Obsessive Rep Point Checkers Club (Volume VI)

Good luck with your wordseses, BF!

I've got my half-assed bandit attack almost to the climax... where I have to end the chapter. (It's a very SHORT chapter - might have to add more before the fight) *g*

Jaymz Connelly said:

I've got my half-assed bandit attack almost to the climax... where I have to end the chapter. (It's a very SHORT chapter - might have to add more before the fight) *g*

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Heh. I'm having this dilemma with my ending. There are a few spots when I really want/need to flip to the other POV, but I'm trying to work out how annoying it'll be to flip perspectives every several-hundred words.

Decisions, decisions.

My fight is finished.

Depends on how you do it. I wouldn't have a problem with POV changing every several hundred words. I think, as long as it's clear whose perspective the reader is in, it'd be fine.

Each chapter's headed with the character's name (plus their voices are [hopefully] different). I suspect it'll work okay -- it's the end of a thriller, so short, sharp chapters should work in theory. We'll see.

As always, my method will be "write it and see if it works".

I've read books where there've been chapters that were barely half a page long, and it worked just fine. If that helps any.

Good method. I'm a fan of the 'suck it and see' method.

I'm someone who thinks a chapter is as long as a chapter needs to be. One of mine used to be only two paragraphs long (then things got moved around and it got axed coz the chapter wasn't needed anymore). I'm not actually at all concerned.

Mmm. My pita-za smells good. I'm just waiting for it to crisp up.

Sounds good. I used to be the sort who thought all chapters should be of similar length. So I kind of struggle with it for my own writing, but have no problem reading other people's work with chapters of varying lengths. It's weird. I know.

Sounds awesome! except for the fact that you're making me want pizza!

Jaymz Connelly said:

Sounds good. I used to be the sort who thought all chapters should be of similar length.

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I never got that. Just from hanging around AW, I know a lot of people hold that view, but I can't see any logic behind it. Similar lengths make sense for TV episodes where there are commercial restraints to the format. But a book's a book. (I also don't get the attitude of, "But who is your first person narrator telling the story to?" I'm very about that one. But that's a rant for another time. )

My writing just kind of... happened. *g* I haven't really read anything about how to write a good story or anything like that. I just write what I want to read - and I suck at chapter breaks. *g* I'm trying to not fret about chapter lengths, but it's a struggle. (that's a weird thing to worry about. Who cares who the first person narrator is telling the story to?)

Jaymz Connelly said:

(that's a weird thing to worry about. Who cares who the first person narrator is telling the story to?)

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Even better is the first person present tense one: I don't get it. If there's no one with your MC, are they talking into a recording device or something?

Again, me --> aka: Wtf are you talking about?

I figure these are the same people who'd watch The Office or Modern Family and want to know: But who are the talking heads talking to? (And yes, I'm aware these references will likely mean nothing to you).

be frank said:

Even better is the first person present tense one: I don't get it. If there's no one with your MC, are they talking into a recording device or something?

Again, me --> aka: Wtf are you talking about?

I figure these are the same people who'd watch The Office or Modern Family and want to know: But who are the talking heads talking to? (And yes, I'm aware these references will likely mean nothing to you).

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Uh, yeah, I'd have the same expression at that question. *shakes head* The mind boggles.

*G* You're not wrong that the references don't mean anything to me. I am a hermit, living under a rock.

Sometimes I get the feeling that some people are just very literal.

(Though questions about who a narrator might be telling the story to (or why) are sometimes interesting. Are we the intended audience? Are they trying to impress us? Are they telling their story to themselves to try and convince themselves they're the good guy? Are they flat out lying to us for the hell of it?)

Albedo said:

(Though questions about who a narrator might be telling the story to (or why) are sometimes interesting. Are we the intended audience? Are they trying to impress us? Are they telling their story to themselves to try and convince themselves they're the good guy? Are they flat out lying to us for the hell of it?)

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Now, see, THOSE are interesting and thoughtful questions.

And fwiw, my bestie calls me Ms Literal, but I have NEVER questioned who the first person narrator was telling the story to.

Jaymz Connelly said:

Now, see, THOSE are interesting and thoughtful questions.

And fwiw, my bestie calls me Ms Literal, but I have NEVER questioned who the first person narrator was telling the story to.

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Thanks! And they're all questions you can ask just as easily about third person. I don't quite understand why people get hung up on first person in particular (especially first present) as demanding a special explanation.

What do people who get confused about first person narration do when they encounter second person, anyway? 'This can't be! I'm not the character! Stupid author!"

I've relocated houses (now at my parents', keeping the dog company while they spend the day/night at a wedding. The pooch gets lonely).

Unless the first person narration is a specific framing device (like Code Name Verity, where the MC is dictating to her Gestapo captors what she knows), it has never occurred to me that there's any reason for the MC to be telling the story to anyone. For the length of that book, I am that person, living their experiences. That's all there is to it, as far as I'm concerned.

be frank said:

I've relocated houses (now at my parents', keeping the dog company while they spend the day/night at a wedding. The pooch gets lonely).

Unless the first person narration is a specific framing device (like Code Name Verity, where the MC is dictating to her Gestapo captors what she knows), it has never occurred to me that there's any reason for the MC to be telling the story to anyone. For the length of that book, I am that person, living their experiences. That's all there is to it, as far as I'm concerned.

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Yeah, this is just the thing. There's no need to have a framing device unless you want to. A story can just be that, told from any POV and in any tense. I find it mystifying that people find it that hard to adapt to different perspectives, but admittedly I do find it hard sometimes to accept a first person, past tense narrative from a character who dies. Even though there's no reason that can't be done well. I'm not sure why that situation should feel more awkward.

- - - Updated - - -

P.S. Aww, dogsitting!

I once started a short story with a line like "You are the man named Bob, and you'll be dead in an hour, though you don't know that yet". I suspect the readers we're talking about wouldn't have been fans.

I guess, like you said -- some people are just very literal.

Right, I'm off to the stress-zone now (my footy match is about to start). Back in a bit. Possibly very soon if this game goes like how I expect.

Enjoy the stress-zone!
Wait, that doesn't sound right.

Just popping in to wave. And say - I don't think I've ever read a second person book. I don't really care for first person, but it doesn't confuse me.

I am so close to being caught up to where I stopped in my story! It'll be new territory tomorrow! Woo hoo!

Jaymz Connelly said:

Just popping in to wave. And say - I don't think I've ever read a second person book. I don't really care for first person, but it doesn't confuse me.

I am so close to being caught up to where I stopped in my story! It'll be new territory tomorrow! Woo hoo!

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I've only ever seen 2nd used in small amounts, e.g. for an interlude in a larger story. I don't know if there are any novels written wholly in 2nd.

Apart from Choose Your Own Adventure books, which totally count.

Wooo! Why are you just catching up on yourself? Was it a rewrite?

Albedo said:

I don't know if there are any novels written wholly in 2nd.

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Oh, there totally are. I tried to read a well-known YA one, by a Big Name author. Couldn't do it. The book's supposed to be great, but I couldn't get past the first couple of paragraphs. I should probably try again, cause I used to feel the same about first person present (which I now love).

My team has played. My team tried. My team lost.

And now I will try to write. I'm hoping being out of my usual environment will jolt my writing into action.

Albedo said:

Wooo! Why are you just catching up on yourself? Was it a rewrite?

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Not technically a rewrite, but I did something I've never done before - skip over a few scenes. I just got to a point where I needed to know what happened in those scenes, so I had to go back to the start and fill in the missing scenes. I have half of one scene left to do and then I'll be caught up and able to move forward with the story.

Bad luck for your team, BF. But good luck with the writing. I hope it works being in a different environment.

I'm done my writing for today and have moved on to the knitting while Mr C watches his team in the rugby league (they're currently winning, so he's happy).

Also, I've never read a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' story. I dunno if they were around when I was the age they were geared towards.

Good morning, lovelies! How is everyone? Sounds like a LOT of writing is going on. Awesome!