Recent content by Prince of Spires

Welcome!

Famine is a great motivator to try stuff that even looks only vaguely edible. Though there are some foods out there that I still find weird. Like those Japanes puffer fish. Someone had to be actively trying to find the edible part in that and a lot of people must have died before they got it...

I've got a whole list of plot bunnies. They're fun to keep around. And some of them find a way to latch onto my brain and become full-blown stories. Just a few: - The main characters are hired/coerced by some wizards into helping them win an important election - The muses are a beleaguered...

While I do think you always put something of yourself in all your writing, it's not necessarily in the way how most people see it. Some of what you put into your characters is stuff you wish you could do but don't have the guts or the physical capabilities to do so. Sometimes what you put in...

O'Reilly books are a pretty good starting point (like the Head First Java, 3rd Edition guide). But I'm sure there are others. I tried the C# one, and I had some fun doing so. Best way to learn how to program in my experience is to have a real world problem you want to solve using programming...

I say you should try Nano. I've joined twice, both times only getting to about 30k words. So not winning. However, the things is that this doesn't matter for a novel. I can see how a game might be different if you don't get to the end. You'd have very little to show for it. However, with a...

I personally don't think it's necessary to show all sides or aspects about a point being made to make that point. I think the main thing is that you shouldn't hit your reader over the head with your theme and let them draw their own conclusion. Showing all sides of an argument is just one way of...

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Or pehaps in this case better to run and hide

Alll writers are different. What works for one doesn't work for another. Some people can't write when they get given a structure others can't write without one. So try it and see what works. And, they give different stories. However, don't just dismiss them out of hand. If the Heroes Journey...

Welcome! Happy to see you drop in :)

I feel diagnosed...

If it's a retelling, then you need to be clear on which story you're actually retelling. In the original (by Andersen from 1837), there is no Sebastian, no Flounder, no cave with treasures, and Triton plays a minor role (I don't think he's even a named character) who doesn't show up at the end...

If you haven't yet, I would suggest you read the original Little Mermaid story, by Anderson. Part of it might help answer your question, since in the end of that, nothing is actually resolved and the status quo doesn't change. It's a story that leaves the reader with a sad, empty feeling. Which...

Same. My fingers type fast enough for them not to be the issue. I tried dictation and not a sensible word comes out. I need the thought process of getting words on the page.

Many people want to have written a novel. Not because they enjoy writing or because they thikn it will be some literary masterpiece. But just to have written it and to be able to say they've done it. A lot of people I tell I've written a bunch of novels will tell me they'd like to do that to...