mizal, The Expert Scrivener
Member Since
5/5/2011
Last Activity
6/24/2018 4:42 PM
EXP Points
Post Count
7657
Storygame Count
8
Duel Stats
1
win
/
6
losses
Order
Lauded Sage
Commendations
Sagely advice for the children: Here and here and all over this wonderful internet only a single Google search away, you may find explanations of correct grammar and punctuation usage in English. That and proper spelling (most writing programs and even the editor on the site itself helpfully include a spell checker!) are the bare minimum expected of anyone posting a story on the site. If you're not willing to do that much, you're not remotely serious about writing. And if you don't care about what you write, then we don't care to read it. So don't bother.
Rating and reviewing other people's stories is still an excellent use of your time however and a way to accumulate points and respect on the site even if you don't write. It may also teach you a thing or two about writing and especially writing and structuring CYOAs, which are a bit of a different beast than a standard story. Reading books, and thinking about them on the meta level in the sense of the the things the author chose to include and how they were introduced and why is also a good exercise in sharpening your skills. Reading bad books and being able to identify why they're bad, even better! Read books above your designated 'age level' or whatever as often as possible. That whole system was created by people who think you're stupid and want to keep you that way. You'll never get better at anything unless you push and challenge yourself.
Sagely advice for newb authors: Read the articles. Especially the ones on the advanced editor and scripting. A basic knowledge of variables and scripting will save you untold headaches in the future and streamline the whole process. Learn what $DEST is for and how to toggle a variable within link if nothing else.
A regular story is challenging enough if you're serious about doing it properly. Meanwhile a CYOA is an exponentially expanding story on steroids and crack. You MUST make plans ahead of time about what you're doing and where it's going or it will get away from you completely.
Always back up your work. If nothing else, make a copy of anything you write just before hitting the button to save it. Glitches have been known to happen and a page can time out if it sits too long.
Many of the veteran authors here do all their writing in a separate program that can be more easily backed up and paste it over to the site when they're finished. Your words often flow easier when you tackle one path at a time and then go back to add in branches, treating each major path like its own complete story with variations within it.
Although, there are many ways to structure a CYOA and you may found a different system than the one described above works best for you, one thing that's important for any story to be satisfying is that it's structured like a story.
Behold the sacred precepts of S T R U C T U R E in all their simple, straightforward glory:
Spelling it out (for the blindies and others) in order for a story to BE a story you need to start off by establishing your setting, important characters, and the conflict they'll be up against. Smaller obstacles leading up to the major one will need to be overcome, and the protagonist will usually try and fail to deal with whatever the main source of conflict is, or it will be revealed to be more powerful or dangerous than believed. (Remember, an easily won victory is a boring one.) This leads into the climax, the point of greatest suspense where the stakes are highest and the characters have everything to lose. Once THAT'S overcome, the story enters a period of falling action where the tension winds back down and the fallout of resolving the conflict plays out. Finally, the resolution or epilogue where the themes or larger lessons meant to be learned might be reflected back on, and everything is wrapped up leaving a sense of closure for the readers and/or characters.
Finally, a quote, since that is apparently a thing we do:
"Your reviews for both the published storygames and the works in both the creative corner and writing workshop have undeniably helped countless users. Your site presence is a boon for the site by acting like a fiery furnace. You'll roast the worthless rabble and refine what's left.
If you never would've discovered this odd yet charming corner of the web, then CYS would be missing a beneficial and integral part of its very identity." --WouldntItBeNice
Trophies Earned
Storygames
You are a man on a mission. The cats, they must be stacked.
A puzzling math and logic game I made just to put some of the scripting practice I've been doing to use. Have fun and please let me know if you encounter any bugs.
Should be solvable by middle schoolers, or those with same basic level of intelligence as a middle schooler.
A puzzling math and logic game I made just to put some of the scripting practice I've been doing to use. Have fun and please let me know if you encounter any bugs.
Should be solvable by middle schoolers, or those with same basic level of intelligence as a middle schooler.
A short, educational piece. Please remain sensitive and respectful in the comment section. (I'd hate to have to report you to an admin for bullying me.)
(DO NOT READ if you're at all easily offended or lacking in a sense of humor. There's nothing graphic at all in here, but seriously, I still cannot stress it enough, this story is not for you.)
Dedicated to the good people of COG.
(DO NOT READ if you're at all easily offended or lacking in a sense of humor. There's nothing graphic at all in here, but seriously, I still cannot stress it enough, this story is not for you.)
Dedicated to the good people of COG.
A compilation of some little known facts about the solar system, as well as the debunking of a few myths.
In addition to the scientific explanations, there's a small story dramatizing it all.
Hopefully young readers will find this fun as well as educational. :)
It doesn't matter what they say...
...and the squirrels. Sort of.
Written in six hours, for no other reason than to avoid consignment to the SHAME pit after my other Romance contest entry didn't want to cooperate.
Written in six hours, for no other reason than to avoid consignment to the SHAME pit after my other Romance contest entry didn't want to cooperate.
A tale told in verse. A text from your sister requesting a pick up from a party leads to a night of strangeness.
Inspired by Bucky's ballad contest. Though...I wouldn't call this a ballad. I'm not sure what I'd call it, actually, other than exceedingly stupid, and fun to write.
(Don't pay any attention to the scores, they're just for me to track which endings reviewers get.)
HATE.
THE PURITY AND INTENSITY OF MY HATE IS LIKE A THOUSAND MERCILESS, UNQUENCHABLE SUNS.
AND YET, I ONLY NEED ONE...
THE PURITY AND INTENSITY OF MY HATE IS LIKE A THOUSAND MERCILESS, UNQUENCHABLE SUNS.
AND YET, I ONLY NEED ONE...
When the weather is fine, you've been coming to this grove to drink from the pool for centuries now. Today, you meet a stranger and hear a story that changes all that...
A fairy tale adventure.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: There's a heavily scripted scene that due to time constraints I didn't have the opportunity to thoroughly test. You'll know it when you see it. In addition to a save game link beforehand, I've provided the option to skip it altogether should you encounter problems. A PM describing those problems would also be greatly appreciated as I'll be revisiting this game once the crushing weight of December has passed.]
A fairy tale adventure.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: There's a heavily scripted scene that due to time constraints I didn't have the opportunity to thoroughly test. You'll know it when you see it. In addition to a save game link beforehand, I've provided the option to skip it altogether should you encounter problems. A PM describing those problems would also be greatly appreciated as I'll be revisiting this game once the crushing weight of December has passed.]
Laurels of Triumph
unpublished
hi coins, thanks for the suggestion
Articles Written
CYS Forum Advice and EtiquetteA modernized guide to the forums. The path to internet popularity and happiness, and a few CYS specific do's and don'ts.
Recent Posts
Also New, Need Help... Please on 6/24/2018 4:40:58 PM
If you have a more specific question I can get more specific in answering.
Ascendant: Ebon's EPIC Motivation Thread on 6/24/2018 2:27:13 PM
You're using 'kid' again. You did this in the Alexander story and it annoyed me then too.
Fresh Meat - baiting and hooking thread on 6/24/2018 12:25:49 PM
@CrazedOwl
I'm sorry but the position of 'crazed owl' is already taken, do you have anything else to bring to the table here?
Cyberbitching and Meowing on 6/23/2018 10:26:48 PM
It was a bad era with weak-willed admins who should have just banned all the fifth graders for failure to use grammar and averted the whole war honestly.
Anyhow editing that out was a GOOD instinct, Coins has ninja blood though and he's just too damn fast for you.
No adults (except for Bad Mod Kiel) ever set foot in Forum Games back before it was burned to the ground though and so Flamepelt was clearly lying anyhow.
Cyberbitching and Meowing on 6/23/2018 10:22:22 PM
lol
Some Questions for You, as a Reader on 6/23/2018 10:20:02 PM
Creating a plot from the standpoint of is/isn't it a trope and will people like/hate it might be the wrong way to go about this. It's a lot more important to write something that interests YOU, because CYOAs can be a lot of work and it needs to be something you're excited to write about and aren't going to get burned out on. If you put serious effort into a story and cover all your bases with making it a complete and polished one with a meaningful conflict and relateable characters chances are people will like it.
Cyberbitching and Meowing on 6/23/2018 10:12:34 PM
I'm pretty sure he was banned because it was funny, and nothing of value was lost.
I don't think you have anything to worry about, but I was wondering if you'd respond to the ping. I always get curious about people I see online regularly who don't seem to post or do much I can glean from stalking EXP pages.
I remember you as being kind of insufferable but that was like three or four years ago and you seem to have gotten better, not being a tween anymore will do that I hear. (In addition to being the cure for an uncomfortably intense love of talking cats...)
Although judging by how abjectly terrified you sound even today I'd say the Purge did its job amazingly well! But anyhow, you're fine, nothing more to see here, carry on citizen and have a nice day. I don't see any need for End to deliver six warning shots to the back just at this moment.
Risk My Attention (Ogrish Architecture) on 6/23/2018 8:02:12 PM
>Among the Trees
Oh, this one will make me laugh.
Interesting comments 3 on 6/23/2018 2:51:33 PM
This story is pretty offensive, it can get graphic and downright ruthless at times so if you don’t like that sort of humor, don’t read this story. But if you read it anyway don’t complain if you get offended, I did warn you and keep in mind it IS only a story.
...and they read it anyway and then complained. That's absurd.
...and they read it anyway and then complained. That's absurd.
Auspicious Dawn: Second Excerpt on 6/23/2018 1:24:50 PM
I assumed the sort of starkness of it was deliberate, a 'just the facts' kind of thing. Or anyway I didn't notice too much contrast between this and the first page you posted.
To bad this is getting cut, it really gets a lot across about the characters and how unphased by this kind of thing they are in a short amount of time.
(Pus just has one s though just fyi)