Writer's Block Daily

Yes. It is a form of conflict (in the sense 'problem to be overcome by character' not 'argument').

I think love triangles are, in a word, contrived. Most forms are pretty unrealistic, and, as I said, I can't think of any good reason to include them in the first place.

I honestly don't think that's a good reason on its own. There's lots of sources of conflict out there, and most of them don't seem nearly as forced (to me).

edited 26th Feb '13 6:22:11 PM by nrjxll

The problem I see is that most people insert relationship-based conflict rather than let interpersonal conflict (romantic or not) develop organically. Writing people that naturally interact and conflict in interesting ways may not be as "easy," but I think that it's a lot more rewarding. But some people are lazy or just too new to the game to understand that forced conflict rarely works out. This is unfortunate.

edited 26th Feb '13 6:36:37 PM by JHM

I honestly agree with njxll; I do not see the point of love triangles. Especially ones that take up a good chunk of the plot of a story.

"Good Afternoon Cameron,

The Comic Book Script Contest would like to thank you for your submission to our Contest. We received record number of entries far more entries than we expected. Thank you for your patience.

We appreciate your efforts but it is with regret that we have to inform you that your submission was not chosen for one of the top five finalists.

However, your submission score was 6th place..."

6th place.

6TH PLACE.

ONE PLACE AWAY FROM GOING TO MEGACON FOR FREE.

How do you spread out exposition? Here's a paragraph from my main Urban Fantasy project, where Thorin discusses his relative, Andvari. Yes, that one:

edited 26th Feb '13 7:34:58 PM by MorwenEdhelwen

I've having way too much fun making up minor background details in the history of my setting, especially given what the work is supposed to be.

@njrxll: I feel ya.

I recently noticed that the first draft of my retelling has a little unconscious Tolkien influence; in a flashback scene, a character mentions that he is a direct descendant of Durin, the first Dwarven king (a figure from Norse mythology that Tolkien borrowed and invented a new backstory for), and that his family lived in a stone hall roofed with gold and with silver floors studded with gems. In Gimli's song of Durin in Moria in FOTR, there is a mention of halls with golden roofs and silver floors built when Moria was at its height in the First Age. Thing is, I completely forgot about that poem until now. There's a lot of conscious Tolkien influence in the story in question. (No, there's no character called Gimli, but there is a Thorin.)

re: love triangles: The "point" of love triangles is that 1) they are a good source of conflict and 2) they happen in real life (although certain iterations are certainly far more likely to happen than others). If you like romance, love triangles (done well) can make very interesting reading.

Are you guys really objecting to love triangles as such, or more to romances (i.e. stories where the relationships, sometimes including love triangles, are the focus)?

I don't like certain types of love triangles (Betty and Veronica), but I'm okay with others.

Love triangles. I don't even read romances.

Well, there's your problem.

It's a bit harsh, finding parts of your own life are contrived and not realistic.

Not really. About 95% of my feeling that love triangles are contrived comes from seeing them in works that are not primarily romances, where they all but invariably feel shoehorned. I'd imagine they feel somewhat less forced in works that are primarily romances.

I seem to be going through one of my periodic "oh my god I'm just creating a giant ripoff" moods. Sometimes, I wonder whether writing is more trouble than its worth.

...of course, once I actually calm down and get back to my story I know I'll start thinking differently. Ho, hum...

Why did I make the guys with yellow and orange text friends? I am Satan.

Actually, the way that you formatted it, the yellow text looks darker next to the orange text, making it more readable rather than less. I find it interesting.

Also, their dialogue is hilarious, so it makes up for the potential eye-bleed.

Ooh, Wheezy... :(

That is still incredibly good!

Still not certain how far to go with the Sixties in Space thing.

I second this. They talk about a record number of entries and you got sixth place. That is mind-boggling. Plus, if one of the top five can't make it, you're probably in, so that's another plus.

You might want to avoid too much of the sexism/racism/jingoism of that era, unless you're going for social commentary with it.

edited 27th Feb '13 6:27:03 PM by JHM

I ultimately decided not to go through with the world building. I really do not know what to name the place or describe it.

Plus I think I just kind of gotten the use of the story taking place in an alternate Atlanta.

Wheezy: -hug-

edited 27th Feb '13 6:28:40 PM by Masterofchaos

Not really the sort of thing I'm talking about. Although there is some jingoism, for unrelated reasons.

I was being approximately 30% facetious there. But really, go as far as you want with it. I really like weird '60s/'70s science fiction, so I'd be on board with going the whole nine yards, but that's really up to you.

I don't like Recycled In Space that much (and am specifically making a point against it in some of the plotlines), so I don't want to go all the way. But on the other hand, there is certainly something to be said for resonance. Hence the dilemma.

I understand.

I would suggest that you keep to the spirit and ethos of the period without being too derivative of the specifics. In other words, write from the same place, not in the same way. That way, you can transcend the aura of pastiche entirely.

The entire thing is basically a coincidence, though - the question is whether to run with it.