[Krista] Where I'm at and...

[Timothy M.]

Of course, we'll read anything you write. We're your fans.

 

Will you do a repeat of the parts about The Best Year in that topic? Then I'll comment on those issues over there.

[Krista]

Of course, we'll read anything you write. We're your fans.

 

Will you do a repeat of the parts about The Best Year in that topic? Then I'll comment on those issues over there.

 

Oh! I totally forgot about that topic.. woops. lol. I may do it over there, to keep it more topic central. This has been a bit of a blog for me. 

[Krista]

test.

[Krista]

I'm wondering if I should bring this topic back? Especially since Status updates are gone. I don't think I will be creative enough or active to warrant a Random Thoughts topic - specifically to talk about my writing in general. I would continue to post updates on Story comments, but since I'm not actively posting a story right now, I don't think that is appropriate either. As it sort of spams the followers for an "update" message, when there isn't new content.

Let me know if this is something you would want to see from me? At least until I start posting my latest story.

Most of the people that still read me know that I announced, Learned to Lie as my next project. It was sort of an on the fly sort of story I did for the Secret Author contest over a year ago. I've been posting little updates here and there, but I've not given you much as far as snippets of scenes. I don't know if I'll start doing that now either, as I'm prone to showing off pieces that could be very spoil heavy and it may be distracting.

I'm not a blogger either. As I'm busy and as I've gotten older, I've attempted to be more private with my life and if you know me, you know when I get talking I talk too much.  

Anyway, for now I'll leave you with a Status Update of sorts for Learned to Lie and if you want me to continue with this topic, I will. If not, then it will go back into the depths of the forums. I also know this part of the forums sections, with the implementation of the newer Story system, fanclubs, and now the Random Thoughts, that this section of the forums isn't as active as it used to be, so the reach for me may still be rather limiting.

Learned To Lie:

Current Chapter/Part count: 14 (I'm planning on 15 parts, if I can find a place to end with the next part). I do know Wildthing and I discussed breaking up some parts into two or three parts as some of them are well into the 20k wordcount range. I typically like to stay within 5k words, but as I wrote off and on with this story, I tended to stay with a part until my overall theme or idea completed, which meant some of them were big word counts. I'm hoping it isn't too bloated.

Word Count: 159,700. That is a lot of words packed into 14 parts, I know some parts are around 30 pages. Finding natural breaks in the writing may be the way to go, chopping some of them up. Of course when I sit down to do more reading and spot editing that may cut into the word count/page count or add to them. 

--- If you want me to continue with this update, I'll give you the Character Sheet. (Not descriptions, just names). 

Also, I fibbed a ton in the earlier pages of this topic about where I actually went, as some of those stories are so dead that I shouldn't have ever posted about them to begin with.  

I don't have a new 'start' date planned for Learned to Lie, that will depend on how many parts we can split up (if we choose to do that), how long it will take to get editing/beta reading done, and all that good stuff. I would like to start posting this year.  That's as far as I'll take that. 

[Krista]

I promised a Character Sheet, so here we are. My character sheets are probably the most in depth part of my pre-planning, or planning as I go. So, I won't be showing you it as written. Each character on the sheet has too much description that would spoil the story. They also have detailed physical descriptions that I don't want to give out either, as I tend to do that in snippets within the writing. As for their importance to the story, they're pretty much listed as they were introduced. If they were mentioned more than once or twice, they typically make the character sheet. It is terribly annoying to write a character within a new part, then think, "well I'll never need that name/description again as they won't be showing up anymore..." then they smack you in the face four or so chapters later when you realize they're a tiny bit more necessary than you originally thought. So, at least for me the character list grows a bit long. 

I know it has been a bit between chapters (over a year since the contest), so I don't expect a lot of you to remember many. Also, aside from like Seven or Eight characters the rest of what I'll be listing here will be new names that you've never met in the writing yet.  I'm trying to branch away from C names too, although you will see that I did slip. If you've read my writing, you know that I'm a bit heavy handed with the C names when it comes to naming characters. If you've read "Standing In Shadows," then you know how bad it really got.

Anyway enough rambling here's the list of names to look forward to:  

Joel Benton
Westley Benton
Cody Benton
Phil Benton
Lisa Benton

Grady "Roy" Mason
Jonny Lundst

Trace Connley
Celia Connley --- Woops seems that I am still heavy on the C names, even branched out to last names.  
Colt Connley
Lacey Connley

Davin Kepler
Gavin Kepler
Lorianne Smithe
Sierra Sanderson
Faith Carson
Rissa (Character doesn't have a mentioned last name of yet)
Amberly Ames
Avenly Ames. 

-- the doubled up Last and First names also seems to be a wee bit of a theme as well. The Ames characters were done intentionally though, just because I thought the names sounded good doubled up like that. But, Connley was a mistake because the way I have it spelled and it being a C name makes it difficult for me.  I know I could easily rectify the changing of their name, but as many words as I'm into this story, it feels more important than it actually is really.

I also think Gavin has popped up in like 4 different stories now, so that name is officially retired from my writing as well.  

There's also named pets in this story, I didn't list. As well as characters that are mentioned multiple times, but I don't want to name yet as their names could signify points of interest in the writing that I don't want expanded on via this character sheet. 

-- I don't know what I'll post next. I'm scared to post snippets of the writing, as I'm only one chapter in and it was left off where most of the characters above aren't in the writing yet. So, anything I would post would be extremely spoil heavy. I may talk about the writing and possibly discuss something with Wildthang to see what he thinks.

I may just leave it here as well, but two posts into a topic I intentionally brought back just to shove it to the side again seems anticlimactic.  I guess if you wish, y'all can look at the names and wonder who or how they are in the writing. It also goes without saying, that if the names aren't in the first chapter that's already posted - they are subject to change.  Although, unless I am convinced otherwise I am quite stubborn with names and I am unlikely to change them.

[ReaderPaul]

@Krista, thanks for the update.  I think character sheets are a part of any good author's planning, unless there is never a plan for continuing a story past one chapter.  I think you are wise and organized to have the names ready.

[Krista]

12 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

@Krista, thanks for the update.  I think character sheets are a part of any good author's planning, unless there is never a plan for continuing a story past one chapter.  I think you are wise and organized to have the names ready.

My character sheet is probably rather skeletal really, just general appearances, mannerisms, and possibly some plot connections they're going to have, or important plot points they've already had. I don't like to put too much in there, as I feel if I know everything about them, what's going to happen to them, etc then I don't wish to write their story. It is a motivation killer for me, so I will jot things down after the fact. Still helpful as I suck at remembering names.  

[ReaderPaul]

17 minutes ago, Krista said:

My character sheet is probably rather skeletal really, just general appearances, mannerisms, and possibly some plot connections they're going to have, or important plot points they've already had. I don't like to put too much in there, as I feel if I know everything about them, what's going to happen to them, etc then I don't wish to write their story. It is a motivation killer for me, so I will jot things down after the fact. Still helpful as I suck at remembering names.  

Also a wise move.  But having the names and a few basic facts can save major inconsistencies later.  Some years back I read a story where a main character was named "Charles" but a few chapter in suddenly was "Fred."  In another story "Mrs. Reynolds" suddenly became "Mrs. Smythe" for three chapters and then was Mrs. Reynolds again.  (Different authors, and neither story was on this site.)

Usually I am good with character names in stories.  I wish that in real life (IRL) I was able to remember names as well.

[Krista]

5 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

Also a wise move.  But having the names and a few basic facts can save major inconsistencies later.  Some years back I read a story where a main character was named "Charles" but a few chapter in suddenly was "Fred."  In another story "Mrs. Reynolds" suddenly became "Mrs. Smythe" for three chapters and then was Mrs. Reynolds again.  (Different authors, and neither story was on this site.)

Usually I am good with character names in stories.  I wish that in real life (IRL) I was able to remember names as well.

I remember in Standing in Shadows that I kept switching names for Cory's best friends and getting them confused. Then in The Best Year, poor Connor kept changing between Conner and Connor. lol. 

[wildone]

CTRL+F is your friend  

[Krista]

1 hour ago, wildone said:

CTRL+F is your friend  

 Me thinking if I can convince a jury that I'm innocent. Such a fine line, Wildthang. 

[Krista]

I may start editing Standing in Shadows, I started reading it, I thought the writing wasn't that rough, but I'm seeing it as really sloppy at times. So, in the off chance y'all notice changes happening, that's what's going on.  

[Krista]

I am thinking about deleting my Banner. It is from way back when the story was a feature and Cia made the banner for me. It is really old and I've since written The Best Year, Ridley, and Elias in that time and never had a banner made for them. lol.  I'm not creative with that sort of thing, even on my best of days, so maybe blank is better. 

I've also not started the last part to Learned to Lie yet either. Not having a lack of motivation, I just have a lot planned for the part and it has to be done in a way to bring the story to a nice closure point. I hate ending a story, I never feel like I do it well. Especially these types of stories that just end when a theme ends, typically you'd want most things resolved between the final theme and the final word. But, coming of age stories, they end usually at the close of a theme within the character's life. So, unless the character dies, there's always going to be the thought of: Well what happens after this? Even if people feel that the general arc and themes within that arc are complete, the characters may never feel done. So, I know I tend to try to close on a good breath with my stories and readers can be optimistic that things are going be good for the characters past the writing.

I will say, that Learned to Lie, I've been on shaky ground with off and on. As Wildthang and I edit, break down parts, and etc I am hoping that it doesn't show in the writing. Usually I sit down and I read parts of the story throughout the writing process, so I can stay within tone, pacing, etc. I didn't really do that with this story and I think most of the reason why is because I wasn't posting it as I wrote it. So, I wasn't ever getting a general feedback from readers that may cause me to go back and do a lot of rereading so I can wrap my head around differing opinions on plot points amongst other things that naturally pique my curiosity. Writing to a complete project before posting is a very new thing for me. It is one that I forced myself to adopt whilst writing The Best Year, because I was too slow and I lost readers and engagement for that reason.

I think there's a grand total of five parts that I restarted from DNF'd starts. I struggled with feeling like important moments mattered with this story, and maybe lost impact in doing so. Like I said though, I've not done a lot of back reading, I wrote the parts more linear in my brain without a lot of backtracking. Joel is also different from the norm for me or I felt he was anyway.

There is never anything truly groundbreaking with any of my writing, but I mostly like to live in that simplicity. I want my writing to feel like these people could be walking the planet feeling the way they do, and lived the way they have. I've always been in that mindset with characters, I think in my genre it is a very important aspect. I am a bit tired of living in this genre though, but that isn't new news, I said that when I finished The Best Year.

I'm not trying to prewarn anyone who may read it, but I also didn't know what I wanted to do with the next installment of this topic either. It is more or less me coming from how I felt when I wrote this story, how I feel looking back on it. What I've done differently and the obvious learning curve that had to happen with doing things differently. I've been writing off and on since 2002ish, I want to say, when I was fourteen years of age. Most of my writing was completed before my twenty-first birthday, my first two stories were completed before I graduated high school. I'm not going to say my age now, y'all can figure that up in your heads with the information provided, but fair warning if you decide to post said age in any comments  you will be on my naughty list and I'm sure the wildthing can give you some horrific stories of what happens when you're on my naughty list. 

I also have nothing planned after Learned to Lie. I say that, but I also had nothing planned after The Best Year either and here I am over 150k and counting words deep into something I didn't have planned. 

I'll end here, it is well past my bedtime and I don't want to look like a complete trainwreck in the wee hours of the morning, so. 

[Krista]

So, here we are.

Chapter 15/Part 15 whatever it ends up being called is most of the way completed. It is not going to be the ending, I have resolved myself to that fact. Unless I can somehow swing the writing back around. Sigh, unfortunately that means it will be a little bit longer before I start posting. I was maybe shooting for April, to give me and Wildthang a few months to work on the first set of Chapters/Parts. February is a criminally short month, I must say.  

I'm still weighing my options on if I want to post snippets. The most I know I could safely do is post parts of Chapter/Part 2. But then again, I highly doubt there's any interest in reading a portion of a chapter that likely won't see the light of day for another month and a half or so. I've never been good at this Author self-promotion thing, if anything I've done the opposite. At least with me accepting that Part 15 isn't the last, allows me to introduce the finishing parts that will draw the story to a close, in a lot more freer way than maybe I would have otherwise. 

It did snow a ton, so we're all kind of stuck in the house, which means I've been on a cleaning spree out of feeling like I need something to do. Spring cleaning coming a month early feels sinful. I've rearranged the living room furniture, but decided to rearrange it all back. And by rearranging, I did the pointing and husband did the moving... I did help with the couch at least. If he doesn't end up on the couch for complaining he may get a back rub. Especially since after all that the brats (husband and dogs included in that blanket statement) keep tracking in wet snow and all that good stuff when they decide they want to go out and play in it. I am not a cold/snow person. I want to see it in film, in pictures, and out my window whilst I'm eating a bowl of hot soup, chili, or what have you.

[Krista]

Matt Ashby keeps popping into my brain, but the Wildthang told me no.

[wildone]

I never said, NO. I said that you don't have to make him like you want  

[Krista]

Just now, wildone said:

I never said, NO. I said that you don't have to make him like you want  

 

I don't know if I can physically apologize. But I remembered NO, then "lol.." from you. And me making Matt how I want him, is 'my' responsibility. He wouldn't exist without me, Wildthang.  

[Krista]

I think I have given up on the idea of splicing or cutting these massive chapter/parts down into multiple parts. It is going to be a bit erratic, as none of them are below 7k. My goal of what I would typically want for word count per chapter has always been between 5 - 6k. There are multiple chapters approaching 15k. We've discussed what the optimal reading length is, it varies, but most I think fall within the range of 3 - 6k. I am well aware that larger chapters, even if you're being entertained the process of reading, is a time consuming chore. I was looking at word counts of novels/novellas recently, and I saw that some were 50k - 80k, and me writing 15k chapters... yikes. Then I looked up reading time averages based on word count, and some of my chapters based on word count and average read speed, would take close to forty minutes. It isn't something I really and truly want, but I also don't want to do my head in attempting to figure out how to break these larger chapters down into two or three parts. 

Either way, I've only worked on part sixteen of late, it is over twenty pages long and still not finished. I haven't looked at the word count for it. At least I have set up the story to end, somewhat, I just have to convince myself to approach those themes so I can go about doing so. Parts fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen have all been fun to write for me though.  We'll see. 

I also realize that replying to what comments I receive for this story is going to be difficult. I am not used to writing an entire story before posting. I did so with Ridley, and I was mostly finished with Elias before posting started. I like talking and I like talking about my writing with readers. Knowing everything beforehand kind of takes my organic feel out of the equation. Sometimes I like seeing the reactions from things that I've just written, only knowing little bits about where I want to go next, so the guessing, theories, and excitement always felt more organic. Now, me knowing everything, I will be paranoid AF that I will spoil things.  We'll see, again. 

Deleted my signature. I may try to make one for Learned to Lie, as it will be my next posted story.

I'm sure I'll get a NO from Wildthang, but maybe I can convince him to start working with me on the Beta/Editing side of Part two and Part three, and maybe get those sorted out and posted. I feel I am really far ahead that I'll finish well ahead of a One part per week posting schedule. I'll understand if he says no, I don't have the best track record. We'll see again, again.  I'm not all that convinced anyone is waiting for me to post anything new as it is. 

Edited March 19, 2025 by Krista

[wildone]

In case anyone wants to see, here is an artists rendition of the house Krista's next story will primarily be taking at:

 

[ReaderPaul]

On 4/2/2025 at 5:18 PM, wildone said:

In case anyone wants to see, here is an artists rendition of the house Krista's next story will primarily be taking at:

 

Steve, which artist rendered that picture of an inflatable house not yet fully inflated?  And I would be intrigued by a story explaining why the moon in the sky is THAT happy,

[Krista]

2 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

Steve, which artist rendered that picture of an inflatable house not yet fully inflated?  And I would be intrigued by a story explaining why the moon in the sky is THAT happy,

Although I have no firm evidence to back up my theory, but I believe the artist of the masterpiece was: A: An Otter about three pints in. B: A Toddler. C. Someone who needs to keep their day job.  

And, I'm more concerned by the camel-horse chasing the poor fella under that happy Moon. A story in of itself really... 

Edited April 6, 2025 by Krista

[Krista]

My creativity has fled screaming into the hills... unfortunately.  At least with me not currently posting, none of you have to suffer through this waiting for a next chapter or anything. Small blessings, I guess, that I stuck to my convictions. 

[Krista]

Finally finished Part 17/Chapter 17. It is one of the smaller parts only getting up to around 8600 words.  Maybe I can end this story at 19 parts, possibly an Epilog, but I don't have a lot more planned in the writing and it is winding down a bit. 

[Krista]

This is why I can't be trusted to do Anthologies/Writing Contests/Prompts... 

[Mattyboy]

On 3/15/2025 at 2:57 PM, Krista said:

Matt Ashby keeps popping into my brain, but the Wildthang told me no.

Matt Ashby was a pretty interesting character that  didn't get a lot of lines.   Wild is likely correct about "don't cross the streams"   but otherwise I'd like to hear a bit more about Ashby