By Slanted Light

Lobbing in a few prosy things here:

1) Well how about me?! For what it's worth, I've been agonising (that seems to be spelt wrong but I can't work out which bit) over finding a suitable picture for another Visions post for the story, Blythe Spirit by Mosby Singleton (I think);
2) November - I love that story but for some reason it really used to depress me. Not sure why, maybe it's something to do with them being confined to a room for a while and Doyle's general air of depression? It seems dark.
3) And on a completely different tack with many wonderful stories in mind and most recently (this morning) one by jat_sapphire (which I must comment on) how *does* a writer achieve the depiction of a scene which you can immediately see in your head - you're *there* with them - and is still in your head hours later? Is there some kind of technique taught in writing schools (I think I'm being flippant, slightly) or is it just talent which is hard to articulate or describe but just kind of flows. Is there a secret?

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Hope I am not rude chatting to you, but I need a break right now, and talking about Pros stories is always a good way to get your head or mind clear again.

You were talking about jat-sapphire's story and I agree completely - that style is amazing and brilliant. I had the same thoughts, I could see them clearly.
By the way, I have to write a comment to this fantastic entry.

My story I am just reading - Summers End by Alexandra- is as brilliant as jat-sapphire's, in my opinion. I often enjoy a bit of drama and negative atmosphere in a tale but November is a little bit to heavy right know.
Cold Water Morning found its way to/on *g* my e-reader as well but it has to be Alexandra before.

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I've got to sign off for a while now but I just wanted to say it's never rude to join in for a chat and I welcome as much Pros chatting as possible!

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Thank you for letting me know. It looks like you were talking to BSL and I might interfere in your chat, but I couldn't resist *g*

Edited Date: Tuesday, 15 January 2019 02:36 pm (UTC)

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It's always great if people want to join in and contribute.

I love Alexandra's writing and used to read it a lot but for some reason I'm not sure I've read Summer's End and I think I've always confused it with a story by ET. One of these stories has Bodie and Doyle being sent on some kind of therapeutic break away and keeping diaries about each other and I found it a bit slow for what I seem to like and need in stories nowadays. I think tastes do change and may even go full circle.

Edited Date: Tuesday, 15 January 2019 04:19 pm (UTC)

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I love Alexandra's stories too I am not sure if there will be some diaries in this Summer's End. It is set one year after DIAG and they are on a case in Cornwall, St. Michael's Mountain is often mentioned - at least at the moment - about 18% of the story :-)
Doyle is scared about losing Bodie and the other way round as well. But there must be a happy end, I hope :-)

I had to delete my comment because LJ said I am spam - due to the link to Alexandra's story in the CA, maybe.

Edited Date: Tuesday, 15 January 2019 05:31 pm (UTC)

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I remember the diaries one, and it was bugging me, so I had to go and look it up - it was Private Lives.

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I remember the diaries one, and it was bugging me, so I had to go and look it up - it was Private Lives. I was less keen on that one too. I can never quite believe the lads would write diaries... maybe I can be convinced, but Alexandra didn't quite do it...

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Nip into my lj and chat to people whenever you like! As long as you don't mind me joining in sometimes, perhaps. *g* There needs to be more Pros chat around in general, so it can never be a bad thing, or rude!

And btw, I was just talking to someone about Summer's End by Alexandra too (isn't that funny!) It's the one with St Michael's Mount, in Cornwall, I think? I haven't read it for a while, but I like it. I really like her Tea for Two as well - but I must warn you that they're in a house that ends up covered in snow, so it will be cold as November (though a different atmosphere to Sebastian's November)! *g*

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Thanks for using your lj *g*

Oh yes, Tea for Two is a story I like too - I have to say, the stories I like because there are more than one story with this title, isn't it ?
Games by Alexandra is gorgeous as well.
I am looking forward to the lads in a house, covered up in snow *g*

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Oh, another Tea for Two story in Pros? Who's it by? I think I only know the one!

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Give me some time please, I will look for the story I have got in my mind.

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It is by Tavaran, we talked about that story in our Doppelleben LJ in July 2017.

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Oh, do you have a link? Which archive is it in?!

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There needs to be more Pros chat around in general, so it can never be a bad thing, or rude!

Amen to that.

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Lob away! You know, yesterday nobody really commented until later in the day, so when I nipped to take something out to the slaughterhouse (once was...) and was waylaid into gardening for a couple of hours, I thought it might fit right in. And everyone came to my lj while I was out! I paused for a late lunch before settling into the office again, then thought if-I-don't-run-now-it'll-be-days-before-I-can, so nipped out for that - and people were here in my lj again! Now, if I stay in tomorrow, I bet it'll be really quiet... *g* Anyway...

Excellent to hear you've another Visions in process - shall look forward to that! I don't suppose I can help with the agonising though. Pretty sure I've seen Blythe Spirit in your visions before, and I must have read it, but for the life of me can't remember it...

November is a bit grim, but I seem to remember that it's the one where the last lines (which I don't think Sebastian was always very good at) make up for the gloom. Shall try and remember to let you know, if I turn out to be right!

how *does* a writer achieve the depiction of a scene which you can immediately see in your head - you're *there* with them - and is still in your head hours later?
Ha - that's where the magic comes in, I think... *g* I always imagine that the writer themselves are feeling so immersed ins something, and can see and feel it so vividly for themselves, that they pass it onto the reader... but I dunno - I wonder!
...

Having wandered off thinking, and having another look at Jat's fog story, I think it's probably also when writers remember that people are surrounded by things all the time, not just a description's-worth of where they are to set the scene and then off to other bits in the story, but that on a cold foggy day, you can't just see the fog and forget it, you feel it around you all the time, and then you notice that your feet are crunching on frozen leaves, and then something else, and so on. The day never goes away, it stays with the story and the lads, and so perhaps then it stays with us... Well, that's perhaps what I reckon, anyway. *g*

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Lob away! You know, yesterday nobody really commented until later in the day, so when I nipped to take something out to the slaughterhouse (once was...) and was waylaid into gardening for a couple of hours, I thought it might fit right in. And everyone came to my lj while I was out! I paused for a late lunch before settling into the office again, then thought if-I-don't-run-now-it'll-be-days-before-I-can, so nipped out for that - and people were here in my lj again! Now, if I stay in tomorrow, I bet it'll be really quiet... *g* Anyway...

I know, that’s always the way. But it must be lovely to have returned to some comments.

Excellent to hear you've another Visions in process - shall look forward to that!

Thank you so much! I’ve been sitting on a couple for a while now which I’ll post in the future. There aren’t that many images left I can use so I’ve got to select them sparingly.

how *does* a writer achieve the depiction of a scene which you can immediately see in your head - you're *there* with them - and is still in your head hours later?
Ha - that's where the magic comes in, I think... *g* I always imagine that the writer themselves are feeling so immersed ins something, and can see and feel it so vividly for themselves, that they pass it onto the reader... but I dunno - I wonder!

And have the words to describe what they see? That’s the thing. If it was me… I can see things but I’m not wordy enough or technically able enough to get things down on paper in that kind of magical way.
...
Having wandered off thinking, and having another look at Jat's fog story, I think it's probably also when writers remember that people are surrounded by things all the time, not just a description's-worth of where they are to set the scene and then off to other bits in the story, but that on a cold foggy day, you can't just see the fog and forget it, you feel it around you all the time, and then you notice that your feet are crunching on frozen leaves, and then something else, and so on.

I like that, an interesting way of looking at the question. I’m sure I can have those feelings but it’s getting them down on paper in this magical way which would be the challenge for me.

Thanks so much for your reply. I know you lead a busy life and writing replies takes time but I do appreciate it.

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And have the words to describe what they see? That’s the thing. If it was me… I can see things but I’m not wordy enough or technically able enough to get things down on paper in that kind of magical way.
Oh, I don't know - I seem to remember saying that you had at least two pieces I'd like to see more of. In fact I've gone and had another look at them, and I still would like to read more - I was completely immersed! And that's not even counting the wee kittens snippet, which was actually what came to my mind first. I've said it before and I'll say it again - you should...!

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And that's not even counting the wee kittens snippet,

The kittens! For a second there I thought what kittens? but must have been thinking of the family of black kittens (plus mum) I saw emerging from behind a tree in the snow one magical lunch hour from work in Hyde Park. It was surreal, they just kept coming and I wish someone else had been there to share the experience and tell me I wasn't dreaming.

Do you know what stumped me in that piece of writing and for the next 14 years? I wanted Doyle to meet Bodie in the lodging house they were sharing (in Londonistan) but I couldn't work out how to engineer that meeting. One thing I've learnt is it helps to know *what* you want to write about - to at least have a rough idea of where you're going - before you search for the words to describe the visual outline you already have in your head, because I can definitely see them!

And on that note I'm going to have my cheese roll...

Edited Date: Wednesday, 16 January 2019 12:58 pm (UTC)

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gilda-elise.livejournal.com

I have a few zines in A5, and I have to admit I don't care for the size. Maybe because it throws off storing them, this small little zine getting lost between two big ones.

And, yes, while I have a Kindle, I still do prefer paper, in regular books and in fanfic.

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Lol - A5 is more difficult to store when it's surrounded by A4! But so much easier to hold in bed at night, all curled up and cosy... What I really want is Pros printed into books, of course... *vbg*

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jat-sapphire.livejournal.com

Ooh, only 18 pages left at, um, 9 pm? Wow!

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And done before 10pm - hurrah! Well, I did start late... and faff some more today cos I knew it was a relatively quick finish... but also it was deadly dull which didn't help...

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jat-sapphire.livejournal.com

That's hard.

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macklingirl.livejournal.com

I'm late with the visit to your virtual office, but the last two days in my real office where really hard and stressfull. And sadly I didn't read as much as I would like at the moment. There is not enough time.

The last story I've read is The Story of My Life by PJ. I think it is wonderful written but it is sooooo sad at the end. But for me it is a great story. I always can feel and hear Doyle and the nurse.

And I love my zines in paper. Even when they are a bit more complicated to hold in bed. But for me reading in bed always is reading a book or a zine in paper.

Edited Date: Tuesday, 15 January 2019 09:03 pm (UTC)

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