In every aspect of writing, consistency matters. Spelling, voice, laws of physics, actions of characters, all of these need to be consistent. If you start randomly changing any of those, you are going to leave your audience scratching their head. They will spend more time trying to understand what happened or why than appreciating your story.
Of course, nothing is a steadfast rule. Sometimes being inconsistent can be of great benefit. A narrator may want a consistent voice, but if all the characters sound the same, you sound stale. A random occurrence that seems to defy the rules of your world could pique curiosity. It could indicate that there is far more than we assume to reality.
I do believe that one should strive for consistency in most things for most of the time. It will make you a clearer and more effective writer. Inconsistency is its own art and its own style. But when you think it is the right thing to do, don't be afraid to experiment with it.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Asbestos I Can
Whenever somebody says "I'll do as best as I can", it always sounds like "I'll do asbestos I can." Obviously I know what they meant, but it's not what my brain heard.
Enunciation matters. If you are speaking, be clear. Take your time; it always takes less time to be clear than it does to be confusing and then have to clarify.
For the above example, put a half- or quarter-beat between "best" and "as". It will not only make sure that you don't mash your words together, but it will also emphasize "best" very subtly.
Practice saying "as best as I can" out loud a little bit. Try it with different amounts of space between the words and see how it affects the tone of the phrase.
Enunciation matters. If you are speaking, be clear. Take your time; it always takes less time to be clear than it does to be confusing and then have to clarify.
For the above example, put a half- or quarter-beat between "best" and "as". It will not only make sure that you don't mash your words together, but it will also emphasize "best" very subtly.
Practice saying "as best as I can" out loud a little bit. Try it with different amounts of space between the words and see how it affects the tone of the phrase.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Facades vs. Facets
How come a person who may be generally pleasant and amusing can at times be a miserable grouch? Is it a facade they put on or is it a facet of their personality? For that matter, what's the difference between the two?
A facet is an aspect of a person. We are all multifaceted. Sometimes we are contemplative, other times we are passionately determined, and other times we are completely apathetic. Nobody feels one way all the time.
A facade is an illusion perpetuated by a person. Sometimes we like to be somebody or something that we aren't. We do it for a host of reasons and to varying degrees, but it is a way to present something that is not our true selves.
And that really is the difference between the two: A facet is part of who we truly are, but a facade is just an illusion - it is not something that comes naturally, but something that is actively done.
When your characters act "out of character", ask yourself if it is a facade or a facet (or if it's just bad writing). Characters can do either of them, but there is always a reason for it, even if they don't know why.
A facet is an aspect of a person. We are all multifaceted. Sometimes we are contemplative, other times we are passionately determined, and other times we are completely apathetic. Nobody feels one way all the time.
A facade is an illusion perpetuated by a person. Sometimes we like to be somebody or something that we aren't. We do it for a host of reasons and to varying degrees, but it is a way to present something that is not our true selves.
And that really is the difference between the two: A facet is part of who we truly are, but a facade is just an illusion - it is not something that comes naturally, but something that is actively done.
When your characters act "out of character", ask yourself if it is a facade or a facet (or if it's just bad writing). Characters can do either of them, but there is always a reason for it, even if they don't know why.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Bitches In Repose
“Whenever you think of a creature, think of a lion—how a lion can be absolutely malignant or benign, majestic, depending on what it’s doing. If your creature cannot be in repose, then it’s a bad design.” - Guillermo del Toro
I love this quote. The first sentence perfectly expresses the concept of 'repose', and the second sentence explains why it is so critical to creation.
Every time you want to make something new, consider what it's doing in its spare time. When a monster isn't killing humans, what does it do? If there were no humans at all, what would it be doing?
This concept works on more than animals and mythical beasts, though. It works quite well for humans, too. Think about the nastiest bitch you know. Think about that annoying girl who is always complaining and blaming people for everything and whining about their lives. That woman will be in repose at some point during the day.
Even if only for an hour or two (not counting being asleep), there are times when she is doing something quietly, either in silence or at low volume. There are times when she is not upset or angry, and may be genuinely happy.
All humans are three-dimensional. We have desires and responsibilities. We seek action and need peace. Nobody does one thing all the time. Nobody has only one mode or one thought. We are complex beings who are affected by our surroundings and our upbringing.
When you are creating people, just as you are creating a monster, ask yourself what they want, what they do in their off time, and what they would be doing if they weren't being affected by their current environment.
If your characters cannot be in repose, then it's bad design.
Entry from Kevin's idea notepad:
"Real Life Bitch - It's weird to meet a bitch when she's not being one."
I love this quote. The first sentence perfectly expresses the concept of 'repose', and the second sentence explains why it is so critical to creation.
Every time you want to make something new, consider what it's doing in its spare time. When a monster isn't killing humans, what does it do? If there were no humans at all, what would it be doing?
This concept works on more than animals and mythical beasts, though. It works quite well for humans, too. Think about the nastiest bitch you know. Think about that annoying girl who is always complaining and blaming people for everything and whining about their lives. That woman will be in repose at some point during the day.
Even if only for an hour or two (not counting being asleep), there are times when she is doing something quietly, either in silence or at low volume. There are times when she is not upset or angry, and may be genuinely happy.
All humans are three-dimensional. We have desires and responsibilities. We seek action and need peace. Nobody does one thing all the time. Nobody has only one mode or one thought. We are complex beings who are affected by our surroundings and our upbringing.
When you are creating people, just as you are creating a monster, ask yourself what they want, what they do in their off time, and what they would be doing if they weren't being affected by their current environment.
If your characters cannot be in repose, then it's bad design.
Entry from Kevin's idea notepad:
"Real Life Bitch - It's weird to meet a bitch when she's not being one."
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Where Did I Learn That?
I have a whole lot of knowledge and beliefs. They are firmly ingrained and strongly affect how and what I write (and how I live my life). And sometimes I take a look back and I realize that I have no idea where I got that belief from.
It's funny how our beliefs are like that. One good idea can reach you so strongly that you absorb it wholly. But when you've internalized it, you forget that it was even not part of you.
I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing for your guiding philosophies to be so strong. But when you remember that everything you know is something you were taught or something you discovered, it can be humbling. It may also help you realize how much potential humans have, and much variety we have based just in which ideas we are exposed to and which of those we adopt.
It's funny how our beliefs are like that. One good idea can reach you so strongly that you absorb it wholly. But when you've internalized it, you forget that it was even not part of you.
I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing for your guiding philosophies to be so strong. But when you remember that everything you know is something you were taught or something you discovered, it can be humbling. It may also help you realize how much potential humans have, and much variety we have based just in which ideas we are exposed to and which of those we adopt.
Monday, April 2, 2012
How Much Of Yourself Do You Show?
As a writer, you are always putting yourself in your work. Your thoughts, your ideas, your analogies - everything you make is patently you (even if you're trying to not sound like you). But how much of yourself do you show?
The answer to that rhetorical question (which you should be answering) depends on the image you want your readers to have of you.
I personally want to be relatively private. I believe that names don't matter (which is why I refer to most people as "my friend") and I think that all examples are equally valid (which is why I prefer to make up stories rather than use my life for examples). However, I am not averse to talking about myself. If I have an interesting story, I'll share it. I want my readers to have a connection with me, as well as my ideas.
Some people use writing as their emotional outlet. Everything in their personal lives is put into their writing. This can make for interesting writing; I have seen it work in semibiographical webcomics. I just don't like the idea of everybody knowing that much about me.
The opposite extreme of that would be the person who never mentions themselves. These people want their ideas considered, not themselves. Either they are extremely private people, or they just don't believe that their personal lives matter with regard to what they write.
I lean more to the side of privacy, mostly because I agree with the idea that the primary importance of writing intended for others is the idea being conveyed. The reason I am not extreme about it is that sometimes my life happens to work well to convey my ideas.
The answer to that rhetorical question (which you should be answering) depends on the image you want your readers to have of you.
I personally want to be relatively private. I believe that names don't matter (which is why I refer to most people as "my friend") and I think that all examples are equally valid (which is why I prefer to make up stories rather than use my life for examples). However, I am not averse to talking about myself. If I have an interesting story, I'll share it. I want my readers to have a connection with me, as well as my ideas.
Some people use writing as their emotional outlet. Everything in their personal lives is put into their writing. This can make for interesting writing; I have seen it work in semibiographical webcomics. I just don't like the idea of everybody knowing that much about me.
The opposite extreme of that would be the person who never mentions themselves. These people want their ideas considered, not themselves. Either they are extremely private people, or they just don't believe that their personal lives matter with regard to what they write.
I lean more to the side of privacy, mostly because I agree with the idea that the primary importance of writing intended for others is the idea being conveyed. The reason I am not extreme about it is that sometimes my life happens to work well to convey my ideas.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Cheese Gives You Nightmares
If I told you that cheese gives you nightmares, you would probably laugh in my face at first. But if I told you about how one night I ate a bunch of cheese and then had the worst, most terrifying nightmares of my life, you might listen to me. Some of you might take what I say to heart and believe it right away. Others might at least go to the internet and do some research of your own. The point is, you would listen to me.
When an 8-year-old makes the same claim and tells the same story, you pay no mind; it's just a silly child.
Why do you make this difference? Why do you trust some over others? Our claims are the same, as are they based on the same experiences, but mine warrant some respect, while a child's does not.
As I wrote this, I realized that this is how ethos really works. And even if you one who says that a person's degrees titles don't impress you or affect your thoughts, you are still being affected by people's authority. Sometimes it is just the authority of a person having lived more years than another.
When an 8-year-old makes the same claim and tells the same story, you pay no mind; it's just a silly child.
Why do you make this difference? Why do you trust some over others? Our claims are the same, as are they based on the same experiences, but mine warrant some respect, while a child's does not.
As I wrote this, I realized that this is how ethos really works. And even if you one who says that a person's degrees titles don't impress you or affect your thoughts, you are still being affected by people's authority. Sometimes it is just the authority of a person having lived more years than another.
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