Writing Discussion

[Conserative Morality]

Well, how does it sound so far? Yes, I expect you to comment on the very little information given.

It sounds like it has a narrator?

[New East Ireland]

Well, how does it sound so far? Yes, I expect you to comment on the very little information given.

It sounds like it has a narrator?

Good... Good...

[Greater Tezdrian]

The beginning of my NanoNovel, which is ongoing:

Porphyrogennetos

The Queen of Cities was silent. The only sound which could be heard was the desolate echo of the Conqueror's horseback entrance. Mehmed II, Kayser-i Rûm, looked about himself. Not a single Roman could be seen, although soft weeping could be heard in the distance. Former Roman Emperor Konstantinos XI Palaiologos had gracefully fled to Mystras, where he was supposed to rule as Amir of the Greeks. Mehmed would make sure he never got there. Constantinople, and, by extent, the Roman Empire, fell without a cannon shot. It was surrendered by it's former master, who would go down in history as as Konstantinos XI Kopronymos, or "the dung-named". In reality, the Sultan thought, Constantine's act was a noble attempt to save his dying culture. A simple glance was enough to tell that the Queen had fallen on hard times. Dung and filth lined the streets and the churches were stained and run-down. What a prize, Mehmed thought ruefully, what a prize.

Beads of sweat rolled down the face of Ktenas Stylianus Clarissimus, Roman envoy to the Second Conference of Lausanne. He knew that his presence was an important thing, a sign that the Romanoi were being taken seriously by the powers that be. Extensive negotiations with the Young Turk government in Ankara and the "Greek" government in Athens was enough to secure the peace of Romans in Constantinople, Imvros and Tenhedos, but without the Ottoman Sultanate, the Roman community in what was now Turkey lost the ancient guarantees of protection they had enjoyed under Ottoman rule.

It was Ktenas' job to secure those rights and the weight of the responsibilities incumbent made him sweat further. The Greek ambassador shot daggers at Ktenas when he wasn't looking. The privileges given to the Roman community in Constantinople after the surrender of Constantine XI had ensured the maintenance of Byzantine culture, Attic/demotic language, and religion; all of which contributed to the inhabitants of Constantinople retaining their identity, for the most part, as Roman. The Greeks, whom Constantinopolians derogatorily referred to as "Westerners", laid envious claim to the history and heritage of the Basileia Rhomaion; and despised their cousins for refusing to let it go. Already Athens tried to lay claim to Constantinople and were defeated by the vociferous opposition that the Roman populace of Constantinople raised. But Ktenas put that all behind him, and dipped his pen in ink. He glanced once more at Clause 14 of the Treaty, as if for reassurance that it's promise of autonomy for the Romans of Turkey was still there. It was. He signed the paper.

Yes, it's shit, but revision is for December, writing for November.

I don't understand, what time period is this Alternate History in?

The introduction (italicized) is set in 1453, after Constantine XI Palaiologos surrenders Constantinople to the Turks instead of fighting; in return for an Amirship in Greece and special guarantees of autonomy of the Byzantines. The novel proper begins in 1923 after the Turkish Revolution during the signing of the real-life Treaty of Lausanne, with the kicker of a insulated Byzantine community -which survived culturally intact due to Mehmed's guarantees- signing the Treaty with a special provision of renewed autonomy.

[Conserative Morality]

The introduction (italicized) is set in 1453, after Constantine XI Palaiologos surrenders Constantinople to the Turks instead of fighting; in return for an Amirship in Greece and special guarantees of autonomy of the Byzantines. The novel proper begins in 1923 after the Turkish Revolution during the signing of the real-life Treaty of Lausanne, with the kicker of a insulated Byzantine community -which survived culturally intact due to Mehmed's guarantees- signing the Treaty with a special provision of renewed autonomy.

Well, while your AH may be different from RL, if the revolution has went as it did in RL, the Young Turks were not the movers of the Turkish War of Independence. If it's different in that respect, well, forget I said anything.

[Zaras]

Well, I have one big writing project already started - churned about 50 pages so far, in fact - but it's on hiatus now due to university + the fact that I made two of the lead characters Scottish and I'm taking a break until I can find somebody from the respective region who can help me rewrite the dialogue to make it less... fakey. Translate it into the Scottish dialect properly, basically.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Well, I have one big writing project already started - churned about 50 pages so far, in fact - but it's on hiatus now due to university + the fact that I made two of the lead characters Scottish and I'm taking a break until I can find somebody from the respective region who can help me rewrite the dialogue to make it less... fakey. Translate it into the Scottish dialect properly, basically.

Easy fix.

"Goddamn it you two sound so... stereotypically Scottish! People don't even talk like that!"

"Well, excuse us for speaking!"

[Zaras]

Well, I have one big writing project already started - churned about 50 pages so far, in fact - but it's on hiatus now due to university + the fact that I made two of the lead characters Scottish and I'm taking a break until I can find somebody from the respective region who can help me rewrite the dialogue to make it less... fakey. Translate it into the Scottish dialect properly, basically.

Easy fix.

"Goddamn it you two sound so... stereotypically Scottish! People don't even talk like that!"

"Well, excuse us for speaking!"

Well, at first I just made them sound exactly like I made all my characters sound.

Then I thought, "shit, they're from near Aberdeen, they can't possibly sound like this!"

So I tried translating the dialogue myself using online dictionaries, and now I'm like... yeah, this is so fake.

[Celritannia]

I have several ideas for novels, the one I'm mainly interested in is the reason I started a NS. Writing a factbook is so I am able to understand myself about the government, its society etc.

[Conserative Morality]

I'm thinking of doing a little fantasy piece about a dying monarch and one of his advisers that tries to save him. I'm hoping to weave in ideas of inevitability, struggle, and conflicting interests, as well as the morality of force and traditional succession systems.

[Norstal]

I'm thinking of doing a little fantasy piece about a dying monarch and one of his advisers that tries to save him. I'm hoping to weave in ideas of inevitability, struggle, and conflicting interests, as well as the morality of force and traditional succession systems.

Sounds like Dragon Age. Except instead of a monarch, it's one of the nobles. Eh, same concept I'd say.

Go for it anyways.

[New East Ireland]

I'm thinking of doing a little fantasy piece about a dying monarch and one of his advisers that tries to save him. I'm hoping to weave in ideas of inevitability, struggle, and conflicting interests, as well as the morality of force and traditional succession systems.

"Hey, Edward. Daddy's dying?"

"What was that George? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my coronation bells."

"Pfft. You'll lose the throne when you try and marry some poor American socialite..."

"... George, shut the fuck up. You're making no sense."

"Did someone say alcohol?"

"Winston, please, you're not important until 1940."

"Murmur murmur murmur..."

[Conserative Morality]

Sounds like Dragon Age. Except instead of a monarch, it's one of the nobles. Eh, same concept I'd say.

Go for it anyways.

Never played Dragon Age.

[Nationstatelandsville]

I'm thinking of doing a little fantasy piece about a dying monarch and one of his advisers that tries to save him. I'm hoping to weave in ideas of inevitability, struggle, and conflicting interests, as well as the morality of force and traditional succession systems.

"Hey, Edward. Daddy's dying?"

"What was that George? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my coronation bells."

"Pfft. You'll lose the throne when you try and marry some poor American socialite..."

"... George, shut the fuck up. You're making no sense."

"Did someone say alcohol?"

"Winston, please, you're not important until 1940."

"Murmur murmur murmur..."

[Conserative Morality]

"Hey, Edward. Daddy's dying?"

"What was that George? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my coronation bells."

"Pfft. You'll lose the throne when you try and marry some poor American socialite..."

"... George, shut the fuck up. You're making no sense."

"Did someone say alcohol?"

"Winston, please, you're not important until 1940."

"Murmur murmur murmur..."

I was thinking more:

"Oh shit, I'm dying!"

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

"Get the hell out! I'm dying! Damn you all! I AM STILL KING!"

"Civil War - Illegitimate claimant. Pick one."

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

"Crown my son! No wait, don't crown my son! Crown my brother! No wait, crown my son!"

"Listen, he's losing it, it'd be so much better if he just had an accident."

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

[New East Ireland]

"Hey, Edward. Daddy's dying?"

"What was that George? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my coronation bells."

"Pfft. You'll lose the throne when you try and marry some poor American socialite..."

"... George, shut the fuck up. You're making no sense."

"Did someone say alcohol?"

"Winston, please, you're not important until 1940."

"Murmur murmur murmur..."

I was thinking more:

"Oh shit, I'm dying!"

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

"Get the hell out! I'm dying! Damn you all! I AM STILL KING!"

"Civil War - Illegitimate claimant. Pick one."

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

"Crown my son! No wait, don't crown my son! Crown my brother! No wait, crown my son!"

"Listen, he's losing it, it'd be so much better if he just had an accident."

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

You need an alcoholic adventurer and politician named Eustace Chapelmount.

[Nationstatelandsville]

I was thinking more:

"Oh shit, I'm dying!"

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

"Get the hell out! I'm dying! Damn you all! I AM STILL KING!"

"Civil War - Illegitimate claimant. Pick one."

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

"Crown my son! No wait, don't crown my son! Crown my brother! No wait, crown my son!"

"Listen, he's losing it, it'd be so much better if he just had an accident."

"I'LL SAVE YOU MY LORD!"

You need an alcoholic adventurer and politician named Eustace Chapelmount.

Chapel... mount?

His ancestor must have had quite the adventure to get that kind of surname.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

You need an alcoholic adventurer and politician named Eustace Chapelmount.

Chapel... mount?

His ancestor must have had quite the adventure to get that kind of surname.

I gave the man his name. He deserved it.

[New East Ireland]

Still, it's like Winston Churchill. Church hill. Chapel mount.

Meh.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Still, it's like Winston Churchill. Church hill. Chapel mount.

Meh.

Trust me, old Winston went through a lot for his name.

Ever wondered why he hated Indians?

[New East Ireland]

Still, it's like Winston Churchill. Church hill. Chapel mount.

Meh.

Trust me, old Winston went through a lot for his name.

Ever wondered why he hated Indians?

No.

[Conserative Morality]

Trust me, old Winston went through a lot for his name.

Ever wondered why he hated Indians?

Because Gandhi was an annoying asshole? /truth

[New East Ireland]

Trust me, old Winston went through a lot for his name.

Ever wondered why he hated Indians?

Because Gandhi was an annoying asshole? /truth

"Sir, you can't walk on the lawn of the Viceroy of India."

"I'm not doing anything violent."

"Sir, it's against the law."

"I'm not doing anything violent."

"Sir, for the last time, it. Is. Against. The. Law. To. Be. On. The. Viceroy's. Lawn."

"I'm not doing anything violent."

"... Shut the fuck up, asshole."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Trust me, old Winston went through a lot for his name.

Ever wondered why he hated Indians?

No.

You should have.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Trust me, old Winston went through a lot for his name.

Ever wondered why he hated Indians?

Because Gandhi was an annoying asshole? /truth

[Nationstatelandsville]

Trust me, old Winston went through a lot for his name.

Ever wondered why he hated Indians?

Because Gandhi was an annoying asshole? /truth

But he was Gandhi. He could burn down an orphanage and still be goddamn Gandhi.