Good Griff!

by Von Snootingham

Chapter Placeholder

Hey kids! Look who's not dead (not for lack of trying)! Yeah, I know, who knew? Anyway, this is just a placeholder chapter to go in for the real chapter 13, which is going up soon™. Like, actually soon though. Like, in the next few days. No more than a week. I PROMISE (for what that's worth).

I've been working on it for the last few weeks and I was looking to have it up for the anniversary (today) like I was supposed to. It's been real arduous because my main computer (the desktop) died abut six months ago, and then my laptop died at the start of March. So I've basically been without a computer for the last couple months with no money to fix either. Which means I've been writing the new chapter on my phone. Yeah. It sucks. But yeah, I was set to be finished anyway, but then I got struck down with the plague for the better part of the last week. I'm just starting to get over it, so I should be able to finish the next one real soon™.

I just wanted to get this in here A) to let anyone who inexplicably hasn't given up on me that it's coming soon and that I'm not dead and haven't forsaken Gilda and crew; and B) for posterity, because these last few have been once a year ON the year and I don't want that bemirched when I look back and see it was late a couple days. Is it cheating? Of course. But when have I ever cared about that?

So when the new one comes out, I'll change this one to the new chapter, and post another chapter so you'll get a notice. Yep. That's about it. See you soon.........™!

(Advisory: Always take everything Otto Von Snootingham says with a grain of salt or twelve. He is a known letter-downer.)

Comments

[ferret]

Be careful not to just edit this and paste in the chapter, because it won't pop up a notification for readers thel.

[Von Snootingham]

8166860
I know. Like I said, I'm going to paste in the chapter, then post a new chapter that just says "YO! New chapter up, fools! Go back to the previous one and read it, suckas!"

[Firefox Lantern]

Glad to hear you're willing to finish the chapter despite all those computer failures, I hope you get better and be able to buy a replacement computer. Try buying used, it's way cheaper.

[Von Snootingham]

8167074
I'm actually hoping to fix my desktop, once I can buy a new processor. It has far too much valuable data on it to just write off. I mean, sure I could swap the hard drive into a new computer, but... um... I guess I don't really have a reason why that's not an option.

[Saris Daddy]

Chapter or gtfo XP

Just kidding. Glad to see you plan to update (soonish)

[ShadeJak]

Good to see you still alive and well. I'm considering resuming my 5s/4 Octavia and Vinyl story myself.

[Von Snootingham]

8171331 Dooo eeet! Let's get the gang back together for one last gig!

[Cantankerous]

I'd really like to see this story completed one day.

[lap1s lazul1]

"Next cupple of days" deep inhale BOI

[Celestial Petrichor]

8171331
You should do that! Loved your story when it was active.

[Cantankerous]

This story is dead and I'm upset about it.

[Von Snootingham]

8354297
I wouldn't say DEAD, but I AM a DEADBEAT about writing. I went through some major stuff that I'm not going to discuss a little but after I made that last post and I've been recovering since. I've actually written, like, whole two paragraphs this month so far. (yay?)

[MorningWonder]

Soon™..

18 months later...

[Von Snootingham]

9300194
Ha ha, yeah. I suck. Though I did make a new years resolution to finish the story by the end of 2018. I'm banking some chapters rights now.

[MoonlitEclipse]

*hope, just hope*

[Melodiac]

9553032

You've done good to date, I really do enjoy your type of writing. I'm trying to emulate it a slight bit for my FS/4 fic on Sunburst and Starlight.
I do love those sort of subtleties in any story, hinting at another story of any sort.
As for your writing; You're doing great! Best of luck on your next chapter, I'm sure it'll be a good one.
-Melodiac

[Von Snootingham]

9554361
Aw thanks. I appreciate you saying that. I'm not great with action or heavy description, but what I do do (heh heh) is dialogue. Or at least that's what I like to think. My advice for making good/natural/interesting character interactions is to actually act them out yourself. Set the scene you want, and then act out as many characters as you want out loud to see how the conversation flows and what sounds good.

One of the pet peeves in "professional" writing advice is how they tell you you basically have to stick to proper formatting, like it's some sort of MLA term paper. That's bullshit. That's not how people talk and act. People don't stand semi-facing each other at One Quarter Turn and then monologue at each other like in Shakespeare (as much as I love ol' Shakey Spear). People are constantly moving, looking around, emoting with their faces and their bodies, starting, stopping, repeating themselves. Say you have two people who are thinking of going out for fast food:

"Hey, Joe." said Mack. "Would you want to go get a burger with me?"
"Yeah, I'd like that," answered Joe.

Mack waved weakly, then folded his hands behind his back. "Hey Joe. You, uh..." he hesitated, he brow creasing. "Would you... wanna go get burger with me?"
"Ehhhh..." Joe droned, seeming to mull it over. He pursed his lips and clicked his tongue in thought until he noticed Mack's worried expression and realization dawned on him. He smiled warmly. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Which of the two examples tells more of a story? What was that story? The actual dialogue is the same in both examples. But in the second one, it's paced in a way that people might actually talk in a particular situation and interspersed with body language. This, I feel, is part of the classic "show, don't tell". I'm SHOWING you what these people are feeling and maybe a little of what they're thinking without actually having to have an omniscient third person narrator tell you "Mack wants to ask Joe out on a date".

But anyway, I'm kind of rambling. Back to my original point. If you want to emulate my style, just try actually saying your dialogue out loud and taking notice of your own (and other people's if you're peoplewatching) bodylanguage, and then just dropping that on the page.

[Melodiac]

9555589
I agree with that wholly, my main issue is the overmuch amount of “robotic descriptions.”

-Melodiac

[Str8aura]

I came because of how much this sounded like a so bad it's good sitcom.

It did not disappoint.

Please, beyond please, continue.

[Von Snootingham]

10530697
I think about this story every single day. I always say, "Tomorrow will be the day I get back to writing." It never happens. But I still think about it. Hopefully one of these days tomorrow will be today and I'll do it. I'll almost certainly not write the planned sequels, but I can't die until I finish this one.

[Str8aura]

10532415
God I feel you. I'm so sorry dude.

[Chicken Waffles]

I read this a few months ago while finally cracking open the spinoffs, but I didn't have an account yet (took me long enough, haha), so I've neglected to post my thoughts on it until now.

Okay. Holy crap, this was a delight. You're a really talented writer- your work is super voicy, and all the characters are as diverse as they are distinct. I live bitchy hotshot lesbian Glinda. She's so cool.

Lazy Bones absolutely steals the show, though. Her story arc thus far has been intensely compelling. Using humor or the excuse of "laziness" to hide her serious depression, really only beginning to find joy once she returns to normal- though not without speedbumps, obviously. I'm wondering if a lot of the lethargy and self-loathing was due to an unknown, but serious case of both body and gender dysphoria. If so, excellent job. You really pulled that off.

Also the Flim Flam brothers! You've made them so intensely likeable while keeping true to their carny quirkiness! The infomercial bit with perfect. Some things never change.

I know you said you intend to finish this at some point, though life has gotten in the way. Even if that never comes to pass, I'd still love to hear what you had planned for the rest of the tale!

Shit, I wrote a lot. Well, to cap it off, this was a great addition to the Five Score universe! I wish you best of luck in whatever writing endeavors you pursue from here on out!