http://www.sffworld.com/forums/ Writers of sf, fantasy and horror discuss writing and publishing. en Tue, 21 May 2013 10:33:55 GMT vBulletin 25 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png http://www.sffworld.com/forums/ http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?40336-Reviving-Stillborns-Breathing-New-Life-Into-Your-Ideas&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 08:31:30 GMT So I had an idea for a thread. Something potentially therapeutic, and possibly a little uncomfortable.

The Stillborn Idea

So: you've had an idea. Had it for a few weeks, or even for years. You've got a notion of this environment rich with possible stories, but no matter which way you come at it, you can't find your way in. You try taking this approach, using this character, and it falls flat. You try that approach, that character, same result. You've been pounding it out in your head over and over. The idea has been living in you, but whenever it comes out, it arrives bruised and limp. You've perhaps wondered if you need to wait for some life experience to create the wormhole that will let you tunnel in. Or maybe you're worried the idea is just too much idea and has no substance for a story...

Time to get another brain to work on it!

Revival: Ideas Given New Breath

The idea of the Stillborns thread is to share an idea you've been writing about, and in your own opinion failing -- repeatedly -- to convey. No matter the approach you take, something is getting in the way. The idea is astounding in your mind, but you can't seem to find the nugget of the story that will truly bring it to life. The idea of this thread is to put the idea out there in case someone else has the key you need to write you idea, but to also be willing to set the idea free and let someone else write it.

As writers, we can be extremely protective of our ideas. They are, after all, the core of the story we want to write, particularly in SFF. The challenge here is to recognize that the idea has to be expressed through a good story, and sometimes we can't see our way into the story that will express the idea

The intent of this thread is to remember that more often than not it takes a village to raise a child. Whether it's Frankenstein or Feersum Endjinn, writers typically share ideas within a community and the community in turn shares their ideas, and these ideas are blended together to create the chimeric undercurrents that make up great stories. Sometimes ideas need siblings for their story to arise. And sometimes they flourish under different tutelage. And sometimes, just getting it outside your own head opens it up.

The Process

With this in mind, I propose that this thread be a forum for sharing a great idea you are struggling to express. A well developed idea without a story -- so let's help each other find stories.

We should have some degree of a format to follow. The initial poster sharing their Stillborn should express:

The Core: Write down your idea, and really try to drill down to the most important, essential element(s). This might include worldbuilding, large or small scale, or a character sketch, or even a central conceit. Be specific and be clear.

The Impact: The idea has to affect something, probably the personal thing the idea is expressing. What are the grander aims of your idea? How does this idea impact other things? What's the most important thing you want to express through this idea? What are the thematic, physical, emotional, or philosophical extensions that arise from your idea?

The Attempts: Describe what you've already tried. What adjustments have you made? Describe the paths you've taken, be it a change in time/history, geography, gender, etc. Share an example by posting a segment/story/chapter/etc in the Stories subforum and link it if you need to. But more importantly, explain what wasn't working with what you've tried based on your own reflection. What's the dissatisfaction with the story?

Responders: we should direct our comments toward our own ideas for the execution to bring the core to life. The aim is not to find fault with The Attempts made by the author, though you may need to reference a fault to explain a problem you see with a given approach. The point is not to give advice on further reading the authors ought to do to show how well read you are, but reference to other stories that contain similar ideas can be helpful in expressing something you think might work.

Rather, the point is to give a considered response about how you'd tackle the idea, what else you might incorporate, to create a good story. You might go totally left of field to where the OP thought they should go. No problem -- the intent is to spread the idea out and look at the story paths that emerge from multiple, fresh perspectives.

***

A final reminder that this thread is not about claiming to own an idea, nor is it a dumping ground for half-baked ideas. We want at-least-nearly-fully-baked ideas. If you share an idea here, be prepared to let others use it, or to let it inspire them. If you take an idea, remember to give credit.

Let the zombie making begin! ]]> Writing Fung Koo http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?40336-Reviving-Stillborns-Breathing-New-Life-Into-Your-Ideas http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?40324-How-famous-authors-keep-track-of-their-plot&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 04:39:59 GMT I came across this article yesterday. Thought it was interesting, so I'll pass it along. There's not a ton of information, but it's nice to see how various authors work. ]]> Writing jasoninchina http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?40324-How-famous-authors-keep-track-of-their-plot http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?40321-Novel-or-Serial-Fiction-Are-E-books-causing-shorter-attention-spans&goto=newpost Sun, 19 May 2013 14:42:39 GMT I have noticed a trend in e-book publishing recently, and that is the growing popularity of “serialized fiction,” in which authors release their work in smaller chunks or “episodes.” I am working on my first novel, and trying to decide if I should take the serial approach. My question to other... I have noticed a trend in e-book publishing recently, and that is the growing popularity of “serialized fiction,” in which authors release their work in smaller chunks or “episodes.” I am working on my first novel, and trying to decide if I should take the serial approach.

My question to other authors out there is this: Is the traditional novel no longer a viable format for e-books? Has the attention span of readers changed so much recently, that they can only be reached in small doses? ]]> Writing RolandDrake http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?40321-Novel-or-Serial-Fiction-Are-E-books-causing-shorter-attention-spans