Low Percent Writing

2006-12-09 09:30:04 pm

I'm currently working on a fan fiction without the letter "e". It's Metroid-based, obviously. It's here, in this link.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3276836/1/

I changed a few names to stay true to the constraint, but it should be obvious what they are.

Also, the sentence structure is difficult with this constraint. I've done some work rewording and improving the story, but I'm not sure how much else I can improve.

Chapter 1-2 done, chapter 3 in progress.

So, any thoughts/suggestions?

Thread title:

nate

2006-12-09 09:46:25 pm

doing well. lack of the definite article is probably especially cumbersome. no discourse-prominent singular nominatives for you!

13M13

2006-12-09 10:32:36 pm

l'appel du vide

http://www.spinelessbooks.com/gadsby/index.html

soulhunger

2006-12-10 12:14:17 am

Actually, I'm aware of Gadsby, but I haven't read it.

I actually used the same constraint as a book I recently enjoyed, called "A Void". It was originally written in French, and translated to English.

I'm not trying to claim this constraint is original. But the writing is mine.

Banjonator

2006-12-10 03:52:57 am

awesome 8-)

arkarian

2006-12-10 03:03:28 pm

red chamber dream

Sounds like horrible fun.

Nida

2006-12-11 12:22:45 am

Reads to me as if you're writing (at least somewhat) normally, then using the find/replace function to go through and fix it - "the" becomes "a particular"; "me" becomes "yours truly".

Whether you replace or just do it all from scratch, it sure reads like you're having fun with it, too. :D Kudos for having even the introduction be E-free, BTW.

soulhunger

2006-12-11 07:47:46 am

Quote from Nida:

Reads to me as if you're writing (at least somewhat) normally, then using the find/replace function to go through and fix it - "the" becomes "a particular"; "me" becomes "yours truly".

Heh, nope. I'm just writing it without "e". I don't think it would work that well to just replace "the". I use "a", "an", "our", "that", and "this" in place of "the", so it seems like it'd just be easier to avoid "the" to begin with. I did slip up and write "the" a few times, but searching for "e" I found... "the" problems. But you're right, that "the" would definitely be better word choice in many cases.... that is, if it existed in my vocabulary.

Quote from Nida:

Whether you replace or just do it all from scratch, it sure reads like you're having fun with it, too. :D Kudos for having even the introduction be E-free, BTW.

Thanks, I am having a lot of fun with it! I just hope it's as much fun to read for you all as it is for me to write. I think the most fun I had was trying to think of a way to write a disclaimer without "e"! (The part where I try to describe the relation between a low percent run and constrained writing is a bit fuzzy, however.)

Also, I should finish chapter 3 some time this week. It doesn't even have a title yet, since I've been busy with another story and other things. Thank you for the comments, everyone.

[quote="Nida"]Reads to me as if you're writing (at least somewhat) normally, then using the find/replace function to go through and fix it - "the" becomes "a particular"; "me" becomes "yours truly".[/quote]

Heh, nope. I'm just writing it without "e". I don't think it would work that well to just replace "the". I use "a", "an", "our", "that", and "this" in place of "the", so it seems like it'd just be easier to avoid "the" to begin with. I did slip up and write "the" a few times, but searching for "e" I found... "the" problems. But you're right, that "the" would definitely be better word choice in many cases.... that is, if it existed in my vocabulary.

[quote="Nida"]Whether you replace or just do it all from scratch, it sure reads like you're having fun with it, too. :D Kudos for having even the introduction be E-free, BTW.[/quote]

Thanks, I am having a lot of fun with it! I just hope it's as much fun to read for you all as it is for me to write. I think the most fun I had was trying to think of a way to write a disclaimer without "e"! (The part where I try to describe the relation between a low percent run and constrained writing is a bit fuzzy, however.)

Also, I should finish chapter 3 some time this week. It doesn't even have a title yet, since I've been busy with another story and other things. Thank you for the comments, everyone.

RT-55J

2006-12-11 07:17:09 pm

Armor Guardian

Quote from soulhunger:

I'm currently working on a fan fiction without the letter "e".

I can't b3li3v3 you ar3 3v3n thinking of trying such an 3asy chall3ng3.

JaggerG

2007-01-12 02:13:20 am

Shifty Leader

That M2k2 guy

I support this lipogram. It's difficult for a typist to avoid most glyphs in our scripts, but to go for that THING? It can play a final obstruction in such a (surprisingly unpopular) mission! I'm going to stick to Tough difficulty and avoid Inhuman if I can.

(This final fight is kicking my brain, but mainly from this dual attack! That crazy hand trophy is in my grasp!)

StarmanHaxor

2007-01-12 07:13:21 pm

Jagger, there are certainly better translators than babelfish.

Yoshi348

2007-01-12 09:47:21 pm

PAGE BREAKER

Ready and willing.

...

Soaprman

2007-01-12 10:54:11 pm

shrimp

and white wine

Quote from JaggerG:

I support this lipogram. It's difficult for a typist to avoid most glyphs in our scripts, but to go for that THING? It can play a final obstruction in such a (surprisingly unpopular) mission! I'm going to stick to Tough difficulty and avoid Inhuman if I can.

(This final fight is kicking my brain, but mainly from this dual attack! That crazy hand trophy is in my grasp!)

Awesome "hey I'm back" post.

RT-55J

2007-01-13 04:16:38 pm

Armor Guardian

Quote from StarmanHaxor:

Jagger, there are certainly better translators than babelfish.

Don't you know that Mr. JG was trying to avoid da fifth glyph.