JJDReffitt
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Posts posted by JJDReffitt
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UPDATE
I found an interesting solution… since generating literally any word using the Japanese Consonant-vowel pair alphabet was giving me so much trouble, I turned to technology. I had remembered there was a program that Mary-Robinettw Kowal had mentioned on an early episode of Writing Excuses that could come up with words, I can’t remember the name and I have looked previously and never found it. I would write one of these myself but my coding skills are basic at best. So, naturally, I asked an AI to right it for me.
Now… I realize this might be taboo, since there is a lot of uproar involving AI and its thieving people’s work, however I felt like having it write a program to make up fake words was acceptable since I made up the initial word set that it’s basing everything else on.Well it worked. Sort of. I have some minor issues with their first incarnation of the program, but I’ve found ways to improve it drastically. It works so well in fact that I think if you replace the bits of code that specifically work to make the words generated more Japanese sounding, you could pretty much generate a language to sound however you want. Assuming you do the work to come up with a decent number of words it can feed off of first
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11 hours ago, RoyalBeeMage said:
i have been looking at doing latin for fun. if i have some spare time. i do french mostly. what phases or words do you want done first as that would be what i would do first if i wanted to make a new language. what you could do is just use english and create a new letter for each pre existing letter instead of creating new grammer.
I determined I need to create about 80 words
I’ve come up with about 30 already, but 11 of those are numbers that won’t even appear in this novel
I’m definitely not going to create my own grammar, that’s just too much. I’m using Japanese grammar, and the alphabet with a few exclusions. Plus I have an intermediate Japanese grammar book from my college days for reference
The larger issue is that I don’t like the sounds of words I make so it’s hard to settle on one for translation. It took me forever to decided to use ‘Yiji’ to mean mountain (the Japanese is ‘Yama’). ‘Tatsu’ for river (kawa/gawa)
Maybe the problem is my closeness to the Japanese language. My insecurity with my ability to create something that I feel doesn’t do it a disservice. Or maybe I’m just tripping lol
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16 minutes ago, ΨιτιsτηεΒέsτ said:
I have studied Latin for five years.
Dabble Writer . Com also has some resources to help with this. Mostly basics.
Anything is helpful, thank you!
I had a friend who took Latin. I salute you, she told me it wasn’t easy
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2 hours ago, ΨιτιsτηεΒέsτ said:
I love meaning languages. What languages have you studied?
I had a couple of Spanish classes in high school. But I college I did 4 classes of Japanese language and 3 different Japanese history and culture classes. Yourself?
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Some of you may know I’m working on a novel, I’ve been very blatant in all my posts about it (I’m sorry for that btw, I just have no other creative ppl to talk to). Anyway, I’m creating a language for my book because from listening to writing excuses I realized I can’t outright use Japanese in my book for MANY reasons, no matter how much I know and study the language. I settled for using the alphabet to create a similar feel, but I’m not sure if using the same particles is wise. More over, I’m having trouble coming up with words that I feel fit. I’m even going so far as to create my own kanji.
If you fantastic folk have any tips, recommendations, or any advice at all, then I’d love to hear it. I have my first draft done and I’m looking to have my language done soon so I can get it in the second draft before August rolls around1 -
On 2/18/2024 at 6:35 PM, RoyalBeeMage said:
Contemporary fantasy where the main character finds a magical world below the surface. Combining aspects of rpgs like xp leveling with Kandra like elemental energy creatures gives you monster hunting in London( maby not sure if it will be London yet)
If you don’t feel like making up your own city, you can always find maps of London online. That way you can set it during any era you want and still be accurate when you describe distance and travel. Just a thought
Oh, and I love this idea. I always love a story set in “London”. And the monster hunting elements tickles my fancies as well! What era London are we talking? My mind always defaults to Victorian
I do have on other question, could it also be called an Urban Fantasy if you set it in London, or a London like city? I ask because I realized I might have written an Urban Fantasy myself and need clarification
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Well folks I finished the first draft of my very first novel yesterday! I feel like that SpongeBob scene where he’s writing the essay, and just drops a smoking pencil on the desk. But now that I’m done I’ve been thinking more about the pitch I’ve put together for it. Then I had another thought, and I checked the forums, I don’t think we have a thread for pitches!
Here marks the creation of just that thread! Feel free to put pitches here for opinions, if you’re seeking them, and if you are not pitching feel free to leave a few notes on the pitches you see fit. Even if you don’t like a pitch, maybe let the person know where the pitch lost you.
I would be a fool if I didn’t also stress this: Please be kind always. If you don’t like a pitch, don’t trash talk it.
So without further ado, I’ll give you a one sentence pitch. Then I’ll put a slightly longer one in a spoiler.
An extravagant fantasy, where a suspicious drug addled widower stumbles into becoming an agent for an ancient proclaimed god.
SpoilerA few days before the end of the year, a drug addicted widower falls out of an alleyway. Helped by a kind foreigner on a mission, he offers to aid this person in their search for a stolen artifact. Meanwhile, those whole stole this artifact have lost it, and are looking for their lost cargo while tying off loose ends. The following day, our foreigner is arrested and framed for murder.
Over those few days our addict discovers magic after coming into contact with a self-proclaimed goddess, and becomes her unwilling agent. Then, with her aid, and the aid of friends new and old, our protagonist discovers where the missing artifact went and the sinister truth behind the murders.
I can’t wait to see what everyone pitches
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16 hours ago, The Cowardly One said:
There was once a wise teacher. One day, he took his class out to the front of the school, and showed them hedges that spelled out the school's name. He asked the class "How did the hedges get in such a complicated pattern? Did they just grow that way?" The class responded "No, of course not. Someone deliberately cut them into this pattern."
The wise teacher smiled, and said they were correct. "Now think about the human ear," he said. "You have the outer ear, made out of many different components, working together to capture sound waves and channel them into the ear canal. Next, there is the middle ear. The ear canal funnels sound waves towards the eardrum, and into the inner ear. The inner ear has nerve endings, which transform vibrations into electrical impulses, then travel to the brain. The brain interprets these signals and that's how we hear."
"Now, think about how complicated that process is, and ponder this: did it just grow that way?"
True story.
In response to the wise teacher, the ear is an older invention than spelling words with hedges. Evolution, over millions of iterations until the perfect formation of components was achieved, is one explanation for its existence. One could say yes, the ear did grow that way.
But, who’s to say evolution is not just the hand of a deity creating a perfect ear like one would shape a hedge.
Its not my belief… but I won’t deny its validity
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59 minutes ago, NameIess said:
What decides whether actions have a positive or negative moral charge, in your view?
In my view? In my view it would be inherent, but this is likely a result of my own moral compass as I strive for net positivity.
The issue is that morality is not only an element of self, but an element of society.
Say I were to give you the old trolley problem, pull a lever and save one life or don’t and save three. My moral choice may be different than that of a group making said decision.
If there were an established church, that would be more easily determined. But then there would be the chance for corruption, which is what turned me from religion…Let me be clear so I’m not misunderstood: I am absolutely not saying I’m the moral decider
I’m saying this is the first time I’m putting my views out there, so I’m aware there are flaws, some I have seen and some I haven’t
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I haven’t read the ENTIRE forum, but…
I, like many of my generation I’d think (I am the ripe age of 24), were raised with religion and religious values. But upon seeing the darker side religion can bring out of people, I abandoned my belief in the 7th grade. I was… 13 or 14? I became an Atheist from that moment forward.
Now, forgive me, but to get to my point I must provide context. (Or maybe I don’t I just feel the want to do so).
Near the end of my stint in college I began to reform my ideals and views, again. Suffice it to say I had some… issues to work through, and I did so by going ‘full nut job’ and researching Confucianism (and then writing my own interpretations based on modern views. Cringe, I know). This was mostly brought on by my fascination with East Asian culture.
I was a Japan studies major at one point, switched to minor, but I still practice my Japanese language skills after my drop out. From this stemmed my interest in Shinto.
All of this culminates into my religious view, you see. I believe everything has energy, EVERYTHING. And in a scientific sense it does. The only vacuum where there are no particles is outer space, the greatest unknown. Even still, there are rogue particles which carry charges.
More to the religious point, I believe it is the morality of our actions that determines our charges as we progress through life. We are all born into this world with a neutral moral charge, and as we progress we accrue charge, positive or negative. When we die… Well I don’t know the logistics of moral energy ghosts, but your moral charge determines your reincarnation (I forgot to mention my brief interest in Buddhism).
Well at any rate, the point in my making this post to begin with was to get help putting a name to this belief of mine. I must express, I do not believe in a deity. If anything, much as Shinto, I believe we are all deities in our own right. I believe the universe was born of neutral energy and thus we were all born at the beginning of time. We are merely manifestations of the universe experiencing itself. I guess I’m one of those folk from Stormlight, I feel bad for having forgotten the name of the religion.
But again I digress, and now I throw the ball to your alls court, the court of public opinion. How nuts am I, oh great jury of my peers? Or better yet, what think you of my belief? I am genuinely curious. Oh, and please help me identify my a name for this. Thanks for coming to my ted talk
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So we all love Dan telling us the Food Heist of the week. We’ve even had some honorable mention Food Crimes.
But….
What about Crimes Against Food? I’m sitting here watching some of the worst cooking videos on the internet, and man oh man, this is disgusting. This is horror, I bet Dan would love it.
Would it be uncouth to perhaps send an email over to IBS with the suggestion and perhaps an example? I realize videos would not work, as Brandon had to be signing stuff, so perhaps just screenshots of the finished food
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My submission!:
Real?
SpoilerWhat ‘real’ is really real
We persevere it with eyes
With ears hear it all
We speak about it with
Using our voice and text
But do we REALLY know
It could all be a dream
All just waiting to wake
And how would we know it
So then do dreams come true?
I mostly have nightmares
Fears made reality
Manifest in my mind
Does that make them real then?
Or just another hoax?
Forgetting, forgotten
Those are the biggest ‘reals’
You will forget one day
And be forgot the next
Now you know my nightmare
This is ever waking
The nightmare that is time
Smothering me to age
Age after age after
Repeats in every life
Such is the truth of real
Insufferable truth
I die, you die, we die
It all comes crashing
And it all ends in dark
Would living forever
Really be so awful?
There is so much to see
And so much more to do
I think I would like to
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5 minutes ago, [Redacted] said:
Yeah that episode was incredible! Definitely need to find someone on here to animate that.
Hmm… if there be any mods whom see this perhaps a thread/community board for requests like animation and art. Sorta like Nexus Mods has
(Are you there mods? It’s me J!)
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36 minutes ago, Scars of Hathsin said:
Welcome to the Shard, What is your favourite character ?
Why, that would be Hoid! Something about a snarky, planet hopping, wit really tickles my fancy! But if you had to make me pick another one, I would pick Kaladin
1 hour ago, Boomerang Guy said:Welcome!
Another ATLA nerd I see! Love it!
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I just need to express my love for this bad story idea, because it absolutely made me break down in a fit of crying laughter in the middle of my work. I wish it could have one the short contest! But most of all, I wish there was an animated short for it. I don’t have the artistic prowess to make it personal… but could you imagine someone taking that episode and cutting out the bits where Dan and Brandon say things like: “He just said we killed his father, what do we do?” Say something back, something crazy, like ‘no I am your father’!”
Anyway that’s my insane thought for the day.
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On 11/16/2023 at 11:20 PM, Part Of The Narrative said:
hi guys! so this is a sketch I did that maybe turned into not a sketch anymore..idk, but I enjoyed making it
Makes me wish I had a single bone in my body that could draw haha.
Faaaaaantastic work!!!
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Here’s a lil exert from a chapter of my first draft. Opinions, tips, recommendations, questions, all appreciated and welcome!
SpoilerBarthalomew Nills sat drumming his fingers on the wooden desk in front of him. With his other hand he flipped through the log book containing the docks’ mooring records. Once he got to the end he would flip the book closed with a heavy slap! Then he would pull the cover open again, and stare at the first page with a blank expression on his pale, narrow face. Most of it was covered in his own scratchy handwriting. Near the top of the page, fifth row from the top of the recording area, listed in the hand of the Night Dockmaster:
Moons’ Graces, Arrival: 25th of Chill’s End, 8T 347, about 9pm.
Cargo: 56 Units. Departure: 26th of Chill’s End, 8T 347, about 7am.
Something was nagging at him. Something about what that Tree-Man was saying… He’d asked where the fifty-seven cargo items had gone. Fifty-seven. He had been firm about that number, even after Nills showed him the mooring records. He began flipping through the pages again, headed for the back binding.Why had he been so firm about there being an extra unit of cargo onboard? How did he even know the cargo count to begin with? There was something fishy going on here, and it wasn’t the stench on the wharf outside neither. He got to the back of the log book, and slammed it closed to the front cover again. Glancing out the dingy window showed a dark sky, but the streets outside were still bustling under the lamplight. With a sigh he stood up from the desk and stretched, giving a cry as several bones in his back cracked from the motion. These extra shifts were really starting to take their toll. When he released his pose his long, greasy, black hair fell to his hunched shoulders. To compensate the hunch he lifted his head up, creating an awkward curve in his neck that only detracted further from his appearance. Taking the mooring records in hand, he shuffled over to the shelf on his right and tucked it into an empty slot. His relief would be arriving soon, hopefully, then he could go home and get some much needed sleep. As if in response to his thoughts a knock came from the door, followed by the creak of hinges, and the clink of the latch closing again.
“Late again Arthaire, what would Idgrids say? You know I could tell him, but I’d hate to have to… who in the hellish tides are you?!” Nills began as he slowly turned around. Behind him, in front of the door, was not Arthaire Greensea the nephew of the wharf owner Idgrids Greensea. Standing in the small office, blocking the door with his bulk, was a very tall and muscular figure. He was clad in a black cloak that, upon entering, he’d thrown back to reveal black plate armor of an expert make. Whoever had made this must have been an expert, because Nills had never seen a suit of such fine armor that made no sound. He hadn’t heard a single clang of plate on plate. On the stranger’s hip was a long, straight, black scabbard. The only skin the man showed was his face and head. He was bald and clean shaven, with hard features. Starting at the top of his right cheek was a long scar that ended below the jaw. His strong, square jaw was set and his mouth drawn tight as he stared down at the smaller man.
“Names not important.” The man had a deep, flat voice. “Need to see the mooring records.”
“Well you can’t.” Nills said with a scowl. He hoped the man would would take for an answer… “They aren’t public information. I can’t just go letting everyone who comes in here read sensitive shipping material, it’s just bad for business.”
“I wasn’t asking.” The man said with a flat tone, remaining motionless. He didn’t say anything else, but just stood there and started Nills down. It was a little unsettling. Well, more than a little, it was caused a large pit to form in his stomach. His mouth was going dry and his heart began to race as beds of sweat welled up on his forehead. He swallowed, perhaps a little too hard, in an effort to overcome his natural tendency to cowardice, but it only made him feel sick.
“R-R-Right here, s-sir.” He final sputtered from trembling lips as he turned back to the shelf, pulled free the brown leather volume, and brought it within the man’s grasp. He took it, slowly, maintaining eye contact as he did. Only when he had opened the book to its first page did he look away, but that was brief. After looking over page one, he flipped through the book, and upon reaching the final page, closed it with a loud SMACK! Then, expression unchanged, he held the book out towards Nills. Nills was hesitant… but, carefully, he did reach for the book. The man released it without issue.
“Where are the shipping logs?” He asked.
“I- I- Sir, I mean- I- Well, I mean, I’m sorry, but I don’t have those.” Nills stammered. He was a little shocked. This was strangely similar to how his encounter with that Tree-Man, and it was not helping his nerves one bit to remember that.
“Who does?” The reply came.
“Th- The S-Sw-Swift-F-Foot Couriers.” Nills glanced out the window. Across the street, standing under a lamppost for the reading light, stood the Courier Supervisor on duty. He raised his hand, and with a knot in his heart he pointed out the window. “Him.” He swallowed. “He would know.”
Without another word the man turned and, wrapping his cloak around him once more, he opened the door and strode into the night. Despite the stranger’s exit, Nills didn’t look away from the window. He remained standing end there as if frozen, though he did drop his arm back down to his side. Outside people passed this way and that up the avenue. The man in orange and brown under the lamppost still stood there, reading to himself from a large book. He hadn’t stood there long, perhaps five minutes, when the sound of a knock rang on the door again. At this Nills yelped, jumping into motion with surprising energy, and dove behind the desk. From his refuge under the desk he heard the door open then close, followed by the sound of steps as someone entered the room. Silence filled the room, but only for a moment.
“Nills? Nills aren’t you here?” A young man’s voice called out to him. A wave of relief washed over Nills as he raised his head over the edge of the desk and he saw Arthaire Greensea standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed. The young man was perhaps twenty, and wore a green navy man’s coat with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a white dress shirt underneath, a pair of fine white trousers, with polished white shoes to match. He really should have rethought the white scheme. As Nills looked him up and down, he could see various flecks of dirt, mud, and who knows what else that had already stained the younger man’s clothes. His shoes, of course, were the worst of all.
“Nills?!” Arthaire jumped. “Ah! Depths, man! You scared the rust right out of me! What were you doing down there? Hiding?”
“What?! Nothing! Hiding? Me?! Ha! I just dropped the log book is all, I was picking it up!” He scrambled for a reasonable excuse. He couldn’t have this kid thinking he’d been scared of something, even if that something was a man that changed the energy in a room so violently it made one’s stomach do somersaults…
“Right. I see…” Arthaire replied, arms still folded, one eyebrow raised. “So where is it?”
“Where is what?” Nils asked, confused.
“The log book, Nills, where is the log book?” Arthaire rolled his eyes.
“Oh.” Nills cursed himself a fool when he bent out of view behind the desk to retrieve the book he’d left on the floor. “It’s right here.” He dropped it on the desktop with a thump after he’d stood up again.
“Come on, Nills.” Arthaire dropped his arms to his sides and walked up to the desk. His normally reserved and arrogant demeanor seemed to lessen, and his eyes seemed to soften. The kid wasn’t ugly, far from it, the problem was he knew it. As a result, Nills often found the younger man’s attitude distasteful. It was pretty much the sole reason he hated the kid, then again, he pretty much found a reason to hate everyone. In that moment however, Nills truly felt that Arthaire cared about someone other than himself for once. That is until he’d thought about it. The kid probably just wanted him to drop his guard so he could find out what had him so rattled, that way he could use it against him. “Talk to me, Nills, what’s got you as pale as a sheet?”
“Nothing has, you annoying little… Bah!” Nills threw his hands up and walked around the desk, past Arthaire, and headed for the door. “I’m going home. Goodnight.” He grabbed his coat from the hook by the door, and stormed off into the night.
Maybe I’ll share more in the future. I’m 60k out of my 100k goal for the first draft currently. Ok… Welp I hope yuh like it!
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Actual cats right? Not CATS… shiver
I’m new too! Whoop!
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Boy howdy!
Long time Sando-fan, new to the forums, and excited to be here!
Should I say a bit about myself? Yes? Alright, well… I just hit my mid twenties, I’m a cisgender gay male, and I’m an aspiring writer! (Go figure on the last one right?) My favorite Sando-series is Stormlight, again go figure haha, but I own them on audiobook format because I listen while I work. The only Sanderson I have in print is Mistborn, but I hope to remedy that fairly soon. Also I’m a huge nerd, love Marvel, Elder Scrolls, Fable, Star Wars, etc.
Anyway, it’s great to meet you guys, and I hope to get to know you lot more in the future!
Best Regards!
(P.S. Life Before Death)
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Creating a Language
in Creator's Corner
Posted
I used Microsoft Copilot to do mine, and I found you have to be very precise in your wording to get what you want. If you like, I can share the prompt that I fed it to give you and everyone else a head start. Otherwise once I finish fiddling with the program and polishing it up, I will probably share it regardless. If I can get it to where it will do multiple languages, I think it could help a lot of people