Aspie authors writing social interaction

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Veggie Farmer
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24 Jan 2018, 8:43 pm

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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Kraichgauer
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24 Jan 2018, 9:25 pm

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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Veggie Farmer
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24 Jan 2018, 10:01 pm

Kraichgauer wrote:
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?



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?


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Kraichgauer
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24 Jan 2018, 10:18 pm

Veggie Farmer wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
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?



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.


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Veggie Farmer
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24 Jan 2018, 10:34 pm

Kraichgauer wrote:
Veggie Farmer wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
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?



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.


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fluffysaurus
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25 Jan 2018, 9:17 am

Kraichgauer wrote:
Veggie Farmer wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
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?



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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25 Jan 2018, 9:21 am

Kraichgauer wrote:
it's us Aspies who want to spew out relevant and fascinating information rather than making small talk.

Well, it's relevant and fascinating information to us :D



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25 Jan 2018, 8:41 pm

Actually, I just killed the guy off. Burned alive in an attempt to murder his nemesis and his girlfriend in the same manner. That leaves the archaeologist trapped in a mummified body.


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Veggie Farmer
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25 Jan 2018, 9:48 pm

Kraichgauer wrote:
Actually, I just killed the guy off. Burned alive in an attempt to murder his nemesis and his girlfriend in the same manner. That leaves the archaeologist trapped in a mummified body.


I like it! Not the typical happy ending.


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Kraichgauer
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25 Jan 2018, 11:13 pm

Veggie Farmer wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Actually, I just killed the guy off. Burned alive in an attempt to murder his nemesis and his girlfriend in the same manner. That leaves the archaeologist trapped in a mummified body.


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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xxZeromancerlovexx
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11 Mar 2018, 3:53 pm

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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Kraichgauer
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01 May 2018, 7:58 pm

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! :D :D :D


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fluffysaurus
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02 May 2018, 1:19 pm

Kraichgauer wrote:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSGR6XW/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525222561&sr=1-5&keywords=creeping+shadows

I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday! :D :D :D
Happy Birthday for yesterday and YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED!! !! !! ! :flower: :flower: :flower: congratulations :D



Kraichgauer
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02 May 2018, 4:52 pm

fluffysaurus wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSGR6XW/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525222561&sr=1-5&keywords=creeping+shadows

I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday! :D :D :D
Happy Birthday for yesterday and YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED!! ! ! ! ! ! :flower: :flower: :flower: congratulations :D


Many thanks! If anyone has interest, my book can be found on Amazon.


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fluffysaurus
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03 May 2018, 3:03 am

Kraichgauer wrote:
fluffysaurus wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSGR6XW/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525222561&sr=1-5&keywords=creeping+shadows

I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday! :D :D :D
Happy Birthday for yesterday and YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED!! ! ! ! ! ! :flower: :flower: :flower: congratulations :D


Many thanks! If anyone has interest, my book can be found on Amazon.
I looked at the book first :D and had a little read, very good :D . I don't have kindle though.



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03 May 2018, 5:05 am

fluffysaurus wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
fluffysaurus wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSGR6XW/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525222561&sr=1-5&keywords=creeping+shadows

I've gotten my first book published! And on top of that, it's my birthday! :D :D :D
Happy Birthday for yesterday and YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED!! ! ! ! ! ! :flower: :flower: :flower: congratulations :D


Many thanks! If anyone has interest, my book can be found on Amazon.
I looked at the book first :D and had a little read, very good :D . I don't have kindle though.


Thank you. It'll be in paperback hopefully by next week.


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