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can anyone give me some advice???

Scott Lewis
Scott Lewis

Aug-25-2007 07:38

I'm trying to write a scripted mystery, and I have a basic outline of it in my head. But I'm having trouble with actually writing it out, especially in the area of describing the body( my victim is killed by a tiger that was purposely let loose from it's cage). Anyone have any tips to overcome my writer's block???
Thanks

Replies

Treschaude
Treschaude
Washed Up Punter

Aug-25-2007 14:49

Haven't written an SM as of yet, but when I feel a little blocked with my roleplaying writing, I usually do some kind of combination of the following:

I talk it out. This is better for dialogue scenes, though. I want to physically hear how the lines sound. Does it sound natural, etc. I'm a big pacer too, so I'll just walk back and forth creating a scene out loud and then run to the computer every so often to get some of it down.

With descriptions and things, I'll go on Word and just start typing phrases that are in my head if I can't picture it clearly yet.

Like for yours, some phrases that come to my mind: body was nearly unidentifiable, torn to a bloody pulp, deep gash running along the torso separating skin from bone, lifeless eyes frozen in terror upon death, etc. Oh, I could on for days with that juicy of a murder scene! Very nice idea!

Write down anything and everything that pops in your head and forget about sentence structure. Then after getting all those ideas on the page, go back and fix up. Keep the really good stuff that stays consistent with the picture you want to paint and let the others go. Think if I were walking into this room, what would I see first? Take that first thing and flesh it out, then keep going from there.

Hope this helps a little. It works for me. Would love to hear what other people have to say on this.

Good luck with the SM! Look forward to seeing it up on Sleuth!

Stooby
Stooby
Well-Connected

Aug-25-2007 15:25

My top tip is you can put an SM together in any order you feel comfortable with so you can even start by writting the ending.

Go work through some of the questions and suspects, twists and research and at some point you'll inpsire yourself to write the crime scene.

And yep I am speaking from chaotic expereince.

Secret_Squirrel
Secret_Squirrel
Safety Officer

Aug-26-2007 21:46

Picking up on something Stooby Doo said, "start by writing the ending", I suggest "knowing where you're going before you start the journey" as highly recommended.

Write it all down in point form on a piece of paper or in note pad or wherever. Don't just leave it all up in your head. The more you plan the easier it is to let the rest flow when the time comes. Having a strong sense of who your characters 'are', what they look like, their personalty traits, their environment, etc will make it all so much easier.

You'll find it simpler if you already know what the setting looks like in some detail before you decide to off one of your characters. Likewise if you know that character quite well, you're more likely to be able to describe the grotesquerie of their somewhat disfigured corpse all so much the better. :D

I also like all of Treschaude's suggestions.

yoyofoshow
yoyofoshow
Old Shoe

Aug-27-2007 04:45

I knew I wasn't the only pacer out there!

lilangel
lilangel
Sleuth About Town

Aug-29-2007 15:47

:Not a pacer: But I can definitely suggest to write it out on paper too... that's what I do. It gives me knowledge what I have written... and it's easier for me at least, to see it on paper than to look at the screen blankly and not have any ideas.

Going with what someone else told me as well, try to picture it all in your mind like you're playing a movie and write down or type out, what you see in your mind's eye. that should help with descriptions.


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