Writer's Block Daily

Hello, I am here to conduct an informal poll. I am a bit stuck on book 2′s title, and I’ve narrowed it down to 2 titles that fit it well. But I don’t know if one sounds better or if I’m just terrible at titles.

Could you please comment on this post and tell me which one you prefer:

1. Monsters of the Sigil

2. Heroes of the Sigil

3. Neither, they’re both terrible.

4. Either, they're both good.

It would help to know whether the story focuses more on the heroes, the monsters, or the heroes' struggling against the monsters, or the monsters' struggle against the heroes.

Without knowing anything about this work, I think Heroes Of The Sigil sounds slightly more interesting.

I mostly am looking for what sounds better by this point, context be damned.

Warlocks of the Sigil was the first book however.

edited 28th Nov '17 2:33:34 PM by MrAHR

Given that 'warlock' is a somewhat specific term, I would perhaps suggest going a bit more specific with either the 'heroes' or the 'monsters', which are both very general and broad terms.

What if 'heroes' were 'Saviors of the Sigil' instead?

hmm, good point, I'll think on it!

I don't know if it's adequate thread for that, but tomorrow my first novel "Zima" ("The Winter") finally will be published and I'm quite nervous.

edited 28th Nov '17 5:29:53 PM by Misiael

nice! Where is it being published?

Sadly, in Poland only (so far).

It is soft fantasy, actually. So, there's little, snowy world named The Winter, with vaguely Edwardian setting. 300 years before beginning of story there was mysterious incident, when strange, immortal The Beautiful Elite came on The Winter and declared to be masters of this world. Then, there was short war, The Magic Goes Away and stuff and now there's aboved Elite in charge with White Queen as despotic ruler of all world.

Back to the plot, young, cheerful, quirky yet intelligent theatrologist named Victor Caillou (our Hero) arrives to the little town, where probably are hidden lost notes of Samuel Zimmerman - semi-crazy, long dead dramatist and Rebellious Spirit who, possibly discovered secret how to destroy White Queen and her minions. Victor suspect that Zimmerman hide his discovery in his works, using ciphers of some sorts.

edited 28th Nov '17 6:20:04 PM by Misiael

Damn, I should really get back into writing. I've been sitting on a basically-written-but-lacking-the-final-edit manuscript for quite a while now. I just want to get that out of my system.

Eh, maybe I can get into that in December after I've done with my current illustration job.

@Misiael

Congrats and good luck with your book! Always nice to see people publishing.

@Mr AHR

I agree with Xeroop's suggestion for a more specific term in the title, but out of the two I'd pick Monsters. Heroes is vague enough that it pretty much tells us nothing about the story. Monsters is generic too, but it implies some conflict, at least.

OK, here's something I need to ask.

I'm currently revising one of my novels in order to make it more readable.

And it's happening in a Discord chat where I get feedback in what I can do better.

Naturally, I get some book in knowing how I can work out certain elements in stories.

But there's this user who's like accomplished graduate in literature who says the books I've got are garbage and that your advice in writing is also garbage and that I should follow his advises.

Like look, I know its really necessary to understand why people can help you out, but I need to know if his help its necessary because honestly, that guy's coming off like a patronizing prick in what telling me like that I should read and watch masterpieces instead of manuals so I can understand how storytelling works and that I should listen to his advice and not yours because he says you're not proper people at all. Because he's like he's disrespecting or ignoring the authors who wrote the books.

Dealan: thanks for the feedback! I ended up making my decision a while back when I realized the feeling I had in my gut, but I appreciated what everyone said!

His advice is bad and he should feel bad. I can tell because I have a PhD in thatguyshouldfeelbadology.

Is your only evidence that he has a degree in literature the fact that he says he does? Then take it with a grain of salt or two or ten or a bazillion. I once had an extremely negative commenter who claimed to be a best-selling author, and yet they didn't understand stream-of-consciousness writing. And it wasn't even in the almost-incoherent Ulysses style; it was fairly structured, switching between the person's inner monologue and their thoughts on what was happening around them with common sentence structure.

You should never disregard advice out of hand. Even if you know it won't work for you, you can know why it won't work for you. And while reading novels is one of the better ways to improve your own writing, I'd be a big fat liar if I said I never read writing manuals or watched writing-advice videos. They can help understand more clearly why something does or doesn't work.

On a side note, has he given any advice of his own?

edited 30th Nov '17 1:03:28 PM by TeraChimera

Well, he certainly sounds like a patronizing prick and should probably be ignored.

It sounds more like your writing isn't wrong because he thinks it's bad, but because it is not written his way. It's more about control than actually helping you.

edited 30th Nov '17 1:05:33 PM by Xeroop

luigisan: there is no right or wrong person to listen to. There's what you want to write, and the most successful ways to execute it. What specific type of advice is he giving you? Is it good? Is it bad? Does it fit what you want?

Maybe he is right, but if it's not something you can't or don't want to do, then it doesn't matter.

Like, he at least once helped me in correcting some grammar in my work, point some "illogical" situations and make them better, try in adding a natural description of a character, etc. But more than ever, he's constantly nagging me in that making things "logical" will make the story better, which I find it very perfectionist and pedantic.

W Ell, he just published a book in Wattpad which many say it's good, which prompted him to say that he'll win lots of contests and awards because of his good writing...Yes, smelling a bit of arrogance there

They may be thinking that the one way they tried is the only way that could work.

Take the advice if it looks sensible, but don't let them backseat-drive your whole story.

OK

Wouldn't you guys mind if can share the Discord link of the guild so we can talk more of our talents as well beyond Wattpad stories?

I am unsure as to what you're asking?

—-

Also, halfway through draft 2. After that, only 2 more drafts to go then it's off to the proofreader.

Like, are you interested in joining that Discord chat?

I would entertain the idea of setting up a Discord chat for TV Tropes users, Writer's Block or otherwise. But going to the Discord server of a guild I have zero connection to? Nah, not really worth it.

Just my $0.02

But it's still a writer's guild, where any type of writer who may be interested can join.

uh, I'll check it out I guess? I do need to advertise more.

Here's a link for the interested ones.

https://discord.gg/2KRSWE

The way you phrased it made it sound like a guild for people who play a certain game together, and they just happened to have a conversation about writing.

A writer's guild is a completely different thing.