The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[sirhugs]

come to Lit to avoid winter...

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

This is that very weird time of the morning when you can almost watch the sky getting lighter by the minute.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

I'm watching the golden glow to the east as the sun works its way over the horizon, beckoning another cold but sunny day. With the track of the storm moving so far north, we're now in the path of the worst part of the snow and may get up to two feet of it once all is said and done. With temperatures projected to not get above freezing again until next month, it's going to be a mess.

At least it's warm in here as I've got a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the teapot is steaming. There are plenty of snacks on the counter and I've got a cord of firewood next to the fireplace so we can enjoy the heat from the fire. Hopefully the plot bunnies won't get too close to the fire and go up in a puff of smoke.

I'll be over in the corner working on my story. I'm trying hard to describe the set up to my story without sounding like a boring history professor. I'm trying to figure out if I want the characters to discuss the setup in a conversation, or just describe the setup before the characters start talking ....

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Okay, it's clearly time to resurrect a timely favourite by Ezra Pound. Stay warm, folks.

Ancient Music

Winter is icumen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm,
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
And how the wind doth ramm!
Sing: Goddamm.
Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
Freezeth river, turneth liver,
Damm you; Sing: Goddamm.

Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,
So 'gainst the winter's balm.
Sing goddamm, damm, sing goddamm,
Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.

 

[NotWise]

I'm watching the golden glow to the east as the sun works its way over the horizon, beckoning another cold but sunny day. With the track of the storm moving so far north, we're now in the path of the worst part of the snow and may get up to two feet of it once all is said and done. With temperatures projected to not get above freezing again until next month, it's going to be a mess.

At least it's warm in here as I've got a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the teapot is steaming. There are plenty of snacks on the counter and I've got a cord of firewood next to the fireplace so we can enjoy the heat from the fire. Hopefully the plot bunnies won't get too close to the fire and go up in a puff of smoke.

I'll be over in the corner working on my story. I'm trying hard to describe the set up to my story without sounding like a boring history professor. I'm trying to figure out if I want the characters to discuss the setup in a conversation, or just describe the setup before the characters start talking ....

Can you work the background into the story as it becomes relevant? Front-loading the story with background sounds like an invitation for readers to leave.

Unless, o'course, there's something especially entertaining about the background.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

InfoDumps don't always go over well.

Perhaps a Prologue of sorts? Either within the story, or maybe a separate 750 as 'Chapter 1'?

 

[NotWise]

I got the raised bed (re)filled and covered so the impending weather won't freeze it again. I have some pre-planting work to do next week, but it's all on schedule.

Now I need a nap.

 

[MrPixel]

We're bracing for the storm. What was forecast as <1" last Monday is now 5-10". Already rescheduled doctor appointments we had for next Monday, knowingly pessimistic about road conditions the 30 miles to the next town over.

Tonight is the pantry run, the hoi palloi will panic tomorrow evening. Milk and eggs are our concern should we be cabin-bound, but with two 4x4s we should be good to go. The biggest problem with leaving the house after the event are the windrows the city plows leave at the end of our driveway.

 

[old_prof]

They had said we were missing the snow, just getting the cold (and it will be very cold), but now they're saying we may get a foot sun/mon. At least I don't have to go anywhere and we have plenty of food. If it's real bad, my wife can pivot her Monday classes to remote. Mine are already fully remote, so I'm golden as long as we keep power.

 

[MrPixel]

Remember this guy? Our local plot bunny, from two months ago?



Clearly a domestic rabbit either escaped or set loose, it had been hanging around in our courtyard and around the garden shed. I had been making efforts to capture, with two near-misses. Last time we saw him was around Christmas, diving into a woodchuck burrow under the shed.

We had decided to name it "Spook". Aside from the color, it and I would mutually startle when I walked into the courtyard at night.

However, sad news this afternoon. Something ate him. I found the shredded pelt and a couple of bones on our front lawn, all picked clean of meat. We suspect a fox, since we know of two fox families in nearby woods.

G'bye, Spook.

 

[anthrodisiac]

I'm trying hard to describe the set up to my story without sounding like a boring history professor. I'm trying to figure out if I want the characters to discuss the setup in a conversation, or just describe the setup before the characters start talking ....

Depending on story length, you probably want the set up to be built up over the first 1k-2k words so you aren't frontloading too much of it right off the bat. I have a tendency toward starting with some kind of dialogue, usually at least partway through the scene (generally the first couple beats, leaving out the boring intro stuff that doesn't serve the story).

Given the story requires some set up, I'm assuming it's probably above 5k, so getting the main crux in the first 1k-2k is pretty reasonable. You can trickle in details about the set up as the scene progresses. Use the dialogue/actions to establish the characters and their relationship, that way you get the reader hooked and invested early on, since there are usually some emotional stakes in dialogue that will pique their interest.

Readers are usually smart enough to fill in blanks themselves, and then if there is information that contradicts their model of the story they're pretty good at updating it to account for that. Not realizing a character has two-inch claws right off the bat isn't necessarily a deal-breaker. When it becomes pertinent to the story, mentioning it gives the reader a fuller picture of the character while naturally bringing the detail to light.

Example from my most recent work: FMC is an anthro tamandua, which have huge claws; but it doesn't get mentioned until she accidentally rips her boyfriend's couch in the second scene after she forgot to dremel them the night before. Prior to that, her long claws are hinted at (literally "long clawtip"), but the background that tamandua claws are big and sharp enough that they can fight literally fight off jaguars (which is great if you're in the wild, but makes living in a land of cheap fabric difficult) isn't pertinent until then. That's maybe 4k into the story, and the claws are a pretty major plot point.

Point is, if you have enough runway (your story is long enough), you have plenty of time to introduce details as they become relevant. Try not to worry too much about the reader not having the fullest possible picture as soon as possible.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

It's another sunny but cold morning. Tomorrow is going to be single digit temperatures with wind chills at -15 degrees or more as the precipitation starts. I've got my fingers crossed that it won't start with freezing rain before the snow begins falling.

AT least there's fresh hot coffee brewing and the teapot is hot. I've got a fire going in the fireplace and so far, no plot bunnies have gone up in flames. There are various snacks on the counter and I've got the fixings for hot cocoa for those who want some.

I'll be over in the corner furiously re-writing the beginning of the story I'm working on, trying to get the setup properly introduced before diving into the angst. Feel free to stop by and chat so I don't get too into the story and forget where I am. With the oncoming multi-day storm, I'll have plenty of time to write.

 

[NotWise]

Good morning, y'all!

The weather service shifted our forecast from all snow to mostly rain, and now they expect temperatures won't crash until Saturday night.

I read that last Saturday's Denver v Buffalo game was the highest-rated televised Saturday program since the Winter Olympics in 1994. I wonder if that predicts the audience for the Denver v New England game.

 

[MrPixel]

The weather service shifted our forecast from all snow to mostly rain,

Lucky you. Our projected snow total for the weekend event has been raised to 6-12+". We're not equipped for that. I expect to be trapped in the house until Wednesday due to the windrows I mentioned.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I hate cold and I hate snow, but I'm hoping it's cold enough through the air layers to be all snow and no ice.

Snow doesn't take power lines down, unless it's heavy and dense enough to take tree branches down.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Jur a little chilly here today. Forget drinking coffee. I'm going to fill the bath with it and climb in and immerse myself LOL. This is the sort of weather where you just turn the sauna on, and sleep there!!!! Not just the central heating on - I fired up the old wood-burner this morning too, just for the winter atmosphere it adds.....just made some fresh chocolate chip banana bread to go with the coffee......

 

[NotWise]

Jur a little chilly here today. Forget drinking coffee. I'm going to fill the bath with it and climb in and immerse myself LOL. This is the sort of weather where you just turn the sauna on, and sleep there!!!! Not just the central heating on - I fired up the old wood-burner this morning too, just for the winter atmosphere it adds.....just made some fresh chocolate chip banana bread to go with the coffee......

View attachment 2591891 View attachment 2591895

One reason why I moved south.

It's my sister's birthday, so I checked in with her. -11F at their house up in the hills. The official station is only slightly warmer.

But it isn't windy.

 

[_Lynn_]

It's cold here, too. Close to zero right now but it feels like -18. No wind yet, or snow, but it's close. I went out yesterday to get a few things since it will be super cold next week as well. This gloomy weather makes me tired.

 

[ChloeTzang]

It's cold here, too. Close to zero right now but it feels like -18. No wind yet, or snow, but it's close. I went out yesterday to get a few things since it will be super cold next week as well. This gloomy weather makes me tired.

right now I just dont want to go outside at all. It's a;; very white snow and freezing and grey skies....it's the gloomy and grey skies I don't like. It kust makes me want to stay inside in front of the fire and look out the windows and go "I am so glad I am in here'.

 

[HyunnaPark]

You'll know when the storm gets to me because AH will be flooded with posts about bagpipes and Korean poetry.