Forum: Author Hangout

Does your character have knowledge of what will happen in the future?

He could go on about his business calmly while everyone around him is panicking, because he knows that in a day or two the Russians will back down, and the world won't immolate itself.

As a general rule of thumb, around 20% of readers will read a prologue (more for science fiction or historical dramas), about 10% for a preface and only 5% (or less) will read footnotes.

Including footnotes would have to be almost impossible in the online or ebook formats. In older printed formats those footnotes were placed at the bottom of the current page or worst case the end of the chapter. Louis L'Amour (spelling) used them quite effectively as historical and geographical notes. I did read those for the new knowledge. Sometimes the note was to look up certain information at the library.

edited to add: schools are not the only way to learn. Just they are the only way to have a recognized record of it.

On ASSTR author Very Well Aged uses footnotes that translate foreign words in his stories set in the Philippines. Most of the notes are explained at the end of the chapter, but some, particularly recipes for Philippine dishes, refer to pages on-line through the internet. Most of those recipes include pictures.

The reason I said what I did, was due to the different formats between sites and ebooks. Those differences make it hard for a writer to include footnotes. It can be done but the many variables create problems. And like CW said many will not even read them, let alone try and understand them. Others like myself will use them as a learning tool.

In some ways the manner I had to learn things had both advantages and disadvantages. One I have to constantly look for how to learn different things. Disadvantage some skills will not earn me a dime without that little piece of paper saying I have the college degree. Applied skills would only get me in legal trouble if I was to ever be paid for their usage. Had Psychiatrist tell me at the age of 18 that I had the skills of a 4 year degree in applied clinical psychology (illegal as hell to be paid for them) and no way to get that dang piece of paper.

edited to add: Probably also illegal to use them.

Thanks -- I hadn't thought of the ebook problem.

At this point, I'm inclined to keep things to a historical appendix chapter, much as I am tempted to snark inline.

Just remember to be consistent with what ever method you use. Your readers will become used to it and probably will look for it.

I did stick a glossary into the prologue. My inclination now is to add a Historical Appendix when the story finishes.

Just try and be consistent in which ever method you use. Your fans will look for which ever method you decide on, in future stories.

add a Historical Appendix when the story finishes

I have just noticed the release your story is incomplete.

I would try to treat the story itself as sacrosanct, so having a Historical Appendix at the end seems correct for when it is finished. Adding references to the Appendix inside the story at that time does not seem intrusive.

I can also see some readers would appreciate you providing that information now.

My solution for that would be using your blog as the first draft of the Appendix, and adding a comment in the story description to indicate what is currently in your blog.

Mt solution to that would be using your blog as the first draft of the Appendix, and add a comment in the story description of what is currently in the blog.

I have noticed that over a period of time the blog entries disappear. I am not sure what that time setting is however. I just noticed because of some notifications in a blog which vanished after a while. One notice that vanished that way was the death notification of "GoldenMage" by his son. It has been good while and wouldn't be that big a problem if the notice had been added to the profile section instead. The profile segment seems to be permanent.

True, that little incident just made me wonder how many other possible notices went unnoticed. His son had uploaded one or more chapters he had finished with a note on the blog about the death of his father.

I suspect Lazeez reviews some and gives them a marker to keep them around when they relate to authors passing on

I believe he moves or places those notifications into the profile section since that is a permanent feature or it seems that way.

Pity is at the time I didn't realize that would happen. If I had known, I would have used the web master link to notify Lazeez. Asking him to place the dates in the profile. Live and learn as everyone says. From now on if I run across something like that I will make sure to pass the word on unless someone has already added the info to the profile.

Perhaps we should all make a mental note to ask Lazeez what is happening in the future, rather than speculate.
I have sent in a number feature requests for the site, and the answers have almost always been "It's already there" or "It's on my list of things to do".

That is why I said if another notification of that type appears. I will forward the information to Lazeez so he can possibly put the key information into the author profile section. That might help in the future. I never really expected him to be able to watch every little detail on site. That is where all of us whether simply readers or writers or editors have to try and help out. At least this helps me learn from my "MISTAKE" in not notifying him via the web master link.

Its also the reason I said which ever methods he decides on. To keep them consistent in all of his stories. His fans will look for that feature in the future.

Its like the way Ernest formats his stories. The method is consistent with all of his stories. I bet all of his fans would notice in a heartbeat if that changed.

At some point every writer comes up with some method to handle things. It might not be a conscious behavior but the fans will definitely notice if it changes.

each author handles internal thoughts somewhat differently

Any suggestions for ways to handle internal thoughts you consider effective?

Any suggestions?

Thanks, EB. I can see readers being comfortable with that style.

Its why I personally think each writer to some extent will develop their own style. The trick is when you choose one. Use it consistently in future stories. Until you find the style that is right for you and your stories. The difference will show up as a learning curve. I admit from what I have read in the forums, most experienced writers do not want their fans to see the growth in their skills. Others like me appreciate that because it makes you human.

Not me. Knowing how difficult the learning process is, I'd rather save everyone else the effort. What I suspect happens with the others is that, rather than having readers struggle through their earlier work, they go back and revise their earlier stories to incorporate everything they've learned since.

In that process they stop telling new stories. Kind of defeats the purpose. I am not ashamed to admit my lack of knowledge and skills. Although I have taught myself a lot. I do know and admit my limitations as Clint Eastwood said in that Dirty Harry movie.

In that process they stop telling new stories. Kind of defeats the purpose

For the perfectionists among us the purpose is be to be the best that we can be. I have no problem with that.

True, but using CW and Ernest as examples. There comes a time to just move on to another story. Perfection is their goal, but even they know when to let go.

Perfection is their goal

To make my meaning perfectly clear, "the best that we can be" will be a bit short of "perfection" - even for perfectionists. Then we can let go and move on.

How true. That is why I said its a goal. Personally I believe perfection is achieved by trying to improve on what you did yesterday.

Like when I did leather work, I was never satisfied. But after that first cut or bevel was done the only thing to do was finish carefully. Funny thing was it seemed the next gun rig always turned out a little better and a little faster.

after that first cut or bevel was done the only thing to do was finish carefully

I tried painting classes for a while. Water colours drove me insane. Once any mark dries, every attempt to fix any problem WILL make it worse. I was NEVER satisfied. I would have given up quickly if I had not changed the oils.

I think its like anything we do personally whether its leather crafts, art or writing or heck even gardening. Everyone else can always talk about how good it is. But we always see how much we actually did wrong, so we are never satisfied with our own work.