Bought the book on kindle because I'm poor lol, but I've never bought a book from youtube before; I'm honored to buy this book though, Tim, and it couldn't have come at a more poignant time in my life, as two of my biggest rocks, pillars in my life, have recently been lost to me in different ways through death, and knowing you've been a crisis hotline operator, how you've always handled mental health in your content, I just know this book is going to be good. I'll write a good review for you when finished, I hope you eventually put out an audible/audio narration version of it too! Much love from the mid atlantic ❤
@@lifeisbutadreamm Thank you! It's never easy losing people we depend on, and it'd only be harder losing two so close together. I hope everything turns out okay for you
Love your stuff, you’re always a go-to resource and I tend to watch each of your vids multiple times. Anyway, you asked for examples of “setting the scene”, so here is a little bit from one of my works in progress. This is a world where only twins can wield magic, and when one twin dies they linger on as a ghost until their counterpart also dies, then they each take the final journey together… Ferran and Miquel stood on either side of Rayna as they all watched Vincen hesitantly approach Lady Ona Lequette’s grave, a bouquet of yellow peonies held loosely in his hand. Rayna shifted about uncomfortably as Vincen knelt in the grass and laid the bouquet at the base of Ona’s black marble headstone. The graveyard was perched atop a hill not far outside the village of Marisette, with the quaint town and rolling vineyards stretching away below them, bathed in the early morning sun. Birds chirped softly and somewhere nearby a brook burbled as it flowed gently down the hill on its way to the Santabelle river. It was a far more peaceful and beautiful graveyard than the cramped and dingy places that Rayna was familiar with back in Villamont, but she still hated it. Death was not supposed to be beautiful. Death was infants in the gutters and beggar boys in the bushes. It was debtors in prison and soldiers on far-off battlefields. It was something to avoid, to run from. It was something to fight and struggle against until it eventually - inevitably - caught up with you and dragged you out of this cruel world on one final, miserable journey. Unless you were unfortunate enough to be a twin.
“Setting the scene is complicated” he says, using the 4 move checkmate as an example, the simplest way to win a game of chess, great video Tim just adding standard viewer engagement
@@HelloFutureMe I kind of like that you did the simplest mate, b/c what must lead up to it is extremely complex. You need the most inexperienced player going against someone who is much more comfortable in their abilities. This is intriguing, b/c I can only think of 3 ways this could happen. There was some sort of mistake, the less experienced player is being taken advantage of, or they are being taught. All of which tell different stories, and give you an entirely different perspective on the entire video.
On a chessboard set up wrong. King and Queen are on the wrong squares and the whole board should rotated 90 degrees. So...more complicated than we thought?
24:23 I am reminded of most TV shows where you follow investigators interviewing suspects, they will often be asking questions while the person is working so instead of just standing there talking to each other the suspect will be hauling boxes around or walking down the street. Even though if you think about it that would be wildly impractical and the vast majority of people would just stop and focus on talking, but that would make the scene static and boring.
Honestly, this same concept works really well if you’re a DM/GM for DnD or other TTRPGs. Being able to succinctly describe a location and also include details that are intended to catch the player’s attention help draw the players to act in certain ways. If you spend too much time describing the birds then the players might think the birds are important and waste time investigating that. Or describe an important secret detail of a room or a strange characteristic or behavior of an NPC and now the focus is right where you want it, on the real intrigue
oh my word. every time, without fail, that you read a passage and i think 'i'd like to read this', i go to look it up. imagine my dismay when i find no results and hear you from the other tab saying it's actually your story! your writing always amazes me, i will definitely be buying A Catalogue for the End of Humanity, i'm so glad it's out!
New writing video! I would genuinely like to thank you for teaching me how to write. I finished the first draft of my book thanks to some of your practical tips. I mean, you actually showed how to use advice! Thank you
Absolutely fantastic video. Not only is it filled with great bits of analysis on the importance of relevant scene setting, but also interweaves marketing for your own work flawlessly. This video not only taught me profound lessons, but also made me want to buy your books, especially Catalogue for the End of Humanity. The excerpt from your short story was a perfect example of how you put the lessons you teach into your creative work, something that in my opinion many other youtube "writing gurus" lack significantly.
I have recently discovered your videos, They're entertaining and have great visuals that make your advice more memorable. You are a great communicator and I look forward to seeing all your videos. This one is no exception.
The chess analogy you went with through the whole video was SUPER helpful! I know I've heard different people describe the kinds of things you covered here, but something about the visual of setting up some pieces (and not others) to execute a specific plan really helped me understand the how and why of what you were talking about. Thanks Tim!
By the way, sometimes it's actually useful to put pieces of foreshadowing so far in advance that your reader starts to forget it. One of my favorite series did this, most of the foreshadowing happens near the event itself, but it's meaning can only be pieced out if you remember information given in a specific scene from two books ago. This is because our perspective character wasn't thinking about the information at the time, and if he had remembered it at the time he could've prevented the tragedy that was being foreshadowed. He doesn't think about it, so whilst we also know the information, it was given so far back and in such a way that we the reader isn't thinking about it either, at least until the event itself actually comes to pass, and our perspective character realizes that if only they actually bothered to notice that detail and apply the information they possessed they could've done something to prevent it, but now it's too late.
@@croutendo2050 Academy of Magical Creatures by Megan Linski and Alicia Rades, it's also part of a wider universe of series called Hidden Legends all written by the same authors.
1. Setting scene requires tension, relationship, objects, characters & emotion. 2. Foreshadowing 3. Establish important objects, set pieces & other things. 4. Scenes can be seen as questions and answers. What emotional shifts are set up? 5. Consider the place & meaning in the narrative. 6. Introspection matters 7. Active characters interacting with environment, both physical & mental. 8. Atmoshere = word choice + focused details + character interpretation. Atmosphere can build towards/contrast the events.
Highlights 💡 Setting the scene is more than just describing the environment. 💡 Foreshadowing and establishing atmosphere are important aspects of scene setting. 💡 Active character engagement with the environment adds immersion to the scene.
Hello 👋 from Ukraine! As a writer myself, I just adore Your content! That's what I needed exactly - when I was doubting and having setbacks: analysis and strategy. Waiting for more new insights. Thank You for Your content 🙏
In the opening to my novel, I decided to do what no one is supposed to and described the lovely weather and setting. The focus, though, shifts to the MC's love for the place, an emotional tie that is important for the climax of the story. At the same time, cracks appear in the idyllic setting: storms earlier that year that caused severe fire damage to her town, people are concerned about what to do when the traveling merchants come through after all the damage, and her town sits close to a forest that's known to be enchanted. These elements are pretty minor as far as plot events go (they do play a part, but they aren't the main focus), but they are the setting in which the mask finally falls off and the inciting incident occurs. I don't think many would be surprised by the flip in atmosphere that happens halfway through chapter 1, due to the cracks that have been shown already throughout the first half. Rather, a single character who fully lives in the mask is the one who is surprised as the lovely life he thinks he lives and projects to everyone else turns out to be built on volcanic pain that erupts by the end of chapter 1.
one thing i love using when setting a scene is basing it in a specific characters biases. As an example I have one character who comes from a more middle class family and a lot of hangups about cleanliness describe a flat hes moving into by denoting all the things dirty or unkempt about it: mugs left out, uneven pillows on the couch, the off smell of cigarette smoke. But snuck inbetween are details means to communicate the person who owns the flat. In the bathroom he keeps his toothbrush and razor in a novelty mug shaped like a oven mitt. There's kid drawings covering the fridge. The only bookshelf is in the empty room the POV character plans to move into. Character bias is such a fun element and gives me so much leway into showing off a characters character with mundane settings.
Loved this video! Inspires me more to go back to some rough drafts I haven’t touched in a while. A scene I had trouble setting up was an early chapter with a POV that tends to retreat into their mind when stressed out or in situations that aren’t interesting which would lend well to set up the type of bunker they live in. Here’s a sample for anyone who cares to take a look or give some feedback: “At last, generators kicked back on. Ryna welcomed the dull hum that droned through the concrete floors and through her legs. They had been shut off for hours, for reasons still unknown to her, she just knew she welcomed it every time they came back. She glanced up at the ceiling, tracing the paths of metal pipes snaking around and over one another. The latticework snaked across the stone above, spreading all throughout the facility. Each pipe transported its own precious resource and Ryna wondered which ones supplied their artificial air, the occasional ceiling vent jutting out between the gaps. She wagered the larger, duller ones funneled their water − generated from the purification chambers in the basement of the bunker.”
Nice passage! I’m just some other person on the internet who doesn’t know you or your work, and you’re under obligation to listen to me, but if you do want feedback, I had a few thoughts. First off I want to say it definitely builds strong imagery for me, and a feeling of being contained in a way that is both safe (that comforting engine hum) and also stagnant, like nothing’s able to happen in this indoor world your character inhabits. Hopefully that was what you were going for? I did notice a possible exposition issue with that last sentence- the phrasing of “generated from the purification chambers under the bunker.” It feels more like information that wouldn’t necessarily be relevant to Ryna in this time and place, but that you’re just letting the reader know. I wonder what it would feel like if you instead made the basement of the bunker being a part of her daydream? So something like “she wagered the larger, duller ones funnelled their water up from the dark, churning caverns of the purification area below her feet.” That’s just my wording of course, I don’t know if that’s what these chambers are like or if that’s how your character feels about them. Just thinking of how that information might be included organically, as part of her thought process. Another little nitpick is word repetition- sometimes this might be an effect you really want to use, but the use of “welcomed” in two consecutive sentences to described the same thing, or of “snaked” and “snaking” right after one another to describe the pipes felt a little bit clumsy. I'm not sure if it's due to some indecisiveness on your part- I certainly know I can end up leaving several alternative descriptors in a draft passage because I'm just not sure which of them - if any - is actually best. It's just an important lesson for me that in the long run this needs to be honed down: to say what you need to, and not more. And then in line with this video from Tim that we've just watched: Are these images helping to build towards what's going to happen at some point? Only you can know if they do, because only you know the rest of the story so far. Good work on this, and kudos for having the courage to share with the internet! May your openness bring you to flourish as an artist!
Personally I tend to think living in a bunker you would focus extra much on the same shit every day, same weird pattern on the table the same bolt kinda askew + my . Personal experience says I'd be thinking about the pipes but looking at my shoe then looking at the pipes I'd probably think about my shoe, just saying u don't have to look at what ur thinking about and nothing is brand new to u in a bunker ur stuck in. mere thoughts
6:42 My man put on his plot armor and castled right into check! 😂 In all seriousness though, another fantastic video, man! This was enlightening, and really helpful. Appreciate it!
Thank you for working so hard and making these videos. I am a D&D enthusiast who unfortunately does not have time to play but I still do world building here and there.
I'll be 100% honest with you, I clicked on your video because I expected it to deal with cinematography, and scenes in shows and movies, and about halfway through the video I realized I'm not getting what I hoped for. Its 100% on me, and my expectations, I know you're excited about your new book, and I should have realized much sooner it isn't about the TV show.
When I was in middle school I wrote a novella, and although I kind of put it aside until recently (I’m completely rewriting it and hope to self publish it in the next couple years) I did keep in mind the stuff I liked about that first draft, such as my tight but vivid scene descriptions and the little details of character action and interactions. I once showed one of my teachers a page I was working on and she went, “I love how you describe what the characters are doing between the pieces of dialogue.” This for some reason seemed so obvious to me that the comment felt almost condescending but I’m sure she didn’t mean it that way and I do think that feedback was ultimately helpful. Anyway what I’m saying is that descriptions have always been something I’m comfortable writing but this video has definitely expanded my understanding.
27:24 (Unless the vibe you want to set up is, intentionally, meant to enable a sort of yanking of the rug or tablecloth out from under things later on either as something particular happens to literally change everything or if things are meant to not initially/immediately seem as they really are or such-but then you still have to do the switch well and/or illustrate that transformation progressively as things go along. {Which is sort of also touched on in the video here with the later mention of going for contrast, shortly after this point, I s'pose!😹 😊} ^-^)
shout ot to Gillian Flynn,she NEEEEDS to write more books,her 3 books and the short story she wrote are some of my favourite mystery/thriller romance ever,i need more
As someone who wants to write a book, but has been procrastinating due to the fact I'm afraid of not being to convey the story in intriguing ways, your videos have been incredibly helpful to get me more confident and begin writing. Thank you!
In my current (attempt at writing a) book, the first scene introduces the character in a clean suit with resparator mask scrubbing on water stains and black mold in a house she inherrited, describing the crsip and protective cleanness of the suit against the filth and decay of the delapidated building. I described with sickenning visceral words how the grime and mold runs down the wall, seeking to escape the soapy sponge. In the next scene, while the character is taking a break for lunch, the food is described clinically, not as what the food is, but the chemicals and artifical flavourings it is made of while the character mulls over the discovery that all the mold and grime was artistically applied water colour made to look like filth to reduce the house value as protest against inherritance tax. Both scenes together (are supposed to) prime the reader for deception and illusions in the story. Nothing is as it appears at face value.
I wish imported books weren't so expensive in my country 😢 even the first volume of your book here costs the equivalent to around 40 USD, which is crazy for a book
Being able to share my writing with you, someone who trully helped my develop my work as a writer, is what motivates me to finnally hire a translator to publish my book in english 🤗 As someone who lives in the opposite side of the world (and speaks and writes in portuguese haha), thank you, man 💜 Congratulations on the new releases!!
Happy you mentioned A Catalogue for the End of Humanity. Long time viewer, and in the rare situation of needing to find myself a gift for a holiday function. Had decided to grab one of the "On Writing" volumes, but just heard your description of your short stories. My father passed in October and its our first Christmas without him. Now, I'm looking forward to Santa bringing A Catalogue for the End of Humanity. If your written work is as thought provoking as your videos have been over the years, I think it will be a really welcome perspective. Keep up the great work.
Wasn't going to say anything until the man himself brought it up. The chess board is a mess at just about every point, including some setups that are just flat out impossible. Fun little stuff to look at for the background and notice, and a good video nonetheless!
Love to start a scene with dialogue - in media res in microcosm. The prose equivalent of a dialogue box at the end of a scene and bottom of a comic page before a page turn establishing shot. Works best for a story with a pulp sensibility, but not exclusively. It's the first hook or question (where are we and who are we talking to) that leads the reader into the slightly bigger questions of the scene proper that will express themselves over the more standard scene setting.
Thanks for this wonderful deep dive; I've been thinking about this topic alot lately, mostly because there's a book I've been reading that didn't do this, and it really undermined one of the characters, for me. Its especially glaring because she has something happen that alters her perception (mostly sight and sound), but instead of the description showing us how she feels about this change, it continued to use the same words as before, leaving me feeling like this huge thing that was set up as a really big deal for her didn't actually matter that much to her. It was frustrating, becuase it created a disconnect from a character I had quite liked.
I've been a fan for a while! I just ordered all three of your writing/worldbuilding books now that I can :> You're doing so well! You've always been an inspiration to me.
I often think of writing like playing music. Usually I have a harp in my mind’s eye, choosing particular notes, making sure they are in the right order and at the right tempo, that way the overall effect has what I want it to be. A lot of it’s about choices, having this element or that one at this time.
Samara felt the zebra tense beneath her in anticipation of the chase. The cheetah had been released. She readied her bow and glanced across the opening in the brush to the shade of the acacia where Kalyx waited. A male impala burst through the opening. Samara’s zebra launched into a parallel run without the need of instruction. She aimed in front of the buck and released her shot just as he veered away. The arrow clanged off a small stone on the ground. The impala fell a few paces beyond with the green and yellow fletching of Kalyx’s arrow protruding from his chest. The cheetah had a grip on his throat before the impala could regain its footing. Madoqua trotted up beside the kill, hopped from his zebra, and drew a butchering knife and hatchet from his belt. “A fine animal for tonight’s feast. Excellent kill, Dumallah!” he said, praising the panting cat who had retreated to the shade of a shrub to wait for her handler to remove and present the impala’s heart to her. “A most helpful shot from the young lady as well.” “Bite me, old man,” Kalyx replied. The grin fell from her face as she lifted her eyes toward the horizon. “Captain, rider coming from the manor.” Samara shifted in her saddle to see the messenger galloping across the savanna. “Must be urgent. I will ride to meet him. Bring the impala as soon as you gut it. Our festivities may be postponed.” Vultures were circling above the kill before Samara reached the messenger.
*The exterior of Lakeline Mall is like all the other buildings in Austen, so I don’t blame you for skipping yet another moss-covered block of concrete, big enough to make you claustrophobic and crumbling into its own chaotic parking lot. Even the burnt edges of the Target or the shattered opening of the Hedge does little to break the landscape. It’s not until you get inside that you see the grandeur, the appeal.* This is my own (admittedly rought draft) of a scene setting from my zombie western.
During the last couple of months, I've been taking a course in Qualitative Research Methods, and it just struck me that it contains the same steps as when setting a scene, but inversed. One could easily inverse phenomenology to create a multilayered scene, or maybe even a whole story. Great video Tim! Actually gave me some thought on my upcoming thesis 😅
19:16 Now the chess metaphor makes suddenly much more sense to me. Of course describing things randomly will have an effect of not moving on when it would be better to just do that.
I think the Witcher books are a great thing to look at here. To summarize events happening over several months, we jump from scene to scene without introduction and just hear the dialogue happening. Because the rest doesnt matter and hasnt changed much / in an important way tot he scene(s) before.
A clear and sunny day, with the only cloud in the sky is the small trail of smoke coming out of a quiet Mt Doom. The familiar plateau of Gorgoroth encircled by mountains is green with invading plants over-growing old, worn and broken roads. The sleeping Mt Doom smokes in the distance as we see a hole with dirt coming out into a mound. A figure wearing a helmet reaches up and pulls the helmet off. A red tattoo on her arm could be seen as the little girl tries on another helmet. She pulls off the metal hat and looks at a parchment with red ink writing. Her black hair and gray eyes look at a small book with notes and translations of the red ink writing. The digger stops as his shovel makes a ‘tink’ noise. The girl jumps down into the hole as the same tattoo could be seen on the digger's arm, he wipes away some dirt. With a deep Southron accent the man pulls down his wrap and says, “Not another piece of armor.” The girl keeps clearing away dirt with her hands and says, “This one made a different sound.” She wipes away enough to expose a red eye carved into a large piece of metal. The two continue to dig out the large metal object. “This is the stand he had built to hold it. It should be here.” He said in his accent. They have cleaned the stand over halfway dugout of the ruins and still no sign of the prize they seek. Then he feels something in the dirt and stops. “I think this is it! Hand me that towel.” He points to one hanging off the ladder step. She hands it to him and he covers his hands with the towel. He moves his hands around under the towel to clear it out from its resting place. He wraps the sphere and frees it from its ancient ruins and he says, “This is what I have been searching for all these years. I knew it was here! They were forged by Feanor himself during the time of the Two Trees. They are indestructible.” He finishes wrapping it up and places it in the box she retrieved for him after he climbed out of the hole. “Keep it covered and locked! Remember, IT WAS DESTROYED WHEN SAURON FELL. That lie can finally be helpful for once.” They loaded it on a cart and covered it with other stuff to hide the box. They start filling in the hole they made in the smashed ruins of Barad'Dur. “No one can know that we’ve been here. We have an hour to avoid the patrolling Guard.” He said as they finished up. He lays down some leftover armor and marks the location in his book. After loading up the rest of the camp it looks just the same as before. I'm writing a story set in the Fourth Age of Middle Earth. NEW SHADOW RISING AND THE RED TREE on Wattpad.
As always your video wants to make me rip my work in progress apart and reword a lot of it. Thank you for your fantastic tips and congratulations on the release of two whole books.
This has channel has been like gasoline thrown on my creative fire and understanding of it. I'd love to see a video on how Sci fi stuff like the mechanics of space travel and life support in regards to world building
Very helpful tim! Just started noodling on a new piece, and I used some of the tips to make the intro much spicer. :) Can’t freakin wait for Worldbuilding III.
As a non-native english speaker that wants to write a book in english I feel both inspired and discouraged by this video. I know I have the story, the content, but I fear I miss the linguistic mastery to employ those nuances
Setting the scene and bringing the tone for a novel can be hard when it's a scene in the middle, or getting the end right. Getting the right feel within a paragraph right at the start? Often nightmarish. On the third full rewrite of my book, but I ~think~ I have it now. Here's the first paragraph, doing it's best to pack in the right imagery, feel, declaration of location, and hook. Please, feel welcome to give your thoughts. --- The Ohio State University's campus was old, and the hungrily growing city of Columbus had built up around its narrow, forever clogged two-lane streets. The eternally expanding campus had built back over the city, climbing its heights ever more in dusty construction that never seemed to end. At some point the two had merged until there were no distinct lines, only buildings that were city, and buildings that were campus, sprawled in every direction on either side of the river. Sometimes the buildings would even touch, or be atop one another as they fought to supersede and claim prominence and dominance in equal measure. It was an aging, modern realm trying to find and redefine itself in a confusing world, and this made it perfect for all the students that went there seeking to do the same. The many-limbed fur-covered monster crashing out the café window beneath the aging library made it significantly less so.
Probably my two favorite scene settings I've written to share- (Also, I know, they're fanficion, please ignore that, lol.) Scene 1: There is no words to describe how putrid rotten flesh smells, the decomposing skin hanging off skeleton reeked of thousands voices screaming. She had nothing to do with the corpse, she was stuck in the hole with it, she had no dirt to bury it in, no way to hide her kill. The foul sent of her guilt was unescapable. She had tried several means of escape, to no prevail, the holes wall much too high, slimy stone unable to climb, and no material in this den to assist her. She was trapped. The night hung with a suicidal silence in the pitch dark only the soft taunts of waving tree branches and mate-less cricket chirps present. Hand bracing against the walls, she took a breath. Ren said if she died then the Admins would find her. She had to survive. Scene 2: It reminded me of the large sweeping castle ruins you can find in the Nether, only not ruins, but polished, frequently clean, and filled with all different types of people. The quartz sparkled in the bright sun, the crowds glinting as a streaming sea. The proud bleached building juts out of mountain backdrop, important offices scattered all around in the city of technical superiority. I knew each one, the stumped roof one belonged to the funder of the Administration's treasury back in the day, now belonging to Usin Hellth the current treasurer, well, at that time, now in the present Usin Hellth has retired and maintains several community servers. To my knowledge the current treasure is Lean Flop. I do not say this all the brag on my knowledge, but to show my pride, my foolish pride. Seeing it all for the first time is somewhat indescribable. Like a young boy who grew up infatuated by a fantasy universe, then, by some crossing the threshold means, usually a old artifact, a wish, or famously a wardrobe, he is able to step foot in this world that captured his imagination for so very long, experience the things that were once fantasies, grab a dream and actually wrestle it into submission in the realm of reality. Though this didn't feel real, it felt like I floated, feet hovering over the surface of the ground as I made my way to check in and then my new living space for the next years of my life. I got my first whiff of the Administration's signature sent, Windex air and stale coffee, as I entered the large dome room, three large stair wells leading to a upper level in front of me. So many class rooms, so much to learn, all the stuff I could, and was going to learn. This was the Archival, the building for game play studies, game mechanics, different types of games, rewards system creation and more. The main creators of some the greatest and most beloved Minecraft games graduated from here, such as Bed wars and Build Battle. This explains the many stands lining the walls for signing up for different Minecraft game clubs, a thing I learned was always prevalent in the beginning of first semester, when all the new recruits where coming in. There were also many server internships or internship for game based Minecraft servers or community game play servers for the several years returning. A lady offered a pamphlet to me but I simply shook my head, I wanted to get to my living quarters first, then I'll come out here...that's what I told myself, but I knew talking to strangers was going to be impossible, these crowds created a tightened feeling in my chest, I would probably sign up later after everyone had left. I hope those might spark inspiration for some of y'all, I really enjoyed readings others, it help me a lot!😄 This series has been incredible to me, thank you and congratulations on your wedding!!!❤❤
I am having difficulty with this in writing my book. It is set in a dark fantasy setting where it is characterized by eternal night and darkness. The bright full moon is a consistent motif I use throughout my book's scenery descriptions, as well as ocean and maritime metaphors too , especially ones describing the dark abyssal ocean
9:50 I've been having a crisis watching you move these pieces for a little over 10 minutes..... 19:23 i nearly lost my shit, so this was a good analogy for what youre were talking about
I actually haven’t heard of the Red Wedding. I have heard of the Red Robin Wedding though. It’s a major build up of backstabbing betrayals before the climax of one of the greatest South Park trilogies of all time
I don't know if anyone will bother reading it, but here's a comment with a piece of scene setting of mine to help get the algorithm in your favor --------- The sky wasn't dark yet, but the sun was far enough down for the lights to stand out in the gloom of the street. In an hour or so, thought Lydia, this street would be like a glowing caterpillar if viewed from above-even more so with the oil lamps lighting the tables that were scattered about. When Hinamori had said she would come by around dinnertime, Lydia had expected to be given food and eat alone like she had for the past few days-but apparently the Lieutenant wasn't working that night-having promised to eat out with some colleagues-and was willing to bring her along. On the way out of the division building, the two of them had picked up a couple of people, and their trip to the izakaya had become a lot more animated, with chatting and jests and pats on the back. Although Lydia had felt a little out of place at first among all the black matching outfits, the busy street they were in now was much less homogeneous, swallowing up any discrepancies. If anything, Lydia felt at ease. As they all shuffled around to sit at the small table, she let the movement absorb her, dissolving into the group. They passed around the menu, pointing at things, making recommendations above the loud, indistinct noise of the life around them. Someone got okonomiyaki, another skewers, somebody else grilled fish. Someone got hit over the head lightly with the menu before it was returned to the waiter.
30:53 - I would ask, however, IF the characters taking or having the time to notice those details despite not really doing anything else there actually _was_ the thing that was being done there? 🤔🙂😊🤭😁💜
So, I've heard of The Red Wedding, but I never got much further than "a bunch of people are invited to a wedding that turns out to be a trap and they all get slaughtered." Not the sort of thing I'm interested in reading about. EDIT: the blurb from The Life and Death of Lycia's Library heavily reminded me of What Remains of Edith Finch.
"I'm going to show you what pieces I was moving into position, and why, and let me know what you picked up on?" *IMMEDIATE TRANSITION TO DEAFENING PLAYSTATION 5 AD!* ... I'm guessing Lucia wished she could play video games rather than go to a funeral. 😅
Plip! Rayon paused halfway as she sat down on a log and looked up, blinking. She caught the dead fish falling into the water and smiled. It’s gonna be a great day, she couldn’t help thinking as she sat all the way down. The sun’s shining, the fish are jumping, she misinterpreted, and I’ve got Umbra and Mint and You. What more could a girl need? she asked rhetorically. She breathed in the lakeside air, peaceful. “Over here!” a girl from one of the other groups let out a cry as she splashed a ball back and forth with her friends. Two guys and another girl. The group laughed far harder than they should have when she fell in. She started laughing too. Rayon sighed. “How about peace and quiet?” she answered her own question. She shook her head and turned to the scriptures. She had not been the only one drawn to the beach in the early morning air, nor the only one who had thought to do her devotionals by the waves. The beach was littered with small groups and individuals. Not as many as sometimes, but still far more than the redhead had expected. A boy was lying down on the rocks that formed the hill to the road. A group of girls was doing a photoshoot with their phones and cameras, and plenty of people were ankle-deep in the water. Still, for each person on the beach, there were ten feet of undisturbed beach and water. The rays of the sun sparkled even brighter now, and a gentle breeze proclaimed that nothing could go wrong. It lied.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 88 | คู่เอก "ป้อมเพชร vs อัสลามจอน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZqTVVbMgbo/mqdefault.jpg)
Go get a great book to help you write and a great book to read here linktr.ee/timhickson stay nerdy!
~ Tim
Bought the book on kindle because I'm poor lol, but I've never bought a book from youtube before; I'm honored to buy this book though, Tim, and it couldn't have come at a more poignant time in my life, as two of my biggest rocks, pillars in my life, have recently been lost to me in different ways through death, and knowing you've been a crisis hotline operator, how you've always handled mental health in your content, I just know this book is going to be good. I'll write a good review for you when finished, I hope you eventually put out an audible/audio narration version of it too! Much love from the mid atlantic ❤
@@lifeisbutadreamm Thank you! It's never easy losing people we depend on, and it'd only be harder losing two so close together. I hope everything turns out okay for you
@@HelloFutureMewow 😳
Love your stuff, you’re always a go-to resource and I tend to watch each of your vids multiple times.
Anyway, you asked for examples of “setting the scene”, so here is a little bit from one of my works in progress. This is a world where only twins can wield magic, and when one twin dies they linger on as a ghost until their counterpart also dies, then they each take the final journey together…
Ferran and Miquel stood on either side of Rayna as they all watched Vincen hesitantly approach Lady Ona Lequette’s grave, a bouquet of yellow peonies held loosely in his hand. Rayna shifted about uncomfortably as Vincen knelt in the grass and laid the bouquet at the base of Ona’s black marble headstone. The graveyard was perched atop a hill not far outside the village of Marisette, with the quaint town and rolling vineyards stretching away below them, bathed in the early morning sun. Birds chirped softly and somewhere nearby a brook burbled as it flowed gently down the hill on its way to the Santabelle river. It was a far more peaceful and beautiful graveyard than the cramped and dingy places that Rayna was familiar with back in Villamont, but she still hated it. Death was not supposed to be beautiful. Death was infants in the gutters and beggar boys in the bushes. It was debtors in prison and soldiers on far-off battlefields. It was something to avoid, to run from. It was something to fight and struggle against until it eventually - inevitably - caught up with you and dragged you out of this cruel world on one final, miserable journey. Unless you were unfortunate enough to be a twin.
@@HelloFutureMe not sure if you were made aware already but at 18:27 there's a small typo "The Things we Don't Dee" instead of "See"
“Setting the scene is complicated” he says, using the 4 move checkmate as an example, the simplest way to win a game of chess, great video Tim just adding standard viewer engagement
I tried to do a more complex one but it was so hard to focus , speak, and do it correctly lol
~ Tim
@@HelloFutureMe I kind of like that you did the simplest mate, b/c what must lead up to it is extremely complex. You need the most inexperienced player going against someone who is much more comfortable in their abilities. This is intriguing, b/c I can only think of 3 ways this could happen. There was some sort of mistake, the less experienced player is being taken advantage of, or they are being taught. All of which tell different stories, and give you an entirely different perspective on the entire video.
It's all kind of moot because he didn't set up the pieces correctly. The bottom right square should be white when playing either black or white.
On a chessboard set up wrong. King and Queen are on the wrong squares and the whole board should rotated 90 degrees.
So...more complicated than we thought?
Using scholar's checkmate is crazy 💀
I THOUGHT HE DIDN'T DO THE GANDALF MEME ANYMORE! - genuinely made my day within fifteen seconds.
Same!
I'm glad your enjoying the chess metaphor, because watching you move the pieces is about to give me a stroke.
24:23 I am reminded of most TV shows where you follow investigators interviewing suspects, they will often be asking questions while the person is working so instead of just standing there talking to each other the suspect will be hauling boxes around or walking down the street. Even though if you think about it that would be wildly impractical and the vast majority of people would just stop and focus on talking, but that would make the scene static and boring.
Honestly, this same concept works really well if you’re a DM/GM for DnD or other TTRPGs. Being able to succinctly describe a location and also include details that are intended to catch the player’s attention help draw the players to act in certain ways. If you spend too much time describing the birds then the players might think the birds are important and waste time investigating that. Or describe an important secret detail of a room or a strange characteristic or behavior of an NPC and now the focus is right where you want it, on the real intrigue
Yeah, as a DM this is definitely the strongest aspect of my writing due to the extra practice I get.
It makes me ponder whether Tim’s comments about introspection and the psychological aspects can also be incorporated in DM descriptions.
Not gonna lie: half the reason I follow Tim is for improving my DMing...
I love listening to Tim while I write.
Also, once again congrats on the wedding, Tim! Hope you had fun on your honeymoon!
I bet they wrote Avatar fan fiction together and read it to each other :3
Whenever I read his books, I hear Tim in my head as the narrator.
oh my word. every time, without fail, that you read a passage and i think 'i'd like to read this', i go to look it up. imagine my dismay when i find no results and hear you from the other tab saying it's actually your story! your writing always amazes me, i will definitely be buying A Catalogue for the End of Humanity, i'm so glad it's out!
New writing video! I would genuinely like to thank you for teaching me how to write. I finished the first draft of my book thanks to some of your practical tips. I mean, you actually showed how to use advice! Thank you
Problem becomes after every video, you will want to rewrite some of your work. I know I do
@@shadowofchaos8932your writing is your editing. Don’t just stare at first drafts. Edit the hell outta them till the story becomes truly yours.
@@GeraltOfArabia Tim's advice is so valuable, I can see the errors in my work, lol!
Congratulations, that's awesome!!
@@shadowofchaos8932 Exactly😂
Absolutely fantastic video. Not only is it filled with great bits of analysis on the importance of relevant scene setting, but also interweaves marketing for your own work flawlessly. This video not only taught me profound lessons, but also made me want to buy your books, especially Catalogue for the End of Humanity. The excerpt from your short story was a perfect example of how you put the lessons you teach into your creative work, something that in my opinion many other youtube "writing gurus" lack significantly.
You're seeing right behind the curtain 😉
~Tim
Ah yes, I hate it when my opponent plays two moves in a row with a check that I then simply ignore.
I have recently discovered your videos, They're entertaining and have great visuals that make your advice more memorable. You are a great communicator and I look forward to seeing all your videos. This one is no exception.
The chess analogy you went with through the whole video was SUPER helpful! I know I've heard different people describe the kinds of things you covered here, but something about the visual of setting up some pieces (and not others) to execute a specific plan really helped me understand the how and why of what you were talking about. Thanks Tim!
By the way, sometimes it's actually useful to put pieces of foreshadowing so far in advance that your reader starts to forget it. One of my favorite series did this, most of the foreshadowing happens near the event itself, but it's meaning can only be pieced out if you remember information given in a specific scene from two books ago. This is because our perspective character wasn't thinking about the information at the time, and if he had remembered it at the time he could've prevented the tragedy that was being foreshadowed. He doesn't think about it, so whilst we also know the information, it was given so far back and in such a way that we the reader isn't thinking about it either, at least until the event itself actually comes to pass, and our perspective character realizes that if only they actually bothered to notice that detail and apply the information they possessed they could've done something to prevent it, but now it's too late.
what series?
@@croutendo2050 Academy of Magical Creatures by Megan Linski and Alicia Rades, it's also part of a wider universe of series called Hidden Legends all written by the same authors.
Plus it adds reread value. :>
@@farkasmactavish oh absolutely.
1. Setting scene requires tension, relationship, objects, characters & emotion.
2. Foreshadowing
3. Establish important objects, set pieces & other things.
4. Scenes can be seen as questions and answers. What emotional shifts are set up?
5. Consider the place & meaning in the narrative.
6. Introspection matters
7. Active characters interacting with environment, both physical & mental.
8. Atmoshere = word choice + focused details + character interpretation. Atmosphere can build towards/contrast the events.
My man, please never stop teaching me things.
Highlights
💡 Setting the scene is more than just describing the environment.
💡 Foreshadowing and establishing atmosphere are important aspects of scene setting.
💡 Active character engagement with the environment adds immersion to the scene.
Hello 👋 from Ukraine! As a writer myself, I just adore Your content! That's what I needed exactly - when I was doubting and having setbacks: analysis and strategy. Waiting for more new insights. Thank You for Your content 🙏
As a chess player…THANK YOU for calling yourself out for those illegal chess moves 😂
In the opening to my novel, I decided to do what no one is supposed to and described the lovely weather and setting. The focus, though, shifts to the MC's love for the place, an emotional tie that is important for the climax of the story. At the same time, cracks appear in the idyllic setting: storms earlier that year that caused severe fire damage to her town, people are concerned about what to do when the traveling merchants come through after all the damage, and her town sits close to a forest that's known to be enchanted. These elements are pretty minor as far as plot events go (they do play a part, but they aren't the main focus), but they are the setting in which the mask finally falls off and the inciting incident occurs. I don't think many would be surprised by the flip in atmosphere that happens halfway through chapter 1, due to the cracks that have been shown already throughout the first half. Rather, a single character who fully lives in the mask is the one who is surprised as the lovely life he thinks he lives and projects to everyone else turns out to be built on volcanic pain that erupts by the end of chapter 1.
one thing i love using when setting a scene is basing it in a specific characters biases. As an example I have one character who comes from a more middle class family and a lot of hangups about cleanliness describe a flat hes moving into by denoting all the things dirty or unkempt about it: mugs left out, uneven pillows on the couch, the off smell of cigarette smoke.
But snuck inbetween are details means to communicate the person who owns the flat. In the bathroom he keeps his toothbrush and razor in a novelty mug shaped like a oven mitt. There's kid drawings covering the fridge. The only bookshelf is in the empty room the POV character plans to move into.
Character bias is such a fun element and gives me so much leway into showing off a characters character with mundane settings.
Loved this video! Inspires me more to go back to some rough drafts I haven’t touched in a while. A scene I had trouble setting up was an early chapter with a POV that tends to retreat into their mind when stressed out or in situations that aren’t interesting which would lend well to set up the type of bunker they live in. Here’s a sample for anyone who cares to take a look or give some feedback:
“At last, generators kicked back on. Ryna welcomed the dull hum that droned through the concrete floors and through her legs. They had been shut off for hours, for reasons still unknown to her, she just knew she welcomed it every time they came back.
She glanced up at the ceiling, tracing the paths of metal pipes snaking around and over one another. The latticework snaked across the stone above, spreading all throughout the facility. Each pipe transported its own precious resource and Ryna wondered which ones supplied their artificial air, the occasional ceiling vent jutting out between the gaps. She wagered the larger, duller ones funneled their water − generated from the purification chambers in the basement of the bunker.”
Nice passage! I’m just some other person on the internet who doesn’t know you or your work, and you’re under obligation to listen to me, but if you do want feedback, I had a few thoughts. First off I want to say it definitely builds strong imagery for me, and a feeling of being contained in a way that is both safe (that comforting engine hum) and also stagnant, like nothing’s able to happen in this indoor world your character inhabits. Hopefully that was what you were going for? I did notice a possible exposition issue with that last sentence- the phrasing of “generated from the purification chambers under the bunker.” It feels more like information that wouldn’t necessarily be relevant to Ryna in this time and place, but that you’re just letting the reader know. I wonder what it would feel like if you instead made the basement of the bunker being a part of her daydream? So something like “she wagered the larger, duller ones funnelled their water up from the dark, churning caverns of the purification area below her feet.” That’s just my wording of course, I don’t know if that’s what these chambers are like or if that’s how your character feels about them. Just thinking of how that information might be included organically, as part of her thought process. Another little nitpick is word repetition- sometimes this might be an effect you really want to use, but the use of “welcomed” in two consecutive sentences to described the same thing, or of “snaked” and “snaking” right after one another to describe the pipes felt a little bit clumsy. I'm not sure if it's due to some indecisiveness on your part- I certainly know I can end up leaving several alternative descriptors in a draft passage because I'm just not sure which of them - if any - is actually best. It's just an important lesson for me that in the long run this needs to be honed down: to say what you need to, and not more. And then in line with this video from Tim that we've just watched: Are these images helping to build towards what's going to happen at some point? Only you can know if they do, because only you know the rest of the story so far.
Good work on this, and kudos for having the courage to share with the internet! May your openness bring you to flourish as an artist!
Personally I tend to think living in a bunker you would focus extra much on the same shit every day, same weird pattern on the table the same bolt kinda askew + my . Personal experience says I'd be thinking about the pipes but looking at my shoe then looking at the pipes I'd probably think about my shoe, just saying u don't have to look at what ur thinking about and nothing is brand new to u in a bunker ur stuck in. mere thoughts
6:42 My man put on his plot armor and castled right into check! 😂 In all seriousness though, another fantastic video, man! This was enlightening, and really helpful. Appreciate it!
Thank you for working so hard and making these videos. I am a D&D enthusiast who unfortunately does not have time to play but I still do world building here and there.
I'll be 100% honest with you, I clicked on your video because I expected it to deal with cinematography, and scenes in shows and movies, and about halfway through the video I realized I'm not getting what I hoped for.
Its 100% on me, and my expectations, I know you're excited about your new book, and I should have realized much sooner it isn't about the TV show.
When I was in middle school I wrote a novella, and although I kind of put it aside until recently (I’m completely rewriting it and hope to self publish it in the next couple years) I did keep in mind the stuff I liked about that first draft, such as my tight but vivid scene descriptions and the little details of character action and interactions. I once showed one of my teachers a page I was working on and she went, “I love how you describe what the characters are doing between the pieces of dialogue.” This for some reason seemed so obvious to me that the comment felt almost condescending but I’m sure she didn’t mean it that way and I do think that feedback was ultimately helpful. Anyway what I’m saying is that descriptions have always been something I’m comfortable writing but this video has definitely expanded my understanding.
27:24 (Unless the vibe you want to set up is, intentionally, meant to enable a sort of yanking of the rug or tablecloth out from under things later on either as something particular happens to literally change everything or if things are meant to not initially/immediately seem as they really are or such-but then you still have to do the switch well and/or illustrate that transformation progressively as things go along. {Which is sort of also touched on in the video here with the later mention of going for contrast, shortly after this point, I s'pose!😹 😊} ^-^)
shout ot to Gillian Flynn,she NEEEEDS to write more books,her 3 books and the short story she wrote are some of my favourite mystery/thriller romance ever,i need more
Any Locked Tomb fans here (Gideon the Ninth etc)? I feel like Tim would like it. The author is just brilliant at writing.
As someone who wants to write a book, but has been procrastinating due to the fact I'm afraid of not being to convey the story in intriguing ways, your videos have been incredibly helpful to get me more confident and begin writing. Thank you!
In my current (attempt at writing a) book, the first scene introduces the character in a clean suit with resparator mask scrubbing on water stains and black mold in a house she inherrited, describing the crsip and protective cleanness of the suit against the filth and decay of the delapidated building. I described with sickenning visceral words how the grime and mold runs down the wall, seeking to escape the soapy sponge. In the next scene, while the character is taking a break for lunch, the food is described clinically, not as what the food is, but the chemicals and artifical flavourings it is made of while the character mulls over the discovery that all the mold and grime was artistically applied water colour made to look like filth to reduce the house value as protest against inherritance tax. Both scenes together (are supposed to) prime the reader for deception and illusions in the story. Nothing is as it appears at face value.
I wish imported books weren't so expensive in my country 😢 even the first volume of your book here costs the equivalent to around 40 USD, which is crazy for a book
Being able to share my writing with you, someone who trully helped my develop my work as a writer, is what motivates me to finnally hire a translator to publish my book in english 🤗 As someone who lives in the opposite side of the world (and speaks and writes in portuguese haha), thank you, man 💜 Congratulations on the new releases!!
Happy you mentioned A Catalogue for the End of Humanity. Long time viewer, and in the rare situation of needing to find myself a gift for a holiday function. Had decided to grab one of the "On Writing" volumes, but just heard your description of your short stories. My father passed in October and its our first Christmas without him. Now, I'm looking forward to Santa bringing A Catalogue for the End of Humanity. If your written work is as thought provoking as your videos have been over the years, I think it will be a really welcome perspective. Keep up the great work.
Wasn't going to say anything until the man himself brought it up. The chess board is a mess at just about every point, including some setups that are just flat out impossible. Fun little stuff to look at for the background and notice, and a good video nonetheless!
Thanks for bringing back the fun in your videos this is why I started watching your channel
I really like the title card shots for this video. Also, I love the way you explained this. I can't wait for my books by you to come in the mail.
Watching this while Volume 3 sits in my bag. Just waiting for when I have a moment to crack it open
Love to start a scene with dialogue - in media res in microcosm.
The prose equivalent of a dialogue box at the end of a scene and bottom of a comic page before a page turn establishing shot.
Works best for a story with a pulp sensibility, but not exclusively.
It's the first hook or question (where are we and who are we talking to) that leads the reader into the slightly bigger questions of the scene proper that will express themselves over the more standard scene setting.
all three volumes on the way. Tim your videos are so fun. I love how you use real examples to make your points. And Dr Who. :)
Thanks for this wonderful deep dive; I've been thinking about this topic alot lately, mostly because there's a book I've been reading that didn't do this, and it really undermined one of the characters, for me. Its especially glaring because she has something happen that alters her perception (mostly sight and sound), but instead of the description showing us how she feels about this change, it continued to use the same words as before, leaving me feeling like this huge thing that was set up as a really big deal for her didn't actually matter that much to her. It was frustrating, becuase it created a disconnect from a character I had quite liked.
Perfect new thumpnail! The red wedding was a Masterpiece, a very painful one
One day I swear I will buy all your books, Love your videos so much!
My favorite tv episode 🗣
I've been a fan for a while! I just ordered all three of your writing/worldbuilding books now that I can :> You're doing so well! You've always been an inspiration to me.
I often think of writing like playing music. Usually I have a harp in my mind’s eye, choosing particular notes, making sure they are in the right order and at the right tempo, that way the overall effect has what I want it to be. A lot of it’s about choices, having this element or that one at this time.
Samara felt the zebra tense beneath her in anticipation of the chase. The cheetah had been released. She readied her bow and glanced across the opening in the brush to the shade of the acacia where Kalyx waited.
A male impala burst through the opening. Samara’s zebra launched into a parallel run without the need of instruction. She aimed in front of the buck and released her shot just as he veered away. The arrow clanged off a small stone on the ground. The impala fell a few paces beyond with the green and yellow fletching of Kalyx’s arrow protruding from his chest. The cheetah had a grip on his throat before the impala could regain its footing.
Madoqua trotted up beside the kill, hopped from his zebra, and drew a butchering knife and hatchet from his belt. “A fine animal for tonight’s feast. Excellent kill, Dumallah!” he said, praising the panting cat who had retreated to the shade of a shrub to wait for her handler to remove and present the impala’s heart to her.
“A most helpful shot from the young lady as well.”
“Bite me, old man,” Kalyx replied. The grin fell from her face as she lifted her eyes toward the horizon. “Captain, rider coming from the manor.”
Samara shifted in her saddle to see the messenger galloping across the savanna. “Must be urgent. I will ride to meet him. Bring the impala as soon as you gut it. Our festivities may be postponed.”
Vultures were circling above the kill before Samara reached the messenger.
A good way to set a scene is to focus on both the good & bad details to keep the reader guessing on what's going to happen next.
*The exterior of Lakeline Mall is like all the other buildings in Austen, so I don’t blame you for skipping yet another moss-covered block of concrete, big enough to make you claustrophobic and crumbling into its own chaotic parking lot. Even the burnt edges of the Target or the shattered opening of the Hedge does little to break the landscape. It’s not until you get inside that you see the grandeur, the appeal.* This is my own (admittedly rought draft) of a scene setting from my zombie western.
During the last couple of months, I've been taking a course in Qualitative Research Methods, and it just struck me that it contains the same steps as when setting a scene, but inversed. One could easily inverse phenomenology to create a multilayered scene, or maybe even a whole story.
Great video Tim! Actually gave me some thought on my upcoming thesis 😅
19:16 Now the chess metaphor makes suddenly much more sense to me. Of course describing things randomly will have an effect of not moving on when it would be better to just do that.
I think the Witcher books are a great thing to look at here. To summarize events happening over several months, we jump from scene to scene without introduction and just hear the dialogue happening. Because the rest doesnt matter and hasnt changed much / in an important way tot he scene(s) before.
These scene stills hunts me to this day
Get that mug off the book right now! 🤯
A clear and sunny day, with the only cloud in the sky is the small trail of smoke coming out of a quiet Mt Doom. The familiar plateau of Gorgoroth encircled by mountains is green with invading plants over-growing old, worn and broken roads. The sleeping Mt Doom smokes in the distance as we see a hole with dirt coming out into a mound. A figure wearing a helmet reaches up and pulls the helmet off. A red tattoo on her arm could be seen as the little girl tries on another helmet. She pulls off the metal hat and looks at a parchment with red ink writing. Her black hair and gray eyes look at a small book with notes and translations of the red ink writing. The digger stops as his shovel makes a ‘tink’ noise. The girl jumps down into the hole as the same tattoo could be seen on the digger's arm, he wipes away some dirt. With a deep Southron accent the man pulls down his wrap and says, “Not another piece of armor.” The girl keeps clearing away dirt with her hands and says, “This one made a different sound.” She wipes away enough to expose a red eye carved into a large piece of metal.
The two continue to dig out the large metal object. “This is the stand he had built to hold it. It should be here.” He said in his accent. They have cleaned the stand over halfway dugout of the ruins and still no sign of the prize they seek. Then he feels something in the dirt and stops. “I think this is it! Hand me that towel.” He points to one hanging off the ladder step. She hands it to him and he covers his hands with the towel. He moves his hands around under the towel to clear it out from its resting place. He wraps the sphere and frees it from its ancient ruins and he says, “This is what I have been searching for all these years. I knew it was here! They were forged by Feanor himself during the time of the Two Trees. They are indestructible.” He finishes wrapping it up and places it in the box she retrieved for him after he climbed out of the hole. “Keep it covered and locked! Remember, IT WAS DESTROYED WHEN SAURON FELL. That lie can finally be helpful for once.” They loaded it on a cart and covered it with other stuff to hide the box. They start filling in the hole they made in the smashed ruins of Barad'Dur. “No one can know that we’ve been here. We have an hour to avoid the patrolling Guard.” He said as they finished up. He lays down some leftover armor and marks the location in his book. After loading up the rest of the camp it looks just the same as before.
I'm writing a story set in the Fourth Age of Middle Earth. NEW SHADOW RISING AND THE RED TREE on Wattpad.
This is the Fourth Age.
@frankie3010 yes. 1182 into the Fourth Age.
I'm not writing a book, but I have watched all your videos to write some neat fanfiction so thanks man !
Marvellous. This is just marvellous.
As always your video wants to make me rip my work in progress apart and reword a lot of it. Thank you for your fantastic tips and congratulations on the release of two whole books.
My partner has come to dread new releases from "hello future me", as it usually foreshadows me adding several new book series to my shopping list...
I'd love a series on plot archetypes. What makes the most common ones so special? How do you combine them? Etc....
This has channel has been like gasoline thrown on my creative fire and understanding of it. I'd love to see a video on how Sci fi stuff like the mechanics of space travel and life support in regards to world building
Very helpful tim! Just started noodling on a new piece, and I used some of the tips to make the intro much spicer. :)
Can’t freakin wait for Worldbuilding III.
As a non-native english speaker that wants to write a book in english I feel both inspired and discouraged by this video. I know I have the story, the content, but I fear I miss the linguistic mastery to employ those nuances
this video taught me 2 things:
1: Tim knows a lot of about writing
2: Tim knows nothing about chess
Tim's opponent must be so embarrassed to lose at chess so many times in one video.
Lovely video! Make sure to keep the a1 square dark though! Otherwise the queens will end up on the e file, which will annoy chess nerds.
Setting the scene and bringing the tone for a novel can be hard when it's a scene in the middle, or getting the end right. Getting the right feel within a paragraph right at the start? Often nightmarish. On the third full rewrite of my book, but I ~think~ I have it now. Here's the first paragraph, doing it's best to pack in the right imagery, feel, declaration of location, and hook. Please, feel welcome to give your thoughts.
---
The Ohio State University's campus was old, and the hungrily growing city of Columbus had built up around its narrow, forever clogged two-lane streets. The eternally expanding campus had built back over the city, climbing its heights ever more in dusty construction that never seemed to end. At some point the two had merged until there were no distinct lines, only buildings that were city, and buildings that were campus, sprawled in every direction on either side of the river. Sometimes the buildings would even touch, or be atop one another as they fought to supersede and claim prominence and dominance in equal measure. It was an aging, modern realm trying to find and redefine itself in a confusing world, and this made it perfect for all the students that went there seeking to do the same. The many-limbed fur-covered monster crashing out the café window beneath the aging library made it significantly less so.
Thanks for another great video, Tim!
Also, entirely tangential - I love that the Secret Projects are in the book stack at the start of the video.
Probably my two favorite scene settings I've written to share-
(Also, I know, they're fanficion, please ignore that, lol.)
Scene 1:
There is no words to describe how putrid rotten flesh smells, the decomposing skin hanging off skeleton reeked of thousands voices screaming. She had nothing to do with the corpse, she was stuck in the hole with it, she had no dirt to bury it in, no way to hide her kill.
The foul sent of her guilt was unescapable.
She had tried several means of escape, to no prevail, the holes wall much too high, slimy stone unable to climb, and no material in this den to assist her. She was trapped.
The night hung with a suicidal silence in the pitch dark only the soft taunts of waving tree branches and mate-less cricket chirps present. Hand bracing against the walls, she took a breath. Ren said if she died then the Admins would find her. She had to survive.
Scene 2:
It reminded me of the large sweeping castle ruins you can find in the Nether, only not ruins, but polished, frequently clean, and filled with all different types of people. The quartz sparkled in the bright sun, the crowds glinting as a streaming sea. The proud bleached building juts out of mountain backdrop, important offices scattered all around in the city of technical superiority. I knew each one, the stumped roof one belonged to the funder of the Administration's treasury back in the day, now belonging to Usin Hellth the current treasurer, well, at that time, now in the present Usin Hellth has retired and maintains several community servers. To my knowledge the current treasure is Lean Flop.
I do not say this all the brag on my knowledge, but to show my pride, my foolish pride. Seeing it all for the first time is somewhat indescribable. Like a young boy who grew up infatuated by a fantasy universe, then, by some crossing the threshold means, usually a old artifact, a wish, or famously a wardrobe, he is able to step foot in this world that captured his imagination for so very long, experience the things that were once fantasies, grab a dream and actually wrestle it into submission in the realm of reality.
Though this didn't feel real, it felt like I floated, feet hovering over the surface of the ground as I made my way to check in and then my new living space for the next years of my life.
I got my first whiff of the Administration's signature sent, Windex air and stale coffee, as I entered the large dome room, three large stair wells leading to a upper level in front of me. So many class rooms, so much to learn, all the stuff I could, and was going to learn. This was the Archival, the building for game play studies, game mechanics, different types of games, rewards system creation and more. The main creators of some the greatest and most beloved Minecraft games graduated from here, such as Bed wars and Build Battle.
This explains the many stands lining the walls for signing up for different Minecraft game clubs, a thing I learned was always prevalent in the beginning of first semester, when all the new recruits where coming in. There were also many server internships or internship for game based Minecraft servers or community game play servers for the several years returning.
A lady offered a pamphlet to me but I simply shook my head, I wanted to get to my living quarters first, then I'll come out here...that's what I told myself, but I knew talking to strangers was going to be impossible, these crowds created a tightened feeling in my chest, I would probably sign up later after everyone had left.
I hope those might spark inspiration for some of y'all, I really enjoyed readings others, it help me a lot!😄
This series has been incredible to me, thank you and congratulations on your wedding!!!❤❤
The only thing we can’t get in the book version of these videos is Saxophone Gandalf.
I am having difficulty with this in writing my book. It is set in a dark fantasy setting where it is characterized by eternal night and darkness. The bright full moon is a consistent motif I use throughout my book's scenery descriptions, as well as ocean and maritime metaphors too , especially ones describing the dark abyssal ocean
Setting the scene is great... but at 6:50 black castled into check!
Thank you for coming out with this video this happens to be one of my weak points with my writing
Excellent work, man. I'm expecting V3 any day now!
This gave me so much to think about for my story, thank you!
Nice Scholar's Mate, mate! Love the video!
Great video man, but I can't get over all the illegal moves on your chess board hahaha
If we still had stars I'd have to take one off for that.
Thank you for your videos!!
6:40 Love the metaphor, but did you just castle into a check? 😅
This video is absolutely amazing. Love your Work, Tim
My favourite setting the scene was the intro by the illustrated man by ray Bradbury
Awesome video.
9:50 I've been having a crisis watching you move these pieces for a little over 10 minutes.....
19:23 i nearly lost my shit, so this was a good analogy for what youre were talking about
Great video! I'm definitely guilty of describing things that aren't necessarily significant 😅
Thank you for including my favorite scene from Scott Pilgrim 😂😂😂
I got into siriously plotting my story lateley and condering your book
Love your content man! You're amazing 😊😊😊❤❤❤
I actually haven’t heard of the Red Wedding. I have heard of the Red Robin Wedding though. It’s a major build up of backstabbing betrayals before the climax of one of the greatest South Park trilogies of all time
I don't know if anyone will bother reading it, but here's a comment with a piece of scene setting of mine to help get the algorithm in your favor
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The sky wasn't dark yet, but the sun was far enough down for the lights to stand out in the gloom of the street. In an hour or so, thought Lydia, this street would be like a glowing caterpillar if viewed from above-even more so with the oil lamps lighting the tables that were scattered about.
When Hinamori had said she would come by around dinnertime, Lydia had expected to be given food and eat alone like she had for the past few days-but apparently the Lieutenant wasn't working that night-having promised to eat out with some colleagues-and was willing to bring her along. On the way out of the division building, the two of them had picked up a couple of people, and their trip to the izakaya had become a lot more animated, with chatting and jests and pats on the back. Although Lydia had felt a little out of place at first among all the black matching outfits, the busy street they were in now was much less homogeneous, swallowing up any discrepancies.
If anything, Lydia felt at ease. As they all shuffled around to sit at the small table, she let the movement absorb her, dissolving into the group. They passed around the menu, pointing at things, making recommendations above the loud, indistinct noise of the life around them. Someone got okonomiyaki, another skewers, somebody else grilled fish. Someone got hit over the head lightly with the menu before it was returned to the waiter.
Yay epic video
This was the first I'd heard of the "Red Wedding". How? I never read the books, and as far as the show - anything *that* popular can't be very good.
Could you take a loot at the latest gem "Blue Eye Samurai"?
30:53 - I would ask, however, IF the characters taking or having the time to notice those details despite not really doing anything else there actually _was_ the thing that was being done there? 🤔🙂😊🤭😁💜
I completely expected this to be an announcement for a new chess channel.
So, I've heard of The Red Wedding, but I never got much further than "a bunch of people are invited to a wedding that turns out to be a trap and they all get slaughtered."
Not the sort of thing I'm interested in reading about.
EDIT: the blurb from The Life and Death of Lycia's Library heavily reminded me of What Remains of Edith Finch.
"I'm going to show you what pieces I was moving into position, and why, and let me know what you picked up on?"
*IMMEDIATE TRANSITION TO DEAFENING PLAYSTATION 5 AD!*
... I'm guessing Lucia wished she could play video games rather than go to a funeral. 😅
wow love the new editing style! keep It up mate!
Plip! Rayon paused halfway as she sat down on a log and looked up, blinking. She caught the dead fish falling into the water and smiled. It’s gonna be a great day, she couldn’t help thinking as she sat all the way down. The sun’s shining, the fish are jumping, she misinterpreted, and I’ve got Umbra and Mint and You. What more could a girl need? she asked rhetorically. She breathed in the lakeside air, peaceful.
“Over here!” a girl from one of the other groups let out a cry as she splashed a ball back and forth with her friends. Two guys and another girl. The group laughed far harder than they should have when she fell in. She started laughing too.
Rayon sighed. “How about peace and quiet?” she answered her own question. She shook her head and turned to the scriptures.
She had not been the only one drawn to the beach in the early morning air, nor the only one who had thought to do her devotionals by the waves. The beach was littered with small groups and individuals. Not as many as sometimes, but still far more than the redhead had expected. A boy was lying down on the rocks that formed the hill to the road. A group of girls was doing a photoshoot with their phones and cameras, and plenty of people were ankle-deep in the water. Still, for each person on the beach, there were ten feet of undisturbed beach and water.
The rays of the sun sparkled even brighter now, and a gentle breeze proclaimed that nothing could go wrong.
It lied.
As a Chess Player, I approve the Illegal moves. F the rules!
Specially with that Scholars Mate, first Chess trap I learned!
Thumbnail of Timmy playing chess.
Be stilled, my beating heart