Oh gods yes. I’m constantly dealing with people who cannot accept even the mildest form of constructive criticism.
You are not e e cummings, use proper capitalisation.
Proper grammar and punctuation exist for a reason and are not “elitist”. (yes, I have actually had that one thrown back in my face more than once)
Chris, I don’t want to tell you that your new avatar looks like Major Arnold Ernst Toht, so I won’t.
I do love you, by the way, so please don’t take any of my comments as malicious.
The new avatar is the photo on which the old avatar was based, which does mean it’s like 20 years out of date, but I didn’t want to hit everyone with a super major change.
If it helps, and it should, you also look very Harry Anderson.
It’s not exactly the same, but I ran into something similar when writing standup routines. For the items that came from personal experience, at first I resisted a change because it wasn’t how the thing really happened. Then I realized it wasn’t important how it really happened and in my case, the important question was whether the change made it funnier (while still being consistent with my “persona”).
Just take the easy way out and have an asteroid hit the planet and wipe out human civilization in an instant.
Or…It was all a dream !
pretty sure the easy way out is “there was no monster”
Which reminds me, I have a draft of a story that is almost complete except for the part where I tie everything up and begin editing.
See, that’s why I like writing something that’s somewhat serialized. If I REALLY want, I can just end things on a cliffhanger, and that gives me time to pull something out of my… area… later.
STORY FINISHED!
It definitely takes a certain kind of courage to try and pull it off.
Hell, Vincente Minelli tried it once in a movie, and you’d think HE’D know better!
I have come to the realization that I don’t actually have a resolution for my story, that the climax is way to close to the beginning, and that the end of the climax scene might actually work better as an ending than the nothing I have so far. Which would mean I have to rework the whole thing, but the completed rough draft is due by midnight tomorrow. I don’t have time for this, and don’t know what I’ll do.
Hmmmm … flashbacks? Time travel? *record scratch* I bet you’re wondering how I got here…
Er sorry I’m not a writer those are my ideas. Good luck!
Oh dear… you might not be a student in a writing class so much as a writer.
Would you consider tossing everything except the climax and expanding just that into the story with more detail?
I believe my issue is at least partly that I’m vaguely basing it off of personal experience, but the thing I’m making the character deal with took me over 10 years to figure out. So giving it a span of days and wrapping it up nicely with a happily ever after is just not going to happen. I can probably get my brain to hyperfocus and get it all done fast if I can just figure out what I’m even supposed to be writing. Is last minute panic over everything seeming wrong a normal writer’s thing to deal with?
I think tossing everything but the climax is probably the best way to go for the sake of the story. That may include tossing eating and sleeping until it’s done once I get going, but at least it’ll be done.
I’ll let the actual writers in this thread take that one - I’m just a Round Table wit - but on this board you have a distinct and engaging writing style and a worthwhile perspective. Plus a work ethic that will stand you in good stead whatever you do.
That’s a normal everyone thing to deal with.
Keep in mind that “rough draft” has significantly lower stakes than “final proof.” Unless your class is in some post-apocalyptic future with a fatal elimination writing tournament, you can certainly submit it and look forward to receiving specific feedback.