Hello GuildMestars,

Hope everyone is enjoying the new update, if you missed it hotfix 0.1.5.1 was released to fix an outstanding issue shortly after 0.1.5.0's release. More information can be found in the general channel of the GuildMestar Discord.

On to today's topic: Writing Practices. Awhile ago another Dev Insight was released covering Motivation and Burnout, this seeks to expanded on that topic in a more focused manor. Currently development is underway on the next GuildMestar update in which the story will be massively expanded. To keep myself on track as well as maintain an interesting story all the way through I use what I like to call "pyramid style" writing.

I am unaware if this style is known under another name or if it's just something I've made up but this is how it goes:

1. Highlight the major beats of the story. Turning points, plot twists, major paradigm shifts.
2. Connect those points via the characters in the world and their interactions / reactions to these changes
3. Expand on the characters,  where are they? who else is there? why are they there?
4. Now add time into the equation. How long are these events and how much time has passed between them?
5. Back to the characters, how did they get here? where do they go next? how long will that take and will they interact with anything else significant on their way?
6. Embellish, what does the world look like now? (night, day, rain, cold, hot, noisy, etc.) how does this character feel and interact with this situation? how has the world reacted to the previous event?

This expanding style of writing allows the writer to compartmentalize each event and character interaction while continually building on the world around them. Returning back to the idea of burnout it also allows the writer the ability to constantly move from section to section without remaining on one in particular for too long. Unsure how to end a scene? Move to the next point and look at the desired outcome for the story. Reflecting on this new position may help jog up some ideas or even create new points that you wish to hit.

This ever changing style of writing will not be for everyone but personally I find it to be quite refreshing. Having the freedom to move, shift, reorder, take breaks, and resume whenever is a very chaotic but controlled dance. Additionally I find it helps keep the entire story interesting and helps combat what I see from a lot of other writers who start out very strong, but fall flat at the end.

Signed,

StrangerTod - OffPath