Desiderius Price

In my case, it’s less about the relevance to the story, just unlocks the neurons, that’s all. I can’t have it too stimulating either, or it’s a distraction. Of course, I’ve got big enough monitors that’s it’s easy to have multiple pictures up along with my text editor (I generally don’t use an office-software to write). Occasionally, if a picture might be relevant for the story, then that’ll be up as well. Maybe these pictures are why my characters tend to like to be nudists…. maybe not, because these traits existed in my characters prior to this picture habit.

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I’ll certainly use other pictures where needed. It’s just weird that my mind can only freely write when I’ve got an explicit picture up … it doesn’t have to be related, more like it just unlocks the mind. Maybe I’m just weird….

Creating stories can be a perplexing/confusing topic since everybody seems to have a slightly different way of going about it. For trivial details, I’ll use random generators/pickers, to get a list and see “what fits”. I’ve got a database which is close to the “lore bible” for my originals. I’ve written small programs to help my writing (date generator, that random picker from a file, database management, map aids, etc). I’ve drawn crude maps, both on paper and in drawing programs. I’ve experimented with 3D programs, mainly for layout of major locations, just to give an idea. I’ve got a bunch of spiral notebooks for my potter universe – which has turned out to be highly useful when returning from a decade “on-hiatus”. I’ve got a myriad of small text files for my potter universe, with backstory (also useful after that long on-hiatus). A three-ring binder with loose paper for the original universe. As to actual writing, I don’t write a super-fine outline, just a crude one. Write a few key scenes, if needed – just so I’ve got an idea of where I’m heading. Bring up the “inspirational” pictures, and start writing. I’ll write notes which I’m about to end for the day, so I can pick up where I left off. I’ll jot down a bit of an outline for a chapter, when it’s important. And I’m not afraid to cut/cull material or alter the outline if the characters aren’t agreeing with it. I also try to keep a spiral notebook handy for that occasion when I hear something, or come up with something, or even after a talk with a coworker – I’ll jot those ideas down, which gives things a better chance of being remembered. And I’ll typically find my brain the *most* creative, coming up with the *best* ideas as I’m trying to get ready for work after a long weekend….

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Normally it’s inspirational, unclogs my neurons (so usually explicit pictures … use your imagination ) However, I have done some 3D-modeling, drawing, etc, when it comes to figuring out layouts to places, or even a family tree. I’m a bit more toward a pantser when I write, but I do tend to have some rough idea already. However, I will let the characters surprise me … heck, had a “surprise” blow job in the story the other day, I wasn’t planning on, but it just spontaneously happened. My balance of pantsing vs outline depends on the complexity of what’s happening – a chapter that’s essentially smut is nearly always pants, while more intricate plot or action, would have an outline, or even blow-by-blow (depends on the timing required). My general outline is “stuff happened”, and I’ll refine the stuff in between beginning and end as I write. One thing I will try to do is to write the key scenes, just a draft, so I know what I’m headed for.

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When I started my potter fic many years ago, I did make some notes, etc, including “behind the scenes” shorts to the other side. Now that I’ve decided to restart that story, fifteen years later, I’ve been finding those notes useful, invaluable actually, in restarting it with some consistency. Overall, if it’s important to the story, or good backstory, I do write it down, either on paper, or in the computer. I even have a database for my original works. Another invaluable file I have, from years ago, is a spreadsheet for the potter story. Given its size, I had columns for each of the major/significant charactors, a row per day of the story, and for those interesting days, a thing or two about what was happening – useful, very useful, to refer to. (And, now that I’m revising, I’ve got some of the older drafts too.) As to writing the story itself, words definitely flow more easily at a keyboard, especially if I’ve got “inspirational pictures” up onthe rest of the computer monitor. Now, I don’t start with a comprehensive story outline….NO! I will write any key scenes, have a rough idea, and refine it as I write. So, this next section to the current chapter I’m working on, yesterday, I came up with a few points to write to, so I give one sentence snippets, and I’ll likely write to those goals as I work tonight/tomorrow at it. Any “later” ideas that I don’t have a spot yet, will loiter as one-liners in the rough order I intend, until I reach them.

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Actually, I’d be flattered if somebody else started promoting my stories (as long as they’re not plagiarizing them), because it’d mean I’ve built up a rabid fanbase.

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This is what I use for that clause.

Right now, it’s the soundtrack to Falskaar, a DLC-like mod for Skyrim (the game).

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Technically, the 2016 Halloween anthology is still open to contributions…..

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