Yeah, Silver Would Never Get A Totodile In My Games. The Little Starter's Just Too Perfect For Me To

max tries several unimpressive new tactics

Hi there! I was wondering if you have any advice/opinions on the importance of originality vs. the finer mechanics of a story (plot, character motivations, etc). I've always been insecure about having unoriginal ideas, but the few times I've had an idea that feels genuinely unique, every other important element of the work feels lacking. The characters are passive and unmotivated, the plot is full of holes, etc. Currently, I have an idea which I'm not confident in the originality of, but the character has clear motivations and the plot, while tropey and not the most original, has a clear direction and no immediately obvious holes. So I'm a bit torn up over whether it is better to bend over backwards to try to make the unique ideas work or to go with the one that is less original, but comes easily to me and ticks all the other important boxes. Ultimately, I'm writing it for me, but if I ever did decide to publish, I worry the premise alone wouldn't catch the attention of potential publishers or readers. Any input you might have would be much appreciated!

Here's what I'm going to recommend: Throw out ideas of originality and marketability for now. They're both holding you back from making the real decision you need to make. Sit down and ask yourself some questions:

Which story concept has more appeal (to you)? Does thinking about working on it make you feel excited, or fill you with dread? Wanting to work on the story is the most important factor here. Trying to force something because you think you must do it won't work.

Which story concept is easier for you to write? You already have the answer to that, but I want you to think about why. What about your more conventional story makes it easier to make characters for and plot? Is it because that's where you feel more comfortable at? Is it because that's the kind of story you most like to read?

Which story concept do you see yourself finishing (and editing)? Carrying the story through to the end is the biggest factor here. If writing the story is a slog from beginning to end, you're probably not going to end up with a finished book that you like.

Now obviously, I am leaning toward one way - the story that comes more easily for you. I'm doing that for a couple of reasons, but mainly a finished story with interesting characters and a cohesive plot is going to be a much easier sell than a unique story with no appealing characters and a plot that's confusing. Most readers are sold on good character arcs and fun plots, not the uniqueness of the premise. If uniqueness is all you have, there's little appeal to the reader.

This does not mean you should toss out those unique and appealing story ideas! You want to write them, and they will not go away, but you're not going to suddenly wake up and become the next China Mieville or Jeff VanderMeer overnight. Getting those unique story ideas to work means giving them time to become something you can write while in the meantime still writing and working on stories that you know you can write.

Put those little plot mushrooms in a dark place and let them grow while you continue to develop the skills you need to bring them to life. Review them from time to time, but if they aren't ready and other stories are, don't force them. One day you will find the key you need to pull them together in a way in a story you're ready and excited to write, but in the meantime, give yourself permission to become.

Uniqueness doesn't sell books; good stories do.

When Max gets pulled into Spirit Trance again in Chapter 4, there's a better look at the background. Sand dunes and what looks like pyramids in the distance. We know that when Spirit Trance involves more than one spirit, the world takes on characteristics of both spirits, as seen with Patchworm and the Ghost Train:

Sphinxes can easily be associated with both a desert environment and pyramids, so there might be more fuel for this theory here.

Also as Max is falling after being repelled by the ghost train, right before he loses consciousness there's something on his back:

Those could be the wings of a Sphinx preventing him from becoming a splat on the ground. After all, if this Sphinx hijacking a ride is the reason Max became a spectral, and it did so to get into Mayview, what good would it do to have its ride die outside the barrier, leaving it right back where it started?

The B.E.R.G possessing Max isn’t a piece of the shadow spirit

I recently read through chapter 5, and with the last two pages that have been released I noticed something that I think gives away the identity of the spirit hiding in Max. I think that whatever is in Max is a very powerful, or maybe even the leader of the Sphinxes.

First, back in Chapter 3, when BERG is speaking to Doorman, he exclaims, “ ARROGANCE. YOUR POWER IS NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF. RIDDLES AND WORD GAMES.” And so far, both our Sphinx of Games and Twuth have powers that manifest through words.

Additionally, BERG alludes to his faction. When we first met the Sphinx of Games he ran off saying that “the others” will hear about this. And until now that just seemed like an empty threat. When Doorman is contemplating about Max’s situation:

He says “one of the s-” Now I’m kinda grasping at straws on this one, but the freaky shadow spirit seems to be an independent entity, but we now have proof that the sphinxes are a group and it’s entirely possible that the sentence could have finished as “one of the sphinxes.” I’m thinking that this chapters gonna end with BERG kinda revealing himself to Sphinx of Twuth to get him to bug off.

they schemin'. I love them.

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#lizard #Komodo Dragon

Komodo Dragon. Indonesian Islands of Komodo,Rinca,Flores and Gili Motang.1 of 3 venomous lizards on Earth.

we're sleeping on how varied crocodilians are in colour and pattern

Yacare caiman

Tomistoma

Cuban crocodile

Cuvier's dwarf caiman

West African crocodile

American alligator

Saltwater crocodile

New Guinea crocodile

How to write dynamic scenes

Here’s how you can inject some dynamics into your scenes where characters may be idling during their conversations! This is my favourite trick to use when I want to round out a scene.

Sometimes you may have a static scene in your book with characters simply sitting and chatting. So how do you make this more interesting?

The answer is to add in some dynamics!

🤔 What does that mean?

Creating dynamics in a scene means that you add some form of repetitive or changing background element throughout the scene to keep it moving, despite it being in the same spot.

For example, if you have a scene set in a restaurant with two characters having dinner, pick out an element from the setting that could create some kind of dynamic, pressure or conflict to your scene.

✍️ In a restaurant this may be:

An annoying cast of waiters circling around and offering refills

A scorching radiator by the side of the table raising temperature and shortening patience levels

A loud party of people in the background who make it difficult for your characters to understand each other

A partner’s phone buzzing on the table every other minute

A character’s personal tendencies - like fidgeting with the table cloth and eventually unthreading it, or coming close to dropping things until they shatter a glass at a high point of the scene

Think of background elements, or ways to externalise the way your characters are feeling in a particular scene can add so much life to a scene!

It also makes it feel more interesting, dynamic, and immersive, even a scene you’re writing is a simple conversation.

Whenever you find your characters having a conversation while they’re simply walking or sitting, think of whether you can externalise any of their emotions or inject some background element to make the scene more interesting!

Did you hear my first book is coming out August 15th? Pre-order it now through the [link here] or below!

What an amazing skull piece!

Awwww yeah baby, Demon Skull time

hey whoa, this looks nice! Let’s see what I can cook up...

Spectober is officially ON! (Prompt 1)

WELCOME to the start of Spectober 2020, everybody! Today’s prompts are as follows:

Art prompt: Apple Bobbing! Writing Prompt: Ed is infamous for being an apple bobbing champion

Remember to tag your submission with #spectober2020 and as a reminder, you don’t necessarily have to do the prompts in order!

We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

A regular and oblivious person works at a coffee shop not knowing its a place of ceasefire for assassins and mercenaries.