Anonymouswizard's Astoundingly Assonant Random Banter #240

[Bartmanhomer]

Metastachydium is a plant.

Oh wow. I'm sorry Metastachydium. I was very inconsiderate.

[Anonymouswizard]

So anyway I've been writing my Degrassi/Dungeons & Dragons Crossover Story called Whatever It Takes on Wattpad and Facebook. This story is about six teenage heroes from the Degrassi universe living in the D&D universe by fighting against a demonic invasion from destroying their world. A few people like my story so far.

I'm guessing this is loosely based on the old D&D cartoon? I might be entirely off base and it's just a loosely similar setup, but it's where I'd take high school students in a D&D world.


Anyway, I've only got 8 planning days left until I try NaNoWriMo again, and my plot's going in like eight directions. It's been fun looking up old computer tech to make the setting work, but it might be time to knuckle down and work out solid plot developments. I've not written book one but I might have to slice ideas off for a sequel already. I also probably need to solidify my intended audience a bit, which mostly means working out if I want to go more action-heavy or more contemplative.

[Bartmanhomer]

I'm guessing this is loosely based on the old D&D cartoon? I might be entirely off base and it's just a loosely similar setup, but it's where I'd take high school students in a D&D world.


Anyway, I've only got 8 planning days left until I try NaNoWriMo again, and my plot's going in like eight directions. It's been fun looking up old computer tech to make the setting work, but it might be time to knuckle down and work out solid plot developments. I've not written book one but I might have to slice ideas off for a sequel already. I also probably need to solidify my intended audience a bit, which mostly means working out if I want to go more action-heavy or more contemplative.

Sort of. The difference is that the Degrassi Universe lives in the D&D Universe. Also, the genre is fantasy rather than teenage drama.

Also, what's NaNoWriMo?

[Keltest]

I'm guessing this is loosely based on the old D&D cartoon? I might be entirely off base and it's just a loosely similar setup, but it's where I'd take high school students in a D&D world.


Anyway, I've only got 8 planning days left until I try NaNoWriMo again, and my plot's going in like eight directions. It's been fun looking up old computer tech to make the setting work, but it might be time to knuckle down and work out solid plot developments. I've not written book one but I might have to slice ideas off for a sequel already. I also probably need to solidify my intended audience a bit, which mostly means working out if I want to go more action-heavy or more contemplative.

IMO action heavy works better than contemplative unless you're specifically trying to sell the idea first and the story second. Plus, action scenes are fun to write.

[Anonymouswizard]

Sort of. The difference is that the Degrassi Universe lives in the D&D Universe. Also, the genre is fantasy rather than teenage drama.

I'm having trouble parsing that, do you mind rephrasing?

Also, what's NaNoWriMo?

NaNoWriMo is an event where wannabe authors like me try to write a 50,000 word novel in a month, officially November. It's really ****ing difficult.

The point is basically an attempt to get you to actually write the bloody book.

IMO action heavy works better than contemplative unless you're specifically trying to sell the idea first and the story second. Plus, action scenes are fun to write.

Action heavy is certainly easier to write, but at the same time too many action scenes and they begin to lose their impact.

Like, I'm not planning 300 pages of people in a room talking, but there's definitely ideas I'm trying to explore and arguments I'm trying to make (not all of which are board-safe, neither is the working title). The current rough plan is to have an action-heavy beginning, slow it down for the body of the book, and then build to a big explosive climax

[Fyraltari]

I think it's a good question. Small fires become big fires if you don't catch them in time.

Also, what kind of lamp is this that it's getting hot enough for cloth to spontaneously combust? Because something is wrong with the lamp if it's setting things aflame.

The lamp has an articulated support so you can move the light source to whatever angle you want. Because gravity is a thing, it tend to slowly fall down. In this case, it fell over on the pillow whil still turned on and slowly heat it up until embers started to form in the cloth. Probably took like a dozen minutes or something. The unusual thing (well not for me) is how long it took me to smell the burnt odour.

Ummmm..

A) is your head unsinged?

I don't understand the question.

B) how close is the pillowcase to your lamp?

Close.

[Keltest]

I'm having trouble parsing that, do you mind rephrasing?



NaNoWriMo is an event where wannabe authors like me try to write a 50,000 word novel in a month, officially November. It's really ****ing difficult.

The point is basically an attempt to get you to actually write the bloody book.



Action heavy is certainly easier to write, but at the same time too many action scenes and they begin to lose their impact.

Like, I'm not planning 300 pages of people in a room talking, but there's definitely ideas I'm trying to explore and arguments I'm trying to make (not all of which are board-safe, neither is the working title). The current rough plan is to have an action-heavy beginning, slow it down for the body of the book, and then build to a big explosive climax

The sum of this explanation makes me think that last sentence should come with a big suggestive eyebrow waggle.

[Bartmanhomer]

I'm having trouble parsing that, do you mind rephrasing?

Well everyone from the Degrassi Universe lives in the D&D Universe. They were all born in the D&D universe.

[Jasdoif]

Ummmm..

A) is your head unsinged?

I don't understand the question.

"Was your head burned (like your pillow was)?" ("Singe" is indeed a strange word)

[factotum]

The lamp has an articulated support so you can move the light source to whatever angle you want. Because gravity is a thing, it tend to slowly fall down. In this case, it fell over on the pillow whil still turned on and slowly heat it up until embers started to form in the cloth. Probably took like a dozen minutes or something. The unusual thing (well not for me) is how long it took me to smell the burnt odour.

Are you still using incandescent bulbs or something? You should get those swapped out for LCDs if so, they use a lot less power and run far less hot.

[Peelee]

…
Um, have you considered the value of not owning a bedside lamp?

This is an excellent question.

Oh wow. I'm sorry Metastachydium.

Eh,i think Meta likes being a plant.

Also, what's NaNoWriMo?

National Novel Writing Month.

IntNoWriMo might be better at this point, but I domt think the organization is interested in changing names.

[LaZodiac]

Nanowrimo flows better as a name.

Which reminds me, I'm gonna try and do that. My job is slicing my hours in half, along with my duties, so I'm just gonna start writing at work inbetween job applications. Gonna try and get a westerny vibe story done in my setting. I'll also be posting the chapters as I finish and bug-fix them, if anyone is interested in reading.

[Peelee]

Nanowrimo flows better as a name.

Well, that, and also changing branding for an established and successful organization sucks.

For anyone else interested in NaNoWriMo, you can do it here: https://nanowrimo.org/.

[Anonymouswizard]

"Was your head burned (like your pillow was)?" ("Singe" is indeed a strange word)

Singed is a perfectly normal word which carries a different implied intensity than burnt does. Calling it strange is like calling charred or incinerated strange.

[Fyraltari]

"Was your head burned (like your pillow was)?"

It was not.
Would I be complaining about the pillow if I were hurt?

[Metastachydium]

Oh wow. I'm sorry Metastachydium. I was very inconsiderate.

[All theatrical.] Worry not, citizen: I'm in a clement mood today. The slight is forgiven!

Eh, I think Meta likes being a plant.

Heed the great wisdom of the Dragon, for he speaketh the truth!

National Novel Writing Month.

IntNoWriMo might be better at this point, but I domt think the organization is interested in changing names.

Nanowrimo flows better as a name.

InNoWriMo is no harder to pronounce and has the added benefit of not creating the false impression that this is something very small. (But yeah, brand recognition's indeed a thing.)

It was not.
Would I be complaining about the pillow if I were hurt?

I don't know. On the one hand, you've got the better rate of regeneration; on the other, fire is scary. At any rate, it would be unbecoming of us to make baseless assumptions with regard to just how fond you may or may not be of your pillows.

[Fyraltari]

I don't know. On the one hand, you've got the better rate of regeneration; on the other, fire is scary. At any rate, it would be unbecoming of us to make baseless assumptions with regard to just how fond you may or may not be of your pillows.

Fair enough.

[DataNinja]

InNoWriMo is no harder to pronounce and has the added benefit of not creating the false impression that this is something very small. (But yeah, brand recognition's indeed a thing.)

I do personally think InNoWriMo would flow a little less well, just because you have two Ns flowing into one another between In and No, providing a different cadence. Not any harder, but it feels less punchy.

[Jasdoif]

Singed is a perfectly normal word which carries a different implied intensity than burnt does.

Once you're accustomed to it, sure; but before that, "singe" looks a heck of a lot like the unrelated* "sing" and that can mess with parsing variants of it (i.e. "unsinged" vs "unsung").

*Pyromancer bards aside.

[Rater202]

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be in the live studio audience whenever a sitcom tapes an episode that's significantly... Heavier than usual.

Like, the "very special episode" where they manage to pull it off well?

Does the audience know going in that it's gonna be one of those shows or do they get taken for a surprise feelstrip?

[Anonymouswizard]

I mean, I'm not certain any episode flows well when you haven't had somebody go in and edit the footage. So I'd guess it's like most other episodes. Sure, plays have to do it, but even there you'll find gaffs, flubs, and bits the actors couldn't make work.

The original performances of Blood Brothers included an extra verse in Take A Letter Miss Jones that isn't in the modern version. I think I've also lost my train of thought.

From what I can tell Sitcoms don't have live studio audiences anymore. But from what I hear, the audience in shows with one don't get to know beforehand if it's the funny news story one or the serious show about domestic abuse.

Also if you've not seen Blood Brothers you really should see it. Once I have my lenses I hope to book tickets and take my girlfriend.

[Peelee]

I mean, I'm not certain any episode flows well when you haven't had somebody go in and edit the footage.

Aye. Editing is one of the most powerful tools in media. Plus they have "applause" and "awww" signs for the audience to obey like Tones and I dancing monkeys.

[Rater202]

I mean, I'm not certain any episode flows well when you haven't had somebody go in and edit the footage. So I'd guess it's like most other episodes. Sure, plays have to do it, but even there you'll find gaffs, flubs, and bits the actors couldn't make work.

Fair enough, but at the same time I don't think you need that much context to have a reaction to say, Will Smith breaking down in tears after unloading the gun that Alfonso Ribeiro's character was going to use to commit a vigilante execution.

[Keltest]

Fair enough, but at the same time I don't think you need that much context to have a reaction to say, Will Smith breaking down in tears after unloading the gun that Alfonso Ribeiro's character was going to use to commit a vigilante execution.

Maybe. From my understanding Live Studio Audiences are basically a set of actors in their own right, following the scripts theyre given, even if theyre fed their "lines" in real time.

[Rater202]

Maybe. From my understanding Live Studio Audiences are basically a set of actors in their own right, following the scripts theyre given, even if theyre fed their "lines" in real time.

I', aware, but I'm not talking about the scripted reaction, I'm talking "how does the person who came in expecting a comedy feel about seeing a heavy scene like that instead?"

[Peelee]

Fair enough, but at the same time I don't think you need that much context to have a reaction to say, Will Smith breaking down in tears after unloading the gun that Alfonso Ribeiro's character was going to use to commit a vigilante execution.

Depends on how many takes they have.

Also, Fresh Prince aged super well from what I've seen. Still a damned good show.

[Lord Raziere]

Aye. Editing is one of the most powerful tools in media. Plus they have "applause" and "awww" signs for the audience to obey like Tones and I dancing monkeys.

Yeah, the latest Helluva Boss episode where both the audience and actors get teleprompters to make them act as they should? thats what happens now.

I', aware, but I'm not talking about the scripted reaction, I'm talking "how does the person who came in expecting a comedy feel about seeing a heavy scene like that instead?"

they feel good that they got paid for faking a reaction to something no matter what it actually is.

[Rater202]

Depends on how many takes they have.

Also, Fresh Prince aged super well from what I've seen. Still a damned good show.

Bit of trivia: At the end of "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse," when Uncle Phil hugs will after Will breaks down while ranting about his deadbeat dad, James Avery was whispering "That's ****ing acting right there" in Smith's ear.

Will Smith had confessed to Avery that he wasn't sure his acting chops were up to snuff for that kind of scene.

[Anonymouswizard]

Although there are shows out there people do pay money to be in the audience for. I'm certain I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue still sells tickets, and I wouldn't be shocked if Just A Minute* does. But that's different to something like a sitcom, I believe panel shows are much more improvisational and do fewer retakes, although they are still made in the edit. IIRC it's generally two hours recording for a half hour show, but I believe some productions only record for about an hour.

I believe Citation Needed generally did a roughly twenty minute show in an hour. Nowdays the Technical Difficulties seem to spend an entire day filming bootleg Blue Peter segments.

* Now that is a hard game.

[Rater202]

Everyone in this thread finds themself teleported to a manor house in the middle of a seemingly abandoned city. It has foods and medicine and so on, enough to stay alive indefinitely... But ten minutes after we spawn in there are zombies at the gate.

Non-infectious but otherwise they're standard Romero types, a small hoard of them, and more show up every couple of days.

The first inanimate object you see after turning to your left is what you had to fight them off with.

I have... a reasonably heavy walking stick.