Full Games List
Featured Games
New Games
Reviews
Media
Images
Blogs
Game Updates
Images Feedback Summary
Game Design Highlights
Tutorials
Articles
Scripts
Utilities / Plugins
Resources
Engines
Engine Bulletins
What is Makerscore?
Past Events
Achievements
Misaos
Forums
Post History
Chat
New to RMN?
Full Store List
RMN Music Pack (free)
Profile
Locker
Play ListsSTATUS
Posts 
Close
I'm able to do it in bursts. Put on some relaxing music, take a deep breath, and do your best to make it happen. After a while, I get where I can't easily write any more, so I shift to mapping or battles or something else.
Mostly, I find it helps to ignore the part of my brain that's overly self-critical. Otherwise, I can get paralyzed, worrying that my writing isn't good enough. Instead, I have the mindset of "Getting something bad written is better than getting nothing written. Those parts of lesser quality can be worked on." And, indeed, I often end up changing a good bit between then and when I put it into the game ^_^
Mostly, I find it helps to ignore the part of my brain that's overly self-critical. Otherwise, I can get paralyzed, worrying that my writing isn't good enough. Instead, I have the mindset of "Getting something bad written is better than getting nothing written. Those parts of lesser quality can be worked on." And, indeed, I often end up changing a good bit between then and when I put it into the game ^_^
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
Step 1: Get off the internet.
Step 2: No, seriously. Turn off your wifi or disconnect from the network if you have to, but get off the internet.
Writing is, for me at least, a solitary process. When you're thinking about a funny video you saw online or a forum post someone made, you're too distracted when you're trying to immerse yourself into your created world.
The key to good writing isn't so much how linguistic you are, or how detailed you want your story to be. No, the key to writing is finding the voice. And that is, to me, 90% of the work as a writer.
Have you ever tried acting? As strange as it may sound, the performance the actor gives only accounts for about 20% of their job. The remaining 80% is all mental work. Professional actors can spend hours getting into the mentality of the character they are portraying. They don't just act like their character, they become that character, from their mannerisms down to their very thought patterns. As an extreme example: Did you know that Heath Ledger, in order to prepare for his role as the Joker in the Dark Knight, isolated himself in an apartment for a month.
As a writer, you have to do that for every character you create in order to give them a voice. While you probably won't spend hours getting into the mentality of the characters you write, the idea is the same: you have to do it alone, and you have to remove any and all distractions.
It usually take me about 20 minutes of pure silence and meditation before I can start churning out lines. During those 20 minutes, I ignore the world around me and focus purely on the world I'm creating.
When you're finally immersed, interview the characters you're going to write in your head. To better understand their personalities, ask them lots of questions that have nothing to do with the story you're writing. What do the characters do in their spare time? If they rented an apartment, what would it look like? What do they like to eat? Pretend they just went through a bad breakup. How would they cope with it?
Most of these things will probably never make it into your story. But in order to establish them as people with full, complete personalities, then you find the character's voice. The actual process of writing is just recording that voice.
Step 2: No, seriously. Turn off your wifi or disconnect from the network if you have to, but get off the internet.
Writing is, for me at least, a solitary process. When you're thinking about a funny video you saw online or a forum post someone made, you're too distracted when you're trying to immerse yourself into your created world.
The key to good writing isn't so much how linguistic you are, or how detailed you want your story to be. No, the key to writing is finding the voice. And that is, to me, 90% of the work as a writer.
Have you ever tried acting? As strange as it may sound, the performance the actor gives only accounts for about 20% of their job. The remaining 80% is all mental work. Professional actors can spend hours getting into the mentality of the character they are portraying. They don't just act like their character, they become that character, from their mannerisms down to their very thought patterns. As an extreme example: Did you know that Heath Ledger, in order to prepare for his role as the Joker in the Dark Knight, isolated himself in an apartment for a month.
As a writer, you have to do that for every character you create in order to give them a voice. While you probably won't spend hours getting into the mentality of the characters you write, the idea is the same: you have to do it alone, and you have to remove any and all distractions.
It usually take me about 20 minutes of pure silence and meditation before I can start churning out lines. During those 20 minutes, I ignore the world around me and focus purely on the world I'm creating.
When you're finally immersed, interview the characters you're going to write in your head. To better understand their personalities, ask them lots of questions that have nothing to do with the story you're writing. What do the characters do in their spare time? If they rented an apartment, what would it look like? What do they like to eat? Pretend they just went through a bad breakup. How would they cope with it?
Most of these things will probably never make it into your story. But in order to establish them as people with full, complete personalities, then you find the character's voice. The actual process of writing is just recording that voice.
author=kentona
"How do you discipline yourself into writing consistently?"
Yea, that's probably a better way to look at it... "how do I get writing done when I'm tired and the well is dry"? Hah :P
author=unity
I'm able to do it in bursts. Put on some relaxing music, take a deep breath, and do your best to make it happen. After a while, I get where I can't easily write any more, so I shift to mapping or battles or something else.
Mostly, I find it helps to ignore the part of my brain that's overly self-critical. Otherwise, I can get paralyzed, worrying that my writing isn't good enough. Instead, I have the mindset of "Getting something bad written is better than getting nothing written. Those parts of lesser quality can be worked on." And, indeed, I often end up changing a good bit between then and when I put it into the game ^_^
Yea, it might just be a matter of sitting down and just driving at it. It's hard for me to get past the "god I can't stand this" part of my writing. I need to stop worrying about getting it right the first time ;-_-
author=Red_Nova
good stuff
I totally agree with a lot of this. I've definitely benefitted from working out characters way outside of the scope of the story, just to try and figure out how they'd react in every situation. I feel like you should be able to put two of your characters in a room (or a particular situation) and know how they react, and what they'll say to each other. Plots are still the bigger problem for me, I think. I don't want a necessarily complex plot, I mostly just want to create good events to spur my characters into talking.
The meditation is a really good idea! I've never tried before writing, but I can see it being a good way to get in the mood and stay focused. I have had a lot of trouble writing in front of my computer because of how prominent distractions are.
In general, I think I just have a hard time settling down and focusing on writing, when doing stuff like art, design, or code is very much just "plop down and dive in". I definitely can't do that for writing, haha.
Thanks, everyone :D
think about cute guys being ashamed of you for not writing enough
this is how things get done for me i assume it works for anybody
this is how things get done for me i assume it works for anybody
Sooz
They told me I was mad when I said I was going to create a spidertable. Who’s laughing now!!!
5354
author=Red_Nova
Step 1: Get off the internet.
Step 2: No, seriously. Turn off your wifi or disconnect from the network if you have to, but get off the internet.
Man forget that I need thesaurus.com because how the heck else am I gonna pick the right word when my brain is all, "Well, yeah, the word you want means the same thing as 'space cadet' but like hell I'ma give you a more setting- or character-appropriate term." :V
But yeah for me it's usually a question of motivation (whether "I am super in a writing mood today" or "OH FUCK A DEADLINE! QUICK, VOMIT WORDS ON A PAGE!") and having a particular "I WRITE NOW" location/soundtrack/outfit.
Sooz
They told me I was mad when I said I was going to create a spidertable. Who’s laughing now!!!
5354
author=Sated
Surely you can write something offline and then edit it online later?
Sadly, no, I have obsessive-compulsive issues, so I just end up stuck on that ONE FUCKING WORD forever and can't switch to anything else. orz
I do not recommend brain problems.
author=Sooz
Man forget that I need thesaurus.com because how the heck else am I gonna pick the right word when my brain is all, "Well, yeah, the word you want means the same thing as 'space cadet' but like hell I'ma give you a more setting- or character-appropriate term." :V
But yeah for me it's usually a question of motivation (whether "I am super in a writing mood today" or "OH FUCK A DEADLINE! QUICK, VOMIT WORDS ON A PAGE!") and having a particular "I WRITE NOW" location/soundtrack/outfit.
Thesaurus.com is the best! Although, I mostly use it for skill names and things like that...
Actually, I could use a WRITE NOW location & soundtrack & outfit. Something about the ritual behind it all helps. I do like to light incense when I really need to concentrate... it feels like it helps!
author=Sated
I only write reviews these days. I get myself motivated to write them by reading so many bad reviews that I feel I need to adjust the balance.
Unfortunately, I am super intimidated and impressed by so many good stories that I just give up immediately. Not really, but it's hard to compare to such good stuff out there!
author=Craze
think about cute guys being ashamed of you for not writing enough
this is how things get done for me i assume it works for anybody
I guilt trip myself enough! Imaginary cute guys guilt-tripping me would only make it worse, I think ;__;
Craze
think about cute guys being ashamed of you for not writing enough
this is how things get done for me i assume it works for anybody
I should try this with Freya sometime
maybe I'll finish something
Shinan
4314
By going somewhere I'm unable to write (driving, in the middle of the woods etc). Once I am able to write the mood goes away, naturally.
author=Shinan
By going somewhere I'm unable to write (driving, in the middle of the woods etc). Once I am able to write the mood goes away, naturally.
Yea, I get my best ideas when I'm doing something that requires 50% of my attention, like driving or showering. Maybe I should use those times to come up with unrefined new ideas, and then temper them when I actually sit down with a pencil in hand.
I should do that, yea. Or some sort of writing goal per day, maybe. I know for NaNoWriMo and other stuff, people try to hit a certain number of words per day, but I have no idea where to start, with that.
I operate way better with deadlines, though, but I'm not very good at setting realistic ones for myself.
I operate way better with deadlines, though, but I'm not very good at setting realistic ones for myself.
Everyone works better with deadlines. Without them I'd never finish any personal projects.
Human beings are hardwired to react to deadlines. There have been studies about this, I forget the terminology but I believe it's called 'scarcity bias' or something like that. When a resource is scarce, like food or water, humans start reacting differently in their decision-making process because they have to find more. Time is a resource too, and when it's scarce, people are more open to working through their frustrations or trying something different to get the job done.
Human beings are hardwired to react to deadlines. There have been studies about this, I forget the terminology but I believe it's called 'scarcity bias' or something like that. When a resource is scarce, like food or water, humans start reacting differently in their decision-making process because they have to find more. Time is a resource too, and when it's scarce, people are more open to working through their frustrations or trying something different to get the job done.
