A Life of Crime and Chocolate

Sixes are sexy?

I have ripped up every last one of my journals from my early years. They were outlandishly self centered and immature and had nothing really of value to add to life. LOL.

I blog now and I'm far more careful in the open venue.

heyjude said:

Cassi--did I see somewhere it's your birthday?

If so, Happy Birthday!

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Yeah it was on the 6th. Thanks

Well, I just had my first week of college. Despite some stress the first two days, I guess it wasn't so bad. I guess.

I have a lot of reading to do and stuff, but I think I can get it done.

And, on top of that, I feel like I'm reusing the same trope over and over again in my writing. Some of it anyway. Need to stop doing that. Any advice how to stop using the same "bare bones plot" or trope? LOL.

We're behind on celebrating Cassi's birthday?

Silver-Midnight said:

Well, I just had my first week of college. Despite some stress the first two days, I guess it wasn't so bad. I guess.

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You survived! It'll get easier once you have a routine down.

And, on top of that, I feel like I'm reusing the same trope over and over again in my writing. Some of it anyway. Need to stop doing that. Any advice how to stop using the same "bare bones plot" or trope? LOL.

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Stop it. Pick one element that you tend to repeat and intentionally change it. Get accustomed to the idea of it being different until it feels less strange and then see what you can do with it.

Is it really a bad thing to repeat though? When you're looking at basics, there are clear patterns to novel plotting: inciting event, conflict, success in overcoming that conflict. I initially read your comments as you repeating certain plot developments - my MCs' parents tend to have died unhappy deaths. I need to stop doing that. But if that's not what you're talking about... I don't feel very coherent today.

Namatu said:

Stop it. Pick one element that you tend to repeat and intentionally change it. Get accustomed to the idea of it being different until it feels less strange and then see what you can do with it.

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I second this. Excellent advice.

Is it really a bad thing to repeat though? When you're looking at basics, there are clear patterns to novel plotting: inciting event, conflict, success in overcoming that conflict. I initially read your comments as you repeating certain plot developments - my MCs' parents tend to have died unhappy deaths. I need to stop doing that. But if that's not what you're talking about... I don't feel very coherent today.

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Also excellent advice. What may feel repetitive to you may not be repetitive (in a bad way) to a reader.

I repeat a lot of stuff (not to freak you out further, Namatu-alt-me, but I kill off parents a lot too), but since only one of the things I'm writing is (so far) targeted for eyes other than mine, I don't see it as a problem. Write what feeds you.

Namatu said:

Stop it. Pick one element that you tend to repeat and intentionally change it. Get accustomed to the idea of it being different until it feels less strange and then see what you can do with it.

Is it really a bad thing to repeat though? When you're looking at basics, there are clear patterns to novel plotting: inciting event, conflict, success in overcoming that conflict. I initially read your comments as you repeating certain plot developments - my MCs' parents tend to have died unhappy deaths. I need to stop doing that. But if that's not what you're talking about... I don't feel very coherent today.

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It's more of an element thing. Like most of my antagonists/Big Bads are scorned lovers or people who are "a few fries short of a happy meal", if you get my drift. I also tend to use women a lot. Think The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Fatal Attraction, and A Thin Line Between Love and Hate to get an idea of what I mean. I hope all of that makes sense in some weird way. I guess instead of doing a "crazy person" going after the protagonist(s) I could make it intentional in some way. You know, kind of like Basic Instinct, I think. Essentially, one of the movies/books where the character did what they did not because they were stalking the character or some thing like that. Again. I hope that all makes some kind of sense.

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Well, I have so much reading to do. Haha. I got some done though. I just have more. Much more.

lizmonster said:

Write what feeds you.

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Maybe I can take Namtu's advice, and change one element of it or something. I don't know. And it's not really I think it's a bad thing, but I just feel like I've done it a lot before. If that makes sense. Like maybe I can still make the antag, like I said "a few fries short of a happy meal", but instead of trying to get close to the protag or one of the protags, s/he is already in that person's life in some way or another.

Truthfully, I really don't want to write detective stuff or police procedral type stuff, at least not now anyway. And that is slightly hard, especially when it's Romantic Suspense or a Romantic Thriller. But I think I want to wait a bit before doing detectives, agents, and etc. I wouldn't mind writing private investigators though. Think along the lines of Stuart M. Kaminsky's Lew Fonesca series. If that makes sense. I also wouldn't mind writing about body guards.

lizmonster said:

I repeat a lot of stuff (not to freak you out further, Namatu-alt-me, but I kill off parents a lot too).

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Oh, come on. Apparently we both need to shake things up a bit.

Silver-Midnight, yes, try a different motivation for your villain. I find villains hard, but I try to make them rational. Think about the villain's worldview. A person can have perfectly good reasons for what he does due to beliefs and upbringing, etc., and still his actions are out of whack with what's acceptable in society.

There's benefit - and growth - in trying different things. I say just start thinking about it for awhile, then try sketching out a few scenes, nothing serious to start with. A little experimentation could result in great adventure.

Don't mind me.


I'm just here for the chocolate.




Carry on.

Ooh. Chocolate. I need some.

Namatu said:

Oh, come on. Apparently we both need to shake things up a bit.

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My next book has a guy finding out his mother's accidental death 25 years ago maybe wasn't so much of an accident.

I didn't realize so many of my characters didn't have mothers until I was talking to my own mom once, and she frowned and said "Why do you keep killing me off?" Oops.

There's benefit - and growth - in trying different things. I say just start thinking about it for awhile, then try sketching out a few scenes, nothing serious to start with. A little experimentation could result in great adventure.

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Great brain exercises are always worthwhile, and you may find a grain of a story in one of them, too.

GailD said:

Don't mind me.


I'm just here for the chocolate.

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Milk, dark, or white?

Me, I'm agnostic; but I prefer it without nuts.

heyjude said:

That's because nuts don't belong in chocolate!

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THANK YOU.

Please tell my husband. He keeps telling me I am crazy.

Keep nuts out of chocolates!!!






Send nuts back to salads!!

Namatu said:

Silver-Midnight, yes, try a different motivation for your villain. I find villains hard, but I try to make them rational. Think about the villain's worldview. A person can have perfectly good reasons for what he does due to beliefs and upbringing, etc., and still his actions are out of whack with what's acceptable in society.

There's benefit - and growth - in trying different things. I say just start thinking about it for awhile, then try sketching out a few scenes, nothing serious to start with. A little experimentation could result in great adventure.

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Yeah. I can figure something out I suppose. I can change a few things around I guess; try something new.

Today I got my typewriter through the mail and did some yardwork.

The burn on my nape hurts like hell.

And congrats on your b-day, Cassio.

heyjude said:

That's because nuts don't belong in chocolate!

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They certainly don't belong in chocolate chip cookies. What about hazelnuts in chocolate though? They can be good. Right?

lizmonster said:

I didn't realize so many of my characters didn't have mothers until I was talking to my own mom once, and she frowned and said "Why do you keep killing me off?" Oops.

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Ha!

So I edited all the chapters I have of one work in progress and I know where to start from there to finish the book but do you think I can focus on it? Why does life have to be so flippin' busy? It's making me crazy. For the life of me I'd like to finish ONE project this year...well actually I'd like to finish twelve, but if I can get one done, I'll be so excited.

I'd like to finish one too, and I only have one. It's the same one I had last year, and the year before that, and... I heard somewhere that chocolate helps you concentrate, so I think I probably need to eat more of it. Vacation also helps you concentrate, so we probably all need more of that too.

How is it no matter how much reading I do I still feel like I have more to do? Ugh. I know I don't have as much as I did earlier but it still feels like a lot, you know? Ah, well. Might as well stay up and finish it because I have other homework to do tomorrow too. I might try to take a small break but I don't know.