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BendtedWreath

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  1. BendtedWreath
    My previous blog entries are part of my personal writing journey as I do my best to finish my first multi-chaptered work.
     
    This blog, however, explains how I came to be inspired to work on a multi-chaptered story in the first place:
     
    I just went on a hunt for 2024's Secret Author Talking Topic Thread and reading it was like seeing my GA life flashing before my eyes. 

    To anyone who might not know, I was urged to join the forum by a friend who enjoyed reading anonymously.
    The dweeb and completionist that I am, I took the time to flesh out my profile and read the rules.
    I introduced myself and posted on a thread or two while reading some blogs...

    Around the same time, the 2024 Secret Author, Hidden! banner was put up on the website and I wandered into it.
    I learned so many things about navigating the site as a whole by participating in the event.
    At the time I didn't even realize I was a participant, I was just discussing the stories with everyone else.
    I learned how to follow threads, follow friends, follow stories, check notifications, figure out notification settings, and track badges as I earned them.
    All of this came from just this one event near the end of July back in 2024. 

    What I didn't realize was that, as the discussions continued,
    I was gradually interacting with the group of friends, writers, and moderators that I would get to know over the course of a whole year.
    More remarkably, everyone wore different hats depending on the discussion!
    Moderators would spark enthusiasm to the participants.
    Writers offered one another help with the writing craft.
    Members provided tips on navigating the forums.
    Friends that were summoned kept the speculation going.
    In my eyes, it was how all communities should be. 

    Many other events and threads provided the same engagement in different degrees throughout the year.
    I've read different writing styles and genres, and escaped into many stories.
    The sentimental sap I am, I have to admit some tears were also shed with the stories I read.
    So, how did I come to be inspired to write a multi-chaptered story in the first place?
    Through my interactions with everyone below:
    @CassieQ@kbois@Jason Rimbaud@Thirdly@Myr@Cia@Valkyrie@Zuri@Cane23@Lee Wilson@Mikiesboy@chris191070@Thomas Wells@Aditus@LJCC@E K Stokes@wildone@Talo Segura@drown@Headstall@W_L@astone2292@Ieshwar@quokka@drsawzall@Mark Arbour@Bill W@CincyKris@centexhairysub@Gary L@Mrsgnomie@weinerdog@Stellar@MichaelS36@Alexmugs@Darryl62@raven1@Wayne Gray@Mancunian (for some reason, Mancunian's @ isn't populating)
    Along with EVERYONE that I may have missed and haven't even talked to yet!
    You are my inspirations, the reason I look forward to my commute by train...
    You are the reason I have been mentally stable for over a year despite my country's current economic/political/ecological climate...
    I look forward to reading new stories, interacting with many more GA members, catching up on the stories I've enjoyed...
    And I also look forward to the day I post my first official Chapter 2! 

    You have my deepest thanks.
    Know that I greatly appreciate each and every single one of you.
    Your friend and fellow writer,
    - Bennie
     
     
  2. BendtedWreath

    Middles: Nuances and Distinctions

    By BendtedWreath,


    Writing Tips and Help
    Ben's Bumblings- Entry 1/24/2025
    Middles: Nuances and Distinctions
    Note: I am a novice level writer. Everything I say should be taken with a grain of salt or disregarded as I bumble my way around.
    This blog entry is dedicated to Nuances and Distinctions that I struggled with halfway into the writing of my first novel:
    Showing What Another Character Is Thinking While Being Limited to the Main Character’s Overall Point of View
    These are examples I gathered from the community when I found myself in a challenging situation in which Character A needed to gain Character B's trust gradually and I wanted to show Character B changing his mind gradually.
    I asked the community: Other than their actions and their words, how would YOU show what another character is thinking while being limited to the main character's overall point of view? 
    These were the responses (you can also click on each name to visit their profiles because I found out that mentions are limited, but links are unlimited):
    KBois
    1- you can italicize the thoughts of the character X so the readers know what he's thinking without relying on 'telling'. At the same time you have character Y pondering X's thoughts and gradually changing his perception. 
    2- you can have character Y hypothesize as to what he/she thinks the other person is thinking.  This leaves room for further speculation on the main character's part and an internal dialogue showing the change if heart. 
    Thirdly
    Though it also feels like cheating, one thing that came to mind other than what Kbois wonderfully suggested, are handwritten notes. 👀 I was a teenager once and I remember playing messenger passing notes from girls to boys, or girls to other girls, and so on. When writing from one friend to another (or anything intimate between couples), so much can be read between the lines. It's why there is a collective panic whenever someone intercepts those notes, especially anything incriminating like calling an ex a fusion of a magical girl and their scent of choice "Sailor Spice." 
    Talo Segura
    Third person limited is just what it says with the label, it allows a little more freedom with the principal character because you are using he and they, rather than I, but nevertheless the reader is following only this main character's thoughts and inner feelings. The main character may speculate about a secondary character's inner thoughts, but he doesn't know what another person is really thinking. You cannot put the reader inside another character's head, only with third person omniscient where the reader sees all can you do this.
    Drown
    You are not necessarily limited to just one character's POV though. You can … head hop to another one. This is extremely dangerous territory. But without a lot of finesse, it often comes off heavy-handed. If a story constantly swaps POVs, I will stop reading.
    All suggestions above are good though.
    I like limited writing POVs, makes it more interesting to deal with such things. Focus on what your main character can see, smell, taste, hear, touch. Have them question their senses, for the reader to really get into the POV's head.
    Did he see that expression? It was there, wasn't it? I'm sure it was, oh god, this man was so hard to read! Exhausting. He wished Luke would just come out with it and say what's on his mind. But oh no, we had to sit here and ponder. 
    Headstall:

    Dialogue and second character's actions, reactions, pauses, tics, facial expressions and the like... but definitely through dialogue for me.
    Just a quick example...
    Character 2: "Are you sure about that?"
    POV: "I was... ah, you don't think so?"
    Character 2: "Sure, sure, if that's your take." Leon nodded and smiled, but Ryan knew him well and saw right through it. 
    POV: "Okay, well, I haven't made up my mind yet, so--"
    Character 2: "You do you, man," Leon said in a rush as he dropped his gaze.
    POV: A sigh quietly slid from Ryan's mouth. It was clear his friend thought him crazy for even considering taking Thomas back. Was he angry? It irked him to think he was, so he challenged his poorly concealed attitude. "Why do you hate him so damn much?"
    Character 2: Leon's eyebrows rose, and he looked sheepish, but stubborn too, and yeah, at the least, miffed about something. "I don't... hate him exactly, and it's none of my business anyway... it's not my life."
    POV: Yeah, he sounded defensive now, and that never went well. Ryan cooled his jets, not wanting to poke and prod.
    Character 2: "Listen, I gotta go. I promised my mother I would...." His voice trailed off as he turned away and started walking up his street.
    POV: Ryan sighed again, louder this time. Leon was definitely lying--he wasn't fine with anything--and he was going to do what he always did when things got uncomfortable. No doubt he wouldn't see him for a week. He watched his friend's hunched shoulders and hurried gait for a minute, but he never turned around once, like he would have done any other time. Annoyed at how their talk had played out, he strode away in the other direction. He was confused, but something about Leon's demeanor niggled at him. 
    LJCC:
    By describing things, really. Context and subcontext are the keys to every situation. Subcontext is probably the most important part of storytelling you'd have to insert in everything you write. Without it, its like eating a sugarless cereal. The story would taste very bland. In-your-face writing is literally the opposite of fiction writing. It's like reading a news report. So to successfully hide whatever intention you have with your characters, you have to hide them in a subcontext that the readers will subtly understand. Some writers will directly hint at what the subcontext is (like in this sample), and some will hide it in their graves. 
    This is a very short prompt I made to, hopefully (if it makes sense), give my answer to your question:
    SETTING:
    Context: William is showing his apparent 'fiance' to the guy he slept with last night. A fellow spy.
    Subcontext: Roger is doubting himself if William truly feels nothing about what they've shared together the night before. The CIA agent feels there's something more. He's also doubting if the fiance is his real fiance.
    “Well, this is my fiancé,” Damien said, smug as a cat dragging in a half-dead mouse. He turned to face Roger, his expression all polish and ice, heartless, soulless. Roger felt the contrarian demons stir inside him, their claws in his guts, pulling him toward what he shouldn’t feel, shouldn’t want—but did, and did deeply.
    He knew his feelings for Damien, and he knew Damien's duty. Knew, too, what he himself could give, which was less than nothing when the CIA had its iron hand on his leash. And yet, last night—goddamn it—last night had happened. He had let passion, real passion, take the wheel, knowing full well that today Damien would be boarding a plane back to London, back to MI6. Back to the interrogators, with their sharp questions and sharper eyes. If he wasn’t pitch-perfect, it would be his fault because he hadn’t said no to William last night
    Romantic, cold-effacing, heartless Brits. That’s what Damien was—wasn’t he? Or was he just a full-frontal asshole of an American to expect something? He wanted some version of romance, sure, but they were both intelligence officers. No room for distractions. No room for...this. And yet.
    Damien looked at him now, the look of someone who had already filed everything away in a locked box. Roger saw it. He saw the purple shadows pooling around his shoulders like bruises. Whatever connection they’d shared last night was gone, replaced by duty and steel.
    And now, as if the whole moment weren’t absurd enough, Damien was introducing him to this spineless twig of a man—this toothpick masquerading as a person—who was, apparently, William’s fiancé. The words floated, as pompous and self-satisfied as Damien’s tone. Roger swallowed down everything he couldn’t say and told himself, not for the first time, that what happened last night was for nothing. Or was it really for nothing? Because for certain, he'll be thinking of William till the end of his days. Fuck it, he thought. I have to stop his flight, was his convincing tirade in his mind. I'll blow up the plane if I have to.

    ===
    Indirect Versus Direct Conflict:
    These are examples I gathered from the community when I found myself in a challenging situation in which I couldn't find enough examples about literary nuances/distinctions between direct and indirect conflict.
    I asked the community: 
    1. What is a writing example for direct vs. indirect conflict in terms of a disagreement between two parties? 
    2. What is a writing example for direct vs. indirect conflict in terms of a physical altercation between two parties? 
    3. What are any other types of conflicts that I didn't mention that would result in a direct vs. indirect conflict? Please write an example. 
    These were the responses (you can also click on each name to visit their profiles because I found out that mentions are limited, but links are unlimited):
    KBois
    I literally just finished dealing with an irate resident.
    Direct conflict:  The issue was a notice we gave him regarding items on his site that needed to be addressed. 
    He was trying to argue with me saying that we are accusing him of not having a valid registration displayed. 
    Our notices are basically a checklist... we place an X next to the violation and highlight when it needs to be taken care of. 
    He could not comprehend that there was no X checked off by the registration. It was checked next to the 'remove clutter.'
    No matter how I tried to explain it to him he didn't get it. This is a direct conflict... both of us engaged in verbal sparring. 
    He's lucky I didn't lean over the counter and initiate a direct physical altercation and throat punch him, especially after he started bad-mouthing my staff. I shut that down pretty quick. 
    Thirdly
    1. What is a writing example for direct vs. indirect conflict in terms of a disagreement between two parties? 
    Direct: "Grey is the most neutrally flattering color for all shades and there's nothing you can say to make me think otherwise." "The hell ever, it's black all the way! Screw you and your grey fetish!"
    Indirect: "Grey is the most neutrally flattering color for all shades and there's nothing you can say to make me think otherwise." "...You do know that black is also slimming?"
    2. What is a writing example for direct vs. indirect conflict in terms of a physical altercation between two parties? 
    Direct: "This Friday afternoon. Schoolyard. No spectators." "You're on!" (the two meet and either beat the crap out of each other or make out?)
    Indirect: "I heard it was Chad that spread the rumors about you giving Theo a blowjob in the men's room on the second floor." "Oh fuck, Chad heard us? I hope Theo doesn't break up with me because of this!"
    3. What are any other types of conflicts that I didn't mention that would result in a direct vs. indirect conflict? Please write an example.
    Direct: Calling someone out on the spot after being groped in a non-consensual manner. "Respect my boundaries! If I were a felon, you'd have lost your hand right then and there." 
    Indirect: Calling someone out after the fact of being groped in a non-consensual manner. "Text: I didn't want to embarrass you in public, but I don't appreciate being touched without permission, let alone in inappropriate ways. The next time it happens, I won't hesitate to report you."
    Jason Rimbaud
    Indirect: 
    Blake laughed and grabbed two beers from the bartender that smiled knowingly at both of them. Blake handed one to Greg and asked, “So why haven’t I seen you around?”
    “My house is just up the beach a ways,” Greg said as he gestured over his shoulder. “I’m on a quick, mini vacation.”
    “Me too,” Blake said as he led them on a path that led towards the main house. “I came here because a friend invited me.”
    “From where?”
    “LA,” Blake said with a big white smile. 
    “That’s a long way to come for a party,” Greg said with a smirk. “Must either be a good friend or someone you want to fuck.”
    Blake laughed but quickly said, “A very good friend. Sleeping with her would not be ideal for either of us. And I usually don’t enjoy sleeping with girls.”
    “Me neither, and when I say I don’t enjoy it, I mean I never have,” Greg said as he finally spied Courtney near the house deep in conversation with a very attractive guy. Their eyes met and Greg waved. She waved back but turned her attention back to the guy next to her. “I have a friend just like that back in high school.”
    Blake noticed their exchange and asked, “Was that the girl you were looking for?”
    Greg nodded and Blake asked, “What did you say her name was?”
    “Courtney.”
    “Interesting, that’s not the name she gave me when I arrived two days ago,” Blake said conspiratorially as he reached out to stop Greg.
    Greg stopped and looked over at the girl some thirty yards away. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, “That would explain why you didn’t know who I was referring to earlier.”
    “I guess not everyone here is what they appear to be,” Blake said intently as he peered at the blond girl. “I’d say be careful, but something tells me you already are.”
    ===
    General thoughts: I won't call them "final" thoughts, as I am still at the very beginning of my writing journey, and I have barely scratched the surface of writing as a whole. However, I will express how grateful I am for everyone who has provided me with help and examples. I am a fairly organized person, so I wanted to compile as much as I can in a blog (for both myself and any other fellow novice writers who might come across it) before the topic thread is buried under the newer topics. This community never ceases to amaze me. I never regret reaching out for help.
    My sincerest thanks to all of you!
  3. BendtedWreath

    Beginnings

    By BendtedWreath,


    beginnings
    Note: I am a novice level writer. Everything I say should be taken with a grain of salt or disregarded as I bumble my way around.
    I would like to think we all started as readers and then felt the desire to write our own characters, worlds, or continuations (the birth of fanficiton?).
    In school, we were taught a few basics:
    Everything has a beginning, middle, and end. A story generally has 3 Acts in structure.  Make sure your thesis statement in those essays have the main points you want to make. Watch your grammar.  Start with something interesting or eye-catching. Those more passionate about literature would then move on to more advanced studies in college and even psychology to understand what drives a human mind. With so much information on the internet shared by all, even those that rebuff a continuing education can also gain the level of knowledge they wish. In many of the books I've read, writers look to past examples of their favorite books and stories for guidance. 
    Some writers have what I consider a "great gut" and instinct for writing, able to compile everything about a story in their mind every time they sit down to work on a chapter. Some writers are more "organized" and have everything from webs, charts, images, and miscellaneous data sorted out in several files like the many tabs on a webpage (or the tabs in a physical binder or filing cabinet). Some writers are "chaotic at best" letting the chips fall wherever they may as they hope to tie up as many loose ends as they can in the end. 
    Then, there's everyone in between that have adapted hybrid or mixed methods to suit their needs. 
    Even firm readers that don't have the drive to write their own work can sense whenever a story feels "off." If a story lacks enough conflict, or if the conflict drags out for too long, there's a sense of imbalance. If a character is too sheltered from suffering, or if a character is too deeply in the throes of incessant angst with no relief in sight, there's a sense of imbalance. If the pacing fluctuates too little or too much, there's a sense of imbalance. 
    While certain writing techniques can address imbalance, such as plotting ahead, sorting out key backstory elements, and hammering out rocky transitions...a second set of eyes, or even several sets of eyes can help pinpoint those imbalances. Just like how in the past, when a story was passed by word of mouth from one person to the next, each person added or changed something for the better. Not everyone in the audience can be reached, but with a few different perspectives, more people can resonate with what's being told (though, in the spirit of balance, even too many eyes on a project can result in a dud).
    I found a plethora of blogs to help beginners in the Writing Tips section of Writing World (click on the underlined "Writing Tips" in this sentence to follow the link), mostly because I was searching for this information for myself. @Comicality provided quite the robust map/field guide if you take the time to search for all of them. Some of the ones I found that were important for beginners were (and there is more on Theme and Tone at the very end of this blog):
     
    That being said, there are plenty more in the Writing Tips blogs to look over. The ones I handpicked above are great for either the new writers or great reminders for writers that might have stalled on whatever they were working on. I saw something that was mentioned in many of the blogs that I thought I had a vague idea about, but it turned out I knew nothing like Jon Snow. So, I wrote down what I found below:
    Tone vs. Theme
    Tone: Expresses the writer’s feelings/attitude/point of view toward the topic/subject.
    Theme: The main idea or the central message of the story.
    Tone is expressed through word choice or the writing style the writer uses to express his views on the topic/subject.
    Theme can be felt or uncovered through concrete/important events as the story unfolds.
    Scope of the tone: How did the author convey/articulate/express the message of the story?    
    Scope of the theme: What is the story about? What is the moral or message of the story?
    Nature of the tone: Can be suspenseful, cheerful, sarcastic, funny, melancholic, and etc.    
    Nature of the theme: Can be a powerful message ("moral of the story") or a conclusion that’s drawn from the author’s written work.
    Examples of Tone:
    Somber, dark, serious, gloomy: A speech at a funeral, a murder mystery, a novel about someone's struggles with depression, Book with dark tone: Lord of the Flies
    Humorous, witty, goofy: A stand-up comedy routine, a TV show like Seinfeld or Friends, Book with humorous tone: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 
    Examples of Theme:
    Good vs. Evil: Marvel movies, Star Wars, Harry Potter
    Power and Corruption: Wall Street, The Black Book, The Godfather 
    Coming of Age: The Breakfast Club, The Catcher in the Rye, Emma
    Love and Sacrifice: My Sister's Keeper, Gravity, Titanic
    Redemption and Forgiveness: It's a Wonderful Life, Schindler's List, Les Misérables
    Nature and Environment: Avatar, Okja, The Lorax
    Identity and Belonging: Zootopia, Hidden Figures, Percy Jackson
    Survival: Cast Away, The Hunger Games, The Grapes of Wrath
    Theme and Tone: The Lord of the Rings series has a Good Vs. Evil theme told in a mournful tone. Pride and Prejudice's theme is in the title told in critical, ironic, and sarcastic tones. Charlotte's Web's theme is friendship told in a tone of innocence, gentleness, and whimsy (though it has moments of joy, sorrow, love, and friendship). The Great Gatsby's theme is the decline of the American Dream, the hollowness of upper class, and the corruption of wealth and love told in a scornful and sympathetic tone.
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