Article Dumping: Writer's Block Edition

Anything writing-related is game, really. I posted a Lovecraft essay a while back, for example.

In other words: DO EET.

I'm not sure I buy this. If you know how to create characters, and you know how to let them loose, you have the potential to create stories that are at least interesting once you've built up technical skill.

Knowing how to create characters assumes a certain talent in and of itself, I think; to make a truly convincing individual is no mean feat, and requires a degree of insight, creativity and outright wiliness that not everyone has naturally.

^ I'll grant it requires insight, but I'm not sure that can't be learned. (And it doesn't require much creativity if you know enough interesting people to write about.)

Just taking interesting people from reality and writing them into a fictional construct does not a great writer of fiction make. A great writer of fiction should be capable of synthesising believable individuals that have little to no relation to anyone that they know or know of.

I might be editing in one or two more links, if the new batch of articles strike my fancy.

What would you say is a good number of blog links to aim for per day? Three? Five?

EDIT: Nope. Only three links today.

edited 28th Feb '12 2:45:29 PM by chihuahua0

Ah, okay.

She's not done with them yet, actually, but I fell in love with the idea. It'll be in installments, by the way. I'm also afraid it might be a little too personal, but again, it's about writing, so I guess it's okay.

This isn't much, but:

Wednesday:

• The Character Therapist: Psychotic Characters: Types of Serial Killers: Not too much about writing, but...

^ Someone noted in the comments that J.D. Robb's In Death contains every type of serial killer mentioned. Sounds interesting.

Though generally I'm not a huge fan of serial killer fiction, my lingering preoccupation with abnormal psychology, large story cast and general inclination towards maximum morbidity have each ensured that at least one of each of those has appeared in my current work. Sometimes I feel like I'm quasi-consciously competing with myself...

P.S. Also, déjà-vu, all over again. Seriously, what the heck...

edited 29th Feb '12 3:37:27 PM by JHM

I suggest you check out some of the posts at The Character Therapist then.

I was, actually.

On a related note: Chi, why don't you discuss the articles you post? Yes, I understand impartiality, but I really want to see you share some of your own opinions on content now and then, argue a little. It would tell me more about you, and it would keep the discussion here from turning into me and Feotakahari mithering at each other... which I enjoy, but still: It's like being the one guy that raises his hand in English. I was that for four years. I don't want to be that again.

I'll think about that:

Thursday:

• Lynnette Labelle: Commonly Misused Words – Part 1: So that's the different between farther and further.
• Jenny Hansen's Blog: Can Blogging Help Your Writing Process?: Of course, the answer is...
• Alexandra Sokoloff: The Dark Side of YA - and free Kindle books!: Why this author didn't go traditional for her YA.

It's up.

Friday:

• Superhero Nation: How to Give a Character a Personality: As a poster! No, not the character, the blog post.
• Seeking the Write Life: Character Currency - Writing Motivations That Read Real: If I can't apply this to Bryan, kill me.
• Writer Unboxed: Tips for Turning Online Procrastination Time into Writing Research Time: Of course, Wordle is on the list.

edited 2nd Mar '12 4:53:08 AM by chihuahua0

^^ Nice to see someone besides myself has read Inexcusable. It's not perfect, but it's the best YA attempt I've seen at writing a genuinely unlikeable narrator.

(Also, I'm amused to see Freak The Mighty mentioned in the comments as an example of dark YA. I can't honestly say it's not Glurge, but it's the best-written Glurge I've ever read.)

edited 2nd Mar '12 9:52:00 AM by feotakahari

Monday:

• Magical Words: On Publishing: Five Things About the Business that Surprised Me: Just a basic list.
• The Writers Alley: The Importance of Being Polished: Can't get away with what they do in TV shows.
• Writer's Unboxed: Flip the Script: Tell, Don’t Show: At least one point stood out.

Tuesday:

• Writer Unboxed: Ergonomics for Writerly Folk: I need this.
• Jami Gold: When Does Fan Fiction Cross an Ethical Line?: Is a Twilight fic with its serial numbers filed off legal?
• YA Highway: Diversity in Writing: How to write outside your bubble.
• Superhero Nation: How to Write Interesting Characters: Yet another poster—which will find its way into my school. Which teacher will receive it this time?

Wednesday:

• Mystery Writing is Murder: The Problem With Updating Your Backlist: When you meddle with the original, people are going to be confused.
• The Creativity Post: Sophia Grace, Nicki Minaj, and the Comprehensibility of Hip-hop Lyrics: How to overanalyse the word "coke"...and get away with it.
• Magical Words: On Publishing: 6 aspects of writing YA that surprised me: It takes that long to publish a YA book?

Thursday:

• Writer Unboxed: Why Should Writers Care About Indie Bookstores?: Good thing there are a couple of these in my area.
• The Write Practice: Collecting & Connecting: 2 Serendipitous Practices for Poets (& Non-Poets): Collecting everyday stuff.

I love independent bookstores. Sadly, the awesome one from which I purchased at least one collectible back in the day has long since closed, so now I have to head into the city or go online for my requisite hallucinogenic mould used book fix...

Also, the writer in the poetry article has a very evocative descriptive sense. Which makes sense.

And the round-up is up.

Is there a point to posting the link to the round-up? We can just get all the article links here. That's what the thread is for, right?

edited 9th Mar '12 10:28:55 AM by TerminalOptimist

Sometimes, I add entries for Friday, which I'm planning to do this afternoon.

Well, you should do the round up later if that's the case.

edited 9th Mar '12 10:31:30 AM by SnowyFoxes

Monday:

• The Other Side of the Story: Do or Do Not. There is No Try: Clarifying What Your Characters Do: Guilty! Or at least, "attempted to" be guilty. If that makes sense.
• Suite T: Why Word of Mouth Fails: All you need is a little more nudge.
• The Character Therapist: A Lesson in Subtext...for Men: How long until I need to use this?
• YA Confidential: Teens and Music: Yes, that's my name in that blog article. Go check it out.
• Fiction Notes: 5 Uses for a Lull in Writing: No, not when you're procrastinating. Get back to work!