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Posted By: Ding_man May 29, 2003 - 02:57 pm

This thread will be for me to discuss my novel as I am writing it and ask questions. My novel is called The Road To start the discussion this book is going to have a lot of chasing and on the road in it (as you can tell by the title) anyone have tips for that?

I'll give a background at whats going on as we go. To start ya off two college students on spring break, Cameron and Damon, are on their way to Reno in Nevada.

Posted By: Ding_man May 29, 2003 - 03:05 pm

Sigh I am having trouble in the begining I dont know if I should have a dream sequence first or them just automatically riding down a road to Reno.

Posted By: Sara May 29, 2003 - 04:03 pm

I've been to Reno, if it helps. Probably doesn't. But maybe since it's a spring break trip, you could have them each have something in particular they want to see there, that they're excited about...? Discussing it? One thinks the other's idea is lame?

There are casinos EVERYWHERE in Reno, which probably doesn't need to be said -- even strip malls have them, with cheese names like "Sally's Casino."

There are also legal brothels surrounding the Reno area, which I think would appeal to a young college-aged guy. (Don't know why it would...) One is the Bunny Ranch, I think, out as you go to Virginia City (a pretty interesting silver rush town/tourist trap). I say this because I'm an idiot and didn't know what it was at first when I saw the sign. Took me about three beats and then I was like, "Dohhhh..."

There are also wild horses in the area, which is astonishing if you've never seen it. Leaving Reno for Virginia City, we saw a herd of them just wandering in an unfenced field. Maybe one of your characters could be fascinated by this? It's against Nevada law to impede the horses in anyway, much less injure or approach them.

Lake Tahoe is also nearby, and I personally found the Tahoe area, both CA and NV to be very inspirational as far as settings in my mind. The Sierra Nevada mountains are breathtaking; towering peaks of granite with snow tucked in distant crannies year-round. The high desert plains of Nevada are gorgeous; you can imagine old John-Wayne-western flicks being filmed around the sage brush and foothills, while the pine forests of California are magnificent. The trees there are not very old; most of the truly venerable redwoods, pines and sequoias were eradicated during the late 1800s/early 1900s, I believe, when the region was stripped for lumber. Those that remain are lovely, though. There are aspens, as well and some unusual indigenous fauna, like the Steller's jay (may be spelled wrong), which are large, irridescent blue birds that look nothing like east-coast jays, bears, chickarees, ground squirrels, etc.

Maybe one of your characters could be interested in the material lures of the area -- casinos, brothels, skiing (tho not in the spring, I guess), while the other has more nature-oriented interests -- scenic beauty, etc. -- and the book could open with a sort of good-natured debate between them. Would be a way to establish your characters and their relationship right away.

That's probably not what you had in mind, but you said Reno, and I started babbling. Hope it helps!

Posted By: Ding_man May 29, 2003 - 05:33 pm

IT did help thanks Sara I think they will discuss some of the casinos and gambling and strip clubs etc. etc. But really they never make it to Reno

Posted By: Ding_man May 29, 2003 - 05:51 pm

Also how is a Brothel legal?

Posted By: Sara May 29, 2003 - 06:10 pm

It's not legal everywhere, only in certain counties. (It's not legal in Reno, but if you drive 20 minutes toward Virginia City, like I said, boom in the middle of East-Armpit, there's the sign for the Bunny Ranch.)It's rather bizarre.

You could google search to learn more about the legalities of it if that's an angle you'd want to try.

Here's an idea --
You're writing about a road trip: What roads do you have in mind? (Interstates or highways, rural routes you've thought of.) Where are your characters starting from? You might contact your local AAA Club (if you're not a member, just ask a friend who is to do it for you). You can also request (or have a friend who's a member request) the following goodies online at the AAA website, which (if I can list it here; if not, sorry, Mods!) is www.aaa.com. AAA can mark a fold-out map with a route for you, and they can give you a flip-map called a Trip Tik that gives more detail and is easier to use at your desk than a huge unfurled map. You can also get Tourbooks of each of the states or regions your characters would be passing through -- these would be great resources you could use to pick points of interest, towns and cities along the way, restaurants, etc.

Posted By: Ding_man May 30, 2003 - 11:29 am

Really they aren't in Nevada very long so it doesn't matter

Posted By: Ding_man May 30, 2003 - 11:42 am

Ok I used the Brothel in the story to kind of bring out both of the character's personality's a bit.

Posted By: Nomad Jun 02, 2003 - 07:11 am

He DingMan! Ithought you had dropped this story because if Similarities to another book? Just Curious cause I thought what I had read before had major potential.

Posted By: Ding_man Jun 02, 2003 - 10:21 am

Yeah I read some of the book it was similar too. Great novel... nothing like mine. The similarity really is in a deserty climate and they are on the road a lot or something so onward ho!

Posted By: Nomad Jun 02, 2003 - 11:47 am

Cool Ding, send me more of what yuou wrote. Ill admit it was a bit choppy and needed alot more detail on parts. But, it was your first scribblings then.

Posted By: Ding_man Jun 02, 2003 - 12:37 pm

Yep. I haven't had much time though.

Posted By: Ding_man Jun 07, 2003 - 06:09 am

Ok, a lot of this story is based you know uh.. the art of the gun. I thought I'd be more specific then a machine gun so I thought I'd put AK47 and M16 etc. If someone were not familiar with these weapon names could they still understand what it is? or should I hint its a gun in there?

Posted By: Bmat Jun 07, 2003 - 06:36 am

I would have to stop and think about if they were weapons, but it should be obvious from the context?

Posted By: Ding_man Jun 07, 2003 - 07:08 am

Yeah like if I said he pulled out a bunch of letters and numbers and started shooting people would get it but I am wondering how if I should hint how big it is.

Posted By: Bmat Jun 07, 2003 - 07:22 am

Does it make any difference how big it is? Would it be impressive as far as showing the availability of big guns instead of cheaper(?) and easier to obtain (?) little guns?

Posted By: Ding_man Jun 07, 2003 - 08:21 am

Yeah I guess that doesn't matter much. But I'll just and hint it to people unfamiliar with names etc.

Posted By: Nomad Jun 09, 2003 - 10:57 am

LoL...listen to the last bit of discussion. Sise DOES matter. hehe

Posted By: Ding_man Jun 09, 2003 - 02:18 pm

lol

Posted By: Ding_man Jun 20, 2003 - 02:20 pm

All right I am writing a teaser short story for TheRoad since I was getting tired of writing the main novel. It actually is kind of a teaser to the sequal kind of. I'll post in showcase when I have it finished.

And oh yes. I have a sequal planned out too and it will be bigger and better. But what am I talking about I dont even have the first chapter done because of procrastination.

Posted By: Ding_man Oct 30, 2003 - 04:00 pm

After months of writing little flash fictions I am going to start it back up again. Unfortunetly I've had many many words lost somehow so I am starting from my idea, Sara's notes she gave me, and the idea. I know quite a few of you have read my story. If you have you know I have 2 college students heading to Reno. What if I had three guys? Or a girl with them or something. What do you think? I am thinking of having Damon and Cameron the original characters, but then have Cameron's girlfriend and Damon's brother (who is also in college a year below him) Whatdya think?

Posted By: Eleika Oct 30, 2003 - 06:39 pm

Well, just think: what would they add to the story? Certainly adding a few more people to the journey would stop it from getting boring. And adding a female character could help give a broader range of perspectives on jumping dimensions and getting trapped there, or whatever they do.

This is just a nit-picky thing, but about the names. All I can think of is movie stars when I hear those two names, and they're quite similar to one another. Just putting that out there.