Read my UPDATED story hour and I'll give you a cookie!

Trevalon Moonleirion · Jun 26, 2002

Well, here goes nothing...I've gotten the urge to start trying to be cool like my storyhour heroes here at ENWorld, namely Piratecat and Doc Midnight, and have myown storyhour. I'll warn you that mine aren't a fraction as good as theirs, and I sshould probably juast ask for some tips from them and the rest of the board as well. anyhow... check out my thread in the Story hour forum:

http://test.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16135

Let me know what you think, here or over there!

How can I make this better (other than fixing grammar mistakes). How do the rest of you write your story hours? I find it hard to write down a lot of the interesting stuff that goes down during the sessions--do you just stretch the actual game material a bit? Also... none of my PCs are huge roleplayers--do you make up some of their lines? I dunno. Just some random questions for people who can write GOOD story hours...

Thanks!

Wulf Ratbane · Jun 26, 2002

I just took a look at it. Seems ok so far, but I will give you my comments.

1) AVOID grammar mistakes. It's very hard to get into a story rife with errors. (So far it's not as bad as you indicated!)

2) Take notes at the table, especially, especially good quotes from players. If everyone is laughing or impressed by a comment at the table, you better write it down!

3) Use dialogue when you need it, but don't overdo it, and if you can't write convincing dialogue, better to avoid it.

4) Don't be afraid to "fill in the gaps" to keep the story interesting and keep it moving. Most of the story hour authors will tell you, you're not getting a 100% accurate transcript of what happened at the table. It's unrealistic to expect that and, in most cases, it wouldn't make a very good story anyway.

5) Where story hours are concerned, DM/writers have the advantage of plot, and PC/writers have the advantage of characterization. In my experience the DM just has too much going on to keep really good notes and quotes of what's actually going on at the table among PCs; he's busy running the adventure, after all. So if you are DMing this game, then I would advise you to keep your story focused on the the plot. After all, you already have all the notes on the plot in front of you: you ran the adventure from something, right?

6) Be interesting.

7) Be patient.

8) Update regularly. It keeps people interested and it will improve your writing.

9) Don't be stingy with your narrative. When a good combat comes along, force yourself to think about it one round at a time. As an exercise, see what you can do to really focus in on the action, one character at a time, one round of combat at a time. Again, fill in the gaps if you have to! If you force yourself to do this, instead of ending up with just a play-by-play accounting of the combat, you'll have something more storylike. Compare:

a) Dorn healed Wulf

b) Seeing his comrade staggering under the crushing blows of his enemies, Dorn hacked his way through the press of bodies and reached the side of his fellow dwarf. With his axe Syrius dealing death in his right hand, his left hand channeled life...

Notice in the above example, if you're keeping notes at the table, all you have to write down is example A, but when you sit down to make your story hour you flesh it out into example B.

That's it for now... Hopefully not the sum total of my knowledge but all I can think of off the top of my head. Good luck!

Be patient!

Wulf

alsih2o · Jun 26, 2002

kurt vonnegut (a personal favorite) once reccomended buying huge rolls of paper and making out the stroy line for each character in different colored crayons, that way iin one glance you can see the whole story, and decide where you are, and where you are going...

Viking Bastard · Jun 26, 2002

Well, for one, don't post it now but wait until Horacio comes back!

Trevalon Moonleirion · Jun 28, 2002

Thanks for all the tips! The next part might even be up later tonight. I'll be sure to make it nice and grammar mistake free

Trevalon Moonleirion · Jul 11, 2002

Because you asked for it...I've updated my story hour!!!

Well actually none of you demanded it...but that's besides the point... i just said it to make myself feel better.... no one loves me. *sniffle*

Good lord I need sleep. Anyhow, the second part of the latest exploits of the Silver Hands in "Catch Me if you Can" is now up in the Story Hour Forum!!!

Let me know what you think of it, and give me some tips, pretty please!!

Femerus the Gnecro · Jul 11, 2002

backscratching

Hey... I'll read yours and comment if you'll do the same for mine. Us story hour noobs need to stick together, at least until some of the addicts start catching on to our threads

-Femerus