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How to write

Started by Cain, September 26, 2008, 06:35:49 PM

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The Good Reverend Roger

#45
December 02, 2009, 03:52:56 PM
Quote from: nurbldoff on November 19, 2009, 10:31:26 AM
Kurt Vonneguts tips for writing short stories:


   2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
 

WTF?  That only happened ONCE in Vonnegut's novels, God Bless You, Mr Rosewater.  Other than that, his characters in his *novels* were all pathetic losers.  They were still great books, but I didn't root for anyone.

His short stories are another matter.  Harrison Bergeron was a direct parody of Ayn Rand, but I still liked the character.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

#46
December 02, 2009, 06:03:42 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 02, 2009, 03:52:56 PM
Quote from: nurbldoff on November 19, 2009, 10:31:26 AM
Kurt Vonneguts tips for writing short stories:


   2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
 

WTF?  That only happened ONCE in Vonnegut's novels, God Bless You, Mr Rosewater.  Other than that, his characters in his *novels* were all pathetic losers.  They were still great books, but I didn't root for anyone.

His short stories are another matter.  Harrison Bergeron was a direct parody of Ayn Rand, but I still liked the character.

Those tips ARE for short stories.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."

The Good Reverend Roger

#47
December 02, 2009, 06:35:57 PM
Quote from: The Right Reverend Nigel on December 02, 2009, 06:03:42 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 02, 2009, 03:52:56 PM
Quote from: nurbldoff on November 19, 2009, 10:31:26 AM
Kurt Vonneguts tips for writing short stories:


   2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
 

WTF?  That only happened ONCE in Vonnegut's novels, God Bless You, Mr Rosewater.  Other than that, his characters in his *novels* were all pathetic losers.  They were still great books, but I didn't root for anyone.

His short stories are another matter.  Harrison Bergeron was a direct parody of Ayn Rand, but I still liked the character.

Those tips ARE for short stories.

I didn't read that part.  There was nobody to root for. :(
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

#48
December 02, 2009, 06:40:23 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 02, 2009, 06:35:57 PM
Quote from: The Right Reverend Nigel on December 02, 2009, 06:03:42 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 02, 2009, 03:52:56 PM
Quote from: nurbldoff on November 19, 2009, 10:31:26 AM
Kurt Vonneguts tips for writing short stories:


   2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
 

WTF?  That only happened ONCE in Vonnegut's novels, God Bless You, Mr Rosewater.  Other than that, his characters in his *novels* were all pathetic losers.  They were still great books, but I didn't root for anyone.

His short stories are another matter.  Harrison Bergeron was a direct parody of Ayn Rand, but I still liked the character.

Those tips ARE for short stories.

I didn't read that part.  There was nobody to root for. :(

:lulz:
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."

hooplala

#49
December 02, 2009, 07:27:44 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 02, 2009, 03:52:56 PM
Quote from: nurbldoff on November 19, 2009, 10:31:26 AM
Kurt Vonneguts tips for writing short stories:


   2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
 

WTF?  That only happened ONCE in Vonnegut's novels, God Bless You, Mr Rosewater.  Other than that, his characters in his *novels* were all pathetic losers.  They were still great books, but I didn't root for anyone.

His short stories are another matter.  Harrison Bergeron was a direct parody of Ayn Rand, but I still liked the character.

You think Harrison himself is a parody of Ayn Rand?  Or the story itself?

I definitely got the impression that Vonnegut agreed with the character of Harrison, myself... maybe I missed the point.
"Soon all of us will have special names" — Professor Brian O'Blivion

"Now's not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns." — Bob Dylan?

"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)" — Walt Whitman

The Good Reverend Roger

#50
December 02, 2009, 07:28:48 PM
Quote from: Hoopla on December 02, 2009, 07:27:44 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 02, 2009, 03:52:56 PM
Quote from: nurbldoff on November 19, 2009, 10:31:26 AM
Kurt Vonneguts tips for writing short stories:


   2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
 

WTF?  That only happened ONCE in Vonnegut's novels, God Bless You, Mr Rosewater.  Other than that, his characters in his *novels* were all pathetic losers.  They were still great books, but I didn't root for anyone.

His short stories are another matter.  Harrison Bergeron was a direct parody of Ayn Rand, but I still liked the character.

You think Harrison himself is a parody of Ayn Rand?  Or the story itself?

I definitely got the impression that Vonnegut agreed with the character of Harrison, myself... maybe I missed the point.

The story itself.  Bergeron is a sympathetic character, but the world he lives in is DEFINITELY a parody of Rand's jabberings.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

hooplala

#51
December 02, 2009, 07:35:09 PM
hmm, you may be on to something here... I never thought about it that way... I always took it as a jab at the "feel goods" who try to make sure everyone is equal and nobody's feelings are ever hurt.

Looks like I got some thinkin' to do!  This is gonna hurt.
"Soon all of us will have special names" — Professor Brian O'Blivion

"Now's not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns." — Bob Dylan?

"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)" — Walt Whitman

The Good Reverend Roger

#52
December 02, 2009, 07:37:00 PM
Quote from: Hoopla on December 02, 2009, 07:35:09 PM
hmm, you may be on to something here... I never thought about it that way... I always took it as a jab at the "feel goods" who try to make sure everyone is equal and nobody's feelings are ever hurt.

Looks like I got some thinkin' to do!  This is gonna hurt.

The totally over-the-top enforced mediocrity was a hallmark of Rand's storylines.  Harrison Bergeron was just an endgame version of that (where you had to be physically and mentally, rather than just economically, handicapped).
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

hooplala

#53
December 02, 2009, 07:47:38 PM
Christ, you're right.  What an idiot I am.
"Soon all of us will have special names" — Professor Brian O'Blivion

"Now's not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns." — Bob Dylan?

"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)" — Walt Whitman

The Good Reverend Roger

#54
December 02, 2009, 07:50:36 PM
Quote from: Hoopla on December 02, 2009, 07:47:38 PM
Christ, you're right.  What an idiot I am.

Naw.  Almost nobody I know that's read the story has made the connection.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

hooplala

#55
December 02, 2009, 09:43:39 PM
Ever seen the episode of Donahue she was on? 

She was rather amusing for a nutbar.
"Soon all of us will have special names" — Professor Brian O'Blivion

"Now's not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns." — Bob Dylan?

"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)" — Walt Whitman

hooplala

#56
December 09, 2009, 07:43:10 PM
Ok, protip on how to kill a conversation... bring up Ayn Rand being amusing in ANY sense.

Noted.
"Soon all of us will have special names" — Professor Brian O'Blivion

"Now's not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns." — Bob Dylan?

"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)" — Walt Whitman

Freeky

#57
December 13, 2009, 06:51:58 AM
Quote from: Hoopla on December 09, 2009, 07:43:10 PM
Ok, protip on how to kill a conversation... bring up Ayn Rand being amusing in ANY sense.

Noted.

(Crickets chirp)

hooplala

#58
December 16, 2009, 06:58:48 PM
Yup, you hear that sound? 

It's the sound of a cricket riding a tumbleweed.
"Soon all of us will have special names" — Professor Brian O'Blivion

"Now's not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns." — Bob Dylan?

"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)" — Walt Whitman

Reginald Ret

#59
January 03, 2010, 08:48:42 PM
some one make that image
Lord Byron: "Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves."

Nigel saying the wisest words ever uttered: "It's just a suffix."

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