trusted beta readers are teachers, so as long as I have everything ready for them by Christmas break, I'm on schedule. :tcool:

[BubblyShell22]

Sounds awesome, Cy. I hope it works out for you.

Also glad to see you getting into the swing of things, Duckie. Can't wait to read that chapter.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Ask and ye shall receive! New chapter is up, and it's getting tense in there!! Next up- Mikey's POV returns- with some....changes. Let's just say he's about to have a change of heart, and it WON'T be pretty..... :teek:

Here's the link to the new chapter. Enjoy!

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9377718/29/Love-Is-Shell

[BubblyShell22]

Read and reviewed and loved it.

Posted a new chapter of my fic, too. Already have an idea for the next chapter though I don't know if I'll get it up before Monday when Dad's supposed to come home.

[Allio]

Working on a crossover idea of star darlings and areas ha Sentai Toqger

It will bring closure to one of the plot lines left by toqger

since I know no one here would be interested in reading it, here is a spoiled summary I am working with (it will be about a couple more weeks before I begin on it as I want to read Star Darlings book 10-12 to get a grasp on the characters.)

Summary:

Wish Orbs have start to disappear from Starland; not just any wish orbs, but impossible wish orbs - wishes that are on too much of a grand scale that not even Starlings can grant, the wish orbs that shines the brightest with the biggest hopes and dreams.

It is Prime Minister -self appointed- Nigrum, trying to restablish the shadow line, and not only bring darkness to earth, but to that of Starland and the other worlds in the universe. What does the Shadowline want with the Impossible wish orbs, the brightest things on starland?

Because Imagination and Wishes all stem from the same place, Lady Stella contacts The Galaxy Line in hope that they could get help in this dire situation.

The one day, five children from earth, no older than Sage’s little brothers, comes to Starling academy to help them. It’s the Toqgers

and so it’s the five children that once stopped the shadowline in the past, here on starland. As they try to figure things out and what to do about Prime Minister -self appointed- Nigrum and what he plans to do with the light, their interactions with the starlings are hilarious and cute.

Sage goes into big sister mode with the kids, some of the other starlings join in.
Kagura goes “SUPER GIRL” and beats Astra in a game of star ball, leaving the starling gawking.
Mio gets jealous (not knowing why) when the starlings talk about how cute Tokatti is.
Scarlet gets irritated when the other starlings starts talking to “Ticket” as if he was a real being, and pulls the puppet off of The Conductor’s hand, only for Ticket starts talking on her hand…she freaks out.
Etc…Etc…

and so, The Toqgers and Star Darlings find Prime Minister -self appointed- Nigrum, and fight to take back the impossible wishes and begone with the shadowline forever. but of course, that doesn’t go well…as a new shadow monster is created from the light of the Impossible wish orbs...a monster only called "Ba'al"

As the Toqgers and the Star Darlings are stricken down, and everything seemed lost. The impossible happens right there.

An ally shows up; someone no one, not child or starling, had expected to come and save them…

The Emperor of Darkness, Z

[Allio]

working on a new original book series, tweeking with the ideas right now; but hopefully I can work with something.

It's a core group five hero story, styled in "magical girls" as the group is composed of 4 main girls (with a 5th near the end) though instead of everyone is magical, everyone has one different source of powers.

Katelyn - Source: Humanity - Officer Kate is a police officer in her 30's; when the demons starts attacking humanity, she is chosen to use the power suit created to destroy them...lots of bullets, punching, and chain saws.

Jasmine - Source: Magic - age 14, she is the typical magical archetype, included with a mascot (a dog stuffed animal named Woofus -Woof!+Rufus) The demons had already destroyed the magical land that Woofus has come from, which the queen of said land had sent him to find a warrior to stop the demons.

"Sarah" - Source: Monster - age: unknown, the villain of the first book, she was supposedly destroyed by Jasmine and Officer Kate teaming up, but she awakens in a human form with no memory after being saved by a young man that found her. Living as a human, she begins to find the life something she wants and so when she does regain her memories, she chooses to fight for mankind's sake. As a demon, she can only eat human flesh, but to fight she chooses to become a cannibal and devour other demons...through this process, her powers begin to mutate, but she is slowly losing her mind as she chooses not to eat humans.

When waking up with amnesia, Sarah was the only name she remembered. It was the name of a human she had eaten.

Noir Schwarz - source: Alien - age: none, disguised as a human, Noir is an alien from a planet of darkness that exists on the edge of the universe, in a place where no light can reach it. Her race is a type that goes to other planets to help from the shadows, she has came to earth to fight the demons before they become a threat to universe.

The fifth character will be the physical embodiment of Earth itself, fighting for it's own life. She holds aggression towards Jasmine and Kate as humanity itself is also destroying the world. Throughout most of the series, she works as a third party, most of the time coming to head with not only the demons, but the other 4 women as well.


I'm only at concept for now.

[Krutch]

Just finished a first draft of a thriller/slasher. It was my first time writing something with a partner; we work well together, but some of his dialogue gives me the cringe. Biting my tongue until we start the second draft :P

[Allio]

another book series I have been tweeking with, it's magical girl inspired. Essentially, a prophecy exists about the final battle between light and darkness. If darkness wins, life will returned to the nothing ness and be reborn; if light wins, everything will burn away and be born again like a pheonix. essentially, whoever wins, we're *ucked

The story itself is about 2 sisters, a pair of twins. 1 girl is black, the other is white. They are kidnapped by a cult and recreated to be the incarnation of light and darkness. The white twin becomes the child of darkness, while the black twin becomes the being of light.

[Utrommaniac]

Ceres, PrincessUtorm, and I are in development on an Professor Obligado centered fan comic. The basic plot is that he, accompanied a beatnik-hippie linguist named Nalmar- goes across Utrominion searching for fragments of an an ancient tablet that was looted from an archeological site and scattered by the black market, in hopes of bringing it together and hopefully translating the as of yet unknown script.

The main idea though, is to explore Utrominion and Utrom society in a way that hasn't been fully examined. It combines universes, though is mostly a Mirage + IDW mix.

It would be done as a webcomic and posted a page at a time...once we have the whole story worked out. We'll take turns doing the art, but I'm mostly responsible for scripting, color, and adding text.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

That sounds interesting Utie. I want to see a link when you start getting it up! I love exploring side stories like that, and seeing the details of the "worlds" that different characters come from in various franchises whether it is the planet of the Utroms, elven culture in a fantasy series, or the history of Krypton or Atlantis.

[BubblyShell22]

Yeah, that does sound cool.

Been working on my own stuff though I'll have limited time. It is a good way to relieve the stress and for me to relax a bit as I did have a busy day today.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Spent the weekend working on the newest chapter of LIS, and managed to crank out three and a half pages. Go me! The chapter is coming along really well and it should be up soon. Can't wait to unleash this one!

[BubblyShell22]

Just posted up another chapter of a TMNT fan fic today. I'm so happy I was able to finish it and post it.

[Krutch]

God, I hate writing loglines. Hate it, hate it, hate it. It's definitely an art on its own, one of which I have zero talent for :lol:

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Amid all the fanfic in here, I'll just pop on to say I've finished the first round of editing on my original sci-fi novel and am waiting on confirmation from my final desired beta writer before sending out my novel for formal review. Finished the first draft of the novel back around Thanksgiving, 500+ pages.

[Krutch]

Congrats, man! Thats a huge accomplishment you only get with some serious determination and discipline. You should be proud :)

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Geez Cylons you are making us look bad lol!

[Ceres]

Aside of working with Utrommaniac and PrincessUtrom on our little webcomic thingy i work on two stories actually.

One is centered around after Season 10 of the original TMNT cartoon and heavily focused on the whereabouts of Shredder and Krang.

The other one are more small stories with different characters and a few TMNT IDW bits, mostly Utrom related but not entirely :) I also work on a mirage verse with Leatherhead, Dr.Xeinos, Glurin and Donatello which is pretty good in work so far.

Hope i can finish all that and that i will find readers aside from my above mentioned two friends. *nods*

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Geez Cylons you are making us look bad lol!

Congrats, man! Thats a huge accomplishment you only get with some serious determination and discipline. You should be proud :)

Thanks, guys. :tgrin:

[MsMarvelDuckie]

You're welcome man. I would love to read it when it's finished. I know how much of an achievement it is to complete a full novel. I have several in the works myself as you know. I really should get back on my Darksong trilogy.....)

[Krutch]

Has anyone ever used The Black List (https://blcklst.com)?

I paid to have my slasher script critiqued. Apparently it usually takes about 2 weeks before someone even downloads it and begins to critique it but mine was downloaded twice within 4 hours of posting it so I'm hoping that means the premise is sellable.

The Ones That Got Away
Slasher, Thriller
The sole survivor of a camp ground massacre, a young woman joins a support group of other Survivor Girls only to find themselves once again fighting for their lives when a killer from their past comes back to finish the job.

I hate writing loglines but that's what I settled with.

Anyone else have an experience with that site?

[Krutch]

Well, we got our first review back for The Ones That Got Away and the results were... pretty much what we were expecting. I'll put any ego aside and paste it below to anyone interested in what a Black List review looks like :P

=====


Strengths
Overall, this feels like a throwback to the mid-90s Kevin Williamson's films including the opening which throws the reader into a camp ground massacre. In a good, old-fashioned slasher sequence; the victims are slaughtered at the mercy of a masked killer with a machete forcing Rachel to step up in order to live. As a sole survivor, she suddenly finds herself in a sensitive situation which is why Heather's support group becomes a sense of comfort for her. Together, they share the unique bond of being the only survivors of brutal killings which makes for an interesting conceit. While the execution is not there yet; the layering in of Liam Leyfield as a red herring creates an added dimension to the story. There are some strong, campy death scenes that should appease fans of the slasher genre. Even though the script could feel more updated; the tone does remain consistent and steady throughout the three acts.

Weaknesses
The narrative needs to do a better job creating some plot misdirects otherwise the reader might start to suspect Rachel early on as being the killer. The one device that seems somewhat convincing is the old tape footage at the end since this is really the only time she is in the room with the others while the killer is there too. Otherwise, some of the plotting could be too leading. Additionally, while her underlying motivation might be well-intended by the end; it does not feel justified yet on the page. Instead, her turn feels manufactured even with her speech. While the twist can be applauded creatively, this still needs to organically payoff especially since she is the protagonist which could feel like a cheat. Moreover, continue to flush out the characters so that they feel more dimensional. For example, both Kara and Jake are too cliche, serving a single purpose. The Detectives also need to feel more contemporary and proactive. They tend to be one step behind while ultimately failing to fulfill an authentic authority role in the narrative. They should be digging up more intel to help divert the reader in a more convincing way. Finally, some of the dialogue feels too expositional in trying to get out information.

Prospects
THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY plays around with an interesting conceit that still incorporates many of the old school slasher tropes. While the campy tone might appease die hard fans of the genre; the script could use some further development before likely warranting serious consideration. Even with the high-concept premise, the script is still execution dependent to truly catch the eye of a producer or financier. With that said, the script manages to stay relatively contained which should keep the budget low that will make the overall project more attractive. The script also recognizes its demo.

=====

That's basically it. We know slasher scripts are, despite their popularity, still seen as the worst form of genre writing and we weren't expecting high praise, so, this feels about right. I agree with about 75 percent of what was said but disagree on how they insisted the tone was "campy" and that Kara wasn't a deep enough character(Jake, on the other hand, was definitely the case.) I'm assuming this goes back to the whole stigma of writing a slasher movie in the first place.

Personally, I love how the first praise mentioned how was it felt like mid-90s Kevin Williamson fare seeing as that was exactly what we were aiming for. We eve had it set in the 90s in an earlier draft to hammer that home but went against it for the draft we submitted.

Anyways, thought I'd share that. Thanks for listening to me prattle on :tgrin:

[Krutch]

Got back our second review... This one scored a bit better :)

Strengths
This script is grounded in a violent and frequently left of center take on its thriller/horror elements. Early on, a masked killer goes on a spree killing a bunch of people but Rachel overcomes him and slams a machete on the man to stop him. It's visceral. Later on, Rachel and the other surviving women set a trap to catch the killer. Then when the killer shows up, they realize the cameras they have set up aren't "live." It's a really solid twist. These kinds of beats give the piece some verve. Rachel is also an engaging character. Her final twist is uneven but she is enjoyable overall. Early on, she's hesitant to join Heather's group despite her trauma. Later, she tells Jake they can't be together even though he's been knifed. She says it would be an imitation. Overall, she's a believable and sharp survivor. The script can also be quite funny. At one point, Jake talks about becoming a high-functioning stoner. Later, Hannah talks to Kat and encourages the woman with a story about her decapitating a sociopath. These beats give the piece some personality.

Weaknesses
As engaging as Rachel is, the final twist of her being the killer is somewhat uneven. On the one hand, it's a genuine surprise and it is exciting. However, her psychology feels by the numbers. She gives extensive monologues about how others deserve to die and detailing her warped ideology. She feels a little cliched in her execution as a killer. The horror/elements are also generally strong but there are the occasional elements that feel a little rote for the genre. At one point, Hannah tells Tony she saw the killer and he (at least initially) doesn't believe her. At one point, Kat says that they stand united and divided they fall. After Paige dies, it's clear that the Survivor Girls are dying one by one. These beats are a little expected for a horror movie. There are also a certain amount of typographical errors. These tend to be off-putting for industry professionals and should be avoided.

Prospects
Horror movies are often broadly popular within a younger demographic. Not only that, this script would be inexpensive to produce and could be made independently. With a sharper take on its final twist, this really could have solid prospects.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Well now I want to read your script, dangnabbit. :trazz:

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Ooh, me too!

Okay so I've almost reached the "surprise" twist in the final battle, where Leo Raph and Don (together with Leatherhead) have stormed the Technodrome to rescue Mikey and their clan's new kunoichi (aka Mikey's girlfriend). After fighting their way through several waves of Foot soldiers and various other threats, they finally reach the portal room to face off against the sinister pair we all know and love (to hate!). Except Mikey is still MIA. And they won't be pleased with what happens when they finally reunite with him and Orlene. Let's just say there will be some unforseen consequences to his deal with Krang....

Now for the downside. I'm a bit stuck on how the scene between him and his brothers will play out. On one hand it is going to get REALLY ugly REALLY fast. On the other- the heroine has NO part in the proceedings (except as a "bystander") until the very end. She simply CAN'T interfere or even speak or move at all. (This is what happens when you get taken out of the battle almost as soon as it begins.) What vexes me is how to get things to fit smoothly. Mikey comes in after she is sidelined, so he knows nothing about what happened. LH is too busy dealing with other problems to help, and Raph and Leo BOTH have no luck at all where their brother is concerned. Don doesn't fare much better, since he was the main reason Mikey went to such lengths to begin with. There is a lot of bad blood brewing and Leo and Don are at the root of it all, for different reasons.

[Krutch]

Well now I want to read your script, dangnabbit. :trazz:
Ooh, me too!
I don't mind sharing if you're interested in actually reading it :lol: PM me for a copy.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Krutch, I must say, that after reading that script, I really like what you guys have done here. Some fun tropes used, and a neat twist that was both interesting and felt natural for the story. Kudos, and I really hope you can get it made!

On another note:
After weeks spent hammering out the details, I FINALLY managed to post the newest chapter of LIS! Unfortunately, it proved to be so long I had to break it into two chapters, and the second is almost finished, but still needs to be brought to a head. So the "surprise" will have to remain just that for a bit longer. However, I've tightened up the battle(s) to flow better as the boys and Leatherhead make their way through the Technodrome, and we get to see a little more of Leo's perspective on things. Leatherhead acts as a bit of a sounding board for the brothers' opinions, so there is some dramatic tension amid the running battle, too.

I'm really excited for the second part, which has Shredder giving Leonardo an ultimatum- he must accept an "honorable" duel to the death, or lose BOTH his brother and kunoichi! What happens next will shake them all to the core.....

[Krutch]

Krutch, I must say, that after reading that script, I really like what you guys have done here. Some fun tropes used, and a neat twist that was both interesting and felt natural for the story. Kudos, and I really hope you can get it made!

Thanks! Again, super appreciate the feedback. Made some adjustments based on it and we found an agent who's shipping it around while we work on other projects. So, fingers crossed on that.

In the meantime, my friend did me a solid and made two poster mock ups for the pitch package. We really wanted to capture that 90s slasher feel.

http://i64.tinypic.com/awqi9.png

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Wow that's great! I'm really glad to hear that and I hope someone picks it up quickly. This NEEDS to happen!

[Allio]

So after all the fanfiction writing I have been doing, I've finally started getting around to working on my own original book.

Wishing Star

Basically it's a Novella series where it's Fairy Tales meets Battle Royale

the main character is this young woman, she has a "light at the end of the tunne" experience and she is given a little "Pinocchio" doll by the Blue Fairy

We find out that the Pinocchio doll is unstable as the wishing star inside of it didn't merge with it correctly, as the wish to give life was fulfilled.

Fairy Tale characters are coming into our world because of the Grimmnoir (bad pun, I know) and coming here in order to destroy this Pinocchio character and take the wishing star itself to make their own wishes (the first book is about The Beast from Beauty and the Beast)

So while trying to find out her past and her connection to this young puppet, the main lead has to protect her from the darkness and let nothing snuff out her light.

The woman and puppet has a mother/daughter relationship through the seiries

the main theme going on is: Acceptance

[Krutch]

Very cool idea, Allio :) Lots of originality brought forth. Good luck with it!

(And never, ever apologize for bad puns.)

[Allio]

Yeah, I have a lot.

Just this morning I came up with a story idea that pits together Cyberpunk and Fairytales; a type of future meets past.

I think I want to call it "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" as a joke/reference to "Ghost in the Shell" (I was watching Gits when the idea came to me.)

Then I think I might want to do a battleroyale, but the twist being that the competitors are ghosts, and those "killed" are brought back to life for better or worst

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Finally got the new chapter almost wrapped. Donatello does something unexpected but oddly logical, and there will be drama, tension, humor, and heavy emotion all in one scene. This is going to be the climax readers have waited for!

[DisKosh]

Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Cylons! Best wishes and I hope the feedback's positive! :)

I don't really write fanfiction, I always hear people belittling fanfic writers saying that it's easy but I disagree. I really struggle with writing stories set in someone else's universe, I find it easier to create my own.

Having said that I have written a few fanfictions for Hunchback of Notre Dame (novel), Frankenstein (also novel) and Babylon 5 plus a poem based on The Little Match Girl.

As for original fiction, I have waaaay too many ideas. I started a novel and it became a series, I've got ideas for several spin offs and several separate ideas. It's a hard time trying to keep focus.

On top of this, I always come up with an ongoing story that I tell myself before I sleep. I don't write this one down as it's personal, but features at least one character who is vulnerable and at least one person who befriends/mentors them. I find the vulnerable character (who I will tell, you is often constructed from dead bodies, inspired by Frankenstein's Creature) becomes the vessel for all the negative emotions I experience during the day and the story as a whole constructs a safe space in which I can express them and get guidance through my characters.

[Krutch]

I submitted my pilot "Undertow" to Black List. I'll post the results when they come back. I'm a little torn about this one. I have a feeling they're going to tear it a new one but on the other hand, Undertow is exactly the kind of show I feel like I'm designed to write for. It's in the same vein as Buffy and Smallville with more of an X-Files vibe on the horror.

So, we'll have to see how it goes. Fingers crossed for good feedback.

(I also submitted to an agency. Hoping that goes well, too)

[Krutch]

Got my first critique on Undertow. It's not as bad as I was dreading but I was still hoping for a little bit better. This is my baby, after all :P I'll post it below to anyone curious.

=====


Strengths
This is an incredibly unique world and premise for a pilot, and Astrid is a layered, young female protagonist. One of the coolest things going for the script is how we see Astrid go from a thieving vagabond in the beginning to a more humbled and good-willed young woman. Obviously she also gains some very interesting superpowers, but the parallel arc surrounding her emotional growth is tracked very well. The relationship that Astrid has with Sam is endearing. It's a perfect set up, for Sam's character, that we know he lost a daughter (because we saw it happen). Astrid fills a void that is missing in his life, and their interactions always feel organic and full of tension, yet containing some mutual respect. The plot takes a thoughtful turn when we see Odell swoop into Sam's life as well. This idea of having both Sam and Odell influencing this orphaned, now special, young girl is an exciting bit of drama to add to the premise. The sci-fi/fantasy aspects to this project don't come off as derivative within the genre whatsoever. Travis is a creepy antagonist, and definitely keeps the audience on their toes, across each act, as it's never that predictable that he would ever be able to be defeated. The little twist with Emma, when we get the hint of the parasite entering her, is an impactful subplot/cliff hanger to open up.

Weaknesses
The teaser is pretty heavy handed right now, and could use for some shortening. As it is, this is a bit of a slow paced pilot, and adjusting the long teaser, and cutting back on some of the overwritten conversations will speed up the story, and make it come off as more suspenseful and polished. Cutting a few pages in length shouldn't be too difficult as there is room to trim from the teaser, in particular. Consider showing less of these characters, in the past, before the tsunami, and looking for a more efficient way to develop their characters early on. All of the opening in the past, and then the entire addition of the Travis versus Chad and Vikki sequence, takes too long to get through. It would be interesting to get a more substantiated subplot out of Sam. His relationship to Astrid opens up some great potential for the series, but getting to know his character a little more, and what some of his motivations and personality traits are, would give the audience more to engage with. The twists at the end with Odell knowing more than we thought works, but his character is also coming off as pretty one noted. Try to go in and show him interacting with more characters (than there already are) in this world, to improve his subplot and set up for the finale even better.

Prospects
This is an impressive pilot, due to the unique premise and the overall natural screenwriting ability when it comes to character development and dialogue. The plot, in the 1st-final acts is paced pretty well, but the teaser is tedious in its current state. It would be interesting to see even more of the setting shown in this pilot. Having the characters interact with more people in the town, outside of their group, to show the overall state of the town, would be interesting to see. The town is such a major mystery and like the bible notes, also works as a character in itself. With that in mind, dive further into the development of the setting to give an even clearer understanding for how this place looks and feels. The budget would need to be pretty big to pull this off, but it does a great job of combining the superhero, drama, and sci-fi genres. At the very least, with some tweaks to the weaknesses, this script should prove to be a strong writing sample.

=====

I still have another review coming at some point, so when I get that back, I'll post it here as well.

Thinking about the weaknesses listed here... I kind of agree. I always knew the Teaser was a bit overstuffed; I just thought I managed it as well as I could have. Maybe getting rid of Gavin's scenes would help pick up the pace. I could get rid of Odell's as well but I feel like he's too important to the story to just make it about Sam exclusively. I also wanted the time-jump to the present to establish the teen tone of the story since there's none of that going on in the pre-tsunami scenes.

Still... they make some good points. Hmm.

Fingers crossed for a better review next time.

[Krutch]

Small update: An anonymous industry reader decided to read and rate Undertow, putting it in the top ten screenplays of the month, which lands it on the front page. Huzzah me...!

The other paid reading just downloaded it today, so I should probably get my next review within the week.

[Krutch]

Aaaand my second review is in, which doesn't help me, since it pretty much the exact opposite review of the last one. Great :roll:

=====


Strengths
The pilot introduces a stimulating concept centered around the experience of a young outsider as she acclimates to a strange, coastal community and the mysteries that seem to be drawn to the shore. The cast is diverse and large, providing ample narrative potential for future episodes and deeper exploration into the pilot's offbeat location. The world itself is original and strikingly unafraid of combining genres in an interesting, surprising way: from mystery to fantasy, from horror to superpowers, the premise prides itself on an expansive world capable of supporting numerous realities.

Weaknesses
The pilot is off to a solid start but requires further development before it will jump off the page as a successful product. Most notably, the script is overwritten and struggles to maintain momentum under the weight of unnecessary descriptive sections and scenes that carry on long past their usefulness. Taking a pass to streamline the pilot, focusing on maintaining only that which clearly establishes the world, characters, or central plot, will better help distill the writer's intention. Overall, the characters are underdeveloped. Because of the large ensemble and the mysterious nature of the plot, an editing pass to ensure characters are memorable and compelling will help sustain audience interest.

Prospects
This project has much potential after a few creative tweaks are ironed out. As mentioned above, the writer consciously creates a diverse world led by a strong, young female protagonist. The budget needed to produce this show could be expected to hover high above average, taking into account the various special effects demanded by the premise. This project would do well to target Streaming Platforms like Netflix.


=====

This feedback doesn't help me at all. Now I'm frustrated.

Awesome kick off to a Friday night :ohwell:

[MsMarvelDuckie]

So I FINALLY finished up the new chapter of Love Is Shell, which was a monster to write. Climaxes are always tough, and fight scenes are hard enough even when it's NOT the "ultimate showdown" of the story. Hopefully I managed to make it exciting enough and threw in enough surprises that it won't be too predictable or bland.

Here's a link for those interested:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9377718/32/Love-Is-Shell

[BubblyShell22]

I'm starting to read the latest chapter and it's awesome so far, Duckie, though I haven't even finished it yet and it may take me some time to do so. But it's good so far.

I FINALLY have Game of Lies fully outlined so all I have to do is type chapters up and post them. I have seven up so far and hope to get more up as time and other stories permit as I have others I want to work on as well. I am also in the process of doing a fourth story in the series called After the Lies that takes place five years after Game of Lies ends so I can't wait to get that up and running. Still working on it though.

[Krutch]

So we've had The Ones That Got Away in the running over at Dimension Films and it finally just fell through. Honestly, Dimension was kind of the Hail Mary pass so just to see it make it all the way to the head offices and be in talks with them the past few weeks has been awesome. The fact they were seriously considering it for a theatrical release shows it can likely sell elsewhere. We've reached out to a name director we know who has promised to take a look at it next month when he's out of post production. In the meantime, the rights have reverted back to us, so we're playing the pitching game again. Yaaaaay.

Also about 55 pages into my next screenplay, Ethan and the Eight Legs. I'm writing this one just for myself though; have zero plans on ever filming it. Just something to keep my mind creatively active.

How's everyone else doing?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Going well! Just posted the next chapter of Love Is Shell on Sunday. It was another from Don's POV, where he has a heart-to-heart with Mikey on the Astral plane. Their issues with each other finally get resolved, leaving Leo as the only one left with a rift to mend with Mikey. I'm already started on the last(?) chapter before the epilog. But I have a second tale in the works, this time featuring Bishop, the Mutanimals, and some faces both new and old. (Hint- "Lady Shredder" makes her debut!!) Someone is out to destroy the Hamato clan in the name of vengence- this time PUBLICLY!!

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Okay I have a problem. I am trying to introduce my version of the Mutanimals for the chapter I am working on, and I need some input. I have Hob and Rockwell so far; Slash and Leatherhead were already introduced earlier and will join them later. But I need four mutants that I can add to the group. I have Alopex, Sally, Herman, Mondo, and Man-Ray as possible additions. Does anyone have any other suggestions or ideas which of the ones name I should go with? Mona Lisa is already joining the turtle clan (as Raph's mate) so I'm not sure if Alopex would fit the direction of the story but I DO want at least one more female mutant. I just don't plan on having her in a relationship with Raph as seems to be the norm. This version of the Mutanimals will be a bit like the IDW version in their outlook but also sort of a "hero" team like in Nick. Help! I'm wracking my brain on who to use!!

[DestronMirage22]

Okay I have a problem. I am trying to introduce my version of the Mutanimals for the chapter I am working on, and I need some input. I have Hob and Rockwell so far; Slash and Leatherhead were already introduced earlier and will join them later. But I need four mutants that I can add to the group. I have Alopex, Sally, Herman, Mondo, and Man-Ray as possible additions. Does anyone have any other suggestions or ideas which of the ones name I should go with? Mona Lisa is already joining the turtle clan (as Raph's mate) so I'm not sure if Alopex would fit the direction of the story but I DO want at least one more female mutant. I just don't plan on having her in a relationship with Raph as seems to be the norm. This version of the Mutanimals will be a bit like the IDW version in their outlook but also sort of a "hero" team like in Nick. Help! I'm wracking my brain on who to use!!

If all you want is a female mutant there are a couple options. You could usd Koya, but seeing as how she's mostly a villain it might not work. There's also Mezcaal, future Raph's wife from Archie. She's kind of a blank slate, so you could use her for whatever you have in mind. Then there's Venus, but I'm not sure you'd want to use her. :lol:

Other mutants you could use are Ace Duck, Muckman, classic members: Mondo Gecko, Dreadmon, Jagwar (you could also use the new female version of him), and Wingnut/Screwloose, just to name a few.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Hmm. Well I actually need four mutants- for a scene where the turtles have just (spoiler alert!) killed Saki and are basically ransacking the Technodrome. As I said I want at least one to be female- I don't really know enough about Jagwar or Mezcal to have any clue where they might fit in. I already have two cats, with Hob in the Mutanimals and eventually Tiger Claw as an enemy. Sally I can at least get a feel for, but I think I'm leaning toward Alopex in spite of the potential for fan shipping.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Okay, need some feedback before I go all-in here. For the scene I'm doing, which involves Leo, Leatherhead, and Mikey's "girlfriend" finding a lab full of mutants Shredder had created (with Tokka, Rahzar, and Slash tagging along after learning of their "boss"'s death- I'm using the TMNT II versions of Tokka and Rahzar as being very young) and so far I have Hob, Rockwell, and I've decided on Alopex as a third- mainly because I had already hinted at her in an earlier scene with Shredder commenting on turning the OC into a fox. Still need three more mutants in the lab, so how do Mondo, Herman and Koya sound? After thinking on it, Koya could make an interesting addition, replacing Pete as aerial support, especially if I tweak her background.

[BubblyShell22]

I've never heard of Koya, but I think that would work if you want to use her as an addition because it would give some variety in using familiar faces and not so familiar faces to the group.

As for my muses, they just haven't been on par as of late and I'm just not in the mood to write at the moment though I know I have to get the latest chapter of Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy up soon in case there's a new episode on Sunday. I blame it on real life and not being able to read stories for the time being due to that video thing on FF. So frustrating! It will come back to me though. I know it will as I already have an idea for the latest Tales chapter. I just have to get the motivation to write it.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

She is the falcon henchmutant from IDW. One of Shredder's followers along with the hammerhead shark Bludgeon. But I was thinking that with few adjustmenta to her background she could be pretty cool as a Mutanimal.

[Utrommaniac]

Duckie helped me a little bit with this issue, but I've run into another.

I'm working an Obligado fanfiction where he helps a linguist translate an ancient Utrom text that will potentially decide the existence of a leader, who is in aggressive debate on if he's real or mythical.

It's all an excuse for them to explore Utrominion, but there's one big problem I have:

Why would an archaeologist be attending a linguist on something that should be all on her? And then there's little filler issues I'm having trouble with as well. I have ideas for locations, but having a reason for them being there isn't doing well for me.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Still wrestling with that one? I can relate. Between the current scene grinding to a halt, and the next story being largely dependant on the characters I introduce here, I am a bit stuck myself.

I think an archeologist helping makes sense, as most archeologists also study anient languages of the cultures they study in their career. An Egyptologist for instance would need to be able to read the hieroglyphs so having him there could help just by having a second set of eyes to help translate.

[Utrommaniac]

But I don't think they'd be travelling with the linguist to the nearest speakers of the language they're trying to translate. The only reason I can come up with is that Nalmar would either invite him along, or he just wants to meet the Cavern Utroms for the first time, or maybe even both.

Then there's the issue of actually building their relationship to its peak, especially with their difference in age.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Hmm. I like both reasons for having him along. Maybe she invites him with meeting them as her "hook"? And as for the age difference, maybe she could see him as someone she admires/secretly has feelings for and that could be her "real" reason for inviting him to begin with? Perhaps she sees him as an older and wiser male mentor figure and a more experienced companion. If he is largely unaware of her feelings, she might use the trip as a means to get closer while he tries to figure out why she asked him to come. Just a thought anyway. But it could add a lot of emotional depth for both.

[Utrommaniac]

Well, they would have literally just met when they start the trip, and it's definitely something I want to build over time. She even has a one-night stand with someone at some point, but I'm not sure how that location fits in the story at this point, since they're not collecting parts of a broken tablet anymore.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

PM me with more details; maybe I can offer some ideas.

[BubblyShell22]

She is the falcon henchmutant from IDW. One of Shredder's followers along with the hammerhead shark Bludgeon. But I was thinking that with few adjustmenta to her background she could be pretty cool as a Mutanimal.

Yeah, she does sound cool so I definitely think you should use her.

[BubblyShell22]

Just finished writing the latest chapter of Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy. Hope to get it posted this weekend.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Okay so I THINK I have all the wrinkles ironed out on the Mutanimals issue. I came up with a new character to add to the team, and wanted some feedback on him. His name is Eric Allen (half-brother of the recently murdered scientist Chet) and he is a raven. The backstory will be that he was working with his brother on the exo-suit Shredder stole, and ended up being abducted at some point after the Stock-Tronics incident. He was mutated as punishment when he refused to cooperate, and has been held captive with the other mutants Shredder was creating. He will be called Corvos as a nickname later on.

Character-wise, he is clever and intuitive, curious and mischievous, but also cunning and shrewd when in difficult situations. He is also deeply spiritual, with a strong moral compass and sense of compassion and responsibility toward those around him. His background includes being raised in Native American culture traditions by his mother(Radical maybe?) with a leaning toward shamanic practices along with his interest in science. Sort of the opposite view of Donatello on matters regarding the two- he sees them being in harmony.

So what do you guys think? Cool or no?

[BubblyShell22]

I think it's very cool, Duckie, and I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Just posted a new story called Mind Games and am working on an update for The Pizza Delivery Boy and the Phoenix.

[Utrommaniac]

I'm considering something for my fanfiction, but I'm not sure where the information in it should be revealed or even how to hint at it.

[BubblyShell22]

What did you have in mind for it?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I'm plotting out a new fic, dealing with a possible origin for Splinter. It involves a bit of a crossover with The Secret of NIMH. I'm working out how a rat from NIMH ended up as a pet in Japan.....

[Utrommaniac]

What did you have in mind for it?

It's in my story about Professor Obligado. I'm considering the idea that his mother died a few weeks before the story's start, leaving him without either of his parents, and he's trying to cope. I'm not sure if that'll work in the story's setting, but it might drive him to "stretch his consciousness across a black hole's event horizon to remember his birth", as was mentioned in his first mini issue.

I'm plotting out a new fic, dealing with a possible origin for Splinter. It involves a bit of a crossover with The Secret of NIMH. I'm working out how a rat from NIMH ended up as a pet in Japan.....

That...actually brings a whole lot more sense to Splinter's Mirage origins...

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Yeah I came up with the idea a few months ago after a rewatch of the NIMH movie. If nothing else it would explain how he could live so long in the original comics (and could learn nnjutsu from watching his owner....)

[BubblyShell22]

Utie, I think that would work so you should go for it.

Duckie, that would actually make sense if done right. I haven't seen the movie in a while but I do have the book and have read it so I definitely know the story. You could probably do a good job with it so go for it.

Just posted a new fan fic called Tales from the Other Side of the City which is another crossover of my Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy universe and Illusionna's The Other Side of the City universe. It's mostly a side story to The Pizza Delivery Boy and the Phoenix and is more of a slice of life type of thing with little side stories to make things more fun.

[Utrommaniac]

Well, I have gone into a direction with my TMNT take that I think I wouldn't go with. But I like it!

At first, I didn't think I'd have the Malignoids involved at all, as I wasn't sure what to do with them. Then, combining Stranger Things Mind Flayer and suddenly remembering that this awfulness exists (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fungus-makes-zombie-ants/) finally gave me an idea for a central conflict.

I didn't want to go into the "Good Must Triumph Over Evil™" thing that most TMNT stories do (except maybe Mirage?), and instead look at all the grays. Or at the very least, the cruelty of nature barging into the complicated matters of inter-political issues and worsening them.

Those issues being the Utroms and Triceratons blaming each other for the fungus' existence, Maligna in anguish and not caring where it came from, and the Neutrinos trying to keep everyone from firing on each other again. Eventually humans get dragged in, though some are more aware than others, and that's how the turtles would finally exist.

All because some big space bugs got zombified by mushrooms.


However, I'm not presenting it in a linear fashion. Rather, in more of a Tales of the TMNT format with the stories scattered around and exchanged with other ideas. The main story would be swapped intermittently with a little kick of something different. Professor Obligado in his youth. Mozar's sister learning something she shouldn't and ultimately being exiled for it. An Utrom Aristocrat rebelling against her grandparents and the aristocracy as a whole after she has a tragedy. The two of them becoming close friends in spite of their people being on edge with each other. April's history. How April's grandparents met. Casey's history. Casey trying to find his long-lost sister.

Lots of stuff. And with snippets of world building, original character profiles, and species profiles.

It just seems to be easier for me to do it that way.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Those sound like some interesting ideas. I'd love to see how it all pans out. Meanwhile, I'm stuck again, having a bit of difficulty with a scene where Mikey and "Corvos" are talking while they are going down to raid the Technodrome's armory for equipment to use in their defense against Bishop. The conversation revolves around the conflict between Mikey and Leo over his deal with Krang and how Leo feels about Mikey's desire to be "normal". I wanted to show their argument from an outsider's perspective, but I'm having some difficulty finding Corvos's "voice".

[Allio]

Working on a book called "BeastByte" the idea is essentially a deconstruction of "fantasy" type of stories like Monster High/My Little Pony/Once Upon a Zombie/Enchantimals.

Using a setting from an old manga I read long ago, humans are being born from animals (like a lion having a human daughter; or a snake) though in the reverse of films like "once upon a forest" where animals are personified; these "humans" have very animal traits; if their animal counterparts do a thing, they can do the thing.

Say Muis, child of the mouse, has babies, there is a strong possibility she would eat her babies. Mice are monsters.

Now the joke in this series series is simple. While everything in this world is explain (like how many animals that aren't apart of the same ecosystem living together) the joke is "how did animals skip x generations of evolution for a snake to have a human child" and the answer is "*uck you, that's why" which again relates back to series like Alvin and chipmunks whom are supposedly animals but look 98% human.

Then the fantasy is broken even more as I introduce actual humans

[Krutch]

Sweet mercy this downtime is killing me.

I'll be brief.

The show I was working on wrapped back in late August. I was told if we come back for a second season, I'd be brought into the writers room. I was also told we'd be premiering early December, and we'd know within the first three weeks whether we're coming back for season 2, at which time the writers would begin immediately.

The producers for this show also have a different show which they shot at the same time we shot our show. Right before December came around, they decided to swap the premiere dates, so that show has now premiered while ours won't until early April.

During this time, I did odd jobs here and there but nothing that would keep me contractually obligated in the event our show comes back for a second season. This is all to say I've had a long, long, long boring bout of unemployment the past few months, and it's driving me a little insane.

In regards to writing, with this downtime I was able to finish a feature script, a pilot, and am in the midst of writing my first comedy feature. I also just started John Truby's The Anatomy of Story, which has been fantastic.

Anyway, just wanted to post something here before this thread gets lost to the ages. I hope everyone else is still going strong and generating some content you're happy with.

Here's to a productive year, fellas :tcool:

[ZariusTwo]

While I'm usually a fanfic guy, I managed to write at least a few original pieces lately.


In regards to writing, with this downtime I was able to finish a feature script, a pilot, and am in the midst of writing my first comedy feature. I also just started John Truby's The Anatomy of Story, which has been fantastic.

Awesome to hear how busy you're keeping yourself. Sounds like you've got a lot of energy to cope with a workload like that, so push ahead.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Haven't had a lot of time, energy, or motivation for writing lately, to be honest. Work has been leaving me so tired from long hours that when I get home I am just mentally drained. But I did finally manage to iron out most of the kinks in the scene I've been struggling with, so hopefully I will have it finished tomorrow. I hope everyone checks it out and leaves some input!

[ZariusTwo]

I've decided to do some adaptation work for my next few 'fics. It allows me to "improve" on a classic episode with original dialogue and reworked scenes, plus it doesn't tax me out creatively conjuring up an entirely original plot.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

As I had hoped, yesterday I actually got a lot done, nearly three pages in fact. However, it has become clear that I need to split the chapter up, because it is running much longer than I expected.

[Utrommaniac]

I've come to some weird places in my writing....some of which might be related in my screwed up circadian rhythm.

Lots of ideas, but not really sure what to write down.

And plot holes

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I loathe plot holes with a passion. I try to fix them whenever I see them pop up in my tales, even if it's something as simple as a date not lining up, or a minor detail that contradicts something else. I'm big on keeping track of minor stuff, and going back over the story to see if it needs adjusting anywhere. Hoping to finally get the rest of that chapter hammered out today, and posted if possible. My net tether has been acting up and I don't know why- keeps saying I have no connection even though it lets me post here, but nowhere else....

[Utrommaniac]

My other big thing is keeping particular ideas together and making them fit into each other.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Yes, so true. Sometimes just getting the ideas to work together is the hardest part.

That said, I have an idea for a funny scene. Mikey making spaghetti and Klunk knock the bowl over on top of himself, getting spaghetti stuck to his fur and flying through the lair in a panic, tracking sauce and flinging noodles everywhere as he goes. When asked what's going on, Mikey jokingly calls him the "Flying Spa-kitty Monster".

[Utrommaniac]

That would probably be best in comic form :lol: .

Tying two seemingly unrelated plots together is something I'm struggling with, though.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Lol I'd loved for someone to illustrate it! But I plan to put it in my sequel to LIS. It's goint to be a very serious tale, so a bit of well-placed comedy might help to lighten it up a bit. Plus, it's just such a fun idea I HAVE to use it!!

[Utrommaniac]

Once again, I think I might have to do a PM-pow wow to line up exactly what my problems are...since I don't want to say too much. I want a sense of some author integrity :P

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Pow-wow away. :tsmile:

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Finally got that pesky chapter that was giving me such a hard time up and posted! Now I just need to polish up the second half and post that. Had to break it in half, but I think it will work better this way. Plus, Corvos has now been introduced to the world!

[GoldMutant]

My first "official" script is finished now for the contest I am entering.

[Papenbrook]

My first "official" script is finished now for the contest I am entering.

Congratulations, GoldMutant! I hope that you'll win! :D

[Krutch]

My first "official" script is finished now for the contest I am entering.

Congrats and best of luck!!

[Allio]

Been working on my first book "BeastByte" subtitled "Animal Fantasy"

I'm kind of at that point where i need to explain the whole world without making it sound like an exposition dump

[Allio]

been putting my stuff on Webnovel (at least until i get it up and running physically)

Fairytales from a Black Heart

https://www.webnovel.com/book/15530640905775405/Fairy-Tales-from-a-Black-Heart

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Finished my eighth novel over Christmas day. Will begin editing next week, with aid of beta readers.

Also published three of my previous novels onto Amazon, ebook and paperback.

And beginning work on the next novel, more sci-fi.

All in all, quite productive lately.

[CyberCubed]

Do any of you make money on your work, or just the bare minimum once in a blue moon sale?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Do any of you make money on your work, or just the bare minimum once in a blue moon sale?

I make enough to receive tax forms, sadly. :trazz: Not that you need make much to receive tax forms!

[CyberCubed]

I’m wondering because when you say things like publishing your 8th novel I assume you have to be decently successful to make it this far, right? Maybe I’m still living in 1996 but I recall publishers would only well, publish, books that sell?

I mean isn’t this how the book industry works? I don’t know how things are in 2020 but the last time I went into a book store in 1996 when I was like 10 years old this is how things worked.

[Allio]

Entertainment now a days is more about creating a brand more than anything. Especially if you are indie

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Entertainment now a days is more about creating a brand more than anything. Especially if you are indie

True enough. I'm in preliminary talks with a branding/publicity agent. Might get myself more out of there 2020... we'll see...

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Congrats, Cylons, and I'm glad to see this thread got bumped! Speaking of good news- I just got my phone service switched, and it turns out that was my problem- my old one had stopped allowing tethering. Sooo, now that I am with one that actually allows me to do it again, I am back in the game! I had so much frustration with not being able to post updates on my tales, and it got me seriously depressed about writing anything at all. But now, I can actually get them caught up, which is great!

[Allio]

New Book Idea
Title: The Hunger of the Heart

Idea: What happens when one of the most basic, common needs of human nature is synonymous with one of the biggest taboos in the world?

When you look at the person you love, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? To hold their hand? To give them a kiss? Well, how about how they would feel when their flesh slides into your gullet?

Brother and sister love? Romantic feelings for your partner? Even the love for your children? It doesn’t matter. All that matters in this world is how you will gobble them up.

What do you do in a world where just a flutter of maiden’s heart can cause them to have cravings?

[Voltron]

I ask if they're gluten free. Or free range, organic. Or low in carbs. I starve to death because people don't stick around long enough for me to kill and eat them.

Would people in that world be considered racist if they didn't eat certain people?

[Allio]

Well, no one wants to eat one another. It's something you try to fight but then the hunger just haves you make poor life choices.