Category: The Story

[The Story] Spine Doctor Appointments

Although it’s been difficult for me to think about “The Story” lately, when I drove to my spine doctor’s appointment the other day, I thought about John and Trishna on my way into the appointment. The doctor’s office is nice. They’re in a nice part of town, the parking lot is spacious, and the air is clean. I don’t know what specific spinal condition Trishna was born with, but I imagine she’ll need occasional check-ups.

Spoilers?: Minor [minor medical meanderings]
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[The Story] Monthly Bookclub Entry?

I’m in a bookclub where we read classic literature, more modern literature, and anything that might strike the popular vote’s fancy. During the call, where we talked about the Lovecraft stories we read, I noticed I was enjoying myself, hanging out, joking, and laughing. I wonder, will “The Story,” in whatever media it finds itself in, to whatever degree it becomes, ever be a monthly bookclub entry? It seems like that would be the goal…

Spoilers?: Minor [comparing literature, perhaps]
WANNA CONSIDER HOW BOOKCLUBS, OR CLUBS IN GENERAL, ARE FUN WHEN YOU HAVE A MUTUAL INTEREST? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Being Versus Becoming

After playing enough of Star Fetchers and enough of Lovecraft’s fiction to feel confident about my opinions on both, I think my thoughts on media comes down to their priorities. Do they prioritize radical environments where things are ultraviolent and gnarly? Or, I suppose the opposite end of that rule-of-cool would be characters becoming cool? For me, the setting, environment, and even characters themselves are secondary to development. That’s what I’m building for “The Story.”

Spoilers?: Minor [being versus becoming]
WANNA CONSIDER TWO WAYS OF LOOKING AT MEDIA? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Character-Building: Elevator Pitch

I don’t like the idea of saying a character has this particular personality trait or that way of thinking. For me, that feels overly-simplistic. Sure, we can make those assumptions, but it takes seeing how people and characters act and react to situations that help us determine their character. This only marginally relates to “The Story,” but I came up with an idea to figure out your character’s/characters’s personality/personalities: An elevator pitch, if you will.

Spoilers?: Minor [a what-if scenario]
WANNA CONSIDER HOW IT’S BETTER TO NOT ASSIGN ARBITRARY TRAITS TO CHARACTER OR PEOPLE, BUT RATHER SURMISE THESE TRAITS FROM SITUATIONS? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[Novel 02] “Burn” To “Jaja”

In Novel 01, there is a character nicknamed “Burn” that I wanted to reuse, but as I started brainstorming the character over the course of the past few weeks – well, since I wrapped up playing Pokémon LeafGreen, I realized that he would be turning into a different character for Novel 02, which takes place somewhere in the Sammohini Arc of “The Story.” I haven’t updated the character sheets, but by this essay’s publication, I’ll have done so.

Spoilers?: Major [thinking about characters]
WANNA CONSIDER HOW CHARACTERS CAN INFLUENCE NARRATIVE STRUCTURE? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Good Spine Day

On good spine days, I feel capable of doing so much, until I remember how little I can achieve. I might go through away some trash, bathe, then sit here to go write with such an incredible headache or spine-ache that it’s rough. I’ve been thinking about “The Story” when I can during this time. It’s fertile ground for thinking, not just because of the time I have off to recover, but for character brainstorming.

Spoilers?: Minor [Trishna’s physical characteristics]
WANNA CONSIDER HOW THINGS IN LIFE WE MIGHT NOT PREDICT CAN CHANGE THE COURSES OF OUR LIVES TOWARD WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE ACCIDENTALLY PREDICTED THEM ALL ALONG? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Bad Spine Day

It wasn’t until I had some of my worst spine days that I imagined the conclusion of one scene in “The Story.” When one’s spine doesn’t work, one’s health is in terrible condition. I don’t feel like eating or doing much of anything when my spine hurts. Moving around sucks. Anything pleasurable is immediately dampened, so anything less than tolerable immediately becomes intolerable. It’s important to decipher the differences. But what if you can’t tell?

Spoilers?: Major [Pollyanna Arc workshopping]
WANNA CONSIDER HOW IMPORTANT YOUR SPINE IS FOR YOUR HEALTH? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Their Pre-Existing Impairments

For as short of a period of a time as I’ve been inflicted with having this spinal disc herniation, less than three months, basically every day has been controlled by my spine. I might be able to plan activities, but it’s difficult. Today, my spine controlled my day. I imagine it gets easier. I don’t know how much of “The Story” will revolve around John and Trishna’s impairments. On my good days, I’d rather forget.

Spoilers?: Minor [exploring physical impairments]
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[The Story] Healing Left Side

As much as I hate grabbing inspiration from real life when brainstorming ideas for either “The Story” or anything else in life, it’s just so tempting because I can vicariously experience what another character is going through. My right side has been hurting for over a month now. I’ve seen a doctor twice about it. He wasn’t concerned, and I doubt he will be too concerned, but how about John’s left side after “The Scene?”

Spoilers?: Minor [exploring character development]
WANNA CONSIDER HOW WRITING STORIES IS LESS ABOUT GETTING INTO THE CHARACTER AND GETTING INTO HOW YOU’RE TELLING THE STORY? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Numbness Of Fingers

For years now, my right hand has occasionally gone numb. It hasn’t particularly been the inspiration for John in “The Story,” who had two of his fingers burned off in a childhood accident, but it seems like a weird coincidence. My hand went numb often enough to where I off-loaded some tasks to my left hand, so I’ve somewhat become ambidextrous. I’m not sure I’d call it a good talent.

Spoilers?: Minor [considering character explorations]
WANNA CONSIDER HOW INSPIRATIONS FROM LIFE CAN INFORMATION FICTION? AND HOW, SOMETIMES, THEY JUST HAPPEN NATURALLY? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!