writing

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"There's no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you"

-Maya Angelou

Welcome to c/writing!

This is a space for all kinds of discussion referring to writing. This could include the structure and style found in different types of writing, authors worth talking about, different genres, trends, etc.

This is also a space for users who wish to share their own writing for feedback. This could look like independently posting excerpts of poems/prose/plays or it could be replying to one of the writing prompt threads. Brainstorming and worldbuilding ideas are welcome too!

Ideally, this will be a community where we work together to become better writers and appreciators of writing in all its forms.

All that said, please note that Code of Conduct still applies here. Please apply content warnings where applicable and spoiler material that might be inappropriate.

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OpheliaAzure@hexbear.net

New rule: you're not allowed kill a character's family to motivate them (hexbear.net)

submitted 18 hours ago by snowflake@hexbear.net to c/writing@hexbear.net

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Yes it makes sense. It would motivate them powerfully. But it's been done too many times, and it's too easy.

The rule makes you find more interesting ways of motivating them. Are they driven by bruised pride? By romance? By obsession? Anything is more interesting than rehashing the cliché Hollywood loves.

Similarly, don't make a villain more evil by saying "they're a dictator and also a kiddie-fiddler orremoved". That's just tacking on villainy.

That would be like having a right-wing US President, and saying "oh he's also aremoved and best friends with a child-trafficker" - lazy, unrealistic writing. Make your villains more nuanced please.

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[–] Simon_Shitewood@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 hours ago

One of my players tried to have a dead parent but I just revealed he'd had his own mini-odyssey trying to get home and was basically fine. Reconciling one side who hadn't seen him in 10 years with his experience of only being away a few months (there was a time stasis field involved) made for a much more interesting side plot than "my dad's dead :(" did a backstory.