Aspie authors writing social interaction
I was thinking about this as I settled into the evening writing block, because I’ve recently started a new book with new characters. To me, one of the keys to generating realistic dialogue is having three-dimensional, well-understood characters, so I start working on character development even while I’m still revising the previous book, long before starting that rough draft. I pick the three or four most important characters, and run them through a list of about 30 questions I developed over time - who they love, where did they go to school and what major, political views, what their daily routine is like, their relationships with their families, their biggest fears and regrets ... even silly things like how they approach grocery shopping or their housekeeping habits or favorite movies can say something about their personality. I’ll go to the mall and pick out outfits for them for different scenes in the book. I’ll even play what I call the Dinner Party game: I imagine how they would interact with people I know, or TV or movie characters out of my favorite fandoms. By the time I start actually writing I usually have a pretty good sense of their personalities and the conversations flow easily. If all is going well, they start to write themselves during the rough draft. I love those moments, when T or David or Jake takes the wheel and I’m just along for the ride!
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First it was impossible, then it was hard work, then it was done.
Kraichgauer
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Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,420
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
I am close to finishing a story, but one thing is still missing - - how to kill off a detestable villain. Oh, I've killed off bad guys before, it's just this guy. So far, what I've come up with is pretty pedestrian.
The guy is a two thousand year old magic user who has hijacked the body of an archaeologist - who is now stuck in said magic user's animated corpse. The magic user, after stealing the archaeologist's fiance and life, is being followed by this mummified specter wanting his body back. This climatic scene is set in the archaeologist's house, after his girlfriend has come to learn the truth about the hideous dead thing pursuing her lover.
Any ideas?
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-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
The guy is a two thousand year old magic user who has hijacked the body of an archaeologist - who is now stuck in said magic user's animated corpse. The magic user, after stealing the archaeologist's fiance and life, is being followed by this mummified specter wanting his body back. This climatic scene is set in the archaeologist's house, after his girlfriend has come to learn the truth about the hideous dead thing pursuing her lover.
Any ideas?
Ooh, what an awesome set-up! My first thought was for the archeologist to use some kind of modern technology as a counterpoint to the ancient magic. How ambulatory is the corpse body? Enough to manipulate objects well? Could the girlfriend by any chance have medical skills?
_________________
First it was impossible, then it was hard work, then it was done.
Kraichgauer
Veteran
Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,420
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
The guy is a two thousand year old magic user who has hijacked the body of an archaeologist - who is now stuck in said magic user's animated corpse. The magic user, after stealing the archaeologist's fiance and life, is being followed by this mummified specter wanting his body back. This climatic scene is set in the archaeologist's house, after his girlfriend has come to learn the truth about the hideous dead thing pursuing her lover.
Any ideas?
Ooh, what an awesome set-up! My first thought was for the archeologist to use some kind of modern technology as a counterpoint to the ancient magic. How ambulatory is the corpse body? Enough to manipulate objects well? Could the girlfriend by any chance have medical skills?
He's ambulatory enough in the corpse, but he's physically weak.
The fiance is an English Lit professor.
Their plan had been to force Wulfgar, the magic user, to exchange bodies again, but an ancient knife that had been used in the process is thousands of miles away in Europe.
_________________
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
The guy is a two thousand year old magic user who has hijacked the body of an archaeologist - who is now stuck in said magic user's animated corpse. The magic user, after stealing the archaeologist's fiance and life, is being followed by this mummified specter wanting his body back. This climatic scene is set in the archaeologist's house, after his girlfriend has come to learn the truth about the hideous dead thing pursuing her lover.
Any ideas?
Ooh, what an awesome set-up! My first thought was for the archeologist to use some kind of modern technology as a counterpoint to the ancient magic. How ambulatory is the corpse body? Enough to manipulate objects well? Could the girlfriend by any chance have medical skills?
He's ambulatory enough in the corpse, but he's physically weak.
The fiance is an English Lit professor.
Their plan had been to force Wulfgar, the magic user, to exchange bodies again, but an ancient knife that had been used in the process is thousands of miles away in Europe.
hmm, that killed my idea! I would have suggested administering some kind of drug to knock out both bodies, and have their spirits fight it out in the aether.
I’m not the go-to girl for death scenes. I get emotional. I just did some rough draft where the good guy gives the traitor a choice between life in a blacksite prison or committing suicide, and I got all teary-eyed for the traitor. He ends up getting shot by his secretary after divulging big secrets to the good guy, which I thought was a nicer way to go.
_________________
First it was impossible, then it was hard work, then it was done.
The guy is a two thousand year old magic user who has hijacked the body of an archaeologist - who is now stuck in said magic user's animated corpse. The magic user, after stealing the archaeologist's fiance and life, is being followed by this mummified specter wanting his body back. This climatic scene is set in the archaeologist's house, after his girlfriend has come to learn the truth about the hideous dead thing pursuing her lover.
Any ideas?
Ooh, what an awesome set-up! My first thought was for the archeologist to use some kind of modern technology as a counterpoint to the ancient magic. How ambulatory is the corpse body? Enough to manipulate objects well? Could the girlfriend by any chance have medical skills?
He's ambulatory enough in the corpse, but he's physically weak.
The fiance is an English Lit professor.
Their plan had been to force Wulfgar, the magic user, to exchange bodies again, but an ancient knife that had been used in the process is thousands of miles away in Europe.
This is getting exciting.
Would you like me to put the knife in the post?
I feel Wulfar's real nemesis would be a cat. Better still, lots of cats.
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Well, it's relevant and fascinating information to us
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climate change petition, please sign
Petition against Amazon selling 'make downs extinct' t-shirts. And other hate speech paraphernalia.
Kraichgauer
Veteran
Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,420
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
I like it! Not the typical happy ending.
_________________
First it was impossible, then it was hard work, then it was done.
Kraichgauer
Veteran
Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,420
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
I like it! Not the typical happy ending.
Thanks!
But the ending isn't as grim as one might first think, as love can make what body one is left with irrelevant.
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-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
xxZeromancerlovexx
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Joined: 24 Jul 2010
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,915
Location: In my imagination
I think this is a decent ending, but once again it's a rough draft:
The snow began to cease. The night sky was the canvas for stars both fallen and still in the sky. Blood stained Jared's winter clothes in the traditional colors of his clan, a dark blue t-shirt, a deep red leather jacket and black combat boots with purple laces. The colors he loved yet hated. Shiloh's ending was demon society's fault. It was father and mother's fault. Most of all, it was Jared's fault. Had he not of befriended Shiloh and kept his distance Jared wouldn't have felt a trace of guilt. Shiloh was supposed to be Jared's mission.
Jared's slender body shook. His water jade green eyes closed. His below shoulder length black hair that was the same color as Shiloh's was wet with sweater and blood. Jared fell onto the snowy ground. He squirmed and brought his knees up to his chest holding them together with his arms. A warm hand rubbed against Jared's shoulder. Jared slowly turned his head to the left. Noelle kneeled beside Jared. Her eyes contained no tears.
"It's alright. You did what you had to do." Noelle said, surprisingly calm.
Jared remained silent, still remember the last thing Shiloh said,
It doesn't matter if I am a demon or an angel. It doesn't matter if I'm a saint or a sinner. All that matters is..."
"We can help each other regardless..." Jared finished.
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“There’s a lesson that we learn
In the pages that we burn
It’s written in the ashes of the fire below”
-Down, The Birthday Massacre
Kraichgauer
Veteran
Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,420
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSGR6XW/re ... ng+shadows
I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday!
_________________
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday!
_________________
climate change petition, please sign
Petition against Amazon selling 'make downs extinct' t-shirts. And other hate speech paraphernalia.
Kraichgauer
Veteran
Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,420
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday!
Many thanks! If anyone has interest, my book can be found on Amazon.
_________________
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday!
Many thanks! If anyone has interest, my book can be found on Amazon.
_________________
climate change petition, please sign
Petition against Amazon selling 'make downs extinct' t-shirts. And other hate speech paraphernalia.
Kraichgauer
Veteran
Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,420
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday!
Many thanks! If anyone has interest, my book can be found on Amazon.
Thank you. It'll be in paperback hopefully by next week.
_________________
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
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