tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post7735240384616089391..comments2024-03-10T04:29:20.044-04:00Comments on Mad Genius Club: Open ThreadSarah A. Hoythttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-60221008919069197342010-07-09T01:01:55.472-04:002010-07-09T01:01:55.472-04:00I think that the evil scientists didn't use a ...I think that the evil scientists didn't use a more normal vector meant to do gene splices in an adult because they'd be designed to go slowly on purpose and it would be sort of hit and miss for a long while to get cells that were already transformed.<br /><br />But anyhow... by the time she figured it out she was pretty near gone and the fellow "at hand" was the agent on the trail of bodies she was leaving behind.<br /><br />She tried really hard to get him to kill her, but since that didn't work...<br /><br />But all that was before, on my mental time-line. My problem upthread was a year-ish later... how does she go about talking him into doing it again when it's not an emergency? Which wouldn't be a problem at all except for (long story) the fact that she'll "mate for life" with the first fellow she falls for so hasn't so much as allowed herself a crush and certainly not a date. Reaching that low point where she just doesn't care which way it goes seems like a good way to get her to do something rash.<br /><br />Hm... I always figured I wasn't mean enough to my characters. Maybe that's not true.Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-28969748361859213412010-07-09T00:42:46.443-04:002010-07-09T00:42:46.443-04:00I know it's all biological handwaving and I...I know it's all biological handwaving and I'm really glad I wrote it down because it made sense at the time. The idea is that the splice has to be attached to a vector and the evil scientists who made the splice borrowed and existing vector, probably a virus based one, that was originally intended to be applied to a fetus "in vivo" in cases of inherited genetic disorders, so had elements to isolate it from the mother as well as elements to ensure actual conception. The evil scientists broke it so it spreads to the mother but it will still receive and correctly interpret protein messages when it is successful with a fetus and temporarily turn itself off.<br /><br />I fully intend to hand wave and imply and avoid specifics!<br /><br />(My cousin actually has a PhD in biochemistry and has done work with viral delivery of genetic stuff for cancer treatments... which she says you don't exactly advertise that you're using viruses for because people react poorly. The idea, she said, was that you send two parts with two separate viruses... one to tag the cancer cells and give something for the other to latch onto, so it knows what cells to attack. I honestly have no idea if anything came of that research or not.)Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-33342901974362906662010-07-08T22:55:11.767-04:002010-07-08T22:55:11.767-04:00Synova, how evil!
What could be more infuriating ...Synova, how evil!<br /><br />What could be more infuriating as a cure, than to get pregnant? You may need to talk to a biologist about how the metabolic or hormonal changes of pregnancy could be used as a trigger to stop this splice. Perhaps the hormonal changes make the splices do something abnormal, that triggers the immune system to destroy the infected cells? One pregnancy might be enough to get all the infected cells. <br /><br />Might. <br /><br />How is she going to calculate the cost/benefit ratio here?<br /><br />Does she plan to grab some fellow she doesn't particularly like, marry him, have a baby, and take off? How badly awry are those plans going to go?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-32479445841860715402010-07-08T21:27:00.137-04:002010-07-08T21:27:00.137-04:00matapam, LOL! I always wanted twins. (I also alw...matapam, LOL! I always wanted twins. (I also always wanted to be a red head and have glasses.) But anyhow, she doesn't need that many kids, she needs to be pregnant that many times because of the triggers worked into the gene splice that slow the transformation process to something that won't kill her. All on account of the bad guys using an existing mechanism to repair genetic issues in the unborn as the delivery vector to piggy-back their illegal genetic code. Which they, all "Friday" style, hired her to courier for them, but they actually put it in her and were planning to cut her up into very small tissue cultures. She objected in a rather bloody manner and thus does the assassin/courier meet the handsome enforcer/agent.<br /><br />If necessary I could just decide that it only takes one pregnancy to slow it enough that she survives having the splice replicate and attach to the chromosomes in all of her cells. I'd just rather it takes longer. <br /><br />Rowena, It always helps to hear just to write it and figure it out by writing through it. It's one of those things I struggle with because I just really hate the idea of doing all that work and having it not be right. And knowing that I'm sabotaging myself that way doesn't make that feeling any less strong. So I appreciate hearing it.<br /><br />Maybe if I skip the manuscript format and change to a funky font and just "think on paper" it will work.Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-11483980776519562892010-07-08T17:58:36.942-04:002010-07-08T17:58:36.942-04:00Synova,
Twins. Quadruplets. Pets. Step children o...Synova,<br /><br />Twins. Quadruplets. Pets. Step children or fewer children. <br /><br />Heck, I've got a Niece-in-law that had three before she was 21. Spacing of 13 months, and eleven months. Older woman I worked with had five kids, all close in age. "Well, every time I went back in for my six week checkup, I was pregnant again. The doctor didn't give me any argument when I asked him to tie my tubes after number five." <br /><br />It may sound insane in fiction, but it happens in real life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-4619675746151045812010-07-08T17:56:14.337-04:002010-07-08T17:56:14.337-04:00Synova, sometimes the only way to find out if a st...Synova, sometimes the only way to find out if a story will work is to write it.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-19368407368919896492010-07-08T15:32:51.785-04:002010-07-08T15:32:51.785-04:00Rowena, I'm sure it's possible to use both...Rowena, I'm sure it's possible to use both points of view. I'm just not sure what the story is yet, so it's hard to figure what would be the most useful. I have an idea of a few of the characters and the political universe and some of what will happen and what type of story I'd like it to be, but I don't have the villain at all and I don't have enough on the various heroes internal journeys to get it all to gel.<br /><br />I'm also dealing with the structural problem of having events that have to sort of drag out over four pregnancies. I might have locked myself into a corner with that one.Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-42208020752441402062010-07-08T13:30:41.747-04:002010-07-08T13:30:41.747-04:00Open thread huh Amanda? Well..feel free to waltz o...Open thread huh Amanda? Well..feel free to waltz on over to my place, and port the questions I just asked over here for the open thread if you want.Da Curly Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07631427436506831892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-27759507827665128542010-07-08T09:34:11.617-04:002010-07-08T09:34:11.617-04:00Warp, if it's already in third, and not right,...Warp, if it's already in third, and not right, then go for first person. First can have an immediacy and impact that some stories need. Verb tenses won't change very much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-67416812735533711262010-07-08T06:46:38.374-04:002010-07-08T06:46:38.374-04:00Synova, would it be possible to use two Points of ...Synova, would it be possible to use two Points of View? I like doing that to show how each person misunderstands the other's motivation.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-69721990104976736272010-07-08T06:45:02.455-04:002010-07-08T06:45:02.455-04:00Jonathan, perhaps you should let the character go ...Jonathan, perhaps you should let the character go where they want to go and see what happens.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-57066336144166680302010-07-08T06:44:15.844-04:002010-07-08T06:44:15.844-04:00C Kelsey,
That is one of the joys of being a wri...C Kelsey, <br /><br />That is one of the joys of being a writer. Trust yourself to let the muse lead you.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-71071454234825635642010-07-08T02:24:33.601-04:002010-07-08T02:24:33.601-04:00Amanda,
I'm writing this from a close third. ...Amanda,<br /><br />I'm writing this from a close third. It's all very much in the planning stages. The scene I'm thinking of might be the beginning of a second book. I don't know yet if I ought to alternate view points or stick with one or give various characters each their own story. I'm leaning toward one view point per episode/book as a basic sort of structure.<br /><br />Nothing is going to go much of anywhere until I figure out the villain, but I'd had this idea for a romance between these two except that there are reasons that she simply can't have any romantic experience whatsoever and I'd initially had her making the move on him. But I couldn't think of a situation where she'd do that. And I couldn't see him making the move on her either. But if she's come to a point where she's just tired of her particular problem she might make the move on him after all.<br /><br />I think this might just turn it around. If she's setting this all up with an "arrest me, reject me, shoot me, love me... its up to you" sort of attitude her inhibitions aren't going to be an issue.Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-51885745104634284982010-07-07T20:35:19.375-04:002010-07-07T20:35:19.375-04:00Jason - Like Kate said, just make it "sound&q...Jason - Like Kate said, just make it "sound" like the character would sound, if it's first person, and the tenses will take care of themselves. I have one story (which sold) that's entirely first-person present-tense, because it's a poorly-educated girl barely out of high school, and that's the way she talks. (And then I go up to her and I say ...)Stephen Simmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07522113936557314128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-60013043556254113052010-07-07T20:07:10.617-04:002010-07-07T20:07:10.617-04:00Jason,
Just a wee little secret - if the voice of...Jason,<br /><br />Just a wee little secret - if the voice of your character is right in a first person piece, tense doesn't really matter that much. <br /><br />That said "normal" fiction tense is simple past tense. "I went to the store and bought some milk." Occasional excursions into the rather less active past perfect (I think - I'm not that hot on grammar either) "I'd gone to the store and bought some milk" usually signal something that happened in the character's past relative to the story. Other tenses just aren't that common in narrative - although you do occasionally see first person present. <br /><br />If you really want painful grammar, I can send you one of my orc stories (grin). Orc grammar is internally consistent and makes people who like correct English cringe.Kate Paulkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02034983693134240754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-8598959618928592892010-07-07T18:29:54.343-04:002010-07-07T18:29:54.343-04:00Amanda,
Yes indeed. This story is the first I...Amanda,<br /><br />Yes indeed. This story is the first I've ever completed where I had a very particular set of goals. I wanted a flowing story that achieved particular emotional changes in the reader. I wanted the characters to be real people. Most important, I wanted to write a story where the characters underwent experiences that changed them. I wanted to make certain that there was growth throughout.C Kelseynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-19620189398091073142010-07-07T18:24:36.921-04:002010-07-07T18:24:36.921-04:00Chris, I'm sure you're getting better. Wr...Chris, I'm sure you're getting better. Writing is nothing if not a continual learning experience. When it quits being that, you've either died or you've quit caring, imo.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-82927624574293406022010-07-07T18:18:13.201-04:002010-07-07T18:18:13.201-04:00Jason, if you want to send me a sample to see if I...Jason, if you want to send me a sample to see if I can see anything I think you might want to try, do. I can't promise to look at it before the weekend, but I can carve out a few hours then. My email is amandgreen at gmail dot com (and make sure you don't add the last "a" at the end of my first name)Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-45837709727798573662010-07-07T16:18:48.470-04:002010-07-07T16:18:48.470-04:00Amanda,
I actually wrote it originally in close t...Amanda,<br /><br />I actually wrote it originally in close third person and while people liked it, they didn't love it. I changed a few things but all along felt as though it should be in first, so I'm trying to rewrite it. <br /><br />I think my main problem is whether or not I should be using certain tense verbs, which throw me off in third person. I was never taught English properly, so you can imagine when someone says "your verb tense is wrong" just how scared I become... I have no idea what the hell they're talking about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-28657064535737603462010-07-07T15:45:11.373-04:002010-07-07T15:45:11.373-04:00matapam,
This is indeed a werelion, but this one ...matapam,<br /><br />This is indeed a werelion, but this one is a she. I seem to be doing some serious character jumping evertime I start a new story. I know I'm still missing a few reaction things, but I was able to draw on the characters position in the pride as a means of dealing with the combat. I am missing an "eww yuck!" gag moment, but I'll incorporate it after I get some initial comments and go back for the rewrite.<br /><br />Amanda,<br />I'm certain there is still more telling than showing than I'd like, but hopefully I'm making progress on that front. If it reads the way I think it does, I'm going to be particularly pleased with the ending.C Kelseynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-80762736127095286432010-07-07T15:39:34.695-04:002010-07-07T15:39:34.695-04:00Chris, I've see a lot of the "I did this ...Chris, I've see a lot of the "I did this and then this and this" as well in published novels. A number of them have been from the big publishing houses and from authors who should know better. Whether it was just the authors writing something they didn't want to, or couldn't figure out how to, or a lack of good editing or what, I don't know. But it is eyeopening when you see it.<br /><br />It all goes back to the old adage of show don't tell. Yes, especially in first person, there has to be some telling. But a lot of it can be changed -- and for the better usually -- by describing what happened and its impact on the characters -- than by sleepwalking through the motions.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-67397568559330635102010-07-07T15:36:43.975-04:002010-07-07T15:36:43.975-04:00Warp, I agree with Matapam, write it in close -- o...Warp, I agree with Matapam, write it in close -- or limited -- 3rd person. Try at least a couple of chapters like that and see if it works. If not, my only suggestion is what I've had to do before, become that character. Close yourself up somewhere where you can talk and pace and act out as necessary to "get" the character. I say do it in private because folks tend to look at you funny when you start talking to yourself and acting out fight scenes -- or worse ;-)<br /><br />Seriously, why do you think you can't write in first person? What is it specifically that is hanging you up?Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-1596041860011338112010-07-07T15:32:20.795-04:002010-07-07T15:32:20.795-04:00Warped, write it close third person, when finished...Warped, write it close third person, when finished, decide if it would be improved by going back and changing it to first, or whether this allows you to sneak in an occasional outside POV that helps the plot along.<br /><br />CK was this the Werelion doing the jump, bite, claw? Describe the detailed actions and his reactions. "He reared and sank his front claws into the man's shoulders, angled his head as he opened his mouth. His teeth sank deep, blood spurted into his mouth..." Then his reactions. Is he new to this? Does the taste of blood thrill, shock or horrify him? <br /><br />Jonathan. Your subconscious is telling you something. You might as well listen, it won't shut up, trust me. Ask yourself what kind of character _would_ act in the way you need for the plot. Add such a person. See what happens. (Poor man, should I warn him the SOB is bound to walk of with the girl, too? Or just let him find out for himself?)<br /><br />Synova, the jaded, tired character who finds a new meaning in life is sort of a "sin and redemption" plot staple. And very popular, too. I think readers can identify with people who just get overwhelmed and give up, lose track of their principles but just can't seem to find the time, energy or direction of "out". Perhaps your character chose who she did *because* it seemed so much easier if there was no messy "love" involved.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-21956111424343408052010-07-07T15:16:09.651-04:002010-07-07T15:16:09.651-04:00warpcordova,
Is it the plot that is impossible, o...warpcordova,<br /><br />Is it the plot that is impossible, or are the characters being mean and not playing with one another? I have had luck in the past by taking the characters and putting them in a setting other than the story you want to tell. Sometimes they start to play together that way.C Kelseynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-22673479683837527042010-07-07T14:12:30.223-04:002010-07-07T14:12:30.223-04:00You ever have a book that screams to be written fr...You ever have a book that screams to be written from a first person POV and yet when you go about doing so it seemingly can't be done? <br /><br />Yeah, that's where I'm at right now. I just don't know how to write in first person, and the book(s) require that it be in it. Guh.<br /><br />Other than nuking everything til it glows and then double tapping it in the head as per Zombiepocalypse 2020 SOP, any suggestions?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com