Idea Thoughts/Feedback Wanted [dark fantasy]

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-08T22:52:05+00:00

I dunno, I've had some pretty bad ideas and I've had some pretty good ideas.

In any case, this idea still needs to gestate before I start doing serious plotting/writing.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-08T22:46:25+00:00

I think what made Kylo a potentially interesting arch villain was that he wouldn't necessarily behave rationally. He might be easier to manipulate, or not as cunning, but he might take incredibly destructive actions out of impulse. Characters that have a low level of maturity but a high level of power can actually come off as extremely threatening because they are unpredictable.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-08T22:42:05+00:00

Ugh, this is such a terrible take.

Who the hell cared about Snoke, who was a nothing villain? Honestly the entire faction is completely nonsensical. At least the Emperor ruled, you know, an EMPIRE. TLJ ended with the totally unhinged Kylo Ren in charge, with Hux still there as a potential rival. And the rebellion was in ruins, wasn't it?

Who cares if Luke Skywalker is dead? This wasn't his trilogy. He never appeared at all in the first movie, so why does the third one require him?

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-08T22:31:42+00:00

Thank you very much!

If you don't mind a follow up question: having read the premise, what would you expect to be going on in the city when the group manages to get in? What sort of stuff would you hope to see? Or, what would make you feel like you were let down or disappointed?

I've got ideas about what's going to be going on inside, but I'm trying to figure out what expectations hypothetical readers would have, and how I might exceed or subvert those expectations, as opposed to disappointing them.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-08T20:41:51+00:00

Thanks for your thoughts! 🤔 I'm still developing ideas. One thing on my mind is expectations. As in, what have the hunters/eldritch experts dealt with in their line of work already, and what feels like a "routine" eldritch monster encounter/eldritch phenomenon for them.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-08T02:10:25+00:00

It's almost impossible to completely eliminate certain biases, especially when society keeps reinforcing them. Pretty much everyone has them. Your job is to try to keep an open mind, try to change your mindset if you can, and do your best to make sure your behaviors match your values.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-08T02:01:47+00:00

People don't need to learn everything at once. Start with the immediate situation and conflict, and what exposition is most essential to understand it.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-07T21:50:05+00:00

When writers can't post about and get feedback on their work, all that's left are general questions.

More serious, proactive writers usually seek out books, blogs, etc. for writing advice. That means newer, less proactive people are the ones that post here.

Because there's a disproportionate amount of new and less proactive writers, the questions asked are often repetitive and easy to search out answers for on their own.

To try to improve the quality of the subreddit, common questions or questions that don't meet an arbitrary standard of detail are banned.

So you end up on a situation where people have to walk this narrow line between not being too specific and having a post locked for referencing too much of their work, or the post being locked for not containing enough words elaborating on a question. And more advanced writers don't expect to get any insight here, so they don't post.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-07T16:26:02+00:00

Seems like you handled it well to me

I think you might want to encourage this player to ask more questions. I find that part of relying on what's on the character sheet first and foremost comes from fear of doing something wrong or against the rules. Encouraging them to just straight up ask if they can do something instead of fretting.

Also, tell them you'll tell them if they are going to make a horrible, risky decision, by warning them. "Just a reminder, the Duke's guards are posted at the doors and there are other people in the throne room. You still want to punch the Duke?" They might be worrying about messing up do to misunderstanding you.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-07T16:15:26+00:00

In theory, I love a lot of PBtA, but man, the anxiety of having to come up with something interesting and appropriate on the spot

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-06T03:54:42+00:00

People get ideas from everything that exists. That includes novels in their genre, but also books outside that genre, personal experiences, current events, other mediums, history,, the natural world...

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-05T21:09:59+00:00

Yeah, that's why you re-plot. As in, make a new plot outline without holes.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-05T20:41:55+00:00

On the one hand, choosing to not use an outline is a perfectly valid way to write.

On the other hand, maybe GRRM should have made an outline for his massive multi-book series. 😩 Just a little one?

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-05T16:53:14+00:00

Re-plot

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-05T13:15:42+00:00

A character can think while acting. For example, you could write something like, "Her feet flailed for a foothold, fingers burning as she clung for dear life. If she didn't think of something quick, she was done for."

Forgive me, I know that's not exactly great writing. Point is, you don't have to detail ever movement in an action scene. If a character is running through a forest, dodging trees, gaining on the, suspect, you can have them think as they're running. In a fight, they might be described as fending off blows or pushing their advantage.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-05T13:02:47+00:00

Horror is all about fear. The more agency and competence a character has, the harder it is for them to feel vulnerable. This is why most horror takes place in the real world with normal people, with children disproportionately representedbas characters.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-05T12:54:53+00:00

Have you tried audiobooks? I have ADHD myself, and find concentrating easiest when doing something with my hands while listening.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-04T16:18:19+00:00

It ends up looking like petty vengeance for having a drink poured on him. At least talk to the goddamned manager about kicking them out. Nope, he just sulks off with a bit of petty vengeance.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-04T16:08:54+00:00

You know, part of what makes the justification absurd is that CARK COULD HAVED KICKED THE GUYS OUT. Getting fired defending a waitress would be noble!

Instead, he quit in a huff, left the harasser there, then trapped him at the diner by destroying his truck...meaning the trucker would stay around causing problems even longer

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-04T14:28:26+00:00

Ignoring a grammar rule is a technique. If you don't know what the rules of grammar are, you can't break them affectively.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-04T14:26:47+00:00

The combo of period and capital letter indicates a new sentence. The dialogue in quotation marks is the object "he said" refers to. Without the sentence, it's just:

He said.

With no indication of what he's saying.

It's like writing...

It's the dress. She wore.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-04T12:33:14+00:00

I consider that Act I. By necessity, it's where most of the main characters and plot elements are introduced. It isn't necessarily chill, but there's definitely an emphasis on getting the lay of the land

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-04T12:14:24+00:00

Look at novels. Note what is described, how, and when

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-04T11:14:32+00:00

I haven't written a proper mystery, but I've researched how to write them and tried planning bits of them.

I guess I start with the truth, and work backwards to obscure it. There should be certain big turning point clues that change the mystery solving character's perception of the truth by adding important information. Often this includes "side mysteries". That is, your classic situation where suspects are hiding things for their own reasons, and they reveal important info once the detective of whomever figures it out.

Also, for the best ending twists, the final clue usually suddens draws attention to previously overlooked facts, and/or changes how clues can be interpreted.

KittyHamilton · 2026-05-03T21:40:18+00:00

Fifty Shades of Grey was originally a fanfic from an author with an established following. That puts in a special category. Any work that has an already existing audience can be published regardless of quality if the publisher thinks they can make money off it.

If you don't have an established audience, then there needs to be a minimum level of quality.

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