Well, the characters should always be first priority, regardless of genre! Well, with a few exceptions, of course. (I don't particularly care to get into that now...)<P>Also...today, when I was going to meet with my advisor about next semester's schedule, I noticed the Creative Writing info bulletin board. And a competition for undergraduate science-fiction writers. One of the points stressed in the guidelines was (dumdadadummm!) the characters are more important than the science.
Great, another thing to add to my plate. As if life as a college student wasn't complicated enough already!<P>------------------
POCKET -- <A HREF="http://calliope.keenspace.com/" TARGET=_blank>http://calliope.keenspace.com/</A>
See what happens when a Literature-Classics double-major decides to make a comic.
11/3 ...
You're too much like me, you put too much on your plate, then look for more. =)<P>I mean, not only am I involved in writing a <a href="http://adonthell.linuxgames.com">game</a>, a novel based on the game, learning a different <a href="http://www.interlog.com/~tessman/hugo.html">game design system</a>, working as <a href="http://www.rpgamer.com/fanfics/updates/ ... >technical assistance</a>, carrying out other personal writing assignments, <a href="http://www.digitaldesk.com">beta testing</a> and about a zillion other things, work not included, but I'm always looking for more. Sheesh!
-
Schissel
- Regular Poster
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Fri Jan 01, 1999 4:00 pm
- Location: Ithaca, NY, USA
- Contact:
Looking forward to finding out (no, no advance information of any kind, please <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/wink.gif"> ) how it came to be that Joachim hooked up with Violet when she was partially responsible for the attack that killed his family in the first place. As is too often said (far too often by me, yes,) the plot thickens.<P>And nicely plotted...<P>While the names in the last two panels are unfamiliar- I can only suppose that just means we readers will meet up with them later. So, later it is, then.
-Eric Schissel
-Eric Schissel
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by schissel:
<B>
Looking forward to finding out (no, no advance information of any kind, please <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/wink.gif"> ) how it came to be that Joachim hooked up with Violet when she was partially responsible for the attack that killed his family in the first place. </B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I'm looking forward to it, too. We're just starting to get to know the characters, so we're stuck with little beyond the standard assumptions you make when you read fantasy stories (what a dragon is like, magic works, etc.). It'll be fun to see how Calli challenges our assumptions as the story moves forward.<P>And, of course, it's nice to see that she realizes the secret to good fantasy writing. The characters are more important than the magic.
<B>
Looking forward to finding out (no, no advance information of any kind, please <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/wink.gif"> ) how it came to be that Joachim hooked up with Violet when she was partially responsible for the attack that killed his family in the first place. </B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I'm looking forward to it, too. We're just starting to get to know the characters, so we're stuck with little beyond the standard assumptions you make when you read fantasy stories (what a dragon is like, magic works, etc.). It'll be fun to see how Calli challenges our assumptions as the story moves forward.<P>And, of course, it's nice to see that she realizes the secret to good fantasy writing. The characters are more important than the magic.
-
Averageman
- Regular Poster
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Fri Jan 01, 1999 4:00 pm
- Location: USA
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ydracth:
<B> This is one of my pet peeves: almost everyone thinks stories must be primarily about characters. This is of course a matter of taste - most people are fascinated by characters; few are so interested in, say, biochemistry - but it should be recognized as such. Stories not focusing on characters may not be popular, but they <em>can</em> have literary merit (whatever that is).<P>I know I'm in the minority here. I've heard writers I like say that idea stories are ultimately forgettable, that only characters are memorable. But it's the other way around for me. All characters are fundamentally alike - they're all human - while ideas are various and memorable. The stories I most remember and admire are the ones with the best ideas; characters are secondary.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Ultimately, it's all a matter of independant taste and choice. However this attraction in my experiance is not uncommon. I get the same or similar story from about a third of all SF fans(among others) whom I have spoken with. The rest are divided among action and description almost completely. Besides Calliope, the only people I know who appreciate charecters are Role players(AD&D, Rifts, etc...), a handfull of Anime fans(most of those I know), and writers.<P>PS: This is only my personal experiance. Feel free to add your own two cents.<P>Your thoughtful and coffee depleted friend, Averageman<P>
<B> This is one of my pet peeves: almost everyone thinks stories must be primarily about characters. This is of course a matter of taste - most people are fascinated by characters; few are so interested in, say, biochemistry - but it should be recognized as such. Stories not focusing on characters may not be popular, but they <em>can</em> have literary merit (whatever that is).<P>I know I'm in the minority here. I've heard writers I like say that idea stories are ultimately forgettable, that only characters are memorable. But it's the other way around for me. All characters are fundamentally alike - they're all human - while ideas are various and memorable. The stories I most remember and admire are the ones with the best ideas; characters are secondary.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Ultimately, it's all a matter of independant taste and choice. However this attraction in my experiance is not uncommon. I get the same or similar story from about a third of all SF fans(among others) whom I have spoken with. The rest are divided among action and description almost completely. Besides Calliope, the only people I know who appreciate charecters are Role players(AD&D, Rifts, etc...), a handfull of Anime fans(most of those I know), and writers.<P>PS: This is only my personal experiance. Feel free to add your own two cents.<P>Your thoughtful and coffee depleted friend, Averageman<P>
Hey Averageman, remember The-Story-Whose-Name-You-Can-Never-Pronounce? That, I think I can safely say, was very much a character story. (There were points where I was really trying to squeak past having to explain how the "time machine" worked. Science is not my forte. Which can be a problem when writing science fiction...) So character-driven that even "the Author" was part of the game...and a very unique character in her own right, even though she was merely another character's future self.<P>And if console RPGs count, then I qualify for all three of your character-preferring groups. <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/smile.g ... Personally, I need a story that has everything. Characters are great, but without a setting or a plot they can't sustain the text. And the same goes for plot and setting. And of course the writer's skill comes into play. If they've got a great idea but can't put it into readable words, it stinks.
(Anyone who has read the CRFH!!! archives within the past month probably knows which author I'm referring to in particular.)<P>And as for my opinion on works lacking ALL of these...should I ever meet the man who penned "Armageddon", I shall smile disarmingly...and<P>~NOTE TO MALE READERS: YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS NEXT LINE~<P>~I'M QUITE SERIOUS. TURN BACK OR SKIP IT WHILE YOU CAN~<P>and then I'll kick him in the *ahem* personals.<P>~TOLD YA SO~<P>------------------
POCKET -- <A HREF="http://calliope.keenspace.com/" TARGET=_blank>http://calliope.keenspace.com/</A>
See what happens when a Literature-Classics double-major decides to make a comic.<p>[This message has been edited by Calliope (edited 11-04-2000).]
(Anyone who has read the CRFH!!! archives within the past month probably knows which author I'm referring to in particular.)<P>And as for my opinion on works lacking ALL of these...should I ever meet the man who penned "Armageddon", I shall smile disarmingly...and<P>~NOTE TO MALE READERS: YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS NEXT LINE~<P>~I'M QUITE SERIOUS. TURN BACK OR SKIP IT WHILE YOU CAN~<P>and then I'll kick him in the *ahem* personals.<P>~TOLD YA SO~<P>------------------
POCKET -- <A HREF="http://calliope.keenspace.com/" TARGET=_blank>http://calliope.keenspace.com/</A>
See what happens when a Literature-Classics double-major decides to make a comic.<p>[This message has been edited by Calliope (edited 11-04-2000).]
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Calliope:
<B>Well, the characters should always be first priority, regardless of genre! Well, with a few exceptions, of course. (I don't particularly care to get into that now...)</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>This is one of my pet peeves: almost everyone thinks stories must be primarily about characters. This is of course a matter of taste - most people are fascinated by characters; few are so interested in, say, biochemistry - but it should be recognized as such. Stories not focusing on characters may not be popular, but they <em>can</em> have literary merit (whatever that is).<P>I know I'm in the minority here. I've heard writers I like say that idea stories are ultimately forgettable, that only characters are memorable. But it's the other way around for me. All characters are fundamentally alike - they're all human - while ideas are various and memorable. The stories I most remember and admire are the ones with the best ideas; characters are secondary.
<B>Well, the characters should always be first priority, regardless of genre! Well, with a few exceptions, of course. (I don't particularly care to get into that now...)</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>This is one of my pet peeves: almost everyone thinks stories must be primarily about characters. This is of course a matter of taste - most people are fascinated by characters; few are so interested in, say, biochemistry - but it should be recognized as such. Stories not focusing on characters may not be popular, but they <em>can</em> have literary merit (whatever that is).<P>I know I'm in the minority here. I've heard writers I like say that idea stories are ultimately forgettable, that only characters are memorable. But it's the other way around for me. All characters are fundamentally alike - they're all human - while ideas are various and memorable. The stories I most remember and admire are the ones with the best ideas; characters are secondary.