Any information on Cold Creek?
Wet and chilly.
When last heard from the author indicated he'd be tied up with some heavy duty work issues for a while, but he's been gone longer than he estimated.
There was a review of D-man 3 that strongly criticized the last chapter posted (chapter 8, where all the old girlfriends went away) and suggested readers stop at chapter six. I think that may have had some influence on his adding additional chapters.
There was a review of D-man 3 that strongly criticized the last chapter posted (chapter 8, where all the old girlfriends went away) and suggested readers stop at chapter six. I think that may have had some influence on his adding additional chapters
That was not the first time girlfriends deserted him.
Yes, that desertion was rough but there are many ways the story could have been continued. For a start he was an established model and out of contract so there are many other agencies and clothing suppliers out there. He had a product which looked interesting to Ford and other companies. He has a house in London and influential friends there. In London he could have even worked with the army to improve their hand-to-hand combat skills .......There are so many possibilities but perhaps Cold Creek got tired of that story - I don't know but can hope.
I think he wrote himself into a bit of a corner by having Asuka act totally out of character and breaking loyalty by deserting him. I admit I lost interest at that point.
I think he wrote himself into a bit of a corner
Sometimes writers intentionally write themselves into what appears to be a corner, and then write something the reader is not expecting. I don't remember the last part of the story, but she has divided loyalties which could be used to explain her actions. Or perhaps an illness.
Sometimes writers intentionally write themselves into what appears to be a corner, and then write something the reader is not expecting.
Unfortunately, more often writers do write themselves into corners and can't figure out how to write their way out again. For those of us who write an entire story before posting, you'd never see the results (we'd just sit on the uncompleted story), but for those who write as they post, it's a fairly common problem.
That's not to say he can't work his way out again, but often, after encountering these types of errors, authors tend to lost interest in stories that don't turn out as they expected. :(
Yes, that is true, and it is one of my reasons for completing before posting.
It's a strong argument for completing before posting, but many authors spend their whole careers (?) posting a single story a chapter at a time, and expecting them to give that up isn't realistic. Nor should we try to, as then we'd lose the many terrific unfinished stories (like "Spitfire & Messerschmitt"). What's more, readers get a better understanding of the writing process by witnessing how authors often get hung up on stories.
It's a strong argument for completing before posting, but many authors spend their whole careers (?) posting a single story a chapter at a time, and expecting them to give that up isn't realistic.
Whilst I agree, doesn't that require tremendous self-discipline?
Would it not be advisable to suggest to Noddy Sparks ( Fresh writer seeks advice) that he write down in advance the highlights of each chapter right to the last one. Needs only be a long sentence or two but that way he would see in advance some of the loopholes and problems. OK you've been at the game a long time so you probably map it out mentally.
Would it not be advisable to suggest to Noddy Sparks ( Fresh writer seeks advice) that he write down in advance the highlights of each chapter right to the last one.
Except, chapter outlines rarely live past the initial draft, as we (authors) never know just how long each supposed "chapter" will be. Besides, even with a chapter/story outline, that won't help reconcile changes to the story as it's written (which was my point in this discussion). Thus you'd have the exact same problem. The lack isn't in planning, but in execution (i.e. no revision to correct mistakes as you write).
Except, chapter outlines rarely live past the initial draft
So? Surely, 'tis better chapter outlines had lived than never to have lived at all!
So? Surely, 'tis better chapter outlines had lived than never to have lived at all!
It's just that, for all my writing, I've never found any benefit to using chapter/story outlines. I generally know where I want the story to go, and it goes there without a detailed plan. On the few occasions I do create a plan, however limited, I end up tossing it fairly rapidly.
That said, many authors swear by story outlines (though, to be fair, the main purpose to a story outline is to sell the unwritten book to an established publisher). In short, if story/chapter outlines help you, then by all means use them. But if you're not fond of them, then don't feel you have to rely on them in order to succeed.
They're another tool in an author's quiver, that's all they are. Nothing more.
P.S. My last book, my recently published "Zombie Leza", I named chapters as I went. By the time I finished the revision, I deleted 7 chapters (combined them because they were all too short for legitimate chapters of their own) and I added 2. That's not a terrific ration, and doesn't argue for their continued use. That's almost a 50% success ratio, the same as a random coin toss.
I've never found any benefit to using chapter/story outlines
Like you, I start with a general idea or where the story will go. Once I start, ideas start forming and it's as if the story kicks me into the passenger seat and I am just going along for the ride.
About the only advantage that I can see to outlining is accumulating ideas in a coherent fashion. Writers may update their outline as the story evolves so they can control the direction of the story. I doubt that many writers limit themselves to the outline in existence at the time they start writing.