Comments on: Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks http://www.alinamorgan.com/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/ the official website of Alina Morgan Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:35:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: raymardo http://www.alinamorgan.com/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/comment-page-1/#comment-850 raymardo Mon, 14 Aug 2006 02:51:39 +0000 http://nonny.windsofstorm.net/wordpress/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/#comment-850 Hello, I have bounced around the idea of using "Stronger Than The Night" as a story (screenplay, novel...) title for a while now. Glad to see that someone else saw the potential too. I read through some of your posts and have a suggestion - hope it helps. Forget about the amount of words in chapters or scenes. That's good for exercises, but in a story all that matters is to do what serves the story best. If you can say what needs to be said for a chapter or scene in 200 words, than you're done. Move on. You don't get credit or points for symmetry or completing the task of meeting a word count. All that matters is telling the best story possible. You already have an awesome title... Congratulations. I wish you the best. Ray Mardo Hello,

I have bounced around the idea of using “Stronger Than The Night” as a story (screenplay, novel…) title for a while now. Glad to see that someone else saw the potential too.

I read through some of your posts and have a suggestion – hope it helps.

Forget about the amount of words in chapters or scenes. That’s good for exercises, but in a story all that matters is to do what serves the story best. If you can say what needs to be said for a chapter or scene in 200 words, than you’re done. Move on.

You don’t get credit or points for symmetry or completing the task of meeting a word count. All that matters is telling the best story possible.

You already have an awesome title…

Congratulations.

I wish you the best.

Ray Mardo

]]> By: Nonny http://www.alinamorgan.com/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/comment-page-1/#comment-523 Nonny Wed, 12 Jul 2006 07:20:59 +0000 http://nonny.windsofstorm.net/wordpress/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/#comment-523 Tempest: I went through much the same thing, though it didn't hit quite in the same way. I ended up sticking to "the rules" even if it wasn't the best thing for me to do. I didn't realise that the so-called "rules" could be broken. *shakes head* Much happier now that I have. ;) Tempest: I went through much the same thing, though it didn’t hit quite in the same way. I ended up sticking to “the rules” even if it wasn’t the best thing for me to do. I didn’t realise that the so-called “rules” could be broken. *shakes head*

Much happier now that I have. ;)

]]> By: Nonny http://www.alinamorgan.com/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/comment-page-1/#comment-522 Nonny Wed, 12 Jul 2006 07:18:55 +0000 http://nonny.windsofstorm.net/wordpress/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/#comment-522 Silma, that's usually what I've done -- wrote an entire scene from one person's POV and then switched to another in the next scene. Problem is, it's not always the best way to show things, IMO. Silma, that’s usually what I’ve done — wrote an entire scene from one person’s POV and then switched to another in the next scene. Problem is, it’s not always the best way to show things, IMO.

]]> By: Tempest Knight http://www.alinamorgan.com/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/comment-page-1/#comment-518 Tempest Knight Wed, 12 Jul 2006 03:20:11 +0000 http://nonny.windsofstorm.net/wordpress/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/#comment-518 I wasn't so annally compulsive about my writing until I joined critique groups and other writing circles. Then for a while I was completely obsessed with the number of words in each chapter, who's POV in which scene, how many scenes where in who's POV, etc. But it was killing my writing. It was no longer a creative process. The stories were just writing - a string of words put together in a coherent manner. I didn't derive any joy in storytelling. So I had to learn to stop my compulsion. I wasn’t so annally compulsive about my writing until I joined critique groups and other writing circles. Then for a while I was completely obsessed with the number of words in each chapter, who’s POV in which scene, how many scenes where in who’s POV, etc. But it was killing my writing. It was no longer a creative process. The stories were just writing – a string of words put together in a coherent manner. I didn’t derive any joy in storytelling. So I had to learn to stop my compulsion.

]]> By: Silma http://www.alinamorgan.com/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/comment-page-1/#comment-513 Silma Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:52:31 +0000 http://nonny.windsofstorm.net/wordpress/2006/07/10/teaching-an-old-dog-new-tricks/#comment-513 I have been through situations in which I find myself musing which POV should I write the scene or the chapter in. Sometimes I've ended up writing the same chapter from two different POVs to avoid head hopping. I find so annoying scene breaks that avoid them like a plague. Especially if the scene break is within the same scene but just to show another POV. It breaks my concentration when I'm reading. But, hey, that's just me. *lol* However, the only thing I've learned new is seeing a scene from two different POVs and using those scenes in different books. BTW, congrats on the great review on Euro-Reviews! *g* I have been through situations in which I find myself musing which POV should I write the scene or the chapter in. Sometimes I’ve ended up writing the same chapter from two different POVs to avoid head hopping. I find so annoying scene breaks that avoid them like a plague. Especially if the scene break is within the same scene but just to show another POV. It breaks my concentration when I’m reading. But, hey, that’s just me. *lol* However, the only thing I’ve learned new is seeing a scene from two different POVs and using those scenes in different books.

BTW, congrats on the great review on Euro-Reviews! *g*

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