With the brief i’ve got, I need to show examples of her self-centredness. And to do that I need to know at least a little bit about how and why she’d have had lawsuits filed against her for a business she previously owned.
looks at her own brief, looks at the hints as to Mae’s brief, looks back
I’m sure you’re doing a much better job with it than I am. I was never much of a researcher.
I knew this was a terrible idea! I’ve always written short and now I’ve written 900 words and have to go to work. Oh well, I’ll try to edit and expand on the bus and then you’re getting what I’ve got.
I was thinking I was in the same position a couple hours ago. I just let myself go, and made up a few things, and ultimately managed to mostly sidestep all that. As others here have said, it’s about the characters first and foremost. Your chapter’s about Margaret (I assume), mine is largely about Lucas, but the end result is the same – I had to invent his dealings and use them to reflect back on who he is. It doesn’t take a lot of depth into the actual affairs to make him out to be a real shithead.
Sidenote: first draft is done. 3500 words. Now to edit it, and perhaps hack at the excess bits.
Edit: submitted. Decided the prose was relatively clean, even if the pacing might be a bit murky.
hjordisa, you have a different chapter to Maerahn, and also a very different personal style.
I’ve read some of your work. You don’t write ‘short’, you have a style that is ‘hard-boiled’ (like several of my favourite writers), and brings you in to the moment. 1,000 words that are true to your style and voice is better than 4,000 words that aren’t, in same way that 4,000 words that are true to your style and voice is better than 1,000 words that aren’t.
I thought we might, but I was just amused that all her questions and concerns were the same ones I was having. (Sorry if this double posts… I was on my phone for a bit and it doesn’t look like it submitted.)
Wow. Did you really tailor what chapter you sent to who by their observed writing styles. That’s above and beyond the call of volunteering-to-do-a-whole-lot-of-work-for-fun!
I’m glad I sent you the thing I sent you! I’m really pleased with my assignment, although I know I’m not doing it justice.
No - other than not sending grisly chapters to people who’ve told me they don’t want them, all allocation is random. But I do actually read the stuff people send in and get a sense of who they are as writers. I wouldn’t put you through it if I didn’t know you had it in you!
I would never aspire to your level of greatness oh wise one.
In my defense, I did leave three mini archs sitting on the floor. The entrance and returns are there. All done with my cast of extras. I could have milled another 4 or 5 chapters out of it.
I’m pretty satisfied with what I sent in but man, some of you have made me second guess everything. I only did about 1700 words and didn’t really do research. I’d say it was because my prompt meant I didn’t really need it but… What if it’s just because I’m a lazy writer? cue existential writer crisis
You aren’t lazy… my research was emailing other folks (and Piggy) hey, what’s the British equivalent of …
When you read my chapter you notice a complete avoidance of
location names
descriptions of things
language idioms not critical to context.
Y’all only get a few hours. Unless you live or frequently visit a scene, it will be hard to get it right. I take the cowards way out, but I’ll stand by my method until Piggy kicks me out.