#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 1: Intro: Shameless Self Promotion.
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Five-Man Band: A particular structure for how a group of 5 heroes/MCs can be composed. The most obvious examples of it are in Japanese shows like Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Thundercats, Voltron, and the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, but it also shows up in Babylon 5, Leverage, and the first couple of seasons of The A-Team when Amy was there.
In a Five-Man Band, the five members each fit a particular role which is *also* a named trope. (See next post...) 3/8
The Leader (or the Hero): pretty self-explanatory
The Lancer: a deuteragonist to the Leader, who has attributes that complement and contrast with that hero
The Smart One: also self-explanatory
The Big One: mostly self-explanatory, but sometimes isn't that big on a literal level, but is very tough or good at combat
The Heart: someone who helps everyone get along, takes care of others, keeps the team on an even keel and emotionally/ethically focused on what's right and important 4/8
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The Leader (or the Hero): pretty self-explanatory
The Lancer: a deuteragonist to the Leader, who has attributes that complement and contrast with that hero
The Smart One: also self-explanatory
The Big One: mostly self-explanatory, but sometimes isn't that big on a literal level, but is very tough or good at combat
The Heart: someone who helps everyone get along, takes care of others, keeps the team on an even keel and emotionally/ethically focused on what's right and important 4/8
The City: At least one scene takes place in a city. Usually a big one.
Affably Evil: A character may be evil, but they're very polite and friendly.
Badass Longcoat: A character who is a badass (highly skilled, competent and effective, but may well be heroic) wears a long coat (generally a trenchcoat or a duster).
Anyone Can Die: Exactly what it says on the tin. Even major characters are not immune from death. (The opposite of the trope "Plot Armor".) 5/8
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The City: At least one scene takes place in a city. Usually a big one.
Affably Evil: A character may be evil, but they're very polite and friendly.
Badass Longcoat: A character who is a badass (highly skilled, competent and effective, but may well be heroic) wears a long coat (generally a trenchcoat or a duster).
Anyone Can Die: Exactly what it says on the tin. Even major characters are not immune from death. (The opposite of the trope "Plot Armor".) 5/8
Family of Choice: Just what it means in real life, but in narrative form: a character comes to regard other, non-blood-relative characters, as their true family.
Action Girl: A female character is highly skilled in some kind of athletic pursuit (including combat), and displays this skill in the story. 6/8
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Family of Choice: Just what it means in real life, but in narrative form: a character comes to regard other, non-blood-relative characters, as their true family.
Action Girl: A female character is highly skilled in some kind of athletic pursuit (including combat), and displays this skill in the story. 6/8
Voice With an Internet Connection: One character (generally in some safe, remote location) looks stuff up on the internet in real time and relays that information to other characters (generally ones out in the field) via some kind of radio link.
Bi the Way: A character is bisexual. This is portrayed as totally normal and no big deal is made about it. 7/8
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Voice With an Internet Connection: One character (generally in some safe, remote location) looks stuff up on the internet in real time and relays that information to other characters (generally ones out in the field) via some kind of radio link.
Bi the Way: A character is bisexual. This is portrayed as totally normal and no big deal is made about it. 7/8
Happily Married: A pair of characters are happily married. The antithesis of couples who are miserable, always insulting each other, etc. (or worse).
Earn Your Happy Ending: One or more characters have to go through *a lot* of struggle and conflict, but they get a happy ending eventually. 8/8
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Happily Married: A pair of characters are happily married. The antithesis of couples who are miserable, always insulting each other, etc. (or worse).
Earn Your Happy Ending: One or more characters have to go through *a lot* of struggle and conflict, but they get a happy ending eventually. 8/8
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 22. Tone> Does your WIP contain any humour, romance or horror elements? What's the tone?
It will *definitely* contain some humorous elements here and there, but it's mostly an action drama story. Lots of people will have fun, and say funny things from time to time, but nobody would confuse this story for a comedy.
There is an entire romantic subplot.
One or two horrifying things happen, but I plan to tread lightly with those and not give anyone nightmares.
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 22. Tone> Does your WIP contain any humour, romance or horror elements? What's the tone?
It will *definitely* contain some humorous elements here and there, but it's mostly an action drama story. Lots of people will have fun, and say funny things from time to time, but nobody would confuse this story for a comedy.
There is an entire romantic subplot.
One or two horrifying things happen, but I plan to tread lightly with those and not give anyone nightmares.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 23. Subplots> Does your WIP contain any subplots, perhaps between secondary characters? Share a snippet.
Yup! That romantic subplot I mentioned yesterday? It's between two SCs. There's a whole nother subplot involving one of the romance SCs resolving a conflict he's had with a third SC, going from enemies to friends.
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 23. Subplots> Does your WIP contain any subplots, perhaps between secondary characters? Share a snippet.
Yup! That romantic subplot I mentioned yesterday? It's between two SCs. There's a whole nother subplot involving one of the romance SCs resolving a conflict he's had with a third SC, going from enemies to friends.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 24. Pace> What's the mix of character, description, dialogue and action in this WIP? Is this your usual style?
I have no idea yet what my "usual" style is, this being my first work. But I plan for this one to be a mix of all of those. Character-driven, but with a fair bit of action. Lots of dialogue, but also descriptions of place — this work is *very* rooted in its setting, and I'm not going to skimp on that!
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 24. Pace> What's the mix of character, description, dialogue and action in this WIP? Is this your usual style?
I have no idea yet what my "usual" style is, this being my first work. But I plan for this one to be a mix of all of those. Character-driven, but with a fair bit of action. Lots of dialogue, but also descriptions of place — this work is *very* rooted in its setting, and I'm not going to skimp on that!
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 25. Process> Thinking about your WIP, have you changed anything in your process from earlier work? What/how?
I don't have any earlier work; the only "change" I've made is to start writing instead of not-writing.
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 25. Process> Thinking about your WIP, have you changed anything in your process from earlier work? What/how?
I don't have any earlier work; the only "change" I've made is to start writing instead of not-writing.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 26. Favourite Scene> Share a snippet of a favourite scene in your WIP.
I only have one scene written so far, and I'm not ready to share it yet.
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 26. Favourite Scene> Share a snippet of a favourite scene in your WIP.
I only have one scene written so far, and I'm not ready to share it yet.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 27. Denouement> Is everything tied up at the end, or are there questions remaining? Can you give us a hint/clue/cryptic clue?
I plan to *mostly* tie things up, with one big, unresolved question remaining. My model for this particular one is the end of John Brunner's _The Shockwave Rider_, where (spoilers for a 49-year-old book)... 1/2
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 27. Denouement> Is everything tied up at the end, or are there questions remaining? Can you give us a hint/clue/cryptic clue?
I plan to *mostly* tie things up, with one big, unresolved question remaining. My model for this particular one is the end of John Brunner's _The Shockwave Rider_, where (spoilers for a 49-year-old book)... 1/2
We know that Precipice is saved, Nick has a happy ending with Kate, etc. But the outcome of the vote Nick set up is unknown; the last words are "Well, how did *you* vote?"
(I don't plan to hammer the point home quite so bluntly or preachily! But the general template, of an election whose outcome isn't resolved until after the book closes, is what I'm looking at.) 2/2
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We know that Precipice is saved, Nick has a happy ending with Kate, etc. But the outcome of the vote Nick set up is unknown; the last words are "Well, how did *you* vote?"
(I don't plan to hammer the point home quite so bluntly or preachily! But the general template, of an election whose outcome isn't resolved until after the book closes, is what I'm looking at.) 2/2
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 28. Epilogue> Does your WIP have an Epilogue? Share a snippet. How do you feel about Epilogues?
I don't plan on having an epilogue, but when I finish the first draft, I do plan to take a look and see if any of the denouement would work better in an epilogue than in a full, standard chapter.
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 28. Epilogue> Does your WIP have an Epilogue? Share a snippet. How do you feel about Epilogues?
I don't plan on having an epilogue, but when I finish the first draft, I do plan to take a look and see if any of the denouement would work better in an epilogue than in a full, standard chapter.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 29. Acknowledgements> Will you acknowledge anyone for this work. Who? You don't need to be too specific.
I'll definitely acknowledge my partner, who has given me so much love, support, and encouragement. It's possible there'll be other people or entities that I might also want to acknowledge, depending on how much help I get from other people besides my sweetie.
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 29. Acknowledgements> Will you acknowledge anyone for this work. Who? You don't need to be too specific.
I'll definitely acknowledge my partner, who has given me so much love, support, and encouragement. It's possible there'll be other people or entities that I might also want to acknowledge, depending on how much help I get from other people besides my sweetie.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 30. Rear Cover> How might you summarise your WIP for the blurb? Do you have an idea?
I've said many times before that marketing is other people's forte, not mine. But just this once, okay, I do at least have a concept...
This is *100% NOT* what will actually go on my back cover. I will leave it to my publishing company to hire someone who knows how to write *marketing copy* (which is what blurbs are), not novels. But here's a general thought I have:
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 30. Rear Cover> How might you summarise your WIP for the blurb? Do you have an idea?
I've said many times before that marketing is other people's forte, not mine. But just this once, okay, I do at least have a concept...
This is *100% NOT* what will actually go on my back cover. I will leave it to my publishing company to hire someone who knows how to write *marketing copy* (which is what blurbs are), not novels. But here's a general thought I have:
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 31. Next> Many writers have a wealth of ideas. What will you write after your WIP? Let us know.
Ooooh! I *do* have ideas! But I want to be a little cagey about them until I get this first thing out into the world, because I don't want to be "a guy with lots of ideas that never come to fruition." 1/2
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 31. Next> Many writers have a wealth of ideas. What will you write after your WIP? Let us know.
Ooooh! I *do* have ideas! But I want to be a little cagey about them until I get this first thing out into the world, because I don't want to be "a guy with lots of ideas that never come to fruition." 1/2
So, for now, I'll just describe them as:
* The sequel to the WIP, and the 3rd book that would make it a trilogy
* The hopepunk near-/alternate-future space exploration one
* The dreampunk one (https://wandering.shop/@kagan/112304682877417674)
* The multi-species linguacore space opera one2/2
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So, for now, I'll just describe them as:
* The sequel to the WIP, and the 3rd book that would make it a trilogy
* The hopepunk near-/alternate-future space exploration one
* The dreampunk one (https://wandering.shop/@kagan/112304682877417674)
* The multi-species linguacore space opera one2/2
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 1: Can you foresee any circumstance where you might use AI to compose part of a story?
Maybe if someone held a gun to my head.
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 1: Can you foresee any circumstance where you might use AI to compose part of a story?
Maybe if someone held a gun to my head.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 2: Is there a person in your life who encouraged you to write?
My partner *does* encourage me to write, present tense (and continuative or even habitual aspect).
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#WritersCoffeeClub Day 2: Is there a person in your life who encouraged you to write?
My partner *does* encourage me to write, present tense (and continuative or even habitual aspect).
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 3: Do you agree with George Orwell, who said you should never use foreign, scientific or jargon words and phrases?
Absolutely not. Hell, individual people sometimes use any or all of those *in their daily speech!* My techie characters wouldn't sound right if they didn't occasionally mention a server or a code repository. My multilingual characters will use phrases from languages besides English.
The important thing is to make sure the reader can understand anyway.