Comments on: What if… 3 ways gamebooks teach us how to tell terrific stories

By: rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy

rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 17:22:43 +0000

Hi Aine… funnily enough, the gamebooks are constructed using flowcharts. Which I believe also originated in programmingland….

By: Áine

Áine — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 13:51:26 +0000

Hi,Roz. We call them decision trees in programming land…

By: Writing Blog Treasures 11~24 | Gene Lempp ~ Writer

Writing Blog Treasures 11~24 | Gene Lempp ~ Writer — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:48:45 +0000

[...] What if…3 Ways Game Books Teach Us How to Tell Terrific Stories by Roz Morris. [...]

By: cydmadsen

cydmadsen — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:10:23 +0000

Hi Roz. Writing while standing results in a huge difference for me. It makes putting my chin in my hand and pouting very difficult It feels less restrained for some reason. I read that people are more creative while standing, but I don’t think the statistical boost in creativity is all that great or there would be a dozen books published about it by now.

It’s good to have you back and sharing your ever-helpful thoughts. I always find something helpful in what you post.

By: rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy

rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:59:18 +0000

Hi Cyd! (Gosh it’s nice to be back blogging and to see familiar faces arriving in the comments)
I love that – tandem gamebook reading. Dave and I went through a phase of late-night Sudoku, but never tried gamebooks.
There are several writers I know who work standing up. I’m tempted to try it for my next novel if only for the variety. I like to make my writing space feel different in some way for a new book. Apart from the obvious comfort angle, do you find it different for the thinking processes?
Crikey, that watercolour story. Shows how so many of our blocks are non-existent, really.

By: rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy

rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:51:21 +0000

Ah Amy, ‘the stuff we DIDN’T do…’ – you’re so right. The possibilities explored and discarded, or removed because they would have spoiled the pace.
You’re also right about readers knowing our stories better than we do. When I look at reviews of my novel I see a host of ideas that I didn’t set out to put there, but have come through in a reader’s connection with the work. I suppose in a way the writer is a conduit. We really find out what the book is when readers respond to it. Funny old business.

By: rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy

rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:45:20 +0000

Hi Daniel! Can’t believe a hooded fellow like you hasn’t come across gamebooks before. I think you’d get on well with them and if you’re going to write them it helps to have a programmer’s way of thinking because you have to construct loops and variations, and codewords to keep track of where characters have been.
Agreed about the darlings, and if you create alternate versions of scenes it becomes easier to be objective about precious ideas. You come to see everything as serving the story, and changeable.

By: rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy

rozmorris @dirtywhitecandy — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:40:29 +0000

Hey Chila – thanks! You’ve nailed it – the most intriguing, appealing…. I’m working up a couple of new ideas and one of the things I’m focussing on at the moment is what will really grab the reader’s imagination.

By: cydmadsen

cydmadsen — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 05:38:16 +0000

My husband and I used to sit up in bed together and read gamebooks. “How’d yours turn out?” we’d ask each other. It was lots of fun, even if we were robbed of sleep. But I’d never thought of them as a writing tool. Excellent way of pointing out a very important writing process–play, experiment, take risks.

In my own writing, playing around with possibilities has always been part of the process, most likely because I write standing up (nasty back problems) and act out the story. If there are multiple options that seem to work, I take a walk, let my mind go blank, and think of each step settling the right bits into place. I’ve discovered this is called walking meditation. Who knew?

The fear of experimenting was lost long ago in a watercolor class. WC is a commitment because once the paint is down, it’s down. Everybody was tentative with each stroke until a fire fighter in the class put us straight. He told us to get a grip, it was just a piece of paper and there was paper, paper everywhere and never-ending chances for doing it over and saving the painting. There were no such options when running into a burning building to save a child. (Gulp.) That carried over into my writing. Really, what have we got to lose in the privacy of our own workspace with a good supply of white out or the delete key?

By: AmyBeth Inverness

AmyBeth Inverness — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:52:53 +0000

I love “Choose Your Own Adventure” books! I can see how the concept would help while writing a novel.

I’ve always found it ironic that fans and readers end up knowing our stories better than we do, as authors. But we know all the stuff we DIDN’T do… all the scenes we cut, or drastically rewrote. Sometimes it’s hard to remember which alternative actually ended up in the finished story!