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Literary Challenge #15 Discussion Thread

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited April 2012 in Ten Forward
Literary Challenge #15 : Temporal Soundings
This is the comments thread for Literary Challenge #15 : Temporal Soundings.
We also have an Index of previous challenges HERE.

Feel free to link directly to the entry you are commenting on. And please remember: we're not here to tear each other up. Do not troll your fellow Captains, give feedback! Let the others know what you liked and disliked. Maybe they can even go back then and tweak their entries!

Let's get those creative juices flowing! :cool:
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    ill have to sleep on this one.

    -edit- im in a creative mood so i will see how much i can get done
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Managed to get my story in a lot sooner this time. Hopefully it's enjoyable.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    I've posted a two-parter called Snared. I hope everyone enjoys it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    This actually looks like a fun little idea. :)

    I actually have an idea I can use for something like this. I'll need to take a few days to actually get it written.

    Two questions, though, Bran:

    1. Can the Science Officer in question actually be a Cadet, out on a Field Training Cruise? The Captain I'm thinking using of is an Academy Instructor who prefers training her students in the field.
    2. Once I finish writing it, but before I post it, would it be okay if I sent it to you for review, make sure that it fits within the Forum Guidelines? And if the answer is yes, how do you want me to reach you?

    I look forward to participating in this challenge. :D:cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    I hope mine was enjoyable to read.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    KiraYamato wrote:
    This actually looks like a fun little idea.

    I actually have an idea I can use for something like this. I'll need to take a few days to actually get it written.

    Two questions, though, Bran:

    1. Can the Science Officer in question actually be a Cadet, out on a Field Training Cruise? The Captain I'm thinking using of is an Academy Instructor who prefers training her students in the field.
    2. Once I finish writing it, but before I post it, would it be okay if I sent it to you for review, make sure that it fits within the Forum Guidelines? And if the answer is yes, how do you want me to reach you?

    I look forward to participating in this challenge.

    Haven't quite gotten started yet, but I'm still planning to participate in this challenge. :)

    I'd still like an answer to my questions, though, Bran. :D:cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    KiraYamato wrote:
    This actually looks like a fun little idea. :)

    I actually have an idea I can use for something like this. I'll need to take a few days to actually get it written.

    Two questions, though, Bran:

    1. Can the Science Officer in question actually be a Cadet, out on a Field Training Cruise? The Captain I'm thinking using of is an Academy Instructor who prefers training her students in the field.
    2. Once I finish writing it, but before I post it, would it be okay if I sent it to you for review, make sure that it fits within the Forum Guidelines? And if the answer is yes, how do you want me to reach you?

    I look forward to participating in this challenge. :D:cool:

    As mentioned in the rules, everything I provide is just a guideline :) Feel free to go crazy! No need to review because there is no right or wrong entry, write whatever you like.

    Cheers,

    Brandon =/\=
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    As mentioned in the rules, everything I provide is just a guideline :) Feel free to go crazy! No need to review because there is no right or wrong entry, write whatever you like.

    Cheers,

    Brandon =/\=

    *chuckle*

    Thanks. :)

    The reason I asked if I could have you review it privately is that I ran afoul of the Forum Guidelines back in Challenge 6. I was informed that my entry contained "Inappropriate Content", and so I had to edit and re-post it. :(

    I'd rather not have the same problem again, which is why I'm asking for a private contact channel. :o
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Soriedem, I don't understand all the Gre'en in your posts. I see it is the race of the POV character but it's also the name and some kind of slang? I'm kind of confused by how prolific it is.

    I want to better understand it, but I am just having a hard time reading through your post with so many references to something that can be so many things. Can you clarify for me: is there some kind of rule of grammar that this species uses that we should know?

    EDIT: Also, love the name Purina for the cat-lady.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Finally posted mine. I wanted to give my KDF girls some love, so this one is from the perspective of Captain Zadari Iminei and Commander Tevnu Nori, a Trill and an Orion I have over on the KDF side. We also have cameos from Captain Vaihuu e'Hvalli and an alternate reality version of Vice Admiral Kim Sharp.

    Some background on Kim especially, on an older lit challenge, I alluded to Kim leaving a version of herself in an alternate reality "mirror universe". In that universe, Romulus was still intact, and her late wife was still alive and fairing well as an influential person in the RSE.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Soriedem, I don't understand all the Gre'en in your posts. I see it is the race of the POV character but it's also the name and some kind of slang? I'm kind of confused by how prolific it is.

    I want to better understand it, but I am just having a hard time reading through your post with so many references to something that can be so many things. Can you clarify for me: is there some kind of rule of grammar that this species uses that we should know?

    EDIT: Also, love the name Purina for the cat-lady.

    i understand your confusion. Gre'en (the species) are botanical lifeforms. They live a long time and don't communicate in the same way that short lived animalians communicate. It's more along the lines of a pheromone or pollen like release. However, they have learned to communicate with animalians by faking it. They are able to reproduce the sounds used in speech, but it is meaningless to them. Gre'en is a place holder for their actual language, which tends to over load the universal translators which can only produce a single, meaningless word: Gre'en. Gre'en conveys the thoughts, emotions, and information that the individual is actually expressing. When I use Gre'en in my story, if it's at the beginning of a statement, it's conveying the statement. At the end, or in the middle, it represents an idea or an emotion.

    i hope this helps clarify what I was trying to do. Maybe to help clarify, I should adjust the Gre'ens that refer to intangibles such as ideas and emotions as gre'en. Then, that would only leave the Gre'en (referring to the Captain's name) and Gre'en' (the science officer's name).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    soriedem wrote: »
    When I use Gre'en in my story, if it's at the beginning of a statement, it's conveying the statement. At the end, or in the middle, it represents an idea or an emotion.

    i hope this helps clarify what I was trying to do. Maybe to help clarify, I should adjust the Gre'ens that refer to intangibles such as ideas and emotions as gre'en. Then, that would only leave the Gre'en (referring to the Captain's name) and Gre'en' (the science officer's name).

    It does help. Thank you for clarifying.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Okies, got my story slugged in. If the characters get anyone's attention, you can read how Sky's story starts over at my fleet's Character Bio forum. I look forward to feedback, constructive criticism, etc...



    http://stotosveteransfleet.guildlaunch.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8178530&gid=205090
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    paynesgrey wrote: »
    Okies, got my story slugged in. If the characters get anyone's attention, you can read how Sky's story starts over at my fleet's Character Bio forum. I look forward to feedback, constructive criticism, etc...



    http://stotosveteransfleet.guildlaunch.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8178530&gid=205090

    Oh, and here's the link to the story I submitted for the Lit Challenge here. Title is The Devil In the DNA.

    http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=262090&page=2

    I'd love some feedback and critique. :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Hey, Liquidbrick, I liked your entry. Do I sense the chance for a romance between your Captain and Juliet? :cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    KiraYamato wrote:
    Hey, Liquidbrick, I liked your entry. Do I sense the chance for a romance between your Captain and Juliet? :cool:

    Thank you.

    Was hoping to go that way. Seemed like the idea of having a similar background was a good way to introduce the two to wider happenings in life.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Eh, got my entry in. This time, my 23rd century captain. Terribly original idea there, I know.
    I'm not sure why, but I don't really like this entry. I don't think I did good enough.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    does anyone have any ideas on dealing with writers block? :(

    for the last two entries i simply find that i don't feel like writing, hell even my bio is still unfinished.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    does anyone have any ideas on dealing with writers block? :(

    for the last two entries i simply find that i don't feel like writing, hell even my bio is still unfinished.

    Freewriting for at least 3 pages helps. Just sit down and write anything that comes to your mind, no matter how benign. Often it will become a list of TRIBBLE that was stuffed into your head like "walk the dog" "food is amazing" or "I need to get gas for my car." The point of this is to get that stuff out of the way. In time you will run out of things to write so start writing how you feel about one of those subjects and why you feel that way about it. After a while, and that's why I recommend 3 pages (at least), you will find yourself instinctively making bridges between two subjects. Build on those and explore.

    Another method that helps is to make a playlist of music you like and play it while you think about the scenario. I find that in times of trouble (mother mary says to me ;)) making a playlist for the types of music each character would listen to helps to define who you are writing about, and that frequently the friction between different characters can help define what you are writing about.

    Yet a third thing you can do is to combine the killing time and music to some other activity like listening to a playlist of favorites while browsing Wikipedia. Random thoughts help tremendously. Trying to expand on current science and imagine how it will evolve and what uses civilization will have for it in the future may give you something of substance to work with.

    And finally - just distract yourself entirely and don't think about writing. If you have a hobby that involves being physical, like sports or table games (foosball or airhockey), then get out and stretch your body to stretch your mind. Doing something competitive that will force your mind away from the mental circles you run around in definitely help. It doesn't have to be something full contact and painful, but it does need to distract you from your writing problem.

    Something you may want to invest in is a small blank paged book and jot down ideas when you get them, any idea you think is new to the world no matter how ridiculous, so when writer's block hits you can read through some ideas of your own and try to get something from your past to satiate your present.

    I do all of these and can personally attest to their efficacy. If none of these help, maybe you need a break? There is nothing wrong with a sabbatical.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    does anyone have any ideas on dealing with writers block? :(

    for the last two entries i simply find that i don't feel like writing, hell even my bio is still unfinished.

    Sorry about the shameless plug, but I think it may answer your question. G & T Show's Ask Dayton features Star Trek Author Dayton Ward answering a single email question from our audience each week. This week, someone asked a very similar question. Here's the link to his reply. It may help. The audio of the show which features the question and Dayton's response will be published tomorrow, if I can avoid getting distracted ;) Good luck and happy writing.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Thanks for all the advice, especially the write now edit later bit. I do believe that will save a lot of trouble. :)

    -ps- this is day 15, cant wait to see what Brandon has for the next Challenge.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Thanks to everyone who participated, and provided feedback and discussion, on this challenge! The stories this round were awesome! I enjoyed each of them :)

    I am going to unsticky this now as I prepare to post #16 -- feel free to keep discussing, though!

    Cheers,

    Brandon =/\=
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