The Experiment

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

An idea brewed up in the comment thread of an SU.

The general premise is this; we decide on a short scene, one that would only come out to a few pages. We outline it; premise, details, setting, characters, interactions, beats, conclusion, so on and so forth, so that each of us has a good idea of what this scene looks like. Then, with that outline, we each go and write the scene as we see it in our mind, using our own writing styles and preferences. Then we compare.

Just a little something I was curious about, and am interested to see what would pop up.

First order of business is deciding on what kind of scene we want this to be, so start throwing out ideas.

@Halcyon The Only (dangit, I typed in "The Halcyon Girl" and nothing came up (why do you do this to me)) @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Through The Living Glass 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, The Bookwyrm said:

An idea brewed up in the comment thread of an SU.

The general premise is this; we decide on a short scene, one that would only come out to a few pages. We outline it; premise, details, setting, characters, interactions, beats, conclusion, so on and so forth, so that each of us has a good idea of what this scene looks like. Then, with that outline, we each go and write the scene as we see it in our mind, using our own writing styles and preferences. Then we compare.

Just a little something I was curious about, and am interested to see what would pop up.

First order of business is deciding on what kind of scene we want this to be, so start throwing out ideas.

@Halcyon The Only (dangit, I typed in "The Halcyon Girl" and nothing came up (why do you do this to me)) @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Through The Living Glass 

mm I shall be back in the morning

but this will be fun thought . . . !

*snore*

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, The Bookwyrm said:

An idea brewed up in the comment thread of an SU.

The general premise is this; we decide on a short scene, one that would only come out to a few pages. We outline it; premise, details, setting, characters, interactions, beats, conclusion, so on and so forth, so that each of us has a good idea of what this scene looks like. Then, with that outline, we each go and write the scene as we see it in our mind, using our own writing styles and preferences. Then we compare.

Just a little something I was curious about, and am interested to see what would pop up.

First order of business is deciding on what kind of scene we want this to be, so start throwing out ideas.

@Halcyon The Only (dangit, I typed in "The Halcyon Girl" and nothing came up (why do you do this to me)) @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Through The Living Glass 

(Hehehe sorry) 

The scene definitely needs to be high emotion. I don’t have anything particular in mind, but maybe a verbal argument or breakup, or perhaps some kind of a murder. Maybe the MC has been lying to the side character this whole time— oh no what a catastratastophe. 

@Through The Living Glass you mean mother don’t leave meeee

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

2 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

mm I shall be back in the morning

but this will be fun thought . . . !

*snore*

Understood.

...I should not be awake right now either for the record.

But ah well.

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

(Hehehe sorry) 

The scene definitely needs to be high emotion. I don’t have anything particular in mind, but maybe a verbal argument or breakup, or perhaps some kind of a murder. Maybe the MC has been lying to the side character this whole time— oh no what a catastratastophe. 

@Through The Living Glass you mean mother don’t leave meeee

...But does it need to...?

It could just as easily be an action scene, or a steal scene, or a friendly conversation, or a description of a new area, or...a heist...or something...it doesn't need to be a drama...

...Does it?

Edited January 2, 2025 by The Bookwyrm

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

(Hehehe sorry) 

The scene definitely needs to be high emotion. I don’t have anything particular in mind, but maybe a verbal argument or breakup, or perhaps some kind of a murder. Maybe the MC has been lying to the side character this whole time— oh no what a catastratastophe. 

@Through The Living Glass you mean mother don’t leave meeee

mmmm but sleeeeeep

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

Understood.

...I should not be awake right now either for the record.

But ah well.

BED FOR YOU go to bed 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, The Bookwyrm said:

Understood.

...I should not be awake right now either for the record.

But ah well.

...But does it need to...?

It could just as easily be an action scene, or a steal scene, or a friendly conversation, or a description of a new area, or...a heist...or something...it doesn't need to be a drama...

...Does it?

I wouldn’t say it needs to be a drama— it just has to have an important emotional moment for the character. Action scene would be okay (I’m bad at those cough cough), and I like the heist idea. 

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

mmmm but sleeeeeep

BED FOR YOU go to bed 

NO NO SCUDDING QUIERO IR A MI CAMA. MI CAMA LE REPUGNO. DORMIR TOMA MUCHO TIEMPO Y NECESITO MÁS TIEMPO PARA MI SALUD MENTAL. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

I wouldn’t say it needs to be a drama— it just has to have an important emotional moment for the character. Action scene would be okay (I’m bad at those cough cough), and I like the heist idea. 

NO NO SCUDDING QUIERO IR A MI CAMA. MI CAMA LE REPUGNO. DORMIR TOMA MUCHO TIEMPO Y NECESITO MÁS TIEMPO PARA MI SALUD MENTAL. 

. . . yeah so take care of it by sleeping

Goodnight, you two

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

4 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

I wouldn’t say it needs to be a drama— it just has to have an important emotional moment for the character. Action scene would be okay (I’m bad at those cough cough), and I like the heist idea. 

I was joking about the heist. Mostly.

I don't think there needs to be an important emotional moment for the character for the sake of the experiment; we could just as easily compare writing styles with something simple, like a person opening a store for a business day. Something casual. (If slightly boring.) 

I mean, if we end up wanting to do that, then we'll do it, but I don't think it's strictly neccessary.

I guess we could also come up with multiple scenes that hit different tones. One more emotional, character based, and another more setting-situation based. Each person would still have to write both of them for the sake of data points, but then at least we'd be able to have our cake and eat it too.

I dunno.

EDIT: Also @Kajsa @Medium you guys like writing come see this when you wake up.

...

I am realizing after I ping these two that the likelyhood of me writing an emotional character scene is steadily rising.

Edited January 2, 2025 by The Bookwyrm

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

. . . yeah so take care of it by sleeping

Goodnight, you two

Grrr

2 minutes ago, The Bookwyrm said:

I was joking about the heist. Mostly.

I don't think there needs to be an important emotional moment for the character for the sake of the experiment; we could just as easily compare writing styles with something simple, like a person opening a store for a business day. Something casual. (If slightly boring.) 

I mean, if we end up wanting to do that, then we'll do it, but I don't think it's strictly neccessary.

I guess we could also come up with multiple scenes that hit different tones. One more emotional, character based, and another more setting-situation based. Each person would still have to write both of them for the sake of data points, but then at least we'd be able to have our cake and eat it too.

I dunno.

EDIT: Also @Kajsa @Medium you guys like writing come see this when you wake up.

...

I am realizing after I ping these two that the likelyhood of me writing an emotional character scene is steadily rising.

I suppose you have a point. I’d definitely like to write something somewhat emotional, at least, because seeing how different people write emotion is very fun. 

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

Grrr

I suppose you have a point. I’d definitely like to write something somewhat emotional, at least, because seeing how different people write emotion is very fun. 

I'm just not as good at it, I suppose

The general style and preference of the vast majority of writers on the Shard right now is very far from mine...

[TwinStorm He/Him]

Honestly, writing flows a lot easier for me when it’s not a mundane scene, but I’m fine with any scenario.

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Okay...Let's start throwing out ideas. A lot of people want a dramatic character interaction. What would that look like?

[TwinStorm He/Him]

2 minutes ago, The Bookwyrm said:

Okay...Let's start throwing out ideas. A lot of people want a dramatic character interaction. What would that look like?

Depends on the setting

an argument or a fight makes the most sense

tho a betrayal could be fun too

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Hm....

[TwinStorm He/Him]

I think we decide on the setting first

and then make actual scene choices

do we wanna do fantasy, just modern, sci-fi, post apolacyptic, or what?

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

37 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

I think we decide on the setting first

and then make actual scene choices

do we wanna do fantasy, just modern, sci-fi, post apolacyptic, or what?

I’d say fantasy, sci-if, or post apoc., but generic. I just finished breaking my brain with a magic system; I’m done  

[TwinStorm He/Him]

19 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

I’d say fantasy, sci-if, or post apoc., but generic. I just finished breaking my brain with a magic system; I’m done  

yah

I don't want to do too much worldbuilding for one scene 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

yah

I don't want to do too much worldbuilding for one scene 

I will say that Bookwyrm might have a point— I think it would be more telling to do several scenes, even though it would take more time. I’d be down for multiple. 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

4 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

I will say that Bookwyrm might have a point— I think it would be more telling to do several scenes, even though it would take more time. I’d be down for multiple. 

honestly that makes sense

I'm down

tho would every scene have the same general beats or would we have just one plot and write with that, if that makes sense?

Edited January 2, 2025 by Ookla the Irreplaceable

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

honestly that makes sense

I'm down

tho would every scene have the same general beats or would we have just one plot and write with that, if that makes sense?

I think they’d all be separate, each with kind of a different focus. Maybe emotion, physical fighting, descriptions, etc. 

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

honestly that makes sense

I'm down

tho would every scene have the same general beats or would we have just one plot and write with that, if that makes sense?

I don't think they should be related, just to keep the variety high. We could have one in a more fantasy setting and one in a more modern setting, for example.

[TwinStorm He/Him]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

I don't think they should be related, just to keep the variety high. We could have one in a more fantasy setting and one in a more modern setting, for example.

so no interconnected storyline?

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

3 minutes ago, The Bookwyrm said:

I don't think they should be related, just to keep the variety high. We could have one in a more fantasy setting and one in a more modern setting, for example.

 

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

so no interconnected storyline?

Exactly. 

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

I’m interested, though I can’t guarantee how much time I can and do devote to the project. One scene idea I had is for the viewpoint character to be first learning magic, guided by a mentor character. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Hehe.

I'm just here, you guys

I like what I'm hearing tho