the Rift


Styling Posts & Perspectives Resolution

Sumati Posts: N/A
Unregistered
:: :: ::
#1
I wanted to bring up a topic that's been brewing up a stream of thoughts in my head for quite a while. You guys are all amazing writers and I want to point out one thing that all of you have that I don't. (Or at least I don't think I have...)

It's a silly sort of pet peeve that I have for myself when I write.

I don't know if this is exactly considered flow, but I'll go ahead and call it that.

My syntax, first off, is very choppy and I need to condense it. I know this. I've been working on this for quite a while, but as you know, new things take a while to adjust to. This could be my problem entirely. However, when I write I feel worried about being as individual as I can possibly be. I'm trained to do this in school and I think it is a great skill for writing nice pieces of prose that I want published. Since role-playing is supposed to be a big break for me in terms of loose inspiration that is left over from the school week, I think that I'm thinking way too hard. I worry too much about picking (and staying with) certain styles that really don't fit me or my character. I see so many of you guys, writing like letters or even companion perspectives that I'm like "why couldn't I think of that," because it's really beautiful writing.

Anyway, back to flow. When I write I notice that I pick the hardest place to write from. I think, "Why am I trying to write in third person omniscient, present tense when I hate it?"

I'm sure you know that feeling.

That's really what I'm here to say. I want to know if it is even working for my characters. It's one of those really vague writer responses to their own writing because they are unhappy with it sort of thing.

I'm writing in passive voice, you guys. That is the number one no no. My writing is constantly contradicting itself and it needs to change. It's going to change.

Another thing I'm going to do is loosen up and write with creative ideas. I'm sorry you all had to read the terrors of my passive writing that lacked feeling and my jagged sentences. I'm trying to start something new :)

What new, idk. But maybe it will be interesting.

If you have any helpful hints to this, please, please share them.

Onni the Illuminant Posts: 194
Hidden Account
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.2hh :: 8 Buff: SWIFT
Lyhty :: Diamond Firetail Finch :: Sing Boom Boom!
#2
The only thing I can say is that if you hate writing the way you are, then don't.

I was battling writing in third person with Kri way back on Isilme. Kri is just -not- a character that is best played in third person. She has too much to say to be held back by the constraints of some other narrator, and after switching over to first person, I realized how much easier she comes across.

So if your character wants you to write a certain way one post, do it. Don't be ashamed if you want to skip around styles either, but as long as you can find a way that YOU want to write, that is all that matters, in my humble opinion.

This is the last place that you should feel restricted by writing style. So, just do what I do, and have some fun with it. c:

Sumati Posts: N/A
Unregistered
:: :: ::
#3
Thanks Boom,

I really appreciate the advice. You're right, I shouldn't have let myself get so tangled up in all of this. I feel like I got wrapped up in a net last night when I tried posting because I was fed up with all of the stylistic muses in my brain. xD I feel embarrassed to think this now -.- but I thought it was tacky to keep switching styles and perspectives, and I never really thought about the mental pain I was putting myself (and readers) through when I -didn't- realize it was hurting my writing. I need to do some meditation or something, and pull this tenseness out of me.

I kept thinking that everything needed to be consistent, but that makes for boring writing.

I'll play around with some style changes and stuff, see what happens.

Psyche the DarkEmpress Posts: 380
Deceased
Mare :: Unicorn :: 15.3 hh :: 8 (ages in Orangemoon) Buff: ENDURE
RayoDeSoleil
#4
Boom is completely right.

I would definitely suggest playing around with styles and perspectives! I've had to do that with a few of my characters to really get their voice to fit.

For example - with Psyche, I played around briefly with present-tense third person. It didn't fit her at all. But when I did it with Quilyan, it was perfect for him. Those were the voices that they wanted to speak in. I think a lot of it almost subconsciously has to do with their personalities - both of them are more withdrawn and don't really talk about emotion and whatnot, so it doesn't necessarily show through in an obvious way in my writing. It's a lot more subtle.

But with Sohalia, I started her in third-person and ended up with no muse for her. She's such an open, honest, sweet character that third person severely restricted her personality. But immediately when I switched to first person, she became my second most played character after Psyche.

Maybe I'm crazy drawing a link between personality and writing style, but it's just my perspective on stuff.

Something I suggested to my sister is coming up with a situation and writing out several responses to it - try one in third person, try one in first person, try one in present tense, past tense, whatever - try all different combinations until you find what feels 'right' for that character. And keep in mind that your characters don't all have to be written the same - the variation is what makes them all unique!

Hopefully this helps <3
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Mirage the DragonHeart Posts: 414
Deceased atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 6
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3 :: Eighteen HP: 68.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Akaith :: Royal Golden Dragon :: Fire Breath Whit
#5
Cirrus is my little experimental child. When she was born, I tried anything that worked for her. I mostly used third person, then I used the letters approach, which was more, first-person present tense. Now that she has Sitka, everything has come together and I love writing her from his point of view (though I do get lost in tenses >__< ).

On Isilme I tried Mirage in first person and it was scary, lol. The things that go on in her head, were just, like.. It's much safer for everyone that she is described through narration, with snippets of Akaith's thoughts breaking it all up. Companions, I have found, are great for offering a different perspective on your character, both in the sense of, actually using their perspective all the time (like I try to do with Cirrus/Sitka) as well as giving your character something more to react to.

As everyone else as said, stop worrying, play around, go nuts :P Cirrus' style may or may not change in the future, it depends on how she continues to grow up, and what style I find easiest to write her in. There is absolutely nothing wrong with chopping and changing, it's all about growth, creativeness and just, enjoying the ride. ^__^

Argetlam Posts: 51
Up For Adoption
Stallion :: Equine :: 17.3 :: 7
Adoptable
#6
I often find that once I "get to know" my characters better, or when I've played them longer, I normally find myself sneaking into first person.

Just don't feel restricted to one perspective! Play around! Try doing a perspective from a tree watching if you want to :P

Nadira Posts: 76
Hidden Account
Mare :: Unicorn :: 14.2 :: 2 years (Birdsong)
s3ilver
#7
What they all said>>> i agree.

Having you pick a style for your character is like not letting the character develope themself. The character should pick how it wants to be portrayed. It is a learning experience. And once you allow yourself to become the character and see, feel, hear, touch, and speak who they are, everything else will fall into place. Trying closing your eyes and playing a movie of your character. That is what I do and I pick music that gives me muse.

I hate to say this, but a lot of my emotion and muse I use actually is put forth by what is happening in RL. Like if my hubby and I are not getting along, you will find NADIRA's post more withdrawn, so to speak.

Alex the Godspeaker Posts: 11
Master of Mysticism
Mare :: Other :: Very short :: --
Alex
#8
I find that my characters personalities actually influence very much how I write them. I know it's cliche to say they write themselves, but I don't pick their person or tense or style, so if they aren't picking for themselves I don't know who is. :P

Prometheus, for example, is in first person present and reads like a madman. The first person is very simply because he is self absorbed, present because he is very much a fluid and ever changing being. His sentences are run on and the grammar is warped because he is insane. When he speaks of Pyr, it is in second person, because nothing matters to him in the world except for Pyr. And so posts carry out like a conversation between the two, all from Theus' point of you. But at the same time Pyr never speaks and his thoughts are very rarely central in the post because not only is he selfless and quietly respectful/fearful/loyal, Prometheus Loves Pyr but does not pay attention to his companion's feelings. As a result, Prometheus is always the center of attention.

Birch is third person present. Third person because he is very philosophical and has trouble with connecting with his own self, present because he fears and hopes to ignore his past.

Knox is 50% of the time conveyed through Manhattan. He is third person present too. Third person (With a self proclaimed title that changes as he ages, going from 'strange little colt' to 'young murderer' to where he's settled now as 'the hunter') because he thinks of himself without emotion, as sort of a walking character that is a representative of a mold he is meant to fit into. Present has a lot to do with his father- Roanne was the past, Knox is the present, so the tense follows naturally. As for Manhattan, she is the best judge of his character and the closest to him. She knows him better than anyone else, and is a very emotional character, which balances his emotionless one. She is able to explain the parts of him to the reader that no one else, even himself, understand.

And so, after all that, my characters really write themselves, is what I'm trying to say. When I don't know the character at first I switch around tenses and persons, but once I do they naturally settle into one way of writing because it just makes sense for them.

/weird probably useless ramble over


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