Recent content by Incanus

You seem to have a decent handle on this, Jack. I tend not to do so well with the more abstract aspects of fiction (I find it rather like trying to grasp a well-rounded bar of soap floating in a bathtub--I can make contact, but it just slips away when I do). Jurassic World--I only made through...

I'm trying to recall a time that I thought a book hit its theme too hard, or too obviously. I can't think of any off hand. Of course, there is plenty of material out there I haven't read. But, how common is this? I would guess that a novel that handles its theme poorly is also handling other...

You folks keep saying interesting things that I just can't ignore. It's one thing to see this laid out like you have it, it is another to have learned it the hard way. Having solid ideas that interact with each other in a positive way is the way to go, if you can arrange it. Your last point...

This process sure looks mighty familiar. My cast has been something of a moving target for awhile, but I think I'm pretty close now. Of my original cast, one character was cut, another changed gender. Two others I did a fair amount of development on, only to have them not show up very much in...

I think this is the way forward for me as well. I have a once-a-week phone meeting with my best writer friend. I used to tell her that the reason I thought my characters weren't all that great on the page was due to some lack of insight on my part. That I'm not a 'people person'. For years...

Hey Jackarandajam--sounds like we start our story ideas from a similar place. Far more often than not, I start with a story concept, or in the case of my current novel, the setting. I came up with the main idea 13 years ago now, I think. Back then, I got some worldbuilding in, and came up...

Thanks for the prompts, Super--- On the one hand, my main characters have something like what you have suggested here: some specific skills and natural abilities. But on the other hand, my setting precludes much of this. My story takes place about a generation after an event that caused...

I've read all 10 books, and everything else published by Donaldson (except his books published under another name; there are three of those I know of). Not for all tastes, but I appreciate the originality. I highly recommend Donaldson's short story/novella collections--many of the individual...

Thanks, Jack--that sounds like a pretty good working definition to go on. I'd say my three POV characters currently display roughly half of these traits. There is an aspect of my setting that make some of these considerations non-issues, or turn them on their heads. Overall, this issue has...

Or like the mulit-verse concept, each time C-A-D is activated, a new universe starts. Or like Brahma opening and closing his eyes, creating new universes. This concept is a tad too omniscient to pack into the story, I would think. Except--maybe the quasar at the end initiates a C-A-D...

I haven't put much thought into 'insert characters', and don't know much about it. Does 'relatable' mean 'insert character'? My book might sort of be 'all ages', but has adults in mind (except it doesn't obsess over sex like so many seem to). It will be for fans of epic fantasy, of any age.

Some interesting responses here--thanks. ThinkerX--you really think so? Seems like it should have a better story structure, rather than the nonsensical ending it does. Something that ties it all together. Not sure how... But, I see the seeds of some revision here: It used to be Dvorak's...

This is good to hear, because all three of my main characters exhibit this, within the context of the world they are in. They are more or less normal people with some talent that have to rise to a new challenge in their world. FWIW - I have little experience with anime or Marvel, etc.

That's a perfectly legitimate, and clever, question. Perhaps some good Samaritan will drop by and let us know---

It turns out a story has been staring me right in the face for years and years----- The star wizard NUMLOCK at long last made his way out of the dangerous zone of the galaxy known as BACKSPACE in his infamous ship the TILDE. He docked his vessel at the port, dismissed his crew, and got ready...