Buster's Uncle
21-02-10, 01:15
I thought it might be interesting/instructional-for-aspiring/beginning-writers to talk about the inspiration for what I'm working on now.
As part of the SMACX DG (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=44) that just began, Mart started a crew thread (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2400) where DG participants could put up profiles of the character they were going to roleplay/write about. I wanted to throw something up quick because I'm a booster of the whole DG project, and because someone was going to have to go first to get it roiling. I hadn't given a character any thought, previously, but I seized upon a thing I'd already roleplayed a bit in the SMAC OT thread, the Rec Commons, where a little roleplaying does go on. I'd long ago noticed that everyone was an officer there, so I'd played a drone. Inspired by that, and a tasteless joke I'd made a few months ago, and mixing in a fair bit of myself, I posted a deliberately silly entry with a format taken from SMAC factions files:
#DATALINKS1
^CHARACTER: {Dectec Buncle}
^BACKGROUND: {Unity Assistant Jobtech 2nd Class}
^AGENDA: {Formerly, scut work and harmonious decoration of facilities. Now, to be sexually assaulted by Lt. Cove in the Rec Commons again.}
^TECH: {MS Paint, Photoshop 5, GIMP 2.6}
So that got me to thinking about his story and what I could contribute to the DG fanfic project that was being discussed.
Well. There were a few problems with that, the character entry being lacking in any indication of his life before the mission and how he qualified -something Mart had asked us to cover. It needed a little more detail to work as story fodder, like a first name. And the big one was that jokes are fun for a little role-playing, but putting Ali in a story (as more or less explicitly herself) without her consent was further than I was willing to take the joke.
Now, too soon, the Fiction Thread (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2438) started up, and I wanted to get something up soonest, for the same reason as with the Crew thread. Problem was, I wasn't ready to write the story yet; I had no plot, only a subplot, and Ali wasn't around for a few days to consult. I had some good ideas, but nothing like a whole story. Still, I'd promised Mart I would, soon, so I thought up a dodge around the problem: write the story in installments like a pulp author, trusting in the future to provide. Part of my idea for the character was to have him an everyman who was sweeping up around the edges of what the other participants were doing as the whole DG project, and especially the creative end, progressed. This gave me room to go ahead and post something and get the ball rolling, as well as time to address the other problems. It also had the advantage of breaking the story down into less intimidating units to contemplate composing.
So I wrote and posted an expository passage as part one of They Also Serve Who Stand to Sweep (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/showpost.php?p=81930&postcount=3). I introduced the audience to my character (and a few thoughts about the milieu) in a short piece that only took a few hours to compose, also setting up some things I hoped to do later in a way that didn't oblige me to if they didn't pan out. I also held back a few things I know about Mr. Buncle. Kids, you don't want to blow through all your ideas on page one.
I'm genuinely happy with how it turned out.
So this and that has happened in the ensuing week since, and some plans have changed to accommodate developments. I've replaced Lt. Cove with a character of my own creation for the purpose of that subplot/arc. (Ali is a good sport, mind you, and there's a twist still coming.)
The crew entry has mutated/fleshed out a little since I first posted it:
^CHARACTER: {Dectec Carl Buncle}
^BACKGROUND: {Olympic Bronze medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling; Unity Assistant Jobtech 2nd Class}
^AGENDA: {Formerly, scut work and harmonious decoration of facilities. Now, to be sexually assaulted by Dr. Angvu in the Rec Commons again.}
^TECH: {MS Paint, Photoshop 5, GIMP 2.6, mop, broom}
-And, having cleared out some stumbling blocks, I'm working on part two, hopefully to be posted tonight or tomorrow.
Any questions?
So I note that Ali has an interesting story about where she got the idea for her acclaimed novel, Joe. I hope she can tell it in a way that doesn't give away the ending, as I suspect she did for me over a month ago (I'm only 3/4ths of the way through it- not a short or simple work, and I have trouble tearing myself away from WPC when I'm at the computer.)
I want to invite others to talk about their inspirations for their writings here, too. Talking about this stuff is both fun and educational. Humor me, please.
As part of the SMACX DG (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=44) that just began, Mart started a crew thread (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2400) where DG participants could put up profiles of the character they were going to roleplay/write about. I wanted to throw something up quick because I'm a booster of the whole DG project, and because someone was going to have to go first to get it roiling. I hadn't given a character any thought, previously, but I seized upon a thing I'd already roleplayed a bit in the SMAC OT thread, the Rec Commons, where a little roleplaying does go on. I'd long ago noticed that everyone was an officer there, so I'd played a drone. Inspired by that, and a tasteless joke I'd made a few months ago, and mixing in a fair bit of myself, I posted a deliberately silly entry with a format taken from SMAC factions files:
#DATALINKS1
^CHARACTER: {Dectec Buncle}
^BACKGROUND: {Unity Assistant Jobtech 2nd Class}
^AGENDA: {Formerly, scut work and harmonious decoration of facilities. Now, to be sexually assaulted by Lt. Cove in the Rec Commons again.}
^TECH: {MS Paint, Photoshop 5, GIMP 2.6}
So that got me to thinking about his story and what I could contribute to the DG fanfic project that was being discussed.
Well. There were a few problems with that, the character entry being lacking in any indication of his life before the mission and how he qualified -something Mart had asked us to cover. It needed a little more detail to work as story fodder, like a first name. And the big one was that jokes are fun for a little role-playing, but putting Ali in a story (as more or less explicitly herself) without her consent was further than I was willing to take the joke.
Now, too soon, the Fiction Thread (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2438) started up, and I wanted to get something up soonest, for the same reason as with the Crew thread. Problem was, I wasn't ready to write the story yet; I had no plot, only a subplot, and Ali wasn't around for a few days to consult. I had some good ideas, but nothing like a whole story. Still, I'd promised Mart I would, soon, so I thought up a dodge around the problem: write the story in installments like a pulp author, trusting in the future to provide. Part of my idea for the character was to have him an everyman who was sweeping up around the edges of what the other participants were doing as the whole DG project, and especially the creative end, progressed. This gave me room to go ahead and post something and get the ball rolling, as well as time to address the other problems. It also had the advantage of breaking the story down into less intimidating units to contemplate composing.
So I wrote and posted an expository passage as part one of They Also Serve Who Stand to Sweep (http://www.weplayciv.com/forums/showpost.php?p=81930&postcount=3). I introduced the audience to my character (and a few thoughts about the milieu) in a short piece that only took a few hours to compose, also setting up some things I hoped to do later in a way that didn't oblige me to if they didn't pan out. I also held back a few things I know about Mr. Buncle. Kids, you don't want to blow through all your ideas on page one.
I'm genuinely happy with how it turned out.
So this and that has happened in the ensuing week since, and some plans have changed to accommodate developments. I've replaced Lt. Cove with a character of my own creation for the purpose of that subplot/arc. (Ali is a good sport, mind you, and there's a twist still coming.)
The crew entry has mutated/fleshed out a little since I first posted it:
^CHARACTER: {Dectec Carl Buncle}
^BACKGROUND: {Olympic Bronze medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling; Unity Assistant Jobtech 2nd Class}
^AGENDA: {Formerly, scut work and harmonious decoration of facilities. Now, to be sexually assaulted by Dr. Angvu in the Rec Commons again.}
^TECH: {MS Paint, Photoshop 5, GIMP 2.6, mop, broom}
-And, having cleared out some stumbling blocks, I'm working on part two, hopefully to be posted tonight or tomorrow.
Any questions?
So I note that Ali has an interesting story about where she got the idea for her acclaimed novel, Joe. I hope she can tell it in a way that doesn't give away the ending, as I suspect she did for me over a month ago (I'm only 3/4ths of the way through it- not a short or simple work, and I have trouble tearing myself away from WPC when I'm at the computer.)
I want to invite others to talk about their inspirations for their writings here, too. Talking about this stuff is both fun and educational. Humor me, please.