Injuries

Injury can be an important part of any story – from the comedy bump on the head that causes amnesia, to the gunshot to the chest which the hero of the story somehow manages to survive… But how do you know that your description of the injury is accurate?

Writing Realistic Injuries is a handy page written by Leia Fee, which covers everything from minor injuries such as bumps, bruises, cuts and grazes, to the more serious stuff such as being stabbed in the abdomen. It even provides a list of references for people looking for more information. (Original Tweet)

Guns

Talking about gunshot wounds, how do you know that your description of the shot fired is accurate? If you’re a sniper on top of a building across the street from the target, and you’re aiming for a head-shot, where should you place the cross-hair?

Stupid Gun Mistakes EVERY Writer Makes by Chuck Dixon is a good collection of things to avoid when writing about guns, such as, what does the KER-CHAK! sound made by a shot gun really mean? And is it truly possible for a detective to tell at a glance the size of the round used to kill someone? (Original Tweet)

Clichés

You don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket, and you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can avoid using clichés.

Cliché Finder is a fantastic database of over 3,300 clichés maintained by Morgan. You can either search for a word to get a list of all the clichés that contain it, or you can click to get a list of ten random ones. I think you’ll find that it is a blessing in disguise. (Original Tweet)

Instapaper is a simple tool that lets you save web pages for reading later. With it, you’re able to browse your list of saved pages via their web-based interface, get a specially formatted printable page of the pages, and even download the pages for your Kindle, ePub device (such as the iPad and iPhone).

To add a chapter, choose Instapaper from the [Chapter Tools] box at the top of each chapter.

To get even more benefit out of Instapaper, why not combine it with our Route to Chapter feature? Simply choose Route to Chapter (which is also in the [Chapter Tools] box), then select the Read Later option on the right hand side.

I hope that you find this feature useful, so be sure to let me know what you think about it.

To celebrate the launch of this feature, with the weather turning cold, and the shops playing Christmas music, what better a story to start with than A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Due to the fact that very few existing stories are written from a second person perspective (unlike the majority of stories on Unknown Tales), I’ve also added the ability to specify, when adding a new story, which narrative mode you want it to use, i.e.

• First Person
• Second Person (the default for Unknown Tales)
• Third Person

Second person fits the Unknown Tales formula best, but there are ways of making the other two work, you just need to be careful, when adding a chapter to an existing story, to use correct narrative perspective for that story.

Anyway, enjoy the addition of the new feature, I look forward to seeing what direction the story goes in.

This is not due to a lack of love for Unknown Tales – it has a lot to do with having just started a new job. I’ve got a lot of cool ideas for the site, however, and have started to plan some additions to the site, I just need to find the time.

So, yeah – that’s about it for now. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve not forgotten about the site, I’m just letting it sleep while I catch up with the rest of my life.

What was the inspiration for the story?

Captain Edward Hastings, the rat belonging to Mr Cos Ryan, sadly passed away on the morning of 22nd April 2010. Even though Cos had only known him since September, they had become very close, and as with the passing of any loved one, it was very hard on him. Seeing as I’ve moved from Worcester to Evesham, I was unable to be there in person for him, but I wanted to try and do something nice for him, and to honour the memory of Hastings.

The tweet which announced the passing of Hastings, specifically the mentioning of Hastings as a veteran of the Great Rat War, gave me the idea of using the site as a way of finding out just what the Great Rat War was, and what Hastings involvement in it was.

How would you like to see the story progress?

This is very much up to the public to decide. I’ve laid the foundations of the story, it’s now up to everyone else to add whatever they see fit. The only thing that I would like to remind people is that Hastings was a rat with a large personality, and there is no possible way that his involvement in the Great Rat War could be anything less than epic. RIP Captain Edward Hastings.

Start reading The Great Rat War.

Tell us a little about yourself

My Name’s Paul and I’m a freelance writer and PR Officer from Rugby in the West Midlands where I live with my lovely wife Lara and our two cats. My interests are varied as are the subjects that I write about, but I have special interests in the social sciences, esoteric thought and strange phenomena (though not necessarily in that order).

What do you enjoy about writing fiction?

An interesting question, but difficult to answer. When I think about writing fiction I think more in terms of need and compulsion rather than enjoyment although it is fair to say I do get a lot of pleasure out of writing…I’m being evasive, okay the thing I enjoy most is creating a new world from scratch piece-by-piece until you sit back and think: I made that…or watching someone’s face as they read your work and enjoy it…or hate it. So long as there is a reaction then I am happy.

What was the inspiration for the story?

Deathworms are a staple of cryptozoology and a subject I wanted to explore a bit. The Deathworm mythos is pretty unique, most cryptids run in terror at the presence of man, but the Deathworm is reported to attack and kill humans with a deadly lightning attack, which is kinda groovy, unless of course it’s you being attacked.

The central character, Timothy Loveock, is one of my favourite creations who I have used several times in shot stories and longer pieces.

How would you like to see the story evolve?

That is entirely up to you. I quite like the idea of popping back here one day and finding lots of new chapters added, but not just any old chapters, I want to see ones that have progressed this story in ways I couldn’t possibly imagine, strange new rivers of probability opening up for a character I am very fond of. If this happens then I’ll be happy.

What book are you currently reading?
I normally have 4 or 5 books on the go at any one time and at the moment those books are:

• God’s Debris – free PDF if you want to read
• Tribes – Seth Godin
• The Watchmen – Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
• Darkness Moves – Henri Micheaux
• Candide – Voltaire
• Selected Poems – Alan Ginsberg

If you want to talk to Paul about writing, life, the universe or anything then feel free to drop him an email at: j.j.p.coxon@btinternet.com.

Start reading Deathworm.

Tell us a little about yourself

My name is Natalie. I work as a Web Designer in Toronto, Canada. When I’m not creating sexy websites I like to read, and role play.

What was the inspiration for the story?

When I was 6 I told everyone I was going to be an fantasy author. While this was merely a childhood fantasy that faded as time went on, the desire was still there in the background. This story is one that I’ve constantly pondered and have been building for a while now. The inspiration is a combination of all the fantasy books I’ve read.

How would you like to see the story progress?

Love, war, chaos, you know the usual. Kiko finding out more about his past and what impact it has on his future.

What are you currently reading?

Dragon Age: The Calling by David Gaider

Start reading Shadows from the East.

What do you enjoy about writing fiction?

I have a very active imagination with thoughts and scenes constantly competing in my head. Fiction allows me to sort them out and make them more than a distraction from work.

What was the inspiration for the story?

I’ve always had a huge interest in vampires. There are many different views and takes on vampires. This is mine.

How would you like to see the story progress?

Evanca finally confronting ‘The Stranger’.

Start reading Life After Death.

Via Cracked.com (Warning, some content NSFW).

Tell us a little about yourself

My name is Malhy, also known as Emz, or Bunny! I’m a third-year Psychology student, and an avid creative writer, usually through the medium of text-based role-play. I came to Unknown Tales through being nosy and listening in on a conversation about it whilst at work!

What do you enjoy about writing fiction?

I don’t know… I guess it is the creativity. I love to express my thoughts and inner worlds through writing, and share them with the rest of the world. There is something truly stress relieving about writing, and from an artist’s point of view as well, extremely rewarding in regard to creating intricate characters and taking them into a more visual field.

What was the inspiration for the story?

Many would find it crazy, by ‘Children of Am-Nova’ was a dream I once had. It was truly fantastic, and I knew, when I awoke just after the Children escaped that it just had to become a story. I wanted to know where they went from there, what 013 did to be freed, what the extent of his excessive power really was.

How would you like to see the story progress?

I don’t know. ‘Am-Nova’ is my creation, yes, but I want to open it up to others to continue. What happens to 008 and 013? Do they escape with some of the others, or are they recaptured and subjected to debilitating experimentation for the rest of their lives? What was the purpose of their being? Are they a weapon, a tool, or were they just the fancy of some scientific maniac? I’ve no idea. All I know is the beginning, and the rest, the rest is up to those that wish to participate in their journey!

What book are you currently reading?

I am reading Richard Adams ‘Shardik’. It is about a lost civilisation that come to fear a mighty great bear who they believe to be the Power of God. Its extremely descriptive and I love the intricacies weaved into every section of description. Richard Adams is definitely a man to admire in his power to create his worlds around you. Watership Down and Plague Dogs do the same, and I admire him greatly.

Start reading Children of Am-Nova.