Flexibility

Flexibility strikes me as something really handy when writing. People who can fit into any contortedly (if it's not a word, it is now)-shaped hole. They're also really fun to mess around with. See how you can twist 'em around -and hey! You might actually like it so much as to leave a few people in that position!

Sick

I've got a nasty flu/fever thing. Had it for the past week and it isn't showing any signs of letting up soon. But there's a sprinkling of good in every situation- I've gotten some GREAT inspiration while lying in bed, with a cough racking my entire body (literally) and a hammer pounding at my temples (NOT literally) and a fever teasing me with the old "hot... no cold! hot... no cold!" gig. And I've got a question for all those other authors out there- how come characters never just get COMMON colds? Are MCs somehow IMMUNE to the common cold? Or a sore throat? Or a bad bruise? You name it... it seems the only time an MC ever gets hurt/sick, it's big. Which is fine, but I propose we make our characters HUMAN- they can get a bad cold for a reason other than falling into an icy river. They can have a fever from a cause other than devious poisoning.

And now I'm back to bed... to analyze my condition and try to burn it into my memory.

Oh... and sickness isn't always only good for tormictioning. I just had one of the best torreadist while trying to fall asleep last night. *evil grin* Be afraid. Be very afraid. Fever does strange things to an already strange mind...

Reassurance...?

The character she is talking about has an important part to play in his death and therefore the situation cannot be removed. :-D And he's one of only two to die (the other one is a person who isn't important in the least), good or bad, in this story. But anyway, Tara, I managed to drop a knife and keep someone from getting hurt (albeit it was about the width of a gnat's eyebrow away from a person). Oh well. I guess it was a good thing, because any closer to that character and there goes the story.

A Glare for Ms. Grant (A Tormictionist's Dilemma)

*sigh* It's a fact of life- a character gets too beat up or captured under the wrong circumstances and they're... well... dead. It's a fact of life. It's a limit on tormictioning. I've done it, and I've helped Tahlia do it. Big deal. However... it IS a little hard when you find yourself LIKING a character who you KNOW is doomed to die. Mixed feelings- I'm eager to plot his death with as much torreadisitc value as possible, and yet I want the character to live and prosper and finally be free from mine and Tahli's tormictioning when (and, sadly, IF) he makes it to the end. *dramatic sigh* So I feel I must send a glare to Ms. Grant. (even though I'm winking at her with the other eye... *evil grin*)

Close Relative

No... this is not going to be the post about the uncle-slash-adopted-father-figure who is killed when the hero's farm is raided by the horribly evil bad guys after his guts. *shudders and turns up nose in disgust* No. If you want to know about that, go talk to Christopher Paolini. I'm going to be talking about a close relative TO tormiction.

Torreadism.
(torreadtion; torreadists; etc)
1. To torture, torment, and/or play with the reader in such a way that both advances the story and keeps them captive to the story.

my oh my... anyone who thinks tormictioning is fun hasn't seen NOTHING yet. Torreadism is superior in a few ways:
a. it is often a bigger challenge, for those of you/us who LIKE tackling constructive challenges
b. it is often much more plot advancing, even though it is just as enjoyable as tormiction
c. there is a wider variety of ways to accomplish torreadtion- you can do it by tormictionizing, by leaving off chapters at suspenseful parts, the possiblilties are about as endless as your imagination and skill at The Craft (aka, writing)

*resignedly* Of course... it's not half as theraputic as tormictioning... *evil grin*

WARNING: Tired Tormictionist

I was woken up early this morning. I have this constant allergy-thing, so a sinus infection wasn't in the way. But I was woken up early by "THERE"S SNOW!!!" being called by my sisters from one end of the room to the other (I like waking up by myself). Let's just say that that wasn't exactly the way I wanted to start my day. Then I get the beginnings of another headache. And I haven't even been up for an hour. (The time below is three hours behind.) Hmmm...

Beware. I'm a fantasy writer. A tired, achey, in a not-too-inclined-to-be-amiable-though-I-must-be-so-anyway mood author. WATCH OUT. I can't get this completely out on my characters ('cause I tend to maximize the situation 100 times before putting it on them) without killing them so I won't, but be careful. Be very, very careful.

As before and always be,
Nestami.

A Warning

Sleep. That has been used so many times in fantasies (The Wizard of Oz, The Silver Chair). There's plenty of use for it. But sleep can put me at a disadvantage. My characters aren't aware of anything that's happening to them when they're asleep. Don't use it much for tormictionitizing. It's hard to work.

As before and always be,
Nestami.