The Writers' Block

[Outer Sparta]

I was thinking of writing an issue about farmed fish and its impacts, regulations, competition vs. wild-caught fish, etc.

In what such context?

The questionable safety standards of farmed fish. For example, Chile farms their salmon using open-net techniques, and they frequently use antibiotics.

[Ransium]

I was thinking of writing an issue about farmed fish and its impacts, regulations, competition vs. wild-caught fish, etc.

It might be possible to write an fresh issue on this topic, but be heavily aware of #591.

I also submitted something on fishing permits almost two months ago: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=395818

[Kentalia]

I was thinking of writing an issue about farmed fish and its impacts, regulations, competition vs. wild-caught fish, etc.

It might be possible to write an fresh issue on this topic, but be heavily aware of #591.

I also submitted something on fishing permits almost two months ago: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=395818

Just had a brief look, be careful of #599 as well. Let's be honest, you can't come up with an issue without it even slightly edging into another issue.

[Outer Sparta]

I was thinking of writing an issue about farmed fish and its impacts, regulations, competition vs. wild-caught fish, etc.

It might be possible to write an fresh issue on this topic, but be heavily aware of #591.

I also submitted something on fishing permits almost two months ago: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=395818

591 covers salmon, particularly sea lice infestations. There's none that covers antibiotic usage, unless if you count 563, but that's only with chicken.

[Ransium]

It might be possible to write an fresh issue on this topic, but be heavily aware of #591.

I also submitted something on fishing permits almost two months ago: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=395818

591 covers salmon, particularly sea lice infestations. There's none that covers antibiotic usage, unless if you count 563, but that's only with chicken.

Absolutely, just wanted to give you a heads up about it if you didn't know.

[Outer Sparta]

591 covers salmon, particularly sea lice infestations. There's none that covers antibiotic usage, unless if you count 563, but that's only with chicken.

Absolutely, just wanted to give you a heads up about it if you didn't know.

Thank you. I wasn't aware of 591 but I do know about 563 because my puppet wrote that issue. Anyway, I'd say I'm good at making permissible issues that have similar premises to other issues. Whether I'll pursue my idea is a bigger question, though (RL stuff, etc.).

[Socio Polor]

How do you guys feel about a issue discussing about a school bus crash with some injured kids.

[Kentalia]

How do you guys feel about a issue discussing about a school bus crash with some injured kids.

I'd be careful with that, some might take offense due to events such as that in the happening recently.

[Tinhampton]

What happened to all that hype about Issue #666 (and the many proposals featuring ID cards and what-have-you) in the summer?

[Candlewhisper Archive]

What happened to all that hype about Issue #666 (and the many proposals featuring ID cards and what-have-you) in the summer?

Well, we're not an issue 666 yet, obviously!

[Socio Polor]

How do you guys feel about a issue discussing about a school bus crash with some injured kids.

I'd be careful with that, some might take offense due to events such as that in the happening recently.

This idea is indeed inspired from a school bus that crashed recently, and about the offensive material, issues tend to have material that some people may find offensive so it's ok to talk about sensitive topics as long as it's not over the edge with it.

[Trotterdam]

I figure that if the crash only resulted in injuries rather than deaths, that already takes a lot of the bite out of it.

However, what are you planning to do with such an issue that makes it distinct from any other traffic accident? We already have several issues about traffic safety, so creative solutions are more valuable than creative premises.

[Socio Polor]

I figure that if the crash only resulted in injuries rather than deaths, that already takes a lot of the bite out of it.

However, what are you planning to do with such an issue that makes it distinct from any other traffic accident? We already have several issues about traffic safety, so creative solutions are more valuable than creative premises.

There are over 600 issues currently in the game. So no shocker to me that creativity is of the essence here. I'm currently have 2 issue ideas I'm planning on how to write

[Kentalia]

I figure that if the crash only resulted in injuries rather than deaths, that already takes a lot of the bite out of it.

However, what are you planning to do with such an issue that makes it distinct from any other traffic accident? We already have several issues about traffic safety, so creative solutions are more valuable than creative premises.

There are over 600 issues currently in the game. So no shocker to me that creativity is of the essence here. I'm currently have 2 issue ideas I'm planning on how to write

What about something about a maniac bus driver? Or something else of the sort, such as no one knows who the bus driver was, so you could possibly incorporate the typical, suspects give their reasons, you select the suspect sort of layout?

I'm currently quite uninspired, anyone have any ideas for issues? I can't bear to watch another minute of BBC News to be inspired.

[Drayxaso]

As I was working on shortening a draft of mine, I noticed that issues with more options typically exclude the part where the person explains the negative consequences of their actions. Is this generally a good idea?

[Ransium]

As I was working on shortening a draft of mine, I noticed that issues with more options typically exclude the part where the person explains the negative consequences of their actions. Is this generally a good idea?

Of course there's no objective answer to this (unless it comes from an editor, I suppose), so I will give you my strong subjective opinion. Although often used in earlier issues, sometimes necessary, and certainly an easy trope to use (that I don't claim to not have fallen into in the past), I think having the speaker argue against their own opinion is generally best avoided. Slightly better is to have the speaker dismiss or explain why potential downsides aren't really a big deal. But the best writing is when each speaker clearly articulates their opinion and the reader deduces from the speakers biases and others arguments the downsides of each argument.

[Maljaratas]

As I was working on shortening a draft of mine, I noticed that issues with more options typically exclude the part where the person explains the negative consequences of their actions. Is this generally a good idea?

Of course there's no objective answer to this (unless it comes from an editor, I suppose), so I will give you my strong subjective opinion. Although often used in earlier issues, sometimes necessary, and certainly an easy trope to use (that I don't claim to not have fallen into in the past), I think having the speaker argue against their own opinion is generally best avoided. Slightly better is to have the speaker dismiss or explain why potential downsides aren't really a big deal. But the best writing is when each speaker clearly articulates their opinion and the reader deduces from the speakers biases and others arguments the downsides of each argument.

Another suggestion that I would have for this format would be for each speaker to point out some flaw in the previous speakers argument, providing that pointing out a flaw is necessary (crazy options, massive bias).

[Drasnia]

As I was working on shortening a draft of mine, I noticed that issues with more options typically exclude the part where the person explains the negative consequences of their actions. Is this generally a good idea?

Most issues have a certain "length" to them - a kind of feel of how long an issue can be without being so long it bores the reader. There's no hard or fast rule, but I've always found 350-400 words total to be a good length. When I wrote Hobby Lobby which has 7 options, I kept it about that length. Many issues of these types (sometimes called list issues) are less about "weighty" decisions. They're usually about things like who to select as an adviser (an easy and straightforward way to change your nation's direction) or in the case of Hobby Lobby, @@LEADER@@'s personality.

Indeed, a good way to write downsides is to not say them but rather voice them through character descriptions or actions - a guard with blood on his billy club, a speaker who is subtly but most definitely insane or misled, etc. That's a hard thing to do consistently and so many (including myself, admittedly) write speakers who list the downside.

There are a few tricks that you can use, however. For example, instead of having a speaker say "We need x because safety, but it's going to cost a lot of money." have them say "We need a lot of funding for this project that will ensure the safety of the populace." Both mention the massive amount of funding needed for this but the latter feels more organic and less self-defeating.

[Ransium]

For example, instead of having a speaker say "We need x because safety, but it's going to cost a lot of money." have them say "We need a lot of funding for this project that will ensure the safety of the populace." Both mention the massive amount of funding needed for this but the latter feels more organic and less self-defeating.

That's a great point, probably one of the most under-discussed keys to good writing is careful structuring of individual sentences.

[Socio Polor]

I'm thinking of writing an issue discussing the topic of military discounts when they purchase stuff. Basically people getting discounts that are enlisted in the Armed Forces

[Techoligia]

I was thinking like an issue that either gave more power to Trade unions or you could ban them, I dunno.

[Outer Sparta]

I could also write an issue about nutrition guidelines and how the sugar industry bribed scientists. Mislabeling of fish could also be an intriguing topic, too.

[Ransium]

I could also write an issue about nutrition guidelines and how the sugar industry bribed scientists. Mislabeling of fish could also be an intriguing topic, too.

Both of those seem like promising premises!

[Outer Sparta]

I could also write an issue about nutrition guidelines and how the sugar industry bribed scientists. Mislabeling of fish could also be an intriguing topic, too.

Both of those seem like promising premises!

I already got my sugar draft done. The fish one could wait.

[Glorious Terran Empire]

So has identity theft ever been explored as a topic in an issue?