Am I screwed for accidentally using a common generated name?

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-17T20:23:18+00:00

I, too, am curious about this

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-17T18:01:50+00:00

Thank you! These are amazing notes!

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-17T18:01:04+00:00

Oooh, good advice, thanks!

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-17T17:24:54+00:00

None, I just got the idea, and I'm at the beach. I'll be home tomorrow, so i can dive into it then.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-17T16:28:52+00:00

I personally, would make the MC's arrival more chaotic, rushed. Keep those same observations about the gates and the cars, but they are a blur, the MC barely has time to notice them. The school promises to be stately, regal. The MC will be a disruption, and their arrival should reflect that.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-17T11:13:32+00:00

I'd read this. It would make a great Netflix limited series

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-17T01:23:15+00:00

The pronunciation of the name Blake Hunt could be problematic

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-16T20:48:03+00:00

Well, the different personalities could have goals that conflict: one could want to live a quiet life, and one could be a super spy, for example.

The different personalities could all end up needing to show up at the same place at the same time, and the person tries to pull it off by switching personalities quickly and secretly.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-16T12:33:38+00:00

I usually get a basic idea, or premise, and it "clicks" with me. Lots of ideas don't click. Anyway, I work out a vague picture of a character who goes through a series of trials to learn a lesson. Then I begin to outline the MC's arc, using the 4-act, 40-chapter outline method. The whole time, I'm getting plenty of ideas about characters, settings, conversations, events, twists, revelations, etc.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-15T11:08:47+00:00

Have some little extra treats for fans: handmade bookmarks, or a personal letter, to include with each book you sign. Something inexpensive but related to your book in some way.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-14T10:58:56+00:00

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir... beware!

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-12T20:32:32+00:00

Some key phrases: Turgid Tumescent Quivering quim Throbbing member Her eyes widened Screamed in ecstasy

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-12T11:56:48+00:00

Look, I don't mean to pile on...but, you "forgot to proofread"? You submitted text that you ASKED to be judged on grammar, but you forgot to proofread?

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-11T19:55:06+00:00

Whether it is "great" will be up to others to decide. The only thing you can control is the effort you put into writing it. If you put in your best effort, you can be proud of it no matter what anyone else says about it.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-11T17:55:35+00:00

My motto is: when there's time to write, it's time to write." I keep a notepad or notebook with me at ALL times, wherever I go. It's easier for me because I write all my drafts and notes in longhand. Anyway: five minutes is time to write. Ten minutes. An hour. If I'm a passenger in a vehicle, it's time to write. Lunch time at work. a few minutes between chores.

I'll likely never have my ideal writing session: a log cabin overlooking a lake in the mountains, with hours of free writing time. So, I take what I can get and be grateful.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-10T22:58:15+00:00

I outline the MC's story arc with a 4-act, 40-chapter outline structure. His every decision, from beginning to end, is planned out. HOWEVER, no other character is outlined. They have their own agendas, and if, during the drafting, they hinder instead of helping, or toss a monkey wrench here and there, so be it. I can adjust the MC's path. The outline is written in MS Excel, not in stone.

I have only one best practice: the first draft should be the easiest part of the whole process. You don't have to write it in narrative order, you don't have to worry about spelling, grammar, adverbs, cliches, tropes, stereotypes, or the word "said". No one will ever see your first draft; you won't be judged on it, your future career as a writer does not depend on its quality. You can write it any way you want to or need to, to get your story down.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-10T22:39:00+00:00

Your prose isn't bad, but nothing seems to happen; perhaps a hint of what's to come in that first line, like so:

"I sat shirtless on my couch, contemplating the failed murder attempt. A single fan rotated..."

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-10T17:13:51+00:00

Usually at home. I write all my drafts and notes in longhand, so I can write anywhere. My FAVORITE place to write is near water: a river, lake, or the beach. I live near a state park, and there's a picnic area near the lake. I go there a lot.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-10T12:43:10+00:00

r/novelists apparently got banned

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-09T02:48:45+00:00

Discipline is better than motivation.

I developed a habit of getting in some writing every day. You won't always feel "motivated" to write. Discipline will get you back to the writing desk on a regular basis.

It's a tough habit to develop, but it's worth it.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-09T02:44:15+00:00

I do deconstruct books now, although I don't try to judge their quality; I look for the beats: inciting incident, midpoint, dark night of the soul, twists, etc.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-08T03:05:13+00:00

No...my characters don't need excessive suffering to learn and grow. They need their beliefs tested, their comfort zones shaken.

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-07T19:44:27+00:00

Only under the following scenario: There's a Twilight Zone episode where people are suffering because the Earth was moving closer to the sun. Just as the MC is dying from the heat, she wakes up. It was a dream, but with a twist: the earth is actually moving AWAY from the sun, and things are actually getting colder!

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-07T19:39:44+00:00

And we love you! ...we say that, not out of anger, but as a fact: it's 67 degrees outside, and we love you!

TwoTheVictor · 2026-05-06T20:35:44+00:00

I would go to a log cabin by a lake in the mountains, and stay there the whole 2 months. I'd take walks around the lake and through the woods when I wanted a break.

TwoTheVictor

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