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« on: April 13, 2009, 01:49:49 AM »
First of all I want to promise everyone who posts here that I will not argue with anything you say or try to defend my work. Hopefully you already see that as the case when you post regarding what I've written. I've tried to do my best to make that the standard with my posts, but I know that to some degree I've failed in that respect.
You can answer almost all of these questions without having read more than a couple chapters of my work, so don't feel put off because you haven't gotten very far.
Also, don't let the number of questions deter you! These are simply starting points to jog your brain. Please don't feel like you need to answer every single question. Feel free to only choose the ones you think sound the most fun to answer or you think I most need to hear. You can give as much or as little detail as you like. In addition, feel free to answer this bit by bit. Make edits to your original post!
If there is anything you would like to bring to my attention about Crystalheart or writing in general that is not addressed in the questions below, please chime in.
1. How have you seen the following themes and motifs present in the work presented so far? What do you think of them? Are there any themes or motifs that you have seen in the work that are not present in the list below?
Themes
-Who am I?
-Freedom
-Friendship/loyalty
-Betrayal
Motifs
-Red and Blue
-Wings
2. How do you think I have failed or succeeded in avoiding or using clichés? Give examples if you like.
3. What do you think are consistent flaws present throughout the work, such as: weak style, faulty pacing, poor characterization, nonexistent voice, etc?
4. What do you think is the number one thing I need to work on as a writer?
5. What is the number one piece of advice you have found most useful for yourself personally as a writer?
6. What do you think of the following characters: Aermyst, Ilis, Marlin, Tristan, Zael, and Dantes. Choose from any or all of the following questions.
NOTE: Although Ilis and most likely Tristan are going to be drastically reworked, I'd still like to see what you think of them.
-Rate them from 1 to 10, with 1 meaning you don't feel any sympathy for the character and couldn't care less for their plot arc, and 10 meaning that this character is brilliantly realized and heartbreakingly sympathetic. Please explain why you chose that number.
-Do you think this character is round or flat? Static or dynamic? (provide defs)
-Do a character analysis. This follows the formula: (Character name) wants ____, is willing to do ____, and ____ stands in his or her way.
7. Choose from among the following questions about the plot, setting, world, and characters.
a. How well do you know the plot, setting, world, and characters? Do you feel lost and confused or do you feel like you have a firm grasp of what is happening and why?
b. How well do you sympathize/care about the plot, setting, world, and characters? Does the world and setting inspire only a passing interest, or none at all? Are you emotionally invested in the plot and characters?
c. Do you feel you can predict certain events in the future of the book's storyline, in general terms? If so, what? If not, is it because the story hasn't flowed in a predictable fashion, or because the plot simply doesn't interest you enough to attempt to predict where it will go, or for some other reason?
8. What do you think of the following predictions made by Hamster concerning where the story is going?
a. Marlin's intense studying will bring him the answer to how to get Aermyst's soul back, as well as stuff about the relics and the ancient civilization.
b. Aermyst will ignore what Marlin tries to tell him, will do his own thing and fail.
c. Tristan is actually the Tian guy who got his soul stolen 200 years ago, and isn't actually dead.
d.The super powerful guy who took Aermyst's and Dantes' souls is also the guy who had taken Tian's soul then.
e. Some huge catastrophe is going to happen or some army is going to invade or something(this also has to do with the relics and the ancient civilization), and that is way Zael(is that his name?it's something with a 'Z') told Aermyst that they are saving the world.
9. Are there any observations about my writing style or the structure of the story or the way the chapters flow that you would like to bring to my attention? Examples might include how I use passive voice too much, or how all my chapters seems to follow the same formula, or something similar.
10. Is there anything you have read recently that feels similar in any way to what you have seen in Crystalheart so far?
11. Is there a character that you especially like reading about? This does not have to be a main character, but simply somebody you think is interesting. Ex, Mourne, Deragon, Ulidar, etc.