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JallBarret@hol.ogra.ph
Oct 6, 2026, 12:06 PM
#ScribesAndMakers October 6: On a scale of 0-100, how much conflict (however you personally define it) is necessary for a compelling story?

There's a concept that's common in western fiction where protagonists have to be working toward a goal. It's not universal even in that context but you can see it in things like Dan Harmon's Story Circle. I think this tends to prejudice stories toward certain kinds of characters and certain types of stories.

In general, I think a story needs something to overcome ... or fail to overcome.

Putting it on a number line? Like ... 20? I think it generally needs to be there in some amount. I'm really open minded about conflict levels as low as 0, though.

NOTE: In case it's not clear, I'm not endorsing Harmon in any capacity. Ignoring everything else (which you can find by scrolling down slightly from the link above), I think adhering to the Story Circle leads to shallow character writing.

#Writing #StoryCircle
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Replies

JallBarret@hol.ogra.ph
Oct 9, 2026, 3:01 AM
#ScribesAndMakers October 9: Our next featured creator is a 'relentless optimist.' How full is your glass?

My glass is measured and described with great precision using the metric system and highly sensitive tools.

(I've been called negative by optimists and overly positive by pessimists.)
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JallBarret@hol.ogra.ph
Oct 17, 2026, 12:01 PM
#ScribesAndMakers October 17: Create a sentence (or use one you've already written) and share it with one word omitted. Create a poll listing your word along with 2-3 synonyms. Ask people to choose which word they think is the best fit.
I woke in a pile of (blank), looking up at faint light from a hole in the uneven roof of the place where I was.
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JallBarret@hol.ogra.ph
Oct 18, 2026, 12:51 PM
#ScribesAndMakers 18. Link to or summarize yesterday's poll and reveal which word was yours. Did a majority agree it was the best fit?

Alas, there was some kind of glitch on my instance and none of the results were recorded. I’ve run into this issue before but thought I’d just gotten no responses. This time I know I did. :meong_sus:

The draft sentence has “debris” in the blank.
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JallBarret@hol.ogra.ph
Oct 23, 2026, 12:09 PM
#ScribesAndMakers October 23: Our next featured creator enjoys hiking. Do you enjoy being outdoors, and if so, does it have an impact on your creativity?

Mostly. When I was growing up, two of the neighborhoods I lived in were right up against woods and I spent hours every week traipsing through them. On the other hand, I have whatever it is that draws mosquitoes in droves.

Time spent in the woods impacts the imagery I write about in stories like the John Doe series.
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JallBarret@hol.ogra.ph
Oct 25, 2026, 12:16 PM
#ScribesAndMakers October 25: What's something you accomplished this past week?

I finished writing the John Doe short story I'm working on for Halloween. I also finished the editing and uploaded audio recordings of Transformation by Mary Shelly and The Flayed Hand by Guy De Maupassant.
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NaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at FediNaraMoore@sakurajima.moe
Oct 18, 2026, 3:07 PM
@JallBarret
I love the word debris. Though I prefered rubble in this case.
Interesting fact, while I pronounce the word correctly, when I read it I read "deebrees" long e's and with the s.
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Kagan MacTane (he/him)kagan@wandering.shop
Oct 18, 2026, 8:45 PM
@NaraMoore @JallBarret When I was a kid, I misread the word debris as derbis, accidentally transposing the B and the R, and pronounced it as "DURR-biss" until I was corrected. (Thankfully, gently and by my parents, instead of with hilarity and scorn by peers.)
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Kagan MacTane (he/him)kagan@wandering.shop
Oct 18, 2026, 8:43 PM
@JallBarret I'm so sorry you lost so much valuable data!
I remember debating between "rubble" and "debris", figuring that either would make sense, but the first would imply much larger, heavier and more painful items, and deciding that debris sounded a bit more likely.
And when I look at the poll, I see that recorded! Is there any chance other people could do the same, see what their votes were, and tell you in comments?
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