Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
@daeus Thanks! By the way, I went to a writers conference and pitched Prince of the Barbarians, and one of the agents was very interested and asked me to send a synopsis. So we’ll see where that goes. 🙂 I thank you for your encouragement, and for teaching me the importance of body language. It is a lesson I’ve never forgotten. I now own The Emotion Thesaurus and use it just about every time I write.
@jadamae Thank you for your incredible editing help! You truly helped me refine my story!
@emma-flournoy For always being ready to rave about Les Miserables and Charles Dickens. 😀YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com@ingridrd Devan sounds perfect for this character. Only the spelling makes me think a little of the word “divan.” Which is totally beside the point and I’m probably the only one who thinks that way, but I thought I’d let you know anyway.
Quick question: Do you hear “Devan” pronounced the same way as “Devin”? Or do you pronounce the “a”? I think readers are likely to pronounce the “a”, so if that would bother you, you might want to choose a different name. Let me know what you decide, or if you need any suggestions. 🙂
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.comYou know you’re a writer when your family asks you why you’re making faces at your computer, and you have to explain that you’re testing body language.
You know you’re a writer when you’re at a funeral, and while you’re waiting in line to speak to the family, you make use of your time by trying to observe how people respond to grief. (Wow, that sounds a lot more insensitive when I write it out. I hope you all understand me. It has nothing to do with me not caring about the family. Even if it were my own funeral, which would be weird, I’d still be trying to observe reactions to grief.)
You know you’re a writer (@hope-ann) when you started a forum thread about being a writer and 36 pages later, it’s still going.
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com@supermonkey42 That makes sense. Childhood memories make great usernames and passwords. 🙂
Yes, I am a musician. In fact, music is my major, so what used to be my hobby is now pretty much all I do. But I love it. I wanted a username that united the hobbies I’m passionate about (music and writing) with my spiritual passion– to allow Christ to work through me in all things. I love the verse in 2nd Timothy 2 where Paul says, “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes, and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21-22).
Maybe I should start a forum thread for people to explain their usernames. That would be fun!
As for the vulpatexes, fathiers, and Canto Bight…You are clearly a major Star Wars fan. My sister knows those things, so she fills me in when I need terminology. I just watch the movie with my mouth open in astonishment, then go home and assess the characters. But I think it’s cool that the foxes are called vulpatexes, because “vulpa” is “fox” in Latin (although I don’t know what “tex” means).
Hmm… that’s an interesting thought about the timing of the next movie. I assumed it would take place directly after, and perhaps we’d never see Leia, but we’d see her ship destroyed or something. If they choose to have it take place years later, I’ll be seriously disappointed because the little boy will no longer be quite as small and adorable.
But do you wonder if all those kids on Canto Bight had the Force? That would be pretty cool, if there was a group of children strong in the Force living in hiding.
At any rate, I can’t wait for the next movie! (Which is sad. Because I have to wait. Two years. *sighs*)
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.comI KNEW THIS THREAD HAD TO BE ON HERE SOMEWHERE! AT LAST I HAVE FOUND IT!
I went to see The Last Jedi on Tuesday, and I LOVED it. First of all, it was so visually appealing– the effects were stunning. Second of all, I really want one of those frozen fox critters, as well as one of those space horses that they freed on that one planet (I can’t remember what it was called). Third, I have a lot more general thoughts.
In answer to your questions, @dekreel:
1) I really hope Kylo eventually joins with the good guys. However, that would make him just another Darth Vader, and I can see how Star Wars might want to avoid that. I think fans love him too much though to accept a death in darkness, though, so they might end up redeeming him somehow. I was so excited when he killed Snoke, and so disappointed when he revealed his motives… *sigh*
2) Personally, I agree with @supermonkey42 (by the way, your username makes me laugh… is there a story behind that?). I would rather see Finn sacrifice himself for the Resistance than fall in love, especially because I thought Rose was a kind of unnecessary character. If he does fall in love, I think Rose is a better option than Rey, especially because the end seemed to hint at a future for Rey and Poe, which I could get behind. (Besides, Rey and Poe are both three-letter names, and Rose and Finn are both four-letter names, so obviously they have to pair up that way. 😛 ) I was ready for Finn to sacrifice himself in this movie, and I thought it was kind of stupid when Rose “saved” him. I’m not sure I agree with her statement about “it’s not about fighting what you hate, it’s about saving what you love.” Yes, well… it all worked out in the end, but when you fight what you hate, you do it because you want to save what you love. Finn was trying to save what he loved (the Resistance). It’s a pretty quote, but I don’t think it’s completely accurate.
Other thoughts:
1) Whoa! The little boy at the end! I love him! I can’t wait to see how he plays into the Star Wars universe. I think they need more little kids. I’m tired of the early-twenties protagonists. Hopefully he’s a better actor than young Anakin Skywalker. 🙂
2) Overall, I think Luke Skywalker was a good touch in this movie, because he defied expectations the whole time– yet never acted outside of his character.
3) Maybe that’s the thing I loved most about this movie. Everyone stayed true to their character the whole way through. Nothing was predictable, but after each action, I could say, “Yep– that fits with what I know about them.”
4) Mazel tov, Disney, on another well-done film.
Does anybody have any other predictions for what will happen in the next film?
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.comThanks everybody. The overall tone of the story is somewhat dark– think Lord of the Rings— but it’s about finding hope in the midst of darkness and strength in the midst of persecution, so from the beginning I’ve tried to show admirable qualities in the story’s protagonists, in hopes that the depressing circumstances will draw readers to the protagonist even more.
@sam-kowal @emma-flournoy (and anyone else who’s interested), this link will take you to the contact page of my website, and you can give me your email address there. I’ll send the chapters to you as soon as I have your email.https://hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com/contact/
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com@photobloggergal Just checked out your blog, and I LOVE IT! The world needs more Christian young women who dress modestly and show others how to do the same. Excited to be following you and your team!
P.S. If you ever need any wardrobe hacks, let me know. I’ve developed quite a few over the years, trying to turn store-bought clothes into modest outfits. 🙂
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.comP.S. What’s your blog called? Never hurts to have another follower. 🙂
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.comHi @photobloggergal! Welcome to Kingdom Pen!
I LOVE NAMING CHARACTERS. So I have a few questions for you: First, do you want a name with a specific meaning? If so, do you want that meaning to reflect your character?If not, that’s completely fine. I use this technique more in fantasy stories. I like to choose names with meanings because it helps me nail down my character better.
Meanings aside, sometimes specific names convey specific appearances, characteristics, etc. to me, even if it has nothing to do with the meaning of a name. If you want to give me a character description I’d be more than happy to give you names I associate with that description.
Here are some of my favorite names, just because of how they sound, not because of what they mean.
Boys: Sebastian, Samuel, Pip (thank you, Charles Dickens), Archer, Matthew
Girls: Cecilia, Samantha, Jillian, Katie, Kit, Isabella
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.comHi @JBB! Welcome to the bestiest place on earth! (That’s the formal KP Greeting.) This is a wonderful place to discover new things about writing. I’ve been a member for about a year and a half, and I love it here. Always feel free to ask any questions you have, or answer other people’s questions!
What genre do you write?
Just so you know, if you ever need help naming characters, I love names, so let me know if you want some suggestions. Hope you enjoy it here!
YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.comGUYS!!! Why did I miss this discussion? THIS MOVIE LOOKS AMAZING. To contribute my twenty-five cents to everything that was said previously:
-I’m all for Ren and Rey falling in love and her getting pulled to the dark side before they both are redeemed.
-I don’t like Luke or Leia very much, either.
-I never thought Finn and Rey should get together, so I’m relieved to see we’re not heading in that direction.
And here are my thoughts about this trailer:
Why does someone (presumably Luke) throw his mechanical hand into the fire? AGHHH!
Does anyone know why there’s always red stuff coming out of the planes? Please someone tell me. Theories?
I’m very suspicious of the Porgs.
But did anyone notice those amazing fox-looking things at 1.48? I want one.
I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE TO COME OUT!!!YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com@joy NaNoWriMo is a great opportunity to make yourself write. It gives you a goal and a concentrates time to write in. I was surprised by what I was capable of last year. I highly recommend it–especially if you take the time to plot your book out ahead of time, which is an excellent exercise.
When I first started doing NaNo, I was in middle school, and they had these cool print-outs whee they walked you through plotting your story. I don’t know of they still have something like that for high schoolers and older, but you might want to look for that on their website.YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com@kateflournoy
I totally get where you’re coming from. I, too, am a fiercely independent person, and furthermore, when it comes to writing, I thought I knew everything there was to know.
Until I met my mentor.
My mentor’s name is Shellie Arnold, and she’s a published author who goes to our church. Through conversing with her and showing her short snippets of my writing, I’ve learned so much from her. She hasn’t asked me to change my style or anything like that. But because she knows the industry, she knows what’s publishable. She knows what agents and editors are looking for. She knows what steps I need to take. She’s taken the route to publication, and she knows how to help me get there. Which, at times, has meant I have to make changes I’m not comfortable with at first. But it has overall helped me improve my writing.
If you can find someone like that who is willing to just let you ask questions and help you in a very part-time way, I think you’d really benefit from it. Again, it hasnt taken away any of my independence as an author. It’s shortened my journey toward publication and saved me from making some potentially dangerous, career-harming mistakes.
If you’d like me to pass on what I’ve learned from her, let me know. I’m sure Hope Ann or Daeus can connect us by email.YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com@kate-flournoy @daeus
Thank you so much for your excellent thoughts! I agree that God is definitely powerful enough to save lives even when we think our honesty might ruin everything.
The only thing that’s still tripping me up is the difference between lying and deception. Even outside the context of my own story, this question perplexes me. I mean, war is built on deception. You want the enemy to think you’re attacking from a different direction. You don’t want the enemy to know you’re a spy. Again, what about undercover agents? I’m reminded of an episode of Adventures in Odyssey called The Labyrinth. Do any of you know this one? It’s about Jason Whittaker, who is a secret agent, and the web of deception he gets caught in while trying to preserve the truth. Because he is spiritually strong, he is able to keep himself from being polluted by the deception, but it’s very hard for him, and he does have to deceive people with a false identity. I may have to relisten to this, because I think the overall theme was deception.
What about Gideon? The point of having every man with a torch was that usually, armies carry one torch for every several men, so for the Midianites, 300 torches looked like 1200 men. Is that deception? If so, it was commanded by God. Not that God didn’t have anything to do with striking terror into the hearts of the Midianites, just that there was a specific reason for the torches and water pitchers.
And what about hiding Jews? Is hiding something or someone deception, since you are making it look like you don’t have that thing or person in your custody?
I’m sorry… I know I’m asking a lot of questions. Please don’t think it’s because I’m trying to justify deception. I just want to understand how this looks in the modern world, as well as in times of war. I’m beginning to discover that a lot of the moral stances I’ve had from when I was little are no longer as black and white as I thought they were.
Daeus, when I mentioned that New Testament cases where lying is forbidden seem to indicate lying with a malicious intent, I was thinking of Colossians 3:8-10: “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” The other things mentioned, like malice and slander, are definitely done with evil intent, and since lying is listed with these things, it’s possible to read it as “lying with the intention of hurting others.” The Bible doesn’t say that, and I realize that. I may be making an assumption, and I’m not saying I believe this verse justifies lying, I’m just saying that’s one way to interpret it– looking at the heart, rather than at the action.
For my story, I can think of a way the characters can pull it off without lying, but the very fact that they’re keeping their identities secret requires deception. I don’t think I have time in the story to discuss any repercussions of deception, and I don’t have room for another theme like that. Do you think having the Christian characters discuss why they feel justified in doing this would be enough?YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com@dragon-snapper I would venture to say using a pen name is different. For one thing, in your case, we all know your parents didn’t name you Dragon Snapper. So we’re not being deceived into thinking you’re a Dragon. We understand the need for internet privacy and respect it, so it’s not a deception– it’s more like an agreement. We all agree safety is important, so we supported your decision to keep your anonymity. Anonymity isn’t deception.
But here’s another question: Jean Valjean.
@daeus and @kateflournoy, I might not need to say more. 😉 But I’ll say more anyway for the rest of you. So, Jean Valjean is an escaped convict during the French Revolution. So the stakes are really high, because if he’s caught, he’ll be imprisoned for life or executed. Javert, a policeman who can’t fathom anything but justice, has pretty much committed his life to tracking this guy down.
To protect himself, Valjean assumes an alias: Monsieur Madeleine. It allows him a fresh start. He becomes wealthy, and uses that wealth to save others. But when his deception almost gets another man killed in his place, he has to decide between the lives of those he protects as Monsieur Madeleine, or the life of the poor fellow mistaken for Jean Valjean. He chooses to reveal himself… That time. But when the life of the orphan girl Cosette depends on him not being arrested again, he sneaks into a convent and pretends to be the gardener’s brother… And lives like that for years. Is that wrong? I know there’s way more to the story than that– 1000 pages more, to be specific– but that’s all I have time to share. Thoughts?YA Fantasy Writer
Obsessive Character Namer
Find me at hisinstrumentblog.wordpress.com