Reflecting on my new writing process...

I've been busy with life, work, and school. I haven't had a weekend to dedicate to writing in a while. But I forced a few minutes out of the end of tonight. It was hard at first, like that writers block feeling of staring at a blank page, even though it wasn't blank as I had started chapter 3 two weeks ago. But I felt "lost", like "where am I going with this"? 

So, taking queues both from my template (what tiny goal are we trying to achieve right now and how can we answer it with yes/but or no/and), and queues from the other writing lessons I've learned (what are each characters motives, what would the twin cats care about, that will affect what they say and what he learns...)... And then taking detour into dialogues with AI about what currency might look like in a world with ubiquitous magic and real gods... 

It began to take shape. It started slow, like cold honey, and then began to flow more easily as I explored those ideas. 

It began to feel like a block of marble that I was chipping away at carefully, to see what figure might be waiting to be uncovered, as some famous artist said, I think?

And even after only about 20 minutes doing these things, I felt completely unstuck. 

This process is working. I'm not going to haul off and teach a class until I'm at least 500 chapters into it and I know it's working. 😂 

But I definitely feel this process has merit. And others don't need my process. But I can show them techniques and tools and flavors, and let them become their own chefs, as Brandon Sanderson says. 

Lastly, I began writing my "Integrative Statement" for a seminary class. It's oddly vague instructions left me floundering a bit. 

But I recalled the professor says he did that on purpose to let us put what we wanted. 

As I drafted the first section, I realized that all my biblical studies in academics are making my storytelling better. This is because, despite European theologians best attempts to obscure this with their stupid "systems", the biblical authors were deeply saturated in narrative, story, metaphor, allegory, poetic imagery, and using the written arts to weave together and explore archetypes of the human condition. 

CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien and Brandon Sanderson all do the same. So did Jesus. 

This is the model. This is The Way. 

Story as Device, but not preaching. 

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FAAFO (Fuck Around, And Find Out) | Manna, Sarcasm, & Burritos (MSB), Season 1

Manna, Sarcasm, & Burritos (MSB), Season 1

FAAFO (Fuck Around, And Find Out)

First things first…

While humorous, this working title has a purpose. 

TLDR: I want to try an experiment, test the results, and pivot as needed. I want to Fuck Around… and Find Out if it works. Ha ha. I’m sure Royal Road won’t let me post that title, so I’ll come up with something better for the postings. 

I’ve been studying the craft of writing for years now. I kept running into dead-ends with my main story (White Noise, Distortion). I will get back to it someday, but I’m too close to it, and I need a new outlet. 

I heard that Shirtaloon (Travis Deverell) was a fellow academic, a graduate student. He just NEEDED to write something silly, so he started “He Who Fights with Monsters” on Royal Road. It took off, and eventually he started an entire brand around it. 

Shirtaloon / About — Shirtaloon / Quote:

In the middle of penning a dry academic paper, Shirtaloon had a revelation: he desperately needed to write something very silly. 

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. 

To his surprise and delight, he found a warm and welcoming audience in the world of online serialized fiction. Transitioning his work into actual books, he is continually startled at the appetite for his particular blend of high magic, wild adventure and absurd nonsense. 

Success has allowed him to fund an excessive board game collection he doesn’t have time to play because he’s always writing. The unplayed games sit on the shelves behind him as he works, silently judging.

Along with the other authors and writing teachers I have listed at Writing StoryCraft Database, Shirtaloon is my inspiration for taking this next journey. 

I want to start a new story, to which I have no emotional ties. Take it as far as it will go, be that three chapters, or three hundred chapters, and take it further if it gains traction. 

Ultimately, I just want an outlet to practice fiction with low commitment. 

As such, I want to post the chapters on Royal Road, Substack, and my own personal blog (DarrellWolfe.com), offer the option of “Buy Me a Coffee” but make no promises as to the frequency of my writing at this time. If for some reason it really takes off, I will dedicate to it full-time, but for now, I just want an outlet to practice without the commitment of writing a book in full. I also know this is a great way to get alpha and beta readers to provide feedback, so I hope to improve my craft over time. 

DarrellWolfe.com

DarrellWolfe's Profile | Royal Road 

Darrell G. Wolfe (D.G. Wolfe) (@darrellwolfe) - Wattpad 

Darrell Wolfe | Substack 

“Buy Me a Coffee”

AI Disclosure

"I utilize artificial intelligence to assist with brainstorming ideas, conducting research, and performing basic editing tasks for my stories. However, I do not use AI to write my stories or to generate extensive portions of content. My use of AI is strictly as a supportive tool to enhance my own creative process."

This story is about…

Right now I only have a vague idea and I'm going to start with posting one chapter only and then decide where it goes. 

I do vaguely believe that the character starts off both financially devastated and personally devastated as a young widower. Out of necessity, Mark decides to take part in an experiment as a test subject for money. Plus he figures his life can't get any worse. After the experiment he discovers the ability to see beyond the veil. But then, he is sucked into an alternate universe full of read gods, myths, legends, magic, etc. 

The alternate universe will have an litRPG style progression, but may or may not have the video game tropes. I suspect his sense of progression will come through magical texts, gods called Watchers, and his ability development.

The story will definitely have magic and magical creatures and pull from the ancient near East Divine Council themes and mythologies. 

It might even pull some Akkadian, Ugaritic, and Hebrew language, although it will be transliterated and probably fictionalized or morphed for the story purposes. 

In much the same way Stargate SG1 felt grounded because it pulled from actual Myths and Legends, from the real world, I want to do the same. I will eventually pulls from as many cultures as possible, ANE, Egyptian, Europe/Thor?, China, Choctaw/indigenous peoples, etc. But they will be morphed into my story needs and fictionalized.

I want the tone to be sarcastic and fun, but also handle serious topics, pulling from religion, history, philosophy, psychology, and more.

Mark is a 30-year old widower, who was financially devastated as a result of his wife’s death, and he finds an advert to get paid as a test subject. The results leave him interacting with the unseen realm, and eventually sucked into an alternate reality. 

Will this story start en-media-res, or will it start right there? I think I’ll write those scenes for discovery and then decide what actually becomes the origin post.

I think on the blog, I will post under two tags:

• FAAFO - For updates about what I'm learning, or the craft of writing, business of writing, etc.
• WatcherChronicles - Chapters/Episodes, actual fiction writing.

Let the fucking around and finding out begin… 

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Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
16Personalities (Myers-Briggs Type): INFJ

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