Showing posts with label Discussing fis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Discussing fis. Show all posts

Monday, 12 May 2014

Fiction Online-Exchange-Service

Hey everyone!
It has been a while since I had the time to really work for Neverland and I am really sorry for it!
A big thank you goes to  Monique  again, she keeps the site alive while I am breastfeeding and changing diapers and Steffi is in a bad transition phase with her job and stuidies.
Anyways ... :) I hope you are all fine and writing, because for the first time in ages we are out of fics!

Now to keep you a little more busy, I thought about giving "ALL EYES ON..." another try and I want to be among the first ones to give you all a little insight into my writing and my workplace during the next days.

Another thing on my mind (as you can see in the post-title) would be a fiction online exchange. We all have some old material on our computers, maybe a few ideas we never mananged to write about or maybe some starters... Are you in the mood to share some of that stuff online so that maybe someone else can pick up your storyline or idea?

Let us know, I would really love that!
Now have a great day, Nappy-time is almost over and I didnt even manage to finish one of the three articles I have to discuss with my editor on Wednesday.... baaaaaaa! Life's a bitch and damn short!!!
Cheers, Noa

Saturday, 9 November 2013

Natalie's idea: Mini Series

Hey there peeps!
I am finally back home, my computer is back in my hands (buahaha!!!) Really hoping that everyone around is fine, our thoughts at the moment are again with our dear readers and writers from the Philipines, you are in our prayers!

But I also have some good news for you:
We have tried very often to collect new ideas for a theme, a contest or a challenge, maybe this one could be interesting for a new contest.
Steffi and I thought about it, we still have no idea how to realize this properly, but we want you to give it a thought as well.
It can of course be about the lads back then with concerts and recording, but think about that for a second: A realistic part about NOW. What are they doing since the band's end? What's on their minds, how do they live their lives with families they don't really know at places they have never stayed at for longer that a few weeks, kids and wives they only know via skype or facetime...? What's their lives like after westlife?Anonymous 
 
 And with that background a great idea by one of you to think about:
 
 Natalie said...
Hi everyone,

I've had an idea! I may be thinking too big but let me know what u think.
How about we all club together and write a mini series?! I was thinking we could base the characters around one familiar place, ie a hotel the band stay in, maybe their record label, or even a holiday destination....then we each take a band member and intertwine the stories. So it's one massive story shown from each band members perspective, and within each story the writer can delve into their chosen band members own personal life.

I haven't got a clue if this will actually work (especially interactively!) if it does, it will mean a lot of conferring between writers and a lot of planning so everyone's on the same page....but I'm thinking that if maybe everyone seems to be lagging with writing recently then with the support from each other it will give us the boost we all need!

Let me know what you think!
Natalie x

Sunday, 27 October 2013

Your comments :) Thanks for discussing!



 Hey everyone!
Since many of you had questions or suggestions and ideas, I tried to answer a few longer comments you left.
Thanks a lot - first and foremost -  for all of your comments! I liked having so many of your talking and I really wish we could do this more often (maybe not stories with over 100 pages though ;)
Now have a great evening and a good start into the new week!

Your comments (copied from the list) in black, my answers in blue.
I didnt answer every comment, only if there was a question or something that needed explanation, please dont be mad, I was happy about every comment!
 

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BloggerVicksta1982 said...
I like the characters, as it's all very mysterious at this stage. The start is very promising and leads to wanting to find out more.

There's definitely something in the air coming, good or bad I'm still figuring it out.

I think the plot is fine as it is, my only concern and what I wouldn't like to see is, for it to built up so well at the start for it to have a flat ending where it loses its appeal.

I can always imagine things when I'm reading.

I do think the changes happen a bit too quickly though more build up about the travels, were they travelling fast or slow paced...how is it the guy they were meeting came to them so quickly. Obviously there isn't going to be the smooth hand over and I suspect there will be lots of resistance...for a while.

Anyway those are my thoughts!
@ Vicksta: about the built up more: It was my intention to start the story at a point where it was exciting already. Of coures it could have started with the main character on the boat, asking herself where it would all end up for her, maybe everyday life on the boat and some of her memories already, but I didnt want to give anything away and also I wanted it to start really abrupt and catch the attention. I realised that many oft eh books or short stories I put aside simply have an introduction that is too long. I dont wanna hear too much in advance, I want them to sit right there, eat and apple and get the call or letter that changes everything. The first page needs to catch the attention, that is why I chose not to start earlier and built up more.
As you can also see during the story, everything will be explained, but not on the same page. I love it when a story keeps me curious and reveiles its secrets bit by bit.

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AnonymousAnonymousKara said...
WHO IS THIS ERIC FELLOW????

Yes, in all caps and everything.

Awww... Shane to the rescue, so sexy and mysterious as usual... and Kian, you're a bad, bad man tut tut.

Is it me or do you all picture them in their Bop Bop Baby video attire? I had Mark with a little goatie on and all. Haha

I loved it. I always say the first chapter has to be the best in a story. If it hooks people, they will want to read the rest. And this definitely caught my attention and will keep me desperate for more.

Great job!

The suspense is killing me... who is this Eric person? Why is my Shane afraid of him? So many questions... arrrgh :)
@Kara: I also saw Bop Bop on my mind, maybe they were even dirtier ;)

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AnonymousKara said...
On a side note... especially for these historicals, researching is very important.

I learned that women with long, waist-long hair were rich or royalty. So by the hero cutting off her hair he is trying to help her look less 'important', like she is just some common girl.

It makes sense with the others saying she had pretty luggage/clothes as if she is a rich woman that they can get a huge ransom.

In keeping with the historical accuracy of it all, that part was an important detail not to be missed.

Just my two cents...
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BloggerNeverland said...
Kara, you are on the right track :) Most oft he things are really explained with small details and that’s what gives a fic  some more spice. I tried to be as accurate as I could but without using too much historical background. I wanted it to be a mixture and I wanted it to be about the different people

BloggerMonique said...
Eeek, that was one chapter with a LOT of information being thrown around lol I actually had to read it three times but I think I got it figured out now.
The thing I'm struggling with most is that there's a lot of names going around. The men that are with Hugh, then there's the bad guys, then there's Shane's family plus nicknames and last names being used.
At first I didn't realise who Dorem was when he was attacking Hugh lol But after reading it again it all clicked. He's a not so dead cousin and he's after my money and property... U-ooooh!
For me, because of all the names it was hard to figure out which ones were the main characters you know.

*puts on scripting-police cap*
Mark makes such a cute blonde *ahem :p* ;)

Also; I had some troubles finding where the second part started (ended up reading it all again, which wasn't that much of a burden really but still lol) Seeing as you don't have chapters going on (yet??) could you do something else to make it a little easier to find maybe? (and if you have a scripting program that messes up scripts when adding changes, you know where to find me ;))

/end of script bitching

So a monk aye... *wink wink* Looks to me that he's made the right choice ditching that profession.
@ Monique: my favourite scripting police ;) I hope it all went smooth and without anymore blonds somewhere ;)
Him becoming a monk shows his deep despair (for me) and giving up on it is part of his character's development
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AnonymousMarlene said...
Hey again! Puh, Monique is right there are many names in this part! but I found it interresting how the pasts were reveiled. The monk, the family, her wealth. It felt like getting to know them more.
The Dorem thing I felt as well. at first I didn't know where to put him but then suddenly I saw the picture.
Just one thing about the story itself: Don't you feel that they are too close? It is Nicky in my case I changed it again :) and in there first night they were a little close and I wasn't sure if I liked it when the love story between them starts so suddenly. In the end it didn't look like the rush I had feared so I will be waiting for the next update
@Marlene: After reading the next parts, do you still think that they are too close from the start? After reading your comment I thought about it for a while, and you know what? At first they had been a loooot closer during this first night but I deleted it. She is from a wealthy family, well educated and rich, that is definitely something she wouldn’t do J that is why I tried to curve around that and escape from the love-story that would have been far too early at that point.

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BloggerMonique said...
All the names, it's not necessarily a bad thing Noa ;) I think that if I kept on reading the whole story in one part I'd probably get into it sooner. Now it ended where it did and I was confused so I read back lol If there had been more story, I probably wouldn't just yet and figured out the most important ones along the way.
You made the right decession I think not to script them. Not only would that be hell for you to do lol it would only make things much more complicated if one name accidentely didn't get scripted lol You've scripted just the right ones, the rest of them I'm sure to get to know better if the story continues ;)

About the blond thing; I always do a general search while scripting. I'd first search for all the browns and change them as they belong, then I go and find blond, blonde, blue, brown, dark, green. The most common ones y'know. But one or the other will always slip through. Scripting is a bitch! Hahaha
@Monique: Maybe it is right and it would have been easier to read the whole story right away, but I wanted to discuss every part itself. The whole fic is throwing you around a little because oft he changes that happen, that’s what I felt. But it would definitely be easier to understand.

Question for everyone: Can we do this more often and discuss part by part? I really like it and find it more interesting that way, but I wanna make sure that you guys are on board with it (not Eric’s boat of course ;) 

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BloggerVicksta1982 said...
For this third part, I really enjoyed it. At times it was amusing as well. The growing and rather obvious attraction was a highlight though I sense because of the situation they find themselves in nothing can really happen yet...or maybe it won't and all this bubbling potential attraction is only a result of the situation....hope I didn't confuse you with that. LOL.

Everything seems to be getting more intense and theres a lot of suspense going on. Don't let me down! ;-) haha
@Vicksta: you didnt confuse me, that was exactly what I had in mind ;)

AnonymousBianca said...
So is this the ending to the story?? Cause its amazing so far an amazing piece of writing you've done xx
@Bianca: It really is the end of the story J I didnt wanna drag it out more and more. It is always hard to write a short story and put an end to it at a certain point, but it is important and hast o be done. I read a book with short stories at the hospital and from all 25 I didnt even like one. It felt as if they were unable to find an attracting start for it, build up suspense and find an ending. Very sad for detective or mystery novels L It felt as if they had simply tried to shorten a long book each time. I admire people that are able to write short stories, most of mine are not really short ;)

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BloggerMonique said...
Oooh, it's ended already?! :o haha After the third part I did not see that coming. There was a lot of build up in that part and the fourth part seemed a bit rushed to me.
For instance, that sister that had her eyes on my man. I kinda still feel the need of slapping her lol

Overall I've enjoyed the story. I do think I need to re-read it again to fully grasp all that was happening, it was a lot to take in! haha

Eric was quite the meany, wasn't he. Good thing his throat got cut, well deserved too. Jeez, he must have traumatised quite some people for life if they even lived to tell the tale at all.
It was very courageous of Mark to go back to that horrible place to safe me. I did wish we got to look inside his head a bit more, it must have been a real struggle for him to go through. But also the way he was falling for me and the decission for him becoming a monk and then not anymore. I can fill in some of the pieces by stuff he told in the story but it would've been nice to get inside his mind a bit more if that makes any sense lol

You've deffo made an effort to put a lot of gore in there haha Had me shudder for real. It's a miracle Kian survived all that really, he must be a real strong man.
Also, it was nice to see that the meany lifer still turned out to be not that bad in the end trying to help me escape even if that failed.

>> and now I'm all inspired to go back to writing on my own historical. It's fun! teeheee!

(ps; you should add tags to this post aswell, at least your name, to make it easier to find the story when it has disappeared off the main page in a few weeks time ;))

@ Monique: Yepp, that sister ;) I wanted to slap her as well, but she was neccessary to show another part of his past and also the new side, the man be had become. He is indeed strong but I hope it became obvious how much time and effort it took him to get over that bad things that had happened to him.
About the „insight“ : I think you have a point there but I wrote the whole part with her as the personal narrator, so I didnt have the chance to switch that. All you can see is her point of viwe and I didnt wanna split because it would have maybe gone wrong and become confusing. She/You tell the story, he and his thoughts can only be a part o fit. Sometimes it is very hard, like when he looks into her eyes and suddenly he knows something… we don’t know that and I can’t simply claim that he suddenly feels it. All I can say ist hat he apparentely seems to sense it or that she feels/ sensest hat he knows something. It is always a little easier with a third person narrator but then I could not have gone into detail with her feelings and see the whole story through her eyes…
About the gore :) We met this rich girl that gets kidnapped, actually, we are the rich girl getting kidnapped ;) but I wanted to see how far she would go to protect someone. It gives the reader some more insight and another piece or part of her personality. She can be weak and stupid – fighting like a four year old with her husband – but she can also be strong and handle a lot of blood.
I wanted both of their characters to develop, his character even over a long time from careless kid to abused, to a monk and then fighting his way back by becoming a soldier and even rescuing her.

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AnonymousCaroline said...
Wow! That was intense!
Maybe I will start writing a historical as well. can I still ask for a challenge from you or can I also write my own?
I will try and read the whole fic again tonight and get all the small details. It is a great story! What I liked especially about it was the dead people that were not dead at all. I had said goodbye to my second fave and all of a sudden he turns up again! I was so sure it would be my fave on the table! That is what I really liked about it. It was not easy to foresee the next things that were about to happen.
I was also glad about the happy end even though it came a little sudden for me. But I guess it would have killed the story if you had written about them having kids or getting married. It would have enlarged the story and killed the point. Great work! I can't wait for moore historical stories to come!
@Caroline: You can still ask for a challenge if it inspires you J but you may also write your own story.
I was actually hoping that none oft he things that happened in the story would be easy to foresee. The easy (and maybe boring) way would have been: Girl kidnapped, kidnapper falls in love, they hate each other, they love each other, they end up married with kids and have a little farm. That is what I didnt want in that story
;)
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Wednesday, 1 May 2013

A new challenge for you: Historical Fics

Hey everybody!!

As we promissed, it is time for a new challenge! We are totally thrilled about the idea and hope for some really good fics and ideas from you!
For this challenge, we want you to really think, wrack your brains and give your best, because this is going to be a little different:
For this fic you will (blindly) choose a place/ location where the fic takes place and you will also choose a number to get a year or a time period in which this whole fiction must be situated.
Maybe this means that you have to start reading about the last century or even earlier times in order to integrate your story into a temporary context.Of course most things are still fictional - made up and created by you - but there have to be hints at least that show us (the readers) where we are.

Also: This is going to be a writer's challenge for you but also an example to show you something more than simple creativity! This time, we really want you to plan your fic.

1. Characterize your main characters in advance

2. Think about a plot that makes sense

3. Create a storyline and jot down a few words and plans. Where are highs and lows? Create an area full of tension!!

4. What happens to your main characters? Put them into a difficult situation, give us realistic conflicts that almost break them/ their lives/ their love apart

5. Always keep in mind: What would your reader NOT expect to happen?
For example: They meet at a counts court, you want them to fall in love. If he is the handsome duke and she is the typical shy (or the equally typical strong, independed) beauty from abroad it might become a little boring (well, maybe if she falls for his son but is supposed to marry the father... or if you manage to create some cruel count that really gives her a hard time, maybe locks her up in her room and abuses her, or maybe he goes to war and dies and she is then ruling his people... okay, I have to admit, there are a few ideas in that too, but it might be a little hard to avoid clichee with any idea...)

6. Conflicts, conflicts, conflicts, but realistic... Force your characters to react and act in ways they wouldn't dare in an ordinary/ all-day situation.
Ask yourself: What are their characteristic features? How would they react to a certain bad situation? And then we want you to think: What happens if his/ her way of acting/reacting is impossible? How far can your character go and for what reasons will he/she? The biggest problem in a life is not "he did not call!"

Noa wrote a simple fic based on one of our starters to discuss all of this on the basis of a challenge-fic itself.
Maybe we manage to discuss her plott, the characters and their ways of reacting before you start planning your own fic and you will by that avoid some stumbling stones.
We will upload the fic part by part and discuss it point by point, starting tomorrow.
If you want, we can do the same to your fic, discussing it openly with the whole blog...

Some more info for you: Usually we give you about a month, take at least three for this one! The reading, structurating and also planning might take more time and we want you to give it a try without too much time-pressure.
So you got till the end of July to try and finish your story and send it in (We don't take it that serious, if this challenge gives you an idea and you really wanna work on it and create a long fic, we don't mind waiting for a few months :) )

We have 2 Starters waiting for you and as usual a few things to choose from. After the first fic is discussed you get your own starter and get started on the planning!!

Totally excited,
Steffi and Noa

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Discussing Fics...

A little Discussion Thread...

Dear Neverlanders,
since we have so many great fics and loads of writers (Westlife-Superfans, Beginners, Blogger, Native-Speakers, Translaters, In-Betweeners, Otherthanthat) we want to give you the opportunity to discuss fics and give some more feedback to the writers.
On the forum Steffi and I started a new thread for that, so go there and check it out!!
The first fic to discuss (if you dont have other preferences of course) would be Worlds Apart, because it seems that many of you were literally poleaxed by it :) (which was - to be very honest - my intention)

So go check the forum and discuss open questions, storylines, central themes, maybe mistakes....

go to Forum --> Fanfiction--> Fiction talk and find the "Open Discussion"

And have a great rest of the week!! :)
cheers,
Noa