A Very Bad Idea

[squeequeg]

So aside from some short story work (one of which appears to have gotten its gears locked or something and makes unpleasant grindy noises whenever I look at it), I've got a little time on my hands after finishing the Crappy First Draft of the new novel. And the more I think about it, the more I realize I don't know what to do with it.

But that's all right! The Interwebs knows everything!

So in the interest of getting Internet Hlep* for the revision, I've decided to put together a little poll. Results will be tabulated, considered in the light of a second reread, and composted. Be warned: questions may have little to no relation to the actual text.

[Poll #864381]



* Hlep: It's like help, but different.

Comments

[gtrout.livejournal.com]

The idea that we're collectively recommending Strom Thurmond and more sex gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies.

[pseudosilence.livejournal.com]

You know, my sweetie, proffesional writer that he is, always has many drafts.

The very first one he produces is the s**t draft
The second one he produces is the puke and vomit draft
It takes the third one before he's even willing to call it the "first" draft. And we're not even counting all the outlines.

So your draft is an ungodly mess? Sounds like it is
just where it ought to be!

-PS

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

This proves that all of your moral senses are functioning normally. Besides, maybe we can stick Strom Thurmond in one of the explosions or something.

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Yeah. It's better than the last novel first draft I produced, but that one went through way too many revisions.

[sylvantechie.livejournal.com]

Fewer radio buttons! More ticky boxes! Less Strom Thurmond! More sex!

[gtrout.livejournal.com]

Zombie Strom!

[schreibergasse.livejournal.com]

You could, of course, also take the weird excursus and build a different novel out of that.

Hey, it worked for Cherryh.

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Every Strom is Zombie Strom!

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Ah! The ticky boxes! I forgot the ticky box chapter!

I wonder if you could tell a story in poll form.

[gtrout.livejournal.com]

In which case: the Clone Horde of the Zombie Stroms!

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good old-fashioned nightmare fuel.

[gtrout.livejournal.com]

I will accept a mention in the work's Acknowledgments as suitable recompense.

[cybersattva.livejournal.com]

Exactly my thought. Don't give up the prime prequel material!

[ffoeg.livejournal.com]

Wait a minute... are you writing my novel? Goddamn.

[laobscuridad.livejournal.com]

/bump

[sylvantechie.livejournal.com]

I think I was a little unclear (how could that be so? :)

IMRAPOTATACWODT*, surveys should generally avoid using radio buttons and instead use checkboxes, because one answer is often not sufficent to sum up the survey-taker's ideal response to the question.

Not that I have anythign against a chapter or six on ticky-boxes. Some of my best friends are ticky boxes...

* In My Role As Purveyor Of The Absolute Truth And Correct Way Of Doing Things

[silvarwyrm.livejournal.com]

Attractive shirtless men! Attractive shirtless men! Attractive shirtless men!

....wait. What was the question?

[sigerson.livejournal.com]

Yay for creative work = bpdily fluids!

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Bump?

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Not even in little pieces? Or (as above) in zombie horde form?

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Well, there's no gardeners or paradise, so I'm probably all right. You can have some spare zombie hordes if you need them, though!

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. I guess my authoritarian drive to force arbitrary categorization of answers just got the better of me.

Does the role come with a hat?

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

ew.

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

It's not all that prime, really. I think it's gonna have to go.

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

What would you like delivered to your front door?

[heatmhub.livejournal.com]

If I take the poll without reading the draft, will I throw off your results?

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

No one's read the draft. I suppose if you read the draft and then took the poll, you could throw off the results in the direction of, oh, sanity. But what would be the point?