Tock's Scrapbook - Eccentric Ramblings

by **Minerva Agatha Zipporah** on July 30th, 2012, 9:10 pm

Continuity

I find continuity to be both an important, yet challenging thing on Mizahar. I try very hard to avoid writing myself into plotholes, or clashing with what's come before. Doesn't mean I necessarily succeed, but I try.

One of the ways I try to do this, which you'll no doubt notice if you read my threads, is linking previous relevant threads when I reference the events. Usually this happens most often in my first post of a thread. Sometimes it will be linking other threads in the same 'series' (such as the Mikey the Sick Kid series). I find this helpful because 1) it shows readers what came before, if they didn't read those threads, 2) it helps clarify which threads are 'connected' (since other threads in my timeline, even if they're close to the same dates, might be completely different plots), and 3) it helps me keep a sense of the chain of events from a to b to c, so I don't mix things up. This is especially important if several threads in a series are with different players and thus move at different rates. For example, with Mikey, his threads have been a mix of solos, and threads involving Hadrian, Iris, Nira, Kaeson, Bones, and Ignotus. But I might forget something like "Where in the series did Mikey's Uncle die?" Linking the threads together helps keep that straight.

Another continuity issue I have is injuries. Tock gets hurt WAY TOO MUCH. Which is entirely my own fault, really. Every injury she's had, I wrote myself. Poor girl... I feel like a sadist. But, it becomes complicated when I have to stop before posting to a thread and ask, "Am I hurt in this thread? Is this one where I need the magic crutches? How much limited mobility and exhaustion do I need here?" Etc etc. Mostly I handle this with notes in my CS timeline.

But then there's the biggest, or smallest issue: Flashbacks.

You can't always know what will happen in a flashback. Continuity issues often arise, though usually they're quite minor. Such as, the very first thread I did (don't read it, my writing was terrible). (No, really). I met a Kelvic, and established it as the first time Tock ever saw one. But now I'm in a flashback with another one. It's a minor point... if I really wanted to, I could revise the more current time thread to reference having met a Kelvic before. But its a little "nitpickers" thing that pops up.

Other 'firsts' could be things like Tock's first kiss. Which isn't her first anymore. Again, its a minor issue. One or two sentences of revision in the more current thread would reference the precious kiss and remove discontinuous references to it being her "first kiss". But, it's not worth revising an old thread just for that. And while I could have just not let the kiss happen in the flashback, it would have be out of character for Tock to not kiss the girl in that thread. It fit the moment, so I went with it.

Though sometimes, enforcing continuity can be a LOT of fun. Such as when Ignotus started our first thread together. The date he tagged happened to be the night before another thread, where I'd already establish Tock was drunk off her ASS the night before, and had started the thread quite hung over. So, when I realized that, I said to myself, "Welp, I guess I've gotta play her drunk!" Poor Iggy... his shoes suffered the consequences of my continuity *sigh*.

Hopefully, though, I'll never cause a major continuity issue that goes beyond a couple sentences of reference. But if I do, I could always Retcon?

by **Alori Sai** on July 31st, 2012, 12:39 am

Awesome Tock, Continuity is a big deal if you want a good story without those nasty plot holes. I try my best to keep to that, and have gone back plenty of times and re-read threads to be sure that I'm not digging any holes for my character to fall into.

Ever intend to write something for a character and forget, then later think you've written it and have to go back and check, only to find out that you didn't? @_@

I haven't done many flash Backs or Solos yet, but I did start a few threads at the same time for different time lines for past and future...blah!

by **Minerva Agatha Zipporah** on July 31st, 2012, 12:59 am

I've never forgotten to write something for a whole planned thread, but I've had times I'm halfway through a post and then forget to write a key point in it. Such as mentioning something one of my Automatons is doing without remembering to introduce the Automaton so the person I'm threading with knows what it is/that it's there.

Otherwise I do find having a Plotnotes thread is helpful for keeping track of things. And I've got, no lie, a good 30 pages of handwritten notes lying around my desk, sorted into different categories. Notes on active threads (ESPECIALLY the Mikey series), magic, planned Automatons, my statue, and other things I want to develop.

by **Alori Sai** on July 31st, 2012, 2:27 am

Well aren't you just TOO awesome.

That's pretty neat that you have Tock THAT well planned. I'm working to get more going with Aela but..it's going a bit slow.

by **Minerva Agatha Zipporah** on August 1st, 2012, 1:25 am

How To Speak "Tock"

At long last, the answers to some oft-asked questions and confusion about the things Tock says.

Tock says...	Translation	Usage
"Wotcher?"	"What are you doing?"	Usually used as a greeting, eg "What's up?"
"Owzer?"	"How are you doing?"	Self explanatory.
"Tucker"	"Food/ A meal"	Usually specifically used when inviting someone out to lunch/dinner
"Middie"	"A medium-sized mug of ale"	As opposed to a 'pint' of ale.
References to people, in descending order of how much she likes you (Male/Female)
"Love/Conch"	"Person I like a lot/ feel very close to"	Usually "love" will be reserved for a man she is romantically involved with (so far it has only been used for Satevis). "Conch" is specifically short for "conscientious person", and is generally reserved for someone who is both friendly AND helpful/ eager to volunteer without complaint (so far only used for Nai'shee and Wart).
"Mate/Sook"	"Person I like/ am friends with"	Generally used in the same context as 'buddy/pal' or 'sweetie/dear'.
"Guv/Shelia"	"Annoying or stuck up person"	Generally interchangeable with "Poshy," referring to snobbish, irritating, or big headed people
"Bloke"	"Foolish person"	Typically strictly male, used when she's in a bad mood.
"Bludger" or "Dodger"	"Lazy person or someone who tries to 'dodge' work"	Interchangeable male or female. Related to 'layabout'

Other general translation tips:

- Always cuts the 'g' off any word ending in '-ing'
- Always cuts the 'h' from the beginning of words
- Shortens 'here' or 'there' to just ''ere' (context of the sentence can reveal which is which)
- Shortens 'their' to ''eir'
- Substitutes 'I's' for 'I'm', 'yer' for 'your', 'ya' or 'yous' for 'you', and 'you's' for 'you're'

That's all I can think of for now. Though I know she occasionally pops out some other strange phrases...

by **Pash'nar** on August 2nd, 2012, 3:49 am

Now, someone just needs to rig autocorrect to do the translation work for you while you type your posts. I need to write a reference guide like this, but am far too lazy/distracted/otherwise occupied.

I appreciate the Tockicon. (Toxicon was not an appropriate combo of Tock and lexicon. Note to self.)

by **Pash'nar** on August 2nd, 2012, 3:49 am

Mm. Tapatalk likes to double post. My bad.

by **Minerva Agatha Zipporah** on August 2nd, 2012, 4:09 am

LOL! *hugs Pash* Maybe we can code a Google Translate type language thing...

by **Cascade** on August 2nd, 2012, 9:05 am

I'm just going to bookmark that post for future references. Lalala.

by **Nai'shee** on August 2nd, 2012, 10:54 am

This is heading straight to my plotnotes for future examination!

Sure is a good idea to write it down..XD