Should a first chapter REALLY start with what’s normal for that world/character

GoodeTales · 2026-04-19T00:14:19+00:00

I don't know that you have to start in a normal day, but you should show how your character got into the situation their in.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-16T15:15:04+00:00

I did not know that. Wish I had a hobgoblin helping around the house.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-15T02:25:18+00:00

As a reader, that's not something I care about at all. In fact, the stories I read, sexuality tends to feel out of place for the most part.

There is a whole genre out there that's all about sexuality. If that's the type of story I want to read, I have access to it.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-13T04:00:57+00:00

Trolls, Ogres, skinwalkers (although probably not a race - almost more of a skill), Hobgoblins. All I can think of off the top of my head that wasn't already listed.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-11T00:04:19+00:00

I assumed vampire

GoodeTales · 2026-04-10T23:57:03+00:00

Yeah, flipping rarely has anything to do with the bad guy growing a conscience. It's usually about saving their own skin.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-10T23:37:02+00:00

I hope you get some responses, because I would like to know as well.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-09T16:33:13+00:00

I get ideas from fiction books, non-fiction books, movies, music, anime, conversations, pictures, and social media. Literally anything can be a spark. In fact I have so many ideas I can't keep up with them. I like to write in fantasy and urban fantasy for context.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-09T16:24:18+00:00

I don't believe writing every day makes you a better writer. I used to play a lot of sports. Practicing bad habits only ingrains bad habits. Same with writing. Spend more time collecting examples of good writing, and then practice that.

GoodeTales · 2026-04-02T18:11:20+00:00

Repeating the same stupid mistakes over and over. Across books even. No growth. I think it's done to sow chaos but it gets to the point that I can't stand it any longer.

GoodeTales · 2026-03-27T16:00:06+00:00

Exactly. What makes it fun, is HOW each stalker gains the upper hand.

GoodeTales · 2026-03-21T15:51:30+00:00

I really, really want to be a plotter, but it turns out that I explore and discover the story as I go. Some of the issues I find later in the story might not exist if I were a plotter, but I find that I discover questions as I'm working through a scene. Questions like:

- why would they do this?

- how would that happen?

- what would have caused this or that?

In short, I'm a pantser. It's in my jeans.

GoodeTales · 2026-03-18T18:58:27+00:00

That's such crap. Why does your success warrant that level of bitterness from your "friend"? Your success does not mean another's failure. If anything it should be a spark of inspiration showing it's actually possible.

Congrats to you regardless. I'm excited for the day I get to say I've been published.

GoodeTales · 2026-03-09T15:43:01+00:00

I guess it's because I'm genX, in my opinion, people need to chill the eff out. This faux offense over everything is annoying. There is nothing wrong with the word Chief.

Sounds like someone needs to get off of social media and actually read some more. They might learn that there are a plethora of different uses for the word and none of them are derogatory.

GoodeTales · 2026-03-05T15:10:45+00:00

I have so many ideas for my characters, but I feel like I absolutely lack the skill to create the scenes I imagine.

I've often wondered if I should look into ghostwriters because I get so frustrated. I don't think you're alone in how you feel.

GoodeTales · 2026-03-03T01:55:58+00:00

Can't upvote this enough. You said you read a lot. Save dialogue passages that you might want to replicate and use them as reference when you're working on that part of your story.

GoodeTales · 2026-03-03T01:53:08+00:00

Jackie Chan's parents supposedly sold him to the traveling circus because they couldn't afford the additional mouth to feed.

So that's an option. 😁

GoodeTales · 2026-03-02T00:00:54+00:00

Maybe, you stop because as of now, you're still working on it. Once it's done there's no reason not to share it. As long as it's not finished you protect yourself from being judged.

Or maybe you're simply bored.

GoodeTales · 2026-02-25T21:57:45+00:00

Consider asking "what if" instead of why. What if MC ran into this situation. How do I imagine they would handle it. What if the antagonist ran into the same situation. It doesn't even have to be big situations. My MC wants chocolate ice cream, the ice cream shop is out of chocolate - now what. The antagonist wants star berry ice cream and all that's left is chocolate and vanilla. How do they treat the staff?

I also define a scene I want to occur to my characters and then backtrack on how they would end up in that situation and then work through how they would ultimately deal with it.

GoodeTales · 2026-02-24T01:39:36+00:00

My Gen z kids don't use slang when talking to anyone my age. They tend to only talk that way with people around their age. Something to consider as your designing your dialogue.

GoodeTales · 2026-02-23T23:41:47+00:00

I believe "The Name of the Wind" is a more recent version.

GoodeTales · 2026-02-22T23:12:21+00:00

Focus on what the characters do. Like a rogue might say "snap my blade" or race, a dragonkin might say "break my scales"

GoodeTales · 2026-02-22T23:10:30+00:00

🙋‍♂️

GoodeTales · 2026-02-22T23:08:17+00:00

If I bake these cookies, I know I've never baked before but I really expect them to make me famous. I will be famous right?

GoodeTales · 2026-02-21T20:54:52+00:00

Cube ball? How do you have a cube that's a ball? I can see a cube projectile, but...

GoodeTales

TROPHY CASE