<a class="proll" href="https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/item_id/2347211-Go-not-Quietly---">Go not Quietly . . .

Sep 23, 2025 at 2:48pm
In response to "Day Two: 23 Sep 2025"

Amethyst Angel h✟k ♡

- Ooh! Evil through abuse; now, there's a theme worth looking at! Of course, that consideration will likely delay my rewriting for a bit. This woman has to be perfect — for a villain, of course — because that's how I want this story. My "Big Comeback" should be a cut above the everyday. My most sincere thanks for the support, and should you have another boffo, show-biz idea, feel free to drop it in my in-box...

Amethyst Angel h✟k ♡

Sep 23, 2025 at 2:37pm
In response to "Day Two: 23 Sep 2025"

Glad to see you steaming along, Jack! My only female villain (remember My Car?) had the same issues yours had, kinda just there for the sake of being there, and a mentor of mine pointed that out. As I consider it, a woman would have more opportunity for a compelling backstory of abuse and trauma, creating someone twisted and manipulative who holds onto power because she would be helpless otherwise. I've had a few dramatic yet utterly disconnected scenes drifting through my head on occasion. Scenes and dramatic moments are fun to invent - for me it's the logical connections between them that can be fussy.

This reminds me of Milady from the Three Musketeers... She was a villain who could turn on the charm and almost made D'artagnon (how'd I remember his name, I haven't read it in nigh on fifteen years... Athos, Porthos, Aramis... Good grief, I must have awakened the archive

) anyway, they almost had a thing going on, rather to my astonishment. Perhaps you can get some concepts and themes from studying the Three Musketeers.

Best writing wishes! Don't give up now, we're rooting for you

Sep 23, 2025 at 1:59pm
In response to "Day Two: 23 Sep 2025"

Raven

- Yes, back on the tightrope after a decade. My hope is that it's like riding a bicycle, you never forget it. But the (rewrite) net is firmly in place. Writing here, I can have as many do-overs as I need. Of course, the implication is that I'll have to get it right one of those times...

Raven

Sep 23, 2025 at 1:53pm
In response to "Day Two: 23 Sep 2025"

This reminds me a little of the insight I read a while back that Superman's villains really shouldn't be strong guys--because Clark is already the strongest guy--they are SMART guys. Lex Luthor is an evil genius, but still a genius, which means Superman can't defeat him with the things that come easybto Superman, like punching.

It sounds like you're already on the trail of the strong guy/smart guy pairing that will enliven your villain.

(Most of my villains, at base, want safety. For themselves, of course, but also sometimes for people they deem worthy.)

Sep 21, 2025 at 4:30pm
In response to "Day One: 21 Sep 2025"

Happy to be of help, Viv. Best of luck!

Sep 21, 2025 at 4:20pm
In response to "Day One: 21 Sep 2025"

KISS it! Keep It Simple Stupid. Simple is helpful. My mind tends to get into too much detail before the story is ready. It gets going on something and is like the Energizer Battery Bunny.

I like this idea and will give it a test drive.

Many thanks, Jack, for your help.

Sep 21, 2025 at 4:11pm
In response to "Day One: 21 Sep 2025"

Hey, Viv. You know, WdC working the way it does, you might try this technique: Set up a Private page, and type your outline right on it, like so:

1. Jim "saves the cat."

2. Jim learns why the cat needed saving.

3. Jim decides he'll help the cat's owner.

4. Cat's owner lets Jim in on her secret.

Etc...

Once you have about five of these written, then replace "Jim saves the cat" with the actual scene of Jim saving the cat. Add another at the bottom based on what's happened so far, and write Scene 2, etc. Once all the outline notes have been replaced with finished story, make it Public and wait for your reviews. In fact, I might do that with with the next story I start from scratch...

Sep 21, 2025 at 3:57pm
In response to "Day One: 21 Sep 2025"

I've done the panther thing and plotter thing and usually mix the two together as needed, but I want to try to create a road map/outline of sorts to see how this approach works. I know the characters can highjack a story and this is ok as long as the noted are amended appropriately. Your idea od doing step one and the last step is something for me to consider. I'll try this idea and let you know the results. One issue I have is getting lost in my notes. Any ideas? Another challenge is transferring the notes ideas into the story because I get going and neglect to check the notes. I will put more effort and focus on plotting and see what develops. Recently I read about the Snow Flake Method and it seems like something I could figure out and it might be a good fit for me.

Sep 21, 2025 at 3:46pm
In response to "Day One: 21 Sep 2025"

- It can be a good idea to "shake things up," but when I was a DJ back in the seventies, one of the old hands told me, "When things are going to pot on you, and you can't make anything work, get back to basics. Stop trying to be clever and do what you know. Once you get that going right again, then branch out." Sort of conflicting advice, I know, but you need to try everything to find what works.

I'm a "sort-of" outliner. I number my scenes on the note page and plan the first five (I know roughly how many I want for short story, novella, or whatever). Once I write Scene One, I then write the notes for Scene Six, with a better idea of where the story wants to go. I continue to outline about five scenes ahead until I come to the end of the story. I got away from that with Hunter's Creed, and I think it will be much better if I bite the bullet and get back to that format. Time will tell ...

Sep 21, 2025 at 3:30pm
In response to "Day One: 21 Sep 2025"

Jack, i believe you found a major problem and this will get things going again. I know this because when I started Steam Rising, which is still languishing, I found it flat and uninteresting. A friend made a few suggestions that helped me improve the story. One thing that has had me over a barrel is dealing with what works best for me to keep track of my stories. Outlines are ok, but I tend to get lost. Mind maps are a bit better but again not suited for me to excel. Index cards might work but hand writing is difficult and handwriting anything is more trouble than it's worth. I'm going to very soon read Steam Rising and look at my notes and try to make sense of it by reverse outlining.

I have many projects that are not finished like you, but they are still on my mind and mentally I've been considering them. One thing I should focus on is each step of the stories and where they are going. I tend to be a linear writer, but after several chapters are developed I jump around dealing with whatever chapter needs something. I'm going to break free from my usual approach and try something or several somethings new just to experiment and enjoy the journey as I work on the unfinished projects. Eventually I will find what works best for me.

There is still something missing from Steam Rising and it has languished long enough that visiting it now is like reading it for the first time. I expect to find the glitches and fix them. I'm going to rearrange my writing environment so it is easier to work in and also, change Steam Rising from one long piece to working in chapters like a blog or book format. I have two different software programs I need to reacquaint myself with and use to determine which one will do what I need best and use it. I will be a mad scientist and experiment as long as it takes to find what works.