tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post3493169574560958562..comments2023-10-29T12:28:26.775+00:00Comments on Charley Robson's Leaning Tower of Plot: On the Vital Importance of Semicolons . . . Or NotCharley Robsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-75791623865414433632012-09-27T08:16:20.915+01:002012-09-27T08:16:20.915+01:00Eyyyyyup! Opposites attract, it seems *gigglefits*...Eyyyyyup! Opposites attract, it seems *gigglefits*Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-83239853276313387412012-09-26T19:52:08.331+01:002012-09-26T19:52:08.331+01:00I think I read too much YA fic, which is the compl...I think I read too much YA fic, which is the complete opposite - lots of simple language. Obviously, that's not always true, but as a general rule...<br /><br />(This also explains a lot. You look at my writing and it's like SCREW DESCRIPTION LET'S HAVE STORY and then there's you and it's like ALL OF THE PRETTY WORDS. Ehehe.)Miriam Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10516402325473855925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-24090982561233474812012-09-25T08:08:23.594+01:002012-09-25T08:08:23.594+01:00I . . . don't know. Would you like to?I . . . don't know. Would you like to?Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-52914252092905116742012-09-24T21:06:04.825+01:002012-09-24T21:06:04.825+01:00Not quite... Who's going to eat the spider to...Not quite... Who's going to eat the spider toast?Liam, Head Philhttp://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-83444011915717124712012-09-24T07:53:39.504+01:002012-09-24T07:53:39.504+01:00I am rather good at retrieving wanted items from t...I am rather good at retrieving wanted items from things I am about to destroy. Once I have my brain reclaimed, the spider is toast.<br /><br />Make sense?Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-62900390094436979742012-09-24T00:28:14.154+01:002012-09-24T00:28:14.154+01:00But... the spider droid is carrying your brain, an...But... the spider droid is carrying your brain, and you're set on destroying the droid. Destroying one destroys the other, by extension. QED.Liam, Head Philhttp://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-44378450350054713482012-09-23T20:12:39.748+01:002012-09-23T20:12:39.748+01:00Don't worry - I am a great lover of that wonde...Don't worry - I am a great lover of that wonderful piece of grammar too. I'm as likely to knock it as am likely to knock over the Elgin Marbles. Excluding personal clumsiness, that is.<br /><br />A fair point there - I find that attractive prose can really help a book along, though, which is why I spend so much time agonising over my own. I read far too many books that use high, complex language it seems. Gah. Curse you, pretty prose!Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-8695730822405505712012-09-23T18:39:29.286+01:002012-09-23T18:39:29.286+01:00I was worried you were going to start knocking sem...I was worried you were going to start knocking semi-colons. I love semi-colons.<br /><br />Personally, I'm a plot over language person. Up to a point. If I can't get into the plot because of the language, I won't try.<br /><br />I heard it described like this: the story and characters are the painting, and the writing is the glass in the frame. If it's dirty, no one can see the painting and it ruins it. If it's too elaborately engraved, you can't see the painting either.<br /><br />That's how I feel about it, too. Simply but WELL written, rather than elaborately described. I'm not a big one for things that are incredibly wordy. I do make exceptions, but as a general rule that's my policy.Miriam Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10516402325473855925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-69351418427561797592012-09-23T12:01:25.044+01:002012-09-23T12:01:25.044+01:00Why would I annihilate my brain in the process? Yo...Why would I annihilate my brain in the process? You, sir, are clearly confused.Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-25856373527754396322012-09-23T02:48:12.197+01:002012-09-23T02:48:12.197+01:00But... you're going to annihilate your brain a...But... you're going to annihilate your brain at the same time? Wouldn't that be just slightly undesirable?Liam, Head Philhttp://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-50932014734096847062012-09-22T08:10:25.970+01:002012-09-22T08:10:25.970+01:00Thank you. This droid will be hunted down and anni...Thank you. This droid will be hunted down and annihilated without further ado. And to prevent any convincing distractions by convenient bearded jedi, I shall go myself. <br /><br />Run away little spider . . . I've got a rolled up newspaper the likes of which you'll never see again . . .Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-49909117666702896002012-09-21T19:06:43.371+01:002012-09-21T19:06:43.371+01:00I assume sarcasm anyway. It's one of the bene...I assume sarcasm anyway. It's one of the benefits of being slightly arrogant-- you can't take an insult seriously.<br /><br />But seriously, I think I might know who did run off with your brain... There was a BT-16 spider droid who took you for a B'omarr Monk.Liam, Head Philhttp://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-20315103935991593522012-09-21T07:58:51.787+01:002012-09-21T07:58:51.787+01:00One email, coming right up.
Many hugs for you, yo...One email, coming right up.<br /><br />Many hugs for you, you lovely person. 8DCharley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-77855522112870089552012-09-21T07:57:54.269+01:002012-09-21T07:57:54.269+01:00My mind has been absent since the day I came into ...My mind has been absent since the day I came into existence. I seem to have managed fine without it just far, save for a poor ability to infer sarcasm by text.Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-4375841768852246112012-09-21T02:26:37.795+01:002012-09-21T02:26:37.795+01:00Since we're both immortal, you propose that we...Since we're both immortal, you propose that we spend a lifetime floating in limbo without air, light or water, flaming (which needs air or gas anyway to survive, so I don't know how you expect us to manage that for longer than a few minutes), with only biscuits to eat? I don't know who ran off with your mind, but I think it was a bad decision on their part.Liam, Head Philhttp://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-72827034853410629092012-09-21T00:53:11.815+01:002012-09-21T00:53:11.815+01:00Actually, yes, that makes sense. See I can't a...Actually, yes, that makes sense. See I can't actually *name* a book where the characters are good but the writing sucks. ;)<br /><br />Hay, now I was wondering (warning: random question coming up!) Banned Book Week is coming up (sept 30th to oct 6th if my memory serves me correct), and we're celebrating it over at our blog. Thinking of doing some fun stuff, because, well, books are awesome! So I was wondering, how would you feel about doing a guest post for us? Centering around "banned books", hopefully. Anyway, if you're interested, shoot me an email, notebooksisters(at)gmail(dot)com. If not, that's cool too! :D No angry minions will chase you down. I swear. ;)CG @ Paper Furyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14954615708675952085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-46483752540888513062012-09-20T22:44:29.935+01:002012-09-20T22:44:29.935+01:00And set fire to ourselves and fling ourselves into...And set fire to ourselves and fling ourselves into the oblivion of space while we're at it. Oh, and maybe steal all the jammy dodgers in the world and take them with us.Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-9746996143902929962012-09-20T21:23:34.391+01:002012-09-20T21:23:34.391+01:00We can't. We're guaranteed to fail. Bett...We can't. We're guaranteed to fail. Better just give up now and save the world a few more self-published junk books.Liam, Head Philhttp://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-23714600034387712722012-09-20T19:40:53.179+01:002012-09-20T19:40:53.179+01:00A very good point. Though admittedly I'm the o...A very good point. Though admittedly I'm the other way around - my prose isn't always great, but I like to think that if I got it right the ideas would be awesome. *sigh* We can't win, can we? xDCharley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-71154160582670641342012-09-20T19:39:58.599+01:002012-09-20T19:39:58.599+01:00I like semicolons - I do actually use them a lot i...I like semicolons - I do actually use them a lot in my work, and on occasion in blog posts, but because they're so specific I don't like to misuse them.<br /><br />Great response there - kinda puts my post to shame, doesn't it? I'm too short-lived to have done much growing up yet xDCharley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-60019090164347589592012-09-20T17:13:05.165+01:002012-09-20T17:13:05.165+01:00I've been thinking about this a lot. Personal...I've been thinking about this a lot. Personally, I get great plots but need to work heavily on style. Other people, such as Christopher Paolini, have great, vivid styles and no plot. The only reason he was able to get his stories off the ground is because he had a good style and copied Star Wars. Then he tried to go out on his own for the last book and lost his readership. His style is great, and you can tell he's worked on it. He can tell a story-- he just doesn't have a story to tell.<br />I think that both are important, but it's better to be born with the ability to craft a great story than the ability to tell one. You can learn to make your prose ring-- it's harder to learn to make original stories.Liam, Head Philhttp://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-88079508639432273132012-09-20T16:41:56.702+01:002012-09-20T16:41:56.702+01:00A thought has suddenly struck me - looks at how cl...A thought has suddenly struck me - looks at how close world is to word - just the insertion of one letter makes all the difference. But I digress.<br /><br />Words can hinder me, but what it was about Frank Herbert's Dune that cause my brian to only be able to take it in small pieces while I devoured Lord of the Ring in quick time, I don't know. Not having either book with me, I can't go looking to see why.<br /><br />I also never finished Catch-22 because I lost the plot.<br /><br />And yet, despite the overwheming urge to take a red editing pen to it, I did finally finish Brisingr by Christopher Paolini.<br /><br />I remember reading Queen of Sorcery, book 2 of David Eddings Belgarad series and hating the characters (boy was Polgara annoying and the boy - a whinny brat...) yet when I read the whole series in order I loved it.<br /><br />And what does all this mena? It means perceptions change as you grow and experience more of life, by living, writing or reading, however it happens it does. (And someday I'll try reading Catch-22, just to see if I can finish it now that I'm no longer a teen).<br /><br />I don't pay much attention to the spelling or grammar - how can I when they are my own weak points. Of course, too many run on sentences or confusing ones, and I'll probably stop if the the world and characters don't really appeal to me. There's a reason I'm a sci-fi Fantasey gril. After all why escape into a book if you're only going to be plopped right back into this messed up world. At least, that was probably my subconscious reasoning back when I was a teen. Now I'm expending my genres - but character's who blatantly lie to themselves and others knowing full well that's what they are doing - like a sopa oprah - I still can't stand them. *grin*<br /><br />As to semi colons, an issue you never address ( :P~ ), I use them when others do not... probably my technical writing training. :}Cathryn Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14816869021658935999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-48367921450426382172012-09-20T13:33:20.455+01:002012-09-20T13:33:20.455+01:00Now THAT's interesting - but don't you fin...Now THAT's interesting - but don't you find bad writing will make it harder to engage with the characters? Odds are they'll be poorly portrayed and uninteresting if the writer doesn't have a good grasp of even the most basic style. Or maybe that's just me being judgemental, haha!<br /><br />Thank you! :)Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-24094497884093789712012-09-20T13:32:10.892+01:002012-09-20T13:32:10.892+01:00Haha, no worries, I understand what you mean - and...Haha, no worries, I understand what you mean - and I'd say that's probably a good thing if you're someone who likes exploring literature. Even books with the most boring concepts can have awesome literary styles.Charley Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542608515324640174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553951271806645988.post-6049737180468328542012-09-20T11:23:18.292+01:002012-09-20T11:23:18.292+01:00For me personally, the characters are infinitely i...For me personally, the characters are infinitely important. You can bash me with bad prose and a terrible plot, but if I'm completely bewitched by the characters, I'll stick it through. Second to that, is probably the plot. I DON'T have a clue how to put together words in an thought-provoking, ingenious style (and goodness knows I'm useless at grammar!), so I rely on my characters to pack the punch. (Hopefully one day they will live up to my expectations) :P And great post by the way. Not confusing!CG @ Paper Furyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14954615708675952085noreply@blogger.com