Entries from July 2008
I’m halfway reading through The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King) and there was something I was wondering that none of the characters have mentioned. This is a math question more than anything, but this book has got me so much into it that I had to ask.
Each character probably assumed that they had a 1% chance of winning the long walk. That could probably be true if it was a race within a limited distance. But because the distance of the race is determined by the ultimate winner I’m thinking that the chances of someone winning the race is more probably 0.0001%.
The reason I am saying that is because assuming that there are only two Walkers left. Each Walker has a 50% chance of winning assuming this is a race. But because it is also endurance adds that extra level of chance. If for example the front runner gets a ticket then you would think that the 2nd runner has won. But the runner still needs to pass the front runner, assuming those are the rules.
Put another way, if two Walkers are side by side and one trips. The first Walker has a 50% chance of winning the race because as long as the other Walker is still alive, race is on.
But also, the second Walker has a 25% then 50% then 75% chance of getting a ticket depending on the number of warnings.
So what do you think?
Categories: random · reading
Tagged: chance, endurance, math, probability, race, richard backman, stephen king, the long walk
One thing I keep realizing over and over about writing is that there is a difference between knowing and understanding. Alot of writers claim to know how to write, but whether they understand why is a different question.
What I know is that everything in a story needs to play a part in that story. If a place or a person doesn’t add to the story then that place or person doesn’t belong in the story. (more…)
Categories: writing
Tagged: character role, characters, novel, protagonists, role
When I first started learning I to write I heard a bunch of different ways that different expereinced and new writers write. Everyone claimed that their way was the best way to do it.
When it comes to just the writing part everyone has their ways: write, never use the delete key; write, edit as needed; write and make as nice as you can; etc.
Well I have come up with my own set of rules that I have used so far to help me focus.
- At the start of every writing session I have the right to rewrite the last two or three paragraphs usually because I wrote them when I was starting to get tired and most likely suck.
- I have the right to go back and insert a scene between two other scenes in order to fulfill my story plot or to fill a plot whole.
- I have the right to use a thesaurus for words that I can’t remember.
Let’s see what else I can come up with as I write my novel and whatever other short stories.
Categories: writing
So this morning I came up with my novel’s plot. I always knew who the protagonists and antagonists were and more or less what their relationships were. But this morning I finally figured out the dynamics of those relationships and it’s beautiful and simple.
It will leave a lot of room for human fustrations, surprises and plot twists.
Let’s see how good of a writer I am.
Categories: writing
Tagged: novel, novel plot, plot, plot twist, story
What excuse did this drunk driver use?
Quebec provincial police got an unexpected surprise Thursday when they pulled over a man for impaired driving and found a dead body in the car.
Either he’s so drunk that he can’t remember the hit. Which isn’t good for the impaired driving bit. Or he really only blew just over the limit and well…
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/07/03/qc-repentignydiscovery0703.html
Categories: interesting news
Tagged: corpse, drunk, dui, impaired driving, murder, police, provincial police, quebec, Repentigny
I love reading Stephen King. The reason I love him so much is because he gets deep down into the character’s like and dislikes. What annoys them and what gets them excited. He is only one of two adult authors I have ever read, and he’s the only one that gets into the character’s brains.
I’m not out to copy Stephen King’s style, although I’d love to. But what it brings to mind is what I have missing in my writing. What do the characters think of each other. What do they think of the antagonists. (more…)
Categories: writing
Tagged: character dynamcis, dynamics, point of view, relationships, stephen king, third person limited, third person objective
Well maybe not really a man, but damn. This is a whole new perspective on gender and roles and reproduction and are you my mommy or papy?
Mr Beatie, who sports a wispy beard, made headlines around the world when he revealed in April that he was pregnant.
It’s one thing having to explain gay parents, that’s something society has pretty much accepted. But how do you explain this. I bet she’ll be having fun introducing her boyfriend to her mother/father.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7488894.stm
Categories: interesting news
Tagged: confusion, daughter, father, inseminated, man, mother, pregnancy, sex change
