If you could magically solve any problem of the writing process, what problem would you solve?

[resolute writer]

I know there are a ton of other problems that come during publishing, marketing, promotion, and just general gaining awareness. But I'm focused on that period of time before sales and query letters, where you are just focused on writing and making the best damn story possible.

So, if you had a supercomputer that would give you any solution to a problem, what problem would you ask to be solved most often? What might that solution look like?

 

[Boneman]

How to describe people... I hate it, trip up continually, either give too much detail or too little, and it would be wonderful to have it done for me!!


Oh: A huge welcome, by the way!

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Something that wakes up the brain when I am sat in front of laptop. I know what I need to write but I am so tired I can't get them onto the page.

 

[Hex]

Writing enough when I'm first writing the story -- so, the initial draft when everything flows and is exciting coming in at 60,000 words or so, not 30-40,000. That would be wonderful.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

When I first started close pov tormented me.

 

[Juliana]

First draft is always deliciously fun... But can the supercomputer please do all my rewrites?

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

I was going to say character depth because mine are always too 2D and my stories too plot-driven, but I've just read @Juliana's and think I agree. It would be better if all my editing and rewrites were done for me.

Maybe then *rubs hands sneakily* my characters could be sorted at the same time?

Oh, and welcome to Chrons. Great first post....

 

[M Harold Page]

The problem of describing tactical situations so they make sense to all readers. In one book, I went through three different bridge designs until I came up with one that didn't require a knowledge of medieval drawbridges to truly visualise.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Everything?

And welcome to the forums.

 

[HareBrain]

Finding an alternative to "He narrowed his eyes" that isn't "His eyes narrowed".

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Magically pay professional editor to fix it up.

 

[Venusian Broon]

To give some indication how close your draft is to a publishable standard. As a percentage or a yes/no format.

Although the latter is very likely to generate many irritating 'Computer says no' moments.

 

[chrispenycate]

I think I'm going to go for dictation software that actually works, runs at the speed I can talk (considerably slower than the speed I think, but a whole lot faster than I can type) and actually puts down the words I say, not the surreal imaginary dialogue that the last version of 'Dragon Dictate' offered.

I'd be willing to spend more time conversing with it, so it could get to know me better, and don't expect it to understand what I am actually saying - lots of homo sapiens brains don't get that far - just get close enough to the original script that I can recognise where in the text I am, and can do corrections rather than start-overs. Obviously, if it can do vocal editing, too, so much the better.

 

[Mouse]

I'd like someone to invent a brain-to-PC link, so that all I have to do is imagine the story and it gets written up as I'm sat there.

 

[Phyrebrat]

A tone generator so that the feel in my mind is what ends up on paper.

pH

 

[Ray McCarthy]

dictation software

Fred, what's the command to wipe a disk?
"Format C"
You sure?
Yes!
--Sound of all disks in open plan office whirling and clunking ... followed by screams of anguish.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

Oh don't talk to me about formatting disks. I tried to format a flash drive in a hurry under very distracting circumstances and accidentally partially wiped my external hard drive. It's been sitting there for the last couple of years reproaching me. Must try and see if I can salvage some of it one day.

Best drive related one is when I was teaching basic ICT to a bunch of hard-faced, loud-mouthed young male offenders. A little flustered by them I opened my mouth and out came the unforgettable phrase: "Right boys, settle down and insert your floppy dicks..."

If I wrote that as fiction no one would believe it....

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I taught Word Processing and ICT to trainee secretaries for a while. I didn't believe it. The best were the ones that came from schools and homes with no computers. Ban computers from Schools till ALL the staff are properly expert.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Best drive related one is when I was teaching basic ICT to a bunch of hard-faced, loud-mouthed young male offenders. A little flustered by them I opened my mouth and out came the unforgettable phrase: "Right boys, settle down and insert your floppy dicks..."

If I wrote that as fiction no one would believe it....

Heheheh Excellent. You totally did that on purpose, I bet

pH

 

[millymollymo]

Can I be glib and say nothing? Not because "Ya know, it's all so easy, like." Nope. But had I not encountered all of the problems, frustrations, and hurdles, my writing would not be where it is right now.

And.

We who have read, listened, watched and gamed, know never to rely upon computers.