Diary Preview Thread

[tizzyt]

Alright, so, anyone have some ideas of what I can do to make things better with my Ring of Honor presentation? (not sure if this would be the right place, but I figure I might get some good tips from some of the best)

 

If it sucks, lemme know that, I'm not one of these that will go off pouting, I want to have a great diary for everyone to enjoy, I don't really get off on major compliments (Everyone likes them, but I only want comments when someone really wants to comment)

 

But if there's anything that needs to change, whether it be layout, match writing, etc, gimme some ideas.

 

Thanks kids

 

Back in the Saddle Again

[tizzyt]

WWE Raw®

 

In the infamous words of one certain Li'l Jimmy Norton.. I'd like to just say (about the name)... "Ah-boo"

 

 

I like to see your idea.... that might actually make me laugh until I pee... if written correctly...

[Eisen-verse]

Alright, so, anyone have some ideas of what I can do to make things better with my Ring of Honor presentation? (not sure if this would be the right place, but I figure I might get some good tips from some of the best)

 

If it sucks, lemme know that, I'm not one of these that will go off pouting, I want to have a great diary for everyone to enjoy, I don't really get off on major compliments (Everyone likes them, but I only want comments when someone really wants to comment)

 

But if there's anything that needs to change, whether it be layout, match writing, etc, gimme some ideas.

 

Thanks kids

 

Back in the Saddle Again

 

 

I've "lurked" in on your diary for awhile now and really enjoy what you've been doing. I think you def. have stepped up your results posts (which is def. a good thing) as the previous write-ups were a little flat. With the ROH, their main focus on wrestling, the match write-ups should probably be one of the biggest things you focus in on... Along with who you're looking to develop creatively.

 

Some may say that they want to see pictures, color, formatting with your Diary... However... I think it all works out really well. If you're writing compelling shows then it shouldn't matter if you "glitz" it up or not. Then again, glitzing it up tends to bring more people by to read results. However, it does add more time onto each card write-up.

 

To be honest, I think you're doing a pretty good job. The main thing with these diaires is trying to find your own niche (thats my word of today i guess. ha). What makes your ROH Diary more special than any that have been done before or that are being projected now? Once you find out what yours is... It may be easier to draw people in. Whether it's how you write a show, who you're pushing, what kind of images you use, storylines that you develop, people that you push, etc... What makes you stand out from the rest of the ROH'ers out there?

 

I understand the process of trying to get some feedback though. There are sooooooooooooo many great diaries on this board that it's almost impossible to really breakground (especially as a new diary). A lot of people have their fav. diaries already and tend to stick to those... or maybe they have a fav. diary writer that they are loyal to... This may make it harder for someone like you, or I, who are new to the scene to really see a lot of feedback from show to show.

 

Find your niche, write shows for your own pleasure, offer room for feedback (ie: predictions, questions to the reader, etc.) and you should do just fine!

 

Hope that helps!

 

Would there be any interest in a 21CW diary, but with all the other world stuff turned off so I end up with Cornell, Giedroyc, Morgan, Griffin, Dark Angel etc.?

 

Hmmm... I, for one, am more of a fan of "realism" than anything else. Something like this would seem un-realistic as there's no way that all the companies in the world would fall apart as such. however, a 21CW diary in general would be a pretty interesting read as is right now! Maybe, to add to a previous post by another, have your user character be the 17 year old son of Jeff Nova? You can make yourself talented... or just another youngster looking to learn the ropes (which may be more realistic)... And you can ultimately create a deal of storylines with your character and his Father... Looking to take on the SWF on a global scale.

[Eisen-verse]

Question to Diary Readers

 

I've tried to make my diary as "reader friendly" as possible with X-WrestlingAmerica.com and TotalExtremeWrestling.com website posts on current storylines, pictures for matches so people know who is who (as most have different names), a Ernie Turner written blog to preview upcoming shows/matches/rumors, as well as "End of the Month Awards" that help to re-cap who did what over the month.

 

Now, I know that my write-ups may be long for the general reader to swing in and check out what has happened. So, would you like to see a post following each show that simply lays out what happened in this kind of format:

 

~ Stric Lee Bizness over Ultimate Phoenix in 11:29 via submission. SLB makes defense #1 of the X-WA Arena Championship.

+ Vicente Marquez learns of his girlfriend being abducted by Jack Griffith.

+ William Kingsbury III is forced back into the X-WA by his Father and is now set to face off against Nemesis at "Reckless Ascent" to see whether or not he will finally get the X Championship shot he has been whining about.

 

Pretty much, the write-up would be for those who don't really have the time to read a full card this week but really want to keep up with what happened in the show. It wouldn't really add much more time to my writing process... but would be used primarily to leave a bullet note style of re-cap as well to those who don't have the time.

 

I'm afraid that it could ultimately make everyone read the bullet note re-cap more so than the actual write-up, however, which would kill a lot of what I've been trying to do creatively (as you can't really get the main point across in a short bullet).

 

Just thought I'd see what you all thought!

 

 

Cheers.

[tizzyt]

I've "lurked" in on your diary for awhile now and really enjoy what you've been doing. I think you def. have stepped up your results posts (which is def. a good thing) as the previous write-ups were a little flat. With the ROH, their main focus on wrestling, the match write-ups should probably be one of the biggest things you focus in on... Along with who you're looking to develop creatively.

 

Some may say that they want to see pictures, color, formatting with your Diary... However... I think it all works out really well. If you're writing compelling shows then it shouldn't matter if you "glitz" it up or not. Then again, glitzing it up tends to bring more people by to read results. However, it does add more time onto each card write-up.

 

To be honest, I think you're doing a pretty good job. The main thing with these diaires is trying to find your own niche (thats my word of today i guess. ha). What makes your ROH Diary more special than any that have been done before or that are being projected now? Once you find out what yours is... It may be easier to draw people in. Whether it's how you write a show, who you're pushing, what kind of images you use, storylines that you develop, people that you push, etc... What makes you stand out from the rest of the ROH'ers out there?

 

I understand the process of trying to get some feedback though. There are sooooooooooooo many great diaries on this board that it's almost impossible to really breakground (especially as a new diary). A lot of people have their fav. diaries already and tend to stick to those... or maybe they have a fav. diary writer that they are loyal to... This may make it harder for someone like you, or I, who are new to the scene to really see a lot of feedback from show to show.

 

Find your niche, write shows for your own pleasure, offer room for feedback (ie: predictions, questions to the reader, etc.) and you should do just fine!

 

Hope that helps!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the feedback Eisen-verse, it does help... I like to think that my write-ups have improved as well, however, as I stated in a previous post, I was going to put my main focus on the "Big Cards" (ie; All Star Extravaganza, X Year Celebration, Final Battle, etc) where they are the most detailed of cards, with the other cards being detailed, but not as much, and TV basically being just quick recaps (my TV is important to me, but not as important as the arena shows) I've also thought about using graphics or something of the sort for the bigger cards, but I don't want to put all of the emphasis on that.

 

I'm about to start writing my next weekend of shows before I focus on 7th Year Bash... I appreciate the feedback and let's see what these next few shows bring

[Self]

But if there's anything that needs to change, whether it be layout, match writing, etc, gimme some ideas.

 

Not a huge deal, but I found some parts of your last show a tad over-loaded with colour. I understand why, you wanted to give each talker a different colour, but in the promo segment between the guys in your Main Event it was a little too much colour for my tastes.

[The Masked Orange]

Would there be any interest in a 21CW diary, but with all the other world stuff turned off so I end up with Cornell, Giedroyc, Morgan, Griffin, Dark Angel etc.?

 

Sorry, very impatient, as I have so many ideas for different diaries. And I got a lot of emotional (insert the word that refers to defication but cannot be uttered here) to let out on the internet world.

[Self]

Would there be any interest in a 21CW diary, but with all the other world stuff turned off so I end up with Cornell, Giedroyc, Morgan, Griffin, Dark Angel etc.?

 

Getting all of those names might be overkill... but it might be... Interesting. I've always been somewhat intrigued by the idea of creating a British wrestling show, you know, something to go in that Saturday evening on ITV timeslot that Gladiators sat in a while back. So reading 21CW would interest me in some respect, as long as it retained a certain British-ness, not just another Americanised wrestling show.

 

One or two popular stars (not in game-stat terms, but GDS community terms) could pull in readers, as long as they're interestingly written. Dark Angel for example is a character a lot of people know, but rarely gets much screentime in diaries. An interesting interpretation of that character could sell the diary, as well as sell the promotion in your game.

[The Masked Orange]

Getting all of those names might be overkill... but it might be... Interesting. I've always been somewhat intrigued by the idea of creating a British wrestling show, you know, something to go in that Saturday evening on ITV timeslot that Gladiators sat in a while back. So reading 21CW would interest me in some respect, as long as it retained a certain British-ness, not just another Americanised wrestling show.

 

One or two popular stars (not in game-stat terms, but GDS community terms) could pull in readers, as long as they're interestingly written. Dark Angel for example is a character a lot of people know, but rarely gets much screentime in diaries. An interesting interpretation of that character could sell the diary, as well as sell the promotion in your game.

 

Thanks for the reply. I've figured out that I can sacrifice Griffin and Morgan (And will, Griffin is really bad for sports entertainment and Morgan in one of my 21CW games got caught with Steroids! HE LOWERED MY PRESTIGE!)

 

Also I will realese some dead weight *cough* Ivanoffs, London & Celtic *cough* but I will also work with some talent that can be... developed.

 

Nightmare and Luke Cool are favourite's of mine for this reason.

[praguepride]

Question to Diary Readers

 

WALL OF WORDS!!!!!!

 

Check out my CCW format. Basically at the bottom of each segment (match or angle or whatever) along with the segment rating is a brief little "summary" of what happened. For matches it's a copy and paste (sometimes with a few modifications) of the output from TEW, for angle's it's a brief summary.

 

This allows people to either quickly scan it and pick up on what happened, or if they are so inclined they can read the wall of words. Or they might be scanning down and see a summary that piques their interest enough to actually read what is written.

[Eisen-verse]

WALL OF WORDS!!!!!!.

 

It wasn't that bad. ha.

[praguepride]

It wasn't that bad. ha.

 

No, it wasn't, but I thought it'd be funny. The real purpose was because I wanted it known that I was responding to you, but didn't want 2/3rds of the post being occupied by your original quote.

[Eisen-verse]

No, it wasn't, but I thought it'd be funny. The real purpose was because I wanted it known that I was responding to you, but didn't want 2/3rds of the post being occupied by your original quote.

 

That's what I thought Just wanted to make sure I didn't put you to sleep or anything. ha. I'm a writer at heart... So, I tend to lay it all out.

 

Thanks for the response though praguepride!

 

Cheers.

[iMac]

Thanks to everyone for the possitive support behind that idea I threw up a few pages back!

 

As long as you can manage to keep it diverse enough with marks, smarks, trolls, and more I would read this wholeheartedly Double points for inter-forum arguments!

 

But yeah, the hardest part would be giving every user an individual voice and not have them all write the same way but just with different views. Could possibly get a team of people you trust, tell them the card results in PM and get them to reply with "comments", which you'd then incorporate into your diary post?

 

I totally agree with you man. The arguments idea would be something I thought would be really interesting. I invisioned something like "I was there and would say it was a C- kinda match" to which someone would answer "What?! C-?!! It was horrible. E+ at the most." And great idea with the PM thing, that would be a great way of making sure every user had a different voice.

 

 

That would be neato! Only problem I can forsee is that with all the rumors and smarkyness flying, it'll be hard to maintain a coherent story, ya know?

 

Or would the goal of the diary be solely on the booking and not worry too much on developing characters?

 

Hmm... another very good point. I guess it would distract from developing characters. Another idea I had off the back of this post was maybe my user character within the game would be a young wrestler, who at the same time was a member of this forum, and he could let people in on the backstage happenings? Kinda like a leak inside the company maybe?

 

 

 

iMac, damned interesting idea. I've wondered once in awhile why we don't see too many people really pushing the envelope in terms of presentation. Something like that could be awesome... but it would take a lot of work to refine. And I think that's the problem - you can put in all kinds of work to pull it together and, for whatever reason, it just doesn't work. Would love to see someone run with the idea, though.

 

Spot on mate, it would take a lot of work, including a lot of hours infront of photoshop trying to make the graphics. But if I ever try a C-Verse diary I'd maybe do it this way. I think it would be something different for sure.

 

 

Also, just wanna say that I see a real benefit in having a thread like this. Somewhere for people to bounce ideas around and have a discussion on them will be incredibly handy for anyone thinking about starting a new diary. I know for a fact I was nervous when I hit "submit reply", and that was just posting my idea. Imagine how I would have felt going for the first post in a diary!

[SeanMcFly]

Can anybody give me any feedback on how I'm running my diary ? It's my first time and I want to know If I'm doing alright ? Also, Still debating on how I'm going to do Match Write-Ups with PGHW, any Tips ?

[Bigpapa42]

One diary I've had a few times, in a few different forms, is to have a multi-booker diary. One writer and one promotion, but several different people making the booking decisions. Could a "booking committee" deal for the whole promotion, or maybe just for the titles. If its a bigger promotoin, maybe have three bookers who each control one main storyline. It would take a lot of work and cooperation, but it would be a uniquely-run promotion for a diary, I think.

[randomfreeze]

This seems like the right place for this question, so I'll go ahead and ask it and hopefully I'll get some responses...

 

I've had an idea for a diary that I wanted to do in the UK, but one of the reasons I haven't done it is because I'm from the United States and don't know the dialogue/speech patterns very well for people from the UK. Maybe this doesn't seem like a big problem to some, but I'd feel funny writing a promo for Jeff Nova or The Highland Warrior and it coming off very American...especially since so many of you are from that part of the world. It would lean towards a dialogue heavy diary as well at least in the beginning, so it's put me off for the past few months and made me not want to do it.

 

So the tl;dr version of my question is, would you be put off reading an UK diary if it wasn't authentic to the way people from that area talk?

[crayon]

One diary I've had a few times, in a few different forms, is to have a multi-booker diary. One writer and one promotion, but several different people making the booking decisions. Could a "booking committee" deal for the whole promotion, or maybe just for the titles. If its a bigger promotoin, maybe have three bookers who each control one main storyline. It would take a lot of work and cooperation, but it would be a uniquely-run promotion for a diary, I think.

 

It'd be interesting if somehow you could see "behind the scenes" and see what kind of politicing/reasoning is being made for booking one way over another.. but then that'd basically give away the storyline outcomes, so catch22 :/

 

So the tl;dr version of my question is, would you be put off reading an UK diary if it wasn't authentic to the way people from that area talk?

 

I think a big question of that is, how many people from the UK would be reading it? Coz they're most likely the only ones who would notice and potentially be put off by it.. If you think Jimmy O'Malley should be walkin around sayin "top o' the mornin to ya! Where's me Lucky Charms?" I'll buy it, coz that's about as much that I know of Ireland too

[hurricanendp]

So the tl;dr version of my question is, would you be put off reading an UK diary if it wasn't authentic to the way people from that area talk?

 

I'd say that, as long as you didn't paint us all with the same brush like WWE does (they make out that England is in fact just London) then you'd be onto a winner.

 

There's plenty of sites on google that tell you various dialects that we have over here, different types of words that Geordies (people from Newcastle), Scousers (people from Liverpool) etc say that aren't said elsewhere.

 

Outside of researching a few character bios for their style of talking, i'd say that the diary would probably run alot smoother than you think

[The Final Countdown]

One diary I've had a few times, in a few different forms, is to have a multi-booker diary. One writer and one promotion, but several different people making the booking decisions. Could a "booking committee" deal for the whole promotion, or maybe just for the titles. If its a bigger promotoin, maybe have three bookers who each control one main storyline. It would take a lot of work and cooperation, but it would be a uniquely-run promotion for a diary, I think.

I could see this working really well for a WWE brand split diary. Like, have 2 (or 3, if you want to run ECW as well) distinct "factions" that each want things to be run a certain way, with a certain focus, and give each of them their own brand. You could use it to try and create a real, tangible difference between the brands. Like, say, Shane wants to focus on wrestling, and push the next generation to the top, while Steph wants to push the established stars and focus on entertainment.

[hurricanendp]

actually, whilst i'm here, i'm thinking of changing my diary format from being a 3 prong set up (Show Preview -> Show -> Internet Reports) to maybe going 4 prong by adding in a dirt sheet style write up, or along the lines of a rumour site that pops up every now and then.

 

Questions being, what would be a good name for it? I was wanting The Dirt Sheet, plain and simple, but with WWE having a show of the same name, i'd rather go an alternate way.

 

And the second one, would this type of thing really work? or would it spoil my diary if i actually gave away a big signing or title change but tried to pass it off as rumour?

[Bigpapa42]

Can anybody give me any feedback on how I'm running my diary ? It's my first time and I want to know If I'm doing alright ? Also, Still debating on how I'm going to do Match Write-Ups with PGHW, any Tips ?

 

So far, so good.

 

When it comes to the match write-ups, you really have to find something that works for you. I always equate PGHW with All Japan Pro Wrestling from the mid-1990s, and I would expect the matches in PGHW to be serious and hard-hitting affairs. That isn't to say you have to write them that, simply that's what I - one single reader - expects to see. I can't speak for anyone beyond myself, but I don't know how well it would go over if the match write-ups are based heavily on entertainment and humor... Maybe it would work, but...?

 

The problem with going with a really serious, detailed approach to the matches is that, well, its tough. It takes being a pretty good writer and a knowledgeable wrestling fan. There are a few writers on the board here who are fantastic at it. My best recommendation is to do some reading of some of the diaries. I especially recommend TigerKinney - his current FCW diary and his BHOTWG diary from 2007.

[Self]

So the tl;dr version of my question is, would you be put off reading an UK diary if it wasn't authentic to the way people from that area talk?

 

In my opinion, stereotypes in wrestling are okay.

 

I'm from the UK, and I'm currently writing a Canadian set promotion featuring a ton of American workers. I may have watched a lot of American TV, but I still struggle to come up with authentic and unique speech patterns for my characters. So I resort to stereotypes. Harry Allen is getting quite a bit of screentime right now. For him I'm just going as Southern as possible with his speech, y'alls and ain't and Cowboy expressions and all kinds of double negatives. It's color. It gives the character a bit of individuality, and as long as the storylines and emotional depth of the characters are interesting, I think you can get away with stereotyping the speech.

 

Another point about UK promotions in diaries... something I've always found fascinating is comparing interviews given by players of American sports (Basketball, Colonial Football) to players of British sports (Rugby, Real Football). Americans tend to lean towards "Yeah! We're gonna win! I'm the MVP!" whereas Brits are calmer, more affable. "Well... yeah... um... It was a tough game... Whole team pulled through... Bit of a patchy second half, but we got the 3 points, so we're happy." It's something I've always wanted to tap into, but the chips haven't quite fallen into place yet.

[Eisen-verse]

I'm not sure if this is a thread based upon asking for advice/feedback about a Diary that's already set but I thought I would do so (since I've seen a few posts previously with the same direction).

 

All in all, What do you think of my X-WA Diary? Do you like it? Bored by it? Dislike it? Think it needs to change something? You can be as honest as you want as I'd rather know what others are thinking. Ultimately to see whether or not people "like" what I'm doing versus just checking in and checking out. ha.

 

Cheers.

[foolinc]

I'm not sure if this is a thread based upon asking for advice/feedback about a Diary that's already set but I thought I would do so (since I've seen a few posts previously with the same direction).

 

All in all, What do you think of my X-WA Diary? Do you like it? Bored by it? Dislike it? Think it needs to change something? You can be as honest as you want as I'd rather know what others are thinking. Ultimately to see whether or not people "like" what I'm doing versus just checking in and checking out. ha.

 

Cheers.

 

I like it, though to be honest since you put so much and update it daily (sometimes more) into it I am constantly catching up.