Hello gang, and here’s what’s been up!
Plot Twist Generator – The latest version is here. I’m collecting feedback from people and reading up on plot twists, and it’s finally getting into shape. Still a good month or so before I think it’s ready, but I now feel some hope I can get it into shape. Still, I think like the Writing Prompt Generator it’ll really be more a case of “good enough” as opposed to perfect.
Way With Worlds – I expect to finish up my big editing round this month. Then one more round next month before the pre-readers. Some of the edits are simple – but some are pretty extensive, verging on rewrites – so expect it to be different enough from the original columns and the rewrites. There’s also a sort of sequel type thing in the work, but one that will be quite different . . . and it may give you out there ideas for your own inspirational works.
Other Generators – After the Plot Twist Generator I’m going to do some more fun generators, so stay tuned . . .
– Steven Savage
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Hello one and all – and here’s the latest updates!
First, I’ve revamped some of Informotron, my press site, and want to invite you to get my LinkedIn Guide and newsletter! You get my checklist for using Linked In, updates on my various projects, and of course some extras now and then. It’s also been great for me – I already got another pre-reader for Way With Worlds!
Next up, is the Plot Twist Generator which is . . . creaking it’s way forward. The feedback provided has been invaluable, but this is also a lot harder than I expected. The challenge is that plot twists often run into tropes, and some are so common they stand out even when you try to vary them. It’s also hard to find good documentation on plot twists. So this one is gonna be challenging, and I’ve already got some fun generator ideas queued up as this one is a pain . . .
Way With Worlds the book is in another editing phase, a sort-of-second read through. When I finish that I’ll do one more read through and get it to pre-readers. That should be about October.
Speaking of october – and on speaking, I’m going to be presenting at PMI Silicon Valley 2015 Symposium on the role of creativity in the Project/Program Management. You better believe the Sanctum is going to get mentioned.
That’s it for me. How are you doing?
Respectfully,
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Episode #9 is up. The Crossroads Alpha crew (which includes yours truly) discusses why we do what we do on the web with writing, generators, and more.
Get the latest podcast here.
Follow the podcast feed here.
Or subscribe at iTunes store!
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Just a reminder, Scott Delahunt will be publishing his series on adaptions, “Lost In Translation” here at Seventh Sanctum’s own Codex! Be sure to check out his considerable backlog of work!
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
OK, after some consideration I’ve released the very crude and unpolished and basically barely functional Plot Twist generator. This is in no way close to complete, but I figured it’d be good to get some feedback.
One of the challenges in doing this is that researching plot twists often leads me to the same ones. Yes I know who Luke’s father is, I know about the sled, and so on. So I’m finding little inspiration here, and figured folks might have some good feedback.
Let me know what you think – and your favorite plot twists!
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Had a lot of crazy times lately, so I’m a bit behind – new roommate moving in, new roomdog moving in, family visiting, work, etc.
Plot Twist Generator
The Plot Twist Generator definitely is behind after the busy week and weekend and I plan to return to it. It’s pretty straightforward actually, almost refreshing – less crazy-making than the Writing Prompt Generator.
It also makes me think about how many plot twists are almost archetypical – a mix of trope and mythical. Some we take for granted yet we also joke about ones similarly repeated. Part of what I’m trying to do is take some basic twists and tropes and shake them up – the villain is always the hero’s father, why can’t (s)he be their uncle or grandmother?
Way With Worlds
The book is roughly formatted, and I’ve done some editing – and then just decided to switch over to the old print-and-edit method. It’s not like it’s not done, it’s just that the book needs to be edited. So I’ve got piles of papers marked up so I can start entering changes. A few sections are probably getting extensive rewrites.
I also am debating splitting it into two, but right now just can’t bring myself to do it – it’s roughly a mix of direct advice and worldbuilding approach and philosophy so I could split it but it just doesn’t seem right.
Oh, and I’ve got some lighter sequels/spinoffs/extras in mind, but you won’t see that until it’s out . . .
On that note, I probably will write out more things next year because, simply, I want to preserve more of my theories and knowledge. Hey, I’m not young here . . . oh, and there may be a book on creativity and brainstorming coming even sooner . . .
The Informotron
I’m merging my work at MuseHack into my press site, The Informotron! There you’ll get both my published writing, free stuff, and blog entries and speculations. It’ll probably double up with some of my work at Seventh Sanctum, but will be mostly original stuff – and I plan to package up and make a lot of my past writing more accessible.
You know when I get time . . .
Respectfully,
– Steven Savage
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Hello everyone. Had a bit of a busy/crazy time here (work, family visiting, friend busted their car). So I may take a break on the Plot twist Generator.
However, Scott Delahunt, the genius of translations is now publishing here as well – his column Lost In Translation has a home here (as well as other sites), so you can get a brain full of adaption news and analysis. I STRONGLY recommend reading his work, it’s made me understand a lot more about media.
Respectfully,
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Hello everyone, here’s the latest.
Plot Twist Generator
It’s starting to shape up, and right now what I’m finding is it actually works best if I keep it simple. You don’t really want things to get too complicated – you want impactful ideas. It may be easier than I thought, though the challenge now is diversity not complexity.
Here’s some examples:
- There is a predicted snowstorm – but it’s not what was expected.
- The world is revealed to be in another time instead of the one we were led to believe.
- A character suddenly reveals a sentimental side.
- The protagonist turns out to be the antagonist’s father.
- It turns out that everything that is happening actually takes place inside a computer – this is revealed by the antagonist.
- A mysterious string of numbers turns out to refer to the antagonist’s childhood toy.
- A character suddenly reveals a malicious side.
- The secondary antagonist turns out to be the protagonist’s grandfather.
- There is a sudden snowstorm.
- The antagonist suddenly reveals a romantic side.
What I’m doing now is reading famous plot twists and randomizing them. As I go on those inspire some variants and ideas. So forward!
Way With Worlds Book
The WWW Book editing continues – and I’m really busy re-editing the part on species and race (which will spawn one or two new sections), and the part on sex (which needs a little more coherence).
One thing I’m debating is splitting the book in two – there’s really two sections, the worldbuilding and the being a worldbuilder. As for now I’m keeping it as one, but I may want some feedback – that means a poll (we haven’t had one of those in awhile).
Still projecting next spring, depending how fast my editors and pre-readers get to it.
New Columnist
Well, old Columnist. Scott from over at MuseHack is going to be doing his Lost In Translation column here as well. I’ll be uploading the old ones – and we’ll see his new stuff soon. It should be a great addition.
Respectfully,
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Hello everyone, been a bit occupied (and caught a cold, allergy season makes people so vulnerable). But here’s the latest update.
Plot Twist Generator
Is in the works! Has data in place! Has some ideas, is really boring right now!
The big issue is just stocking more data and structure, and polishing it – and like the Writing Prompt Generator, it’ll just take time. So far some are good, like . . .
“The antagonist thinks everything is happening is inside a story – and this is due to a substance abuse problem.”
Others are sort of WTF?
“The alternate antagonist turns out to be the protagonist’s father.”
Others are blunt.
“There is a sudden tornado.”
But it’s there, and as I flesh it out, we’ll have more to work with. I figure it’ll be on the level of the Writing Prompt Generator, maybe even a bit better as I have less language structure limits.
Way With Worlds
This is going OK, but . . . I gotta say some of those columns could be better. When I rewrote Way With Worlds, I eventually intended it to be a book, but as I was rewriting columns from 15 years ago I also added a lot, did different voices, small series, etc. Now I’ve got to get it back into a book, and . . . yeah. This is all over the map, and in a few cases I could have done better.
What I’m finding is that the quality was – frankly – erratic. Sometimes its precise (I’m proud of some of my columns on Magic and Technology), other times it kind of meanders, and a few times I somehow avoided the point (like my discussions on Race and culutre, more to come). I think at times it was turning a braindump of 15 years ago into another braindump – and other times it was polishing and precision.
So editing is a lot more work than I expected. Things get cut down, rearranged, rephrased, and in one case I actually am having to reverse a previous conclusion.
However the core information is good even in places that need to portray it better – if anything some of the problems are me massively dumping out ideas and doing it in my coachy/chatty/live talk style as opposed to a better written style. So I’ve got to tweak it – and make sure the book has one voice.
It’ll be worth it, but we’re definitely not seeing this sucker until 2016. I’m going to give my pre-readers two months at it.
Respectfully,
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
Hope everyone is doing well. Caught a bit of a cold last week so I’m a tad behind i’m afraid – sort of a case wwhere one thing led to another and I got sick.
Way With Worlds Book:
This one is probably due around March 2016. It’s actually a pretty regular piece of work since it’s all written – the challenge is the editing and making sure everything from 70 something columns actually coheres. The size also means it takes a little longer to edit than my last work.
I’m actually pleased with how solid it is. There’s a lot in there, and I’m going to be adding a bit more . . .
though I don’t know if I’ll add any new columns. I think I said 90% of what I need to say, though I’ve still got a way to go through edit #1.
Plot Twist Generator:
As noted I figured it out. Now if I can get well I can get back to it . . .
Respectfully,
– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
