Writing a book.......

[Thain Peregrin Took I]

Originally Posted by Elfmaster XK

I do this too. But editing before you have finished is, in my opinion, a bad thing.

Well, I sort of had to edit because there was one drastic change in some of my main characters that would have made it really confusing if I had forgotten to edit it later.

[Elfmaster XK]

Originally Posted by Thain Peregrin Took I

Well, I sort of had to edit because there was one drastic change in some of my main characters that would have made it really confusing if I had forgotten to edit it later.

Fair enough. But don't you then get tempted to edit everything else as well? Not just the important change? Anyway, everyone writes in a different way, so anything I might advise might actually make it harder for you. So take advice with a pinch of salt, as they say.

ok elf master need some tips ask me im writing a book maby you could give me some ideas i could use em go to www.homeschoolblogger.com

Sorry, I didn't understand, are you saying you want to give me tips, or you would like tips?

[Acalewia]

Too many projects!!!
I'm co-writting with a friend on an untitled Novel. and I am kinda out of my element. The fantasy part i'm good with, but I'll be damned if she ain't making it into a fantasy romance. *sigh* well at least her mother in law owns a publishing company

[trolls' bane]

Well, I've started up ZAQ-1 again! Blast it. Carla came along and sent me an essay she needed some help correcting. The only mistake I found is that she sent me a perfect essay (besides a tendency similar to mine to make a highly descriptive list). Anyway, the topic of ZAQ-1 started up when I demanded that she write the Preface to my book. Having never told her about ZAQ-1 before, I had to describe it. Which got me interested in it.
Now what am I going to do? I'm adding a prologue. You know, a whole chapter in italics. Why? Well, I was reading the two chapters I do have (the others are currently locked in my hard drive, unsalvagable until I upload Microsoft Word, and even then it's not guaranteed), and I realized that ZAQ-1 is just arbitrarily brought up, without so much as an explanation as to what it might be. So, the prologue is going to now introduce a whole new cast of characters who will play a major role later in the book: the Imperator, an oppressive dictator with a humerous undertone, Mr. Zeak (an allusion to my cousin), and others whose names I have not yet determined.

[Elfmaster XK]

Originally Posted by Acalewia

Too many projects!!!
I'm co-writting with a friend on an untitled Novel. and I am kinda out of my element. The fantasy part i'm good with, but I'll be damned if she ain't making it into a fantasy romance. *sigh* well at least her mother in law owns a publishing company

lol! I am 5 chapters from the end of my novel....but a new one has come into my head so I just have to write down the notes on that and start the research! Damned brain! Researching Welsh families, for a scandalous drama based in the 17th century.

Don't you find collaborations more difficult? Do you write chapters each, or write them together? I can always tell where the changes occur when people write a chapter each. Even in books by famous authors, like Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimen, you can tell where there is a change in style either because one of them wrote the chapter, or one of them had more influence. Must be because they both have distinctive voices.

[Acalewia]

We wanted it to have the same style. She's doing the acual writing and I'm supplying the ideas and proofreading and oing most of the research. We both have "control" over one of the main characters, so that might be the only difference we have.

Yes, XK, it is hard.

[ElvenLover]

It has always been hard for me and my friends to write together. We are each better in one genre or another and each have different styles. I think that just by being able to begin that kind of project takes a lot and speaks volumes about your writing skill and flexibility.

I am currently stuck on a novel myself. I have most of it written, but i got to a point where nothing wanted to come out of my head! Very frustrating.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by Elfmaster XK

lol! I am 5 chapters from the end of my novel....but a new one has come into my head so I just have to write down the notes on that and start the research! Damned brain! Researching Welsh families, for a scandalous drama based in the 17th century.

Yay! Scandal!

[Elfmaster XK]

We wanted it to have the same style. She's doing the acual writing and I'm supplying the ideas and proofreading and oing most of the research. We both have "control" over one of the main characters, so that might be the only difference we have.

Yes, XK, it is hard.

That sounds like a good way to do it. I once tried to write a story with a friend, and we split the chapters so she took evens, I took odds. That didn't work at all, because I fleshed out all the character profiles and names and chose places etc. We invented the people together but then I went and did more work on them. By doing that they became more my people and so she found it harder to write, and didn't. Hence no book!

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

Yay! Scandal!

My thoughts exactly. What do people love? Scandal, and lies and twisty twisty plotness.

By the way, if anyone knows of any good sources on 17th Century life, I'd be much appreciative to hear of them.

[trolls' bane]

Anyone here who wants to give me some ideas for ZAQ-1?
I would like:
-Character Names (preferably foreign, because I've got American and European names falling out of my hair.)
-Advice on:
--Artificial Fusion Processes: Proton-Proton, Carbon Cycle, or Triple Alpha?
--Names for planets: Because the G.H.I. sytem I introduced isn't quite working out.
--Architecture: Because I don't want 21st century architecture,nor do I want Frank O. Gehry to burn the town down with his highly reflective buildings.
-A complete list of all the stars you know (don't do all my work, but an offhand or just a little light research might help) that have confirmed or proposed planets orbiting them.
-A billion dollars (optional, but recommended).

[Curubethion]

I can help you out with the names, and make them sound foreign. As for the other stuff...I really don't have expertise there.

[Earniel]

For planets, I usually turn to mythological names, since the ones in our solar system and other celestial bodies are named after gods and goddesses, I think it adds a bit of realism. Godchecker is a good site for names in that respect, as is Encyclopedia Mythica. It also pays to crosscheck them with this list:minor planet name list to see whether you didn't pick a name that is already given.

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by Thain Peregrin Took I

Well, I sort of had to edit because there was one drastic change in some of my main characters that would have made it really confusing if I had forgotten to edit it later.

Yeah, I do a lot of editing as I write, so earlier work fits with what I wrote, and to incorporate new ideas.

[trolls' bane]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

For planets, I usually turn to mythological names, since the ones in our solar system and other celestial bodies are named after gods and goddesses, I think it adds a bit of realism. Godchecker is a good site for names in that respect, as is Encyclopedia Mythica. It also pays to crosscheck them with this list:minor planet name list to see whether you didn't pick a name that is already given.

Well, personally I try not to give them mythological names. To me, mythological names are a little worn out, and cause for confusion, so I try to give them nonsensical names or at least names that are uncommon.
I think the "older" stars, which coincidentally have an air of antiquity surrounding their names, I prefer to use the Prime, etc. system used in most science fiction. Betelgeuse Prime sounds much more appealing when related to a red supergiant that's destined to go supernova in only a few million years than New Mercury or Toothpickopolis or something.
Other than naming help, which I actually need more in relation to characters, I think I'm going to name planets with similar names to those of the cities in the Civilization game I've been playing for the last few weeks and the empire I've been creating therin. "Zeta Neapoli", "Tangernopolis", "Ilz" and "Elephanthorpra" sound much less overused.

Thanks for the suggestion though.


I'm really expanding on Doctor Geldhoff. I think he's going to end up among the most important characters, Sigmund and Percy Russell (both subject to last name changes), and Captain Frederick Wellington (whose character I'm going to change to more resemble an old, rusty, spacer version of a cross between Captain Picard and Orson Welles).

[Curubethion]

Ah, you've been playing Civ II: Test of Time, eh? That's got some interesting names in it, to be sure. If you want to see all the names they've got in there, here's what to do...

Go to C:/, then Program Files, then Microprose, then Test of Time, and finally Scifi. The "City" file will have the names of every city that can ever be built. There you go!

[Elfmaster XK]

I would be wary of directly taking names from a game like Civilisation. A lot of people have played that game, and your audience being a sci fi audience, that will include many of the game players. If they notice you have taken the names from the game they might not like it, and think you too lazy to invent your own.

Like if I read a fantasy book with places in it called Gondor and Rohan, or say Rondor and Gohan, I would immediatey notice and think they had stolen from a better story. Be sure to pick really obscure ones people are unlikely to remember.

[Tessar]

I absolutely agree--and you have to remember that many people have fairly wide ranges of things that they read, and/or play on the computer.

Also it's just a little... hackish. I remember rolling my eyes and sighing when R.A. Salvatore called his elf prince Elbereth... oh please.

And when Robert Jordan had one of his characters call himself, "Mr. Underhill," in a scene as an alias... I almost screamed .

People catch these things, whether they're obvious or subtle .

[Thain Peregrin Took I]

Originally Posted by Elfmaster XK

Fair enough. But don't you then get tempted to edit everything else as well? Not just the important change? Anyway, everyone writes in a different way, so anything I might advise might actually make it harder for you. So take advice with a pinch of salt, as they say.

You're right, I am tempted to edit everything else that I've written. I probably will, too, so it fits in better with the way I write now. I'm seeing that my writing style is changing, and even though it's just a minor change, I notice it quite a lot, so that's another reason why I want to edit the whole thing, so it doesn't sound like someone else wrote it when it was really only just me. But I plan to (hopefully) not edit anymore after what I'm editing now. Thanks for the advice!

[Curubethion]

Originally Posted by Tessar

I absolutely agree--and you have to remember that many people have fairly wide ranges of things that they read, and/or play on the computer.

Also it's just a little... hackish. I remember rolling my eyes and sighing when R.A. Salvatore called his elf prince Elbereth... oh please.

And when Robert Jordan had one of his characters call himself, "Mr. Underhill," in a scene as an alias... I almost screamed .

People catch these things, whether they're obvious or subtle .

Indeed...parallels are one thing, but when you've got a character named Moria...

[Tamuril Sirfalas]

hey guys...
havent been around lately
i am writing a new book...this time im going to finish it!
its romace/ thriller kind of vibe and my friends say its really good and they cant wait till i finish the book lol... its very very desciptive too