IFography now has a new website

Just an update, the new IFzine, IFography, now has it’s own website at ifography.wordpress.com.   Great first issue and looking forward to future.  They are now putting together the second issue.  If you have something to say, they are taking submissions….just send them an email (ifography@gmail.com)

Spring Thing 2014 – Beginning to Prep

Most of you have already heard I’m sure.  Spring Thing 2014 has been announced and thanks to Aaron Reed for taking it over this year.   Now time to wrap up one of my WIP or dusting off one of my ideas that are bouncing around inside my head.  Here’s a short list of things I need to do to get started.

1. Obviously, pick my idea that most interests me and I can reasonably finish between now and April.
2. Something I’ve not done before, as I tend to write by the seat of my pants, is flow out the story, figure out where I’m beginning, where I’m going and try to get at least one path to get there. Through this process, I’m sure I’ll come up with some (probably not all) of the important text, descriptions, dialog. and puzzles that belong in the story.  I usually write free form and as it comes to me during coding, but I tend to either stall part way through or end up repeatedly revising so my progress seems very slow.
3. If there are any tricky parts, code up some of those just to get the hard stuff out of the way.  Use it as a proof of concept perhaps of the more intricate sections.  I’d rather find out now that something just doesn’t work rather than farther down the road when it may be too late.
4. Keep working on my writing chops.  I try to write each day, whether it’s a  blog post, or some small piece of fiction or some dialog in something project I’m working on.  By writing each day, I keep building my writing muscles.

Just a few of the things I need to do now so that I can begin in earnest sooner rather than later.  Of course there are plenty of other design articles out there that I have read repeatedly and I’m sure I’ll be referring back to;

• Idea to Implementation – Great article on some different methods.  While i’m gonna try to do a lot of design work up front, the coder in me will probably force me to code quicker than I should.  This article has been great inspiration to try and have a method of some sort to my madness.
• WIP Rescue – Another good one my Emily.  I’m gonna give this another read as I’m kind of stuck on two works that are in progress.
• IF Theory Reader – Review a lot of these articles in here, so much good reading in here it’s worth looking at one or two (or fifty) times.

Anyway, wish me luck.  While I’m setting my sites on entering the Spring Thing, but really just want to make good progress and put something out there that others may enjoy.  Any other words of wisdom (or links) are always greatly appreciated.